NBAA'S BOLEN: USER FEE CLOCK IS RESET
On the eve of the next general election, concern over aviation user fees has only temporarily abated and is likely to resurface when the 111th congress convenes in January, says NBAA's Ed Bolen. The FAA's current funding authorization expired on September 30th and the agency is operating in a funding grace period until the end of next March. Bolen told assembled reporters this week that aviation trade groups made good progress toward a fuel-based, rather than a user-fee-based funding basis before Congress recessed last week. More...

SOCATA CONFIRMS TWIN: IS IT A TURBOPROP?
First it was a rumor, then it was a confirmed rumor and now it has a name. Socata announced at the National Business Aviation Association Convention that it will build a twin-engine aircraft and has given the project the code name NTx. "As business aviation is a small community where it's difficult to keep a secret for a long time, I am pleased to confirm that our engineering team is actively working on a new aircraft project," Socata CEO Jean-Michel Leonard told a Monday news conference. He said the twin will be bigger, with more useful load than the turboprop single TBM 850, but stops short of confirming that the new aircraft will have propellers. "Powerplant applications for the NTx are still under discussion," the company news release says. More...

SATCOM DIRECT AND HONEYWELL JOIN TO OFFER CABIN SYSTEMS
Satcom Direct announced here at the NBAA Expo that it has signed an agreement to work with Honeywell International to provide flight support and cabin communications services in a single package. Some of the in-flight service features include flight planning information, reliable e-mail and data communications connectivity, and satellite television. "This joint effort offers aircraft operators increased flexibility in choosing services to meet their specific business requirements," the company said. More...

AAI: ADAM 700 SCHEDULED FOR 2010 CERTIFICATION
When AAI Acquisitions bought the assets of Adam Aircraft at fire sale prices in March, the industry wasn't quite sure what to make of the sale. But AAI CEO Jack Braly told NBAA reporters this week that the company is "picking up where Adam left off" with certification of the unique twin-boom jet claimed for the third quarter of 2010, with deliveries shortly thereafter. About half of the airplane's 1,300-hour flight test program has been flown off, and test work is continuing. As for funding, Braly told reporters it's in place from a consortium of Russian investors. He estimates AAI will need $200 million to certify the airplane and procure a production certificate. When asked if all the money is available, Braly said, "If you're asking if the investors gave us a sack of gold as big as the program, the answer is no." More...

CESSNA AGGRESSIVELY EXPANDS SERVICE CENTERS
As the business of business aircraft increasingly becomes global, aircraft manufacturers are finding that customers demand longer-range airplanes capable of transoceanic flight to and from shorter runways. And that means aircraft embark on longer trips and are away from home base for longer periods. As a result, airplane makers are aggressively expanding remote service networks. Cessna said this week that it's substantially expanding its service capabilities in Europe, for example, where it has almost 900 Citations operating. At the NBAA convention in Orlando, Mark Paolucci, Cessna's VP for customer service, said the company has just approved a plan to build a new service center in Spain, with completion planned for 2010. More...

DASSAULT SEES SLOWDOWN BUT STILL PLANS EXPANSION
With the evolving credit crisis hanging over the aviation economy, Dassault joined Cessna this week in conceding that order uptake has slowed. But, like Cessna, Dassault has an impressive backlog -- about 500 aircraft -- which it hopes will see it through the credit crisis. Dassault CEO John Rosanvallon told reporters this week at the NBAA convention in Orlando that the first six months of 2008 "have been more than good" for Dassault, but he reports the company already sees a definite slowdown in its U.S. and Western European business. More...

BOMBARDIER GEARS FOR LEARJET 85 PRODUCTION
Bombardier says the first 400 Learjet 85s will be built at a new plant in Mexico, but finishing and delivery preparation will be done in Wichita, necessitating expansion of the already-jammed Kansas facilities. Learjet President David Coleal told a news conference at the National Business Aviation Association convention in Orlando that up to 1,200 people will work at the Mexican facility. On Monday, the company unveiled a full-scale mockup of the aircraft, built by Grob Aerospace, which features a state-of-the-art cockpit and cabin that AVweb toured for an AVweb Exclusive Video. More...

CESSNA CUSTOMERS CRAFT COLUMBUS
If you're going on a 4,000 nm trip, what do you need? (Besides a state-of-the-art airframe, engines and avionics.) According to Cessna Columbus customers, it's storage and leg room. Cindy Halsey, Cessna's vice president of interiors, told AVweb in an AVweb Exclusive Video that plenty of places to put the amenities you need on a long trip (including a flight attendant) have been included in the revamped Columbus thanks to two years of market research and a proof-of-concept mockup. She said the redesigned cabin, unveiled Monday at the National Business Aviation Association convention in Orlando, has met with overwhelming approval from the people who offered comments on the first attempt. "They're saying, 'You nailed it,'" she said. More...

Want to join us on our cabin tours?
You can in today's videos (a little further down in this issue)!

AVWEB'S NBAA 2008 PODCAST #3:
NEXTANT — STATE-OF-THE-ART BEECH 400S
The 400-series Beechjet has been a successful model, but as it ages, its fuel economy and performance are dated against newer jets. Nextant Aerospace says it can address that with an aggressive STC program to re-engine the airplane with the new Williams FJ44-3AP and Collins Proline 21 avionics. Learn the details from Nextant's Ed McDonald and Mark O'Donnell in this podcast.

This podcast is brought to you by WxWorx XM WX Satellite Weather.

More...

AVWEB'S NBAA 2008 PODCAST #4:
MANAGING YOUR RESOURCES WITH CENTURY CRM'S CARL CARMICHAEL
If you're familiar with crew resource management, you may be interested to learn that a company called Century CRM is bringing many of the concepts into the single-pilot arena under the aegis of "cockpit resource management." Century's Carl Carmichael explains how the company's innovative training can teach you to make the best use of your cockpit, in all sorts of different conditions.

This podcast is brought to you by Bose Corporation.

More...

AVWEB'S NBAA 2008 VIDEO #3:
BOMBARDIER LEARJET 85 CABIN TOUR
The Learjet 85 is due from Bombardier in 2012 and offers an eight-seat luxury cabin plus expansive galley and lavatory to accommodate passengers in comfort for a range of up to 3,000 nautical miles. AVweb Editor-in-Chief Russ Niles and Video Editor Glenn Pew take you on an exclusive tour of the interior. (Click through to watch.)

This video is brought to you by Bose Corporation ... .

More...

AVWEB'S NBAA 2008 VIDEO #4:
CESSNA CITATION COLUMBUS 850 INTERIOR TOUR
Cessna's latest interior configuration for its Columbus business jet, due in 2014, maximizes storage space and comfort for eight cabin occupants. AVweb Editor-in-Chief Russ Niles and Video Editor Glenn Pew take you inside. (Click through to watch.)

This video is brought to you by WxWorx XM WX Satellite Weather ... .

More...

AVWEB'S NEWSTIPS ADDRESS ...
Our best stories start with you. If you've heard something 200,000 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 internet's aviation magazine and news service.

The AVwebBiz team is:

Publisher
Timothy Cole

Editorial Director, Aviation Publications
Paul Bertorelli

Editor-in-Chief
Russ Niles

Contributing Editors
Mary Grady
Glenn Pew

Features Editor
Kevin Lane-Cummings

Webmaster
Scott Simmons

Contributors
Jeff van West

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