NBAA Update Archive

NBAA Update #05-07
Monday, February 14, 2005

NBAA Update is the National Business Aviation Association's weekly e-mail newsletter, providing the latest operational, regulatory and political news for the business aviation community. Subscribe for free or review the archives at www.nbaa.org/update. Send your comments about NBAA Update to update@nbaa.org. Send address changes to membership@nbaa.org.

Business Aviation News & Issues

NBAA Welcomes 'Positive Step' by TSA to Restore GA Access to the Washington Area
Last week, NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen welcomed a ruling from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) that re-opens three general aviation airports in the Washington region to "transient" aircraft. "The TSA's ruling represents a positive step in restoring access to the Washington region for general aviation aircraft operators," said Bolen. "In lifting the restrictions, TSA has recognized that security protections for general aviation must take economic considerations and personal liberties into account." The airports affected by TSA's ruling are located in Maryland, and include College Park Airport (CGS), Potomac Airfield (VKX) and Washington Executive/Hyde Field (W32). For more information, visit:
http://www.nbaa.org/news/pr/2005/20050210-007.php

NBAA Meeting With Key Congressional Officials to Discuss Business Aviation Priorities in White House FY '06 Budget
Last week, President Bush submitted to Congress his proposed budget for fiscal year 2006 (FY 06). Congress will hold hearings in the coming months to determine how much it wants to modify the President's proposal, and NBAA has begun a series of meetings with key members of Congress to discuss key priorities for business aviation. For instance, NBAA is disappointed with a proposed substantial reduction in funding for airport runway construction and other important capacity improvements. Given that airport capacity is increasingly restricted, and runways are a key means of easing airport congestion, it is unfortunate that critically needed resources for building runways are being proposed for cuts. For more information, contact NBAA's Lisa Piccione at lpiccione@nbaa.org.

TSA 2006 Budget Priorities to Receive Senate Commerce Committee Scrutiny
The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee will hold its first hearing of the new Congressional session tomorrow, Tuesday, February 15, to review the Bush Administration's proposed fiscal year 2006 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) budget for the TSA. The hearing is expected to focus on the Administration's recently announced plans to increase the 9/11 security fee imposed on airline passengers, as well as TSA spending priorities in FY 2006. Expected to testify are TSA Assistant Secretary for Homeland Security, David Stone, and a representative from the Government Accountability Office (GAO). Also invited to participate are representatives from several aviation associations to discuss airline and airport security costs included in the budget proposal. For more information, contact NBAA's Lisa Piccione at lpiccione@nbaa.org.

House Appropriations Committee Reorganizes, New Chairs Appointed to Key Subcommittees
Late last week, U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee Chairman Jerry Lewis (R-CA) announced a reorganization of the committee and subcommittee structure to make the panel's work more efficient. Under Rep. Lewis's plan, two representatives have been appointed as new chairmen on key subcommittees for NBAA: Rep. Harold Rogers (R-KY) is now chair of the Subcommittee on Homeland Security and Rep. Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) is chair of the Transportation, Treasury and Housing Subcommittee. Members with a significant business presence in Kentucky or Michigan should contact NBAA's Lisa Piccione at lpiccione@nbaa.org.

NBAA Meets With NY-NJ Port Authority Officials
Last week, NBAA staff met in Washington with officials from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to discuss ways to ensure that safe operations continue at Teterboro Airport (TEB) without reductions in capacity there. The meeting followed the crash of a Challenger 600 at TEB nearly two weeks ago. At the meeting, NBAA staff reiterated the importance of the airfield to the business aviation community, and both parties agreed to continue to work together on safety and capacity issues. For more information, contact NBAA's Jeff Gilley at jgilley@nbaa.org.

