NAAA Experiences Record-Setting Convention in Las Vegas

NAAA's 2011 Convention LogoNAAA’s 45th Annual Convention & Exposition is now history and will be remembered as the most heavily attended convention since the late 1990s. The recent records set at 2010’s convention in Savannah were broken at NAAA’s “Ag Aviation, America’s Winning Hand” show in Las Vegas. Numbers in nearly every category increased, including:

  • Attendance: Attendance was better than it’s been for any NAAA convention since 1998, with 1,737 attendees participating in the four-day ag aviation extravaganza. This was a 3% improvement over last year’s heavily attended Savannah convention.
  • Exhibitors: The number of exhibitors was up as well in Las Vegas. The 8% increase eclipses a record set just last year in Savannah. This year, 155 exhibitors displayed their cutting-edge goods and services for our nation’s aerial applicators at NAAA’s trade show, compared to the previous high of 143 exhibitors in 2010.
  • Hotel Space: NAAA also set a record for its hotel allotment in Las Vegas. Attendees reserved a total of 3,980 room nights. That’s 4.7% higher than NAAA’s recent record of 3,801 room nights in Savannah, Ga., last year. 
  • Auction Proceeds: By raising more than $372,000 for NAAA and WNAAA, the Live Auction ended up within spitting distance of last year’s record auction, which had raised $460,000. Nearly $200,000 of this year’s amount came from Al and Mike Schiffer of Al’s Aerial Spraying in Ovid, Mich., who came out on top in the bidding for the Pratt & Whitney Canada credit for OEM parts and maintenance services associated with both a large and small PT6A AG engines. NAAA would like to thank Pratt & Whitney Canada once again for this unprecedented contribution and for the incredible support the company has shown NAAA and the industry over the years. Special thanks also to Tulsa Aircraft Engines, Covington Aircraft Engines, Thrush Aircraft & Electronics International, Turbines Inc. and all the other generous contributors to this most successful NAAA auction.
  • Sponsorships: Based on the amount of company logos greeting convention attendees in Las Vegas, it was easy to tell this was a great year in terms of sponsorships. In fact, the 25 convention sponsors ties with last year as the most ever. The extra sponsorship revenue will help NAAA provide valuable services to the aerial application industry over the coming year.

Thank you to everyone who made the 2011 Convention such a success! Join us again next year for the 46th Annual NAAA Convention & Exposition December 3–6, 2012, in Savannah, Ga.