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Meridian Exhibits at NBAA-BACE2019 in Las Vegas

The Meridian team is ready on opening day to receive visitors at its exhibit for the 2019 NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition held at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Nearly 25,000 industry leaders and professionals from across all 50 U.S. states and 89 countries gathered in Las Vegas for the most inspiring, interactive and innovative convention NBAA has ever hosted. About 100 business aircraft were on display inside the Las Vegas Convention Center and nearby Henderson Executive Airport, where the event took place October 22-24. On the show floor, nearly 1,000 exhibitors, including more than 100 first-time exhibitors, featured incredible displays of their latest offerings, along with an inaugural New Product Showcase.

Meridian had a strong presence as an exhibitor at the event, commonly known as the 2019 NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE). The company sent 12 associates to represent its many private aviation services at its 400 sq. ft. booth, including charter sales, flight operations, aircraft management, marketing, and FBO customer service from both Teterboro and Hayward locations. Three key themes prevailed at this year’s convention: innovation, sustainability, and outreach to the next generation.

Innovation in Focus

This year’s NBAA-BACE put new modes of transport, such as unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and urban air mobility (UAM) vehicles, front and center. Full-scale prototypes and concepts for the vehicles were thronged by attendees in the all-new UAS/UAM Innovation Display Area.

On the keynote stage, Bolen presented NBAA’s Meritorious Service to Aviation Award to record-breaking pilot, military veteran and business leader Ross Perot, Jr., who is partnering with Uber on UAM infrastructure. Head of Uber Elevate, Eric Allison, shared the latest steps toward realizing that vision, and tech entrepreneur Sky Dayton, an investor in electric aircraft startup Joby Aviation, predicted UAM could become a reality in just a few years.

A brand-new composite-bodied aerobatic aircraft, the GameBird GB1, was brought to the stage by Steuart Walton, Game Composites founder and chairman. The stage also featured the iconic jet-propelled wing that “Jetman” Yves Rossy uses to fly like bird, with Rossy sharing the story of how his team developed this experimental technology.

On the show floor, an inaugural New Product Showcase introduced 11 new, distinctive products from a host of innovative companies. Inside the convention center and at Henderson Executive Airport, nearly 100 of the latest business aircraft were on display.

Also at the airport, Gulfstream unveiled its new G700, Bombardier displayed its Learjet 75 Liberty mockup for the first time and Textron Aviation’s newly certified Citation Longitude was on hand. Pilatus introduced the NGX, and other aircraft, including Tecnam’s P2012 Traveller, made their first appearances at NBAA-BACE.

Sustainability a Priority

Sustainability in business aviation was a dominant theme throughout the show, with around two dozen aircraft fueling enroute with SAF, a non-fossil power source that can reduce aviation’s carbon lifecycle emissions by up to 80 percent. Local civic and business leaders issued a proclamation recognizing the business aviation community’s long-standing commitment to sustainability, with an estimated 150,000 gallons of SAF pumped into aircraft at Henderson Executive Airport.

To further sustainability, NBAA joined with the General Aviation Manufacturers Association and other industry stakeholders to announce a new Business Aviation Global Sustainability Summit in Washington, DC, in March 2020. A panel of industry leaders, in an “I Want My SAF” forum, offered perspectives about increasing SAF availability and usage before a standing-room only audience.

Over 23,000 people attended NBAA’s Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition held at the Las Vegas Convention Center and Henderson Executive Airport from October 22-24, 2019.

Outreach to the Next-Generation Workforce

Throughout the show, trailblazing aviators were honored, and shared their work to attract the next generation of visionaries to join the business aviation workforce.

Barrington Irving, who in 2007 became the youngest pilot to fly solo around the world, received NBAA’s 2019 American Spirit Award for his work to engage young people in the pursuit of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education, and careers in aviation.

