NBAA Flight Plan Podcast: Recent Episodes
NBAA
NBAA Flight Plan is the weekly podcast of the National Business Aviation Association. Each week, business aviation experts and influencers talk about topics ranging from workforce development and business management, to airports and airspace, and operational best practices.
Learn about how successful operators plan ahead to ensure a smooth reentry process in this week’s NBAA Flight Plan podcast.
Learn about changes to Part 135 training and the effect they’ll have on operators in the March 25, 2019, NBAA Flight Plan podcast.
NBAA has updated its Guidelines for Regional Business Aviation Groups to help local groups succeed.
New technology and procedures are coming online at the FAA’s Air Traffic Control System Command Center (ATCSCC) in Washington DC.
Representatives from NBAA and PNBAA promote careers in business aviation during the NW Aviation Conference and Trade Show
John Hoover explains some of the tax changes affecting business aviation due to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
One of the best ways to keep successful employees is to invest in their professional development, and encouraging them to pursue NBAA’s Certified Aviation Manager (CAM) program can help.
Jad Donaldson explains the need for the NBAA Business Aviation Management Committee’s ethics statement and the benefits it will bring to the industry.
Operators headed to the Atlanta area this week should prepare for possible changes due to the Super Bowl, which takes place Feb. 3. Since Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) is one of the busiest in the world, “we’re looking at how we’re going to spread out the volume to the satellite airports, which will be the ones used primarily by business aviation operators,” said Dean Snell, manager of NBAA Air Traffic Services. His best advice: be patient and prepared before you fly.
Dean Walters and Mary Poirier of the Western Michigan Business Aviation Association discuss workforce retention strategies.
NBAA Business Aviation Management Committee leaders Jad Donaldson and Tim Peace share insights on the committee’s focus areas for 2019 and beyond.
Dr. Quay Snyder shares insights on making decisions about the gray area of fitness for duty, especially those involving personal issues.
In this week's NBAA Flight Plan podcast, the science of fitness for duty, including fatigue, mental health and medical concerns and the tools to measure them are discussed and ways to reflect this science and operate safely are explored. Listen now.
There are changes coming to the International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations (IS-BAO), which are designed to make operations easier and simpler in the years to come. Bennet Walsh, program director of IS-BAO, shares insight on the changes coming in this week’s NBAA Flight Plan podcast.
Members of the NBAA Weather Subcommittee wants to hear from stakeholders on their needs for accurate weather information.
presents opportunities for business aviation and NBAA is working to ensure that such systems are integrated safety into the airspace.
Bird-strikes are reported more than 14,000 times a year, and experts say that there are even more incidents that go unreported. “The most important thing pilots can do, if they do have a bird-strike is to report it. That involves getting online and filling out an FAA Form 5200” said Gary Cooke, head of the NBAA bird-strike working group. Gary Cooke shares the three most important things to know about bird strikes in this week’s NBAA Flight Plan podcast.
Being a flight attendant in business aviation "takes someone with a unique blend of talents to be professional enough, quick enough, educated, a self-starter, but a complete team player," said Louisa Fisher, program manager at FlightSafety International and chair of the NBAA Flight Attendants Committee. Fisher describes the importance of flight attendant education and experience in this week's NBAA Flight Plan podcast.
With the FAA’s Equip 2020 deadline only 15 months away, maintenance shops are finding their schedules quickly filling up as owners/operators make arrangements for ADS-B installations. NBAA recently spoke with the Aircraft Electronics Association’s Ric Peri and Southeastern Aerospace’s Luke Gomoll, who said that whether operators go for out-of-the-box solutions or custom ADS-B installations, they need to come into the process prepared – and they need to schedule their service soon.
Business aircraft sales transactions have becoming more complex than ever, often necessitating the creation of a specialized team of not only sales people but also technical and financial advisors to ensure a successful outcome. What roles are needed for each area of the transaction, and how do you select people with the right areas of expertise to support the various aspects of the sale? NBAA spoke with Janine Iannarelli, president of Par Avion, to discuss how to assemble a team of experts to maximize an aircraft transaction, in this week’s NBAA Flight Plan podcast.
With the January 2020 deadline for ADS-B installation quickly approaching, the high demand for installations has led some companies to create innovative programs to make turn times shorter and get planes back in the air as quickly as possible. SoCal Jets is just one of them. “Definitely more companies will have to do this in order to complete this by 2020,” said Debi Carpenter, executive director of the Southern California Aviation Association. She and others describe the challenges of achieving ADS-B compliance in this week’s NBAA Flight Plan podcast.
The business aviation industry emphasizes safety, but do you know how decisions about safety priorities are made? “We have five foundations of safety focused around professionalism, and if you’re acting as a professional in all aspects, safety is a byproduct of that,” said Marty Grier, senior manager, aviation at The Home Depot. “We do an annual safety survey to the NBAA membership to get their feedback, and that information is all brought into the annual risk assessment.” Grier describes the importance of professionalism as the core of the five foundations of safety in business aviation in this week’s NBAA Flight Plan podcast.
As authorities continue to investigate the recent CitationJet incident, conversations surrounding fitness for
duty are increasing in the industry, and beyond. “When you look at the massive scale of aircraft
operations that we have in the United States and abroad, it’s really quite impressive, we stand at a
pinnacle of aviation safety unlike we’ve ever seen before,” said Phil Derner, NBAA’s Western regional
representative. “It’s about helping each other to assess your colleagues’ level of wellness. We’ve got to
look around and help each other out.” Derner describes some of the steps individuals in business aviation
can do to promote mental wellness and overall safety culture in this week’s NBAA Flight Plan podcast.
NBAA’s Certified Aviation Manager (CAM) program, which focuses on leadership, human resources, operations and business management, has become an impactful workforce development tool in the business aviation industry over the last 15 years. Listen to this week's podcast.
Looking to upgrade the interior of your aircraft? The process can take months of planning before the work even begins, said Jon Haag, CAM, former chair of NBAA’s Maintenance Committee. “Communication is huge and it starts the day that the principal says, ‘You know, I’d like to update the airplane’,” he added. Haag also recommended making sure there’s no “gray areas” in the work order, to minimize mistakes.
With ADS-B and new NextGen mandates quickly approaching, many companies are working with maintenance partners to make sure that they are on track to remain compliant with all regulations moving forward. “The best thing an aircraft owner or operator can do is start planning a year in advance and working a couple of MROs to get proposals going,” said Nathan Winkle, chairman of NBAA’s
Maintenance Committee. “Our whole business is all about relationships…it’s important to know who the actual technicians that are going to be managing and working on your project. Who they are, what they do, what their work ethic is.” Winkle explains what you should and shouldn’t consider when choosing an MRO in this week’s NBAA Flight Plan podcast.
Due to a growing global economy, there has been a major turnaround in worldwide jet sales and the aircraft market is balanced for the first time in years, creating a healthy, sustainable marketplace, according to a veteran broker. “The days of an airplane losing 20, 25 percent a year, which is of course, not sustainable, are gone,” said Jay Mesinger, CEO of Mesinger Jet Sales, adding demand is now outpacing supply. ‘It’s the first time that my industry has been so bold to use words like ‘half full.’ or ‘optimistic’ or ‘enthusiastic’ in years, and those are the words that are universally being used by all of us engaged in aviation.”
Cabotage rules in Mexico are different from those in other countries, but if operators keep some simple regulations in mind, their trips should go smoothly. “The two basic rules to always remember is that a charter or non-scheduled operator cannot make more than two stops within the country,” said Juan Muniz, manager of global regulatory services at Universal Weather and Aviation. “And the second part is that a passenger that is transported into Mexico on one charter or non-scheduled commercial operator cannot be transported out of the country by a different one.” Juan Muniz explains Mexican cabotage rules in this episode of NBAA's Flight Plan podcast.
