NBAA2012 RECAP

I write this column as I am catching up from NBAA2012. The D.O.M. magazine staff attended the NBAA show last week in full force and had a productive show.

There were quite a few challenges for attendees and exhibitors at NBAA. The first was Mother Nature. Hurricane Sandy hit the east coast of the United States the day before the show started. Not only were many people not able to attend the show because of the flight cancellations related to the storm, but many of the exhibitors I talked to were personally affected by the effects of the storm. They were professional in the conversations we had, but I couldn’t help but think of the stress they were going through as their families, friends and coworkers back home were facing challenges of power outages, flooding and shortage of supplies. Many of them had challenges getting back home after the storm. As I write this column, a full week after Sandy hit, there are still many people without power along the upper east coast.

Another challenge was a TFR placed on Orlando International Airport Sunday night and Monday morning before the convention. This was because President Obama was making a campaign trip to Orlando on Monday. The TFR got cancelled on Monday because the president decided not to travel to Orlando after all in order to stay in Washington to help deal with the developing situation Sandy was causing.

Despite the challenges facing many exhibitors and attendees, it seemed to be a successful show. NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen notes, “Attendees and exhibitors at this year’s show have told us that it was a very strong event, despite its timing alongside Hurricane Sandy’s landfall on the East Coast, and a temporary flight restriction for the Orlando area late on Sunday evening and Monday morning before the show. We’re delighted that, especially given those challenges, convention participants reported strong traffic on the exhibit floor and at the aircraft static displays, along with a high level of enthusiasm among attendees.”

Here are some stats from NBAA:

• The show closed with 25,150 people in attendance, a number comparable to the final attendee total of 26,077 for the 2011 convention, and to the final attendee total of 24,206 for the 2010 event. 

• The number of exhibitors at the Orange County Convention Center was 1,073; booth spaces totaled 4,361, an increase over last year’s booth-space total.

• A total of 105 aircraft were shown on two separate static displays, and an additional four aircraft were shown inside the convention center.

• The show drew attendees from all 50 U.S. states and 87 countries.

I would like to thank all of you who took a moment out of your busy days to stop by our booth and visit with us. It is always a pleasure hearing from you. To those who happened to stop by while our advertisers and potential advertisers were visiting with us and said how much you enjoy the magazine, your timing was perfect! To those that stopped by while one of our competitors had stopped by our booth to chat and said, “D.O.M. is the best magazine out there,” and “Your magazine is filled with relevant content, and is the only maintenance magazine I read cover-to-cover each month,” — well, your timing was priceless!

Don’t forget — D.O.M. magazine is about YOU. Thanks to your feedback and input, we continue to write articles that you want and need. Thanks to you, we have seen tremendous growth in the past 4 ½ years. Our advertisers (and potential advertisers) share that they see D.O.M. magazine in your offices all the time. It is much easier to get advertisers to support a product if they witness first-hand how popular it is. You are the best marketing team we could ever ask for.

I would be remiss if I didn’t also thank our great team of regular contributors. They are experts in many different areas of aviation maintenance, and their insight and wisdom is an important part of our editorial content. We couldn’t do it without them.

And last, but definitely not least, a big thanks to our advertisers. Without their support, we wouldn’t be in business. We understand that these companies don’t have unlimited marketing budgets. We are thankful that they choose to invest some of those dollars to market their products and services in the ONLY magazine dedicated to aviation maintenance management.

Here’s wishing everyone a happy and prosperous 2013.

Joe Escobar