I'm embarrassed to admit that I hadn't checked into AIR before this post. It looks like if approval has been given for flash (and it probably has), then it's a snap to deploy using AIR. Adobe charges for this, don't they?
yes, it's perfectly possible to download the free sdk, and write your first "hello world" app that prints a line of text to the face of the applet. so then you start planning on how you're going to do this. and then say you want to do something simple, like for example, use flash gui controls, then you'll learn the horrible truth. it's impossible to do such a thing without buying adobe flash cs3, which costs 700 bucks.
and even if you spend that 700 bucks, adobe flash cs3 is a gigantic steaming turd. i spent a day or two trying to make my peace with it, and failed.
so i decided to forgo flash gui controls altogether, and used javascript controls instead.