Though the 2018 NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE) is still months away from arriving in Orlando this October, an exciting program of education sessions is already in the works. Hot topics will include new technologies, cybersecurity and regulatory issues. Additionally, multiple sessions will address workforce retention challenges to highlight what managers can do to keep experienced talent within business aviation, said Tyler Austin, NBAA’s manager of professional development. Learn more about plans for NBAA-BACE education sessions in this week’s NBAA Flight Plan podcast.
Corporate shuttles are becoming a more popular travel option for companies that need to send employees to sites far from major airports. Passengers appreciate the predictability and the time savings that allow them to have better work-life balance, said Lee Blake, chief pilot of shuttle operations at Cummins Inc. Corporate shuttles also can have a huge financial impact on the business, as well, said Matthew Grudenwald, chair of NBAA’s Shuttle Working Group. “There is an economic value of time, and the U.S. government uses a formula for calculating economic value for time for all transportation-related projects,” he said.
Many local industry groups don’t have an executive director, but having that person to lead an organization can help it grow. “Managing 500 or 600 members, and trying to grow it, it becomes a job,” Debi Carpenter, executive director of the Southern California Aviation Association. Also, having a single point of contact for industry and media is crucial to the success of many groups, noted Debbie Bowman, executive director of the Aviation Council of Pennsylvania. Learn more in the NBAA Flight Plan podcast.
Kellie Rittenhouse, director of aviation at Hangar Aviation Management received an NBAA scholarship more than 20 years ago, and it changed the direction of her career. She was working as a receptionist at a flight school, while studying to be an English teacher, when she realized that she wanted to pursue a career in aviation. “It definitely was a catalyst for my career because it also opened up other opportunities and it was important for me to give back to the industry, so I set my sights on additional education. I would later pursue my CAM credentials, so I am a Certified Aviation Manager,” said Rittenhouse, who shares her story.
Hurricane season started on June 1, so now is a good time to make sure you and your company are prepared. “We have access to all the information that’s coming in from throughout the National Airspace System and all the surrounding airspace systems that the United States interacts with,” said NBAA Air Traffic Services Program Manager John Kosak. NBAA communicates hurricane updates to members via the NBAA Airspace Alerts subscriber email list and social media. Kosak shares his hurricane preparedness tips.
When flying to a new destination there are many factors to consider when choosing an FBO. “I want to check fuel costs, make sure the FBO has the amenities the pilots need, check their hours of operation and things like that,” said NBAA Schedulers & Dispatchers Committee member Lori Montgomery. For Benjamin Fuller, with International Trip Planning Services, it all comes down to trust. “Our first thought is who can we trust on the ground in any certain location that can get everything done from A to Z,” he said.
On May 23, industry leaders will meet in San Diego, CA for NBAA’s Local and Regional Group Leadership Roundtable where they’ll discuss issues challenging groups across the country, such as workforce development. “It gives everyone an opportunity to come and network with each other and learn best practices that they can then take back to their individual associations,” said Iver Retrum, chair of the Local and Regional Group Committee.
Airports and the businesses they host must work together to create a net benefit for both. “Ongoing dialogue is really critical because issues come up every day in an airport environment. General aviation airports are important community assets that contribute to our local community, as well as to the transportation system,” but they are often not well understood, said Clara Bennett, executive director of the Boca Raton Airport Authority. “It’s critical for airport managers and airport tenants and users to continually get that message out that there’s value in general aviation in our communities.” Bennett shares five tips for successful collaboration.
The Michigan Business Aviation Association and Western Michigan Business Aviation Association have been working together for more than 30 years to reach students and pique their interest in the industry. Dean Walters, director of aviation for Jackson National Life, works with both groups, and said roughly one-third of business aviation pilots of come through the scholarship program. The goal, he said, is to reach kids while they are still in high school.
If you’re headed to any of the association’s events this spring, NBAA has tips for attendees and exhibitors to get the most out of their experience, starting with registering via social media. “This is a really great way to reach out to your own contacts, to your own network, and your colleagues and friends within the industry, and invite them to join you,” said Aimee Kaufman, NBAA’s senior director of marketing.
It’s been 18 months since the FAA implemented significant changes to the reporting of runway conditions and contamination. The biggest challenge of the new system, referred to as Takeoff and Landing Performance Assessment (TALPA), has been getting the word out to operators, said Rich Boll, chair of the Airspace, ATC and Flight Technologies Working Group of the NBAA Access Committee. To that end, NBAA has created a six-part video series that explains TALPA and how pilots should apply the field condition reports they receive.
Last week’s NBAA Flight Plan podcast looked at the phraseology “climb via,” which has caused some confusion since it was introduced in 2014. This week, the podcast examines the practical implications of flying a climb via departure. “NextGen is all about fitting more aircraft in a smaller airspace and the intent of the procedure designers, both SIDs and STARs, is that they be auto flown,” said NBAA Access Committee member Keith Gordon, who participated on the team that led to climb via implementation. “However, we have to be trained, we have to be skilled enough that when something happens. whether a controller has to intervene, that we have the ability to do it.”
International operations can differ widely from domestic operations, particularly if a mission involves an operator’s first time flying outside the U.S. “If they’ve never done it before they may not know the sheer scale of differences that they’ll be facing,” said Craig Hanlon, chair of the NBAA International Operators Committee. Hanlon offers tips for first-time international operators including: using an international service provider and handling agent and taking formal international procedures training. Also, he said, the NBAA International Feedback Database can be a valuable source of information.
If a business trip requires flying south of the border, operators can expect helpful changes in their interactions with Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and other improvements, said Laura Everington, senior manager for government and industry affairs at Universal Weather and Aviation and chair of the NBAA Security Council. Everington provides a quick list of the changes, several developed between NBAA and government officials.
Operators traveling to Europe need to be prepared for a Safety Assessment of Foreign Aircraft (SAFA) inspection. “It’s geared toward foreign aircraft operators, so if you are based outside the European Union, and you’re flying into the EU, that’s their method for ensuring that you’re safe while operating in their airspace,” said NBAA Operations Manager Brian Koester, adding that advanced preparation is key in making the process as smooth as possible. In this edition of NBAA Flight Plan, Koester shares three tips for getting ready for a SAFA inspection.
When Kentucky’s Aviation Commissioner Steve Parker met with Gov. Matt Bevin, and was asked what he needed, Parker said he told the governor he needed money to fix “crumbling” general aviation airports. Bevin delivered on his promise by adding $10 million for fiscal years 2017 and 2018 into the budget. “We did 47 projects in our 53 GA airports,” Parker said. Deputy Aviation Commissioner Todd Bloch added, ”Before Gov. Bevin gave us the additional $10 million for each year, the jet-fuel tax money was only able to do band-aid fixes. instead of doing a total runway overlay or reconstruction we could only address the major cracks, but we never could get a complete project done.”
NBAA recently published an “Ethical Business Aviation Transactions” resource outlining best practices for ethical transactions between buyers and sellers of business aircraft products and services. “I was very impressed by what NBAA put together,” said Brian Proctor, chairman of the National Aircraft Resale Association. “It really ties well into what we believe and what we espouse as an organization, so it was a natural course for us to endorse what NBAA is doing.”
As NBAA’s membership grows, the association continually looks for ways to best support its members, and collaborate with them in a face-to-face manner. It’s with that in mind that NBAA recently expanded its regional representative program – in this week’s edition of NBAA Flight Plan podcast, hear what two new regional reps, Paige Kroner and Brittany Davies, have planned.
TFRs are a fact of life for flight operators nationwide, said John Kosak, of NBAA’s Air Traffic Services. “Of course, the ones that our members are most concerned with are the VIP TFRs,” he said. “These are the TFRs that we see for the president and the vice president.” The dimensions, timing and level of restriction for each TFR vary. For VIP TFR’s, these determinations are made by the Secret Service, in coordination with the FAA.
The International Business Aviation Council (IBAC) has a number of objectives for 2018, with increased communications and growth high on that list, according to Kurt Edwards, the council's director general. There's a new outreach plan, he said, adding, "part of that will be a focus on where there are not currently associations for business aviation trying to work in those countries with the industry to develop associations." For example, the African Business Aviation Association recently joined IBAC.
