NBAA Flight Plan Podcasts

The FAA recently denied a proposed ban on nighttime operations at Bob Hope Airport (BUR) in Burbank, CA. Bob Rodine, a business aviation consultant, said the denial was a watershed moment to preserve business aviation access to the airport. The FAA ruled that the ban would have adversely impacted economic activity in the area, as well as aviation operations in the wider Los Angeles-area. In response, Congressmen representing the community surrounding the airport announced plans to introduce legislation to mandate a nighttime curfew. NBAA will continue to defend and preserve access at airports like BUR.

Mike Goode, of NetJets and President of the Arizona Business Aviation Association (AZBAA), discusses City of Scottsdale decision to make positive accommodations for business aviation at Scottsdale Airport (SDL). A max takeoff weight of 75,000 pounds had prevented long flights for business aviation, but was lifted by the City of Scottsdale following advocacy efforts by the local community, AZBAA and NBAA. Other communities can affect positive changes at their local airports by following tips Goode outlines in the interview.

The Business Aircraft E-valuation Toolkit is a new resource to help people in the business aviation industry measure and communicate about the value of an airplane in supporting a company's overall business objectives. Michael Dyment, of NEXA Advisors, explains how NBAA Members can apply the toolkit to their own operations.

This week, NBAA Flight Plan looks at the growing presence of social media and how it can help you and your organization. Ryan Keough, of Cutter Aviation, and professional flight instructor Josh Hunter outline ways they use social networking sites like Twitter, Facebook and others to meet new clients and share their message to a wide and interested audience. NBAA has a growing presence on Twitter @NBAA and Facebook to share official NBAA news and business aviation tips and information.

Despite the strong economic headwinds facing business aviation this year, NBAA's 62nd Annual Meeting & Convention remained the industry's most valued event. This episode of NBAA Flight Plan takes a look back at the show, touching on the highlights in interviews with NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen and other Association staff, as well as some of the individuals who provided their perspectives at the event.

As more and more business aviation professionals strive to tell their story - to show just how much the industry contributes to the national and local economy, many of them are banding together with NBAA and other groups to make their voices better heard. In this episode of NBAA Flight Plan, NBAA's Director for Regional Representatives, Dan Burkhart, talks about the topics and planning discussed at a unique meeting between members of local business aviation groups and NBAA's Regional Representatives at this year's Annual Meeting & Convention in Orlando.

NBAA Vice President, Membership Chris Strong shares the results of an NBAA Member Discussion held at NBAA2009. The discussion gave Members the chance to hear the Association's strategies for fighting the "image battle" to counter the incorrect perceptions about the true nature of business aviation.

NBAA and the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) will co-host Light Business Airplane (LBA) Conferences beginning in 2010 in conjunction with each of the two organizations' major annual events. By coordinating and collaborating on the LBA Conferences, the top advocacy groups in general aviation are joining forces to reach a common constituency.

General aviation has long been recognized as an industry that promotes jobs, investment and economic activity across the U.S. Business aviation is a central part of that picture, benefitting citizens, companies and communities across America. But has anyone ever put an actual dollar figure on the many ways GA brings opportunities to cities and towns? In this special Convention edition of NBAA Flight Plan, Selena Shilad, the Executive Director of the Alliance for Aviation Across America, discusses a new survey the organization has done to provide some insights about the connection between general aviation and economic activity.

In this special 2009 Convention edition of NBAA Flight Plan, Pete Combs introduces us to one of the hundreds of business aviation professionals who've come to Orlando to do business at NBAA2009.

NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen says he expects NBAA2009 to be a strong and important show for the business aviation industry. "We've had a very challenging year, and as we come out of that - and turn the page to a new chapter in business aviation, I think there's a lot of excitement here," he said. No Plane No Gain, a joint advocacy campaign, will be at the forefront of this year's Annual Meeting & Convention as well as a slate of guest speakers for the show's Opening General Session.

A recent Harris Interactive survey commissioned by NBAA and GAMA shows the kinds of businesses that rely on an airplane are mostly small and mid-sized companies - contrary to recent mischaracterizations about the industry. In this episode of NBAA Flight Plan, David Krane with Harris Interactive discusses what he learned after surveying more than 500 business aviation pilots and business aircraft passengers for their first-hand perspectives. Businesses use their aircraft "To go to customers offices, to go to new business opportunities, or to go to other company facilities," Krane says.

Peter Fleiss, executive director of Corporate Angel Network (CAN), discusses the humanitarian flights his organization manages in the latest episode of NBAA's Flight Plan podcast. Fleiss talks about how the economy has affected the mercy flights CAN organizes to connect cancer patients with business aircraft operators for transportation to treatment centers across the country. CAN will be the recipient of funds raised at the NBAA/CAN Charity Benefit, held during the 62nd Annual Meeting & Convention in Orlando, FL, next week.

Business aviation is particularly vulnerable to pandemics due to the confined workspaces on aircraft and the possibility of exposure to the flu when traveling abroad. So NBAA will host a live webinar, "Pandemic Planning & Employment Issues", this Thursday, October 1, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. EST. Attorney Greg Ripple of NBAA Member Company Miller-Johnson talks about the concerns facing companies relying on business aviation and will be joined by medical experts and NBAA staff.

The recently released study, conducted by NEXA Advisors and entitled, Business Aviation "An Enterprise Value Perspective examines how companies included in the Standard & Poor's (S&P) 500 performed in revenue growth, profit growth and asset efficiency from 2003 through 2008. Business aircraft use was tied to key enterprise drivers outlined in the study; S&P 500 executives were also extensively interviewed, and an independent cross-reference of findings was performed. In this week's edition of the NBAA Flight Plan podcast, study author and NEXA Advisors Managing Director Michael Dyment details the noteworthy connections his report makes between well-run companies and those that use business aviation.