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Magellan Jets Attends NBAA 2011 in Las Vegas

From October 10-12, 2011, Magellan Jets proudly attended NBAA’s (National Business Aviation Association) conference which was held in Las Vegas, Nevada. For the aviation industry insiders, this annual event is imperative to attend for both networking and educational purposes alike. As a business tool, this convention yields amazing results for well-respected operators and industry specialists to unite. Buying decisions are weighed and executed at the NBAA and the relationships formed set the stage for the upcoming year. Magellan Jets spent the first day on the convention floor, interacting with exhibitors and other attendees. On Tuesday, they moved onto the Static Display of Aircraft at Henderson Executive Airport where the latest aircraft models were present for the attendees to view and explore.

CEO of Magellan Jets, Joshua Hebert, and Anthony Tivnan, President of Magellan Jets, spent their time meeting with the press. They provided the media with updates on Magellan Jets and their hopes for the coming year. Recently, Magellan Jets announced their plan to provide students and families in China with private jet transportation to the U.S., elite concierge services and top-tier medical expertise. Mr. Hebert was able to give insight on Magellan Jets’ expansion into the Chinese market, “We are thrilled to be able to enter into the private aviation market in China,” says Magellan Jets CEO, Joshua Hebert. “We would like to be the trusted source of establishing Chinese students and families.”

Mr. Tivnan specifically spoke about the Magellan Jets One-Way Leg Search (OWL) app which is now available on your iPhone and iPad. With this revolutionary app, you are able to search, select and book empty leg flights in the palm of your hand. Magellan Jets has implemented the use of a new technology called DocuSign. With DocuSign, clients can review their contract on their iPhone and sign with their finger on their touch screen. The contract is e-mailed back to Magellan Jets and the trip has been booked, hassle free. This seamless scenario has made flying privately with Magellan Jets ultra-appealing.  “O.W.L. Search provides the instant gratification our clients have been yearning for, which is an incredible thing,” says company President, Anthony Tivnan.

The 2011 NBAA Convention was an incredible experience for all members of Magellan Jets. While the trip was filled with fun and networking for company members, it was a great way to showcase Magellan’s latest endeavors. Magellan Jets’ introduction of their iPhone app, fused with the technology of DocuSign and their entry into the Chinese market garnered attention and respect from peers in the industry and truly positioned Magellan as a leader amongst private charter brokers.

 

Blue Angels, Thunderbirds Commanders to Address NBAA Leadership Conference

Washington, DC, December 2, 2009 – What are the most effective ways to address leadership challenges common to business aviation professionals in today's often unpredictable and ever-changing environment? Answering that question will be the focus of a presentation by former Navy Blue Angels commander George “Elwood” Dom, and former Air Force Thunderbirds commander Ron “Maxi” Mumm, at NBAA’s 18th Annual Leadership Conference, being held February 24-25, 2010 in San Diego, CA.

As people in the business aviation community know, economic and other pressures are placing an ever-increasing premium on embracing quickly evolving technologies, delivering new and better results and managing people with little or no margin of error. These are the same challenges that have confronted the two veteran aviation commanders in their lines of work, in which a tremendous amount of work and trust are needed to effectively coordinate the flying teams for peak performances.

“When we fly, we’re literally putting our lives in each other’s hands every mission,” said Dom. “To be trusted, you have to be trustworthy, so leaders of high performance teams build a culture of trust by working on individual and organizational trustworthiness.” Mumm agreed, adding: “Sustaining high performance in a jet team, or any team, requires the buy-in of each team member…and to buy-in, you have to trust in others."

NBAA's 2010 Leadership Conference marks the first time the former commanders of the rival flight teams will jointly present. A recent episode of the NBAA Flight Plan podcast, which previews their presentation, is available atwww.nbaa.org/flight-plan.

