I had the good fortune of attending the NBAA trade show in Orlando this week. That is the group that sells business aircraft, mostly high end jets and helicopters (they are NOT choppers as the dimwits on TV keep stating). It really struck me at the differences in this show and the recent ICA show. Both were held in the same convention hall. Here's what I noticed:
1. The airplane show took up the entire hall. It was huge. I really liked the way the booths were placed. They were not in a ridgid grid like at the ICA. Just had a nicer feel to it.
2. Attendence was strong. Not as much as last year, but healthy from talking to the people working there. A big difference from the ICA. The people buying this stuff are making business plans years out, and they are buying. It's refreshing to be around positive people, even for just a few hours.
3. The majority of people working the booths were actually working the booths. Almost all said hello with a nice smile. None of them were wearing jeans and eating food. Most wore suits. There were a lot of pretty women working the booths. Not sure what they knew about operating a Gulfstream V, but they sure got the people in the booths.
4. Most of the booths had nice gimme items: hats, nice chocolate, gizmos, and lavish brochures.
5. Even though many of the things for sale there cost well north of 10 million, and they used the entire hall, it was free to walk the floor. Not $300, free.
6. While many car wash manufacturers have made good strides in turning out a good looking piece of machinery, the level of professionalism in these things is something wonderful to behold. There basically are no genuine standards in this business, except for general UL things. With aircraft, almost everything is speced out, and there's a reason for it.
7. Did I mention the pretty women? Sooo many of the carwash exhibitors I talked to at the show said it was so sexist to have models work the booth. Well, it seems to work for this crowd.
1. The airplane show took up the entire hall. It was huge. I really liked the way the booths were placed. They were not in a ridgid grid like at the ICA. Just had a nicer feel to it.
2. Attendence was strong. Not as much as last year, but healthy from talking to the people working there. A big difference from the ICA. The people buying this stuff are making business plans years out, and they are buying. It's refreshing to be around positive people, even for just a few hours.
3. The majority of people working the booths were actually working the booths. Almost all said hello with a nice smile. None of them were wearing jeans and eating food. Most wore suits. There were a lot of pretty women working the booths. Not sure what they knew about operating a Gulfstream V, but they sure got the people in the booths.
4. Most of the booths had nice gimme items: hats, nice chocolate, gizmos, and lavish brochures.
5. Even though many of the things for sale there cost well north of 10 million, and they used the entire hall, it was free to walk the floor. Not $300, free.
6. While many car wash manufacturers have made good strides in turning out a good looking piece of machinery, the level of professionalism in these things is something wonderful to behold. There basically are no genuine standards in this business, except for general UL things. With aircraft, almost everything is speced out, and there's a reason for it.
7. Did I mention the pretty women? Sooo many of the carwash exhibitors I talked to at the show said it was so sexist to have models work the booth. Well, it seems to work for this crowd.
