NBAA: Rep. Camp's Tax Proposal Wrongly Portrays Business Aircraft Depreciation
NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen last week said a congressman's draft tax-overhaul plan inaccurately describes tax depreciation on the purchase of general aviation aircraft. Bolen's comments came in a letter he sent to The Wall Street Journal responding to a tax-reform proposal outlined in an opinion piece authored by House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp, which the paper published earlier in the week, in which Rep. Camp characterized business aircraft depreciation policies as a "special benefit." "Mischaracterizations like those from Chairman Camp may make for an eye-catching gimmick for Journal readers, but they do little to advance comprehensive tax reform that incentivizes the business capital investments that drive economic growth and the creation of jobs," Bolen said in his letter to the Journal. Read more about Bolen's letter to the newspaper.

House Aviation Leaders Again Say No to User Fees
Four key congressmen have come together again to ask President Obama to refrain from seeking new fees on commercial and general aviation operators. "We would like to take this opportunity to reiterate our strong opposition to any plan to impose a $100 per-flight fee on commercial and general aviation operators," Frank LoBiondo (R-2-NJ), chairman of the House Aviation Subcommittee, Rick Larsen (D-2-WA), the ranking member of the subcommittee and Sam Graves (R-6-MO) and John Barrow (D-12-GA), the co-chairmen of the House General Aviation Caucus, said in a Feb. 27 letter to the Obama administration. NBAA applauded these four, and other congressional lawmakers, for their continued efforts on behalf of the industry. Read more of the legislators' letter.

TSA's Repair Station Security Rule Still Being Clarified
The Transportation Security Administration's (TSA's) new Part 145 repair station security rule, which took effect on Feb. 27, applies to all repair stations on or adjacent to an airport covered by a TSA airport security program, but it remains unclear if the new rule should apply to a "private" limited-repair station, often found within a flight department setting and used to conduct testing and repairs to only flight department aircraft. NBAA continues to work with the TSA to clarify the applicability of the new program. For more information, contact NBAA's Sarah Wolf at swolf@nbaa.org. For a description of the new rule, visit NBAA's security web page.

FAA Issues Clarification Concerning Speeds Published on SIDs and STARS
The FAA has issued a clarification concerning speed restrictions published on SIDs and STARs. Unless otherwise assigned a speed to maintain, speed restrictions published on a SID or STAR are canceled when the air control tower (ATC ) issues a radar vector removing the aircraft from the procedure's lateral path (e.g., "Citation 1234, fly heading one-five zero, vectors for spacing, maintain one zero thousand, expect to rejoin the KEPEC arrival"). If ATC has previously assigned a speed to maintain, pilots should maintain that speed unless necessary to slow in accordance with 14 CFR 91.117. These changes are reflected in the training materials provided on NBAA's Climb Via, Descend Via and Speed Adjustments resource page.

Prospect of Supersonic Business Jets May Be Drawing Closer on the Horizon
With breakthroughs in the technology of sonic boom shaping, some say the possibility of a supersonic business jet may be getting closer to realization. According to Jens Hennig, vice president of operations at the General Aviation Manufacturers Association, "The effect of the wonderful research they've done at NASA [on flying at supersonic speeds] means the noise is greatly reduced. The Concorde's sonic boom was measured at 105 decibels. Now, the noise level is down to around 80 db. NASA's research says the acceptable level would be in the low- to mid-70 db range." Listen to this week's NBAA Flight Plan podcast for more on the future of supersonic business aviation.

Six Mayors Proclaim Value of General Aviation
Six mayors from the Pacific Northwest to the deep South have declared February as General Aviation (GA) Appreciation Month, issuing official proclamations on the value of GA, including business aviation, to their communities. The proclamations came from the mayors of: Bingen, WA; Chandler, AZ; Olive Branch, MS; Oroville, WA; Shreveport, LA; and Tupelo, MS. Their proclamations follow those from governors in 49 states who have similarly recognized general aviation, some several times, since the formation of the No Plane No Gain campaign in 2009. All proclamations cite one or more benefits of business aviation as promoted by that campaign. Read more about the mayoral proclamations.