Also included in the lineup for the Leadership Conference will be a keynote presentation by Captain Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger, III, the iconic pilot who safely guided US Airways flight 1549 onto the Hudson River on January 15, 2009, after the airliner experienced a bird strike on takeoff. Sullenberger's feat, which has been called "one of the most technically challenging maneuvers" in aviation, was dubbed the "Miracle on the Hudson," because the event concluded without major injuries or fatalities.

The presentations by Sullenberger, Dom and Mumm reflect the theme for the 2010 Leadership Conference: "Lead the Future: Beyond People, Planes and Passion." The event's program of thought-provoking sessions focused on creative thinking, innovation and new models of collaboration is designed to provide attendees the tools needed in today's dynamic workplace. To learn more, visit www.nbaa.org/leadership.

Industry Weighs In On New TSA Chief

Organizations representing general aviation in Washington know that Errol G. Southers has been nominated by President Barack Obama (D) to head the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and that Brian Delauter has been named the new general manager of that department's GA division. Of the two Delauter is the better known quantity, having been named acting manager in July. But Southers is known to the community mainly through his resume.

And it is an impressive one, including long experience in law enforcement with both the FBI and police departments. His most recent position was as Los Angeles World Airports Police Department assistant chief for Homeland Security and Intelligence. He is also a member of the faculty at a terrorism think tank at the University of Southern California.

Southers testified before Congress in May 2008, and a transcript captures some of his then current thinking about airport security, but with an emphasis on an airline environment. He told the House Committee on Homeland Security that using counter-surveillance techniques could identify terrorist organizations, including auto license plate scanning technology to spot frequent drive-bys and connect the plate numbers to national databases. In his testimony, he said, "Surveillance is typically conducted in a covert manner and can involve any number of collectors (surveillants) either on foot or in vehicles. Successful counter-surveillance can yield indications of an attack-planning phase. The problem is separating 'terrorism' from 'tourism.' Herein lies the importance of employing a strategy that facilitates 'looking for the bombers and not the bombs.' "

The National Air Transportation Association (NATA) issued a statement saying it is "pleased" with the selection. Association President Jim Coyne added "Southers' vast experience with homeland security and terrorism will serve him well as the next administrator of the TSA."

The National Business Aviation Association's (NBAA) statement reserved judgment pending the approval process, saying, in part, "As the White House prepares to submit this nomination, the business aviation community has a number of very important concerns before the TSA. We will be closely monitoring the progress of Mr. Southers' nomination, and working to ensure that he has a full understanding of the unique operating needs of our Members."

How will they do that? Today NBAA vice president for safety, security & regulation Doug Carr told AWIN, "As is the case with every new nominee, we'll have an ability over the next few weeks and months to work with Congress and meet the new leaders. TSA is no different from any other agency, and it's just important that we do our part to ensure the agency knows us." He says the NBAA is well known among career staff at the TSA who maintain a continuity and history. "The more minds to the table, the better," he added. "You can get more done."

NATA vice president Eric Byer says of Delauter that, "Brian has been in the community for a while, and he knows the drill." Byer's top three issues for the incoming TSA officials are industry communication and outreach, the Large Aircraft Security Proposal (LASP-"It needs to get wrapped up in the next 12 months"), and the onerous badging requirements and background checks that have FBOs up in arms.

Perhaps it's no coincidence that TSA spokesman Jon Allen told AWIN that Delauter's top three priorities are to improve communications with stakeholders, to come to a resolution on LASP and to remove waiver requirements for international arrivals. So they agree on two out of three. The AOPA will meet with Delauter at its upcoming Aviation Summit on November 5, and he'll be at the NBAA meeting in October.

George Larson - AviationWeek

Do Corporate Jets actually put Money into the Local Economy?

Corporate jets became a popular symbol of wasteful spending after the Big Three automobile executives flew in to visit Capitol Hill seeking federal government bailout cash late last year.

So intense was the outrage that the auto leaders responded by driving from Detroit for a return trip to Washington, D.C.

Toronto-based Nortel Networks Corp. was one of many businesses that grounded its corporate jet, citing financial woes, not long after.