Also on the keynote stage, U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Jeannie M. Leavitt, America’s first female fighter pilot, shared her work promoting diversity in aviation, along with retired Air Force general and former NBAA Board Chair Lloyd “Fig” Newton.

On the show’s final day, Careers in Business Aviation Day hosted hundreds of students who attended NBAA-BACE for free, where they heard from FAA Administrator Steve Dickson and Jim Payne, chief pilot on The Perlan Project, who has flown a pressurized glider as high as 76,000 feet, toward a goal of reaching the edge of space.

NBAA also unveiled its 2019 class of Business Aviation Top 40 Under 40 young professionals (YoPros), who are already reshaping the industry.

“This week proved that in business aviation, we want the future, and we want it now,” Bolen said. “That future was on proud display in Las Vegas, with a show that fired the imagination, and inspired us to keep pushing the boundaries of what’s possible – and that’s what defines aviation.”

The Meridian exhibit is ready for business on its 400 sq. ft. booth location
in the Central Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Please join us next year, October 6-8, 2020, when NBAA-BACE heads to Orlando, FL. We are looking forward to seeing you there!

Categories
Aircraft Management Executive Terminal (FBO) General Hayward Maintenance Private Air Charter

Meridian Exhibits at NBAA-BACE 2017 in Las Vegas

The Meridian Team at the 2017 NBAA Convention in Las Vegas.
The Meridian Team at the 2017 NBAA Convention in Las Vegas.

Last week, Meridian was well-represented at the 2017 Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE) in Las Vegas, NV. Meridian, with FBO locations at Teterboro Airport (TEB) and Hayward Executive Airport (HWD), was proud to participate in the largest business aviation event of the year by sending a team of 14 associates to represent the company at its 400 sq. ft. exhibit to welcome customers, prospects, visitors, and friends. NBAA-BACE is held annually by the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA). NBAA’s 2017 convention took place October 10-12 at the Las Vegas Convention Center and Henderson Executive Airport (HND).
This year’s convention coincided with the one-year anniversary of the opening of our new West Coast FBO, Meridian Hayward, located in Northern California. An article in the Autumn edition of Business Aviation Magazine featured an interview with our CEO, Ken Forester, about the facility and highlighted the importance of business aviation in the region. Meridian also ran print advertisements in major industry publications, while also drawing crowds to its exhibit with an exciting and well-attended raffle on the second day of the show. The grand prize was a briefcase filled with a mystery amount of cash. Two additional winners walked away with high-value Amazon gift cards, and and many lucky spectators were given Meridian t-shirts after the raffle was over. The company was well-represented at the show by all departments from both locations, including Customer Service, Charter Sales & Operations, Aircraft Management, Aircraft Maintenance, and Marketing.
Ken Forester, CEO, was at the event and had this to say, “We are extremely pleased to be at this year’s NBAA Convention during the 1st anniversary of the opening of Meridian Hayward. We have come a long way since opening our doors last year, and we are still welcoming new customers to our FBO everyday. This event is a great opportunity for us to share the message with our industry colleagues that we are now firmly established on the West Coast and receiving aircraft for both transient and charter customers. Hayward is the keystone of our long-term growth strategy, which also includes a new hangar project in Teterboro that is expected to be operational by year’s end, and the continued expansion of our managed fleet.”
NBAA’s Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition is the country’s sixth-largest trade show, and the largest in the world focused on business aviation. This year’s event likely set a record for number of attendees — about 27,000 were expected. Attendees represented all 50 U.S. states and dozens of countries. NBAA2017 also hosted 1,100 exhibitors (including more than 100 new exhibitors), a static display inside the Las Vegas Convention Center, and some 100 aircraft at the outdoor static display at Henderson Executive Airport. NBAA-BACE remains the preeminent venue for manufacturers to unveil new models. For example, this year, the Bombardier Global 7000, Gulfstream G600 and Pilatus PC-24 made their debut at the show.
All three days of the show were packed with well-attended education sessions, including half-day programs at the NBAA National Safety Forum and Single-Pilot Safety Standdown. Discussions featured top safety experts and representatives from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). On the final day of the show, more than 1,000 students came to NBAA-BACE, many to participate in Careers in Business Aviation Day, hearing from Dreams Soar Founder and around-the-world pilot Shaesta Waiz – plus a chance to interact with industry leaders and potential employers at the College/University Roundtable event. A charity auction event, held by NBAA and the Corporate Angel Network, raised $435,000 for CAN’s mission to transport cancer patients to treatment centers.
Next year’s convention will be held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL from October 16-18, 2018. We hope to see you there!
Lloyd Janes, a commercial pilot, was the grand prize winner of Meridian's raffle contest.  He won a briefcase filled with cash and a set of handcuffs to prevent it from being stolen.  Congratulations Lloyd from all of us at Meridian!
Lloyd Janes, a commercial pilot, was the grand prize winner of Meridian’s raffle contest. He won a briefcase filled with cash and a set of handcuffs to prevent it from being stolen. Congratulations Lloyd from all of us at Meridian!

