Gallery: People and Planes at NBAA-BACE Exhibition

Country singer and songwriter Dierks Bentley acquired a Cessna Citation CJ4 after a 2020 tornado destroyed his other aircraft. “Without that plane there would be no music,” he said during a keynote address Oct. 14. 

NBAA awarded its Meritorious Service to Aviation Award to aviator, entrepreneur, and business leader Steuart Walton, the grandson of Walmart founder Sam Walton, who has helped transform Bentonville Municipal Airport in Arkansas.

James Janaitis Sr. received the FAA’s Charles Taylor Master Mechanic Award on Oct. 14 during NBAA-BACE. The prestigious award recognizes individuals who worked in aviation maintenance for at least 50 years. James, his wife and son are shown here.

BCA, part of Aviation Week Network, presented $23,460 to the Corporate Angel Network on Oct. 14.

Magnifica Air CEO Wade Black signs a letter of intent with Air Lease Corp. Executive VP David Becker for four Airbus A220-300s and two A3321-200neo aircraft on Oct. 14.

Textron Aviation President CEO Ron Draper and NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen promote the Special Olympics Airlift, which will transport athletes and their coaches to the Special Olympics in June 2026 in Minneapolis.

The $12.5 billion allocated for air traffic control system modernization will cover major improvements, but $19 billion more will be needed, House Transportation Committee Chairman Sam Graves (R-Mo.) said Oct. 13. 

A mock-up of Otto Aerospace’s unconventionally configured Phantom 3500 midsize jet is on display for the first time at NBAA-BACE this year. Configured with a laminar flow wing and fuselage, the low drag aircraft is targeted at first flight in late 2027 and certification in 2030.

The Cirrus G2+ Vision Jet includes the company’s Safe Return emergency autoland system, parachute systems, Gogo Wifi, Auto Radar powered by Garmin and increased performance Williams FJ33-5A engines as some of its features.

Archer Aviation is displaying a mock-up of its four-passenger Midnight eVTOL at NBAA-BACE. The company plans to launch electric air taxi services in the UAE this year and is ramping up initial production at its sites in California and Georgia.