Forum at Million Air Hangar a Big Draw for Business Aviation Professionals    

In what is a boost for economic development in Westchester County, an estimated 3,500 business aviation professionals attended the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) Regional Forum held Wednesday in the hangar of BCW Member Million Air at Westchester County Airport.

NBAA’s Regional Forums bring business aircraft owners, operators, manufacturers, maintainers, customers and other industry personnel together for a one-day event at some of the best airports and FBOs in the nation. Business aviation professionals come to the forums to meet with customers face-to-face, network, gain valuable knowledge and see multiple aircraft models in one venue.

NBAA incorporates exhibits, static displays of aircraft and education sessions into one-day events located across the country to help introduce business aviation to local officials, students, and prospective aircraft owners and operators, and to address any current issues in the regions.

Business aviation employs more than 1 million people and is a major economic driver in the United States. It helps communities and companies grow and succeed. But, in order to keep doing that, it’s imperative the industry come together to attract and retain the next generation workforce.

An education session, titled “Career Paths in Business Aviation”, was held at the forum where students were invited, and a panel of aviation professionals discussed why they became involved in aviation and how they chose their specific field of work. Students had the opportunity to ask questions and gain insight from multiple areas of the industry.

Other education session topics were “First Steps Toward Environmental Sustainability”, “Get Involved and Make a Difference in the Northeast”, and “Political Outlook for Business Aviation in 2022 and Beyond.”

“Airports are fundamental to the success of business aviation,” said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen. “We have an infrastructure of airports that opens up the world to us – it’s very powerful. All of this is possible because of a broader infrastructure that includes airplanes, it includes airports, it includes FBOs, it includes our ability to access airspace and these airports themselves. It includes a lot of dedicated people who are flying as pilots, but also those who are maintaining the airplane, building the airplane, ensuring the airplane, financing the airplane.”