This past week, two things impressed me… And they both had to do with aircraft. First, I was a last-minute visitor to the Henderson Executive Airport to see what was called a “static display of executive aircraft”. The aircraft on display were part of the National Business Aircraft Association (NBAA) 2011 Annual Meeting and Convention held October 10-12.

Secondly, when I attended the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) meeting at Cashman Center last Tuesday, one of the speakers was from Nellis Air Force Base. I was amazed at the information he presented.

But first, let’s talk about the business aircraft on display in Henderson, NV. I had never before visited the Henderson Executive Airport. (I guess I need to stop playing low-limit poker and meet more movie stars and CEOs.) The airport is just south of St. Rose Parkway, looks quite modern and the day I visited, the airport was very busy. With regard to the display of aircraft, because I was a late Wednesday visitor, interviews were sparce. One broker there did tell me, however, that as a result of having his company’s used aircraft on display, he’s “pretty sure” he had sold a $20 million dollar airplane.

With an expected attendance of 25,000, NBAA attracted key decision makers in the executive aircraft industry and their customers. Attendees had the choice of over 100 education session and maintenance and operation sessions along with visiting exhibits at both the Las Vegas Convention Center and Henderson Executive Airport.

As I explain in the accompanying video, the recession has hit the pre-owned executive aircraft market quite hard, with prices plummeting 30 to 50 percent. However, I was also told that folks with big money are still spending, and the prices of new executive aircraft are back up to pre-recession levels. (We’re talking $2 to $50 million and more.) The global nature of the executive aircraft business means customers for U.S. aircraft these days can come from anywhere in the world.

I love the look of executive aircraft. Many of the planes have graceful sleek lines. And yet…no one I know has an executive jet. So we just look and wonder. The NBAA Annual Meeting & Convention returns to the Las Vegas valley in two years.

Speaking of admiring aircraft (and their pilots), the United States Air Force Thunderbirds annual airshow is November 12-13, 2011 at Nellis Air Force Base. Colonel Steven Garland, 99th Air Base Wing Commander, delivered a presentation to the LVCVA board on Tuesday mentioning the upcoming air show, and providing some statistics regarding the contributions Nellis Air Force Base, Creech Air Force Base and the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR) made to the local economy in 2010. For example:

*Despite tough economic times in 2010, Nellis, Creech and the NTTR contributed more than $5.1 billion to southern Nevada in the form of purchases, creating jobs and procuring services and commodities from local businesses.

*Total personnel associated with Team Nellis (enlisted, reserve, & civilians): 39,755.

*Total annual payroll of Team Nellis, Creech, NTTR: $1.15 billion

*Total annual expenditures for items such as Tri-Care, utilities, service contracts, construction, education, etc. in 2010: $3.1 billion.

*Total retiree presence & payroll (all branches of service): $645.2 million.

Obviously not everyone in the valley is parking cars and serving cocktails.