November 19, 2008

By The AVweb Editorial Staff

Fly With Bose Aviation Headset X® Enjoy an unmatched combination of full-spectrum noise reduction, clearer audio, and comfortable fit. Voted the #1 headset for the seventh consecutive year in Professional Pilot's 2007 Headset Preference Survey. Also rated "Best ANR Headset: The Aviation Consumer Product of the Year" by Aviation Consumer. Purchase by December 31, 2008 and receive a complimentary pair of Bose in-ear headphones ($99.95 value). Learn more and order. Quotes reprinted with permission: Professional Pilot, 2007 Headset Preference Survey, 12/07; Aviation Consumer, 8/07. Top News: ATC Modernization Now a Top Priority back to top  Sponsor Announcement President Bush Orders Priority Action On ATC Modernization President Bush on Tuesday signed an Executive Order to mandate that modernizing our national airspace system remains a leading priority for federal agencies. "At an age when teenage drivers use GPS systems in their cars, air traffic controllers still use World War II-era radar to guide modern jumbo jets," Mr. Bush said. "That doesn't seem to make any sense to me ... Modernizing our aviation system is an urgent challenge." He also called on Congress to "help make our transportation system worthy of the 21st century," by providing incentives for the private sector to develop new technologies and investing in infrastructure upgrades. According to a White House fact sheet, the Executive Order will "help transform the national air transportation system and effectively implement the NextGen Initiative (Next Generation Air Transportation System) that utilizes satellite-based guidance technology, which is safer, more secure, affordable, and environmentally friendly." The action aims to strengthen the DOT's coordination with other federal agencies. But according to Doug Church, spokesman for the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, "[The executive order] certainly appears like yet another new red bow on the same old box, which remains empty. Is the administration now saying modernizing our aviation system was NOT a leading priority up until today?" Mr. Bush also announced a package of proposals aimed at relieving delays and congestion in commercial air travel during the holiday season. Military airspace will be opened for certain areas, three new runways at major airports will open this week, and more TSA workers will be on duty to prevent long waiting lines for passengers. JA Air Center, Your Source for the New Garmin GPSMap 696 JA Air Center is YOUR source for Garmin equipment, including the new GPSMap 696 with Victor Airways, Jet Routes, XM Weather, Terrain, AOPA Airport Guide, and Safe Taxi. JA Air purchases used GPS units, avionics, and aircraft. JA Air Center [Opening - Aurora (KARR) in Sugar Grove, IL December 1, 2008] provides the finest avionics installations, turbine/piston maintenance, avionics/instrument service, mail order, and aircraft sales. Call (800) 323-5966, or click for more information. BizAv Forecast: Partly Cloudy with a Chance of Rain back to top  BizJet Deliveries Will Peak This Year Thanks to the credit crunch and a burgeoning inventory of used business jets, financial analysts are busily rewriting the fairy-tale forecast for business aviation and are predicting a steep decline in orders and deliveries over the next three years. As little as six weeks ago, the predictions were that business aviation would continue to grow through 2010 and then level out or decline modestly. But now the Montreal Gazette is reporting that independent reports by two UBS analysts, Fadi Chamoun and David Strauss, point to the market's peaking this year at 1,080 business jet deliveries followed by declining sales and order books through 2011. The analysts said about a third of the business officials surveyed for the report said they're having trouble getting credit for purchases like aircraft, which is a sharp turnaround from conditions in early October when generally rosy forecasts were being made at the National Business Aviation Association convention. "However, over the last several weeks since NBAA, business-jet financing looks to have dried up considerably as indicated by our survey, which we believe is likely to result in a meaningful portion of the backlog being deferred," Strauss wrote. Zulu Named Aviation Consumer's 2008 ANR Headset of the Year The Lightspeed Zulu: P (Panel Power) headset raises the bar in performance, comfort, and crystal-clear audio quality, with more total noise cancellation than any other headset — and no batteries needed! The Zulu: P utilizes the same panel-powered LEMO plug used in Bose headsets and comes with built-in Bluetooth for wireless cell phone or music interface. Click for more information. Update: Flying Across the U.S. Border back to top  DHS Finalizes GA Border-Crossing Rule A final rule issued by the Department of Homeland Security this week is not as bad as it might have been for GA pilots, but it still will have an impact on all across-the-border operations. That's the bottom line from AOPA's analysis of the rule published Tuesday by the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection, which is part of the DHS. As initially proposed last year, the rule would have required pilots to file passenger manifests and other information via the Internet an hour before the flight, a problem for