In his State of the Union address before a joint session of Congress on Tuesday, President Obama embraced U.S. manufacturing in his “blueprint” for revitalizing the economy and job creation.

While encouraging, the General Aviation Manufacturers Association hopes the president will abandon his depreciation tax proposal on business aviation that would hurt the economic recovery of the general aviation manufacturing industry.

“While we commend President Obama for his emphasis on manufacturing, we continue to warn of the negative impact his depreciation tax proposal would have on the sale of business aviation aircraft,” said GAMA President and CEO Pete Bunce. “We urge President Obama to fix his blind spot when it comes to the economic importance of business aviation. Going down the road of a changed depreciation schedule will do damage to the general aviation manufacturing industry and its hard-working employees.”

Bunce continued, “Our industry has suffered tremendously during the economic downturn. We stand ready to work with the Administration on policies that promote, rather than weaken, U.S. manufacturing.”

NBAA encouraged by reports of congressional agreement on FAA reauthorization

NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen expressed optimism following news reports that a congressional agreement reached on January 20 is expected to pave the way for House and Senate votes on a reauthorization bill for the Federal Aviation Administration.

"We are encouraged by the reports that aviation policy leaders in the House and Senate have reached agreement on a long-sought, multi-year reauthorization bill for the FAA . . . Having such a measure signed into law is the best way to ensure that the agency has the guidance needed for pursuing long-term initiatives, including implementation of a Next Generation Air Traffic System and other priorities."

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Most popular charter aircraft for 2011

In a year that saw worldwide private jet charter demand make modest but fluctuating gains, U.S.-based New Flight Charters reports the most popular aircraft chosen for charter flights in 2011 along with its strong increase in charter flight business.

Data is from the company’s 2011 North America charter activity, including 1,105 separate flights with 587 charters, which showed notable increases of 27.2% and 16.9% respectively over prior year results.

Light Jets were by far the most popular size chartered, and were almost half (44.6%) of all charters in 2011. Midsize Jets accounted for 21.1%.

Top aircraft in categories

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Paula Kraft, founder and President of Atlanta, GA-based Tastefully Yours Catering, gives a glimpse behind the scenes of an Aviation Caterer.

A Glimpse Behind the Scenes

	am frequently queried about my profession. Many think it glamorous to cater for the “rich
and famous”. Glamorous, No, an honor, Yes. Let me provide a glimpse of exactly what goes on behind the scenes of an aviation caterer.

Through my travels around the globe and visiting various catering operations, I’ve concluded that most aviation caterers tend to operate in a similar fashion. Let me begin by stating that I understand who my clients are and the privacy they deserve from me. I don’t discuss the people flying, their food preferences, or other miscellaneous requests.

Yes, I get to prepare meals for famous people, but I rarely get to meet them. Personally I believe their privacy is an ethical thing, something I am trusted not to divulge.

As an aviation catering business we don’t have the perfect schedule; we don’t have one specific job to perform.  We must learn it all - from shopping for special requests, to dishwashing, floor scrubbing, cooking one of this and one of that, from baking and preparing cold trays to delivery. The hours are crazy - never really knowing how much work you will have in a given day, unlike those of a “normal” caterer.

Do you ever wonder what goes on in an aviation catering kitchen once the order is placed? read more

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XOJET delivers over 30% growth in flight hours in 2011

XOJET Inc. has achieved over 30% year-over-year growth in flight hours in 2011, once again exceeding the performance of the overall private aviation industry which grew 5% in 2011, according to data from the Federal Aviation Administration.

The company's continued growth has been limited by fleet size as demand has consistently exceeded capacity. To drive continued growth in 2012, XOJET is aggressively investing in the expansion of its fleet of customized XOJET aircraft. At last October's NBAA conference, XOJET announced an order for 12 custom Hawker 800XP aircraft from Hawker Beechcraft. Seven of these aircraft were introduced into the fleet this month.

"We attribute our dramatic growth to our innovative business model, which allows us to listen to our customers and quickly adapt to their needs," said XOJET President, Bradley Stewart. "The new flight programs we introduced in 2011 - XOJET Coast2Coast(TM) and XOJET Preferred Access(TM), the addition of Hawker 800XP aircraft to the fleet, and our fresh approach to customer service are all ideas which were initiated through dialog with our loyal customers."

In September 2011, XOJET opened the doors of a new 22,000-square-foot state-of-the art Operations Center in Sacramento, CA, on the former site of McClellan Air Force Base.

read more

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NBAA

Record-setting exhibitor count at 2012 S&D

The National Business Aviation Association announced that its 23rd Annual Schedulers & Dispatchers Conference wrapped up in San Diego, CA, with a record 407 Exhibitors, as well as 2,536 registered Attendees over the course of the three-day event in the southern California city.

