Leading GA Groups Welcome FAA Decision to Fully Restore BARR Availability
NBAA, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association and Experimental Aircraft Association recently welcomed plans announced by government officials for lifting restrictions on a program that allows aircraft owners and operators to "opt out" from having their flight information broadcast over the Internet. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on December 2 announced that, effective immediately, those wanting to enroll aircraft in the Block Aircraft Registration Request (BARR) program would no longer need to provide a "valid security concern" in order to be included in the program. "NBAA and its Members thank the leaders in Congress for taking action to address our industry's long-standing concern that curtailment of the BARR program represents an invasion of privacy, a competitive threat to businesses, and a potential security risk," said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen. Learn more about the FAA's BARR decision.

What Do Recent BARR Developments Mean for Operators?
Last week's announcement by FAA officials that the "valid security concern" requirement would be lifted for those wishing to participate in the BARR program means that anyone wishing to participate can now do so. To enroll, simply submit a blocking request directly to the FAA by following the instructions on NBAA's BARR site. Operators already enrolled in the program and currently blocked do not need to re-submit an application to remain enrolled. NBAA will keep Members informed of any changes to the program as needed. For more information, contact the NBAA Operations Service Group at info@nbaa.org or (202) 783-9250. Review NBAA's BARR resource page.

NBAA to Meet With Treasury Department on Depreciation Concern
Representatives from NBAA's Tax Committee will meet with the Department of Treasury this week to discuss concerns about a trap for aircraft owners that was created by IRS guidance. The IRS interprets a provision in Section 280F in a manner that could cause legitimate business flights to be treated as personal flights for purposes of determining whether the aircraft is eligible to be depreciated under the Modified Accelerated Cost Recovery System (MACRS) when the aircraft is leased to a 5 percent or more owner or related party. Certain common business aircraft ownership and leasing structures are subject to this interpretation. NBAA has raised this concern with the IRS and now is escalating the issue to the U.S. Department of Treasury. Learn more about this depreciation concern.

Pilots Reminded to Observe New ATC Phraseology
As NBAA reported in September, the FAA has begun using new phraseology to warn pilots of potential risks associated with runways shortened due to construction. When a runway has been temporarily or permanently shortened, the words "WARNING" and "SHORTENED" will be communicated. These new cautions are issued in Automatic Terminal Information (ATIS) messages as well as departure and landing clearances disseminated by air traffic control (ATC). View examples of the phraseology changes now in place.

Podcast: Tragic Crash Highlights Debate Over Airspace Redesign
The Thanksgiving Eve crash of a Twin Turbo Commander into the Superstition Mountains east of Phoenix has sparked renewed debate over the implementation of redesigned airspace surrounding Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX). In this week's edition of NBAA Flight Plan, Tom Turner, a noted CFI and author of an aviation blog called "Flying Lessons," discusses best practices for flight planning around terrain. For more information, listen to the NBAA Flight Plan podcast and review the full article.

Alaska Senator Urges President to Set Aside User Fees
"The effects of new user fees on the Alaskan economy and our way of life would be devastating," wrote Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) in a November 28 letter urging President Obama to reconsider his administration's proposed $100 per-flight fee on general aviation aircraft. "Aviation is the foundation of our transportation system," wrote Murkowski. "The majority of our communities cannot be reached by rail, auto or marine modes and the ability to carry people and goods to and from these communities by air is the lifeline of our nation's biggest state." NBAA commended Murkowski for her letter and is committed to working with her and others in Congress to defeat the president's user fee proposal. Read more of Murkowski's letter.

Loss-of-Control Issues in Focus for Industry
Two fatal airline accidents in 2009 have brought worldwide attention to the dangers of loss of control in flight, and led many to further explore resources to ensure pilots are adequately trained to react correctly to unfamiliar flight configurations and other unusual conditions. Although both 2009 incidents involved airliners, the overall safety concern is shared by the business aviation community as well, and NBAA is working on a new program to address the issue. "We must ask, is there training available to give pilots a reasonable expectation of what might occur, and how to recover from it?" notes Doug Carr, NBAA vice president, safety, security & regulation. Learn more on this topic and Safety Committee plans.

Report: EU-ETS Will Be Costly, Have Minimal Emissions Impact
In a November 17 report to investors, Swiss bank UBS tallied the cost to the European Union of implementing a proposed Emissions Trading Scheme (EU-ETS) at $280 billion, while producing "almost zero impact" on decreasing carbon emissions. Worldwide opposition to the emissions scheme has continued to grow over the past month, with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) urging the EU to omit air operators not flagged in EU member states from required ETS compliance and concerns being expressed by both the U.S. and China. Business aviation groups have repeatedly opposed the EU-ETS, in part because new global aviation standards should be decided by ICAO. Read more about the UBS report.

