As usual, many things are happening in the aviation world. Take a minute to catch up on some of the biggest stories of the week.
Flying to Indianapolis on Sunday will be challenging indeed. The FAA expects a record number of private flights in the area that day, and three temporary towers have been erected to deal with traffic. The National Business Aviation Association has all the resources you need to plan your private flight to the Super Bowl. Take care of the details so you can enjoy the game! Go Patriots! Go Giants!
Honda to Release Bizjet Next Year
Boasting operational costs as low as $1,000-$1,200 per hour, the HondaJet will be released in 2013. Honda began taking orders for the quiet, economical aircraft in 2006, and the automaker-turned-jetmaker plans to roll out 80 within the first half of 2013. The company fully expects to see a profit by 2018.
Do you think Honda will be profitable in five years? What if American carmakers started turning their attention to jets — would we all be flying everywhere individually, like the Jetsons?
Oklahoma Governor Opposes $100-Per-Flight Fee
The White House has declined a petition that calls for the abandonment of the plan to institute a $100-per–flight fee for general aviation. This fee would be used to pay for air traffic control; the Obama administration maintains that the current fuel tax does not bring in sufficient funds. Some legislators and governors, including Gov. Mary Fallin of Oklahoma, are speaking out against the fee. They point to recent tough economic times for general aviation as well as its significance to the economy as reasons to protest the proposed fee.
General Aviation in California Threatened by Avgas Suit
The Center for Environmental Health (CEH) has brought a lawsuit against suppliers and producers of 100-low-lead fuel, or avgas, used by piston-engine airplanes. The organization claims that the public was not warned about exposure to the leaded fuel, and this omission constitutes a violation of California law. Ostensibly, the suit is being brought in an attempt to hurry the process of finding an alternative, lead-free fuel to replace avgas.