While there are regulations that govern when pilots should use supplemental oxygen, experts say it’s more important to focus on how you feel in the cockpit, rather than the altitude. “Everyone is different and some people need oxygen [at a lower altitude] and some people can tolerate a little bit higher,” said Dr. Brent Blue, a senior aviation medical examiner.
While there are regulations that govern when pilots should use supplemental oxygen, experts say it's more important to focus on how you feel in the cockpit, rather than the altitude. "Everyone is different and some people need oxygen [at a lower altitude] and some people can tolerate a little bit higher," said Dr. Brent Blue, a senior aviation medical examiner, in this May 2017 edition of NBAA Flight Plan.
Unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) are increasingly being added to the stable of technology that companies use to better serve their customers. For American Family Insurance, for example, drones are used for assessment, underwriting assistance, for security and more. "It's amazing the breadth of touchpoints across the company that this technology has," said Steve Dunai, the company's UAS program manager. "It could potentially benefit most every facet of the organization." Learn more in this encore edition of NBAA Flight Plan - which was one of our most popular of 2017.
As we near the end of 2017, NBAA takes a look back at some of the most popular Flight Plan podcasts of the year. Discussing the complexity of state taxes in the purchase, sale or license of an aircraft, Jordan Miller, of CenterPoint Aviation Law, noted it's important to be aware that each state has its own tax laws regarding aviation. "Each of those may impose a number of different types of taxes on the ownership of the aircraft, the use of the aircraft or even the value of the aircraft," he said. Miller recommended making sure the aircraft is appropriately registered in the owner's home state, investigating places the aircraft regularly flies and the types of taxes those states imposes and keeping detailed documentation of trips.
NBAA's "Pocket Reference for Flight Planning in the U.S. National Airspace System" provides tips for filing flight plans, overcoming departure delays and more, including a section of web links for finding information on weather and route selection. The downloadable document was put together from a pilot's point of view, as well as the view of those at NBAA's Air Traffic Services (NBAA ATS), said John Kosak, of NBAA ATS. "There's a whole lot of helpful hints on this."
A diverse workforce is key to the business aviation industry being able to attract top talent in the future. "I do believe that diversity is something that can be achieved in this industry," said Vanessa Jamison, board chair of the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals, who recommended meeting with students of all backgrounds as early as middle school to help them develop an interest in the industry. Learn more about creating a diverse workplace in this week's NBAA Flight Plan podcast.
NBAA's Business Aviation Management Committee recently conducted research to determine why some business pilots have left the industry for the airlines, and they found the reason was because "the airlines are hiring like crazy," said the committee's Chris Broyhill, CAM, vice president of consulting at The Mente Group. The good news is that the business aviation industry has many good reasons for workers to stay, and there are several steps companies can take to retain their seasoned talent.
Fortune favors those who are prepared - especially for filing taxes. And now, according to experts, is the time for flight departments to work on their tax liability. "Maybe you need to have some more business flights in order to make sure you qualify for accelerated depreciation for example," said CPA Sue Folkringa. "Now is the perfect time to look through those flight logs and do some planning for the next month and a half." Also, there are new tax provisions if your aircraft was damaged by Hurricanes Harvey or Irma, said CPA Angel Houck, and out-of-pocket expenses may be deductible.
NEXA Advisors' "Business Aviation and Top-Performing Companies 2017 study," "confirmed that the flight department's value to the corporation is through the roof," said NEXA representative Mike Dyment. The challenge now is to communicate this to company stakeholders. Dyment suggested putting the information directly in the hands of passengers, through materials in the seat back pockets of the business aircraft.
General aviation groups are working to get out a message of opposition to ATC, and that effort continued to be in focus at NBAA's Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE). "At NBAA-BACE we had a team of representatives from ATCNotForSale.com, which is the grassroots effort by the entire general aviation community to oppose this legislation," said Scott O'Brien, NBAA's senior director for government affairs. "During show we had tens of thousands of people sending letters from ipads directly to their members of Congress."
NBAA-BACE attendees wanting to learn about the latest technology for use in the industry should attend an education session titled, "Technology-Driven Trends in Business Aviation," taking place on Oct. 10. The session will "look at what's going on in technology today, and bring those pieces to business aviation and how it will influence or impact it in the future," said Jeppesen's Rhonda Larance. For those interested in older technology, head out to the static display of aircraft to view a DC-3 on display as part of NBAA's 70th anniversary celebration. This D-model DC-3 was built by Douglas Aircraft, and was one of the first aircraft used strictly for business aviation.
A recent study from NEXA Advisors shows that America's best companies rely on business aviation to succeed. The study found that S&P 500 companies using business aviation outperformed non-users by 70 percent. "I believe that there is greater and more significant confidence on the part of these companies and the individuals who sit on boards and the top executives, such as the CEO and CFO, that business aviation really works," said Michael Dyment, of NEXA. Dyment will discuss the study in detail during an education session at NBAA's Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE), at 2 p.m. on Oct. 11.
Advocates for a privatized ATC system say the system is mired in the past, but long-time aviation blogger Ron Rapp, an experienced Part 91 and 135 operator, recently debunked this myth in his recent blog titled "The Big Lie: ATC Stuck in the 1960s." He asserts, "what's being used today by air traffic control is light years ahead of what they had in the 80s, let alone the 1960s."
In August, Sky Hope Founder Robin Eissler and Patient AirLift Services Executive Director Eileen Minogue combined their efforts in using business aviation to help those in need. "Shortly after we did that merger, we were faced with Hurricane Harvey, and it was our first opportunity to respond," noted Eissler. "We're always open to figuring out how we can better serve and use aviation as an opportunity to open up access to those in need," added Minogue.
The NBAA Single Pilot Safety Standdown is set for Oct. 9, one day before the opening of NBAA-BACE, and the event promises to address the specific needs of single-pilot business aircraft operators. "We know that there's some uniqueness to the single-pilot business aviation operations, and so we have this event geared for that audience specifically," said Mark Larsen, NBAA senior manager of safety and flight operations.
In recent months, NBAA has heard from U.S.-based members traveling overseas about their encounters with SAFA ramp inspectors at European airports. Due to differences in interpretation of ICAO rules, operators of U.S.-registered business aircraft may be questioned by an inspector about their knowledge of the aircraft's maintenance and operations procedures. The most serious repercussion for operators who aren't prepared for these checks is receiving a safety finding, which can ground the aircraft.
The Vermont Aviation Management Association (VAMA) - founded this year by former state Aeronautics Administrator Guy Rouelle - is off to a fast start supporting aviation around Vermont. "Everybody wants to have a collective voice," said the group's Executive Director Elizabeth Deringer. First up on VAMA's agenda: forming a state aviation caucus and supporting national efforts to fight against ATC privatization.
Dr. Ed Schweitzer, president of Pullman, WA-based Schweitzer Engineering Labs, and Dr. Lance Ferguson, a Kentucky-based eye surgeon, have joined the fight against ATC privatization, as two of the more than 100 business leaders who have written to Congress opposing H.R. 2997. "We need to make sure that these [lawmakers] understand that without that ability to fly, these industries are going to wither and die."
Jay Mesinger, president and CEO of Mesinger Jet Sales and a past NBAA board member, has been in the industry for four decades. He remembers the years of prosperity until the dot-com bubble burst, followed by the impact 9/11 had on aviation and the Great Recession of 2008. At the Sept. 7 NBAA Regional Forum in Morristown, NJ, Mesinger will look back at the industry's past and provide a forecast.
With the right equipment onboard a business aircraft, pilots can get a complete flight plan clearance prior to departure without ever saying a word. "This comes in handy when there's a major weather event rolling through a really congested airport," said Chris Collings of Harris Corp. Currently, controller-pilot data link communications, or CPDLC, is available at 55 of the nation's airports, including Teterboro (TEB) in New Jersey and Westchester County (HPN) in New York, and it will roll out to seven more airports next year.
