WHITE PLAINS, New York—The business aviation industry brings good jobs, economic development, efficiencies, business growth, cutting-edge technologies, humanitarian and disaster relief efforts and an impressive commitment to sustainability, Ed Bolen, National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) president and CEO, said during the opening session of a crowded NBAA Regional Conference June 15 in White Plains, New York.
“When you are part of this community, you are part of something special,” Bolen said. With that, however, come responsibilities, such as the responsibility of fostering an environment for the industry to thrive, of making the industry’s voices heard in the halls of Congress and the responsibility of nurturing a diverse group of the best and brightest young people.
“Use this responsibility as we go to airports and meet new people and let them know we’re proud to be part of the business aviation community,” Bolen says. The industry was built on leaders with vision, passion and commitment.
The best groups are those who foster and welcome diversity, he says. Professional development is a fundamental part of the industry.
“The challenge for all of us is how to get out and how do we make sure that the people at Vaughn College understand this is where you want to be—to get out to the Girl Scouts and the Boy Scouts and Women in Aviation,” he says. “We have an opportunity to reach out to markets that are underrepresented and help people understand what we have to offer.”
Young people are not looking for a job; they are looking for a life. They have special requirements. They want to be part of a community, to have friends and to make a meaningful difference. Aviation meets those requirements, he says.
Business aviation has been shrinking its environmental footprint with a 40% reduction over the past 40 years. Today, when a new aircraft model comes to the market, it is 15-30% more efficient than the one it replaces.
The industry was an early adopter of GPS navigation and more direct routes, an early adopter of composite technologies and the first to adopt the use of winglets, he says.
Five years ago, the industry set out to educate the world—those in business aviation, policymakers, opinion leaders and others about “critically important” sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
“Since then, we’ve seen the world get on board,” he says. During the Super Bowl, ads ran on the benefits of SAF; the White House has announced the SAF Grand Challenge, and there is legislation to provide a Blender’s Tax Credit.
Today, the industry’s commitment to carbon net zero emissions by 2050 has a clear path forward, he said, with SAF, with hybrid propulsion, electric propulsion and potentially with hydrogen propulsion systems, by improvements by flight departments and efforts by manufacturers to use recycled materials in the aircraft.
“There is not a single silver bullet,” Bolen says. “We have made a clear pathway forward, and we are moving out on all fronts.”
At the same time, it is a critical time in Washington DC. For the first time in five years, the House and Senate are considering a five-year FAA reauthorization bill to set the direction of the FAA, Bolen says. They are not identical bills. Most importantly, they are bipartisan bills.
The NBAA and other organizations have testified to make safety and security a priority, to promote sustainability and to ensure that passengers don’t give up a right to privacy when you board an aircraft.
The testimony has largely been reflected in the bills. But that does not mean other amendments may be added or something stripped.
However, “at this point, I’m encouraged,” Bolen says.
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