The Civil Aviation Authority of the Cayman Islands (CAACI) exhibited at the annual National Business Aviation Association – Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE) tradeshow held at the Las Vegas Convention Centre from 17 to 19 October 2023.
The main objective was to promote the Cayman Islands Aircraft Registry as the offshore registry of choice for owners and operators. The Cayman Islands' delegation, jointly exhibiting with the CAACI, included Boddens Legal & Corporate firm and Cayman Enterprise City. The Department of Tourism and Maples Group's law firm supplied destination and legal materials for the target audience.
As the only foreign aircraft register in attendance, the Civil Aviation Authority represented one of more than 800 exhibitors who showcased stunning concepts, including unmanned aircraft systems and advanced air mobility vehicles in the Emerging Tech Pavilion from VoltAero, Wisk and other manufacturers developing such systems.
CAACI Director-General Richard Smith said the NBAA tradeshow is a signature event for the authority in the promotion of the Cayman Islands Aircraft Registry and the greater Cayman Islands aviation industry.
"As the largest business/corporate aviation tradeshow globally that attracts upwards of 20,000 attendees and over 800 exhibitors, it is important that the Cayman Islands Aircraft Registry is represented at such an inspiring, interactive and innovative convention."
The Civil Aviation Authority is responsible for both financial and economic regulation of the Cayman aviation industry. It has full designation for safety oversight as a UK Overseas Territory. The Cayman Islands is classified as Category 1 by the USA Federal Aviation Administration under its "International Aviation Safety Assessments" programme that evaluates a country's civil aviation authority's ability to effectively regulate its aviation industry. This rating enables commercial air transport operators registered in Cayman, for example Cayman Airways, to conduct international air transport operations.
In addition to the one million plus square feet of exhibitions displayed at the convention hall, for the first time ever, electric air taxis soared over the static aircraft display at Henderson Executive Airport (HND), in demonstration flights each day by AAM pioneer Volocopter with its 2X multirotor personal air vehicle.
Dale Crowley, managing partner of Boddens Legal and Corporate, represented his firm's exhibition at the CAACI booth. Boddens provides legal and directorship support to the business aviation industry with expertise in aircraft acquisition, financing, mortgaging, leasing, ownership and air transport operations.
The Civil Aviation Authority said in a press release that it is also furthering a strategic partnership between the Cayman Islands (CAACI) and Cayman Enterprise City (CEC) that provides key elements required for the jurisdictional establishment for operators engaged in commercial air transport operations offshore.
CAACI and CEC are jointly marketing the Cayman Islands to the aviation industry, promoting its robust regulatory environment, neutral tax status, sound legal and finance systems and first-world life style, touting it as the perfect domicile to establish an air transport or any aviation related company.
Clients that qualify are aircraft owners and brokers, technology companies and start-ups engaged in aviation research and development, the head offices of aviation industry businesses, aircraft manufacturing and repair businesses, and businesses that provide management consultancy and other specialized services to the aviation industry.
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