NBAA Opposes FAA's Proposed Limitations on the BARR
Last week, NBAA forcefully responded to the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA's) call for comment on a plan to severely limit participation in the Block Aircraft Registration Request (BARR) program. "The proposed limitations represent an unwarranted invasion of the privacy of aircraft owners and operators, a threat to the competitiveness of U.S. companies and a potential security risk to persons on board," said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen. "Government's job is to protect the individual, not facilitate the intrusion – that's why the public isn't given access to E-Z pass records detailing where people are driving, or to credit card transactions revealing what consumers are buying." Read the full release.

Concerned About BARR Limitations? Send Your Comments to the Docket
NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen is calling on the business aviation community to make its voice heard about the government's proposed changes to the BARR program. In a message sent last week to all Member Representatives, Bolen said: "Government officials are taking action to severely curtail the effectiveness of the program, and NBAA needs you to make your voice heard on the issue – immediately. Bolen's letter points readers to an online NBAA resource where Members can read NBAA's concerns about the proposed changes to the program and register their own concerns to the federal docket. Read Bolen's letter and submit comments.

U.S. House Approves Bill Forbidding Aircraft Laser-Pointings
A proposed federal law against pointing a laser at an aircraft, which passed the House of Representatives on February 28, calls for up to five years in prison for violators. Laser pointers can distract or temporarily blind pilots when they are taking off or landing, especially at night. An identical bill was passed by the Senate with NBAA's support in early February as an amendment to the multi-year reauthorization bill for the FAA. An NBAA report earlier this year showed aircraft commonly used for business were the targets in about 20 percent of all aircraft laserings. Learn more.

NBAA Advocates for Risk-Based Repair Station Inspections
Last week, NBAA co-signed a letter to House members urging them to support a section of congressional reauthorization legislation for the FAA directing the agency to adopt a risk-based approach to repair station inspections. The provision would increase safety oversight of aircraft maintenance, support the preservation of jobs in the industry and permit an important bilateral safety agreement between the U.S. and the European Union to be completed. Learn more.

A Rebound for the Rotor-Wing Segment?
The Helicopter Association International's annual Heli-Expo in Orlando, FL, which opened on March 5 and continues this week, provides an opportunity to evaluate the rotor segment of business aviation. Featured in this week's NBAA Flight Plan podcast, at least one industry expert believes sales of rotor-wing aircraft are about to see an uptick. "The pipeline will fill up nicely and we'll be in good shape next year – particularly on the delivery front," said Brian Foley, an aviation analyst based in Sparta, NJ. Learn more.

Going Green at Heritage Aviation
NBAA Member Heritage Aviation was awarded gold-level Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) status last month for its new 79,000 square foot facility on Burlington International Airport (BTV) in Vermont. Certification was awarded by the U.S. Green Building Council. Heritage Aviation provides full general aviation maintenance and repair, charter and 24/7 FBO services. Learn more.

NBAA Provides All-Out Support in Connecticut State Tax Battle
As reported last week in NBAA Update, NBAA is helping to mobilize a grassroots campaign to stop two proposals in the Connecticut state legislature that would impose a heavy property tax on all aircraft based in the state and eliminate the sales tax exemption on repair services for small and medium-sized aircraft. "We've already heard from one legislator saying we've affected the chance of these bills passing, but the fight isn't over," said NBAA's Dean Saucier. Learn more.

FAA's GA Awards Spotlight Aviation Professionals
Four aviation professionals were recently acknowledged for their diverse contributions to the industry, through the 2011 General Aviation Awards. "These four individuals represent the proficiency, skill and dedication to safety that are so vital to the success of general aviation," said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen. "NBAA is proud to be among the organizations working with the FAA to spotlight such aviation professionals." For more information, contact GenAviationAwds@aol.com or read details about the winners.

Get Ready for Spring Flying: Insider Tells You How
The latest installment of Navigator in Business Aviation Insider includes guidance on "RNAV off the ground" (ROTG) instrument departures and a new tool available through the Storm Prediction Center that can help mitigate the impact of spring storms on the National Airspace System. Navigator is a biannual Business Aviation Insider department from NBAA's General Aviation Desk at the FAA Air Traffic Control System Command Center. Learn more.

