The FAA launched a new campaign on Nov. 8, 2011, asking the entire GA community to increase its reporting of wildlife collisions with aircraft. The main outreach component of the effort includes the printing and distribution of 12,000 posters to the GA community. The poster, “Report Wildlife Strikes,” is designed for frequently used areas, like training and break rooms.
The Wright Brothers documented the first aircraft-wildlife collision in 1905 in Dayton, Ohio. Obviously, aircraft and birds have endured a tenuous relationship since the beginning of air travel.
The FAA has had a wildlife hazard management program in effect for more than 50 years. From 1990-2010, more than 121,000 strikes were reported, but only 6 percent of these instances were from GA. The FAA is trying to change that. The factsheet released Nov. 8 explains innovations the agency has made to make wildlife hazard reporting easier.
- The poster contains a QR code, so anyone with a smartphone that is QR-code equipped can report a wildlife strike.
- The FAA set up a new website that easily allows users to report an incident.
Wildlife strikes endanger human and animal lives, and they cause significant damage to private property. You can see the aftermath of these collisions at a gallery on the wildlife mitigation website. Access to comprehensive data about the number of incidents, localities and the species involved allows researchers and officials to improve safety at airports and in the air.
If you’re considering purchasing a private aircraft for your business, you’re not alone.
Recent trends indicate that business aviation activity is gaining ground. That means if you’re considering buying a jet, finding the right one at the right price will present more challenges.
Flight and manufacturing activity on the upswing
Aviation International News (AIN) reports that Part 91 flights (owner-operated aircraft) saw a year-over-year climb of 4.9 percent in August, and Part 91 light jet activity increased 10.3 percent.
Jet manufacturers and pundits also reported improvements in the market compared with last year:
- Gulfstream sales are expected to be up 14 to 15 percent this year, and the company’s production backlog includes orders for more than 200 G650s.
- Dassault Aviation Chairman Charles Edelstenne reports that its order intake for new Falcons in the first half of 2011 was 22 units, compared with orders for just two jets in the same period of 2010.
- Although business jet deliveries will remain flat this year at about 549 aircraft, they could rise to more than 650 next year, according to JPMorgan North American Equity Research’s latest business jet monthly report.
Tightening the search radius
Although an improving market is good news, it presents challenges for those looking to purchase a jet.
- More competition with other buyers in the market
- Longer wait for a new aircraft
- More limited inventory of used aircraft
To find the right aircraft at the right price, you’ll need insider information and expertise. That’s where a professional jet broker comes in.
Jet brokers consult closely with you about your requirements and constraints to discover the private jet that is most appropriate for you. They have in-depth knowledge of the available pre-owned jets for sale and can broker the purchase and the sale of private jets, using their own market and off-market connections. By knowing when “jets for sale” ads are about to come up, jet brokers ensure their clients are the first in the line for the perfect private jet.
Jet brokers will work with you to negotiate terms with the seller and even help you to procure financing and insurance. Your best bet for a good deal on a pre-owned jet is to rely on the expertise of a professional jet broker.
After talking about the NBA lockout and private jets I did some follow up research and found some interesting news related to the NBA and corporate jets. I have actually met and talked with Mark Cuban in Las Vegas in 2007 and he had flown into Vegas on one of his own private jets to speak at an event and conference where I was speaking. I didn’t get a chance to see his aircraft then but it was of note that he has not one but three private jets. Cuban of course is the owner of the world champion Dallas Mavericks.
Cuban’s Gulfstream G-550 was a $40Million purchase he actually made online. The interesting fact there is that he purchased the Gulfstream online making it the largest online transaction ever made by anyone. Cuban also is the owner of a Boeing 757 that is the team’s method of travel. The 757 includes a weight room and over sized seats for the tall team members, as well as meeting and coaching areas that includes the ability to view video of games and other resources. Cuban obviously understands what it is like to have a private corporate jet. He stated in an interview of his aircraft that it allows him the freedom and privacy he needs and has gone as far as to say he cannot live without his corporate jets. Cuban also owns a Boeing 767 that he has for charter.