Categories
Aircraft Management Executive Terminal (FBO) General Hayward Private Air Charter

Meridian Announces Hayward Opening at NBAA2016

Meridian was well-represented at the 2016 Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE) in Orlando, FL.  This year the focus was the opening of Meridian Hayward, the company's new FBO on the West Coast.
Meridian was well-represented at the 2016 Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE) in Orlando, FL. This year the focus was the opening of Meridian Hayward, the company’s new FBO on the West Coast.

Last week, Meridian was well-represented at the 2016 Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE) in Orlando, FL. Meridian, headquartered at Teterboro Airport (TEB), was proud to participate in the largest business aviation event of the year by sending a team of 13 associates to represent the company at its 400 sq. ft. exhibit to welcome customers, prospects, visitors, and friends. NBAA-BACE is held annually by the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA). NBAA’s 2016 convention took place from Nov. 1-3 at the Orange County Convention Center, and at Orlando Executive Airport (ORL).
This year’s convention was particularly important for the NJ-based aviation company because it recently opened a new FBO and hangar on the West Coast. The company took the opportunity of being in front of industry peers to announce that Meridian Hayward is now open for business at Hayward Executive Airport (HWD) in Hayward, CA. In addition to press coverage in the convention dailies and print advertisements in major industry publications, the company also held an exciting and well-attended raffle at its booth to help generate the buzz behind Hayward. In addition, Meridian HWD t-shirts were given out to 150 lucky recipients.
The new facility features the services and amenities that discerning passengers and flight crews should expect to find when traveling through a Meridian FBO, including professionally-trained customer service and line service teams, an elegant main lobby, business center, conference room, pilot briefing area, pilot lounge, coffee bar, kitchen/catering area, sleep room, shower and locker room, rental cars, and crew cars.
EPIC Fuels, a leading fuel supplier in the general and commercial aviation industries, is the branded fuel supplier for Meridian Hayward. The company offers the highest quality jet and avgas, and the EPIC card is proudly accepted at this location.
A great location for business and charter aircraft, Meridian Hayward is located at an airport with no curfew and, like Teterboro, is a General Aviation-specific airport, with no commercial airline traffic. This initial opening features a newly constructed 6,300 square foot terminal with support offices, a 30,000 square foot hanger and 3.5 acres of ramp area.
Additional phases of construction are planned, and will include a second 12,000 square foot terminal, two 40,000 square foot hangers and an additional seven acres of ramp space. The facility will serve as a West Coast base for Meridian Air Charter and Meridian Aircraft Management. Aircraft maintenance support is also available.
While the FBO is now officially operational, Meridian Hayward will be celebrating its Grand Opening on December 15, 2016.
Ken Forester, CEO, was at the event and had this to say, “We are extremely pleased to be able to announce the opening of our new FBO, Meridian Hayward, at this year’s NBAA Convention. We are now pumping fuel and ready to serve our customers at Hayward Executive Airport. Our team is excited to share this news with our aviation partners and friends in the industry, and we hope they will help us to spread the word that we have a new location in the San Francisco Bay area. The genesis of this project began four years ago, and now it’s no longer a vision, but a reality. Hayward is the keystone of our long-term growth strategy, which also includes a new hangar project happening in Teterboro, and the continued expansion of our charter fleet.”
NBAA’s Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition is the country’s sixth-largest trade show, and the largest in the world focused on business aviation. Next year’s convention will be held at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV, from October 10-12, 2017.
Meridian's exhibit was among 1,100+ exhibitors at NBAA2016 in Orlando, FL.  The booth is 15' tall, covers 400 sq ft of floor space, has a reception counter, two kiosks with monitors, and a large conference room.
Meridian’s exhibit was among 1,100+ exhibitors at NBAA2016 in Orlando, FL. The booth is 15′ tall, covers 400 sq ft of floor space, has a reception counter, two kiosks with monitors, and a large conference room.

