NBA legend Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson will deliver the day one keynote speech at the NBAA's Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE).

The show is a premier business aviation exhibition, featuring an array of events of interest to business aviation stakeholders. Taking place 22-24 October in Las Vegas, Nevada, it will showcase the innovation and forward-thinking nature of the business aviation industry, including the latest developments in urban air mobility technologies, supersonic travel and environmental sustainability.

“Magic Johnson's career, both in sports and in business, has been built around a dedication to leadership by example and service to others,” states NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen. “We look forward to hearing his perspectives, including with regard to how business aviation has been instrumental in his work to build his business enterprises and invest in communities.”

A two-time inductee into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, Johnson spent 13 seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, during which he won three NBA Most Valuable Player Awards and played in nine NBA finals. Today, Johnson is chairman and CEO of Magic Johnson Enterprises, working to provide high-quality products and services that focus primarily on ethnically diverse and underserved urban communities. Johnson also serves as chairman and founder of the Magic Johnson Foundation, which is a dedicated to HIV/AIDS awareness and educational programmes.

Additional speakers at this year's keynote sessions, which will open the show's first two days live from the show floor, include aviation visionary Yves ‘Jetman’ Rossy; inspirational and record-setting pilot Barrington Irving; entrepreneurial pioneers and aviation enthusiasts Ross Perot Jr, Steuart Walton and Sky Dayton; and returning speaker Eric Allison, head of aviation programmes at Uber Elevate. The day one keynote will be held at 0830 on 22 October, while the day two keynote begins at 1000 on 23 October.

The association will also be rolling out its Professional Member category, aimed at better serving the needs of an evolving industry, ensuring a robust workforce in the future and making the association a more welcoming place for anyone in business aviation.

Approved by the NBAA board of directors at last year's NBAA-BACE, the new member categories include operating, for members who own or operate an aircraft as part of their business model; business, for companies offering products and services for business aviation clients; and professional, encompassing contractors and sole proprietors working in business aviation, those seeking a career in business aviation as well as students and retirees.

NBAA director for membership and member services Patrick Haller says the newly available Professional Member category offers not only a home for those who have wanted to join NBAA in the past but felt there was not an appropriate category for them, but also for those new to the industry or exploring career options in business aviation: “NBAA has developed a suite of member benefits for these Professional Members, in an effort to help those exploring business aviation careers to establish and grow their network within the community. We hope these new resources and membership options will attract a new generation to business aviation and guide them toward success.”

Benefits for Professional Members include, but are not limited to, discounted event registration with access to networking opportunities, the NBAA Jobs Board and mentorship programme, training scholarships and professional development.

In addition to these year-round benefits, NBAA plans to host an exclusive Professional Member lounge located at Booth N1832 in the North Hall during the convention. The lounge will serve as a place for professionals to network, schedule meetings or simply rest their feet without leaving the show floor and will include complimentary internet access, semi-private meeting spaces, charging stations and refreshments.

The 2019 edition of NBAA-BACE will also feature a sprawling exhibit floor at the Las Vegas Convention Center, showcasing an extensive variety of products, services and state of the art technologies, as well as dozens of education sessions. Attendees will also find two aircraft displays, one inside the LVCC and the second at nearby Henderson Executive airport, allowing for side-by-side comparison of dozens of aircraft used to support a broad array of businesses.