LAS VEGAS — On opening day of the 2023 National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) annual convention, aviation advocates unveiled “Climbing. Fast.,” a new campaign aimed at setting the record straight on the business aviation industry’s many societal benefits, including its leadership role in sustainability, underscored by a focus on achieving net-zero carbon emissions from flight in the years to come.
“The business aviation industry has long been essential in providing economic opportunities for a next-generation workforce, helping companies of all sizes succeed, connecting America’s communities, and delivering humanitarian assistance for those in need,” said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen. “Equally important, our industry has long made an ambitious commitment to sustainability, with measurable results. Our new, branded Climbing. Fast. initiative will take this message to policymakers, opinion leaders, and other key audiences, informing perceptions about the industry’s sustainability record and value.”
“Business aviation is the technology incubator for the aviation industry, as we lead the way in advancing safety and sustainability,” said General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) President and CEO, Pete Bunce. “Our industry supports over 1.2 million total jobs and over $247 billion in total economic output in the United States. When you look at our industry, Climbing. Fast. truly describes the work we have been doing to foster aviation’s sustainability and technology, advance safety, strengthen economic growth, and provide valuable services to communities.”
As a cross-platform public affairs campaign, the Climbing. Fast. program will spread the industry’s message on sustainability through:
- A dedicated website, ClimbingFast.com.
- A multi-channel social media presence, focused on building engagement around the industry’s sustainability commitment.
- A targeted media relations program that serves as a source for news coverage about the industry’s sustainability leadership, and
- Digital advertising, such as this ad (shown here as part of the story, not as an advertisement):
The Climbing. Fast. campaign also will emphasize business aviation’s value as an incubator for innovation, according to NBAA and GAMA officials.
For example, thanks to investments in airplane winglets, light-weight airframe composites, satellite-based navigation systems, and other carbon-cutting technologies, emissions from business aircraft have been slashed by 40% in four decades, and new business aircraft are up to 35% more efficient than the previous generation, they say.
The Climbing. Fast. initiative will also highlight the pioneering work to make its net-zero carbon emissions goal a reality, including:
- The development of eco-friendly aircraft that use ultra-efficient engines, including hybrid, electric and hydrogen-powered propulsion;
- The production of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), which can reduce net-carbon emissions by 80%; and
- The use of smarter, faster, more efficient routing that requires less energy.
The unified industry campaign counts many organizations in its ranks, including the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), Helicopter Association International (HAI), International Aircraft Dealers Association (IADA), International Business Aviation Council (IBAC), National Aircraft Finance Association (NAFA), National Air Transportation Association (NATA), and Women in Corporate Aviation (WCA).
For more information: ClimbingFast.com.