Events Held In Conjunction With The Organization's Annual Conventions

From "Why?" to "How To," the AOPA and the NBAA will help members make the most of their light general aviation aircraft as business tools this fall at each group's annual convention. Speaking at EAA's AirVenture, AOPA President and CEO Craig L. Fuller and NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen unveiled the six forums that will be presented as the Light Business Airplane Conference at both the NBAA Annual Meeting and Convention October 19-21 in Atlanta and the AOPA Aviation Summit November 11-13 in Long Beach, CA.

"Business aviation involves the use of any general aviation airplane for business, and our jointly hosted conference really drives that point home," said NBAA's Bolen. "A large portion of the businesses that use aviation are small companies, many of which use smaller piston-powered aircraft. With this event, we can help to ensure we're supporting their specific needs and addressing their unique challenges."

"The six forums, all of which will be offered at each of our gatherings, are designed specifically to help businesses that use light GA aircraft get the most out of those aircraft," added Fuller. "And because NBAA's convention is in the East this year and AOPA's is in the West, we will collectively be able to reach many more pilots, owners, and operators than either of us could individually."

The six courses include:

• How to Use General Aviation for Business Purposes. The session will introduce the range of options available and the proven benefits when companies use general aviation for business.
• Tax Benefits of Aircraft Ownership. This course examines how to write off expenses when using a personal airplane for business, and the tax benefits that await if a person or business buys a new or used airplane and places it in the business.
• Single Pilot: Safely will look at single-pilot operations. Safety data shows that single pilot operations are riskier than flights conducted with two-pilots. This forum will show how to prepare for single-pilot flights in high-performance piston aircraft and turbine aircraft to minimize risk. This session is based upon AOPA Air Safety Foundation's "Single Pilot IFR, Turbine Operations" course.
• Getting Reimbursed for Flights: What Do the FARs say? will explain the applicable regulations and recent FAA legal interpretations about accepting reimbursement for business or personal flights and give a clear roadmap as to when a pilot can accept reimbursement - from his or her company, or from other passengers.
• An Insurance Panel will offer tips for the owner-flown market, and address how to overcome challenges such as obtaining workers' compensation coverage. Pilots who fly for business must ensure they have properly covered the risks associated with aircraft ownership & operations.
• Moving Up to a Turbine Aircraft answers questions about what a business needs to know before moving up, and how to match needs with the appropriate aircraft.

The majority of general aviation flight hours each year are for flights made in support of business. The associations owe it to their members, the leaders concluded, to help them get the most of such an important business asset.

FMI: www.nbaa.org, www.aopa.org