NBAA Letter to FAA Underscores Industry's Pressing Tower-Closure Concerns
As the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) prepares to finalize a plan for closing nearly 170 air traffic control towers and other facilities, NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen last week wrote the FAA to outline the business aviation community's significant concerns with the plan, and offer proposals for mitigating the situation. Bolen noted that NBAA Members are strongly supportive of the tower facilities, and that the industry wants to work with the agency to keep the largest number possible in operation. "We, of course, have significant concerns with the impact of sequestration actions at the FAA, and what effect those will have on the thousands of businesses in the U.S. that use aircraft in support of their core business, and the jobs, as well as the economies, of small, medium and large towns across the country," Bolen's letter said. Read more about Bolen's letter to the FAA.

Sen. Moran Acts to Preserve Sequestered Control Towers
NBAA last week welcomed an amendment from Sen. Jerry Moran (R-KS), which would halt the FAA's plan by offsetting the costs for operating the towers with unobligated FAA research and capital funds. "It is very important to keep as many towers as possible in operation during these difficult economic times," NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen said in a letter to the senator. "The Moran amendment will ensure that citizens in every corner of the U.S. continue to have access to our national aviation system." Read more about the Moran amendment.

NBAA: Mobilize Online to Support Congressional ATC Tower-Protection Amendment
As NBAA works to advance Sen. Moran's tower-preservation amendment, the Association is asking Members to also mobilize in support for the measure. NBAA has email and social media resources available to help people in the industry call upon their senators to support the Moran amendment. The Association's long-standing "Contact Congress" lets users email an alert message to elected officials, and a new Twitter-based advocacy tool brings industry mobilization into the social-media realm. Learn more and take action today.

Flying Into an Airport With a Sequestered Tower? NBAA Has Tips and Tools
As the aviation community confronts the closure of ATC towers resulting from sequestration, some business aviation pilots may find themselves in a circumstance that they've trained for time and again, yet may also find unfamiliar: operating to and from airports they've flown to hundreds of times before, but now without an operational tower. A new white paper from NBAA offers tips and resources that could be useful if flying into a non-towered airport is part of your next mission. Review the tips here.

NBAA Submits Comments to FAA Contract Maintenance Proposal
Last week, NBAA submitted comments to the FAA's notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) on air carrier contract maintenance requirements. The NPRM seeks to require the development of policies, procedures, methods and instructions for performing contract maintenance to be included in operator maintenance manuals of Part 135 operators of aircraft type certificated with a passenger seating configuration of 10 seats or more. It also would require affected operators to provide to FAA a list of all persons with whom the operator contracts for maintenance. For more information, contact NBAA's Operations Service Group at ops@nbaa.org or view NBAA's comments.

NBAA Files Comments With IRS on New 3.8 Percent Medicare Tax
Effective this year, the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 will subject some individuals to a 3.8 percent Medicare contribution tax on unearned income. The proposed regulations impose the tax on investment income including rental income, except if the income is earned in the ordinary course of a trade or business. The tax could apply to companies that hold an aircraft in one entity and lease it to a related entity. NBAA's comments deal with the standard IRS will use to define a trade or business in the final regulations. The comments also address the ability of taxpayers to change their activity grouping for the purposes of passive loss rules as well as the 3.8 percent tax. Review NBAA's comments.

Congress Tells Administration: No More User Fees
Aviation user fees included in White House budgets have been rejected by Congress in the past, and that will be the case again, if they are included in the annual federal budget plan offered by the Obama administration this year. That is the essence of a letter to President Barack Obama now being circulated among lawmakers in the House of Representatives. "Aviation user fees have been proposed in your last two budgets and Congress rejected them," wrote leading members of the House Aviation Subcommittee and the House GA Caucus. "Aviation user fees have been proposed by different administrations, both Republican and Democrat and again, Congress has repeatedly and overwhelmingly rejected them." Listen to this week's NBAA Flight Plan podcast for more about the lawmakers' request to do away with proposed user fees.

NBAA Member Questions Obama's Business Aviation Policy Proposals
A longtime NBAA Member is speaking out against a "counterproductive" proposal by the Obama administration to target business aviation with changes to tax-depreciation schedules on the purchase of aircraft. In an online piece published this month by Forbes magazine, Louis Seno, chairman emeritus of JSSI (Jet Support Services Inc.), argues that the proposal would do little to cut government red ink, but could impede the business aviation industry's gradual recovery from the 2008 economic downturn. Read more of Seno's article.

NTSB Issues New GA Safety Alerts on Decision-Making and Risk Management
On March 12, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) issued five new safety alerts for general aviation, with two focused on decision-making and risk management for pilots and maintenance technicians. "We think that, in particular, these two NTSB safety alerts can be helpful for small business flight departments and light business aircraft members of NBAA," said Doug Carr, NBAA vice president, safety, security, operations & regulation. Read more about the new safety alerts.

NBAA Congratulates Patrick Ky on EASA Post
Patrick Ky, executive director of Single European Sky Air Traffic Management Research (SESAR) Joint Undertaking, has been tapped to lead the European Air Safety Agency (EASA). Ky replaces Patrick Goudou, who has led EASA since its inception in September 2003. "Along with our European partners at the European Business Aviation Association, we're working with EASA on crucial issues like crew rest, Annex VI and much more," said Doug Carr, NBAA vice president, safety, security, operations & regulation. "We value this partnership and look forward to renewing these strong ties with Mr. Ky as he prepares to lead EASA." Read more about Ky.

