Business & GA

The National Business Aviation Association has cancelled its inaugural Light Business Airplane Conference - earmarked for 13-14 March in San Diego - blaming the economic crisis for its decision.

A month ago the downturn forced the Washington DC-based association to cancel the Asian Business Aviation Conference and Exhibition, which was to have been held in Hong Kong next month.

The NBAA had already taken drastic steps to drum up interest in the Light Business Airplane show from cost-conscious exhibitors and visitors. These included shortening the event from three to two days, halving registration fees and restricting booth sizes.

The show will now be incorporated into the 62nd annual NBAA convention in Orlando in October, says the NBAA. "We believe the step we've taken is the right one for both attendees and exhibitors in this very challenging economy," says chief executive Ed Bolen. "We all know that our industry is finding it necessary to limit travel and marketing expenses, so we are going to combine all of the elements we'd planned for LBA into the convention," he says.