"The importance of the work done by schedulers and dispatchers to ensure business aviation operates smoothly and safely cannot be overstated," said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen. "This year's conference again demonstrated the critical role of these professionals, and the need for an event that brings them together to share information and best practices. We are delighted with the strong participation we've seen at the event by Attendees and Exhibitors alike."

Bolen added that the attendance figure for this year's conference marks its second-highest turnout, an 11-percent increase over the 2011 event.

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New ETA Test Centre opens in Hong Kong

Oxford Aviation Academy and Emery Roberts have launched a new English Test for Aviation (ETA) test centre at OAA’s training facility at Hong Kong International Airport.

Developed in 2010, ETA provides for both direct and semi-direct testing of English speaking and listening skills complying fully with all ICAO guidance on language testing within aviation.

The new centre, managed by OAA with the support of Emery Roberts, will deliver ETA services to aviation customers across Asia Pacific. A team of five examiners - three English language experts and two aviation subject matter experts - have successfully completed the intensive examiner training session which culminated in a site visit by representatives of the Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department.

Commenting on the launch, Henry Emery, Director of Testing at Emery Roberts, said “We are excited to be offering an independent, quality language testing service to pilots and flight crew in Hong Kong with our partners at Oxford Aviation Academy. In addition, we at ER are delighted to have established a presence in the Asia Pacific region, and we recognise this is a first and important step towards providing a full range of specialist language proficiency training and testing services to the industry in Asia.”

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People

Air Charter Service

Brian Hope Brian Hope has joined leading aircraft charter provider, Air Charter Service, to head up the company’s Inclusive Tour and ACMI sales division. Hope brings with him over 25 years of experience in the aviation industry having worked in operations, finances, sales and broking. Matthew Purton, Commercial Jets Director, commented: “Brian will be a great asset to our commercial jets team, and will be managing the division. Building on our current large market share of the niche that is inclusive tours, he will also be further strengthening our relationships with airlines and selling their spare capacity as well as offering sub-services.”

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Gulfstream

Eric Stuck Gulfstream has named Eric Stuck senior manager, New Business Development, within the Gulfstream Product Support organization. Reporting to Matt Huhn, director, Product Support Business and Program Support, his primary responsibility is to oversee the development of aftermarket avionics and cabin electronics modification programs for Gulfstream aircraft. Stuck has 28 years of experience in the aviation industry, including 15 in product support sales and program management. Previously, he worked for Hawker Beechcraft, Bombardier, Banyon Air Services and AMR Combs. Stuck was an avionics technician/repair supervisor in the U.S. Air Force from 1983 until 1992.

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	What people are saying about BlueSky:
Man, people read your publication! We received all kinds of nice comments from our clients and friends this morning who were pleasantly surprised to see Ashely (Bowen Cook's) column in BlueSky. Deanna Harms, Executive Vice President, Gtereman Group, Wichita.

on Terry Drinkard's Industry Insight:
I like your thinking, your logic, your down-to-Earth and
positive writing. Peter Hartmann,
CEO, Premium Jet AG, Zurich.

Emergency response drill at Addison Airport, Texas.

The world's largest Private Jet fleet - NetJets Europe.

Part 135 Incident/Accident Review 2004/10 The Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) has published its Part 135 Incident/Accident Review 2004-2010. The intent of the report is to identify the purpose, weather conditions, and phase of flight for Part 135 on-demand charter-related accidents within the United States. The report is unlike others of its kind produced by the National Transportation Safety Board, Federal Aviation Administration or other groups in that it determines the specific type of mission of each accident flight. The report also includes a review of non-revenue flights associated with Part 135 operators, such as positioning legs, maintenance ferry flights, and instructional flights. To download a copy of ACSF's Part 135 Incident/Accident Review 2004-2010 click here

BlueSky's '25 Most Popular Business Aviation Departure Airports in Europe' in association with Avinode

This fortnightly popularity ranking is based on the number of unique flight requests with their first passenger leg departing out of IACO codes starting with E, L, and U, transmitted through the Avinode Marketplace over the last 30 days. When followed over longer stretches of time this chart will give you a sense of seasonal changes in-flight patterns and general flight patterns in Europe.

