FAA EASES PROCESS FOR SOME MEDICAL EXEMPTIONS
The FAA has expanded the list of medical conditions that can be evaluated by an aviation medical examiner instead of requiring a special issuance and an FAA review, EAA reported last week. Under a new FAA policy, applicants with arthritis, glaucoma, hypertension, pre-diabetes and several other common conditions are eligible for the simplified process. Further diagnoses are expected to be announced in the coming months, EAA said. Dr. Greg Pinnell of the EAA Aeromedical Advisory Council will explain the changes in an online webinar scheduled for Wednesday at 7 p.m. Central Time. The webinar is free to all; you need not be an EAA member. The video will be archived on EAA's site for later viewing. Meanwhile, the leaders of both EAA and AOPA have said recently that a proposal last year to the FAA that would have eliminated the third-class medical requirement for many private pilots has stalled. More...

U.S. COMPANIES EXPLORE ASIAN MARKETS AT ABACE
The airplane industry is eager to push into emerging markets, and that's evident this week with robust attendance at the Asian Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition, taking place in Shanghai Tuesday through Thursday. Organizers said they had registered a record 6,284 people to attend the event, with more than 180 exhibitors on site and 34 aircraft on static display. "The record numbers signify the excitement surrounding business aviation in the region," said NBAA in a statement. Cessna officials announced at the show on Monday they expect to be ready to start building jets and turboprops in China by the end of this year, though it may take longer for the government to approve the start of operations. More...

CONTINENTAL EXTENDS TBOs, CERTIFIES DIESEL
For years, we've heard that the technology exists to extend engine TBOs beyond the normal 2000-hour recommendation and now Continental has done just that. It recently announced that it will extend the TBOs on many of its popular engines by 200 hours and, for frequently flown engines, by 400 hours. According to the company's Bill Ross, who we interviewed at Sun 'n Fun, this might not immediately mean much to Part 91 operators who aren't required to adhere to published TBOs, but for for-hire operators who are, the cost savings amount to as much as a 20 percent of the overhaul price, a substantial savings. More...

PODCAST: CONTINENTAL TBOs EXTENDED
Thanks to new manufacturing technology and a long track record, the FAA has agreed that many Continental engines can safely go up to 2,400 hours before overhaul. AVweb's Paul Bertorelli spoke with Continental's Bill Ross about this and the certification of its new diesel. More...

FIRST PRODUCTION CITATION X ROLLED OUT
Cessna has rolled out the first production aircraft of the newest version of the Citation X and in doing so plans to reclaim the title of fastest civilian aircraft in the world. The aircraft was announced at NBAA 2010 not long after Gulfstream laid claim to the title for its G650, but Cessna said the Mach 0.935 top speed of its new jet is fastest. "Speed is the reason for flight. It was true for Clyde Cessna in 1927, and it's true today," said Scott Ernest, Cessna CEO. "The Citation X is the perfect aircraft for customers wanting to move faster, be more efficient and get where they need to be more quickly than ever before." More...

TECNAM: NEW PROGRAMS FOR AFFORDABLE ACCESS
Like every other aircraft manufacturer, Tecnam has heard complaints about the high cost of new airplanes and its Tecnam North America arm has developed new programs to attack the problem. According to Tecnam North America's Phil Solomon, one new program would offer an affordable five-year lease on the company's basic-priced Echo Classic Light light sport aircraft. Solomon said the lease would be available "to pretty much anyone who wants it" for $15,000 down and $499 a month, plus $15 an hour for reserves. One unique feature of the lease for pilots 65 years or older, Solomon told us at Sun 'n Fun last week, is that should the lessee become incapacitated, the lease can be terminated instantly with no further liability. More...

PODCAST: TECNAM TRYING TO MAKE FLYING MORE AFFORDABLE
With cost the biggest barrier to flying, Tecnam North America has come up with a couple of different ways to make it more affordable. AVweb's Paul Bertorelli spoke with Tecnam's Phil Solomon. More...

DIAMONDSHARE: BLUNTING THE COST OF SOLE OWNERSHIP
With new aircraft prices closer to the million dollar mark than not, many would-be owners pass on purchases not because they can't afford it, but because they can't justify the large investment for minimal yearly usage. At least that's the theory behind DiamondShare, an innovative marketing plan developed by Diamond dealer John Armstrong. He told us in a podcast interview last week at Sun 'n Fun that these days, serious owners tend to fly about 100 hours a year, a tiny percentage of the total hours the aircraft is available during the year. "The biggest hurdle for a lot of folks is they don't feel comfortable being able to justify the investment for the 100 hours. If you do the calculation, 100 hours is 1.1 percent of all hours and 2.2 percent of daylight hours. Well, 2.2 percent utilization for a sizeable investment doesn't make sense in certain cases," Armstrong said in an interview at Sun 'n Fun last week. More...

PODCAST: DIAMONDSHARE TACKLES AIRCRAFT PRACTICALITY
It can be hard for a business to justify spending upwards of $1 million for an aircraft that only flies 100 hours a year, but a new program helps spread those costs among multiple users. AVweb's Paul Bertorelli spoke with DiamondShare's John Armstrong about innovative approach. More...

AVWEB INSIDER BLOG: SUN 'N FUN 2013 -- DRIFTING
With Sun 'n Fun 2013 now history, what was the mood of the show? To Paul Bertorelli, it reflected the industry in general: drifting along with no particular impressive direction. Show attendees said as much. But that doesn't mean some companies aren't trying -- and suceeding -- in making flying an airplane more accessible. Read more and join the conversation. More...

WHITES BUY KANSAS AIRCRAFT CORPORATION

Dianne & Tim White

Dianne and Tim White have purchased Kansas Aircraft Corporation from Michele Stauffer. The Whites both formerly worked at Cessna, where Tim was VP of sales for the Americas and Dianne was VP of corporate communications. Stauffer will remain active in the business.
More...

HIGBY VP AT STANDARDAERO

Rob Higby

Rob Higby is the new VP of Sales and Marketing for StandardAero's airlines and fleets business. He was formerly VP of worldwide airline sales for GE Aviation.
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RYNKIEWICZ JOINS GAMA

Mary Lynn Rynkiewicz

Mary Lynn J. Rynkiewicz is the General Aviation Manufacturers Association's new director of communications. She was formerly at the NextGen Institute.
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WHO'S WHERE? YOU TELL US
Get a promotion or a new job? Your colleagues want to know about it, and AVwebBiz can get the word out. Drop us a line about the staff appointment, with a nice recent photo, and we'll do our best to include it in our new section, "Who's Where." The items will be permanently archived on AVweb for future reference, too. More...

AVWEB'S NEWSTIPS ADDRESS ...
Our best stories start with you. If you've heard something 255,000 pilots might want to know about, tell us. Submit news tips via email to newstips@avweb.com. What have you heard? More...

MEET THE AVWEBBIZ TEAM

AVwebBiz is a weekly summary of the latest business aviation news, articles, products, features, and events featured on AVweb, the world's premier independent aviation news resource.

The AVwebBiz team is:

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Tom Bliss

Editorial Director, Aviation Publications
Paul Bertorelli

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Russ Niles

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Scott Simmons

Contributing Editors
Mary Grady
Glenn Pew

Contributors
Kevin Lane-Cummings

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Karen Lund

Avionics Editor
Larry Anglisano

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