An organizational meeting of the Greater Washington Business Aviation Association, Inc. (GWBAA) was held on January 13, 2005. The group was established to provide a voice and forum for the local business aviation community in Washington, DC, Virginia, and Maryland. GWBAA membership is open to all companies and individuals with an interest in business aviation. Membership is expected to include aircraft operators, FBOs, representatives of corporations, consultants, and other entities.

"We're very excited about this opportunity to ensure the interests of local business aviation companies are properly represented before local, state, regulatory and legislative bodies," noted Bob Blouin of Phaneuf and Associates and the newly elected president of the GWBAA as well as the organization's founder. "Our immediate goal is to provide a forum for local business aviation interests to collectively share concerns, thoughts and ideas. Regional groups have been very successful in other parts of the country."

Other goals of the GWBAA include a focus on:

• safety, security, access and technological issues;
  
• providing educational and other support activities to advance the interests of business aviation;
  
• promoting business aviation to the public;
  
• fostering understanding and goodwill among the local business community; and
  
• accentuating the benefits and significance of business aviation

GWBAA expects to work closely with the National Business Aviation Association and other trade groups.

In addition to electing Bob Blouin as president, Jol A. Silversmith of Zuckert, Scoutt & Rasenberger as secretary, and Mary Miller of Signature Flight Support as treasurer, the GWBAA has elected Oakley Brooks of Bombardier Aerospace, Robert O. Rockwood of Bristol Associates, Paige Kroner of FlightWorks and Keith "Fred" Anderson of General Dynamics as Directors.

For more information, visit the GWBAA's website at http://www.gwbaa.com or e-mail: info@gwbaa.com.