A synthetic vision system display. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

It’s 1.30 a.m. as the large-cabin business jet begins its circling approach to an unfamiliar airport located in mountainous terrain. The latest weather observation tells the crew there’s light rain/snow and, yes, fog in the area. Not long ago the flight would have been forced to divert to an alternate airport hundreds of miles away. Not tonight.

Even though the Captain can’t see outside his windscreen, his aircraft’s synthetic vision system (SVS) is giving him a “daylight view” of the airport and surrounding terrain.

Synthetic Vision Is Real

Synthetic vision systems were created by NASA and the U.S. Air Force back in the late 1970s to improve cockpit situational awareness, especially when operating in reduced visibility at low altitudes. Today it’s found in practically every new commercial, business and private aircraft. If your airplane doesn’t have it, there are plenty of companies, including Aspen Avionics, Garmin, Honeywell, Rockwell Collins and Universal Avionics, that offer retrofit SVS solutions. continue »

Just over a decade ago, Brazilian firm Embraer entered the business jet market with phenomenal success. Since then, Embraer has made equally significant inroads as a designer and manufacturer of regional jets.

In the past, commercial airframers have attempted to take their airliners to the corporate market with sometimes disastrous results. Embraer vaulted the trend. It initially translated its experience developing highly efficient airliners to the corporate jet market using airliner adaptations. For example, the company’s first business aircraft was the Legacy, an executive-configured version of one of Embraer’s most popular airliners, the ERJ135. Originally designed for the thin-margin regional airline market, this large-cabin jet had built-in operational efficiencies that allowed it to compete head-to-head with significantly smaller regional jets. continue »

As we near the so-called fiscal cliff I am reminded that the precipice can be a treacherous place for those of us who place a value on the unmistakable economic benefits of private aviation.

My thoughts go back to 1990 when Congress and the Administration were at impasse over budget issues. At the time, with a Republican in the White House and Democratic controlled Congress, the two parties were divided on how to deal with a deficit that had tripled during the Reagan Administration.  President Bush 1 and the Republicans believed the only way to cut the deficit was a tax reduction and Democrats thought the way to proceed was to raise taxes.

Sound familiar? continue »

During his successful bid for a second term, President Obama often bashed corporate jets as he called for greater revenues from the wealthy. So what will he do now as he attempts to negotiate a solution to the impending spending cuts and tax increases that will take place automatically, unless Congress and the administration agree on legislative changes? Is the Business Aviation community about to see higher costs of utilization and reduced access to airspace?

I trust that President Obama’s heated campaign rhetoric will fade as he seeks to facilitate business and stimulate economic growth. Surely he appreciates the unique value of Business Aviation. He and his cabinet members could not accomplish their critical work for our nation without business aircraft such as Air Force 1. Nor could Candidate Obama have reached so many voters without using the nation’s “corporate jet.” continue »

Since my youth, I’ve spent most Thanksgiving weekends either playing or watching football. This year was no exception. But for some reason it seemed like the games I watched involved more fumbles than usual, including one miscue in the Michigan-Ohio State game that must have been touched by nearly every player on the field. The net result was that Michigan lost the ball and a late opportunity to score in a very close game.

It was an all-too-apt metaphor for the “fumbled recovery” we’ve experienced in business aviation. In the corporate aircraft segment of the industry, we haven’t  generated much in the way of revenues since 2008, and it’s hard to relate to anyone who says the “Recovery” actually began in 2009. If that’s truly the case, why hasn’t anyone bothered to tell us in Wichita? continue »