Part 91, Subpart K Fractional Compliance Date Looms
February 17, 2005, is the deadline for compliance with the fractional ownership regulations contained in Subpart K of Federal Aviation Regulations Part 91. Many fractional ownership programs will offer owners and potential buyers of fractional ownership interests the choice to have their flights operated under Part 91(K) or Part 135. A fractional program manager's ability to charter aircraft under Part 135 when it is not being used by fractional owners serves to defray the cost of operation and make fractional ownership more affordable. However, those who purchase a fractional ownership interest operated under Part 135 may incur the costly consequence of deferred depreciation deductions and increased Federal excise tax. For more information regarding the tax considerations of Subpart K versus Part 135, review NBAA's article on the regulations at:
http://web.nbaa.org/member/ops/taxes/subpartk200502.php

Members Reminded to Be Diligent in Reporting Personal Use of Business Aircraft to SEC
Is your company accurately disclosing executives' personal use of the company aircraft in Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) reports? Providing a company aircraft to an executive officer or director for his or her personal use generally requires disclosure under Federal securities law for publicly held companies. Public companies must report the "aggregate incremental cost" associated with personal flights. According to the SEC, "aggregate incremental cost" means the cost to the company of the personal flights, not the tax value of the benefit (i.e., the SIFL rate). Accurate reporting of executive compensation is a "hot topic" for the SEC for 2005, and corporate aircraft were specifically mentioned in a recent speech by Alan Beller, director, Division of Corporation Finance at the SEC. For more information contact NBAA at info@nbaa.org, or visit:
http://web.nbaa.org/member/ops/taxes/sec200410.php.

Return to Top

Regional News

Ed Bolen in Albuquerque, NM, This Week for Meeting With NBAA Members and Others in Local Aviation Community
NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen will be in Albuquerque, NM, to meet with NBAA Members and others in Albuquerque's aviation community this Wednesday, February 16. The meeting will take place at Albuquerque International Airport (ABQ) and will be hosted by Cutter Aviation, an NBAA Member with facilities at ABQ. The event is scheduled for 12:00 noon to 2:00 p.m. Businesses with a significant presence in Albuquerque and other interested parties should contact NBAA's Paul Smith at psmith@nbaa.org.

Ed Bolen to Serve as Keynote Speaker at First Meeting of Washington-Area Business Aviation Organization
President and CEO Ed Bolen will be the featured speaker at the first general membership meeting of the Greater Washington Business Aviation Association (GWBAA) on Friday, February 25 at the Signature Flight Support facility at Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). Bolen will provide an update on priority issues for the business aviation industry. In addition, attendees will be briefed on the activities of GWBAA's committees on membership, operations, communications and events. Participants do not need to be GWBAA members to attend. For more information, visit:
http://www.gwbaa.com

FAA Seattle Center Releases Letter to Airmen Concerning Regional Operations
On February 4, the FAA released a Letter to Airmen (LTA 05-01) covering the use of visual separation between operations at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) and Boeing Field/King County International Airport (BFI). For questions, contact Steve Atkinson at Seattle Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) at (206) 214-4620, or visit:
http://www.nbaa.org/ops/airspace/SEA_LTA0501.pdf

Traffic Increases Expected Before and During NASCAR Daytona Events
The 2005 NASCAR NEXTEL season gets underway at the Daytona International Speedway on February 20. Be advised of increased air traffic and airport congestion beginning Thursday, February 16 through Monday, February 20. Depending on the popularity of a particular race, it is not uncommon for more than 300 additional aircraft to converge on one or more airports near a race track. For the Daytona race, the FAA has initiated Special Traffic Management Procedures (STMP) at various times from February 16 through February 20, for Daytona International (DAB), Ormond Beach Municipal (OMN), DeLand Municipal (DED), New Smyrna Municipal (EVB), Flagler County (X47) and Spruce Creek (7FL6). Please consult NOTAMs for specifics. For more information, contact NBAA's Dean Saucier at dsaucier@nbaa.org.

