The static display is one of the highlights of each year’s NBAA Convention, where manufacturers and operators show off their crown jewels before potential customers and competitors. With a sold out display at Fulton County Airport-Brown Field (FTY)–this year including nearly 90 aircraft–the host FBOs need the logistical support and organizational skills of an aircraft carrier deck boss to keep everything running smoothly.
Since March, members of the local static display committee have met with NBAA officials to coordinate that part of the convention, which has taken over Fulton County Airport for the first time since 1989. Larry Westbrook, recently named president at Hill Aircraft, one of the host FBOs (the other is Hawker Beechcraft), was there in 1989 and has seen differences in the annual show since. “The biggest change with the static display over the years has been the size of the display areas,” he said. “Where in the old days the vendors would put up a tent or maybe two and operate that way, now they actually come in a week ahead of time and build a small village for their display area, so it’s quite elaborate.”
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