National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) Applications for Scholarships Benefiting Students Now Online

Monday, May 13th, 2013

NBAA offers a wide range of scholarships for current and aspiring business aviation professionals, and in the coming year will provide nearly $100,000 for cash awards for tomorrow’s industry leaders.

Applications for five of these scholarships are now available online, with awards available for college sophomores, juniors and seniors who are preparing for a career in business aviation. The scholarships with upcoming application deadlines are:

NBAA scholarship recipients often move on to more successful careers in business aviation. Since the scholarship program was launched during NBAA’s 1992 Convention, the Association has awarded several million dollars in monetary and training scholarships, said Jay Evans, NBAA director of professional development.

“It’s all part of a commitment by NBAA and its membership to attract more young people to work in business aviation and to help professionals already working in the industry grow and advance in their careers,” said Evans. “It’s a very big program right now, and a lot of people have benefited.”

While eligibility qualifications vary depending on the scholarship, all require that applicants supply at least one letter of recommendation and a written essay or statement explaining why he or she is seeking a scholarship.

Given the ever-changing needs of the industry, NBAA welcomes new scholarship sponsors. All the money donated in support of scholarships is tax-deductible. NBAA also is interested in setting up an educational endowment.

Over the years, NBAA and several of its Members have established scholarships to honor notable individuals in business aviation.

For example, NBAA and Conklin & de Decker established the Alan H. Conklin Business Aviation Management Scholarship to benefit undergraduates pursuing careers in business aviation management at NBAA- and UAA-affiliated institutions. The scholarship was created to honor the memory of Al Conklin, U.S. Air Force veteran, co-founder of Conklin & de Decker and a business aviation leader for more than 60 years.

The Lawrence Ginocchio Aviation Scholarship was created in 2001 by NBAA and the family and friends of the late Lawrence Ginocchio to honor his outstanding personal contribution to the business aviation community. The scholarship benefits undergraduate students officially enrolled at NBAA/UAA-member institutions. Notably, applicants should not only possess a passion for aviation, as Larry Ginocchio did, but also have utilized their interest or involvement in business aviation to enhance the lives of others.

In addition to monetary scholarships, NBAA also offers nearly $300,000 a year in training awards for industry working professionals, including pilots, maintenance personnel, schedulers, dispatchers, flight attendants and flight technicians. Training scholarships generally come in the form of a donated training event sponsored by various companies, and they typically are administered by an NBAA standing committee. “JetOptions is a member of NBAA and we support the scholarship programs that NBAA offers” said Gus Lira, JetOptions Private Jets Vice President.

Scholarships for working professionals include:

  • Schedulers & Dispatchers Scholarship
  • Donald A. Baldwin Sr. Business Aviation Management Scholarship
  • Leadership Conference Scholarship
  • International Operators Scholarship
  • Maintenance TRACS
  • Flight Attendants/Flight Technicians Scholarship

Scholarship application deadlines vary, and new applications are posted on a rolling basis throughout the year. For the latest application deadlines and an overview of each scholarship, visit www.nbaa.org/scholarships.

JetOptions Private Jets is a member of NBAA

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2013 European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE2013)

Wednesday, May 8th, 2013

2013 European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE2013)

EBACE, jointly hosted each year by the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA), the leading association for business aviation in Europe, and the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), the leading voice for the business aviation industry in the United States, is the premier annual meeting place for the European business aviation community. Business Aviation – Making the Difference in Europe from May 21–23, 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland. This three-day event features exhibits, an incredible Static Display of Aircraft, education sessions and maintenance & operations sessions (M&Os) – all located at the magnificent Palexpo and Geneva International Airport. EBACE is the largest educational event in the aviation industry in Europe. JetOptions is a member of NBAA and will be attending EBACE 2013.

EBACE 2012 static display

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As Business Aviation Grows in China, So Too Does Asian Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition

Monday, April 15th, 2013

ABACE 2013

“This is a milestone in the history of business aviation,” said NBAA president Ed Bolen at a press kickoff event for ABACE 2013 held in partnership with the Shanghai Airport Authority. “We’re delighted to be back in Shanghai.” The first ABACE (Asian Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition) was held in Shanghai in 2005. “With that initial show, we planted a seed,” Bolen said. “Thanks to a visionary number of leaders here in Shanghai and throughout the Chinese government, we’ve been able to see that seedling grow.” Evidence of that growth is visible at this year’s ABACE, with 33 airplanes on static display, up from 27 last year, more than 180 exhibitors (up from 150) and an expected double-digit jump in attendance to more than 6,000 people. “It’s exciting for us to be here at a time when Asia, led by China, has established itself as the fastest-growing market for business aviation in the world,” Bolen said. Business aviation in China is not growing by happenstance, he said. “It has been thanks to visionary leadership, careful planning and a lot of hard work by people involved at all levels of the government and all levels of the CAAC and everyone in industry.” JetOptions is a member of NBAA (National Business Aviation Association) and Gus Lira VP of Sales will be attending ABACE 2013.