pilots who operate from remote and undeveloped airports where Internet access is not available. More than 2,900 comments were filed. "Thanks to pilot input, the CBP better understands the nature of GA operations and the remote areas that pilots often travel," Andy Cebula, AOPA executive vice president of government affairs, said on Tuesday. The final rule offers various options for pilots to file the required information. "Pilots didn't get everything they wanted," Cebula said. Concerns remain over the type of information required and possible delays in approving flights. But, Cebula said, the revisions in the final rule are "proof of how influential general aviation pilots can be when they unite." The rule will take effect on Dec. 18, and pilots will be required to comply with the new regulations starting May 18, AOPA said. DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff said on Monday that GA pilots can also expect further rulemaking that will require GA flights to be screened and scanned for radioactive material at an airport outside the U.S. Although such screening is now required upon landing in the U.S., doing it on departure instead will prevent an attacker from flying a bomb into the country and detonating it in the air, Chertoff said. Cessna Aircraft Company, the World's Largest General Aviation Manufacturer Based on unit sales, Cessna Aircraft Company is the world's largest manufacturer of general aviation airplanes. In 2007, Cessna delivered 1,272 aircraft, including 387 Citation business jets, and reported revenues of about $5 billion. Cessna has a current backlog of $15.6 billion. The global fleet of more than 5,400 Citations is the largest fleet of business jets in the world. More information about Cessna Aircraft Company is available at Cessna.com. News Briefs back to top  MEBA Orders Top $1.5 Billion About $1.5 billion worth of deals were announced at the Middle East Business Aviation (MEBA) show in Dubai this week. The show wrapped up Tuesday with the announcement that Cessna had concluded $90 million in deals that included the sale of three Columbus large-cabin bizjets and four other aircraft to undisclosed buyers. The Nov. 16-18 show was attended by virtually all business aircraft manufacturers, including Eclipse Aviation, which skipped AOPA Expo earlier this month. Grob Aerospace was absent from MEBA as it grapples with insolvency in Germany. According to the Khaleej Times the strain of the current economic situation was an undercurrent to the show and the wealthy region is feeling the pinch. While the vast stocks of oil under them has secured the future of the Persian Gulf states, the problems are so big elsewhere that the crisis is being felt. Falling oil prices have cut the region's cash flow and real estate is at a "standstill," the paper reported. However, the newspaper said the feeling at the meeting was that regardless of economic circumstances, business travelers have to get where they are going and business aviation is the most efficient method. Eclipse Employees Paid, Back At Work Eclipse Aviation employees who have contacted AVweb this week are back at work and say they've been paid for the first half of the month. There has been the inevitable speculation about what will happen on the next payday, but Eclipse's usual spokesperson has not responded to repeated e-mail and phone requests for comment on the current situation. Last week the company told employees that it would not meet its biweekly payroll but it did arrange funding in time to pay workers on Tuesday. Meanwhile an increasing number of disgruntled customers are filing lawsuits to get refunds of deposits. According to KDBC News there are now a total of 10 such suits against the company, three of which were filed on Friday. Eight companies and two individuals have filed the suits and the total of the claims tops $7 million. When Eclipse raised the price of the EA500 earlier this year it offered deposit refunds to some position holders. Eclipse declined to comment to the TV station about the deposit suits. Precise Flight: Hidden in Plain Sight With design capabilities as varied as the number of aircraft models available, it's easy to find at least one device manufactured by Precise Flight in the cabin, cockpit, or body of any aircraft on the market. In fact, integration is a key characteristic of Precise Flight's operating code. Learn more online. News Briefs back to top  SJ30 Sets Another Speed Record Well, while everyone in business aviation seems to be looking at their bottom line, the folks at Emivest (formerly Sino Swearingen) found a brief diversion in monitoring the ground speed of their SJ30 business jet between London and Dubai last week. The speedy little jet covered the 3,470 miles at an average speed of 488 mph to claim the National Aeronautic Association (NAA) record for aircraft weighing less than 20,000 pounds. Emivest Chairman Buti Saeed Al Ghandi said the SJ30 "is completely built for speed," and noted it also set a record from San Antonio to Dubai last year. This year's record-setting flight was set with Hamish Harding, chairman of Action Aviation, as PIC and Emivest's Brian Dennison in the right seat. Emivest CEO Anthony Power said the company is concentrating marketing efforts in Asia and the Middle East where increased demand is expected to offset the softening of Western markets. "Despite the recent