September 16, 2010 – The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) announced that the 2010 Annual Meeting & Convention will include an event to recognize the business aviation community for its heroic response to the earthquake that ravaged the island nation of Haiti earlier this year.

"The business aviation community's response to the Haiti crisis represents the best in all of us," said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen in announcing the recognition event. "As the world began to understand the magnitude of the tragedy, our industry mobilized.

"Almost immediately, airplanes and aviation expertise were volunteered, supplies were donated, ramp and hangar space was made available, fuel discounts were offered, and charts were provided.

Equally important, the informal network created to match up business aviation donors with groups needing transport also served to link together varied humanitarian efforts of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), medical groups, and others in the process creating a vital network that speeded delivery of lifesaving help.

The industry's response to the Haiti crisis was recognized earlier this year in a joint House-Senate resolution that noted "business aircraft alone conducted more than 700 flights, transporting 3,500 passengers, and over 1,000,000 pounds of cargo and supplies."

"NBAA is enormously grateful to everyone in business aviation who was willing to help in the relief effort, and we look forward to expressing our gratitude in a very meaningful way directly from the floor of the Convention," Bolen concluded.

Founded in 1947 and based in Washington, DC, the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) is the leading organization for companies that rely on general aviation aircraft to help make their businesses more efficient, productive and successful. The Association represents more than 8,000 companies and provides more than 100 products and services to the business aviation community, including the NBAA Annual Meeting & Convention, the world's largest civil aviation trade show.