Business Aviation Promoted as Economic Development Tool in Africa
Lacking reliable roads, rails or scheduled air service to every corner of its 11.7 million square miles, Africa's 1 billion people and 54 nations need business aviation. Rady Fahmy, executive director of the African Business Aviation Association, has a goal of establishing business aviation as an "asset that is recognized, valued and supported by governments, their respective aviation authorities, enterprises, entrepreneurs and business leaders." Learn more about advocating for business aviation in Africa.

FAA Warns Against LHD in Oceanic Airspace
The FAA recently released a safety alert for operators that addresses large height deviations (LHD) in oceanic airspace. A worldwide monitoring program by air traffic agencies shows that for various reasons, with the most common being pilot errors, LHD's "present a potential hazard to continuous operational safety in the airspace. A majority of crew-related errors center on misinterpretation/application of the Conditional Clearances," according to the alert. Read more about LHD causes and prevention.

Upcoming Regional Events Focus on Safety, Training
Regional aviation groups across the country are hosting a bevy of collaborative safety and training programs this spring to help business aircraft operators enhance their already-strong record of safe flying. "While these safety events are often held by individual associations separate from NBAA, it's important for our Association to help promote these efforts that help improve safety, training, and efficiency of flight operations of all sizes," noted NBAA Southwest Regional Representative Steve Hadley. Learn more about upcoming regional events.

Flight Plan Filing Errors Reported at New Jersey Airports
The FAA has recently reported several instances when turboprop operators flying to airports in central and northern New Jersey have not filed the correct equipment code in Field 18 of their ICAO flight plan. The errors have been reported on arrivals filed via the MAZIE TWO RNAV STAR into Teterboro (TEB), Morristown (MMU), Somerset (SMQ), Linden (LDJ) and Central Jersey Regional (47N) airports. To use the RNAV arrival, turboprop operators should ensure they use the correct equipment code. For more information see NBAA's flight plan filing web page.

Fort Lauderdale International Plans Runway Closure in April
Emergency repair work to runways at Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International (FLL) will result in the temporary closure of the airport overnight on April 10, and force operations to Runway 13/31 for the following two days. The airport will be closed to fixed-wing operations on April 10 between the hours of 1 a.m. and 5:30 a.m. EDT for work on the intersection of the two active runways. When Runway 13/31 reopens that morning, it will be the only runway available until Runway 9L/27R reopens on April 12 at 5 a.m. EDT. Closure dates and times are subject to change dependent on weather conditions. Operators are encouraged to file flight plans as early as possible to avoid additional delays. Learn more about the FLL project.

Teterboro Airport Closure Scheduled on March 23
Operators should be advised that Teterboro Airport (TEB) will be closed to fixed wing operations from 7 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. EDT on Saturday, March 23 due to scheduled electrical system maintenance requiring the closure of both Runway 1/19 and Runway 6/24. This maintenance is weather dependant and may need to be rescheduled. Operators should monitor the NOTAMs to check for any changes in date and time. For more information, contact NBAA's Dean Snell at dsnell@nbaa.org.

Hearing Set for Maine Bill to Extend Exemption for Aircraft, Parts
There will be a public hearing for bill LD 279 – An Act to Sustain Maine's Aviation Industry by Extending the Exemption from State Sales and Use Tax for Aircraft and Parts – on Monday, March 25 at 10 a.m. EDT in front of the state's Taxation Committee (Room 127 Maine State House). Bill LD279 would make permanent the current exemption on aircraft, parts and maintenance sales tax exemption which is set to expire in 2015. NBAA encourages as many businesses as possible to attend the hearing and explain to lawmakers why this exemption is beneficial to general aviation. The Maine Department of Economic and Community Development is endorsing the bill. For more information contact NBAA's Dean Saucier at dsaucier@nbaa.org or read more about the Maine tax issue.

NBAA Announces New Mobile App for Business Aviation Insider
A new mobile app for Business Aviation Insider magazine has been released and is available free to NBAA Members with iPhone, iPad and Android devices. Providing interactive features and easy swipe-and-pinch navigation, the new Business Aviation Insider mobile app mirrors the printed edition, but adds functionality, hyperlinks and multimedia content. Readers have the ability to zoom in and enlarge pages, and share articles via social media sites. Issues may be read online or downloaded in the app library for later offline reading. Learn more about the new BAI mobile app.

Call for Nominations: CAM Governing Board
The CAM Governing Board is seeking nominations for Certified Aviation Managers (CAMs) interested in serving on the board as a director. Any CAM in good standing may be nominated for a director position. The three-year term for new directors will begin at this year's October Governing Board meeting. Nominations may be submitted in writing to NBAA's Jay Evans, administrative director to the board, at jevans@nbaa.org by May 15. Learn more about the CAM Governing Board nomination process.

New Fatigue Resources Available From NBAA Safety Committee
To help operators better understand and manage operational hazards, the NBAA Safety Committee has produced a list of its Top Ten Safety Focus Areas, with information resources on each area. One area is fatigue, and the committee partnered with scientists at Alertness Solutions to produce a guide for business aviation pilots to combat fatigue under the constraints of a constantly changing schedule. The guide, The Alert Crew: Fatigue Awareness in Flight Operations, as well as posters designed for the hangar, are available for download and print. Visit the Top Ten page to access these safety resources.

NBAA Member Avionics Technician Among 2013 National General Aviation Award Recipients
Four individuals, including Bruce Allen Lundquist, an avionics systems specialist for NBAA Member Pentastar Aviation, were recently named recipients of the 2013 National General Aviation Awards. The annual General Aviation Awards – a joint effort between the FAA and the industry – are a tradition that stretches back nearly 50 years. Presented at the Experimental Aircraft Association's AirVenture event in Oshkosh, WI, the awards recognize aviation professionals for their outstanding contributions to education and flight safety. Read more about the 2013 award winners.