The other NBA player and part owner of the Charlotte Bobcats is the very well known Michael Jordan. Jordan’s Gulfstream IV is listed as having an N-Number of N236MJ meaning his number of his jersey as 23 and the 6 representing the number of championships he won as a player in the NBA. The other notable information in the picture that was put out by Yardbarker is that Michael Jordan has put his logo on the tail and the color of the plane is the Carolina Blue of UNC where Jordan attended college and played. I also understand that when the plane is seen from underneath you can also see the number 23 and the Carolina Blue colors. Jordan may not be able to compete with the big markets in the NBA but he is tops in our book with his Gulfstream IV.
I have been following closely the “Occupy Wall Street” protests going on around the country to see if their protests have reached us here in the area of business aviation. To date, I have yet to see any specific attacks on the industry in spite of the fact that private and corporate jets and a major industry that is used by the 1% that is under scrutiny. It is true that the 1% that is being held up as part of the elite that is the target of the people that are protesting are a major contributor to the business aviation industry by way of purchasing and leasing private jets. It is also important to understand that the world of business aviation is a major contributor to well paying jobs and contributes to manufacturing and jobs that President Obama is trying desperately to bring back and make a part of his jobs bill.
In a letter and statement to President Obama, the National Business Aviation Association expressed their displeasure in what has been an underlying attack on the industry by statements made by the President, and in part I thought I would restate what the NBAA stated that may be pertinent:
Business aviation represents one of the great American industries. It generates highly skilled and well-paying jobs, including the kind of manufacturing jobs you have said are a priority for your administration. It brings economic development to thousands of communities with little or no scheduled airline service. It helps U.S. companies be efficient and flexible – important traits for businesses trying to compete in a global marketplace. And, business aviation helps our country care for its most vulnerable, whether responding to earthquakes and floods, transporting organs for patients, or taking cancer victims to treatment.
To date, the protests have not targeted our industry as an elite only industry, but I assume as they get better organized they will begin to hold out companies that cater to the 1%. I hope that the NBAA is working on a strategy to combat those claims and that they look at the overall industry instead of making disparaging remarks or making it appear that the industry is to blame for the current economic crisis.
For a copy of the NBAA June 30, 2011 advocacy letter to President Obama, it can be downloaded from their site.
The skies are soon going to be fully connected. I have talked before about how commercial airlines are slowly adopting the idea that they want to make Internet access available to their customers. Many commercial carriers are talking about equipping all of their planes with that ability. Gogo and Internet company that specializes in making it possible to access the Internet boasts of having 1166 aircraft that are equipped with their service. It is important that we have access to the Internet to help us stay connected in a fast moving world.
Private jets already have that ability and are easily equipped with Interact access. I have talked about Aircell, a company that equips aircraft with the ability to access the Internet. With technology traveling at the speed of light these days in order to stay connected we are also relying on mobile phones and smart phones that are connected. It stands to reason that we will be seeing more and more Internet access and phone access. Many of my friends are in a constant state of connectivity and must always be within reach of a way to communicate. They are chatting to business associates on airlines equipped with WiFi using Google+ and Skype and other technologies. Private jets are a great way to stay connected and the privacy that is afforded is priceless for those looking to stay connected and still not give away company secrets. You can also update your Facebook status and update everyone on Twitter!
Stay connected with Corporate Jet Insider while you are in the air by following us on Twitter and on Facebook. We would love to talk with you while you are in the sky.
With the NBA lockout now well past the 100 day mark and no real agreement being seen on the horizon, it makes me wonder about private jets of athletes, owners and others. As talks begin the heat up in the NBA lockout a private jet would be used as a way to get from meeting to meeting with the highest amount of privacy. Owners that need to meet with other owners and NBA officials may not want to fly a commercial flight and conduct discussions on the flight with other passengers present. They would need to be able to speak freely of contract negotiations and lockout details without the fear of others hearing the details of those negotiations.
Players involved with the NBA lockout are now finding other forms of employment. They are playing in other leagues around the world in other countries or are taking extended vacations during the lockout. As negotiations heat up for players to return to the NBA ad as they need to return quickly to be able to return to practice and ready for the new season, they will need to travel quickly. They also will need to speak to agents and negotiate deals and endorsements and would want to have a heightened amount of privacy. Private jets and corporate jets are the perfect vehicle for this type of travel.
For now it does not appear that the NBA lockout is reaching a stage that will allow much of the above to happen. I am hoping that it does end soon and not because I am staring at a blank television screen waiting for the games to begin, but because I am hoping all the pilots and crews of the private and corporate jets are all put back to work soon flying athletes and owners around the world and across the country.