The message was loud and clear: Corporate jet travel was suddenly so uncool.

Industry experts are now trying to repair that image by stressing the economic benefits of corporate jet use to companies and communities alike.

Two trade organizations have started a campaign to underscore the financial damage that would occur if those aircraft are grounded. Everything from generating less money through jet fuel taxes to jobs at airports and in surrounding communities is at stake, supporters say.

Locally, the main suburban facilities for business aviation - Chicago Executive Airport, Waukegan Regional Airport and DuPage Airport in West Chicago - have a vested interest in the effort.

"I guess we were the target of the day," said Dennis Rouleau, manager of Chicago Executive Airport in Wheeling. "But when you think about it, we need business aviation."

However, critics such as Sarah Anderson, a fellow at the Institute for Policy Studies, a liberal think tank in Washington, D.C., said nothing has changed. Excessive pollution and unnecessary rewards for executives are some of the complaints in a 2008 report she co-authored called "High Flyers: How Private Jet Travel is Straining the System, Warming the Planet and Costing You Money."

"It's become a symbol of extreme excess," Anderson said.

Trying to blunt the critics in the recently launched "No Plane No Gain" campaign, the National Business Aviation Association and General Aviation Manufacturers Association stress the benefits of private planes.

The initiative includes positive business aviation messages on a Facebook page and YouTube videos. They also have developed a television and print advertising campaign to boost the industry's image.

An image boost is critical, local business aviation airport officials say, because of what's at stake.

Waukegan Regional Airport Manager Jim Stanczak said about 270 jobs at his facility are at risk if the number of business flights continues to slide.

Stanczak said business travel is not tracked separately, but falling jet fuel sales are a strong indicator. At Waukegan Regional, sales declined from about $4.5 million in 2007 to $4 million in 2008, with 2009 purchases so far down roughly 24 percent from last year.

Jet fuel sales have been falling at DuPage Airport and Chicago Executive as well, records show.

But officials insist more than suburban airport jobs are in play. Hotels, restaurants and rental-car agencies are among the businesses with financial links to those airports.

Also, Rouleau said, airports such as Chicago Executive can be a draw when a business decides where to locate. As an example, the airport's convenience for a nearby company allows it to fly parts to out-of-state manufacturing clients when emergencies arise, he said.

In the most recent report from 2006, DuPage Airport was responsible for $375 million in annual economic activity in the county, said Executive Director David Bird. That amount will slip if corporate flights dwindle, he warned.

"The majority of the impact was being driven by the growth in the corporate aviation component of our business," Bird said. "So I think it's safe to assume that the significant reduction in fuel sales we've experienced has eroded the economic impact of the airport on the surrounding communities."

Chicago Executive Airport pumps nearly $331 million into the Northwest suburbs, according to the most recent report issued in 2007.

Studies for the DuPage and Chicago Executive airports used similar criteria in measuring effects on the local economy, such as annual purchases of goods and services associated with aviation and visitor spending.

The Institute for Policy Studies' Anderson said she doesn't doubt the economic benefits to suburban airports catering to business aviation, but jobs and spending can be created in different ways.

She also cites in her report the Department of Homeland Security's concerns about possibly lax security controls for private planes flying into smaller airports.

"In this case," she said, "you have to weigh the (financial) benefits against what the costs are."

And, Paul Hodgson, senior research associate at The Corporate Library, said public records filed with the U.S. Security Exchange Commission show frivolous corporate jet use occurs. The Maine-based organization provides independent corporate governance research and analysis for clients.

Hodgson questions companies that view personal use of corporate aircraft by executives as a business expense because it's required for security reasons. In a 2007 report, he listed 12 chief executive officers who led the way in personal use of corporate jets, with the one-year cost ranging from $540,000 to $1 million.

Waukegan Regional's Stanczak said it's easy, but unfair, to criticize private planes as being excessive or wasteful.

"Most corporations are very cautious in the utilization of their aircraft," he said. "They don't just go flying them to fly them."

