GA's Largest Fleet Keeps DPA Open 24/7/365

Airport Partners 

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ON-AIRPORT SUPPORT

FUEL/AIRCRAFT STORAGE/FOOD SERVICE

The DuPage Flight Center

CHARTER/AIRCRAFT

MANAGEMENT/SALES

Camden Aviation

Raytheon Aircraft Company - Beech/Hawker 

Scott Aviation 

T-Bird Aviation

MAINTENANCE/AVIONICS/

SUPPLIES

Cameron Aircraft Interiors  

JA Air Center 

Mukenschnabl

Pilot Shop

BUSINESS/GOVT. SERVICES

Budget Car Rental 

FAA Flight Standards District Office at DPA 

Landings Office Park

NationAir

National Transportation Safety Board

Prime Meridian Group

Technology Research, Education and Commercialization Center(TRECC)

U.S. Customs Service  

DuPage National Technology Park

West Suburban Technology Enterprise Center (WESTEC) 

Prairie Landing Golf 

FLIGHT TRAINING/FLYING CLUBS/RENTALS

American Flyers 

Fox Flying Club

Illinois Aviation Academy 

Pilot Makers

Travel Express Aviation

Vagabond Flyers

STRATEGIC PARTNERS

Chicago Area Business Aviation Association (CABAA) 

City of West Chicago

Village of Wayne

City of Geneva

City of Batavia

City of St. Charles

DuPage County

Kane County

DuPage Convention & Visitors Bureau

St. Charles Convention & Visitors Bureau

West Chicago Chamber of Commerce & Industry

Geneva Chamber of Commerce

Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce

National Business Aviation Association (NBAA)

 Airport and Industry News

· DPA Achieves Another Milestone With Tech Park.  Last month, the DuPage Airport Authority finalized its master development agreement with CenterPoint Properties for the development of the DuPage National Technology Park.  The high-tech, 800-acre business and research park, located south of the Authority’s Prairie Landing Golf Club, will be one of the most sophisticated of its kind in the country.  Expected tenants include Argonne National Laboratory's Center for Advanced Technology, NASA Illinois Commercialization Center, University of Illinois' Technology Research Education and Commercialization Center and the Illinois Technology Development Alliance. www.dupagetechpark.com or business@dupageairport.com 

· DuPage’s Business Community Expands By Three.  Adding to the most comprehensive on-site aviation and business services in the entire Chicago region, DuPage Airport is now home to NetJets (world leader in providing fractional jet ownership), NationAir (one of the nation’s largest and oldest aviation insurance brokerages) and IFR Management (provider of aircraft charter, acquisition, management and storage services). Click on the hotlinks to the left or www.flydupage.com to visit these and other DPA companies.   

· DuPage Airport’s Home County Lowest In Property Tax Rates.  In a recent comparison of county tax rates for commercial and industrial/hangar buildings in the 6-County Chicago metro area, DuPage County ranks the lowest in its average property tax rate with 6.61% for commercial and 6.69% for industrial buildings. www.dupagebiz.org

· Fractional Jet Ownership Continues Its Growth.  According to Business Jet Traveler, the fractional jet ownership market added 54 aircraft (up 6.5%), 305 shares (up 4.8%) and 252 shareholders (up 5.5%) since last year.  NetJets, which owns 48% of the market, and Citation Shares, which 9% of the market, led the overall growth of the industry.  Major providers such as Flight Options and Flexjet, however, lost market share during the same time period.   www.bjtonline.com

· Strong Growth In Aircraft Charter Market Since 2004.  According to a special report by Aviation International News (AIN), options, awareness, security, time, the economy and hassles of airline traffic have helped boost charter activity by 30%-40% since last year.  Executive aircraft charter in Europe has also grown in the first half of 2005 with AIN reporting a 17% increase in flight hours logged compared to the same period last year.   www.ainonline.com

· Business Jet Sales Jump in 1^st Half 2005.  Deliveries of new turbine business airplanes in the first half of 2005 shot up more than 31% compared with the same period last year, according to the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA). Cessna and Bombardier had the biggest gains with 74% and 44% growth respectfully.  Raytheon increased 31% and Gulfstream 11% in sales over the same time period last year.  www.ainonline.com

· Military Fighter Style Business Jet Javelin Makes First Flight.  On October 1, Aviation Technology Group’s 2-seat Javelin executive jet made its maiden voyage for 34 minutes in Colorado.  Designed to incorporate military jet performance to the general aviation market, the $2.8 million new small jet will be available in 2008.  The new two-seat jet aircraft is capable of .925 Mach (1130 kmh).  www.avtechgroup.com

· Short Term Jet Fuel Prices Hit Hard.  The Federal Energy Information Administration estimates that refinery outages from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in late August and September amount to about 1.3 million barrels per day of lost gasoline production, over 700,000 barrels per day of lost distillate fuel production, and nearly 400,000 barrels per day of lost jet fuel production.  Between September 1 and October 1, 2005 jet fuel costs rose 39%. tonto.eia.doe.gov

· FAA Begins Privatization Flight Station Services.   On October 4, Lockheed Martin took control of the FAA’s flight service station (FSS) services which provide pilot briefings, en route radio communications and VFR search and rescue services. By April 2006, Lockheed will launch the Flight Service 21 (FS21) Web portal for pilots nationwide to obtain preflight briefings, file flight plans, store user profiles, and get graphical flight planning and weather products.  www.aopa.org