FAA Releases Holiday Slot Program Details for Colorado Airports
In anticipation of the holiday season, the FAA has issued a special traffic management program (STMP) requiring slot reservations for three Colorado airports: Aspen-Pitkin County (ASE), Eagle County Regional (EGE) and Rifle/Garfield County (RIL). This season, the number of days the STMP will be in effect has been reduced. Arrival slots will be required for non-scheduled IFR flights between 8:00 a.m. and 5:59 p.m. from December 21 to 27 and from December 31 to January 3. The slot program will also be in effect for Presidents' Day weekend in February. Slots can be requested on the FAA's e-STMP web page. For more information, contact NBAA's GA Desk at gadesk@nbaa.org.

Holiday Slot Program Cancelled for Bozeman, Jackson Hole and Sun Valley
The STMP slot program typically used for Montana's Bozeman/Gallatin Field (BZN), Wyoming's Jackson Hole Airport (JAC) and Idaho's Sun Valley Airport (SUN) has been cancelled for the upcoming holiday season. The FAA will use other traffic management initiatives, including possible ground delay programs and miles-in-trail restrictions, to handle operations in and out of these airports during times of congestion. The NBAA GA Desk strongly recommends operators flying into or out of these airports file their flight plans as far in advance as possible to avoid additional delays. For more information, contact NBAA's Dean Snell at dsnell@nbaa.org.

FAA to Lower Minimums on Simultaneous ILS Approaches at SFO
Starting on or around January 3, the FAA will reduce the authorized cloud-ceiling minimum in which simultaneous offset instrument approaches (SOIA) can be conducted at SFO to 1,600 feet. After completing a recent safety assessment, the FAA concluded that the SOIA ceiling could be lowered from the current 2,100 feet. While there will be no operational changes to the SOIA procedures, the minimum will be lowered initially by notice to airmen and then followed by an amendment to the Attention All Users Page, which will be published in a normal charting cycle. For more information, contact NBAA's Operations Service Group at info@nbaa.org.

St. Louis-Area Airport Aims to Boost Business Aviation Operations
Only three miles from the city's famed Gateway Arch, St. Louis Downtown Airport has just completed an improvement project – repaving and widening the primary runway from 100 to 150 feet and installing an advanced lighting system – that officials hope will attract even more business aircraft flying into the city. With an annual economic impact of $300 million, the airport also has an important civic and humanitarian value. "There's not a day that goes by that we don't have at least a couple of ambulances on the ramp for organs for transplant and patient transfers," said Airport Director Bob McDaniel. Learn more about St. Louis Downtown Airport.

Regional Groups Across the Country Host Year-End Gatherings
Many regional business aviation groups are holding their year-end get-togethers this week and NBAA encourages Members to take this opportunity to connect with the groups in their area. For instance, the North Texas Business Aviation Association will hold its year-end event on December 6 in Grapevine, TX; the Long Island Business Aviation Association on December 7 in Garden City, NY; and the Tri-State Area Dispatchers and Schedulers on December 7 in Cherry Hill, NJ. On December 9, groups in South Florida, Arizona and Chicago are all holding holiday receptions. To RSVP for these and other events, visit the NBAA Upcoming Regional Events page.

NBAA Releases New Guide on Reimbursement of Flight Expenses
The Association has produced an important new guide for owner-pilots of business aircraft. The NBAA Reimbursement of Flight Expenses for Owner-Pilots Handbook helps Members understand the federal accommodations and limitations for both private and commercial owner-pilots, including requirements relating to humanitarian or non-profit flights. "This guide provides much-needed clarity on the regulations and legal interpretations covering reimbursements of flight expenses, such as airplane fuel costs, which is particularly important to owner-operators," said Mike Nichols, NBAA's vice president of operations, education & economics. Learn more about the new reimbursement guide.

S&D Conference Keynoter Personifies Show's Perseverance Theme
The keynote speaker of the 2012 NBAA Schedulers & Dispatchers (S&D) Conference is retired U.S. Air Force Major Brian Shul, a pilot who was shot down during the Vietnam War, sustaining significant burns in the crash when he was unable to eject. He endured 15 surgeries over the next year in military hospitals, and was told he would never fly again. His story of perseverance against the odds is a natural fit for the upcoming S&D Conference. "Our theme is 'Pushing the Envelope: Beyond All Limits,' and Major Shul personifies this," explained S&D Committee Chairman Chad Hartke. Learn more about the conference keynoter.

Cross-Border Issues Conference Now Includes Bombardier Tour
This Thursday and Friday, December 8 and 9, in Toronto, NBAA and the Canadian Business Aviation Association are offering a Cross-Border Issues Conference to address the challenges faced by operators flying across the border. As a premiere sponsor of the event, Bombardier is offering participants a guided tour of its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility for Q-Series and Global aircraft on the morning of December 8. The conference will also feature top government regulators from the U.S. Department of Transportation, Customs and Border Protection and the Canada Border Services Agency. Register for the Cross-Border Issues Conference now.

Update Your Records With NBAA's New Payment Address
If Members have not already updated their records with NBAA's new payment address, they should do so immediately, as forwarding services from the old payment address will be suspended on January 31, 2012. Any new Membership applications or renewal payments should now be sent to the following updated address: National Business Aviation Association; Attn: Membership; P.O. Box 55481; Boston, MA 02205-5481. Learn more.