Ed Bolen, president and chief executive officer of the National Business Aviation Association, said the image of a top executive gallivanting on corporate jets is a common stereotype.

"A CEO is on an airplane on 15 - one-five - percent of its missions," Bolen said.

Roughly 85 percent of private airplane travel for business is by small and mid-size companies, he said. Companies that own planes use them only when they make financial sense, he said.

Airport officials insist a private plane is cost-effective for employees who need to hit two or three cities within a few hundred miles of each other to strike deals in a day.

"You could have a very, very talented sales guy," Rouleau said. "And if that sales guy can only make one sales call a day, and with a business jet he can make three sales calls a day, you just improved the productivity and you've helped out the whole company and the country."

Critics who say companies can save money by always flying commercial and get the same job done are missing the point, he said. There are times when employees need to discuss sensitive information or go over last-minute sales strategy for a multimillion-dollar deal - tasks that require a private plane, he said.

And, someone can be well on their way to a destination to close a time-sensitive deal from Chicago Executive in the hour-plus typically required just to park and reach a gate at O'Hare International Airport.

Despite the advantages, Bolen said, some companies are still scaling back.

"That does not help American competitiveness," he said. "It does not help job growth."

Private jets' economic impact

Business flights make up much of the activity at Chicago Executive Airport in Wheeling. Here are local businesses with revenue generated over one year from Signature Flight Support clients and operations, which provide fueling, hangar and office rentals, maintenance and other business aviation services.

745 - The number of hotel reservations booked by Signature Flight clients

$83,880 in revenue for Hilton Northbrook, Wingate Inn and other nearby hotels from Signature Flight clients

3,385 car rentals from Signature Flight clients

$580,446 in revenue for on-site Hertz Rent-a-Car at Atlantic Aviation

1,388 taxi cab rides originating from Chicago Executive

$48,544 in revenue for 303 Taxi cab service originating from Chicago Executive

$17,796 spent in Wheeling-area restaurants for Signature Flight-related business meetings [Source: Chicago Executive Airport, 2007 report]

Article by: Bob Susnjara - Daily Herald

NBAA congratulates aviation legend Meyer on Hall of Fame induction

National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) President and CEO Ed Bolen today said the induction of Russ Meyer into the National Aviation Hall of Fame is a fitting tribute to Meyer’s legacy of innovation and dedication to the people and companies in the general aviation community. 

“Russ Meyer is a visionary who embodies the spirit and passion that are the hallmarks of general aviation,” Bolen said. “We are delighted that his countless contributions to our industry have been recognized with his induction into the National Aviation Hall of Fame.” 

Meyer, former chairman and CEO of the Cessna Aircraft Company, was inducted into the Hall of Fame in Dayton, OH, during an enshrinement ceremony held last week. A Davenport, IA native, Meyer holds degrees from Yale and Harvard universities. He served in the United States Air Force and Marine Corps Reserves from 1955 to 1961. Meyer has logged more than 17,000 flight hours in more than 50 aircraft types. In 1974, he joined the Cessna Aircraft Company as executive vice president and was named chairman and CEO one year later. During Meyer’s tenure as chairman, Cessna delivered 67,000 aircraft – more deliveries than those from any other manufacturer. 

Under Meyer’s leadership, Cessna earned the Collier Trophy twice – first in 1986, for the safety record obtained by Cessna’s Citation fleet, and again in 1986, for the development of the Citation X. In 1995, Meyer was honored with the NBAA Award for Meritorious Service to Aviation. One of the aviation industry's most prestigious honors, the award is given to individuals who, by virtue of a lifetime of personal dedication, have made significant identifiable contributions that have materially advanced aviation interests.

A champion of general aviation, Meyer led the battle against stifling regulations that nearly decimated the general aviation industry in the late 1970s and 1980s. As a result, Congress passed and the Clinton Administration signed the General Aviation Revitalization Act in 1994, helping to preserve or create many thousands of jobs. Meyer retired from Cessna in 2003 and remains active in general aviation and philanthropic projects. He was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame today along with NASA astronauts Eileen Collins and Edward White, and Jimmy Stewart, the late actor and military pilot.

