Last week's 52nd Annual Meeting and Convention of the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) was about as good as it gets: Almost 30,000 of the business and corporate aviation faithful gathered in Atlanta for three solid days of meetings, seminars, press conferences and — oh yeah — exhibits of the latest and greatest goods, services and flying hardware. This year's theme — Business Aircraft Utilization Strategies — built on the foundation laid by a glossy 48-page brochure produced by the NBAA and including the results of a survey by J.D. Power and Associates of companies in the U.S. operating business (read turbine) aircraft.
Photographs by Dave Higdon and Joseph E. (Jeb) Burnside
About Dave Higdon ...
Dave Higdon has a distinguished background in aviation journalism. As aviation editor for
The Wichita Eagle for more than five years, he has established a
reputation as one of the best general aviation reporters in the business.
Previously, Dave held a variety of aviation journalism assignments with The
Journal of Commerce, Air Transport World, and AOPA. He has covered every
facet of aviation from sport aviation in Tennessee to the FAA in Washington,
DC to Cessna, Beech, Boeing and Learjet in Kansas. He's also a professional
aviation photographer. Dave is an instrument-rated private pilot and owns a very
clean Piper Comanche. He and his wife Annie live in Wichita, Kansas.
About Jeb Burnside ...
Joseph E. (Jeb) Burnside is AVweb's executive editor. An active pilot since 1973,
Jeb has earned his
Commercial and Advanced Ground Instructor certificates and holds Single- and
Multi-Engine Land and Instrument Ratings. He owns and flies a 1966 Beech C33A
Debonair based at Manassas, Va. (HEF). Prior to joining AVweb full-time, he
served for two years as AVweb's Washington bureau chief and news writer.
Previous writing credits include serving as a contributing editor for
Professional Pilot magazine and writing the monthly news coverage for that
publication. Since Jeb's professional background is in government relations —
he is a "reformed" lobbyist and has almost 20 years' experience on
Capitol Hill, coupled with lengthy service as NBAA's chief Capitol Hill
representative and as a representative for other aviation and transportation
interests — he brings great legitimacy and deep insight to AVweb's coverage
of government affairs. Jeb's perspective on FAA, DOT and Congressional
happenings — and unique insights on the aviation industry — has been
invaluable in helping to make AVweb an effective instrument of change in
aviation.
Gulfstream's 61st G-V gave rise to the idea
that there's a veritable air force of them flying around.
This is not your father's Huey — it's Bell's model 427.
The Bell 427's front office.
There is another Bell in your future — the
Bell/Agusta 609 Tiltrotor.
Cessna's booth was one of the largest.
Gulfstream's booth was one of the flashiest.
One end of the Pilatus PC-12 turbine
single...
...and the other end.
Front office of the Sino-Swearingen SJ30-2
mockup.
The man behind the SJ30-2, Jack Braley.
The man behind the Williams International FJ-
series of small turbofan engines, Dr. Sam Williams, with the 1000th
production example.
View from the left front seat of Cessna's
Stationair 206.
Pre-flight view of Cessna's Stationair 206.
Aft interior of Cessna's Stationair 206.
Cessna barely had room at the static display
for all of its Citation types.
Beware Jet Blast. South end of a
northbound Falcon trijet.
A Galaxy on the ramp at the static display.
It was all smiles at NBAA '99.
Gulfstream's G-IV electronic vision system testbed.
Tucked in among the turbine hardware was this
immaculate 1950 Grumman Mallard. Yes, it's for sale.
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