NBAA Members Assist in Sandy Relief Efforts
The business aviation community quickly took action after Hurricane Sandy tore through New Jersey, New York, New England and other part of the U.S., flooding and destroying homes and leaving millions in the dark. As recovery and cleanup efforts continue two weeks after the storm, NBAA Members are using their aircraft and expertise to bring supplies, food and clothes to those in need. Learn how to help in the Sandy relief effort.

Companies Work Together to Fly Supplies Into Areas Devastated by Sandy
What started as a request to help collect donated items for the victims of “Superstorm” Sandy evolved into an airlift of badly needed supplies into the stricken area. A post from Jo Damato, NBAA’s director, operations and education development, to NBAA’s Air Mail message board last Friday convinced those at many NBAA Member Companies to come together to bring relief to those impacted by the storm. To learn more about how Members helped those affected by Sandy, listen to this week's NBAA Flight Plan podcast.

Be Prepared for ICAO Flight Plan Filing Changes Starting Wednesday
Effective Nov. 14 at 8:00 p.m. ET (0000z on Nov. 15), the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) will require the use of the new filed flight plan (FPL) for all international flights. There will be two main changes to the ICAO flight plan. First, there will be numerous changes to the alphanumeric qualifiers for Item 10, which details Equipment and Capabilities. Second, there will be significant changes to Item 18, which details Other Information. Additional changes include the Delay, Change, Cancel and Arrival message formats. Finally, operators now have the ability to file a flight plan up to 120 hours in advance. Learn more about flight plan filing requirements.

NBAA Air Traffic Services Handles Remarkable Number of VIP TFRs
Since May 1, NBAA Air Traffic Services (ATS) has processed 410 VIP TFRs. Of those, 209 were presidential, requiring ATS to develop statements delineating the impact those restrictions had on nearby airports and airspace. Through Election Day on Nov. 6, there were 190 days when presidential movement required more than one TFR in a single day. If it all sounds extraordinary, it is in fact decidedly routine, according to NBAA’s ATS Manager Ernie Stellings. Read more about VIP TFRs during the campaign.

GA Aircraft Facilitate Treatment for Face Transplant Patient
A Hillsville, VA man named Richard Norris, who was disfigured in a 1997 gun accident, received a face transplant earlier this year, thanks to surgeons at the University of Maryland Medical Center and a group of volunteer pilots who flew the man from his home to the hospital, not once, but 78 times. It was the 13th face transplant in the world, according to transplant team leader Dr. Eduardo Rodriguez, who said the groundbreaking operation would not have been possible without Angel Flight Mid-Atlantic’s volunteer flights. Learn how Angel Flight Mid-Atlantic helped make the surgery possible.

Minnesota Regional Group Continues to Push for Aviation Infrastructure Improvements
For more than 55 years, the Minnesota Business Aviation Association (MBAA) has carried the torch for general aviation interests in the North Star State, setting the bar for the many regional business aviation organizations across the country that subsequently took their cue from MBAA. In recent years, MBAA has been successful in working with state legislators to get Minnesota to repay $15 million to the State Airports Trust Fund (the monies had previously been transferred to the state’s General Fund). MBAA and other aviation interests have been working to dedicate funds from the state’s bonding bill to upgrade the quality and infrastructure of Minnesota’s airports. Read more about the MBAA’s work.

Can Chargebacks Help You Offset Operating Costs?
A top consideration for any flight department is how to account for its costs, and an intra-company chargeback system can be an effective way of allocating those costs among various users. However, far more than accounting is at stake in deciding whether to use chargebacks. “If the plane is flown more in one month, my fuel costs go up,” said Scott Moore, aviation manager at Luck Companies. He set a chargeback rate to cover the cost of fuel, but if he charged users the full rate for use of the company’s King Air 350, “then nobody in the company would fly on the aircraft.” Read more about chargebacks in the current edition of Business Aviation Insider.

NBAA Champions Business Aviation Growth in Meetings Among U.S., Asian Aviation Officials
For more than a week, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) hosted a “trade mission” of senior government officials from Asian aviation authorities that began in Orlando at NBAA’s 65th Annual Meeting & Convention (NBAA2012) and concluded with a day-long workshop in Washington, all aimed at fostering opportunities for general aviation in Asia. Delegations from among the 21 Pacific Rim nations that make up Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) took part in NBAA2012, toured Gulfstream Aviation in Savannah, GA and held the Washington workshop in cooperation with USTDA and the U.S. Department of Transportation. Read more about the trade mission.

