Five years ago, during the global economic downturn, the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) along with the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) launched the “No Plane No Gain” campaign. What is No Plane No Gain? It’s definitely much more than a catchy slogan and a cool looking lapel pin. This joint advocacy initiative was designed to both provide and reinforce the understanding of just how valuable business aviation is to people, companies, and communities served by general and business aviation.
Has it been successful; of course it has. There are many initiatives associated with this campaign. Just visit the NBAA website www.nbaa.org and go to the advocacy tab to learn about the activities and successes of No Plane No Gain.
In this issue
Having recently completed his two-year term as NBAA Maintenance Committee Chairman, Jim Sparks reflects on some of the worthwhile activities of the NBAA Maintenance Committee in his article “Aviation is Good for Business”. The NBAA Maintenance Committee, like other NBAA committees, is made up of dedicated professionals that volunteer their time and talents to understand and advocate for maintenance and safety issues facing the business aviation maintenance community and individual maintainers.
As we regularly write about in Aircraft Maintenance Technology, advances in information technology continue to change the way in which maintainers approach aircraft maintenance today. Jerry Chandler in his article "Getting Ahead of the Game: The Surge in Transmittable, Real-time Diagnostics,” takes a look at some of the transmittable diagnostic messaging systems in business aircraft today designed to put operators of these aircraft in front of the challenges of responding to maintenance discrepancies.
But this issue of Aircraft Maintenance Technology is not only about new technology and what’s going on the world of business aviation today. Aviation is full of great stories, historical perspectives, and pioneers that came well before us. Just as we see in today’s industry groups, aviation is also full of dedicated professionals and volunteers who keep our legacy alive. Charles Chandler provides you with one such story in his article titled, “A Trip to the Doc’s Office.” Who is Doc? Well Doc is a B-29 Superfortress in its final stages of becoming airworthy again after decades parked in an aircraft graveyard. The most fascinating part of this story is one of the many young women called Rosie the Riveter who at 18 years old helped build Doc in 1945. Now 90 years old, Connie Palacioz is again working on Doc as part of the restoration crew. Congratulations Connie.
Ron
