NBAA Forcefully Challenges President's Debate Mischaracterizations of Business Aviation
Last week, when President Obama used the first of three presidential debates to denigrate business aviation, NBAA responded before the debate had concluded with a forceful statement, and the following day with an open letter to the White House. "Your comments seemed to illustrate a complete lack of understanding about the importance of business aviation in the U.S., and appear to be at odds with your stated interest in promoting job growth, stimulating exports, driving economic recovery and restoring America to its first-place position in manufacturing," NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen said in his letter to the White House. Read more of Bolen's letter to Obama.

NBAA Makes News With Its Rebuke of Obama
Media outlets, including major newspapers and political and trade publications, picked up on NBAA's forceful statement against President Obama's denigration of business aviation at last week's debate, as well as the open letter NBAA sent the following day to the White House. Among those reporting on the Association's quick actions were: Politico, a prominent periodical widely read by Capitol Hill staff; Forbes; the Philadelphia Inquirer; and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. "As you can see, the common theme running through the coverage is that NBAA's comments promote the central themes of the No Plane No Gain campaign," noted NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen. "When a high government official denigrates business aviation, the campaign is designed to mount a rapid response that highlights the industry's essential role in supporting jobs and economic development, helping companies succeed, serving as a lifeline for communities across the country and providing humanitarian support." Learn more about the No Plane No Gain campaign.

Rep. John Mica to Speak at NBAA2012 Opening General Session
NBAA's Convention is always an effective venue for highlighting the value of business aviation with national policymakers, and that will once again be the case when Congressman John L. Mica (R-7-FA) serves as a featured speaker during the Opening General Session of NBAA's 65th Annual Meeting & Convention (NBAA2012) on Oct. 30 in Orlando, FL. Mica serves as the chairman of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, which is one of the largest congressional panels in the U.S. House of Representatives. "We are pleased to welcome Chairman Mica as a featured speaker, he is a national leader on transportation policy in the United States, including aviation issues," said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen. Mica will be joined at the session by Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Acting Administrator Michael Huerta, Forbes Publisher Rich Karlgaard and electronics pioneer Bill Crutchfield. Read more about Mica.

Avoiding the 'Flight Department Company Trap'
When corporations form separate companies to both hold and operate their aviation assets, it can leave them exposed to liability. Jeff Wieand of the NBAA Tax Committee has termed it the "flight department company trap," one that can leave flight departments exposed to liability (and worse), when that was exactly what they were trying to avoid in the first place. The FAA does not have a problem with a corporate entity formed solely to own or partially own an aircraft. "But if that company has no other business than owning the airplane and hires the flightcrew and operates the aircraft as well, then the FAA says an air carrier certificate is required," explained Wieand, who is senior vice president and general counsel at Boston JetSearch, a company that advises clients in the acquisition of business aircraft. Read more about how to avoid the flight department company trap.

NBAA Committee Leaders Aligning Goals, Strengthening Communication
The leaders of NBAA's committees met on Oct. 1 and 2 to discuss industry priorities, align committee projects with the Association's strategic goals and identify methods to improve communications within the committee structure and with the NBAA Membership. The meeting in Denver, CO was the third such gathering in the past three years. Don Henderson, chair of the Corporate Aviation Management Committee and one of the meeting's facilitators, noted such coordination "allows us to draw together the expertise from all the standing committees, which have traditionally operated as separate entities. The results from the meeting will fundamentally help how these committees work together in the future." Read more about NBAA standing committees.

West Virginia's Governor Declares Business Aviation 'Critical' to State
As the latest in a long line of proclamations that governors across the country have issued to highlight the value of aviation, including business aviation, in their states, West Virginia recently issued a second such decree, this one marking October 2012 as "General Aviation Appreciation Month," and asked all residents of the Mountain State to recognize its "critical role in the lives of our citizens, businesses, communities and the state of West Virginia." The governor specifically mentioned the contribution of business aviation to the state, saying it provides access for businesses and tourists, enabling companies to remain connected to the world's global marketplace. To date, 45 states have issued such proclamations recognizing the value of GA and business flying. Learn more about other aviation proclamations.

Column Says GA Is 'Crucial Connector' for Business in Oklahoma
A recent column in The Oklahoman newspaper declared that general aviation (GA) aircraft and airports are "crucial connectors for business and industries" and decried the Obama administration's proposed $100-per-flight "user fee" tax on GA aircraft used by small businesses, farms, nonprofits and communities that rely on these aircraft. "Airplanes aren't the first thing we generally think about when we consider a local economy," wrote Enid (Oklahoma) Regional Development Alliance Executive Director Brent Kisling. "Think again: The network of airplanes and airports in Oklahoma are crucial connectors for businesses and industries, helping support area jobs and aiding industries as they expand." Read more of the column.

