NBAA 2008 Wrap-Up: Attendance Numbers Slip Slightly

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Key Takeaways:

  • Attendance at the NBAA's 61st convention was marginally down by 2% (600 attendees) compared to the previous year, though it was still considered a "solid show."
  • While there was a notable absence of major sales announcements, manufacturers' booth workers confirmed that sales and deals were actively taking place.
  • The slight decrease in attendance was speculated to be due to companies trimming their overall attendee numbers while still ensuring senior staff were present.
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Attendance at the National Business Aviation Association’s 61st convention in Orlando this week was down marginally according to early attendance figures released Wednesday. NBAA spokesman Dan Hubbard said 30,164 people attended the show, down about 600 from last year. “It’s 2 percent,” NBAA President Ed Bolen told AVweb. “This was a solid show.”

There was also a notable absence of major sales announcements (Hawker Beechcraft’s $200 million sale to Lder Signatures S.A. notwithstanding) by manufacturers but that doesn’t mean airplanes weren’t changing hands. Booth workers AVweb spoke with said sales were happening and deals were being made. As for the attendance drop, some speculated that companies trimmed their attendance numbers but still sent senior staff to the show.

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