How prepared is your flight department for an emergency? Pete Agur, founder and chairman of safety consulting firm VanAllen Group, said it's important for flight departments to have emergency response plans (ERPs), not only in case of accidents involving fatalities, but any unusual situations. These could include, severe turbulence, losing a wheel in the mud or a bird strike, Agur said, adding it's important to be prepared for any scenario.
Recently, 100 business leaders from around the country sent letters to congressional transportation leaders asking them to vote against H.R. 2997. "A privatized ATC system would make it prohibitive for our company to be able to do the face-to-face interactions that are necessary," said Brad Pierce, CEO of Restaurant Equipment World. He and Shelly deZevallos, founder of Independent Mortgage Co., urged other CEOs to contact Congress as well. "Talking to your pubic officials makes a huge difference," she said. "We can't quit, we've got to keep talking to our officials."
NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen is urging association members and other industry stakeholders to contact Congress now and speak out against H.R.2997, which would privatize ATC and minimize general aviation's access to airspace. "This is a clear and a present danger, and the only way to repel that is for our community to stand up, speak out and get active," Bolen said.
Smaller airports are lifeline of the communities they serve, serving as gateways to the community for businesses and residents. For that reason, Pullman, WA Mayor Glenn Johnson is one of many mayors across the country who oppose ATC privatization. "We don't have a freeway here, we also don't have a waterway, air transportation is our key to get out," he said. "Under the Federal Aviation Administration everybody does get treated equally, under a privatized system, I don't see that happening. We have reliable service, safe service as it is right now. It's fair to all concerned."
One of most pervasive issues before NBAA's Safety Committee is the issue of loss of control inflight (LOC-I) accidents and how to prevent them. Paul "BJ" Ransbury, the committee's lead for the Loss of Control Working Group, said traditionally the focus in preventing these accidents has been on distraction and automation management, pilot monitoring and situational awareness - but those lines of defense are great until they don't work. Ransbury said the focus should also be on recovery training, and specifically stall threats, as nearly 50 percent of LOC-I accident are related to a stall in some way.
Deb Prosinski, head of Fortune 100 company's scheduling department, recently spent time in Washington, DC taking advantage of a scholarship she won from NBAA's Air Traffic Services (ATS). "It's just mind boggling to me what goes on behind the scenes of our whole air traffic system," she said. "Now I've got a bigger picture of what's involved." Prosinki said she plans to encourage others who work with her to apply for NBAA scholarships, so they too can see first-hand the work of NBAA's ATS.
As unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) become more prevalent, companies are looking at how to best integrate them into overall operations and their flight department. Steve Dunai, UAS program manager for American Family Insurance, said his company started looking at areas where drones could be useful about two years ago, including in roof inspections, underwriting, security and more. Brian Wynne, president and CEO of the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International, said there is an alignment in pilot and drone operation skills, but training is key.
As technology becomes increasingly complex, it's no surprise that connectivity in the cabin is one of the chief priorities for flight crews. "These days, everyone on board wants to stay connected, so the challenge is being able to troubleshoot where needed," noted Elaine Lapotosky, chairwoman of NBAA's Flight Attendants Committee. Crew safety, as well as fatigue, are the other main issues impacting flight attendants and technicians, she said. These topics, and more, will be discussed at the upcoming NBAA Flight Attendants/Flight Technicians Conference.
Do you spent a lot of time flying unpressurized aircraft at high altitudes? If so, it's important to monitor your oxygen levels. Alex Gertsen, NBAA's director of airports and ground infrastructure, is also a pilot, and said he uses supplemental oxygen in flight and counts on a pulse oximeter to measure his oxygen levels. "It's your health, your life on the line when you're at those high-altitude levels," Gertsen said. Dr. Brent Blue, a senior aviation medical examiner, agreed, "It's not about the altitude, it's about how you feel. You can't use too much oxygen."
Ted Ogle, owner and president of Ogle Equipment Sales in Louisville, KY, said a privatized ATC system - such as the one used in Canada or England - would be harmful to small U.S. businesses that depend on aircraft, and would cause operating costs to skyrocket. "[Privatization] gets the cost up so high that a lot of people just won't handle it. I don't know why you want to change the system when it's working fine."
Whether looking for operational assistance, use-policy tips or risk management solutions, NBAA has the resources to help members with their needs in running their company or operating aircraft. Some of the association's most popular resources include: Reducing Business Aviation Runway Excursions, the Business Aircraft Use Policy Guide and the Risk Management Guide for Single-Pilot Light Business Aircraft. [Learn more about NBAA's resources].
The industry has a new advocate in the Bluegrass State - the Kentucky Business Aviation Association (KBAA). The idea for the group started a few years ago, but with a looming threat of ATC privatization, it was the right time to mobilize said KBAA President Joe Marthaler, an aviation instructor at Eastern Kentucky University. "It's another venue to get everyone involved and speak as one voice."
Due to the complex interrelationship between federal tax planning, state tax planning and planning for regulatory compliance, "considering the state tax early in the transaction allows the buyer to make the most informed decisions about their ultimate tax cost," said Jordan Miller, tax attorney at CenterPoint Aviation Law PLLC in Seattle, WA. Learn more about state aviation tax planning considerations, as well as NBAA state tax resources for members, in this week's NBAA Flight Plan podcast.
Scott Stevens, president of Glenville, NY-based Dimension Fabricators Inc., uses business aviation whenever practical to help customers quickly and efficiently. He is against privatizing the ATC system, noting that, "There are just some things that industry does well, and things that government does well. I think our current ATC system is incredibly effective [and] remarkably well managed."
Bob Gould, of Bravo Golf Aviation, has developed a practical way to look at risk management, and it starts with a simple question: "What would happen if...?" In other words, he said, aviation personnel can ask themselves if they did or didn't perform a certain function, what would the outcome be? Gould will speak on this topic next month at a Professional Development Program course on risk management.
The way we think about business aviation safety continues to evolve, and the NBAA Safety Committee has again put together its list of Top Safety Focus Areas. For 2017, there are eight items on list, including loss of control inflight, runway excursions, distractions and risk-based training. "This is the list of things that really, truly challenge the industry from a safety perspective," said Safety Committee Chairman David Ryan. The committee also created "five foundations of safety," to compliment the Top Safety Focus Areas. These include: professionalism, risk management and fitness for duty.
The NBAA Maintenance Committee wants to develop the next generation business aircraft technician, and its scholarship program is an important part of that process, said committee member Steve King. Though the Maintenance Technical Reward and Career Scholarship (TRACS) program, the committee awards dozens of training opportunities each year to help business aviation maintenance technicians enhance their careers.
Increasingly, local and regional business aviation groups are staging safety events as a service to members and stakeholders in the area. The Pacific Northwest Business Aviation Association (PNBAA), for example, is hosting its 2017 Safety and Security Day on April 6. The key to success, said PNBAA Director Brett Palmiero, is appealing to a diverse audience with topics of current interest in the industry.
With more than 900 attendees expected at this year's NBAA Maintenance Conference, set for May 2-4 in West Palm Beach, FL, there will be ample opportunities for networking, which industry leaders say is vital for those who work in maintenance of business aircraft. When looking for aircraft parts, or needing assistance with new techniques, the people one meets at the NBAA Maintenance Conference are often the first to help, said Maintenance Committee member Steve King.
NBAA hosts more than a dozen Professional Development Program (PDP) courses each year, with the next one set for March 17 in Atlanta, GA, focusing on aviation security. The workshops are a must for anyone looking to attain management roles, said NBAA PDP Project Manager Tyler Austin. "To attend a face-to-face course, that's invaluable," he said. "When you're face-to-face you can ask those important questions, and get incredible feedback right then and there."
