Standout NBAA Maintenance Conference Inspires, Fuels the Momentum for NBAA-BACE

With a theme of “Big Easy, Bright Futures,” the National Business Aviation Association’s (NBAA’s) 2026 Maintenance Conference energized more than 1,000 registered attendees with a high-octane, business-driven event marked by a shared enthusiasm for an industry on the move.   

The Maintenance Conference comes at a moment when the sector’s value is in sharp focus. Recent studies show that over the coming decade, hundreds of thousands of aviation maintenance specialists will need to be added to the workforce to meet demand. 

Fittingly, NBAA’s conference highlighted the enthusiasm for being part of the dynamic and continually evolving maintenance profession in the years to come, drawing attendees from 44 states and five countries, 42% of whom were first-time attendees. 

A packed exhibit hall featured more than 150 leading companies, including the most known and trusted brands, showcasing the latest business aviation products, services, tools and technologies.

“The success of the 2026 NBAA Maintenance Conference reinforces a critical industry imperative,” said NBAA Senior Vice President Events and Professional Engagement Jo Damato, CAM. “We must redouble our commitment to attract, retain, develop and celebrate a skilled workforce ready to lead a future defined by rapid change on many fronts. 

“This week’s conference underscored that future-focused mindset, and fueled a momentum that will carry into NBAA’s Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE), with a particular onsite emphasis on maintenance education and engagement.” 

Inspiring Keynote, Engaging Sessions

NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen opened the conference by emphasizing aviation maintenance specialists’ critical role with regard to safety, the industry’s highest priority.

“In business aviation, we’re safety first, and safety always,” Bolen said. “There’s no group that cares more, and has a bigger impact on safety, than the technicians.”

Keynote speaker David Rendall challenged attendees to think differently about their perceived weaknesses, and consider potential flaws as strengths, when assessing opportunities for professional growth.

“If we want people to have brighter futures, we have to change the way we see ourselves and each other,” he said. “We succeed because of our weaknesses, not in spite of them.”

Read more about the 2026 Maintenance Conference keynote session.

The keynote kicked off a robust slate of expert-led sessions that tackled the topics defining the future of business aviation maintenance – including solutions to address the maintainer shortage, perspectives on the rise of artificial intelligence, workforce-development tips and guidance on safety management systems and aircraft integrity.

Paul Gillenwater and Steve Steele, FAA Safety Team program managers, presented a standing-room-only session that introduced maintenance managers to key FAA online tools, including the Dynamic Regulatory System, the Service Difficulty Reporting System and the Airworthiness Certification Portal.

An NBAA Professional Development Program course on adaptive leadership took place prior to the opening of the conference.

Learn more about the education sessions at the conference.