The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) said the\nfirst-of-its-kind Virtual Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (VBACE)\nexceeded expectations for bringing people together in a busy digital\nmarketplace, setting the stage for major announcements, presenting inspiring\nspeakers and providing access to the best thinkers for innovating during and\nbeyond the COVID-19 crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cVBACE demonstrated that our industry is relentless in the\nface of formidable challenges. We are stronger together, and we are always\nmoving forward,\u201d said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen. \u201cClearly, VBACE was more\nthan just a connection opportunity: it was a new kind of industry catalyst.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bolen pointed to several examples as illustrative of the\nevent\u2019s success: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The 3-D VBACE exhibit floor featured a who\u2019s who of OEMs,\nfuel providers, flight and mission planners, avionics firms and other leading\ncompanies. Many exhibitors deftly leveraged the VBACE platform for\nheadline-driving announcements, which were thoroughly covered by news\norganizations. View a sampling of VBACE exhibitor press announcements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Several thousand attendees were part of the event, including\nthose active in aircraft type clubs, maintenance firms, safety-advocacy groups,\nregional business aviation associations, groups focused on diversity and\ninclusion, sustainability stakeholders and other aviation-based organizations.\nShow-goers gave high marks for the new capabilities offered as part of the\nevent, including virtual, bottomless backpacks; as another first, all attendees\nwill have access to recorded VBACE content through Dec. 31. Log into VBACE to\nview recorded show content and visit VBACE exhibit booths.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Both VBACE show days included inspiring keynote speakers. The event\u2019s first day featured multi-platinum songwriter and pilot Dierks Bentley, whose wide-ranging conversation with Bolen underscored his dedication to serving as an advocacy champion for business aviation. See \u201cDierks Bentley: the VBACE Interview<\/a>.\u201d The show\u2019s second day included a compelling conversation between Bolen and The New York Times best-selling author Erin Meyer, highlighting lessons people and companies in business aviation can learn from the highly innovative culture at media company Netflix. Read more about Meyers\u2019s definitive Netflix account, \u201cNo Rules Rules: Netflix and the Culture of Reinvention<\/a>.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Dedicated VBACE chat rooms and coffee chats invited a new\nkind of peer-to-peer engagement, with hundreds of industry professionals\nsharing perspectives through energized, online exchanges. <\/p>\n\n\n\n VBACE education sessions and new Thought Leadership sessions were a big draw, providing access to innovators in the fields of safety, sustainability, technological innovation, ever-changing international requirements, strategies for promoting workforce diversity and more. Dedicated sessions also provided timely content for new market entrants, with their focus on chartering tips, aircraft-ownership tax benefits and the basics on jet card, fractional and membership-based utilization options, and buying a business aircraft. Learn more about the VBACE education and Thought Leadership sessions<\/a>.\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n Dedicated Professional Member happy hours drew hundreds of\nregistrants to mingle and be entertained by celebrity guests Dave Coulier,\npilot, comedian, and actor from TVs Full House; and performances by Grammy\naward-winning songwriter of \u201cEye of the Tiger,\u201d Jim Peterik of The Ides of\nMarch, formerly of Survivor and Cathy Richardson, lead singer of Jefferson\nStarship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNBAA is energized by the excitement and enthusiasm for the\nnew ways VBACE provided for doing business, building relationships, bettering\nourselves as professionals and working together to chart a course for the\nfuture,\u201d Bolen concluded. \u201cOur thanks to everyone who was a part of this\ngroundbreaking event.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n With the conclusion of VBACE, NBAA reaffirmed its commitment to two new virtual events in early 2021, announced last month: <\/p>\n\n\n\n