A new congressional session is underway, and with it, efforts will be underway to reform or add new members to the House and Senate Caucuses. That's where NBAA members can help, by using the association's online Contact Congress resource to send a message to their lawmakers asking them to join the caucus, which is critical for educating policy leaders about the importance of general aviation to citizens, companies and communities across America. "The General Aviation Caucus provides the building blocks for educating members of Congress about our industry's concerns and policy priorities," said NBAA Vice President of Government Affairs Dick Doubrava. NBAA members can use the association's online [Contact Congress] tool to send an automated letter to their legislator about joining the caucus.
A majority of registered voters are against privatizing the ATC system, according to a new survey conducted for the Alliance for Aviation Across America, the Air Care Alliance and the League of Rural Voters. The survey of 800 registered voters found that 62 percent are against privatization, noted Selena Shilad, executive director of Alliance. "People generally feel that the FAA should be running air traffic control," Shilad said. "That's a public government function, and that should reside within the FAA."
NBAA Chief Operating Officer Steve Brown was in Santa Monica, CA last week to talk with stakeholders about the recent agreement to close Santa Monica Municipal Airport (SMO) in 2028, and shorten the runway in the near future. "Everyone's concerned about the future of the airport," he said, adding that the runway shortening would impact NBAA members with larger to mid-sized turbine aircraft. The association, Brown said, is examining legal options with regard to SMO. "We're looking at it as a unique case. We don't think it has any spillover effects to any other airports around the country, but we are very focused on making sure that this airport is as available, open and accessible to the aviation community as possible in the future," he said.
NBAA's 70th anniversary provides the business aviation community with an opportunity to celebrate the past, and recognize the industry's responsibility to continue advocating for business aviation in the years ahead, said President and CEO Ed Bolen. "The 70th anniversary of NBAA is an opportunity to look back at the wisdom and foresight of those 19 members that met together when NBAA was incorporated in 1947, Bolen noted, adding that NBAA and its members will continue to "take the torch and carry it forward to new generations."
NBAA's Access Committee works to ensure that members have access to the National Airspace System, airports and to political processes at the local level that impact business aviation. Committee Chairman Gabe Andino said updating the popular NBAA Airports Handbook is one of the committee's main goals for 2017. For example, he said, "What we'll be updating is some of those case studies to make them a little more current."
A new administration takes over in Washington, DC this month, but NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen said business aviation leaders are expecting another push for ATC privatization funded by user fees, and are preparing to once again fight against it. "What really is at stake here is a fundamental question about who's going to control the public's air space," Bolen said. "Is it going to be the public's elected representatives or are we going to turn our air traffic control monopoly over to a private board dominated by airlines who may not have business aviation's best interest at heart?" Other NBAA priorities for 2017 include support of certification reform and a push to move forward with NextGen implementation.
This year was one that saw a battle over proposals for creating a privatized ATC system funded by user fees -Â a concept that NBAA opposed, given the potential impact on the towns and communities that rely on business aviation. NBAA also continued its work to keep airports such as California's Santa Monica Municipal Airport (SMO) and New York's East Hampton Airport (HTO) open to the entrepreneurs and companies relying on business aviation. The industry also paid tribute to Bob Hoover, Arnold Palmer and John Glenn, for their many contributions to aviation.
NBAA's Certified Aviation Manager (CAM) program improves careers of business aviation professionals and, in turn, the companies they work for. In 2017, an updated version of the CAM certification exam, which places additional emphasis on leadership and safety, will be introduced, said CAM Governing Board Chairman Jim Buchanan. Learn more about coming changes to NBAA's CAM exam, and how you can start preparing for it, in this week's NBAA Flight Plan podcast.
The NBAA Safety Committee will continue to focus on its goal of continually enhancing business aviation safety, said new committee Chairman Dave Ryan. Two areas that will receive special focus are single-pilot safety and reducing loss-of-control accidents, he said. The group also is looking at many multi-year projects, such as developing a safety manager micro certificate.
One of NBAA's top priorities is bringing people into industry, and scholarships are a part of that process. With about a quarter of a million dollars awarded each year to students and working professionals, NBAA's Tyler Austin said, "There's no age limit, at any point in your career you can apply for any of these awards." Applications for several scholarships are due Nov. 30.
Attendees of NBAA's annual Schedulers & Dispatchers Conference (SDC) have a tradition of supporting a charity in the event's host city, and Feb. 7-10 in Fort Worth, TX, they will be raise money for, and pack "Ana's Baskets," to benefit Safe Haven of Tarrant County, said committee Chairwoman Danielle Gordon. The baskets are filled with cleaning supplies to help survivors of domestic abuse begin new lives.
The International Civil Aviation Association (ICAO) recently formalized a new international framework for regulating global aircraft emissions, known as Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation, or CORSIA. The regulation is voluntary for about the first six years, said NBAA Chief Operating Officer Steve Brown, adding that if it is implemented as currently proposed, the plan recognizes "that it's not efficient or necessary to include all operators, so there's an exemption for small emitters," including most NBAA members.
At its annual convention, NBAA is offering three education sessions on the policies and regulations surrounding unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), including a session on protecting airport traffic from errant drones at 4:30 on Tuesday, Nov. 1 in the Innovation Zone, sponsored by Business Aviation Insider magazine. Bob Lamond, NBAA's director of air traffic services and infrastructure, said the industry can expect a 'rapid acceleration" in the use of the technology in the coming years, and these sessions address some of the major issues surrounding UAS use.
Careers in Business Aviation Day is an annual highlight of the NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE), and this year is no exception. Held on Thursday, Nov. 3, this year's event which is free to students, teachers and chaperones - features Lyndse Constabile and Shaesta Waiz from Dreams Soar, an organization dedicated to inspiring the next generation of aviation professionals, as well as Taylor Butterfield, an unmanned aircraft pilot and co-founder of SkyTap. The speakers hope to show aspiring industry professionals that through educational scholarships, internships, mentorships and other means, a career in business aviation can be theirs.
Arnold Palmer was the quintessential golfer, bringing the game to the masses. And he did the same for business aviation - championing the industry since he began flying in the 1950s. Palmer took his first lesson in 1956 in Latrobe, PA, and a short time later flew to an exhibition in Akron, OH. "When I went to the exhibition, I was thinking golf and flying, and when I came back home, I was thinking flying," Palmer told NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen shortly before his passing on Sept. 25 at age 87. NBAA is dedicating its 2016 Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE) to Palmer, and paying tribute to his lasting legacy to the industry.
Antaya Science & Technology is developing a particle accelerator for proton beam therapy that delivers targeted doses of radiation to cancer cells. This work requires transporting a delicate electromagnet to vendors that make specialty components. This equipment can't just travel by truck or commercial airline - only business aviation can ensure it gets to where it needs to go, said Dr. Timothy Antaya.
Pilot reports - or PIREPs - are vital for safe operations, said John Kosak, program manager, weather, NBAA Air Traffic Services. The real-time weather updates are, "A fantastic way to get weather [information] out," he said. "It really is the best way while we're in the air to communicate information." The NTSB has said improving PIREPs is on its list of most wanted safety improvements, and "it really is potentially a matter of life or death," Kosak said.
Though U.S.-Cuba relations have improved, there is still much for business aviation operators to take into account before planning a flight. "There is a misnomer that Cuba is wide open," said Kathy Self, director of corporate compliance at Universal Weather and Aviation. "It is still an embargoed country, and making sure that you have a proper license to travel to Cuba is important." Attorney Jonathan Epstein said the rules of who can fly to Cuba can be complex. For example, if an aircraft is leased, financed or owned by third party, it may be prohibited from operating to Cuba even if it's not a violation of law. "The concern of a financer may go beyond what the law requires," he said.
Following years of collaboration between regulators and industry representatives, including NBAA, the FAA's rules for the commercial operation of small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) will take effect on Aug. 29. "The implementation of Part 107 is a milestone toward the sensible introduction of small UAS into the national airspace system," said Bob Lamond, NBAA director of air traffic services and infrastructure.
