NATA's Capital Week For Aviation Business A Success

Alexandria, VA, March 30, 2012 - More than 200 National Air Transportation Association (NATA) members convened in Washington, D.C. for A Capital Week for Aviation Business events, including the association's FBO Leadership Conference, new FBO Managers Workshop, Industry Excellence Awards dinner and presentation, Day on the Hill congressional visits, Annual Meeting of the Membership and Spring Committee Meetings.

The week's events kicked off on Tuesday with a luncheon for the FBO Managers Workshop. This two-day event dealt with issues faced by the general manager running an FBO, and included an airport manager perspective on airport/FBO relations workshop, nationwide trends affecting FBOs and airport relationships workshop, communicating the value of aviation businesses and the communities they support workshop and a panel discussion led by GA Infrastructure and Investment Coalition Strategy CEOs.

The FBO Leadership Conference began Wednesday with a welcome lunch and keynote speech by Congressman John J. "Jimmy" Duncan, Jr. (R-TN). Congressman Duncan praised NATA President and CEO James K. Coyne's leadership of the association and his efforts over the years on Capitol Hill. He also urged NATA's members to promote the legislation he sponsored to reduce unfair government competition with the private sector, including small businesses.

One of the highlights of the FBO Leadership Conference was the announcement of the release of new best practice standards for airport leases with Aeronautical Service Providers. These best practices, developed in conjunction with Airports Council International - North America (ACI-NA), serve to facilitate long-term private investment in on-airport facilities. Click here to read the press release. The leadership conference also included a panel on the future of avgas, a leadership breakfast and oil company perspective session and an inspiring presentation by Disney Institute.

Wednesday evening, attendees toasted the industry's best at NATA's annual Industry Excellence Awards dinner and presentation. Click here to view a press release on the winners. Top honors went to Mary M. Miller, vice president, industry and government affairs, Signature Flight Support and BBA Aviation, and Kenneth C. Ricci, chairman of the board of Flight Options and chief executive officer of Nextant Aerospace.

On Thursday, NATA members blanketed Capitol Hill to promote the association's legislative agenda. Nearly 100 NATA member company representatives met with more than 150 Members of Congress and staff to discuss a wide array of federal, state and local issues. 

Day on the Hill talking points included:

• Application of Commercial Taxes on Private Aviation
• Eliminating the Fuel Fraud Provision
• Freedom from Government Competition Act
• FAA Standardization
• Aviation Security
• Congressional General Aviation Caucus

A Capital Week for Aviation Business also included NATA's spring committee meetings as well as the annual member meeting in which four new members of the NATA Board of Directors were elected. Click here to view the press release of the appointment of Gary Dempsey, president, flight services - The Americas, Jet Aviation Holdings USA, Inc., Marty Hiller, executive vice president, business aviation, World Fuel Services, Robert Olislagers, executive director, Centennial Airport, and Steve Loyd, president and owner, Loyd's Aviation.