News

Hello fellow ORBAA members! On behalf of the entire ORBAA Board, I hope your 2023 is off to a great start and you’re successfully and safely completing “winter operations”. The ORBAA Board kicked off this year with a board meeting on January 19th, welcoming new board members Elliott Taub and Lauren Siplivy. After a successful 2022 we look to further expand the opportunities to connect and grow together all around the state of Ohio. We’ll soon be sending save the dates for spring and summer events near Cleveland, Cincinnati and Columbus, as well as our annual golf outing and the return of ORBAA Annual in the fall. Our Scholarship efforts continue to grow and thrive, which was further supported by full board approval to double our individual scholarship award from $2,500 to $5,000. The scholarship application window will open this week. As the old adage goes, ‘many hands make light work’. ORBAA’s efforts are only fully realized when we have the hands and brains of folks from all across the state helping us move forward. If you have thoughts to share or interest in helping with any of our committee or event work this year, please let us know. From university outreach, developing our current workforce, sharing best practices and beyond, we want to hear what’s important to you! I wish you a safe and enjoyable winter, and look forward to seeing you in the spring! Mike Smith President, ORBAA mjsmith@scopeair.com

Hello Fellow ORBAA Members-

As the signs of spring are emerging in Ohio I find it a great corollary to what we’re doing as an organization this spring. After two long years, we are excited to reconnect with everyone as we continue to support Business Aviation throughout the state. 

In the next 5 weeks, we will all have an opportunity to connect with one another at two Happy Hours, one in Cincinnati next week, and the other in Columbus in late May. 

Our first Happy Hour is next Thursday, April 28 in Cincinnati at Local Post, 3923 Eastern Avenue in Cincinnati. Sign up information is located here: ORBAA - April Happy Hour with Board Members in Cincinnati 

The next will be in Columbus on Thursday, May 26, more details to come soon.

The entire board looks forward to seeing you in April, May, or whenever we are able to meet at other events down the road this year.  Thanks again for your continued support of ORBAA!

Mike Smith, President 

Ohio Regional Business Aviation Association 

PS: Has your membership lapsed? Consider renewing today: ORBAA - Home

ORBAA is proud to award two scholarships for $2,500 each to students working towards a career in Business Aviation! Our scholarship application window is now open until March 23, 2020. Please review the requirements at www.orbaa.org/scholarship and email scholarship@orbaa.org with any questions.

Ohio Advocacy Update (July 2019)

During the recent budget approval process, the Ohio House of Representatives proposed removing all exemptions and caps currently contained in the Ohio Sales Tax law that benefited the aviation industry.  Many in the business aviation community, including ORBAA and many of its members, informed the Senate Finance Committee why the exemptions are in place and how they benefit the aviation industry in Ohio. Ultimately, the Senate was convinced and the their version of the budget reinstated all of the current exemptions. 

Thanks to the efforts of many ORBAA members and the Ohio business aviation community, the current Ohio Sales Tax law that exempts maintenance and repair, the sale of flight simulators, and places a cap of $800 on the tax applicable to the sale of fractional ownership interests remains in place.

In sync with the ORBAA pillars, we are excited to share that Wright Stuff Dispatch is offering two $500 scholarship credits toward a dispatch course in the fall of 2019. Check out the flyer below for information and how to apply!

Thank you, Bob Quinn, for your support of ORBAA and best wishes on a wonderful retirement!

Bob started with NBAA in 2006 as the Central Regional Representative and has been a 30+-year member of the Greater St Louis Business Aviation Association. He is a graduate of Purdue University with a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering and a Master’s degree in Industrial Administration. Bob leaned to fly during his college years but started his aviation career as a design engineer with McDonnell Douglas in 1968. Later, he worked for Trane Company and Emerson Electric in engineering and marketing positions. At heart though, his real passion was aviation. During his flying career, he has accumulated almost 17,000 hours with eight type ratings on his ATP plus an A&P with Inspection Authorization. The best part of his flying career was flying the array of large cabin Gulfstreams from the G-2 thru the G-550 and operating them in every continent except Antarctica. He is still flying his biplane and a CJ4 for a friend.

Bob, thank you for your years of dedication to our industry and sincere congratulations on an impactful career! ORBAA truly values your guidance and support. We appreciate your contributions to business aviation and applaud you on your well-deserved retirement. ORBAA hopes you continue to Fly High in your retirement!

IMPORTANT ADVOCACY NOTICE State budget proposal HB166 includes provisions to repeal three aviation tax exemptions that were passed in the mid-2000’s. Cap of $800 on fractional aircraft sales. Maintenance (making service and parts sales tax exempt). Purchase of simulators. These tax exemptions work in tandem to create a positive and vibrant environment for the aviation industry in Ohio.   Contact your local Senator to encourage retaining these tools that contribute to the growth of the aviation industry in the Birthplace of Aviation. http://www.ohiosenate.gov/senators/district-map

Your ORBAA Board is pleased to announce the results of the 2019 Board election.  The newly-elected members will be installed at the completion of onboard training.

Your 2019 ORBAA Board members are as follows:

President: Lauren Behrens, FirstEnergy

Vice President: Scott Kennedy, Parrish O'Neill

Secretary-Elect: Evelyn Merkle, Nationwide

Contract Treasurer: David Kirkey, Kirkey and Co.

Board Members:

John Ginley, Advanced Drainage Systems

Richard Smith, Retired, NetJets

Board Member-Elect (and current): Grant Hundley, Global Appearance Partners

Board Member-Elect: Sarah Northcraft Spann, Aerlex Law Group

Board Member-Elect: Brian Finley, Textron Aviation

Congratulations to our new board members, and many thanks to those who served over the last year.  We look forward to serving our ORBAA membership in 2019.

Read ORBAA's position on ATC Privatization, HR 2997, and learn more about the proposal by viewing our Advocacy subpage.

ORBAA would like to wish a fond FAREWELL and THANK YOU to our Advocacy Co-Chair Mark Myers.  Mark has been an integral part of the ORBAA team since its inception.  He has held many board positions, including Vice President, President, Immediate Past President, and committee chair positions. He has worked tirelessly behind the scenes at all our events, with special emphasis on our annual Scheduler and Dispatchers conference, one of his pet projects.  Mark always offered us solid advice, a quick joke, and unmatched fundraising skills.  His counsel will be missed by all.

Mark has accepted a job in Washington and is fulfilling a lifelong dream of moving to the West Coast.  We wish him the best in his new position and much happiness with his new direction in life!