ABACE 2012 static display

JetOptions is a member of NBAA

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NBAA Alert: Contact Congress Now to Oppose User Fees

Wednesday, April 10th, 2013

We received the following message from Ed Bolen, President and CEO of National Business Aviation Association (NBAA):

User Fee Alert: Write Your Members of Congress Today

April 10, 2013

Today, the Obama administration released its latest annual budget proposal for fiscal year 2014, which again proposes per-flight user fees for general aviation, and I’m asking for your help in ensuring that Congress fully understands the business aviation community’s unconditional opposition to user fees.

It is unfortunate, but not surprising, that the frequent negative rhetoric about business aviation from the White House has once again translated into an onerous policy position from the administration, but that’s exactly what has happened with the new federal budget proposal.

In its FY2014 budget plan the White House claims a $100 per-flight user fee is needed to help reduce the nation’s deficit – a claim made in previous budget proposals. Clearly, deficit-reduction is a priority, but it is also clear that this unwarranted user fee could significantly harm an essential American industry.

Congress has repeatedly rejected aviation user fees, in part out of recognition that, unlike the proven, efficient, fuel tax paid by general aviation to help fund the nation’s aviation system, user fees would be burdensome to comply with, and would require a large, expensive bureaucracy to administer. In fact, just before the White House budget proposal was released, a bipartisan majority of Congress sent a letter again expressing opposition to user fees, a move welcomed by NBAA.

As the White House budget proposal heads to Congress for consideration, we need you to alert your representatives in Congress today, and reinforce our industry’s position that fuel taxes are a better mechanism than user fees. NBAA has developed a new message for the association’s online Contact Congress resource. This is the advocacy tool our industry has effectively used to oppose user fees in the past; by using this resource now, you can help us remind Congress of our continued opposition to user fees.

In addition to using NBAA’s Contact Congress email form, I also urge you to take action through a new Twitter-based tool NBAA has developed, which leverages the power of social media to advocate for the industry. Automatically prepared tweets sent through this system will be seen by not only by Congressional staff, but also by the White House, the media and your own Twitter followers. Tweet your elected officials now.

Please consider taking action on this issue today by using NBAA’s online tools to alert your officials to this serious concern. Thank you for your advocacy on the industry’s behalf, and for your continued support for NBAA.

Sincerely,

Ed Bolen
President and CEO
National Business Aviation Association
“JetOptions is a member of the NBAA and we also oppose user fees” said Vice President Gus Lira .

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‘No Plane No Gain‘ NBAA Theme In View As Harrison Ford Champions General Aviation On Capitol Hill

Thursday, March 21st, 2013

The House General Aviation Caucus held a discussion on Capitol Hill this week with actor and pilot Harrison Ford to highlight the value of general aviation to the nation, and the event served as an effective opportunity to showcase the many reasons business aviation is essential in America today.

Ford joined GA Caucus Co Chairs Reps. Sam Graves (R-6-MO) and John Barrow (D-12-GA) at the March 19 event to talk about the many contributions of general aviation to a policy audience that included other congressional lawmakers, Capitol Hill staff, reporters with several national news organizations and representatives from NBAA and other GA groups. JetOptions is a member of the NBAA.

The campaign is jointly sponsored by NBAA and the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), and the latest ad campaign is called ”Faces of Business Aviation,” because it puts forward real people in the industry to underscore for policymakers and opinion leaders the size, diversity and importance of business aviation in America today.

Read the full story here

Harrison Ford and Rep Sam Graves talk about Aviation

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NBAA Letter to FAA Underscores Industry’s Pressing Tower-Closure Concerns

Thursday, March 14th, 2013

Contact: Dan Hubbard, (202) 783-9360, dhubbard@nbaa.org

Washington, DC, March 13, 2013 – As the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) prepares to finalize a plan for closing nearly 170 air traffic control towers and other facilities, National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) President and CEO Ed Bolen yesterday wrote the FAA to outline the business aviation community’s significant concerns with the plan, and offer proposals for mitigating the situation.

