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Note 1 - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2012
Significant Accounting Policies [Text Block]
1. 
SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Principles of Consolidation – The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and subsidiaries.  All intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation.

Accounting Estimates – The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported and disclosed.  Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Concentration of Credit Risk – The Company’s potential exposure to concentrations of credit risk consists of trade accounts and notes receivable, and bank deposits.  Accounts receivable are normally due within 30 days and the Company performs periodic credit evaluations of its customers’ financial condition.  Notes receivable payments are normally due monthly. The required allowance for doubtful accounts is determined using information such as customer credit history, industry information, credit reports, customer financial condition and the collectability of past-due outstanding accounts receivables.  The estimates can be affected by changes in the financial strength of the aviation industry, customer credit issues or general economic conditions.

At various times throughout the year, the Company has deposits with banks in excess of amounts covered by federal depository insurance.

A majority of the Company’s revenues are concentrated in the aviation industry and revenues can be materially affected by current economic conditions and the price of certain supplies such as fuel, the cost of which is passed through to the Company’s cargo customer.  The Company has customer concentrations in two areas of operations, overnight air cargo which provides service to one major customer and ground support equipment sales which provides equipment and services to approximately 120 customers in 30 countries, one of which is considered a major customer.  The loss of a major customer would have a material impact on the Company’s results of operations.  See Note 11 “Major Customers”.

Cash and Cash Equivalents – Cash equivalents consist of liquid investments with maturities of three months or less when purchased.

Inventories – Inventories related to the Company’s manufacturing operations are carried at the lower of cost (first in, first out) or market.  Aviation parts and supplies inventories are carried at the lower of average cost or market.  Consistent with industry practice, the Company includes expendable aircraft parts and supplies in current assets, although a certain portion of these inventories may not be used or sold within one year.

Property and Equipment – Property and equipment is stated at cost or, in the case of equipment under capital leases, the present value of future lease payments.  Rotable parts represent aircraft parts which are repairable, capitalized and depreciated over their estimated useful lives.  Depreciation and amortization are provided on a straight-line basis over the shorter of the asset’s useful life or related lease term.  Useful lives range from three years for computer equipment and continue to seven years for flight equipment.

The Company assesses long-lived assets used in operations for impairment when events and circumstances indicate the assets may be impaired and the undiscounted cash flows estimated to be generated by those assets are less than their carrying amount.  In the event it is determined that the carrying values of long-lived assets are in excess of the fair value of those assets, the Company then will write-down the value of the assets to fair value.

Revenue Recognition  – Cargo revenue is recognized upon completion of contract terms.  Maintenance and ground support services revenue is recognized when the service has been performed.  Revenue from product sales is recognized when contract terms are completed and ownership has passed to the customer.

Operating Expenses Reimbursed by Customer – The Company, under the terms of its overnight air cargo dry-lease service contracts, passes through to its air cargo customer certain cost components of its operations without markup.  The cost of flight crews, fuel, landing fees, outside maintenance, parts and certain other direct operating costs are included in operating expenses and billed to the customer, at cost, and included in overnight air cargo revenue on the accompanying statements of income.

Stock Based Compensation  – The Company maintains a stock option plan for the benefit of certain eligible employees and directors of the Company. The Company recognizes compensation expense on stock options based on their fair values over the requisite service period. The compensation cost we record for these awards is based on their fair value on the date of grant. The Company has used the Black Scholes option-pricing model as its method for valuing stock options. The key assumptions for this valuation method include the expected term of the option, stock price volatility, risk-free interest rate and dividend yield. Many of these assumptions are judgmental and highly sensitive in the determination of compensation expense.

Financial Instruments – The carrying amounts reported in the consolidated balance sheets for cash and cash equivalents, short-term investments, accounts receivable, notes receivable, cash surrender value of life insurance, accrued expenses, and long-term debt approximate their fair value at March 31, 2012 and 2011.

Warranty Reserves – The Company warranties its ground equipment products for up to a three-year period from date of sale.  Product warranty reserves are recorded at time of sale based on the historical average warranty cost and are adjusted as actual warranty cost becomes known.

Product warranty reserve activity is as follows:

   
Year Ended March 31,
 
   
2012
   
2011
 
Beginning Balance
  $ 162,000     $ 144,000  
Amounts charged to expense
    489,000       188,000  
Actual warranty costs paid
    (398,000 )     (170,000 )
Ending Balance
  $ 253,000     $ 162,000  

Income Taxes – Income taxes have been provided using the liability method.  Deferred income taxes reflect the net affects of temporary differences between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes and the amounts used for income tax reporting purposes using enacted rates expected to be in effect during the year in which the basis differences reverse.