The Runway Status Lights (RWSL) system is likely coming to an airport near you soon, with 17 airports across the country scheduled to have RWSL by the end of 2017. RWSL is a fully automatic advisory safety system designed to reduce the number and severity of runway incursions, and prevent runway accidents while not interfering with airport operations. "This whole system runs in the background as an additional layer of safety," noted Bridget Gee, from the National Air Traffic Controllers Association. But it can also lead to confusion for pilots, who may receive instructions from ATC that are inconsistent with the lighting system. Gee advises, "If the lights are in conflict with ATC instruction, just don't go."
As the presidential race comes down to a November finish, NBAA has made it easier to find information members need on election-related temporary flight restrictions (TFRs). "The information we present comes directly from FAA security, and we think it gives our members a much clearer and concise picture of the situation," said Dean Snell, NBAA manager of air traffic services.
NBAA's Young Professionals in Business Aviation (YoPro) announced the formation of its inaugural YoPro Council, a leadership team tasked with overseeing the group's efforts to build relationships between emerging leaders in the industry. The 25 young professionals on the council will be responsible for planning YoPro events and initiatives. "Our goal with YoPro is to provide a community for young professionals looking to make their mark on business aviation, and the experience and enthusiasm our new council members bring will be crucial to that effort," said Sierra Grimes, YoPro founder and NBAA's manager of registration.
Brazil has instituted special rules for aviators flying to Rio de Janeiro during the Olympic Games, to be held from Aug. 5 to 21. Cynthia Oliveira, director of operations at Lider Aviation, discusses the hot topics that will affect business aircraft operators during the games, including visa requirements, airport slot systems, hours of operation and what you should know about the Zika virus. Learn more about preparing to fly to Rio in this week's NBAA Flight Plan, sponsored by Jet Quest.
With more than 60 members and an industry-wide reputation for leadership in promoting safe operations, the NBAA Safety Committee plans to step up its efforts to identify individuals who will serve on the front-line in supporting safety in the years to come. Anyone can be a safety leader, noted committee Vice Chairman David Ryan. "Safety transcends an entire organization," he said. "Our values for our Safety Committee, and the ones that we promote in future safety leaders, are values such as professionalism, leadership, engagement. These individuals need to be innovative, they need to be progressive thinkers and we always need to try to stay ahead in developing pools for these people to succeed."
New regulations that apply to small unmanned aircraft systems (s-UAS) weighing less than 55 pounds will go into effect Aug. 27. However, rules that apply to the operation of UAS weighing more than 55 pounds will generally be covered under FAR Part 91-57A, according to Bob Lamond, NBAA's director of air traffic services and infrastructure. "While s-UAS rules go into effect at the end of next month, rules governing standard UAS - those weighing more than 55 pounds - really won't differ from those covering manned aircraft," said Lamond, who serves on the FAA's UAS Aviation Rulemaking Committee.
In 2014, NBAA created the Local and Regional Group Committee to act as a conduit of information between local groups and NBAA, and provide these groups an opportunity to work together and share best practices. This week's NBAA Flight Plan podcast, sponsored by jet Quest, examines the committee and its work.
Since Jeff Gilley retired from NBAA in 2015, Alex Gertsen has served as the association's director of airports and ground infrastructure. He comes to NBAA from the American Association of Airport Executives, and his love of aviation goes back to standing on the flight line with his grandfather, a U.S. Air Force veteran. A pilot himself, Gertsen works with the NBAA Access Committee to ensure access at airports across the country. "Alex's role is to monitor the situation [at important airports such as] Santa Monica Municipal (SMO) and East Hampton (HTO)," said Access Committee Chairman Gabriel Andino, "to keep an eye on the situation and provide feedback."
The FAA has released recommendations from an aviation rulemaking committee (ARC) tasked with providing the agency input on how to assess and improve flight crew members' mental fitness for duty. The committee's recommendations include enhanced aviation medical examiner (AME) training and pilot assistance programs designed to help pilots who are experiencing emotional issues that could affect flight deck performance. "There has to be trust between the pilot; the FAA, and its designated representative, the AME; and the pilot's employer," said Dr. Quay Snyder, ARC member and president and CEO of the Aviation Medicine Advisory Service.
It's easy these days for even cyber-savvy people to fall victim to internet security threats, noted Josh Wheeler, manager, training operations with Satcom Direct. For example, he said, an FBO advertises free wifi, and you connect - without a password - to what looks like a network with a name similar to the FBOs. But the unprotected network isn't connected with the FBO, and the user's data is compromised.
In business aviation, pilots have to be smart, so how could two trained instructors flying together run out of gas mid-flight? Pat Daily, from Convergent Performance, attributes it to a person's "error fingerprint," something he says we all have. "Sometimes, even if they have that sense of unease, they will kind of bluster their way through it saying it's never going to happen, because it hasn't happened to them before." Daily will address this issue at an NBAA Professional Development Program course, Sept. 12 and 13 in Washington, DC.
For Part 135 air charter operators, and some Part 91 flight departments, federal excise tax (FET) on commercial transportation of passengers generates challenging questions on an almost daily basis. "I see people getting tripped up on the international flights where they're stopping someplace before they travel on," said Mark Dennen, chief financial officer at Solairus Aviation and a member of NBAA's Tax Committee. "If you're flying the 48 [continental] states, which is the majority of charter trips, it's a pretty straight forward calculation. But it's when you're going different places outside the country, or Alaska and Hawaii, where most people have issues."
Gina Russo recently took over as executive director of the Corporate Angel Network (CAN), which provides flights for cancer patients and their families on business aircraft - free of charge. Russo comes to CAN from the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, where she ran its patient services programs. "I think we've got the right person here. I think she knows what she's doing and she's going to be a natural for this," said Peter Fleiss, CAN's executive director emeritus. "CAN is going to move forward as a result."
While a flight management system (FMS) is designed to make things easier for a pilot, it can also make flying more difficult. An FMS helps a pilot keep track of where they are, fuel burn, weather and traffic conditions and more, but, "if you're so overly focused on how to do the FMS, it takes away a lot of your time from flying the airplane and managing it," said pilot Long Nguyen. Also, he said, FMS can vary from airplane to airplane, so pilots must take the time to familiarize themselves with a system before take-off.
Disaster can strike quickly in an aircraft, and solid training can be the key to avoiding disaster - especially when it comes to takeoffs. "The decision to go is almost always the correct decision to make versus the abort decision," said Dann Runik, executive director of Advanced Training Programs at FlightSafety International. "The survivability data is on the side of those who decide to go." NBAA Safety Committee member Ben Kohler, who heads up the Technical Excellence Working Group, added that most emergencies will happens so fast there's no time to think. "When you do make the decision to continue the take off or reject, muscle memory is critical, and that comes from good training," he said.
European business aviation employs 371,000 Europeans either directly or indirectly, contributing a total of â¬146 billion ($165 billion) to the European Union economy, according to a new study about the benefits the industry brings to Europe. The study, conducted by Booz Allen Hamilton in collaboration with Deutsches Zentrum für Luft-und Raumfahrt (DLR), was commissioned by the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA). The study also confirmed that business aviation has a significant induced effect on the EU economy, said Arthur Thomas, EBAA's liaison with Booz Allen Hamilton.
Being "fit to fly" is more than just a physical condition, it's also a mental one. "We're talking about having both the cognitive ability to process information, as well as the emotional stability," said Dr. Dan Danzyck, a fellow in aerospace medicine at the Mayo Clinic. Danzyck said issues such as inability to sleep and difficulty concentrating on day-to-day tasks could be two signs that help is needed. This week's NBAA Flight Plan podcast, sponsored by Jet Quest, looks at the issue of mental fitness, and provides suggestions on where to turn for help.
As ABACE2016 kicks off this week in Shanghai, China, Charlie Mularski, chairman of the Asian Business Aviation Association (AsBAA) discusses opportunities for the industry in Asia. Though China may be experiencing challenges, other countries in the region "are helping out with diversification of the market and a lot more activity that we didn't see in the past," he said.
