A sold-out and bustling exhibit floor, a robust line up of the latest aircraft, a compelling series of expert-led panel sessions and beautiful day combined for a highly successful 2024 NBAA White Plains Regional Forum on 12 June at Westchester County airport in New York state.

The forum offered an opportunity for local officials to get an up-close look at business aviation's essential role in the White Plains community and beyond. Throughout the day, leaders with the airport, Westchester County and the state assembly were joined by the Mount Vernon mayor and other civic leaders.

Several representatives from the delegation joined NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen for a lively keynote to start the day. The community leaders noted that the forum highlighted the job creation, connectivity for communities, productivity for companies and humanitarian lift supported by business aviation.

Bolen echoed their remarks, adding that those societal benefits, as well as the industry's sustainability-driven mission to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, are underscored by the industry's new Climbing. Fast. advocacy initiative.

"Climbing. Fast. is the programme that allows business aviation to communicate about the industry's importance with policymakers and opinion leaders," he says. "Aviation connects people all across the country and all across the world. It is an industry that creates opportunity and brings hope. It is also innovating toward a net-zero carbon future, on the ground and in the air."

As part of the forum, record-setting aviator Capt Barrington Irving celebrated the first set of graduates from the Barrington Irving Technical Training School's (BITTS's) local programme in Mount Vernon, New York. All the graduates are ready to take positions at area facilities for two leading FBOs. NBAA is a founding partner of the BITTS programme.

"With our partners and our team, we have created something that is helping more people achieve their professional dreams through business aviation," Irving says. "I couldn't be more proud to see our goal come to life through these students."

The forum schedule also featured sessions covering front-and-centre concerns for the industry, including what pilots should know about recent FAA revisions to mental health guidelines and the onerous impact that new tax proposals from Washington could have on the industry.

"The White Plains forum showcased the products, people and passion that characterise our dynamic industry," says Bolen. "We clearly can see the same excitement and momentum as we prepare for what promises to be an outstanding NBAA-BACE in Las Vegas."

NBAA-BACE will take place 22-24 October in Las Vegas, Nevada.