Categories
Aircraft Management Detailing Executive Terminal (FBO) General Maintenance Private Air Charter

Meridian Makes a Big Splash in Orlando at NBAA2014

The Meridian Team at NBAA2014 in Orlando, FL.
The Meridian Team at NBAA2014 in Orlando, FL.

Orlando, FL – Meridian, the award-winning private aviation company based at Teterboro Airport, wrapped-up a busy and productive three days at the industry’s largest trade show, the National Business Aviation Association’s (NBAA’s) 2014 Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA2014). The event concluded on Thursday, October 23, 2014, in Orlando, FL, and according to event organizers, all indications report that the show was a success for attendees and exhibitors alike.
Meridian, which debuted a brand new 400 sq. ft. booth, sent a large delegation of company representatives to work the show. The Meridian associates came from all areas of the company, including the FBO, Air Charter, Aircraft Management, and Maintenance. The team was able to accomplish a lot while at the venue, including receiving large throngs of visitors to the Meridian exhibit, hosting several private meetings in the booth conference room throughout the show, attending continuing education courses and presentations, visiting customers and vendors, engaging with prospects, and sharing ideas with industry colleagues.
Kirk Stephen, Meridian’s Marketing Manager, had this to say, “Our participation at this year’s NBAA event has been one of the best we’ve had in many years. Meridian has lots of exciting news of growth and expansion to share with the business aviation community, and we felt this was the year to come out strong. In order to emphasize the importance of our continuously growing charter fleet (now over 25 managed aircraft), and the expansion of our Fixed Base Operations to Hayward Executive Airport in Hayward, CA, we sent a full delegation of 15 company representatives and debuted a new 20′ x 20′ exhibition booth for the big show. The overall feedback was extremely positive, and we’re already looking forward to next year’s event.”
NBAA2014, which took place from Oct. 21 to 23, featured about 1,100 exhibitors in the Orange County Convention Center. Additionally, more than 100 aircraft were displayed in several locations – at a sold-out static display at Orlando Executive Airport, at an indoor display inside the convention center and at various exhibitor booths on the show floor. More than 26,000 people attended the show, which included representatives from 49 U.S. states and 95 countries around the world.
“This year’s show was an enormous success, filled with announcements and product introductions,” said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen. “The exhibit floor and aircraft displays had lots of activity and excitement. The education sessions were informative and well attended. The event once again showcased the industry’s size, diversity and significance. Perhaps most important, the show provided many reminders that ours is an industry characterized by passion and professionalism.”
Next year, NBAA will hold its Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition in Las Vegas, NV, from Nov. 17 to 19, 2015.

The new Meridian 20' x 20' exhibit makes its first appearance at NBAA2014 in Orlando, FL.
The new Meridian 20′ x 20′ exhibit makes its first appearance at NBAA2014 in Orlando, FL.