Local and regional aviation groups have answered NBAA's Call to Action in support the Senate's version of FAA reauthorization legislation, which does not include provisions for a privatized ATC system, and that support is making a difference. "We support the Senate version of the FAA reauthorization bill," said Jeff Smith, vice president for operations at the Eastern Regional Helicopter Council. "I can easily imagine that if we didn't own the airspace through the FAA, and had to go hat-in-hand to the managers of a privately run ATC system, helicopter operations in the Northeast wouldn't be taken into consideration at all." Read more about groups that have answered the Call to Action and listen to an NBAA Flight Plan podcast, sponsored by jet Quest, about the issue.
With the full Senate expected to vote on its version of the FAA reauthorization bill in early April, NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen said now is the time for NBAA members to contact senators in the support of the legislation. "We have an opportunity to let all of the senators know before they vote on the legislation that this is a good bill and it deserves to be passed," he said. NBAA's Contact Congress tool is an easy and effective way to contact the Senate, he added, and since NBAA issued it's first call to action - asking members to oppose the House version of the bill - "we have seen a response from our members that has been off the charts."
The Alliance for Aviation Across America has posted a petition on change.org asking for support in the fight against ATC privatization. "It is basically telling people join us in sending a message to Congress that we do not want to privatize our air traffic control system," Executive Director Selena Shilad said.
It's a big week in ongoing battle over Santa Monica Municipal Airport (SMO), as the decades-old fight between airport users and city leaders heads to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on March 11 for oral arguments on the city's claim that the document transferring SMO from federal hands to the city was faulty. Alex Gertsen, NBAA's director of airports and ground infrastructure said, "The court has already ruled, the city appealed and we're continuing to argue about this." NBAA's Western Regional Representatives Stacy Howard said the city continues to make it difficult for association members and holders of master leases at the airport to stay in business. However, NBAA remains steadfast in its support for SMO, and will continue to fight to keep SMO open.
Although U.S. House and Senate leaders will consider a short-term extension for FAA funding authority beyond the existing March 31 deadline, the reality is that the industry must remain vigilant against FAA reauthorization proposals for privatizing air traffic control, as contained in H.R. 4441. NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen said there's still a critical need for industry stakeholders to let their representatives know that such a scenario would hurt business aviation. "The House is still working to find a path to the floor for H.R. 4441, and the Senate is expected to introduce its own FAA reauthorization measure soon," noted Bolen.
For the first time, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has come up with proposed standards to reduce aircraft carbon emissions worldwide. "The very smallest of the business aviation aircraft would be exempt, so that would be generally aircraft under 12,500 pounds," noted NBAA's Chief Operating Office Steve Brown. "It's only when you get to larger aircraft, where you have larger fuel burns and therefore more emissions, that its useful to try and measure emissions and apply technology to make significant reductions in the future that are beneficial." ICAO will vote on the plan later this year, and Browns said he is "cautiously optimistic" it will pass.
Every day could be a day when your leadership skills could be tested to the limit, said leadership expert Dr. Tony Kern, who is speaking at NBAA's Leadership Conference, Feb. 22 to 24 in San Antonio, TX. "Aviation is dynamic, and it can quickly evolve from simple decisions to incredible complexity," he said. " When it seems overwhelming, Kern suggested, find the one thing you do understand, deal with that and then look at the problem again. Learn more in this week's NBAA Flight Plan podcast.
The most significant change in U.S. aviation history is being proposed - a privatized ATC system funded by user fees - and NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen urges members to act now and make their voices heard. "We have seen privatized systems in other parts of the world that have restricted access, that have given priority to commercial operations over non-commercial operations, that have effectively eroded small-town access to major finance centers," Bolen said, adding that such a system in this country, "has the potential to be devastating for business aviation." Bolen again urged stakeholders to use NBAA's Contact Congress online resource and ask lawmakers to oppose any proposal for privatization. Listen to this week's NBAA Flight Plan for more on the threat of ATC privatization.
Fostering employee engagement represents a revolution in corporate philosophy, according to Mark Fernandes, chief leadership officer at Luck Companies, who oversees the flight department. It used to be "customers first." But now, he said, it is "employees first." "Engage them and they in turn will treat the customer well," said Fernandes, who will present on this topic at NBAA's 2016 Leadership Conference, Feb. 22 to 24 in San Antonio, TX. This week's NBAA Flight Plan podcast has more on engagement.
Sarah Wolf, NBAA's senior manager for security and facilitation said, "The dialogue that has been going on between CBP and NBAA has opened up new lines of communication. Having more access to [CBP's General Aviation Program Manager] Eric [Rodriguez] at events, working with the GA working group that CBP has put together to try and focus on specific GA and business aviation products to help the members have a more seamless inbound/outbound experience when they're dealing with customs" are all examples of how keeping the lines of communication open can help members. Learn more in this week's NBAA Flight Plan podcast.
With a fight against ATC privatization funded through user fees looming in Washington, DC, NBAA members are encouraged to use the online Contact Congress tool to let lawmakers know the detrimental impact such a plan would have on the industry. "Our community is politically aware and understands that we may need to reach out to elected officials on a sustained, continuous basis to make sure before they vote they know how it will effect their constituents," said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen.
NBAA was actively involved in many issues in 2015, with some of the most prominent being the incorporation of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) into the national airspace system, and maintaining business aviation's access to airports around the country, including East Hampton Airport (HTO) in New York and Santa Monica Municipal Airport (SMO) in California. But perhaps the biggest issue facing the industry this year was a proposal - as part of FAA reauthorization - to privatize the air traffic control system and fund it through user fees. With a March 2016 deadline looming for FAA reauthorization, that's an issue NBAA members will likely hear a lot about in the new year.
As soon as Universal Weather & Aviation Chairman Greg Evans got word of NBAA's call to action regarding FAA reauthorization, he knew he had to work on it right away. Proposals associated with the measure include establishment of a privatized air traffic control (ATC) system funded by user fees. "I wanted to find ways to reach out to everyone we know [and] educate them on these issues and make sure they spread the word as well," said Evans, and he wasn't alone. Companies, industry associations and business aircraft operators have shared NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen's message about the problems associated with a privatized ATC funded through user. NBAA Flight Plan podcast has the story.
The current issue of Business Aviation Insider magazine looks at how to set up an aircraft use policy, and experts say in certain situations - such as when two people request that aircraft for the same time period - having such a policy in place is indispensible. "I always tell clients your biggest asset's not on the balance sheet, it's the morale of your employees," said Cliff Maine, chairman of the Aviation Law Group at law firm Barnes & Thornburg. "That's a real important thing in how you deal with conflicts, and try and let everyone know they're important and part of the team." Without a use policy in place, you run the risk of playing favorites. Learn more about how an aircraft use policy can be invaluable in this week's NBAA Flight Plan podcast.
In addition to education sessions and networking events, NBAA's Schedulers & Dispatchers Conference (SDC2016) includes opportunities for the expected 3,000 attendees to give back and help those in need. Conference Chairwoman Eve Gregory said the event is one again holding a Pay It Forward clothing drive, which provides gently used business clothes to men and women looking to get back into the workforce. Additionally, this year attendees can take part in a two-hour packing event with Feeding America Tampa Bay, which provides backpacks of food for children to bring home on weekends. SDC2016 takes place Jan. 19 to 22 in Tampa, FL.
It's finally here - NBAA2015 opens this week in Las Vegas and the show is packed with events not to be missed, as well as must-see aircraft and other products. NBAA Senior Vice President of Conventions and Membership Chris Strong said some of those can't-miss areas are the static displays at Henderson Executive Airport and the Las Vegas Convention Center. "We will have 85 plus aircraft on [outdoor static] display and the latest technologies. It's a beautiful setting, something that our attendees can't miss. Complimenting that this year, in the convention hall we will also have a static display with 17 aircraft, which is the biggest indoor static we've ever had and it looks to be just sensational." For more must-see's at NBAA2015, listen this week's NBAA Flight Plan podcast
As a debate continues in Washington over an FAA reauthorization bill, local and regional groups are gearing up to fight any proposals that would be harmful to business aviation. Don Hitch, chairman of NBAA's Local and Regional Group Committee, suggests anyone involved in local groups come to the NBAA Local and Regional Networking Session at 1 p.m. Nov. 18 at NBAA2015 and learn more about how they can get involved. Listen to this week's NBAA Flight Plan podcast for more information.
