Business Aviation Veteran Roger Whyte Joins ABACE2012 Team

Washington, DC, August 1, 2011 - The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) today announced that business aviation veteran Roger Whyte has been enlisted to bring his vast knowledge of the industry, especially in the Asian region, to the Association's preparations for the 2012 edition of the Asian Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition (ABACE2012).

"Roger has decades of experience in business aviation, including many years as a Cessna executive responsible for the company's pioneering business success in the Asia Pacific region," NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen said. "His depth of knowledge informs our work, and will ensure that ABACE2012 is the preeminent business aviation event in Asia, and one of the most important aviation events in the world."

In his role as NBAA Special Counsel to Bolen, Whyte will help lead the development process for ABACE2012, which will be held March 27 to 29, 2012 at the new, world-class Hawker Pacific Business Aviation Service Centre on Shanghai's Hongqiao Airport.

"ABACE2012 will absolutely be THE business aviation event in Asia next year," Whyte said. "The business aviation sector in the region is developing rapidly, and is quickly becoming one of the largest markets in the world. The ABACE2012 exhibition and program agenda will promote the benefits of business aviation, catalyze the Asian market and provide a forum to address specific topics of interest to business aircraft owners and operators in Asia, as well as regulatory authorities in the region."

Immediately after the Shanghai Airport Authority (SAA) and NBAA came together on June 29 to announce an exclusive cooperation agreement to host ABACE in 2012 and in successive years, Whyte was on board and at work, bringing his passion, knowledge and expertise to the planning for ABACE2012.

"The growth of the business aviation industry in Asia will not only benefit the aviation manufacturers, but also economies throughout the region by creating businesses in aviation operations, maintenance and management, along with many new skilled job opportunities," he added. "Our major objective is to establish a valuable platform for all the stakeholders to jointly capture the opportunities of this booming market."

Whyte noted that NBAA, which puts on several premier business aviation events each year, including the largest civil aviation trade show in the world, "will cooperate closely with our partner, Shanghai Airport Authority, to ensure ABACE2012 will be a huge success."