For the full list of 25, click here

POSITION			AIRPORT	NAME / NEAREST CITY	(PREV)
1			UUWW	VNUKOVO, MOSCOW	(1)
2			LSGG	GENEVA COINTRIN	(3)
3			LFPB	LE BOURGET, PARIS	(2)
4			EGGW	LUTON, LONDON	(4)
5			LFLB	AIX LES BAINS	(9)

Comlux takes delivery of brand new Airbus ACJ319 available for charter Comlux has taken delivery of a brand new Airbus ACJ319 under management contract for an undisclosed customer. The aircraft, available on the VIP charter market, is the 6th VIP aircraft managed and operated by Fly Comlux in Russia. The fleet based in Moscow includes now: 1 ACJ318, 2 Global XRS, 1 Global 5000 and 1 Challenger 605. The ultra spacious ACJ319 cabin is certified for 19 passengers and has been designed by Comlux Creatives’ designer, Tim Callies. The main room offers  a VIP lounge with L-shaped divan, two club seats and a large dining table for 6 guests. At the front of the cabin, a fully private compartment offers a large bedroom with 2 beds completed by a dedicated bathroom with shower. The cabin features also a first class seating area at the back for the guests of the Principal. read more

Nominations welcome for 2012 European Business Aviation Award The European Business Aviation Association and National Business Aviation Association, the co-organizers of the European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE), are calling for nominations for the 2012 European Business Aviation Award. The award honours individuals and/or companies who have made a significant contribution to the advancement of business aviation in Europe, and is presented each year to one or more individuals and/or companies during EBACE. full details Malta First for aviation training In Malta Growth in the aviation sector in Malta in the last few years has attracted a number of foreign aircraft operators to its shores. Recent changes in Malta's legislation and the attractive working climate are incentives that make Malta a good place to do aviation business. A niche market being developed by a local aviation consultancy firm BizAv Services together with their Swiss partners PrivatAir SA of Geneva is air crew training. The training involves a number of technical subjects in addition to survival training and service training for air crew. read more

'Aviation Industry Leader of the Year' award for Jeppesen CEO Mark Van Tine, president and CEO of Jeppesen, a unit of Boeing Flight Services, was recognized Friday night as the “Aviation Industry Leader of the Year” by the Living Legends of Aviation during a gala held in Beverly Hills, Calif. The prestigious aviation industry award recognizes the professional dedication and motivational leadership qualities embodied by Van Tine throughout his 30-year career with Jeppesen. Mark Van Tine, president and CEO of Jeppesen accepts the 'Aviation Industry Leader of the Year' award during the Living Legends of Aviation Gala. Under the leadership of Van Tine, Jeppesen has accelerated the pace of the paper to digital flight information transformation, highlighted by the recent development of industry-leading mobile solutions for iPad and tablet computing. Van Tine also serves as a committee chair for the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) and continues to lead the development of innovative Jeppesen solutions to enable safe and efficient transportation around the globe. read more

Bahrain Airshow closes with all-round reports of another great success The second Bahrain International Airshow has come to a close with its reservations book for the next edition in 2014 looking extremely healthy. Many of this year’s participating companies are now already looking forward to repeating the experience again in two years time. The three-day show hosted 37 companies including international and regional major players such as Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier, GE, Gulf Air, Lockheed Martin, SELEX Sistemi Integrati TAG Aviation, Red Wings and  United Aircraft Corporation. 18 civil delegations were invited and 20 military delegations attended from 15 countries. 35 countries in total were represented and 700 international media were accredited to attend and report on the event. Over 20,000 trade visitors attended over the three days and over 22,000 attended the public event which took place in an arena close to the airbase. These figures show an increase of more than 10,000 on visitor numbers in 2010. read more

Airvod secures deals with Rotana Jet and Privat Air Airvod Entertainment Ltd has announced supply agreements with UAE-based Rotana Jet Aviation and Switzerland's Privat Air. The deals will see Airvod supply In-Flight Entertainment solutions for Rotana's A319 aircraft and Privat Air’s BBJs. Terry Bonar, CEO of Airvod Entertainment Ltd said, “Airvod is continuing to build on the success of 2011 and the partnerships with Rotana Jet Aviation and Privat Air are a great way for Airvod to kick off 2012. Last year the aviation sector began a noticeable transfer of focus away from the more traditional IFE providers, in favour of the new players in the sector." read more

