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NBAA Update #02-31
Monday, August 5, 2002

NBAA2002 KICKS OFF JUST FIVE WEEKS FROM TOMORROW
As of last week, 946 Exhibitors had signed on for the NBAA 55th Annual Meeting & Convention, 120 of which are new. That's over 20 more than one year ago. "NBAA is excited and confident about this year's Annual Meeting & Convention," said NBAA Vice President, Conventions & Seminars, Kathleen Blouin. "Exhibitor feedback is consistently upbeat," she added, "Attendees are looking forward to an NBAA Convention that is busy, hectic, exciting, grueling, informative and fun. Our best conservative estimate at this time is that we are expecting between 25,000 and 30,000 participants." For more information about the NBAA 55th Annual Meeting & Convention, scheduled for September 10 to 12 in Orlando, Florida, visit:
http://www.nbaa.org/conventions/2002

TAX CONFERENCE, Q&A SESSIONS SCHEDULED DURING CONVENTION
A number of tax-related question and answer sessions will be held at the upcoming Annual Meeting and Convention. These sessions will allow those who attend the traditional Tax Conference to pose follow-up questions before leaving the Convention. The Tax Conference, which usually is held the two days prior to the Convention, will this year be conducted on Monday, September 9 and Tuesday, September 10. The one-hour-long Q&As will be held on Wednesday, September 11 and Thursday, September 12. The Wednesday morning session will deal with FARs, while the Wednesday afternoon session will be devoted to aircraft registration, foreign ownership and cabotage. The 4 Thursday sessions will address questions on (1) personal use and carriage of elected officials, (2) sales and use taxes, (3) federal excise taxes and (4) depreciation and like-kind exchanges. To view a complete Conference agenda or to register, visit http://www.nbaa.org/seminars/tc/tc_2002_09.htm or contact Greg Jackson, NBAA's Manager of Tax Issues, at gjackson@nbaa.org.

6TH ANNUAL CHAIRMAN'S CHARITY CLASSIC TO SUPPORT CHALLENGE AIR
NBAA's 6th Annual Chairman's Charity Classic Golf Tournament will raise funds for Challenge Air for Kids & Friends, a Dallas-based organization that offers children with disabilities the opportunity to experience the wonder and thrill of a flight. This event will be held Sunday, September 8, in conjunction with the NBAA 55th Annual Meeting & Convention in Orlando, Florida. Business aviation's most popular golf event fills up quickly; however, several sponsorship and golf packages currently remain available. To register or sponsor this event, contact NBAA's June DeFontes at jdefontes@nbaa.org or visit:
http://www.nbaa.org/conventions/2002/attendees/golftournament.htm

STMP FOR NBAA CONVENTION NOW ONLINE
See the Special Traffic Management Program (STMP) for the NBAA 55th Annual Meeting & Convention at:
www.faa.gov/NTAP/NTAP02AUG08/SP02028.htm

NBAA COMPENSATION & BENCHMARK SURVEY RESULTS DELAYED
Data processing delays have postponed the release of the first edition of this year's NBAA Compensation & Benchmark Survey results. As soon as the results are available online, participants will be notified directly by e-mail and via the NBAA Update. Eligible NBAA Members may continue to submit compensation and benchmark data for calendar year 2001 via NBAA's secure online survey form until November 1, 2002, giving them free access to survey results. Survey entries received through November 1 will be included in a later, second edition of recompiled survey results. Eligible Members may access the secure online survey form at:
www.nbaa.org/surveys/benchmark

COMMENT DEADLINE APPROACHING FOR 12-5 SECURITY PROGRAM
Comments on the TSA's Twelve-Five Standard Security Program (TFSSP), which details the requirements for the final rule titled "Security Programs for Aircraft 12,500 Pounds or More", are due August 19. The TFSSP was made available for review and comment only by Part 121 and 135 operators with an operational need to know. Part 135 operators who have applied for the TFSSP, but who have not yet been contacted by TSA after at least one week's time should e-mail lon.siro@faa.gov identifying their operation and the name, phone number and fax number for themselves and for their FAA Principal Operations Inspector (POI). NBAA encourages Members to contact their POIs throughout the process of obtaining the TFSSP.
http://www.nbaa.org/ops/security/charter/TFSSP.htm

CUSTOM BOND REQUIREMENT HAS INCREASED
The U.S. Code of Federal Regulations requires commercial aircraft operators who fly internationally to have a "Custom bond" issued on Form 301, a copy of which can be found on the NBAA web site at www.nbaa.org/member/customs. Though it has not been officially published anywhere, as of July 2002, U.S. Customs requires the bond to be $75,000 (up from $25,000) due to Federal legislation that levels up to that amount as the fine for a commercial operator not filing an Advanced Passenger Information System (APIS) report. All operators are welcome to process APIS filings on the NBAA web site at:
https://www.nbaa.org/part135/customs

SAN DIEGO RUNWAY CLOSURES
Ongoing runway and taxiway construction at San Diego International Airport (SAN) will routinely close Runway 09/27 during the following times until further notice: Monday evening: 2330-0600; Tuesday through Friday evenings: 2330-0515; Saturday evening: 0000-0530; Sunday evening: 0000-0600. This information is published in the Airport/Facility Directory (A/FD) for SAN and will not be mentioned during AFSS briefings. As always, check all available information sources prior to departure. For more information, contact NBAA's Doug Carr at dcarr@nbaa.org.

