Chris Robbins is senior counsel and director of Robbins Equitas. He is a former federal judicial law clerk to the Honorable Tu M. Pham, United States Magistrate Judge. Robbins is a cum laude graduate of the University of Miami School of Law, where he was a member of the University of Miami Business Law Review. Robbins currently serves on both the admiralty and aviation law committees of The Florida Bar. Robbins is a writer, an instrument rated airplane pilot, and a public speaker. He recently prepared a lecture series for Chinese students on subjects including law, American democracy, and entrepreneurship. Robbins' articles have been published widely in the U.S. and international press. His work has appeared in the New York Times, Miami Herald, Hong Kong Apple Daily, Tampa Tribune, and other periodicals.

Captain Strait is rated in G-1, DC-9, B-727, B757/ 767 and seaplanes.  Strait flies the MD-11 worldwide. Bill Strait has also instructed jet pilots in the B-727, B-757 and B-767 in his 32 year aviation career.

Very Light Jets, or VLJs, are here and there is concern over single-pilot operation of them.  Right now there are jets that are flying around with two pilots aboard that could easily be flown with one! Jet planes are actually built so that if one pilot becomes incapacitated, the other has the equipment to land safely.

by Rodney Botts –VLJ Group Vice President of Training Solutions

A new day is dawning in the business aviation world.  We are looking at unprecedented growth in the next 10 years.  From 2007 to 2010 the amount of business airplanes built will increase from 800 a year to 1400 a year (According to a recent Honeywell Study).  From 2010 to 2017 the level of business airplanes built per year will remain somewhere between 1200 and 1400.

In 2007 Very Light Jets were introduced to the business aircraft segment. Less than 75 have been delivered by two manufacturers Cessna and Eclipse!  As other Very light Jet manufacturers enter the market 300 to 400 Very Light Jets will be delivered.  These Very light Jet deliveries will continue at this rate until well past 2017.

What are these "new" planes called Very Light Jets? NBAA defines Very Light Jets (VLJs), as "Jet aircraft weighing 10,000 pounds or less maximum certificated takeoff weight and certificated for single pilot operations. These aircraft will possess at least some of the following features: (1) advanced cockpit automation, such as moving map GPS and multi-function displays; (2) automated engine and systems management; and (3) integrated autoflight, autopilot and flight-guidance systems." The definition is from the National Business Aircraft Association Training Guidelines for Single Pilot Operations of Very Light Jets and Technically Advanced Aircraft.

Where did Very Light Jets come from? They were spawned by the NASA lead Small Aircraft Transportation System or SATS program. This innovative initiative aimed to provide safe air travel in all weather, in new single-pilot aircraft, with advanced navigation systems. SATS proposed the utilization of 5400 smaller airports in the US so we could enjoy point-to-point travel in modern aircraft at affordable prices.