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October 2013NATIONAL BUSINESS AVIATION ASSOCIATIONAt NBAA’s Convention, a Reminder of the Importance of Industry Vigilance, Mobilizationby Ed Bolen NBAA President and CEOIt’s October, and time once again for NBAA’s Business Aviation Convention& Exhibition. It’s an annual event everyone in business aviation looks forward to, and this year the show returns to Las Vegas, from Oct. 22 to Oct. 24.As always, the event is an opportunity for NBAA to report on the advocacy efforts by the association. We’ll detail the major developments impacting business aviation, look to potential challenges ahead and underscore the need for people with NBAA Member Companies to remain vocal with policy leaders about proposals that could adversely affect the industry.And when it comes to advocacy, we’ll have some good news to report at the Convention. For example, our ongoing efforts to highlight for government officials the value of business aviation continue to produce results. This past summer, the number of congressional lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives’ General Aviation (GA) Caucus reached a record 200 members. The House and Senate GA Caucuses have had NBAA’s continuous support, as both bipartisan groups recognize the value of all general aviation.There have been advances on the state level, too. During the past year, governors in all but one state have issued proclamations acknowledging the value of GA to their states’ citizens, companies and communities. The language used in those declarations to describe the benefits of businessaviation echoes the messaging of the No Plane No Gain campaign, which is jointly sponsored by NBAA and the General Aviation Manufacturers Association.Despite this progress, business aviation has confronted challenges from Washington this year – a trend that could likely continue as the federal government struggles to reduce the nation’s deficit, and pressure increases to introduce new fees or taxes for business aviation, or to cut important aviation-support services.For example, we may have seen a glimpse of the future when the mandatory budget cuts of “sequestration” threatened to close contract air traffic control towers earlier this year. In response, aviation stakeholders, including NBAA, worked with congressional leaders to promote legislation to provide the Federal Aviation Administration with funding flexibility to keep air traffic controllers at work and the contract towers open through the end of the government’s fiscal year, which was Sept. 30.Despite the unique, uncertain and highly challenging fiscal climate in Washington, you can be sure that NBAA will continue to steadfastly advocate for business aviation, and to remain vigilant as each major challenge arises. That said, we will also need for Twin & Turbine readers and others in our industry to be ready to make their voices heard in Washington when NBAA sounds the call to action. Being prepared to take action will be critical to our ability to determine our industry’s destiny in the years to come. mfocusOCTOBER 2013 TWIN & TURBINE • 23