Eurocontrol Launches ETS Support Facility
To allow aircraft operators a simpler method for meeting European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU-ETS) reporting requirements, Eurocontrol has launched a support program. For a fee, the ETS Support Facility will provide operators with a draft report of their annual emissions and records of their aircraft's Eurocontrol flight data. These reports must be verified by an approved third-party auditor before being submitted to regulators. Operators that have submitted an emissions monitoring plan and received approval from their assigned EU member state are required to submit verified emissions reports for 2010 by March 31. Learn more about the EU-ETS Support Facility.

NBAA to Provide Briefing at Asian Aerospace on Association's Upcoming Events
NBAA Senior Vice President, Conventions, Seminars & Forums Kathleen Blouin will host a news conference to provide an update on the preparations underway for the 11th Annual European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE2011), NBAA's 64th Annual Meeting & Convention (NBAA2011) and the 2012 edition of the Asian Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition (ABACE). The news conference will take place during the Asian Aerospace International Expo and Congress event, at 4:30 p.m., Hong Kong time, on March 8 in Room 103/105 of the Asia World Expo. Reporters and others are welcome at the news conference. Learn more.

New Procedures Ease Operations at Vegas-Area Airport
New instrument procedures at Henderson Executive Airport (HND) in southern Nevada will benefit not only those flying into the city of Las Vegas this fall for NBAA's 64th Annual Meeting & Convention, but also pilots operating in the area year-round. The HND RNAV (GPS)-B approach went into effect February 11, providing the first-ever viable instrument procedure for Category A/B/C aircraft to fly into HND. The revised procedure also allows pilots to go missed from Runway 35L at Henderson without conflict with northbound traffic from nearby McCarran International Airport (LAS). The new procedures are the product of effective collaboration between NBAA Members, government representatives and local officials in the Las Vegas area. Learn about the procedure changes for NBAA2011.

South Florida Safety Day the First of Several Upcoming Safety Events
The South Florida Business Aviation Association (SFBAA) will hold its annual Safety Day on March 18 at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL). This year's keynote speaker will be Jeff Skiles, co-pilot of US Airways Flight 1549, the famous "Miracle on the Hudson" flight. The event also will feature presentations by FLL Tower Operations, Air Charter Safety Foundation and FACTS Training International. NBAA supports more than 60 regional business aviation groups throughout the year in promoting events of interest to local communities such as safety days. Other regional safety events are slated for March 26 in Rock Hill, SC; April 16 in Tampa, FL; May 4 in Salt Lake City, UT; and May 5 in Chicago. View the full regional calendar.

Webinar Has Tips for Planning a Successful Safety Day
NBAA will host the fourth installment in its Regional Group Leadership Webinar series on March 29 from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. ET. This presentation will provide regional business aviation group leaders with essential resources for hosting a successful safety day in their region. The webinar is designed for leaders planning their first safety day as well as those who have hosted previous events looking for new ideas. Save the date and review the archive of NBAA Regional Group Leadership webinars.

Book Your Hotel for International Operators Conference by Friday
The NBAA 38th Annual International Operators Conference focuses on regulatory and operational requirements unique to different regions of the world. In addition to the regional review sessions, the agenda will cover customs issues, managing fatigue and safety assessment of foreign aircraft. This year's conference will be held from March 21 to 24 at the Sheraton San Diego Hotel in California and the last day to reserve rooms at the NBAA rate is this Friday, March 11. Register now to take advantage of the discounted rate.

NBAA Marks the Passing of John Wiley
The aviation community last week marked the passing of award-winning writer John Wiley, who died on February 25. A decorated U.S. Air Force pilot and retired captain for US Airways, Wiley was twice awarded Aerospace Journalist of the Year for his writing in Business and Commercial Aviation. He is survived by his wife and two daughters. A memorial was held March 2 in Marietta, GA. In lieu of flowers, his family has asked that donations in Wiley's name be sent to Angel Flight.

Learn the Steps to Smooth Aircraft Transactions With NBAA Webinar
In a live NBAA webinar on March 24, learn the six critical steps to make buying or selling business aircraft a seamless process. The webinar, "Six Steps to a Seamless Aircraft Transaction," will be held at 2:00 p.m. ET and will feature a presentation by Jay Mesinger of J. Mesinger Corporate Jet Sales and Keith Swirsky of GKG Law, moderated by Alan Burnett of the Aero Law Group. Learn more and register.