To Enhance Safety, Establish a 'Just Culture'
Despite a flightcrew's best efforts, events don't always go as planned. If an operation is going to learn from these events and grow, it has to have a trusted, just culture. "Knowing that we can report safety issues without retaliation is key," explained Dodie Thomas, chair of NBAA's Flight Attendants Committee. Sustaining a positive safety culture is actually part of reaching the third and most mature stage of registration for the International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations (IS-BAO). Safety tips on establishing a 'just culture' and achieving IS-BAO Stage 2 and 3 are provided in the cover story of the March/April issue of Business Aviation Insider, NBAA's 6th Annual Safety Issue, which is now mailing to Members. Read the full story online in the digital edition of Business Aviation Insider.

Impressive Aircraft Lineup Scheduled for Static Display at ABACE2014
The Asian Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition (ABACE2014), set for April 15 to 17 in Shanghai, China, will once again feature a wide array of the latest business aircraft for attendees to review and compare. Approximately 30 aircraft are already scheduled for static display throughout ABACE2014, with more expected to be added ahead of the show. Read more about the static display at ABACE2014.

Learn About the Principles Driving Business Aviation's Development Across Asia-Pacific at ABACE2014
Business aviation in China and across the Asia-Pacific region reached an important milestone last year with approval of a core statement of principles for the industry's development by transportation ministers with the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). ABACE2014 will feature an education session addressing these principles to strengthen the foundation and growth of business aviation in the region. Read more about this ABACE2014 education session.

FAA Releases Airspace Study for USAF Training Complex
The FAA has released an airspace study from the U.S. Air Force proposing to establish the Powder River Training Complex military operations areas (MOAs) for North and South Dakota, Montana and Wyoming – a plan that concerns NBAA, which plans to submit comments to the proposal. The airspace would cover a huge swath of high and low altitudes across all four states, and be active for significant periods of time from Monday through Friday in both the mornings and evenings. "If implemented as proposed, the potential impact on business aviation operators is very significant. Operating IFR, as most of our NBAA Members do, will require pilots to fly around MOAs, adding potentially hundreds of miles to their flights," said Bob Lamond, NBAA's director of air traffic services and infrastructure. Learn more about the airspace study.

Parking Reservations Required at Augusta-Area Airports for 2014 Masters Tournament
Parking reservations at Augusta, GA-area airports will be required for the 2014 Masters Golf Tournament between Friday, April 4 and Monday, April 14. For the first time, there will be no FAA E-STMP air traffic slot reservation requirements for any of the Augusta-area airports. However, parking reservations will be required for Augusta Regional (AGS), Aiken Municipal (AIK), Thomson McDuffie (/HQU) and Daniel Field (DNL). The mandatory parking reservation program is being managed via a common website for all four area airports. Reservations will be available starting on Monday, March 10. Operators are encouraged to obtain parking reservations at their airport of choice as soon as possible. Additional details can be found on NBAA's Masters resource page.

Radio Frequency Interference Being Reported In New York TRACON Airspace
The New York TRACON (N90) has been experiencing pilot reports of radio frequency interference (RFI) on frequency 124.75 since Feb. 20. This frequency is primarily used for southbound departures. The New York TRACON is requesting feedback from pilots who experience the frequency interference while on 124.75. They are specifically interested in what type of RFI is heard (i.e., tones, static, radio station signal, data bursts, etc.), intensity, altitude, coordinates, route, callsign, aircraft type, date and time and any other information that may be pertinent. To submit the information, contact (516) 683-2860 or 9-AEA-QHM-NASOPS@faa.gov.

