NBAA-BACE 2026: The world’s most powerful business aviation event

Business aviation focuses on building the future, not waiting for it. New aircraft and technologies are entering the market, operating requirements are evolving and companies across the industry are looking for skilled people to help lead them into the future.

For those who want to experience where this dynamic industry is going, and even find their own place within it, there is no better place to be than the NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE), taking place Oct. 20-22, 2026, at the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC) and Henderson Executive Airport (HND).

Built around the theme “Be Bold – Take the Controls,” NBAA-BACE will bring together thousands of industry professionals from around the globe for three days of inspiration, education and excitement, fueling the industry’s momentum toward exciting new horizons.

“You’re going to see colleagues,” said Victor Gonzalez, global sales director for Universal Aviation. “You’re going to connect with people and see what’s going on in the industry.”

Whether evaluating aircraft, learning about the latest technologies and regulatory matters or finding new career paths, NBAA-BACE offers attendees an unmatched opportunity to build their event experience around their own unique priorities.

Insights from industry leaders

The innovation and excitement of NBAA-BACE begins on the Horizon Stage, a new venue in the heart of the exhibit floor featuring the convention’s headline speakers, recognition programs and biggest moments.

NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen will host the Tuesday, Oct. 20 launch event, which will include the presentation of NBAA’s Meritorious Service to Aviation Award to industry pioneer Steven F. Udvar-Hazy and a live interview with renowned aviator and global business leader and previous Meritorious Service to Aviation Award recipient Ross Perot Jr. 

The Horizon Stage will continue to showcase the people and ideas influencing aviation’s next chapter. That includes an expanded presentation centered around NBAA’s Flying Safety Awards, presented by accomplished pilot and industry communicator Stephanie Goetz, president and pilot of The Pink Jet.

Steven F. Udvar-HazyRoss Perot JrStephanie GoetzThe popular NBAA-BACE Flight Deck will return with interactive discussions involving government officials, journalists, influencers and industry leaders. Sessions will examine the technological, regulatory, marketplace, safety and workforce issues shaping business aviation.

Those presentations complement more than 75 education sessions across 12 dedicated tracks, allowing attendees to focus on the subjects most relevant to their roles, from operations and safety to tax policy, technology and workforce development.

Maintenance professionals will find an expanded three-day track addressing MRO capacity, ground risk, fleet availability and asset longevity. The program includes access to OEM technical teams, the new IADA/NBAA Pre-Owned Aircraft Exchange and opportunities for eligible technicians to earn Inspection Authorization renewal credit, pending FAA approval. 

Gulfstream Aerospace has also significantly elevated its presence at NBAA-BACE by hosting an invitation-only Gulfstream Operators Forum on Wednesday, Oct. 21. This comprehensive maintenance summit will offer operators a full day of targeted program updates, technical sessions, and maintenance masterclasses.

Experience what’s next

Of course, aircraft are a big part of NBAA-BACE. The NBAA-BACE Aircraft Connection at HND will offer the unparalleled opportunity to compare the latest business jets, piston aircraft, turboprops and helicopters while speaking directly with the people who design, build, sell, operate and maintain them.

Manufacturers including Aviat, Boeing Business Jets, Bombardier, Daher, Dassault, Epic, Gulfstream Aerospace, Honda Aircraft, Piaggio Aero, Pilatus, Piper, SyberJet and Textron Aviation will have aircraft on display at Aircraft Connection at the airport. Cirrus Aircraft, Robinson Helicopter and a DTA Aircraft prototype will be featured on the show floor at the LVCC.

SyberJet is set to take an important next step in introducing its ambitious and potentially market-disrupting next-generation aircraft – the SJ36 business jet – when it unveils a detailed, full-scale mockup at HND on Oct. 19. The new aircraft is a nine-passenger stretch design of SyberJet’s flagship SJ30, which recently set an unofficial light-jet east-to-west transcontinental speed record.

Featuring larger engines, breakthrough aerodynamics, and a proprietary glass cockpit avionics and flight management ecosystem, the SJ36 is projected to fly at speeds up to Mach 0.88.

The NBAA-BACE exhibit floor will also feature the latest avionics, engines, cabin interiors, ground-handling equipment and other solutions from established industry leaders and innovative startups. 

“[NBAA-BACE] gets us out in the industry and lets people see what we do and who we are,” said Paul Woodard, senior vice president of sales at C&L Aviation Group. “You’re able to cover a lot of ground by being at this show.”

For the first time, NBAA-BACE will also provide dedicated exhibit-floor time immediately following Tuesday’s Opening Session, with no competing external programming or education sessions until early afternoon.

Build your network — and your career

Of course, some of the most valuable NBAA-BACE moments happen between meetings and sessions. With thousands of professionals gathered in one place, a conversation at an aircraft display, exhibitor booth or networking event could produce a new idea, business relationship or career opportunity.

The enhanced NBAA-BACE Career Zone will offer one-on-one coaching, résumé and scholarship audits, LinkedIn guidance, professional headshots and workshops focused on getting hired. Attendees can also meet the 2026 NBAA Business Aviation Top 40 Under 40 class.

Following a successful rollout last year, NBAA-BACE Military Connect will help veterans and transitioning service members translate their experience into business aviation careers, while Collegiate Connect will introduce students to employers and industry opportunities. 

Also returning to NBAA-BACE is the Creator Studio, powered by Signature Aviation, giving podcasters, digital influencers and other content producers a place to meet, collaborate and strengthen the new voices telling business aviation’s story.

Business aviation is moving at Mach speed, and there’s only one place where you’ll be at the center of all the advanced aircraft and game-changing solutions pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. NBAA-BACE is where business aviation determines the course toward an exciting future, and where the connections, knowledge and inspiration needed to shape that next chapter come together.

“NBAA-BACE is critical to our industry,” added Curtis Lamp, customer service manager at Rolls-Royce, “because it brings all of those that are passionate about business aviation together under one roof.”

If you want to be part of the future of this industry, you have to be part of NBAA-BACE. Join us in Las Vegas and experience business aviation’s most powerful event. Register now. The post NBAA-BACE 2026: The world’s most powerful business aviation event appeared first on AeroTime.

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