The National Business Aviation Association’s 2024 Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE) concluded an extraordinary week in Las Vegas, marking a pivotal moment for the business aviation industry. With a lineup of the latest aircraft innovations, sustainability initiatives, and policy advancements, NBAA-BACE solidified its role as a key platform for industry visionaries and policymakers.
“Shaping the Future of Aviation”
“Business aviation is transforming with new technologies and bold ideas,” said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen. The convention celebrated both the industry’s present and its efforts to pioneer new paths for the future. This year’s event brought together industry leaders, regulators, and innovators, all focused on shaping the next chapter of aviation.
Headline-Making Announcements
The event kicked off with a historic keynote by Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Michael Whitaker, who revealed a long-awaited regulatory framework for electric air taxis and advanced air mobility (AAM) operations. This announcement was followed by the signing of a Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR), witnessed by CEOs of major AAM companies such as BETA Technologies, Joby Aviation, and Lilium, underscoring the critical role AAM will play in the future of urban transportation.
Bombardier announced the planned production of its new Global Express 8000, while Textron Aviation unveiled the latest models in its Gen3 Cessna Citation series. The upgraded CJ4, equipped with the Garmin G3000 PRIME flight deck, debuted just in time for the convention.
A Showcase of Innovation and Sustainability
With over 800 companies exhibiting cutting-edge aircraft, avionics, and propulsion systems, the exhibit hall was a hub of innovation. Bombardier’s EcoJet prototype, featuring revolutionary blended wing body designs, showcased technologies aimed at reducing business jet emissions by up to 50%.
NBAA-BACE also put a spotlight on sustainability, with three Las Vegas airports offering sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), which has the potential to reduce aircraft emissions by up to 80%. The fourth Business Aviation Sustainability Summit, held during the event, featured key experts discussing strategies to meet the industry’s net-zero carbon emissions goal by 2050.
An Industry Coming Together
Beyond the tech and policy announcements, NBAA-BACE was a platform for thought leadership. The convention featured discussions with influential figures such as astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson and Olympian pilot Bonny Simi. Additionally, Laurent and Pierre Beaudoin of Bombardier were honored with NBAA’s Meritorious Service to Aviation Award for their contributions to aviation safety and sustainability.
NBAA’s Above and Beyond Award for Heroic Achievement was given to flight attendant Sydney Bosmans, who saved lives after a business aircraft accident, and Jim Lara, founder of Gray Stone Advisors, received the John P. “Jack” Doswell Award for lifetime service to business aviation.
Opening Doors for the Next Generation
With an eye on the future, the event featured initiatives aimed at developing the next generation of aviation leaders. More than 80 students participated in a Bombardier-led training session, gaining hands-on experience with aircraft and networking with prospective employers. NBAA also hosted a second-annual Career Fair and Collegiate Connect sessions, providing hundreds of students with scholarship opportunities and educational resources.
“This year’s NBAA-BACE offered an exciting glimpse of where the business aviation industry is headed,” Bolen said. “It’s been an incredible week of history-making announcements and groundbreaking technologies that will continue to elevate our industry.”
NBAA-BACE will return to Las Vegas next year from October 14–16, 2025.