Germany Lufthansa introduces Lufthansa Private Jet service to North America Lufthansa has announced that it will introduce its Lufthansa Private Jet service to the North American market on February 1. The new service will provide connections from 21 North American cities and is made possible through an expanded relationship with NetJets - building on the popular Lufthansa Private Jet service already operated in Europe in conjunction with NetJets Europe. “Lufthansa Private Jet has been hugely successful in Europe, enhancing the region’s luxury travel options with service to more than 1,000 destinations in Europe and the Russian Federation,” said Jürgen Siebenrock, Vice President The Americas. “Lufthansa and NetJets complement each other’s product offerings and, with this partnership expansion, premium passengers in North America can also access the same flexible, convenient and tailored Lufthansa Private Jet experience.” Bookings will be made directly through Lufthansa, with prices based on the aircraft and estimated flight time. Lufthansa Private Jet passengers will also accrue 10,000 frequent-flier miles per flight leg. Hawker Quick Response Team schedule for 2012 major events Hawker Beechcraft Global Customer Support has announced this year’s schedule for its Quick Response Team to provide on-site technical expertise and immediate support to owners and operators at popular business, political, sporting and lifestyle events across the globe: Davos World Economic Forum, Jan. 25-29 in Klosters, Switzerland Super Bowl XLVI on Feb. 5 in Indianapolis Daytona 500 NASCAR race on Feb. 26 in Daytona Beach, Fla. Masters Golf Tournament, April 5-8 in Augusta, Ga. Indianapolis 500 auto race on May 27 in Indianapolis, Ind. Summer Olympics, July 27-Aug. 12 in London Aircraft operators attending the can action a Hawker Beechcraft Quick Response Team by dialing 866.AOG.HELP (866.264.4357) for North America and +44(0)1244 523654 for international events.

Embraer confirms participation at Abu Dhabi Air Expo

Embraer has confirmed its participation in the First General Aviation Exhibition for the Middle East, Abu Dhabi Air Expo. The company will showcase the ultra-large Lineage 1000 executive jet at the show.

"We are very pleased to welcome Embraer Executive Jets, which was one of the first manufacturers to manifest its enthusiasm to participate at this first edition. Embraer Executive Jets portfolio will be well represented since partners such as Falcon Aviation Services and Al Jaber Aviation will also be presenting four Legacy 600s and two Lineage 1000s at the Abu Dhabi Air Expo," said Didier Mary, Exhibition Director. www.adairexpo.com

	Indian Business Aviation Expo
	21-22 February 2012
	The Grand Hotel, New Delhi, India.

An authoritative independent study, released on Tuesday, (carried out for the European Regions Airline Association and the European Business Aviation Association by internationally renowned consultants Mott MacDonald) shows that the European Commission’s proposed amendments to slot allocation regulation in the EU are based on incomplete and inaccurate analyses.

The study confirms that any gains from changes in slot allocation rules are likely to benefit non-EU economies, would lead to job losses throughout Europe and be detrimental to Europe’s air service connectivity, its economic and social well-being; particularly within the peripheral often disadvantaged regions of Europe.

The study identifies significant weaknesses in the impact assessment undertaken for the European Commission (on which its proposals are based) which include key areas that are inadequately analysed or include miscalculated or inaccurate economic and social benefit data. For example, the EC’s impact assessment acknowledges that regional air services would be adversely affected by the new slot proposals but fails to assess their impact on regional airports and economies in Europe’s peripheral areas. Our study concludes that the EC’s proposals would lead to job losses in peripheral areas which would exceed any job gains at Europe’s core airports. read more

United Arab Emirates Al Bateen reports strong increase in traffic through 2011 Al Bateen Executive Airport, operated and managed by Abu Dhabi Airports Company, has reported a 11% increase in overall commercial aviation movements compared with 2010 and more than a 50% increase in visiting business aviation traffic. These strong increases, achieved in a challenging economic climate, demonstrate the success of the airport in attracting corporate and VIP clients into the only dedicated business aviation airport in the GCC region. Steve Jones, General Manager, Al Bateen Executive Airport commented: “2011 was a very important and successful year for Al Bateen Executive Airport for Steve Jones several reasons. Not only did Al Bateen continue to grow its overall traffic strongly, but it also managed to attract over 124 new first time international business aviation customers, so reflecting its growing international reputation as the preferred business aviation destination or stop over in the Middle East. read more Jamie Laidlaw Dickson

London 2012 Airspace - Helicopter Charter Implications

As part of our countdown to the London Olympics, Jamie Laidlaw Dickson of UK helicopter and private jet charter company, Execflyer, clears the confusion surrounding airspace regulations.

Helicopter movements in particular will be restricted more than any other form of air transport due to their relatively small size and ability to land almost anywhere.

Having spoken to numerous commercial helicopter operators it seems that there is widespread confusion around what can and can’t be done.

