Todd Duncan, chairman of Duncan Aviation

The year I was born, 1966, was the year Duncan Aviation first joined the National Business Aviation Association. Our first NBAA Convention booth was a purple foam structure in a 20x20 space where 10 team members greeted attendees and explained who Duncan Aviation was. That was just the beginning.

Duncan Aviation has participated in the annual NBAA Convention and Exhibition every year since and we are no longer an unknown in the industry. In fact, we have been regularly recognized for our memorable booth structures and branding messages at the show.

My first NBAA Convention was in the 1970s in Kansas City, and the number of attendees, the pace of the convention, and the announcements being made in the industry all had a huge impression on me. There is simply no other way to meet with hundreds of customers, vendors, and prospects in such a short amount of time while learning more about what the future will hold for the industry.

Besides the beautiful booths, major news announcements, and personal connections the show is known for, NBAA has a reputation for featuring excellent speakers. I have always personally received great takeaways from the sessions and keynotes. In particular, I vividly remember the featured speakers in 2015 and 2016.

In 2015, country music singer Dierks Bentley discussed the importance of business aviation in helping him efficiently meet his career goals and hectic schedule.  

The 2016 address given by David McCullough, author of the book The Wright Brothers, also really hit me. His research and knowledge of these aviation pioneers came through in his speech and I came away with a better personal understanding and appreciation of the Wright Brothers and their accomplishments.

There is no doubt that the show will be missed this year. I believe we all look forward to being able to meet in person again very soon.