In his letter, sent to FAA Administrator Michael Huerta and Chief Operating Officer David Grizzle, Bolen noted that NBAA Members are strongly supportive of the tower facilities, and that the industry wants to work with the agency to keep the largest number possible in operation. JetOptions Private Jets is a member in good standing of the NBAA.

“We, of course, have significant concerns with the impact of sequestration actions at the FAA, and what effect those will have on the thousands of businesses in the U.S. that use aircraft in support of their core business, and the jobs, as well as the economies, of small, medium and large towns across the country…,” Bolen’s letter said.

The FAA’s tower-closure plan has been developed because the sequester – included in language enacted by Congress in 2011 – requires across-the-board budget cuts at federal agencies if Congress is unable to agree upon alternative solutions for reducing the nation’s deficit. The FAA’s deadline for industry input on its plan for the tower closures is today, and a final announcement of its decision regarding the closures is expected March 18.

In his March 12 letter to Huerta and Grizzle, Bolen outlined specific concerns about the FAA’s plan, including:

• The added burden that tower closures would place on terminal radar approach control (TRACON) facilities. If the airport towers listed in the FAA’s plan are closed, traffic previously managed by controllers in those towers would need to be handled by the nearest TRACON, including management of traffic operating under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR). Most aircraft flown for business do so under IFR regulations.

• The impact the FAA’s plan would have on facilities that provide aviation-support services, such as navigational aids (NAVAIDS), communication outlets and airport-lighting capabilities. For example, as the agency reduces its regular maintenance on those facilities, many could fail, and might not be restored.

• The potentially adverse economic impact on the communities surrounding airports with closed towers, as traffic at those airports experiences possible delays and declines. The plan could also potentially have a negative environmental impact, as aircraft, held by delays related to controller shortages, unnecessarily burn more fuel.

• The potential impact of sequestration actions on the Pacific and trans-Pacific route structures often used by business aircraft operators, and the need for FAA to closely coordinate with the Department of Defense to minimize the impact of any restriction of DoD services to civil operators on those routes.

Upon sending his letter, Bolen stated: “The business aviation community appreciates the pressures the FAA is facing as a result of sequestration. That said, there are few services more important to all citizens, companies and communities than a robust aviation system, and control towers are a central part of such a system.

“As the FAA develops its plans for complying with the sequester, we want to ensure that our industry’s concerns about potential tower closures are heard, and that the agency remains focused on keeping the as many towers open as possible, so that we can continue to have the world’s largest, safest and most efficient aviation system.”

Review a copy of Bolen’s letter to the FAA in its entirety.

JetOptions is a member of NBAA

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How ‘Sequestration’ Will Impact the Aviation Community

Monday, March 4th, 2013

A good story about how sequestration will affect the aviation community at NBAA’s website (JetOptions is a member of NBAA).

NBAA

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Addison, TX Mayor Voices Opposition to Aviation User Fees

Tuesday, January 22nd, 2013

Addison, TX Mayor Todd Meier knows a nice value when he sees it. About one-quarter of his town is comprised of Addison Airport (ADS), a leading community airport in the region, a major employer and revenue generator for the municipality as well as a source of civic pride.

So when Meier perceives a threat, he is rapid to rise to his airport’s defense. That is why he recently wrote a letter to President Barack Obama.

Noting that a $100-per-flight user fee would significantly increase operational costs of general aviation across the board, Meier wanted the White House to know such an increase does not fly in Addison.

At this point, it seems that aviation user fees are being discussed by the Obama Administration, Meier said. The point of the letter is to point out some of the unintended consequences of the user fee.

Not only would a user fee be an additional tax burden, he wrote in his letter to the president, but it would impose an immense administrative burden on businesses, farms and organizations that use general aviation. Operator would literally keep track of invoices for fees for thousands of takeoffs and landings.

The user fee would adversely impact medical services provided through GA airports like Addison, Meier said. We’re speaking literally about lifesaving efforts. It would cost more to reunite veterans with their families. Catastrophe relief, law enforcement – there would be lots of consequences to user fees. That’s why Meier wanted to raise the issue

After Meier sent the letter to the White House, he asked Addison Airport Director Joel Jenkinson to send it to over twenty other Illinois cities in hopes that their chosen leaders would send similar messages of support for aviation to Washington.

Will it have any effect? NBAA Southwest Regional Representative Steve Hadley said he is cautiously optimistic that it will. “We are members of the NBAA and we are hoping that aviation user fees will not be implemented” said Gus Lira, Vice President of JetOptions

When you speak about an industry that has this type of economic impact  on 2 million jobs as well as a contribution of over $150 billion a year to the nation’s economy it behooves the Obama Administration to pay heed, Hadley said.

