Mark Phelps

The tone at this year’s 62nd National Business Aviation Association convention was almost warlike. In fact, Hawker Beechcraft’s press conference at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida, was conducted as though it were a combat mission briefing. CEO Bill Boisture and other members of the management staff wore flight suits and boots and […]

All pilots have their personal safety standards for weather, and plenty of pilots fly on the airlines when they absolutely have to be somewhere. Granted, that guarantee has become ever more dubious over the past decade, but your chances of arriving on time are still better with an airline ticket. But most pilots probably look […]

This year’s NBAA convention fund raiser for the Corporate Angel Network (CAN) will consist of a silent auction and a live auction to be conducted during the NBAA/CAN Charity Benefit on the evening of Oct. 22. If you aren’t among the estimated 900 paid attendees for the closing event, you can still bid online the […]

Calling the existing fractional aircraft ownership model “broken,” Cessna has recast and rebranded its CitationShares program. Cessna launched its Northeast-based CitationShares program in 2000 to compete with NetJets, but last week renamed the program CitationAir by Cessna to reflect a new approach better integrating Cessna’s products and services. CitationAir President Steve O’Neill said, “Our customers […]

It has to hurt that Cessna and Hawker Beechcraft have chosen to forego their large floor displays, but the National Business Aviation Association remains optimistic about next week’s annual show. NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen said he expects strong attendance numbers at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, but doesn’t aspire to set […]

According to the most recent statistics from aviation safety researcher Robert E. Breiling Associates, business flying got almost 50 percent safer this year. Numbers for the first three quarters show only four fatal accidents this year (23 deaths), compared with 17 fatal accidents in the first nine months of last year, resulting in 46 deaths. […]

The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association is asking the FAA to reconsider its plans to cancel some of the 154 ground-based instrument approaches that are on the budget chopping block. The pilots’ association has asked that 22 of the approaches be preserved and asked the agency to consider comments from pilots on 21 more, before […]

High-speed Internet service is now much more affordable for light jets. Aircell has announced its $85,000 ATG 5000 system (including all antennas, but not including installation). Tom Myers, director of marketing for Aircell, calls the new product a “sea change.” He said, “Because Aircell uses air-to-ground technology for this system, a host of benefits are […]

Just what is a “homebuilt” is now clearer. A long-awaited FAA advisory circular (AC-20-27G) outlines the approval basis for an aircraft to be registered in the experimental/amateur-built category. At issue was how much of the building is done by the builder, as opposed to prefabricated kit parts and/or work performed by professionals at a builder-assistance […]

Raise your hand if you haven’t performed a weight- and- balance check since your last certificate check ride, or checking out in a new airplane. I have, but I admit that’s mostly because older Beech Bonanzas (such as mine) are easily loaded with their center of gravity too far aft. And to boot, because even […]