Upgrading Your Six-Pack Airplane to a Glass Cockpit
The options for light business airplane (LBA) owners who want to upgrade to glass cockpits are expanding every year. Today's LBA operators can replace their mechanical gyros with computer-based instruments, bringing satellite weather, traffic updates, GPS-based terrain maps, synthetic vision and digital autopilot into the cockpit. The challenge is deciding how much to upgrade an airplane's avionics. Review guidance on choosing the right glass cockpit upgrade for LBA airplanes in the latest Business Aviation Insider.

NBAA Advises Japanese Officials on Business Aviation Improvements
A delegation of 16 Japanese officials spent the morning of Sept. 28 at NBAA headquarters learning about infrastructure, policy and regulatory components that make business aviation successful in the United States and could help foster the industry's continued growth in Japan. Their mission, according to NBAA Vice President of Safety, Security, Operations & Regulation Doug Carr, was to discern what aspects of these components they could implement to better serve business aviation as part of the Narita city government's oversight of Narita International Airport. The Japanese recognize business aviation as a critical connection to the global economic network that attracts local investment and development, but unlike the United States, Japan does not have a geographic array of primary and reliever airports, Carr said. Read more about challenges facing business aviation in Japan.

Austin-Bergstrom Airport Implements Parking Reservation System 
A heavy volume of air traffic is expected in the Austin, TX region due to the Nov. 18, Formula 1 U.S. Grand Prix event. As such, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) has established a reservation system to ensure ramp space availability for arriving aircraft. All aircraft operators planning to fly into AUS from Nov. 12 to 21 will be required to have a prior permission required (PPR) number in order to park as well as drop off passengers. Airport officials advise that a PPR reservation does not satisfy customs and immigration clearance requirements and international operators should contact Austin CBP at least 30 days prior to the desired arrival. Review the arrival procedures and reservation instructions.

Westchester Airport Group Hosts Community Outreach Luncheon
Establishing common ground between the airport community and local business leaders was at the root of the "Westchester Business Takes Flight" luncheon, which took place Oct. 4 at New York's Westchester County Airport (HPN) and was sponsored by the Westchester Aviation Association. Jeff Lee, former chairman of the NBAA Board of Directors and past WAA president, said the luncheon was an opportunity for Westchester-area business and government leaders to learn more about the airport's social and economic contributions to the region. At the conclusion of the meeting, WAA presented checks totaling $4,000 to the Wounded Warrior Project and Veterans Advantage. Read more about the event.

NBAA's Office Disruptions Won't Impact Member Services
NBAA has always had contingencies in place for ensuring continuity of service to Member Companies, and although the Association has experienced a disruption this week because of renovations in the building, Member Companies can expect to be served as always, including with support for this year's Convention. For questions, please contact NBAA at membership@nbaa.org.

Number of Exhibitors for This Month's NBAA Convention Tops 1,000
More than 1,000 Exhibitors have signed up to showcase their products and services at NBAA2012, being held from Oct. 30 to Nov. 1 in Orlando, FL. The Convention represents the most productive and efficient opportunity for business to see a variety of industry products and services – all in one place, all at one time. Indoor exhibits in the North and South Halls of the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) will occupy nearly 1 million square feet of exhibit space. A Static Display of Light Business Airplanes & Helicopters will be located directly outside the exhibit hall, on-site at the OCCC. In addition, a Static Display of Aircraft at Showalter Flying Service on Orlando Executive Airport (ORL) will feature more than 100 aircraft. About 25,000 business aviation professionals are expected to attend NBAA2012. A number of exhibiting and sponsorship opportunities are still available. Register to exhibit at NBAA2012.

Auction Items Needed for NBAA/CAN Soiree
The NBAA/CAN Soiree raises money for Corporate Angel Network, which arranges transportation for cancer patients to and from their treatment centers using available seats on business aircraft donated by NBAA Member Companies. Over the past few years, the annual Soiree has become a major highlight of NBAA's Convention, and this year will be no exception. In support of this year's Soiree, to be held on Wednesday, Oct. 31, from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. at The Peabody Orlando, NBAA is seeking auction items that would be of direct use to a flight department or otherwise of interest to this audience. Auction items will be promoted on the NBAA website prior to the Convention. Consider making an auction donation and visit the auction donation form.