PROPOSED SANTA MONICA ACCESS RESTRICTIONS REVEALED
The Santa Monica Municipal Airport (SMO) Commission has proposed an "aircraft conformance program" (ACP) that would effectively ban certain larger business jets at the Southern California field within six months. The commission has recommended displacing the threshold by 300 feet at both ends of the field's nearly 5,000-foot runway and only allowing aircraft having wingspans of less than 79 feet and approach speeds of lower than 121 knots to fly into SMO. Violators could be fined up to $10,000 and arrested. NBAA and FAA have urged the Santa Monica City Council not to adopt the ACP for two major reasons. The B-II Airport Reference Code upon which the ban is based is an airport design criteria and is not intended to limit operations. Also, the ban would violate Federal law as well as a 1984 agreement between the city and aviation interests. For more information, contact NBAA's Jeff Gilley at jgilley@nbaa.org or Dan Burkhart at dburkhart@nbaa.org.

LESS COMMERCIAL AIR TRAFFIC EXPECTED ON 9/11/02
Air traffic over the North Atlantic is expected to be lighter than usual on Wednesday, September 11 as a result of flight cancellations announced recently by a number of international airlines. Anticipating that fewer people will fly on the first anniversary of the terrorist attacks on New York City and Washington, D.C., foreign air carriers such as Air France, British Airways and Scandinavian Airlines System have said they will scale back service on that date. Separately, American and United Airlines have announced cuts in their domestic schedule for September 11.

FLYING INTO MEXICO CITY WON'T GET EASIER SOON
Efforts to relieve congestion at Mexico City's Benito Juarez International Airport were dealt a blow last week when the Mexican Government abandoned plans to build a new international airport at Texcoco. The project, which was approved just last October, was scrapped following violent protests by local farmers. Pedro Cerisola, Mexico's secretary of communications and transport, said the government would explore several alternatives, from expansion of the current airport to building a new airfield at other sites more distant from the capital. Current traffic projections indicate that Juarez International could become saturated within eight years. For more information, contact NBAA's Bill Stine at bstine@nbaa.org.

COCKPIT WEATHER INFORMATION SYSTEMS SURVEY FOR PILOTS
As a part of the Aviation Weather Information element of NASA's Aviation Safety Program, Old Dominion University and Virginia Tech are conducting a research project led by NASA Langley Research Center on providing advanced weather information to the aircraft cockpit. The goal of this program is to reduce weather-related aviation accidents via new and improved cockpit weather information systems. A clear understanding of the potential users' needs is critical for the development of these systems, so business aviation pilots are encouraged to participate in this project by filling out a survey online at www.geocities.com/qfdsurvey. For more information, contact project coordinator Yesim Sireli at asireli@odu.edu.

AVOID TRAVEL DELAYS IN MID-STATE NEW YORK THIS WEEK
Operators flying to mid-state New York this week may encounter delays enroute on Thursday, August 8 and Sunday, August 11 in conjunction with NASCAR racing at Watkins Glen. More than 100 additional aircraft are expected to fly into Elmira Corning Regional (ELM) and Tompkins County (ITH) in Ithaca. NBAA Northeast Regional Representative Dean Saucier reports, "Having experienced the congestion at Concord Municipal Airport (CON) in Concord, NH during the New England 300, the best advice I can offer is to adjust flight times and airport arrivals and destinations so as to avoid the departures. ATC did a remarkable job in launching aircraft; however, you have to have a lot of time and patience." For more information, contact Saucier at dsaucier@nbaa.org.

GEORGETOWN, TX CAN'T MOVE AIRPORT; TEXAS DOT SAYS STOP GROWTH
The City of Georgetown, TX can't restrict development, amend the airport master plan legally or move the airport without being in conflict with the contractual obligations contained in grant agreement assurances. David Fulton, director of the Texas DOT Aviation Division, advised the city counsel that it would be "extremely unlikely that either the FAA or TxDOT would agree to rescind grant agreement obligations." A small and vocal local group has been encouraging the city counsel to limit airport growth and operations. For more information, contact NBAA's Paul Smith at psmith@nbaa.org.

