The Air Charter Association (also known as BACA, Booth J30) turned over a new leaf last year when Dave Edwards—well known in the business aviation industry for his time at Gama Aviation, among other companies—took on the job of CEO. Richard Mumford, chairman of BACA (and an aviation lawyer) had spearheaded an initiative to convert the association into a company limited by guarantee in 2017, and with it giving BACA new energy.

Mumford told AIN ahead of the association’s spring lunch in London, “It was clear that, to deliver on projects, we needed to increase our resource. So the [BACA Council] decided to bring in a CEO to start the process. The first step was to get the association into a company limited by guarantee. With it being a club, all the members had a liability, which wasn’t ideal,” he said. “That process is now complete.”

“One of Dave’s priorities is to help harness talent on our council, for example by creating a number of subcommittees.” Edwards will also be tasked with taking the Air Charter Expo at London Biggin Hill Airport to a new level. This year the event will take place on September 11.

The newly invigorated organization is also focusing on industry comment and thought leadership,” continued Mumford. A recent member survey helped the company set some priorities, among which is inspiring the next generation. Mumford told AIN, "The shortages run right across the industry, and I’m not convinced the aviation market penetrates deeply enough into the student world. Yet it’s an easy sector to get excited about: global, with travel, etc. And there will be lots of jobs in aviation for a long time.”

Mumford said that one way in which BACA is changing is to “look out into the world more, because BACA is global.” The association also plans to talk more with other associations, such as EBAA, to see how they can work together to common aims. “We’re working on two or three projects already with other associations and will be ready to announce something during EBACE.”

The BACA membership is growing steadily, Mumford reported, noting, “We’re now approaching 240 and the quality of the membership is growing too, and the most exciting thing is that the bigger brokers are starting to get it."

On Tuesday, May 29 BACA is holding a networking drinks reception at its stand. It was also planning a charity cycle ride around Lake Geneva, which at the time of writing was due to finish on Monday May 28 at Palexpo. “BACA Bikes The Lake” will raise money for BACA’s charity this year, Fly to Help, which runs “Air Smiles Days” to help people change their lives, along with “Aim High” educational programs.

BACA started out as Airbrokers’ Association in 1948, being founded by the Baltic Mercantile and Shipping Exchange. From the start, its purpose was to “bring to aircraft chartering the same standards of integrity and professionalism for which the Baltic Exchange and the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers have for so long been known and respected.”

In 2014 BACA endorsed the Argus Charter Broker program, setting it on the path to create its new quality standard.