Despite the recent shutdown of supersonic business jet developer Aerion, industry and government R&D efforts continue to facilitate a new generation of quieter supersonic aircraft. That includes NASA’s Low Boom Flight Demonstrator (LBFD) project, which aims to conduct the first flight of the X-59 QueSST test bed in 2022. “All of this is related to changing the [noise] standards to open up the market for future commercial supersonic flight,” said LBFD Project Manager Cathy Baum, “which will then transition to likely business jets first and then large transport aircraft.”
In this episode of NBAA’s “Flight Plan,” host Rob Finfrock speaks with:
Cathy Bahm, NASA’s LBFD project manager
Larry Cliatt, NASA’s LBFD acoustic validation tech lead
Gautam Shah, NASA’s LBFD community testing sub-project Manager
Although business aviation is not a cause of aviation system delays, weather and other factors can pose unexpected travel challenges. If business aviation is in your planning this holiday season, it's best to prepare for potential delays.
Attracting the next generation of business aviation professionals is a top priority throughout the industry, and local and regional groups are often the first point-of-contact for students and young people seeking information about the industry and its potential opportunities.
The end of the year is often a stressful time for business aircraft operators that are grappling with tax issues, particularly if they've purchased an airplane hoping to take advantage of higher bonus depreciation rates. Aviation managers shouldn’t wait until the final weeks of the year to develop their tax strategy.
In the second part of our conversation about mental wellness, experts offer advice on what pilots should do when disclosing a condition such as depression or anxiety to their AME and how to ensure their case is addressed in a timely manner.