Bolen Says Attendance Up Seven Percent Over 2010

As the final day of NBAA’s 64th Annual Meeting & Convention (NBAA2011) drew to a close, National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) President and CEO Ed Bolen thanked Exhibitors and Attendees for what he called “a highly successful show.”

“What we are seeing is that the show is providing real value to the business aviation community, even in these challenging economic times,” Bolen said. “It’s clear that the Convention continues to be a must-attend event for anyone whose passion or profession involves business aviation.”

To illustrate his point, Bolen noted that:

• The show closed with 26,077 people in attendance, a 7 percent jump in attendance over that for last year’s Convention;
• The number of Exhibitors at the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC) was 1,106, a 2 percent increase over last year’s Exhibitor count of 1,086; 
• A total of 101 aircraft were displayed this year, including 85 at the sold-out Static Display of Aircraft at Henderson Executive Airport (HND), five more inside the Las Vegas Convention Center and 11 additional aircraft at the first-ever Outdoor Static Display adjacent to the LVCC.

“By every key measure, this year’s Convention met or exceeded NBAA’s expectations,” Bolen said. “Equally important, the level of enthusiasm we’ve seen from show participants tells us that their expectations were met or exceeded as well.”

Bolen pointed to other show successes, including:

• A highly popular Opening General Session, and equally well-received second-day opening sessions for the show, which together featured an unprecedented lineup of leaders, legends and luminaries from government and the aviation community.
• Standing-room-only crowds at many NBAA2011 education sessions – some of which drew more than 300 participants – including NBAA’s annual “Meet the Regulators” session, a discussion about the emerging use of iPads in aircraft cockpits, and a session on emerging opportunities for business aviation in the Asian region.
• An enormously successful NBAA/CAN Charity Benefit, which raised $220,000 to support the Corporate Angel Network’s mission to provide transport for cancer patients to treatment centers aboard business aircraft.
• A spike in international registration, which was up more than 23 percent over that for last year’s Convention, with nearly 4,000 representatives from 88 different countries present at NBAA2011.
• The positive reception for five catchy new advertisements featuring internationally renowned business investor Warren Buffett, which reflect a consistent theme from the Convention: the importance of face-to-face communications enabled by business aviation. The ads were unveiled at the show as part of the No Plane No Gain advocacy campaign, sponsored by NBAA and the General Aviation Manufacturers Association.
• The united industry support around the general aviation community’s united “Stop User Fees” message – highlighted in Convention signage and sessions, including one involving the leaders of several aviation associations.  
• The acclaim for NBAA’s new Convention mobile app, which has been downloaded thousands of times, and the support for NBAA’s inaugural “Tweetup” for the industry's social media users, held on October 10.

“This year's Convention underscored the fact that the people and companies in business aviation are optimistic and forward-looking,” Bolen said. “NBAA’s Convention continues to be a key part of that forward-looking vision, serving as the premier venue for bringing the industry together and advancing its interests. Our thanks to everyone who helped make this year's event a success.”

FMI: www.nbaa.org