global crunch, these demands are surprisingly increasing in some parts of the world, particularly in China, which is expected to have double-digit growth for the coming years," Power said. Virtual Flying in Some of the World's Great Airplanes Classic Cockpits is a series of high-quality DVDs that put you into the pilot's seat of some of the world's great airplanes. Be there for engine start, checklists, taxi, take-off, climb, cruise, descent, landing, and more. Titles currently available are: Flying the Legendary DC-3, Flying the PBY Catalina, and Flying the de Havilland Vampire. Makes the perfect holiday gift! Click on the individual titles for complete descriptions, and click here to order all DVDs online. New on AVweb back to top  Columns | Features | What's New | Calendar | Brainteasers AVweb Insider Blog: Recessionary Paradox — GA Innovates As It Shrinks People who think GA's piston segment is dying are the same ones who think there's growth to be found in what's a long downward slide. According to AVweb's Paul Bertorelli, arguing that GA is dying is like saying a fat man on a diet is committing suicide. The game isn't over, but first we have to accept some basic facts. Paul takes a hard look at those facts in the latest installment of our AVweb Insider blog. Read more. AVweb Insider Blog: Blue Skies, Jerry Smith Garmin's Jerry Smith was recently killed in the crash of his Cardinal. He knew everyone in the GA business, and everyone he knew will miss him, including us. AVweb's Paul Bertorelli remembers Jerry on the AVweb Insider blog. Read more. Join NAA and Help Shape the Next Century of Flight It's a great time to join the National Aeronautic Association (NAA), the nation's oldest aviation organization. At $39 a year, NAA membership is a terrific value for any aviation enthusiast! Members receive the Smithsonian's Air & Space magazine, plus access to aviation records and much more. To become an NAA member, sign up online or call (703) 416-4888 and press 4. AVweb Media: Look, Listen, Laugh and Learn back to top  AVweb's AOPA Expo 2008 Video Round-Up Original, Exclusive Videos from AVweb | Reader-Submitted & Viral Videos At the 2008 AOPA Expo, our video team brought you exclusive interviews with outgoing AOPA president Phil Boyer and the incoming president, Craig Fuller — plus a demo flight with Cirrus Design's new EVS system and an in-depth profile of Garmin's hot GPSMap 696. If you missed any of those, you can watch all eight of our show videos right here. Just use the arrows at the right and left sides of the player to choose your video. Video coverage of AOPA Expo 2008 has been brought to you by Lightspeed Aviation, WxWorx XM WX Satellite Weather, and Bose Corporation. (Videos by Glenn Pew.) Don't see a video screen? Try disabling ad blockers and refreshing this page. If that doesn't work, click here to download the video directly. More AVweb exclusive videos can be found at http://www.avweb.com/video. Related Content: Want more AVweb media from the show? Click here for podcasts from AOPA Expo 2008. Look Around Your Hangar and Office! Build A Plane needs items for their annual eBay auction. Avionics, parts, electronics, headsets, books, videos/CDs, software, leather jackets, even special airplane rides — well, you get the idea. Anything Build A Plane can sell will benefit school-building projects offering students an exciting way to learn science, engineering, math, and build a new generation of aviation enthusiasts. For complete information, contact Katrina Bradshaw at (804) 843-3321, or go online. Who's Where back to top  StandardAero Promotes Turner Mike Turner Mike Turner is the new Marketing and Corporate Communications Director at StandardAero. He was formerly Corporate Communications Manager. Gibson New VP of Sales Mark Gibson Mark Gibson has been named vice president of sales at Sun Aviation in Kansas City, Mo. He was formerly at the Aircraft Electronics Association for 17 years. Byers Promoted at 1st Source Bank Bryan Byers Bryan Byers has been promoted to Aircraft Banking Officer at 1st Source Bank. He's been at the bank since 2001. Kucko New GM at Air 51 David Kucko has been promoted to general manager at Air 51. Air 51 is a new FBO in Lexington, Ky. 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. Safety Equipment — Add Aviation Safety to Your MEL A Minimum Equipment List is not complete without a subscription to Aviation Safety. Discover this informative, instructive monthly publication that sharpens your air readiness. Order your subscription online for savings from the regular rate. The Top Reporter on Our Crack Staff ... Is You! back to top  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. You're a part of our team ... often, the best part. Names Behind the News back to top  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 Click here to send a letter to the editor. (Please let us know if your letter is not intended for publication.) Comments or questions about the news should be sent here. Have a product or service to advertise on AVweb? A question on marketing? Send it to AVweb's sales team. If you're having trouble reading this newsletter in its HTML-rich format (or if you'd prefer a lighter, simpler format for your PDA or handheld device), there's also a text-only version of AVwebBiz. For complete instructions on making the switch, click here. Aviate. Navigate. Communicate.