NBAA Convention News 2012

The Lindbergh Foundation chose the first day of the 2012 NBAA Convention to award its prestigious Corporate Award for Balance to Aviation Partners Boeing, a joint venture between Aviation Partners (API) and Boeing created in 1999 to equip Boeing aircraft with API’s blended winglet technology. The winglets have saved billions of gallons of jet fuel and significantly improved the performance specifications of Boeing jetliners.

Continuing its mission to educate the public and elected officials about the importance of general aviation, the Alliance for Aviation Across America (AAAA) held a press conference on the eve of the NBAA Convention in Orlando to highlight the advocacy organization’s recent achievements.

Safe Flight Instrument introduced its AutoPower Citation X autothrottle system during the NBAA Convention. The system can operate in speed dominate or power dominate mode. It also has a retard mode for landing. “Passenger comfort is just one of the advantages of this system,” said Ken Bannon, manager of corporate marketing for the company. “The system reduces crew workload, stabilizes approaches, limits airspeed overshoots and contributes to fuel savings.”

Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based FBO Banyan Air Service will be the launch customer for a new ground accident avoidance system. RampTrack, by Wingspan Systems, will help prevent ramp and hangar accidents by tracking aircraft on the ground and issuing a warning if they are at risk of striking a building, another aircraft, vehicle or person. Using redundant sensors, intelligent software and visual as well as aural alarms, the system reduces the chance of hangar rash due to contact with toolboxes or ground tugs while aircraft are being moved or taxiing.

There are two new iPad apps for the complex world of international flying, released by Scott International Procedures Training. They’re both designed to help pilots keep relevant bits of necessary information close at hand in the cockpit without paper. The first app is Scott’s International Cockpit Reference Handbook, traditionally a spiral-bound text designed for rapid recall of important topics such as special oceanic flight operations, SOPs by phase of flight for oceanic crossings, normal and contingency operating procedures for oceanic and U.S.

Helicopter service provider Associated Air Group is launching a new customer referral program. Existing clients can earn flight refers by introducing new clients to AAG.

AAG has more than 20 years experience providing helicopter and fixed-wing charter flights, fractional ownership programs and helicopter maintenance services for locations at Teterboro, New York and Philadelphia, and it operates and owns a Part 145-approved Sikorsky certified repair center at Dutchess County Airport, New York.

Universal Weather & Aviation has expanded its European emissions trading scheme (EU-ETS) portal to provide better access for operators looking to purchase carbon credits. “For business aviation operators, Phase III of EU-ETS will be the first time they’ve been required to participate in the carbon market,” said Adam Hartley, Universal’s supervisor of global regulatory services. To minimize confusion on the part of customers, the company has selected CFP Energy to serve as a carbon brokerage, and extended its 24/7 support and assistance with ETS monitoring and reporting requirements.

Flight department managers are often overwhelmed by the variety of annual training required to keep a department humming. Keeping track of a dozen vendors can be quite a challenge in itself. Trainingport.net is a single online business-aviation resource for customized operational safety and occupational-health safety training. Trainingport.net delivers web-hosted content for pilots and other industry professionals to maintain currency. The company delivers concise 15-minute training sessions built around the material produced by a number of industry subject-matter experts.

Bombardier signed an engine service agreement with Rolls-Royce that authorizes the airframer’s service centers in Dallas, Tucson, Ariz., Hartford, Conn. and Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to perform maintenance on the BR710 engine that powers the Global Express/XRS/5000/6000. Under the agreement, Bombardier’s service centers can perform line maintenance and engine removals on the engines, which will be sent to Rolls-Royce for heavy maintenance.