Story ID: 
NBAA-BACE To Bring Focus on Owner-pilots
By: Kerry Lynch
Caption: Members of the recently formed NBAA Owner Pilot Association Coalition will have a dedicated exhibit area, educational sessions, and networking at BACE.
Word Count: 351
NBAA is taking several steps to highlight its new Owner Pilot Association Coalition (OPAC) during this year’s BACE in Orlando, Florida, including dedicating an area on the exhibit hall floor, educational sessions, and networking events.

The organization hosted an owner/single-pilot pavilion during BACE last year and followed that up this year with the announcement of the formation of OPAC, which was established with representatives from six independent owner-pilot organizations.

“We’d like to take the pulse of the OPAC membership and learn what NBAA can do to better support them, so we’re going to feature coalition member associations at our show,” said Andrew Broom, NBAA’s senior v-p of strategy, marketing, and innovation. “We’re also going to their shows to talk to their members directly.”

During BACE, an area on the exhibit hall floor will be set aside for OPAC member booths, enabling their representatives to better meet and network. In addition, a reception is planned for the opening day of the show on October 18 for OPAC members, and NBAA’s Small Operator Symposium and Single Pilot Safety Standdown are expected to draw from the groups.

The theme of the standdown is "Breaking the Chain of Runway Excursion" and will include a look at the Safe to Land initiative spearheaded by OPAC member Citation Jet Pilots (CJP).

Beyond BACE, NBAA representatives, including Broom, are attending OPAC-member events. OPAC will collaborate on issues confronting the owner-pilot association. In addition to CJP, other OPAC members include Cirrus Vision Pilots and Owners, Embraer Jet Operators Association, Malibu M-Class Owner and Pilot Association, Pilatus Owners & Pilots Association, and the TBM Owner Pilot Association.

“What a great way to leverage the brain trusts of other associations and establish best practices from the lessons learned tackling and solving similar problems, because of course they’re having the same issues as CJP,” said CJP CEO Trent Corcia. “The more we collaborate with each other, the more effective the brainstorming efforts will be and the stronger our associations will become.”