After decades of fighting for a place at the table, business aviation is finally coming into its own as an accepted component of the European air transportation system. While not exactly sharing equal standing with airlines and military aviation, it is now perceived as a viable alternative to the scheduled air carriers and an efficient tool for furthering business interests.

First and foremost, we're aviators. High-flying eagles. Higher, faster, farther types, all. So how did we wind up with our noses buried in the Federal Tax Code late into the night, trying to digest verbiage that turns gray matter to oatmeal? Because the boss occasionally takes the company aircraft for personal use, that's why.

Conditions for international operations may never have been as good as they are now, with a convergence of technology reducing pilot workload and an understanding among air navigation service providers of business aviation operators' needs, but competence among some flight crews operating in oceanic airspace leaves room for improvement.