When the NextGen Advisory Committee came out with a prioritized list of NextGen capabilities Sept. 19 to help the FAA decide how best to spend under shrinking budgets, “wake recategorization” made the Tier 1A cut, along with performance-based navigation and multiple-runway operations. Tier 1A is the gold standard of rankings, reserved for capabilities that are “shovel-ready” and provide maximum benefit for minimum money.

Betting on Barcelona connections and foreign bases.

Aircell this month is rolling out a new Gogo Biz inflight Internet equipment package targeting smaller operators, including light jets and turboprops. The ATG 2000 system was developed to bring Internet services to aircraft that have lighter passenger loads, the company says.

Business aviation officials are welcoming the deal on a global system to limit aviation emissions, agreed to on Oct. 4 at the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Assembly in Montreal, saying it provides a pathway toward a single global standard. Approved on the closing day of the Assembly, held once every three years, the resolution commits ICAO to determining the details of a global system of market-based measures (MBM) by 2016, for implementation from 2020.

The business and general aviation community has already begun to feel the ripple effects from the U.S. government shutdown, with a range of critical services coming to a standstill – from FAA’s registration branch to an accident investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board. Not only have more than a dozen new aircraft transactions been delayed, but an investigation of one major business aviation accident has been halted.

The National Transportation Safety Board is calling for the FAA to release its enforcement investigative reports (EIRs) to parties appealing emergency enforcement actions. The notice of proposed rulemaking, released recently, expands on requirements of the Pilot’s Bill of Rights (PRIA) that was passed last year and designed to provide pilots greater protections during enforcement actions.

The Department of Transportation is considering a proposal to strengthen consumer protections for the use of charter brokers and charter transportation.

The Aeronautical Repair Station Association (ARSA) is urging the Small Business Administration (SBA) to weigh in on FAA’s proposed airworthiness directive (AD) calling for inspections and replacement of Engine Components Inc. (ECi) and Airmotive Engineering “Titan” cylinders found on 6,000 Continental 520 and 550 model reciprocating engines.