EXECUTIVE AIRSHARE'S NEW FRACTIONAL PROGRAM: MIX IN SOME EQUITY
Traditional fractional programs are a good buy for mid-size or small companies that need the benefits of a business aircraft but that can't afford or justify owning their own. They also have the choice of on-demand charter, but that's economical only at certain usage rates. Executive AirShare has come up with an idea that bridges the gap between these two approaches, allowing the charter user to build equity toward owning an actual share of a particular airplane. At NBAA's meeting in Atlanta, AirShare's Keith Plum brought AVweb up to date on the program.

Click here to listen. (6.1 MB, 6:37)

NBAA STARTS TUESDAY
National Business Aviation Association President Ed Bolen says this year's convention will be "upbeat" with some major announcements and a growing sense of optimism. He spoke with AVweb's Russ Niles.

Click here to listen. (5.3 MB, 5:50)

SOUTH AMERICA RISING
As traditional markets have flattened, one of the regions generating the most interest in business aviation has been Latin America. AVweb's Russ Niles spoke with Piaggio Aero's John Bingham about the prospects to the south and the market in general as NBAA gets underway in Atlanta.

Click here to listen. (7.0 MB, 6:49)

USED AIRCRAFT PRICES CONTINUE TO STUNT NEW SALES: CESSNA'S JACK PELTON
Even as he was announcing the new Citation Ten, Cessna CEO Jack Pelton told AVweb Monday that "staggeringly low" prices on late model aircraft across the size and type spectrum continue to make for a dismal market for new aircraft. In a podcast recorded at the National Business Aircraft Association meeting in Atlanta, Pelton said Cessna had expected a stronger market recovery in 2010 but now accepts the recovery won't be the V-shaped snapback it had hoped for.

Click here to listen. (4.9 MB, 4:48)

ECLIPSE: 50 TO 100 AIRFRAMES A YEAR IS THE SWEET SPOT
As Eclipse Aircraft continues to rebuild itself — and its airplanes — it announced a new integrated flight management system for the EA500 at NBAA in Atlanta this week. In this podcast, CEO Mason Holland tells AVweb that some 100 existing Eclipses have been fully updated with state-of-the-art avionics and more upgrades are on the way. Holland says the company's Albuquerque production facility is ready to resume building new airplanes, but it's unknown when that will happen. He says the sweet spot for Eclipse economics is between 50 and 150 airplanes a year, although it could ramp up to higher numbers.

Click here to listen. (7.1 MB, 6:52)

KESTREL PROJECT MOVING ALONG
The money is almost in place, and there's a big new factory building waiting for Kestrel Aircraft in Brunswick, Maine where the company hopes to move in later this year. AVweb's Russ Niles spoke with Kestrel's Adrian Norris about what's next.

Click here to listen. (4.9 MB, 4:45)

FRACTIONALS REMAIN RELEVANT
The market is down everywhere, but people still need to fly. FlexJet president Fred Reid told AVweb's Russ Niles that while the recovery remains up to 18 months away, the fractional market will continue to provide the best value for many.

Click here to listen. (5.9 MB, 6:25)

WICHITA OPENS MASSIVE TRAINING CENTER
The common wisdom is that there will be a shortage of skilled labor for the aviation business in the future. AVweb's Russ Niles spoke with Sherry Utash of the National Center for Aviation Training about ensuring there will be skilled workers for the industry when they're needed.

Click here to listen. (5.3 MB, 5:44)

Podcasts from the 2010 NBAA Convention in Atlanta were brought to you by these sponsors:

• WxWorx XM WX Satellite Weather
• Lightspeed Aviation
• Phillips 66 Aviation
• Bose Corporation

If you enjoyed our audio coverage, please click on the links and check out our sponsors' products and services. They'll appreciate it, and we will too!

CESSNA'S CITATION TEN (THAT'S 'T-E-N')
At NBAA 2010 in Atlanta, Cessna announced a new model, the Citation Ten — not to be confused with the Citation X. In this video, Cessna CEO Jack Pelton gives us the details.

GARMIN'S G5000 EFIS AT NBAA
Garmin unveiled its new G5000 EFIS for Part 25 users at the NBAA convention in Atlanta. Carl Wolf gave AVweb's Paul Bertorelli the lowdown.

VISIONSAFE EVAS DEMO
Smoke in the cockpit is a serious danger for pilots. With oxygen available, breathing isn't the problem; seeing is. The VisionSafe Emergency Vision Assurance System (EVAS) addresses the threat of zero-zero vis in the cockpit. AVweb filmed a demo at NBAA 2010 in Atlanta.

PIPERJET ALTAIRE
At NBAA 2010 in Atlanta, Piper surprised the world with a complete redo of its single-engine jet, included an upgraded interior and larger, circular section cabin. Piper's Geoff Berger gave AVweb a tour of the revised jet, dubbed the Altaire.

AMSAFE AIRBAGS FOR DIVANS
For biz aircraft operators, side-facing divan seating — common in these airplanes — represents a problem. These seats can't be certified with full occupancy because of safety considerations. AmSafe's new airbags address this shortcoming.

HAWKER 200 AT NBAA
At NBAA 2010 in Atlanta, Hawker Beechcraft announced a new variant on its Premier line, the Hawker 200. Shawn Vick gave AVweb a tour of the new aircraft.

Videos from the 2010 NBAA Convention in Atlanta were brought to you by these sponsors:

• WxWorx XM WX Satellite Weather
• Lightspeed Aviation
• Phillips 66® Aviation
• Bose Corporation

If you enjoyed these videos, please click on the sponsors' links and check out their products and services. They'll appreciate it, and we will too!

Click for more photos

PHOTOS FROM NBAA 2010
It takes a lot of work to put together a show as large and well-organized as the National Business Aviation Association's annual convention and conference. This year, NBAA pulled it off without a hitch in Atlanta, Georgia — and before we sign off and head home, here's a quick snapshot of the professionalism and effort that go into the static display area at the show (including shots of some of the show's most important airplanes).