NBAA Flight Plan Podcasts

Jim Lara, secretary of NBAA's Safety Committee, said that the sixth item on the committee's list of Top 10 safety concerns is the "impact of technology," specifically the steep learning curve for constantly evolving avionics and ATC technologies. "One of the big things we're seeing is that there's a dependency on technology that contributes to the atrophy of basic stick and rudder skills," he said. "So when the automation goes south, what happens?"

As in any industry, te college graduates who have the best chance at finding jobs soonest after graduating are those who planned ahead, and students in collegiate aviation programs are no exception. "I would say 50 to 60 percent of those who will have jobs right after graduation are those who were interns. The rest will jump on the job fairs, career fairs and events like NBAA2013," said Brian Carhide, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University executive director of career services. Learn more about aviation employment opportunities for 2013 collegiate aviation graduates in this week's NBAA Flight Plan podcast.

One of the problems with circling-to-land approaches is unstabilized approaches airplanes being too fast and too high at the end of the circling maneuver, said Richard Boll, a member of the NBAA Access Committee and chairman of the Airspace, Air Traffic and Flight Technologies Working Group. After almost 20 years of discussion, the FAA has started increasing the area of protected airspace devoted to circling approaches. This week's NBAA Flight Plan podcast has the story.

The European Business Aviation Association hopes to bring a consultant online to assess the economic impact of the problem of illegal charters in the region. Once the consultant's report is in hand, EBAA will approach both the EU Commission and the EU Parliament asking for legal remedies to the problem of illegal charter flight operations. Learn more in this week's edition of the NBAA Flight Plan podcast.

As business aircraft operators gather at the Palexpo Convention Center in Geneva, Switzerland from May 21 to 23 for the European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE2013), safety will be a major focus of EBACE programming. On Monday, May 20, the EBACE Safety Workshop will provide critical safety information corresponding directly to human performance. "Eight out of 10 aviation accidents are caused not by mechanical failures, but by human failures. This workshop focuses specifically on human performance issues," said Brian Humphries, president of the European Business Aviation Association, which along with NBAA, hosts EBACE.

The four newest Certified Aviation Managers say their new CAM credential will help them advance professionally. "I was looking for a way to expand my knowledge and open up new opportunities. CAM seemed a great path to continued professional development and career enhancement," explained Troy Ladue, executive flight coordinator for Mass Mutual.

Joe Gunter, mayor of Salinas, CA, said if the tower closes at Salinas Municipal Airport (SNS), it will financially hurt his town. The airport is a $40 million industry. he said. Listen to this week's NBAA Flight Plan podcast for more on how towns across America would be hurt if the FAA goes through with its plans to close 149 towers.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts the number of aircraft pilots, copilots and flight engineers in this country will grow by 11.1 percent between 2010 and 2020; however, educators suggest the number of aspiring pilots entering flight training is dwindling. Will there be a shortage of qualified personnel coming into the aviation pipeline? If so, how critical will it be? This week's NBAA Flight Plan podcast reports on this timely issue and interviews three university experts about ways to attract new talent to the business aviation workforce in the years to come.

The United Kingdom's new Air Passenger Duty (APD) went into effect earlier this month, but European Business Aviation Association President and CEO Brian Humphries said there has been opposition to the APD. The aviation community and the traveling public appear united against the APD, Ireland, he said, has taken it out and the Isle of Man has refused to apply it.

As the Chinese government prepares next month to open up the airspace under 1,000 meters to general aviation traffic, business aviation in China is expected to grow 20 to 25 percent over the next decade, according to according to Jason Liao, NBAA's chief representative in Asia and chairman and CEO of the China Business Aviation Group. Learn more in this week's edition of NBAA Flight Plan podcast.

As a one-year moratorium on the European Union's Emissions Trading Scheme moves closer to reality, implementation of EU-ETS within Europe will take place as scheduled on April 30.

In this week's edition of the NBAA Flight Plan podcast, Lisa Piccione, NBAA Senior Vice President, Government Affairs, discusses the latest action taken by congress to oppose aviation user fees, and details a quick and easy step NBAA Members can take to make sure lawmakers remain aware of industry's opposition to such fees.

For $100, attendees of the Partnership for Corporate Aviation Training's annual Safety Smackdown get three days of training, eight hours each day. For smaller flight departments without the financial resources for a comprehensive training program, it's a valuable resource.

Courses for a new specialization in business aviation being offered at the University of North Dakota were created by industry professionals with real-world experience. In this issue of NBAA's Flight Plan podcast, Department Chairman Kent Lovelace, who also sits on the governing board of NBAA's Certified Aviation Manager program, said the program is designed to bring new blood into the industry.

Currently, purchasing an aircraft in India requires permission from the Minister of Civil Aviation, said Rohit Kapur, president of the Business Aircraft Operators Association of India. Also, infrastructure and tax issues need to be address to grow the industry, something Rohit is confident will happen.