FAA to Hold Miami Briefing on Snowbird Operations This Winter
Personnel from FAA Miami Center are offering a one-hour briefing on Nov. 28 at 9 a.m. at the Miami International Airport (MIA) North Terminal Auditorium on business aviation operations during the upcoming Snowbird season. NBAA Members in the region are highly encouraged to send representatives to the briefing to better understand how to most efficiently operate to and from northeast airports this winter. Following the briefing, at 10 a.m., the FAA will hold a more general meeting open to airline and GA operators, with facility updates for Florida District airports; a discussion of the Command Center’s airspace flow program (AFP); the seasonal outlook for the Miami ZMA and San Juan ZSU; and Q&A. For more information, and to RSVP (requested but not required), contact NBAA’s Bob Lamond at rlamond@nbaa.org.

North Dakota County Breaks Ground for New Airport
North Dakota’s Bowman County is building a new, larger airport to support the state’s economic boom. Located in the state’s southwestern corner, Bowman County plans to close the current airport, which has a 4,800-foot runway, and replace it several miles away with a new facility that will have a 5,700-foot runway. The extra runway length will enable a wider variety of aircraft to utilize the facility. Kyle Wanner, airport planner for the North Dakota Aeronautics Commission, said, “This updated Bowman Airport will provide a breath of fresh air to the infrastructure needs of airports in western North Dakota and will aid as an economic engine for the entire region.” It is expected to open in 2015. Read more about the new North Dakota airport.

North Carolina Conducting Pilot Survey on Airport Improvements
The North Carolina Division of Aviation is conducting a pilot survey as part of efforts to improve the state’s airports under the 2012 Airports System Plan Update. Feedback from the survey will be used to help guide future decisions on services, technology and facility improvements. The survey is open from Nov. 1 to Dec. 31. Operators in the state are encouraged to complete the survey and share what changes could improve their flight experience, help the community and support local businesses. Direct questions to the survey project manager, Mark Kuttrus of Parsons Brinckerhoff, at kuttrus@pbworld.com, or NCDOT’s Bobby Walston at bwalston@ncdot.gov. For more information, access the survey now.

FAA Conducting Survey on Business Aviation in New England
The six New England states are collaborating in an FAA-funded study to deepen the understanding of the role and requirements of business aviation users and formulate a plan to guide future airport capital investment decisions. A confidential survey of business aviation professionals is being conducted to plan and advocate for the regional airport system that best serves user needs. The survey will collect information on how companies use general aviation to conduct business in New England and identify the airport facilities and services important to business aviation users. The survey takes approximately 10 minutes to complete. Take the survey.

Slot Requirements in Effect for Colorado Airports at Holidays 
The FAA will issue a special traffic management program (STMP) requiring slot reservations for three Colorado airports this upcoming holiday season. Arrival slot reservations will be required at Aspen-Pitkin County (ASE), Eagle County Regional (EGE) and Rifle/Garfield County (RIL) airports on Dec. 22, 26 and 27 as well as Jan. 2, 5 and 6. The total number of days for which reservations will be required has been reduced from past years, but ground delay programs are possible on dates when slots are not required. The FAA will once again use the web based e-STMP system to allocate reservations. NBAA will release more information as soon as the FAA publishes the Special Procedures NOTAM later this month. For more information contact NBAA ATS’s Dean Snell at dsnell@nbaa.org.

Florida Video to Educate on Value of Business Aviation
The Florida Aviation Trades Association (FATA) is developing a video to help educate people unfamiliar with the industry on the value of business aviation. The organization plans to complete the video by Dec. 31 and sponsorship opportunities are still available. Additionally, FATA Executive Director Paula Raeburn will be speaking at the 2013 Women in Aviation Conference, held from March 14 to 16 in Nashville, TN. For more information about either of these efforts, contact FATA's Raeburn at paula@fata.aero.

Questions About Operational Control? NBAA Has Answers
NBAA recently released a new Operational Control Handbook, summarizing government regulations and policies applicable to the operational control of aircraft. The topic is far broader than piloting an aircraft or the manipulation of its controls. Operational control extends in particular to legal and regulatory responsibility for a flight’s operation and often affects parties with no direct involvement in the physical aspects of flying the airplane. Download the NBAA Operational Control Handbook.

Free Webinar by Jeppesen on the Use of iPads and Other Tablets
This Wednesday, Nov. 14 at 1 p.m. ET, NBAA’s On-Demand Education program will offer a free Jeppesen-sponsored online discussion about the use of iPads and other tablets. “Intelligent Information: Using Jeppesen on Your Electronic Devices” will explain how Jeppesen takes raw, text-based government aeronautical source information and transforms it for display on a variety of electronic devices. Learn more about this free webinar.

Register for the CBAA/NBAA Cross-Border Issues Conference
To address the unique operational and regulatory issues affecting operators planning flights between the U.S. and Canada, NBAA and the Canadian Business Aviation Association (CBAA) are offering the annual Cross-Border Issues Conference in Ottawa, Ontario on Dec. 6 and 7. The conference will feature government officials from regulatory authorities in both countries and cover Canadian trusted traveler programs like CANPASS, U.S. APIS requirements, cabotage restrictions, regulations on the use of iPads in both countries and more. Register for the Cross-Border Issues Conference now.