Mark Phelps

“No. Hell no.” is the way one skeptic describes the reaction of most general aviation stakeholders to a proposed FAA redesign of New York airspace. As currently proposed (it changes subtly from meeting to meeting), the plan calls for extending Class B airspace out another five miles and lowering the floor from 3,000 feet to […]

The National Air Transportation Association (NATA) is the trade group representing FBOs, charter operators and other segments of the general aviation industry. NATA coordinates an annual ‘Day on the Hill’ meeting between leaders of the general aviation industry and members of Congress on Capitol Hill. This year’s session, the 13th annual event, included close to […]

It’s not often you hear lobbying groups speak up in favor of tax increases for their constituents. But NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen told the Senate aviation subcommittee that business aviation would shoulder an increase in fuel taxes to pay its share of the cost of the NextGen air-traffic-control modernization program. He told lawmakers, […]

They don’t generate Paris Air Show, AirVenture or Sun ‘n Fun attendance numbers, but Flying‘s Parade of Planes’ intimate regional expos have proven to generate aircraft sales. Conducted in conjunction with AMPT Associates, the POP series visited Olathe, Kansas, last week. AMPT Managing Director of Aviation Randy Bolinger reported modest turnout (challenged, one day, by […]

Someone must have forgotten to tell tradeshow visitors that general aviation is in a death spiral. Last week’s European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition (EBACE) proved to be among the most highly attended since the show launched in 2001. Figures reached well into five digits, and there were 65 aircraft on static display, compared with […]

As if in response to signals of an improved market, Bombardier announced at EBACE that development is continuing apace on its all-composite Learjet 85. This despite other manufacturers recently announcing slowdowns-if not worse-in their new-jet programs. The Learjet 85 program is currently in its joint definition phase, with certification and first deliveries scheduled for 2013. […]

If business aviation has been in a spin, the latest numbers from research firm ARG/US show we’ve likely reduced power and applied opposite rudder. Flight activity in April for that segment of general aviation did decline a whopping 18.8 percent compared with the same month in 2008, but was down only 1.86 percent from March. […]

Chances are, much of your winter flying involved relatively short flights. For many pilots, winter missions are kept on a short leash in deference to ice, earlier sunsets and just plain comfort during pre- and post-flight chores. That makes spring a good time to plan longer trips — and reminds us of the greater joys […]

At the European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition in Geneva this week, Honeywell announced upgrades to the avionics system that forms the basis for Gulfstream’s PlaneView avionics suite and Dassault Falcon’s EASy integrated avionics package. The upgrades include functionality for future air navigation system (FANS1/A); wide area augmentation system localizer performance with vertical guidance (WAAS […]

Transcripts of the cockpit voice recorders were released at hearings investigating last winter’s crash of a Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 near Buffalo, New York. All 49 passengers and crew on the airplane died and one man was killed on the ground when the turboprop crashed into his house. According to the transcripts, the pilots expressed […]