Event Opens In Two Weeks In Las Vegas

With only two weeks remaining until the ribbon is cut to formally kickoff NBAA's 64th Annual Meeting & Convention in Las Vegas NV, Convention planners report that this year's event, taking place Monday, October 10 through Wednesday, October 12, is anticipated to meet or exceed expectations from previous years, in large part because of the excitement surrounding the many offerings planned for NBAA2011.

"We are very excited to be returning to Las Vegas, and we are delighted that our Monday-through-Wednesday show lineup is being enthusiastically received by Exhibitors and Attendees alike," said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen.

For example, Bolen noted that the Opening General Session at the start of the first day will feature an outstanding lineup of leaders from industry and government, including U.S. Senator Joseph Manchin III (D-WV), Federal Aviation Administration Administrator J. Randolph "Randy" Babbitt, National Transportation Safety Board Chairwoman Deborah A. P. Hersman, John Deere & Company Agricultural and Turf Division President Dave Everitt and doctor, pilot and former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee.

The second-day Opening Session will include aviation legends and luminaries such as actor Harrison Ford, famed air show performers Sean D. Tucker and R.A. "Bob" Hoover, FAA Administrator Babbitt, astronaut Gene Cernan, and former Thunderbirds lead pilot and retired U.S. Air Force general Lloyd "Fig" Newton. All will gather to honor industry legend Clay Lacy, who will receive NBAA's highest award, the Meritorious Service to Aviation Award. The session will also include a panel of general aviation organization presidents moderated by NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen, as well as a presentation of the Combs Gates Award by representatives with the National Aviation Hall of Fame.

For all three days, the event will include hundreds of exciting indoor exhibits featuring all that's new in the world of business aviation, as well as a first-of-its-kind Static Display of Aircraft located right next to the Las Vegas Convention Center, which will complement the larger Static Display at Henderson Airport.

More than 100 education sessions will also be offered for business aviation professionals who are interested in seeing and learning the industry's latest trends, including a host of sessions covering all aspects of maintenance and operations (M&O).

Last, but certainly not least, the Convention will help raise money for a worthwhile cause. Funds raised from the 15th Annual Chairman's Charity Classic Golf Tournament on Sunday, October 9, will support NBAA Charities; money an NBAA/CAN Charity Benefit on Tuesday, October 11, will support the mission of the Corporate Angel Network, an organization that utilizes empty seats on business aircraft to transport cancer patients to clinics for treatment. "Once again, NBAA's Convention will be the must-attend event for anyone whose passion or profession involves business aviation," said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen. "We look forward to seeing everyone in Las Vegas in two weeks."

FMI: www.nbaa.org