Bolen Joins Other GA Leaders to Discuss Industry Challenges, Opportunities at Heli-Expo
NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen expressed measured optimism for the industry during a Feb. 26 discussion hosted by Helicopter Association International as part of its annual Heli-Expo in Anaheim, CA. "It appears that flight hours are up," Bolen told attendees at the town hall discussion featuring leaders of several general aviation associations. "Fuel sales [also] seem to be up, so there is this kind of growing, guarded optimism that we're through the deep trough that we hit in 2009 and we're beginning to move forward." Read more about Bolen's comments at Heli-Expo.

NBAA Flying Safety Awards Deadline Extended to March 14
The NBAA Flying Safety Award application deadline has been extended until the close of business on Friday, March 14. For 60 years, NBAA's Flying Safety Award program has brought worldwide attention to the business aircraft safety record. These awards recognize Member Companies for exceptional achievement in maintaining safe flying operations. Much more than a Member benefit, they serve as testimony to the high degree of professionalism inherent in business aircraft operations, and as tribute to the skill of a company's management, maintenance, pilot and support personnel teams. Apply now for the NBAA Flying Safety Awards.

Looking to Advance In Your Career? Register for MMC2014
Those aspiring to be a maintenance supervisor, director of maintenance or operations manager are invited to register now for NBAA's Maintenance Management Conference (MMC2014), set for April 22 to 24 in Tampa, FL. MMC2014 is the premier venue for networking with industry peers, offering personal interactions with leading vendors and the opportunity to earn both inspection authorization renewal and credits toward the Certified Aviation Manager credential. This year’s conference will include a focus on succession planning; record keeping and regulatory requirements for managing aircraft maintenance; OSHA requirements when conducting a site audit; asset management from a financial perspective; and more. Learn more and register for MMC2014.

NBAA Seeks Candidates for Association Positions
The Association is currently hiring for several positions. The managing editor oversees the day-to-day production and editorial development of content for NBAA's print and online communications channels. The communications editor supports production and editorial development of NBAA publication and web content. The senior manager, marketing oversees marketing initiatives across all channels to grow attendance and exhibit sales at the Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition and other key events. The coordinator, professional development supports NBAA's professional development, conference and seminar activities. There also are three paid internships available, two will be in the summer and one is in the spring. Review the job descriptions.

Fundamentals of IS-BAO Course Offered at IOC2014
NBAA will offer a Professional Development Program (PDP)-approved course on implementing the International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations (IS-BAO) on March 21 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in conjunction with the NBAA International Operators Conference (IOC2014) in Tampa, FL. Presented by the International Business Aviation Council, the Fundamentals of IS-BAO Workshop is geared toward aviation personnel considering IS-BAO registration or interested in becoming involved in the audit process. Attendees will leave the workshop with a better understanding of how their role in the flight department fits within the IS-BAO framework. Register for the IS-BAO Workshop.

Emergency Response Planning in Focus at Business Aviation Safety Summit
Every flight department should be able to implement its emergency response plan at a moment's notice. To help flight departments prepare for a worst-case scenario, NBAA is offering an Emergency Response Planning Workshop in San Diego, CA from April 14 to 15, in conjunction with the Business Aviation Safety Summit, jointly sponsored by NBAA and Flight Safety Foundation. Presented by The VanAllen Group, the PDP-approved workshop simulates an accident scenario and identifies key actions to take at each stage in the events. Register for the Emergency Response Planning Workshop.

NBAA Offering Free Replay of Dispatcher Recurrent Training Webinar
NBAA encourages Members to provide annual recurrent training for their dispatchers, and the Association recently partnered with Jeppesen to host two dispatcher recurrent-training opportunities. The first event was a webinar held late last year providing an overview of annual recurrent training considerations for dispatchers. The second training event was a two-day licensed dispatcher recurrent training program held in conjunction with the Schedulers & Dispatchers Conference earlier this year. For Members who were unable to attend the webinar, the session has been archived and is available free of charge. Learn more about the dispatcher training webinar.