When it comes to business aviation maintenance professionals, there is not a better conference in the industry than the National Business Aviation Association’s Maintenance Managers Conference (#MMC14 via Twitter). This year’s event was held in Tampa, Florida last week. Networking is typically a given for these events and NBAA has done a great job at making this happen for the attendees and the exhibitors. Additionally, the educational programming is becoming stronger and stronger based on multiple forms of feedback this week. NBAA has business professionals within the industry speak on a wide range of maintenance related topics spanning from certification procedures, risk management, imports and exports to recruiting, interviewing and hangar modernization.
“You know the people at this show are quality people that are decision makers,” mentioned Brad Vieux, Director of Business Development with GlobalParts.aero.
As we attend, exhibit and cover a wide variety of shows throughout the year, we can confidently say the MMC is one of the only shows where you get all the maintenance people in a confined environment. This gave us a chance to connect with Beechcraft King Air operators and maintenance personnel along with an impressively large number of KingAir related businesses. It also serves as a venue to talk one-on-one with those we may not see during the year. Some feedback regarding the attendance this year was that it was on the lighter side. Unfortunately, it could be based on location, ease of access and even flight pricing. We believe NBAA’s strategy of changing the location each year is the right move but combining the NBAA Regional Forums scattered around the US, its hard to gage if those could be better attended depending on the location of the MMC.
“We were very pleased with the event overall and we will continue to be back year after year,” Greg Heine, Director of Business Development for Flightdocs told us. “For the most part, the jet audience has a large presence here but we also connected with a lot of turbo prop people in addition to other business entities in the market.”
With the majority of the companies represented at MCC being both involved with the jet and turbo prop platforms, for those attendees with either or both segments, it certainly makes it worthwhile. Networking The conference is three-fold; educational seminars, a large amount of exhibitors and business and lastly, networking. We found a great mix of those that said “we wanted to get to more seminars but there was so much value on exhibit floor” as well as “we hardly spent any time in the exhibit hall because of all the seminars.” The common thread among everyone was the networking. It’s a meeting place that puts everyone together in quarters much closer than that of the annual NBAA conference.
“You don’t want to go into these events with any preconceived notions but we always leave with connections and new business we didn’t see happening,” said Neil Gallagher, VP of Aircraft Maintenance for Winner Aviation.
Lastly, for those interested in know what KingAir-related businesses were represented there, here are a few:
- Dallas Airmotive – PT6 engine repair and overhaul
- Rockwell Collins – Avionics and information technology systems
- GlobalParts.aero – KingAir parts supplier
- Greenwich Aerospace
- Professional Aviation Associates – KingAir parts supplier
- Western Aircraft – KingAir service, modifications, enhancements
- B&S Aircraft – KingAir parts repair and overhaul facility
- Flightdocs – KingAir maintenance tracking
- Stevens Aviation – multiple locations, KingAir service, modifications
- Banyan Air Service – King Air Service Center, Maintenance, Avionics, Parts, FBO Services
- Winner Aviation – KingAir service and maintenance
- ProStar Aviation – King Air service center, maintenance, avionics, parts
- MedAire – Medical education and equipment for KingAir’s
- WestStar Aviation – KingAir service center
- AvGroup – KingAir part supplier
- B/E Aeropsace – Ice Shield – KingAir de-icing systems
- Elliott Aviation – KingAir authorized service center
- Aircell – Internet and voice solutions
If we missed you, let us know! If you have any questions or feedback from the show, shoot us a message at info@kingairnation.com