Just the FAQs
Frequently asked questions (FAQs) are asked frequently for a reason
– they’re good questions. Below are some of the most frequently,
frequently asked questions, and their answers.
I can’t get into Members-only areas because
I forgot my password. What do I do?
Passwords, like wedding anniversaries, are important to remember,
but oh-so-easy to forget. If you forget your password, use the Reset Your Password form to have a verification e-mail message sent to you. Follow the link in this e-mail message to reset your web site password.
If you don’t have a password – or are unsure whether or not you
have one – you can apply for one using the Apply for Password
form. This process often is completed within one to two business days, but can take up to two weeks depending on the information provided during the registration process. Once NBAA has verified your employment status, you will receive an e-mail confirming your access to Members-only areas of the NBAA web site.
What are the differences between the Member and non-Member areas
of the Web site?
With the old design, everything found in the non-Member side of
the site was on the Member side as well (except, of course, the
NBAA’s Membership application). Now, Member directories simply
are restricted by Web site user IDs and passwords. But you'll
only have to type this information in once, as your browser will
store that information for you.
In all, over 20,000 documents are waiting to be read on NBAA’s
Web site. Much more is available exclusively to NBAA Members,
including:
I’ve heard that NBAA’s site has information on international airports.
But when I tried a site search for “London” nothing came up. What
is the problem?
There’s more than one search engine on NBAA’s site.
NBAA’s “Site Search” searches through all the pages on NBAA’s Web site for the specified
keyword(s), but doesn’t check the International Airports Reports Database.
You can find links to all three search forms by clicking on the
“Search” button at the topof every page on NBAA’s site.
How can I save pages from NBAA’s Web site?
Web pages can be saved to your hard drive or to a floppy disk,
but it’s not as simple as you might think. Web browsers offer
different methods for doing this, but many use the File, Save
As commands found in the taskbar. Most browsers also save pages
in two formats:
- HTML – This is a Web page’s native format and stands for hypertext
markup language. It is a text file, with commands inserted that
tell the Web browser how to display the text. The latest versions
of most word processors allow the import of HTML files and preserve
some rudimentary formatting.
- Plain text (ASCII) – When you save a Web page as an ASCII text
file, all formatting is removed, leaving very plain text. This
is the best option to use if you don’t have the latest word processor.
Both methods will save only the text portion of a page – graphic
elements will be lost. There are some commercial software programs
designed to download and save entire Web pages – graphics and
all – to facilitate off-line browsing. This may be a good option
if you’re 30,000 feet from the nearest phone line, or if you’re
charged by the hour for connect time. You can fire off any other
Web questions to webmaster@nbaa.org.
What Are Plug-ins?
Despite all of the complex, mind-boggling techno-babble about
TCP/IP stacks, Asynchronous Transfer Modes, and platform-independent
client-side programming, the World Wide Web can be effectively
divided into two areas:
- Millions of files stored on computers around the world.
- You.
You gain access to the all those files by subscribing to an Internet
access provider such as AT&T WorldNet, CompuServe, AOL, or a local
provider. You view the files with your Web browser, such as Netscape
or Microsoft Internet Explorer.
There is one small catch. Software developers are constantly creating
new types of files for storing documents, video and audio clips,
and graphics. They do this to stay gainfully employed and to provide
the user with a better on-line experience, with higher resolution
images, faster downloads, high-quality video and the like.
How can your Web browser read all these new files types that it
has never seen before? Well, it can’t.
But in most cases those savvy software developers also have created
small, usually free, programs that “plug in” to your browser to
extend its capabilities, allowing it to view these new kinds of
files. These programs are referred to as “plug-ins.” Below are
answers to a few basic questions about plug-ins.
How do I know if I need a plug-in?
If you try to view a file that your Web browser doesn’t recognize,
it will let you know. Most browsers will give you a few basic
options:
- save the file and open it with another program on you computer,
- download the required plug-in that will allow you to view the
file within your browser, or
- give up and not bother reading the file. Which option you chose
depends on how badly you want to read the file.
Do I need plug-ins for NBAA’s site?
NBAA’s Web site does not require plug-ins for the vast majority of it’s content. NBAA's site does use PDF (see next question below) and SVG files for a few documents. Other important Web sites such as the FAA’s, however, often do require plug-ins to view most of the documents they provide.
What plug-ins do I need?
Adobe’s Acrobat Reader is really the only “must have” plug-in.
It allows you to read Portable Document Format (PDF) files, a format developed by Adobe to preserve the look and feel
of print documents on-line. It is ideal for documents that you’d
like to view and print, such as complex forms and official documents.
