In the mid-1980s, NBAA’s annual conventions were drawing about 70 aircraft on the static display line. At last month’s New York-area NBAA regional business aviation forum and static display at Farmingdale, Long Island, there were 41 business aircraft on the ramp, spreading out and filling a closed runway for the one-day event. Joe Ponte, NBAA v-p of membership, marketing and regional programs, proclaimed the fourth such mini-trade show to be an impressive success, despite a continuation of the dismal weather and low ceilings that had plagued the Northeast throughout the spring.
“A lot of key flight department personnel, vendors and sales prospects can’t justify the time or expense to travel to the ‘big’ NBAA convention,” said Ponte. “Our hope is that driving an hour or two for a local one-day event such as this may be an option for a lot more folks, including non-aviation members of the community who may be interested in what goes on at the airport. The bang-for-the-buck is here at these events.”