CENTRAL TEXAS AIRPORT SITE SELECTION COMMITTEE NEWS
The Central Texas Airport Site Selection Committee is currently reviewing proposals to conduct a site selection/feasibility study for the planned Central Texas Airport. FAA funding for this study will be administered by the Texas DOT Aviation Division. For more information, contact NBAA's Paul Smith at psmith@nbaa.org.

MODIFICATION TO HOUSTON CLASS B AIRSPACE
The FAA is proposing a modification to Houston Class B Airspace that is intended to accommodate the proposed new Runway 26R at Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH). To ensure that adequate public input is received, Class B public meetings will be held on August 27 and 29 and September 4. For more information, contact NBAA's Paul Smith at psmith@nbaa.org.

NORTH CAROLINA BUSINESS AVIATION ASSOCIATION UPDATE
The North Carolina Business Aviation Association (NCBAA) held its third formative meeting last week and should be incorporated shortly. It is forming several committees, including technical and regulatory, membership, public relations, government action, airports and ATC. NBAA Members in North Carolina that would like to join NCBAA should contact Brian Elliott at Progressive Energy. NCBAA's next meeting will be held August 28 at Raleigh-Durham Airport (RDU). For more information, contact NBAA's Dean Saucier at dsaucier@nbaa.org.

CONNECTICUT BUSINESS AVIATION GROUP UPDATE
At the recent Connecticut Business Aviation Group (CBAG) meeting, Louis Cutillo, director of the CT Bureau of Ports and Airports, stated that Connecticut does not plan on initiating its own security measures and procedures as some other states have done but instead will follow Transportation Security Administration (TSA) guidelines. He stressed the importance of keeping the lines of communication open between CBAG and NBAA during these stressful times. For more information about the meeting or CBAG, contact NBAA's Dean Saucier at dsaucier@nbaa.org.

WHITE PLAINS GA DESK PRESENTATION RECAP
NBAA's Jo Damato and Bob Lamond made a GA Desk Presentation on August 1 in White Plains, NY. Before an audience of 35 attendees, Lamond explained the advantages of the NBAA General Aviation (GA) Desk at the FAA Air Traffic Control System Command Center and identified who may benefit the most from this NBAA Member service. In addition, Damato discussed the methods available to all pilots in reducing delays and the options available during SWAPs and STMPs. For more information about the NBAA GA Desk, contact Lamond at rlamond@nbaa.org.

NEBRASKA BUSINESS AVIATION ASSOCIATION GOLF TOURNAMENT
The Nebraska Business Aviation Association (NeBAA) will hold their 2nd Annual Golf Tournament at the Players Club of Omaha (http://www.playersclubomaha.com ) on Tuesday, August 13. The member-guest tournament will raise funds for both NeBAA and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). For more information, contact NBAA's Paul Smith at psmith@nbaa.org.

FLIGHT ATTENDANTS CONFERENCE FOCUSED ON SECURITY
Read NBAA Flight Attendants Committee member Michele Smith's overview of the 2002 Flight Attendants Conference, which provided opportunities for networking and information sharing on a range of topics, including aviation safety and security, emergency procedures, effective communication and catering.
www.nbaa.org/committees/fltatt/article_smith.htm

AUG 22 DEADLINE FOR FOUR NBAA SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS
August 22 is the application deadline for four NBAA scholarships: the Lawrence Ginocchio Aviation Scholarship, the IBAA PDP Scholarship, the USAIG PDP Scholarship and the William M. Fanning Maintenance Scholarship. These four scholarships account for $39,000 of the $100,0000 awarded annually by NBAA. For more information contact NBAA's Jay Evans at jevans@nbaa.org or visit:
http://www.nbaa.org/scholarships/

NBAA TO HOST AUG 19 BRIEFING ABOUT GA ACCESS TO DCA
On August 19, NBAA will host a briefing on the status of general aviation (GA) access to Reagan National Airport (DCA). All interested parties are invited to attend the August 19 briefing, which will be held at DCA. To RSVP or for more information, contact NBAA's Marie Wilkins at mwilkins@nbaa.org.

EXEMPLARY PERFORMANCE IN SOMERSET, PA
At the onset of the recent coal mine rescue in Somerset, Pennsylvania, PA State Pilots Tom Jacoby and Bill Slabonik were given the task of flying Pennsylvania Governor Mark S. Schweiker to the Somerset County Airport on July 25 at 11:30 pm on understandably short notice. Since the crew did not have time to plan fully for the three day trip, Rusty Martz, manager of the airport, kept the terminal open after hours, ensured telecommunications availability and provided ground transportation to the crew so they could find and get food and rest. The efforts of all parties helped make the governor's trip safe, secure and successful. NBAA Northeast Regional Representative Dean Saucier reports, "This is what distinguishes business aviation personnel. They make impossible transportation challenges happen." NBAA kudos for Tom, Bill, Rusty and all those who contributed to the success of this remarkable rescue. For more information, contact Saucier at dsaucier@nbaa.org.