The FAA distributes many of its documents on-line as PDFs. Most
of the other plug-ins you can safely live without. PDFs are very
common, however, so Acrobat Reader is the most useful plug-in
around. Other plug-ins, such as CosmoPlayer and Shockwave, can
be whimsical and delightful, but few are really practical. Other
suggestions are:
Quicktime -- Allows you to view Quicktime video and music clips.
Shockwave -- Macromedia’s free plug-in allows you to view interactive multimedia,
graphics and streaming audio.
RealAudio Player -- Progressive Networks’ RealAudio Player lets you listen in
real time as the signal comes through your modem.
Cosmo Player -- Silicon Graphics’ free plug-in viewer explores virtual worlds
created by Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML).
Netscape users also can visit the “Netscape Inline Plug-in Page.”
Users with Microsoft Internet Explorer should visit the “ActiveX Control” page.
The Yahoo! search engine provides links to other vendors offering plug-ins.
“Plug-in Plaza” has a long list of plug-ins for a variety of platforms.
Adobe -- In addition to providing the PDF plug-in, Adobe also provides the SVG Viewer, which allows high-resolution scalable graphics to be viewed within an Internet browser. (NBAA uses this plug-in for its Exhibitor Floorplan and Static Display Map.)
How do I get plug-ins?
Most are available for free on the Web. Be sure to follow the
instructions carefully to download and install each plug-in, and
be careful not to go overboard. Playing with plug-ins can waste
your computer’s valuable disc space – not to mention your company’s
valuable time.
How do I use the International Airports Reports Database?
The word’s come down from management: in three weeks, you’re flying
a company delegation to Muscat, Oman. You’ve got three problems:
- You’ve never flown to Muscat.
- No one you know has flown to Muscat.
- You have no idea what to expect when you arrive in Muscat.
Flying outside of the familiar confines of U.S. airspace can be
challenging enough when you know what to expect. When you don’t
know what to expect, it can be miserable. While hundreds of little
things can make or break an international trip, you can avoid
many “surprises” by using a knowledgeable handler and NBAA’s Web
site for preparation.
Do Your Homework
NBAA’s International Airport Reports Database contains over 2,800
feedback reports submitted by business aircraft operators for
business aircraft operators. Pilots report on many issues from
runway conditions, ground handling services, air traffic issues,
and maintenance availability to even hotel and restaurant recommendations.
The collective experience of hundreds of business aircraft pilots
can provide answers to many of your questions – even some you
haven’t thought of yet. Will we need to bring our own tow bar?
What about original insurance records? Will we have to pay in
cash? Do they have Prist? How hard it is to get slots? How long
does a tech stop take? Do the airport personnel speak English?
And on and on . . .
Easy to Search
To search NBAA’s International Airport Reports Database, go to
the search form, enter in a search term (i.e., the city name or airport identifier),
and click on “Send Query.” NBAA’s Web site will scan all the stored
feedback information and return the 15 most recent feedback reports
that contain your search term. You can further modify your search
by entering in multiple search terms and changing the maximum
number of files returned.
Easy to Contribute
NBAA’s International Airport Reports Data-base relies entirely
on Member input. We count on the business aviation community’s
spirit of cooperation to keep the database up-to-date as a valuable
resource.
Submitting feedback of your own is easy. Go to the on-line feedback form at fill in the blanks and click the “Submit Feedback” button.
That’s all. It’s easy.
Feedback submitted on-line is instantly routed to NBAA’s Washington
headquarters, to be included in both the on-line database and
in the quarterly printed edition of the International Operations
Bulletin (IOB).
It’s easy to understand why the International Airports Database
is the most heavily used feature on NBAA’s Web site. It makes
the best use of the available technology to achieve what simply
cannot be duplicated in print. (Imagine skimming through nine
years worth of IOBs, looking for entries on Muscat, Oman!)
Over three quarters of NBAA’s Operating Members report some international
flying, and as more companies react to the demands of an increasingly
global economy, more company planes will be traveling far from
home. NBAA’s Web site is great tool for preparing pilots for unfamiliar
territory.
What is the Adobe SVG Viewer?
 SVG (Scalable Vector Graphic) is an open-standard vector graphics language that allows high-resolution graphics with sophisticated elements such as gradients, embedded fonts, transparency, and filter effects, using plain text commands.
The Scalable Vector Graphic format is based on XML (Extensible Markup Language) and is being developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). For technical information on SVG, visit W3C SVG technical specifications.
Download and installation instructions and different platform versions of the plugin are avalable. Please visit the Adobe SVG page. (NBAA uses this plug-in for its Exhibitor Floorplan and Static Display Map.)
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