· EPA Delays Release of Guidance Package on SPCC Rule.  The Environmental Protection Agency's Guidance Package for the Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasures (SPCC) was delayed for an undisclosed period of time.  The SPCC regulations call for “secondary containment” for spills when an airport-based fuel truck is not in use contending that trucks are mobile/portable storage facilities that are subject to more stringent and costly regulations.  Aviation groups hold that fuel trucks are not storage facilities but are instead transportation vehicles that have historically been subject to Department of Transportation regulations. www.nata.aero

   Airport News

· DuPage Flight Center Completes More Than $3.5M In Improvements.  The DuPage Flight Center has completed its 48,000 square feet of additional community/transient hangar space in time for Chicago’s winter.  In addition, the Flight Center has enhanced its business services by upgrading its pilot lounge, executive passenger waiting area, concierge and rental car lobby, restaurant & catering facilities and workout room.  Call the DuPage Flight Center at 630-208-5600 for more info.  

· 1^st Major Tenant Locates To DuPage Airport’s Tech Park.  Just weeks after the formal approval of a Master Development Agreement between the DuPage Airport Authority and CenterPoint Properties, the DuPage National Technology Park landed Pella Windows and Doors as its first tenant.  Pella will construct a 170,000 square foot light manufacturing and distribution facility in the south section of the park along Fayban Parkway.  Interest in the park is strong with several more tenants expected to make DNTP their home over the next 18 months.  Visit www.dupagetechpark.com or dntp.com

Industry News

· Paying To Avoid Commercial Airport Security Line May Not Work.  A long-delayed federal program that aims to speed preregistered travelers through commercial airport security this summer may not eliminate as many hassles as fliers would like. In a Jan. 20 announcement, the federal Transportation Security Administration said program participants would still be subject to random secondary screening at checkpoints. Participants may also not be exempt from some of the more annoying rituals of the security line: removing shoes and coats and separately sending laptops through X-ray machines. www.travelwirenews.com

· Congress’ Tax Relief Act Remains Challenge for Business Aviation.  Congress is returning to session this month and will consider the Senate approved Tax Relief Act for 2005 that includes two provisions that penalize business aviation.  The first provision expands limitations on entertainment use of business aircraft to all employees, not just CEOs and top executives. The second provision says that anyone flying along on a business flight but not involved in the reason for the flight must count the trip as a fringe benefit and be taxed on it. The National Business Aviation Association is asking that people contact Congress to protest these provisions.  www.nbaa.org

· New Government Report States GA Is Not A Security Threat.  A new report from the Congressional Research Service, "Securing General Aviation," notes that GA is not a threat to national security, adding that a "one size fits all" approach to security is not practical due to the diversity of GA aircraft types.  The report notes the chances of GA being “used as a platform for conventional explosives is relatively small compared to trucks which have significantly larger payload capacities.... Executing an attack that involves loading a GA aircraft with a large quantity of explosives may be difficult without raising some suspicion at the airport where airport operators and pilots have been instructed to be vigilant for such unusual activities."  It also notes that GA would be a poor choice for biologic or chemical weapons delivery because of its limited load-carrying capability.   www.aopa.org

· Boom In Orders & Production for Cessna and Gulfstream.   According to Aviation International News (AIN),Cessna and Gulfstream will be increasing production this year due to a serge in 4^th quarter 2005 orders.  Cessna booked 100 orders in the 4^th quarter bringing its annual total to 329 which is 81 more than what was delivered in 2004.  Gulfstream had a 27% increase in orders to 121 aircraft last year compared with sales of 95 aircraft in 2004.  The manufacturer expects to deliver a record 111 business jets this year and 127 in 2007.  www.ainonline.com

· Third Quarter 2005 Aircraft Shipments and Billings Strong.  The General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) released the third quarter numbers for general aviation shipments and billings. Compared with 3^rd quarter 2004, shipments rose 25.7 percent to 2,423 units, while industry wide billings for new airplanes rose to $10.3 billion. www.gama.aero

· First Flight: New Bombardier Challenger 605. Bombardier’s new wide body Challenger 605 made its first test flight lasting 3 1/3 hours on January 22 in Montreal. The Challenger 605, which is replacing the 604, features Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 avionics with four 10”x12” vertically aligned next generation LCD screens, among many other upgrades. The production 605s will be about 200 pounds lighter than 604s.  The aircraft now returns to Wichita, KN for a 200-hour flight test and certification program.  Certification is expected in the 4^th quarter 2006 with the aircraft entering service in the 3^rd quarter 2007.  www.bombardier.com

· Military Could Utilize Very Light jets (VLJS).  The Air Force's Acquisition Center of Excellence has issued a Capability Request for Information urging VLJ manufacturers to respond. The Air Force has identified a host of potential roles the small jets could fill including passenger and cargo transports, navigation and transition training, homeland security, surveillance and target towing. The military is asking VLJ manufactures for additional ideas on how the aircraft can be used for defense purposes. It hopes to do some flight-testing of VLJs by the end of this year. www.avweb.com

· Prairie Landing Golf Tip Of The Month.  The Long Bunker Shot. By Bob Dougherty. This shot is probably one of the more difficult shots to play in golf. Set up with the ball in the center of your stance and with your club face just slightly open. This swing should be more shallow than for a regular sand shot. You must still enter the sand 2-3 inches behind the ball and make as full of a swing as you can control. You will have to practice this shot to find your "max" distance with this shot but you will need to change to a pitching wedge, or more, if the shot you are facing is more than forty yards.  If you would like help with your golf game, please call Prairie Landing Golf Pro Brian King at 630-202-4653 or email bking@prairielanding.com.