The new year brought a fresh opportunity for NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen to talk with business aviation professionals around the country about the industry’s new CLIMBING. FAST. advocacy campaign, including at a recent meeting hosted by the Chicago Area Business Aviation Association (CABAA).
The CLIMBING. FAST. initiative, launched during the 2023 NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE), is supported by NBAA and 10 other general aviation organizations. The program aims to set the record straight on the industry’s many societal benefits, including its leadership role in sustainability, underscored by a sharp focus on achieving net-zero carbon emissions from flight in the years to come.
Bolen provided an update on the campaign as part of his recent remarks to kick off the CABAA gathering, noting that CLIMBING. FAST. reflects CABAA’s Legislative Advocacy pillar, which is focused on mobilization for industry advancement – a priority shared by numerous local business aviation organizations and NBAA.
“The CLIMBING. FAST. initiative aims to convey to policymakers and opinion leaders our industry’s value to communities across the United States, including its long-standing leadership on innovation in sustainability,” Bolen said.
“Business aviation has slashed carbon output by 40% in just four decades,” Bolen added. “The industry has been an incubator and early adopter of a host of sustainability innovations, including lighter airplane parts, drag-reducing winglets, satellite-based navigation systems and other carbon-cutting technologies. Today, each new generation of aircraft is up to 35% more efficient than its predecessor model. Clearly, we have a good story to tell – and we need everyone in the industry to join us in telling it.”
Specifically, Bolen pointed to the new CLIMBING. FAST. website, where a host of tools and resources are available for people to make their voices heard about business aviation’s sustainability focus. For example, the website has a shareable video highlighting the campaign’s message, as well as infographics to share on social media, tips for reaching out to news outlets, a means for individuals to share their sustainability stories and other ways to support the campaign.
Throughout the coming year, NBAA and its partner organizations intend to promote the program’s visibility not only at a series of industry events, but also on Capitol Hill.
“We are CLIMBING. FAST. on a mission to net zero, and getting closer every day,” Bolen concluded. “Just as sustainability leadership comes from every corner of our industry, we know that everyone in business aviation will have a role in making this campaign a success.”