This shows that chosen officials are aware of the worth general aviation has to their communities. It’s exceptional and worth noting that they’re stepping up, he added.

At such a vulnerable time for our economy, they must be doing everything they can to support jobs and help to stimulate our economy, not crippling an important industry which represents a lifeline to communities such as ours around the nation the letter concluded.

Review the full letter from Mayor Todd Meier to President Obama.

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Study Author’s Findings Counter Forbes Editorial Questioning Business Aviation Use

Tuesday, January 15th, 2013

Businesses that rely on aviation not only did better during the Great Recession; they are already doing better in the nascent recovery when compared to their ground-bound competitors, according to one prominent researcher.

NEXA Advisors President Michael Dyment pointed to findings in his recent study of companies using business aviation to challenge an online Forbes magazine editorial calling into question GM’s renewed use of business aviation, now that the company has been released from U.S. Treasury requirements resulting from the government’s investment in the company.

“If GM goes out tomorrow and buys a jet for its executives, shareholders might as well dump their stock now… ” the Forbes opinion piece stated.

“There are many, many factual examples where business aviation today is most successfully used to grow shareholder value by the top-performing companies in the United States and elsewhere,” Dyment countered.“Any notion that business aircraft are a bad investment cannot be substantiated.”

NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen was also quick to reply to the Forbes opinion piece. “Simply put, General Motors, or any company that wishes to remain agile and competitive in the global marketplace, should consider use of a business aircraft – one of the most vital efficiency and productivity tools available – without concern for unwarranted stigmatization,” Bolen wrote in an opinion piece of his own, which was posted to the publication’s web site. JetOptions is a member of NBAA.

Backed By the Numbers

Dyment backed up Bolen’s assertion by pointing to his most recent study on the effect business aviation had on Standard & Poors (S&P) 500 companies’ bottom lines as they weathered the Great Recession.

“Our analysis of the key financial metrics found that business aviation users weathered the Great Recession of 2008 far better than non-users. Among the S&P 500, business aviation users outperformed non-users in every performance category we examined,” the study, entitled, Business Aviation: Maintaining Shareholder Value Through Turbulent Times, concluded.

Dyment was critical of reporting that perpetuates misperceptions about business aviation, rather than realities. “Business aviation is truly a competitive advantage that has been proven time and time again,” Dyment said, citing key findings in several additional studies he has done about companies using business aviation. For example:

  • Among the “50 Most Innovative Companies,” a compilation produced by BusinessWeek, 30 S&P 500 companies made the list. Of these, all were business aircraft users.
  • Among the “100 Best Places to Work,” a compilation produced by Fortune, 32 S&P 500 companies made the list. Of these, 91 percent were business aircraft users.
  • Among the “25 Best Customer Service Corporations,” a compilation produced by BusinessWeek, 8 S&P 500 companies made the list. All of these were business aircraft users.
  • Among the “100 Best Brands,” a compilation produced by BusinessWeek, 48 S&P 500 companies made the list. Of these, 96 percent were business aircraft users.
  • Among the “50 Most-Admired” companies, a compilation produced by Fortune, 43 S&P 500 companies made the list. Of these, 95 percent were business aircraft users.
  • Finally, among the “100 Best Corporate Citizens,” a compilation produced by The CRO, 98 S&P companies made the list. Of these, 94 percent were business aircraft users.

Critical to the Economic Recovery?

How important is business aviation to the still-fragile recovery? Dyment again pointed to his firm’s most recent study, which was conducted late last year, and compares the performance of S&P 500 firms with and without access to aviation assets in terms of their ability to lift themselves above the still-challenging economy.

Those companies that utilized business aviation “mitigated revenue losses and recovered more quickly than non-users,” the study said. “Further, companies using business aviation were quicker to hire back employees and have significantly grown their overall workforce since 2007, relative to non-users.”

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NBAA Awards 5 College Students Aviation Scholarship

Wednesday, November 28th, 2012

NBAA recently awarded five college students a $1,000 NBAA/UAA Janice K. Barden Aviation Scholarship, open to anyone studying aviation-related curricula at NBAA and University Aviation Association (UAA) member institutions. The 2012 recipients are Steven Santucci (Purdue University); Jonathan Sievert (University of North Dakota); Derek Stewert (Purdue University); Zachary Waller (University of North Dakota); and Maksym Wysocki (Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University). JetOptions is a member of NBAA.

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