Dec. 23, 2014
The Southern California Aviation Association (SCAA) recently presented Dan Burkhart, founder of NBAA’s Regional Program, with its Wings Award for his many years of service to business aviation in the region, and his support of SCAA and its Board of Directors from the time of the group’s formation in 2006.
“It is an honor to be recognized by a group of your peers and friends. I believe it goes without saying, however, that the SCAA board and association members are really responsible for their success,” Burkhart said. “They were already aviation professionals, and now have grown into a productive part of their Southern California community. For this, we should all be proud and I am grateful to have been a part of it.”
Before his retirement, Burkhart served as NBAA’s director of regional programs for 14 years.
In addition to building the national program, Burkhart represented the NBAA Western Region that includes Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada and New Mexico. He is a retired Naval Reserve officer who served as a fighter pilot with F4 and F14 shipboard experience, and a former airline transport pilot with nearly 7,000 flight hours.
Since retiring, Burkhart said he has been traveling extensively throughout the Western part of the U.S., and he relocated to a small town in Northern Nevada to be closer to family, friends, the high desert and the Sierra Nevada mountains.
Upon his departure from NBAA, Burkhart’s role as regional program director was assumed by Stephen Hadley, and Stacy Howard succeeded Burkhart has Western regional representative.
“Dan Burkhart is an icon among business aviation operators. His strength and professionalism continue to be appreciated by those who worked with him in the industry,” Howard noted.”SCAA’s recognition of Dan with this award is testimony to the value of his service to SCAA members, and to NBAA Members throughout the state.”
International Business Aviation Council Ltd.