The aircraft electronics market softened a bit in the second quarter of 2013 with total sales reaching $1.62 billion, according to the Aircraft Electronics Association (AEA).

The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association is still planning to hold this year’s annual Aviation Summit Oct. 10-12 in Fort Worth, but the association is scrapping plans for future summits to concentrate on a series of “grassroots” local events that will bring its new President Mark Baker to the members. The decision marks the first major shift for the association under Baker, who officially took the helm on Sept. 6, succeeding Craig Fuller, who served as president and CEO since late 2008.

FAA is extending the comment period on a proposal that would facilitate expanded use of enhanced flight vision systems (EFVS) in place of natural vision during landing. The comment period, originally set to close Sept. 9, was pushed to Oct. 15 at the request of Dassault.

As the business aviation community continues to rapidly expand in the Asia-Pacific region, transportation ministers are moving to lay the groundwork to create a regulatory environment to support the burgeoning industry. This effort, welcomed by business aviation leaders during a press conference in Beijing last week, is particularly important as business aircraft have been hamstrung in many areas in the region by operating restrictions and lack of infrastructure.

The U.S. Court of Appeals has set a timetable for the Experimental Aircraft Association’s petition seeking reimbursement from FAA for air traffic services, giving the association until Oct. 23 to file a brief on its case and providing the agency until Nov. 22 to respond. EAA filed the petition July 3 asking the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit in Chicago to require FAA to refund more than $450,000 in payments that the agency charged for air traffic control services it provided during EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wis., from July 29-Aug. 4.

An international network built, improbably, on the 757

Avicopter has joined the trend for developing high-speed helicopters. The Chinese manufacturer is building a technology demonstrator with a compound configuration that combines coaxial rigid rotors and nose-mounted, counter-rotating propellers.

In its January 2013 aviation finance overview, consultancy PwC noted that The Cape Town Convention's core purpose of protecting aircraft financiers when airlines go bust “remains untested.” What a difference a few deals, a post-bankruptcy rift, and few quarters make.