Story ID: 
NBAA Extends Sustainable Flight Department Deadline
By: Curt Epstein
Caption: NBAA's recently-launched Leadership in a Sustainable Flight Department accreditation program will soon be evaluating its first group of applicants.
Word Count: 244
With the business aviation industry focused increasingly on sustainability, NBAA has extended the application window—until the end of May—for its new Leadership in a Sustainable Flight Department accreditation program. The program provides a standardized way for its members to demonstrate measures being taken to reduce their environmental footprints.

“We saw a large outreach from our members,” said Stewart D’Leon, NBAA’s director of environmental and technical operations. “They were looking to do more in this space to align with their parent organization’s goals.”

The program is designed to promote sustainability best practices for flight departments and other business aviation entities. It is being supported by the organization’s newly-established environmental subcommittee, which offers real-life operational input from members. Participants will be able to choose from any or all of four independent areas of accreditation: flight, operations, ground support, and infrastructure according to D’Leon.

Speaking at AIN’s Building a Sustainable Flight Department forum yesterday in Los Angeles, he noted that the application window for the first group of companies has been extended through May 31. This is to end confusion over what was initially slated to be a separate application and documentation deadlines, D’Leon explained. Applicants will undergo a virtual audit over the summer, with some randomly selected for an on-site audit. Three-year accreditations will be awarded in September, with the window for next year’s applications opening again in January.