“Russ has always been held in high regard by policymakers in Washington, who recognize his solid grasp of policy and his emphasis on collaborating with people regardless of political party or philosophy,” Bolen continued. “That reputation has made him a very effective advocate for business aviation. It is tremendous to see that Russ’s accomplishments, which have helped define business aviation as we know it, will now be recognized alongside those of other aviation pioneers. Russ’s story is one we can all take great pride in, and we can be sure that it will inspire future generations of aviators.”

 - CharterX

Business Aviation Worried About New Climate Bill

Business aviation advocates are becoming increasingly concerned that a sweeping climate-change bill that has the potential to shape the future of aviation operations continues to progress through Capitol Hill with few details on how it might impact the aviation industry.

The House narrowly passed the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009, H.R. 2454, by a 219-212 vote late last month, a first step toward establishing long-term goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. House legislators removed a provision in H.R. 2454 calling for carbon-emission standards for new aircraft and aircraft engines by 2012 (BA, April 20/181).

But the bill calls for the introduction of a market-based cap-and-trade program that would reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 17 percent below 2005 levels by 2020. The bill would continue to tighten CO2 standards until they were 83 percent below 2005 levels by 2050. The bill also would establish a provision for averaging, banking and trading emissions credits for motor vehicles and motor vehicle engines, nonroad vehicles, and other engines including those on aircraft and marine vessels.

"The bill would fundamentally transform the energy sector, and if passed by the Senate and signed into law, touch almost every corner of the economy," Helicopter Association International said.

HAI called the elimination of the aircraft emission standards provision significant because the White House has not yet taken a position on including aviation in the European Union emissions trading scheme.

The association, however, has expressed concern that the legislation could become "a huge tax on our industry and one that is based on the European model for climate change."

"We're all deeply concerned by this legislation," said General Aviation Manufacturers Association President and CEO Pete Bunce, who worries that a cap-and-trade program could establish artificial operational barriers and create a complex bureaucracy. He believes a straight carbon tax would be easier to process and collect.

Regardless of the system adopted, Bunce said the aviation community believes any money collected from aviation emissions must be channeled back to aviation. That money could help pay for modernization of the air transportation system, which in turn would make operators more efficient and reduce emissions, he said.

"There's so many details that need to be worked out," Bunce said, adding GAMA is concerned that the end result could become a burden to operators.

National Business Aviation Association President and CEO Ed Bolen agreed, saying the bill "is not clear in a number of areas, and they're big areas." Those areas range from cost to compliance, but the bill "clearly will have a financial impact."

Bolen reiterated the industry position that any money collected from aviation emissions should be reinvested in aviation, but noted that the position has yet to be taken up on Capitol Hill.

National Air Transportation Association added that it is worried that "climate change legislation has not had enough time to be vetted to ensure that certain provisions won't negatively affect our fragile economy."

The association acknowledged arguments from proponents of the bill that it would create clean energy jobs and help save on energy costs. "But in reality," NATA said, "it will do just the opposite. Using taxpayer dollars to invest in unproven energy resources while artificially driving up the costs of reliable energy, by means of a cap-and-trade program, will only cause additional economic hardships for consumer and small businesses, without any guarantee of environmental improvement."

The bill next heads to the Senate, which has been focused on moving landmark health-care reform legislation.

-Kerry Lynch, AviationWeek

NBAA Welcomes Proposal to Create LASP Rulemaking Committee

The National Business Aviation Administraion (NBAA) recently welcomed a congressional proposal that would require the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to work more closely with the general aviation industry on its controversial proposed Large Aircraft Security Program (LASP) and other security initiatives. 
 
Representative Charlie Dent (R-15-PA) introduced legislation that would require TSA to create a rulemaking committee with general aviation (GA) industry stakeholders when developing security measures for the industry. H.R. 3093 was cosponsored by eight other House members. 
 
