Bolen Sends User Fee Alert, Urges Members to 'Contact Congress'
As Congress and the White House negotiate over the nation's deficit and debt ceiling, the business aviation community has cause for alarm. NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen on July 15 sent a message to the NBAA Membership to explain the situation, and what steps the industry must take to confront it. "In order to reinforce our point that fuel taxes are a better mechanism than user fees, we need you to alert your representatives in Congress today," said Bolen. Use NBAA's Contact Congress resource today, and review Bolen's full letter.

House Lawmakers Call on DOT to Shelve Plan to Disable BARR
Last week, NBAA welcomed a letter sent by 33 lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives to Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Ray LaHood, expressing "serious concerns" with the government's proposal to severely curtail the Block Aircraft Registration Request (BARR) program. The House members' letter raises concerns similar to those raised by 26 senators in a letter they sent June 29, which also called on the DOT to scrap its plans for dismantling the BARR. NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen welcomed the support shown for the BARR from the lawmakers who signed the letters, and others in the House and Senate, who recognize the need for the program. Review NBAA's full statement.

Bolen: Fight to Protect the BARR Vital for Operators
"In Washington, DC, it is not uncommon to see solutions looking for a problem," writes NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen in his "President's Perspective" column in the latest issue of Business Aviation Insider. The government's plan to dismantle the BARR program, however, is more than that; it's "an 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 onboard." In this, the Light Business Airplane (LBA) issue of Insider, Bolen points to LBA operators who rely on the BARR to keep their competitive edge – exactly why NBAA has joined other associations in fighting the government's move in court and in Congress. Review Bolen's column.

Mayors, Small Business Leaders Tell Obama: 'Business Aviation Crucial to Communities'
Individuals and organizations outside the business aviation community continue to weigh in with concerns about President Obama's recent negative public comments about the use of business aircraft. Ten mayors in six states and the leader of the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council last week added their voices to the chorus of opposition to the president's June 29 mischaracterization of the industry. Read their testimonials.

Kansas-Area Group, Airport Managers Join BARR Fight
The Kansas City Business Aviation Association (KCBAA) and the General Aviation Airports Coalition (GAAC) have joined the fight to prevent the FAA from dismantling the BARR program. After encouraging others to get involved, KCBAA consolidated all donations received, including $1,000 from its own treasury, into a single contribution to the BARR Legal Defense Fund on Friday, July 15. Separately, the airport manager members of the GAAC voted this month to make public their displeasure with the FAA's action and their support for NBAA and other industry groups opposing the BARR dismantlement. The GAAC's opposition adds another aviation industry segment to the chorus of opposition to the government's action against the BARR. Read more about these BARR defenders.

LightSquared, Industry Agree: Signals Would Interfere With GPS
Findings submitted late last month by telecommunications provider LightSquared to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) vindicate what opponents to the company's plan to develop a nationwide wireless network have long said: signals from the proposed network would unquestionably interfere with those used by existing Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) systems. However, LightSquared's report – submitted to the FCC June 30, following a two-week delay to allow the nascent company additional time to prepare – goes on to suggest the existing, well-established, GPS industry bears at least some responsibility for the situation. Learn more about the LightSquared situation.

Amidst Continued Economic Turbulence, Analysts See Long-Term Worldwide Industry Recovery
Despite a still-turbulent U.S. economy, several leading business aviation analysts remain optimistic about the long-term prospects for the industry, in the U.S. and around the world. "What we're seeing now is a little summer lull that has been brought on by the Greek debt crisis, the Chinese banking system and other factors that are causing the stock market to correct and people to sit on the fence a little longer," said Brian Foley, president of Brian Foley Associates. Review the business aviation market analysis.

Fixed-Wing Operators: Expect Weekend Closures at Teterboro
Teterboro Airport (TEB) will be closed to fixed-wing operations Saturday evening through Sunday morning from 10:00 p.m. local through 10:00 a.m. local the next four weekends due to airport construction. The weekend dates will be July 23–24, July 30–31, August 6–7, and August 13–14. Construction on the Runway 6/24 and Runway 1/19 intersection will force the overnight closures. Poor weather conditions could lead construction to be rescheduled. Operators should monitor the airport notices to airmen to confirm runway availability. Learn more about TEB announcements.

Teterboro VFR Dalton Available Only Upon Pilot Request
The VFR Dalton Departure Procedure (DP) off Runway 19 at Teterboro Airport (TEB) is still available, but only upon request by the pilot; controllers are not able to offer it. There are strict altitude and heading requirements for this departure, and the FAA wants to ensure that pilots requesting it are familiar with those restrictions. IFR departures off Runway 19 are commonly delayed due to the separation requirements between TEB departures and EWR Runway 22L arrivals, so the VFR Dalton DP can be beneficial when TEB is experiencing departure delays associated with a Runway 19 departure configuration. Review the full presentation.

Business Aviation Shows West Coast Dynamism in San Jose
Last week, more than a thousand people came together for an all-day NBAA Business Aviation Regional Forum at Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC) to showcase the vitality of the business aviation industry, share best practices and network with their peers. Hosted by Atlantic Aviation and TWC/ACM Aviation, the event drew 1,131 Attendees, 75 Exhibitors and 17 aircraft on static display. Read the San Jose article and view the photo gallery.

NBAA2011 Exhibitor Service Center Now Online
The Exhibitor Service Center is now online for the convenience of those companies that will exhibit their products and services at the NBAA 64th Annual Meeting & Convention (NBAA2011) this October 10 to 12 in Las Vegas, NV. The Exhibitor Service Center site allows companies to access show policies and procedures, update their NBAA2011 Show Guide listings, download event logos and more. A password is required to access the site. Visit the NBAA2011 Exhibitor Service Center.

What Do You Want to Read More About?
Business Aviation Insider, the official Member publication of NBAA, is a bimonthly magazine serving companies that rely on general aviation aircraft to help make their businesses more efficient, productive and successful. NBAA is planning themes for its 2012 issues, and we want to hear from Members. To share your ideas, contact NBAA at feedback@nbaa.org, or to vote for any themes that interest you, take a quick, one-question poll.