Return to Top

NBAA News

February Issue of 'Quick Turns' Now Online
NBAA Quick Turns is an e-newsletter dedicated to the promotion of corporate aviation maintenance practices and safety. The February issue includes a message from NBAA Maintenance Committee Chairman Bill McBride of Home Depot with updates on Maintenance Committee initiatives such as the Forum for Enhanced Reliability & Maintainability Standards (FERMS), as well as details about the upcoming Maintenance Management Conference, to be held April 10 to 12 in Colorado Springs, CO. Read the issue online at:
http://www.nbaa.org/quickturns

Nominations for NBAA's Most Prestigious Awards Due Next Week
NBAA is accepting nominations for its two most prestigious awards, the 2005 Meritorious Service to Aviation Award and the 2005 John P. "Jack" Doswell Award. NBAA Members are strongly encouraged to submit nominations for both awards to NBAA by Friday, February 25. Award winners will be officially recognized at the Annual Gala of the NBAA 58th Annual Meeting & Convention in November 2005. For more information, including nomination guidelines, visit:
http://www.nbaa.org/awards

Reminder: April CAM Exam Applications Due by Feb. 24
The Certified Aviation Manager (CAM) Program identifies qualified professionals to lead corporate flight departments and companies using business aircraft. Whether you are an existing or an aspiring aviation manager, you can prove your knowledge and management skills through the successful completion of a certification exam. An upcoming CAM Exam is scheduled to be administered on April 14, in Colorado Springs, CO, in conjunction with the NBAA Maintenance Management Conference. Applications for the April 14 CAM Exam should be submitted to NBAA no later than Thursday, February 24. Applications may be submitted online, or the application can be downloaded and submitted by mail or fax. For more information, contact NBAA's Sarah Dicke at sdicke@nbaa.org, or visit:
http://www.nbaa.org/cam

Flight Attendants/Flight Technicians Scholarship Application Now Available
NBAA's Flight Attendants Committee is dedicated to promoting education and training as a means for corporate flight attendants and flight technicians to enhance their professional careers. NBAA, in conjunction with 18 corporate sponsors, this year offers a total of 41 awards to aspiring and current flight attendants and flight technicians. The deadline to submit the 2005 application is April 1. For more information or to download an application, visit the Scholarship web page at:
http://www.nbaa.org/scholarships

NBAA Announces Winners of 2005 Schedulers & Dispatchers Scholarship
NBAA and its Schedulers & Dispatchers Committee today awarded $45,000 in scholarship funds to seven individuals seeking to advance their aviation careers through continuing education. A record nine corporate sponsors each contributed $5,000 to the 2005 NBAA Schedulers & Dispatchers Scholarship: ExxonMobil and the Avitats, Signature Flight Support, Universal Weather and Aviation Inc., ChevronTexaco, Atlantic Aviation, Air BP Aviation Services, Jeppesen DataPlan, Jet Aviation and Miami Executive Aviation. Since 1997, $195,000 has been awarded to business aviation professionals through the Committee's efforts. For more information, visit:
http://www.nbaa.org/news/pr/2005/20050214-009.php

NBAA Announces Recipients of 2005 Schedulers & Dispatchers Training Scholarship
NBAA and its Schedulers & Dispatchers Committee today announced six recipients of the 2005 NBAA Schedulers & Dispatchers Training Scholarship. The training awards, given in conjunction with corporate sponsors Airline Ground Schools, CornerStone Strategies LLC, Flight Safety International and MedAire, Inc., are designed to promote the career development of current and aspiring schedulers and dispatchers. For more information, visit:
http://www.nbaa.org/news/pr/2005/20050214-010.php

February Workshops Focus on Flight Ops Manuals and Management Fundamentals
NBAA is offering two Professional Development Program (PDP)- approved Workshops at the end of this month in Miami Lakes, FL. The NBAA Flight Operations Manual Workshop on February 21 and 22 uses the new International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations (IS-BAO) as the basis for providing participants with all materials needed to develop or update an excellent flight operations manual, custom tailored to your operations. And whether you are just moving into the management ranks or have been there awhile, the NBAA Management Fundamentals for Flight Departments Workshop on February 23 and 24 will offer you new ways of achieving excellence. Practical, proven techniques are presented and discussed to make your flight department more effective and efficient. To learn more or register for either event, visit:
http://www.nbaa.org/events

Return to Top