To clear up this confusion, I spoke directly with the CAA (Civil Aviation Authority) who are responsible for enforcing these airspace restrictions along with NATS (National Air Traffic Services), in order to get a clear view of what to expect during the games.

As for any large event, security in the areas surrounding the Olympic venues is paramount given the current terrorism threats. To maintain security in the air, two separate zones have been set up in London’s Airspace. These are known as the Prohibited Zone and the Restricted zone. read more

AeroMedevac Ireland partners Australia's Careflight International

AeroMedevac Ireland Limited (AMI), the indigenous Irish based air ambulance service and Careflight International of Australia have entered into a co-operative agreement to support Europe/Australasia reciprocal repatriation coverage for medical emergencies that Irish and Australian citizens may find themselves in while visiting these regions of the world.

Keith Trower, AeroMedevac Ireland CEO,comments:

“The benefits of this arrangement will ensure that AMI can now ensure immediate medical intervention on behalf of their clients for anyone who is unfortunate enough to need assistance while in Australia."

Dr. Fergal Cummins, Medical Director AMI, Peter Murphy, Darwin Base Manager, Careflight International and Mark Duggan, AMI Operations Manager.

"Similarly Careflight can call on AeroMedevac Ireland resources to support repatriations to Australia from Ireland and the UK. Our reach is increasingly global, offering the traveller access to our services wherever they may find themselves, safe in the knowledge that we can organise their medical repatriation in the minimum amount of time to the highest standard.”

Pictured above:

CareFlight-Australia Super King Air 200 N987KA made a courtesy call to AMI at Dublin International Airport late January. The aircraft is the latest addition to their fleet of King Air 200 and, LearJet 36s & was enroute South Africa - USA for additional conversion work, including larger cabin door, before delivery to Queensland, Australia.

Air Partner, the global private jet specialist, is sponsoring Everton Football Club’s Russian midfielder Diniyar Bilyaletdinov.

“Air Partner has close links with various sectors of the sports industry and a long history of organising private charter flights to and from Russia,” said David Macdonald, Air Partner Private Jets Director.

“As we are very active in Russia and have Moscow-based account management providing local personal services for the company’s private jet ad hoc and JetCard membership clients, it seemed appropriate to sponsor a popular and prominent Russian player in support of our many clients who follow Diniyar in the English Premier League.”

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Switzerland

PrivatAir places order for Bombardier C Series aircraft

PrivatAir has placed a firm order for five Bombardier CS100 airliners and has taken options on an additional five CS100 aircraft.

Based on the list price for the CS100 aircraft, the firm order contract is valued at approximately $309m, and could increase to $636m if the five options are exercised. read more

Bombardier CS100

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Russia

Hawker 900XP receives Russian type certification

Hawker has received type certification for the Hawker 900XP midsize business jet from the Interstate Aviation Committee (IAC) Aviation Registry in Russia.

In addition to Russia’s approval, the Hawker 900XP has also achieved type certification from more than 50 countries around the world.

“The Hawker 900XP is ideally suited to the Russian market and with this certification we believe the aircraft will be in great demand with charter companies and those with a corporate or private fleet in the region,” said Sean McGeough, HBC president, Europe, Middle East and Africa. “The aircraft is capable of transporting eight passengers and two crew members at a distance of 5,069 km, making it possible for the majority of Russia to be accessed from any point. Furthermore, the Hawker 900XP can reach any point in Europe from Moscow or St. Petersburg.”

User fees: GAMA responds to perfunctory White House response The White House has responded to a request from over 8000 petitioners to review their policy of imposing general aviation user fees. read more, plus: NBAA not buying White House response

PrivateFly's Top 10 Industry Predictions for 2012 The private charter network looks ahead to a year of opportunity and innovation, despite difficult economic conditions read

The Cycle in Aviation Optimists call it upstream. Pessimists say downstream. The fact is that aviation runs in 7 to 10 year cycles. It mirrors the state of the economy. But is it chicken or egg? View from the East by Dagmar Grossmann. read

Connecting Big Time After years of hearing how great NBAA’s schedulers and dispatchers conference is, colleague Kevin Jenks and I jetted off to San Diego to experience it ourselves. We’re glad we did. NBAA 23rd Annual Schedulers & Dispatchers Conference by Ashley Bowen Cook.  read

NBAA Outstanding Achievement & Leadership award recipient named read

The Many Conveniences of Flying on a Private Jet Whether you’re a frequent flyer for business or pleasure, flying on a private jet is the ultimate in convenience. read