I interested is always peaked when watching movies that have cameo appearances of private jets. Most of them are quick shots to set the scene of the stage or in this case screen. I have talked about this in previous posts when we see private jets. The latest occurred last week as I was watching Transformers, Dark of the Moon. In that particular movie we see a quick cameo shot of a private jet of a character Charlotte Mearing, the United States Director of National Security. The irony of having a private jet being used by a public employee won’t be discussed. Charlotte Mearing is played in the movie by Francis McDormand.
The jet itself is a Gulfstream and is owned by the movie’s director Michael Bay. The Gulfstream Aerospace G-1159A jet (registration number N4500X) makes a quick appearance and it is one of my favorite manufacturers in the private jet industry. I have included a picture here of the jet and of interest is the picture of the autobot on the tail. My thanks to Airport-Data.com for the image. The film itself show the jet flying which makes me wonder how they actually filmed the shot. Was it from another jet or from a commercial jet? I suppose we’ll have to get deeper into this but thanks to Michael bay for a great cameo of his private jet. Now we need to wonder what type of robot this plane will turn into.
It is day 2 of the 64th Annual National Business Aviation Association’s event in Las Vegas and it is at a fever pitch and is at its peak. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) was one of the speakers at the event and he talked about the benefits of business aviation and how it helps our country. He stated “Every state benefits from general aviation.” He went on to state that 1.2 million service and manufacturing jobs are derived from the industry.
On safety, Federal Aviation Administrator Randy Babbitt, cited the industry’s critical role: “We have the safest aviation system in the world, bar none,” he said. “The business aviation community, and NBAA in particular, plays a very important role in helping us achieve that fantastic safety record and success.” National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Deborah Hersman agreed, citing the number of corporate fatal accidents in the last year: “zero.”
Many other leaders in the world of business and in aviation also took the stage at the event in Las Vegas yesterday morning and others are on stage today. We will be consuming many more bits of information and sharing with you the information we get from the event.
The world is mourning the loss of a visionary and leader of the world of technology in Apple’s founder, Steve Jobs. He died yesterday after a battle of health issues including the ultimate loss due to pancreatic cancer. We here at Corporate Jet Insider also share in the loss as we respected Steve Jobs and his role in the world of technology and how it impacted business aviation.
We wrote about Mr. Jobs and his own corporate jet use and his choice of Gulfstream as his own private jet. Not only was he a leader using corporate jets in his day to day travel, his inventions and technology has changed the way we do business. We are preparing this article on an Apple computer while, listening to music played on an iPod, glancing at the iPhone for updated texts from business associates, and we also know that accessories like the iPad are changing our word in the cockpit.
Many cockpits are using the iPad and the applications contained thereon to file reports, to map flights and to keep clutter from occurring while flying. Steve Jobs has changed how some companies are doing business in the world of corporate jets and we thank him for his vision, the innovation he created and the impact he has had on our business and the industry as a whole. We mourn his loss and wish his Apple family the best in their time of loss.
I have been thinking about the case of Amanda Knox recently and how she has become the biggest story in the news recently. She is following another case of big hype in the case of, Casey Anthony, the mother accused of murdering her daughter. Finally, this also dovetails with the two men in Iran that were accused of spying and were recently released. All of them were very high profile cases and they garnered much attention and the press was in a frenzy to get pictures and to get that brief statement to add to their stories.
In the case of Casey Anthony it was most attentive to me because of the protection of her privacy once released by using a private or corporate jet to transport her from the site of the case to her destination. It was noted that the priovate jet took her away to a destination unknown. She had complete privacy when dealing with the spectacle she had become.
I noticed that following the release of Amanda Knox she decided to take a commercial flight from Italy to Seattle where she had to deal with the press and the photographers. She of course was celebrating her release from prison and her situation may have been different from that of Casey Anthony, but she chose not to have the ultimate privacy afforded by the use of a private or corporate jet. Amanda Knox also had to spend 30 hours traveling from Italy to Seattle and it could have been spent with her family alone without the public having access to her.
This is why so many celebrities choose to use private jets instead of using the public accessed commercial flights. Even first class flights don’t allow for the complete privacy and they also allow people to photograph and have contact with the celebrity.