“This legislation shows that Congress understands that we can accomplish more good if we work together rather than separately,” said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen. In the time since the TSA introduced the LASP last October, Bolen has repeatedly called for a rulemaking committee like the one envisioned in the legislation introduced today.
 
“The business aviation community has a long and demonstrated history of partnership with government in developing effective yet workable security measures for the industry,” Bolen added. “A rulemaking committee, like the one proposed by Rep. Dent and others, would provide a consistent forum for stakeholder information sharing and the development of measures that enhance security while recognizing the need for mobility and flexibility.”
 
More than 7,000 comments were submitted to the TSA in February regarding the LASP proposal. Almost all of the comments suggested that the proposed changes would be onerous to the thousands of businesses that rely on GA aircraft. 

-NBAA

Business Aviation Hops on the Twitter Bandwagon

Business aviation companies have increasingly begun using Twitter microblogging which allows a new way of networking and reaching out with new customers and promoting the industry.  The NBAA has two accounts on Twitter currently saying that they want to provide real time information on the No Plane, No Gain campaign and a way of congregating with followers to amplify their messages.

They say that there is more then just the traditional media sources now and it is important to take advantage of these resources.   Magellan Jets is one company that has also begun using Twitter to blog and direct customers to our blog.  You can find us at www.twitter.com/flymagellanjets or at http://www.magellanjets.com

NBAA Applauds Senator Brownback's Supporting Statements

NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen commended Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS) for taking to the floor of the Senate late last month to remind his colleagues of the value of business aviation for citizens, communities and companies across the U.S.

"The people of the business aviation community applaud Senator Brownback for explaining what business aviation is all about, and correcting some of the misstatements and mischaracterizations about business aviation that have recently been made," Bolen said. 

In his remarks, Brownback told his colleagues: "Some federal officials have recently been making use of business aviation a matter of derision. Well, there is a lot of good that this business--a U.S.-dominated business--does, and we ought to support it, not hurt it."

To illustrate his point, Brownback noted the following, among other facts:

• Business aviation employs more than one million people in manufacturing and support services.
• Many companies rely on an airplane to conduct business across a number of different locations, which are often located in areas without robust airline airline service.
• Of the nation's 5,000 public-use airports, only 500 are served by the commercial airlines, making business aviation the only option for accessing most airports.
• Eighty-six percent of people aboard business aircraft are not a company's senior officials, but are mid-level employees, including salespeople, engineers, or other technical specialists.

"Whether its a piston or a jet, it [a business jet] is often what ends up connecting a lot of people on a rapid basis throughout the country," Brownback said. "Without the use of business aircraft, you're going to have a lot more inefficiencies in companies; you're going to have a lot more difficulty getting people from point A to point B."

Bolen agreed, adding: "Business aviation is an essential tool for many companies to be productive and efficient, which is especially critical in this economic climate. But as the senator also pointed out, business aviation means jobs for more than a million people. It provides a critical lifeline for communities across the country, many of which have lost some or all of their airline service in the past year. And, it supports humanitarian initiatives, including medical transport for people in need and delivery of relief and supplies for victims of natural disasters. We thank Senator Brownback for recognizing these facts in highlighting the essential role of business aviation in America today."

NBAA Launches "No Plane No Gain" Campaign to Promote Aviation

The National Business Aviation Association in parternership with the General Aviation Manufacturers Association has launched a multimedia campaign designed "to educate the public on the importance of business aviation to our country and its communities, companies, and citizens.  In the United States, business aviation generates well over a million jobs, provides a lifeline to communities with little or no commercial airline service, helps thousands of businesses of all sizes to be more productive and efficient, and provides emergency and humanitatrian services to people in need."  In recent months, business aviation has come under scrutiny by both the government and media.  Although business aviation is a necessary tool for many, the negative attention has caused some businesses to rethink their aircraft use.

To read more about the "No Plane No Gain" initiative, please visit http://www.noplanenogain.com.