By Ben Forrest | October 11, 2023 Estimated reading time 11 minutes, 50 seconds.
Ahead of the National Business Aviation Association Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition (NBAA-BACE), Canadian stakeholders are focused on several key issues affecting the health of an industry grappling with rising costs and stringent regulatory requirements.
Anthony Norejko, president and CEO of the Canadian Business Aviation Association (CBAA), connected with Skies to preview the world’s largest bizav event, set for Oct. 17 to 19 in Las Vegas.
“Canada’s business aviation sector faces stringent regulations from Transport Canada and other governing bodies,” Norejko said in an emailed statement, citing pressures to conform with safety standards, environmental regulations and operational guidelines.
“The challenge is to keep up with ever-changing rules while maintaining operational efficiency.”
Infrastructure and airspace management are also top-of-mind in Canada, with the CBAA calling for modernized infrastructure to cope with increasing air traffic.
“Congestion at major airports and slot programs for business aviation are pressing issues,” said Norejko.
Meanwhile, industry resiliency and surging operating costs are major stressors, including fuel prices, rising insurance rates, and high maintenance costs.
“The sector is sensitive to economic cycles, which can lead to reduced demand for business aviation services during downturn,” said Norejko. “At a high level that’s what I’d suggest [are our top three priorities] at this point.”
NBAA-BACE is expecting more than 20,000 attendees and nearly 800 exhibitors, with 30-plus education sessions and 75-plus aircraft on display.
Skies will be on site to cover the major stories affecting the Canadian industry, providing live updates throughout the show on our website, social media channels, and in Skies Daily, our email newsletter.
Here are a few other themes and storylines to watch for as NBAA unfolds.
Environmental sustainability
Business aviation faces unique challenges on the path to decarbonization, and it’s partly a public relations problem.
Some observers outside the industry see business aircraft as decadent and inefficient, with carbon footprints that seem hard to justify in the face of climate change and emissions reduction targets. Private operators are doing their best to battle misconceptions.
There’s broad industry support for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and other mitigation strategies, but operators still need to navigate the nuances of what’s required and how to manage the impact on their budgets and balance sheets.
NBAA will address many of these issues at its 2023 Business Aviation Sustainability Summit (Oct. 17 to 19), which runs concurrently with the BACE in Las Vegas.
“Despite what is perceived by those outside our industry, business aviation means business when it comes to climate action,” NBAA said in a statement, adding the industry has reduced its carbon emissions by 40 per cent over the last 40 years.
“Today, innovation remains central to our effort as we accelerate the flight to a zero-emission future.”
A full schedule for the sustainability summit is available here.
Sky-high wages due to the pilot shortage
Unprecedented wage levels for new business aviation pilots are among the lesser-known consequences of the global pilot shortage.
It’s an issue in commercial aviation as well, where major airlines are throwing large sums of money at new hires, driving up bizav salaries.
Is any of this sustainable? How will bizav operators manage their budgets in the near term, and what are the future implications of a possible market correction?
NBAA will host a learning session for flight department managers, human resources personnel, existing pilots and jobseekers to highlight current hiring trends and how to navigate them.
Cash Crunch: Resetting the salary bar. Wednesday, Oct. 18 (1 p.m. to 2 p.m., Las Vegas Convention Center, Learning Zone 2 – C9837)
Aircraft display
The aircraft exhibit at NBAA is always a highlight, and Canadian roots run deep at this year’s show.
Airbus is set to showcase its ACJ220, a US$81 million private version of its A220 airliner, previously developed by Bombardier as part of its C Series program.
Bombardier will also feature several entries from its Challenger and Global business jet families, including the Challenger 650, Challenger 3500, Global 6500, and Global 7500. A certified pre-owned (CPO) Challenger 300 is also expected at the show, spotlighting Bombardier’s used jet business.
Collins Aerospace will feature its avionics suite in a Bombardier CL604 business jet, one of several companies showcasing their aftermarket solutions on Bombardier aircraft.
Pilatus, a popular Canadian choice for bizav operators, plans to display its PC-24 jet and PC-12 turboprop. Embraer, Gulfstream, Dassault Aviation, Honda Aircraft Company, Piper Aircraft, and Textron Aviation will also have a large presence at the show. (See Skies’ October/November 2023 issue for more details on what to expect from Textron at NBAA-BACE.)
Artificial intelligence for predictive maintenance
Data-driven maintenance has become commonplace among operators with late-model business aircraft, a swift transition that has drastically altered how critical components are monitored.
NBAA will convene a panel to discuss changes so far in the shift away from reactive maintenance and toward predictive and condition-based maintenance. Also watch for predictions about future trends.
Wednesday, Oct. 17, 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. (Las Vegas Convention Center, Central Hall, Learning Zone 3, Booth C10144)
Mental health and wellness in aviation
It’s expected that most aviators will face some sort of mental health challenge at some point — in some cases a single event, but for others a life-long struggle.
All of this has safety implications for pilots, mechanics, flight attendants, fuelers, and others in the business aviation ecosystem. NBAA is featuring a series of presentations on the topic, touching on an overview of the regulatory landscape, and factors to consider when incorporating mental health and wellness into risk management plans.
Tuesday, Oct. 17 from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. (Las Vegas Convention Center, Safety Education Center, Room N250)
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