The Department of Transportation wants all unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) in the U.S. to be registered, and NBAA is part of the working group on that issue. "We have been proponents of having UAS safely integrated into the NAS [National Airspace System] for a decade or more now, so we feel it is a good fit for us to be on this task force," said Sarah Wolf, NBAA senior manager of security and facilitation. Wolf noted that NBAA is offering NBAA2015 attendees education on UAS with two sessions taking place at the show. Seminars will address the maturation of "detect and avoid" UAS technology, and existing and potential uses of UAS in business aviation. The topic also will be covered at Careers in Business Aviation Day on Nov. 19.
One of the hottest topics in business aviation is how to balance a day of flying with the need for much-needed rest. Dr. Steven Altchuler, from the aerospace medicine team at the Mayo Clinic, has several recommendations to help flight crews adjust to work hours that often extend beyond 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For example, "Ideally you want to set your watch and you want your body to live on that watch time wherever the sun happens to be at any point in time," he said.
Corporate Angel Network (CAN) relies on business aviation to support its mission of connecting caner patients and their families with treatment centers around the country. But companies that support the cause say they get as much as out the experience as the patients do. "It is such a little thing for the corporation to share those empty seats on your plane...and the [patients and families] are generally so nice and so grateful and just so happy that we made the experience a little bit better for their loved one," noted Pat Cunningham of PepsiCo. "It makes you want to do it as much as you can." Another way to support CAN is through the silent auction at the NBAA/CAN Soiree, taking place Nov. 18 at NBAA2015. Learn more about CAN in this week's NBAA Flight Plan podcast.
The Business aviation industry is generous in helping those in need, and one of the organizations benefiting from this kindness is the Corporate Angel Network (CAN), which flies cancer patients and their families to and from treatment. CAN flew it's 48,000 patient earlier this year, and credits the more than 500 organizations that support its mission with saving lives. "We save lives and extend lives and a lot of these patients couldn't get the treatment they need if we weren't able to get them there," said CAN Executive Director, Emeritus Peter Fleiss. The NBAA/CAN Soiree, held every year at NBAA's convention, raises money for this worthy cause. This year's soiree is set for 6 p.m. Nov. 18 at the Venetian Hotel.
The strong relationship between NBAA and local and regional groups business aviation group will once again be evident at NBAA's convention, with a networking session set for Nov. 18. The networking session is designed specifically to foster interaction between groups and a sharing of best practices among peers. In addition, NBAA's Local and Regional Group Committee will meet at convention. "This is our second year of the Local and Regional Group Committee, and once again we've expanded so much of what we do in partnership with the local and regional groups," said Steve Hadley, director of NBAA's regional programs and Southwest regional representative.
The Small Flight Department Subcommittee of the NBAA Domestic Operations Committee is moving forward with an initiative designed to better support flight operations that have only one or two aircraft and a similar number of employees. Members of approximately 15 small flight departments recently participated in a conference call designed to establish the subcommittee's new priorities. The consensus was that the subcommittee needs to identify ways to tailor safety management systems to small flight departments and define best practices for scheduling maintenance inspection tasks in one-aircraft flight departments, among other goals.
About 10 years ago, NBAA created strategic focus teams to open new lines of communication among business aviation leaders serving on NBAA's standing committees. "NBAA has a strong history of having volunteer committees within different specialties within the industry," said Director of Educational Development and Strategy Jo Damato, CAM, adding these teams allow committee leaders to "interact with each other, to learn from each other, share ideas, share best practices." The group of about 50 volunteers meets each fall, along with staff liaisons, to discuss goals for the upcoming year.
Association officials, led by President and CEO Ed Bolen, recently headed to China for meetings about business aviation's growing role in the region. "We conducted some meetings with government officials, and had conversations regarding the market for business aviation in China," said Vice President Operational Excellence and Professional Development Mike Nichols, adding they also met with the media, NBAA Members and other industry stakeholders. "The sentiment within China remains very positive regarding business aviation," added Vice President for Regulatory and International Affairs Doug Carr.
The NBAA Charities scholarship program offers nearly $100,000 annually in cash awards as tuition reimbursement for enrolled students, and nearly the same amount in monetary and training awards for working professionals in business aviation. And now, it's even easier to apply for one of the 15 available scholarships. "We just launched our online process. It's 100 percent online," said Tyler Austin, NBAA's project manager, professional development. The new process also allows applicants to save information, such as a resume or reference letters, to use when applying for future awards.
FAA adoption of the SoCal Metroplex Project will improve the safety and efficiency of Southern California airspace for all operators. "NBAA unequivocally supports this metroplex effort, as it will greatly benefit business aircraft operations in Southern California," said Bob Lamond, NBAA's director air traffic services and infrastructure. Importantly, operators in Southern California have stepped up and have become involved in the process to make sure that some of the non-commercial airports frequently by business aviation are included in the metroplex plan. For more on this issue, listen to this week's NBAA Flight Plan podcast.
NBAA Vice President for Government Affairs Dick Doubrava said it is important for NBAA Members to reach out to lawmakers, especially while they are in their home districts for the August recess. If your legislators are not yet members of the GA Caucus, Doubrava suggested using the Contact Congress tool to urge them to join. "Explain to them how important general aviation is to your business and to our economy," Doubrava said. "Visit with them and make your voice heard because there's no more important time than right now." NBAA Flight Plan podcast has more.
On both the East and West Coasts, NBAA is fighting for Members to have continued access to airports. Western Regional Representative Stacy Howard noted that access to several California airports is at risk - including Burbank, Van Nuys and Santa Monica. Meanwhile, at New York's East Hampton Airport (HTO), NBAA continues to fight against an "onerous curfew" now in place, said Northeast Regional Representative Dean Saucier. Listen to this week's NBAA Flight Plan podcast for more on what NBAA is doing to ensure continued airport access.
During the summer, members of Congress will make appearances at local events, providing NBAA Members unparalleled opportunities to talk with them about how the creation of a privatized air traffic control system funded by user fees could hurt business aviation. NBAA's Flight Plan podcast has more.
The NBAA Access Committee's Weather Subcommittee is looking to add members and increase participation in the group. "The goal is to recruit a diverse group of NBAA Members that represent all operational disciplines - from schedulers and dispatchers to pilots and cabin crewmembers - thereby providing the business aviation perspective to the greater weather community," according to John Kosak, NBAA Air Traffic Services (NBAA ATS) specialist. "We want anybody who is concerned about how do I make it easier, how do I make it so I can get better information regarding weather."
The Association will be on hand this week in Oshkosh at EAA's AirVenture, offering an air-conditioned tent to relax in, as well as a chance to join NBAA for a discount. Additionally, "Each day at AirVenture we'll hold a drawing for one free registration to NBAA's Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition (NBAA2015) in Las Vegas," said Kirby Konz, NBAA marketing project manager. As in the past, NBAA will also make its back porch available for Members and visitors to get out of the sun and view the daily AirVenture air show performances from comfortable, shaded seats. Listen to this week's NBAA Flight Plan podcast for more on the Association's participation at AirVenture.
In response to a proposal that would privatize the air traffic control system, and pay for it with the help of user fees, NBAA issued a "Call to Action," and business aviation groups answered the call. "We've got 25 local and regional groups that have written letters from the chairman or president of the group," said NBAA's Director Regional Programs Steve Hadley. Shelly deZevallos, president of Texans for General Aviation was among those who responded, and she urged others to do so too. "Call [your congressman], voice your concern, speak to their office let them know why you're against it. It will impact safety. It will impact the economy," she said.
Charles Mularski, new chairman of the Asian Business Aviation Association, said he hopes to address some of the "hot spots" business operators encounter in Asia. For example, In Beijing, there is only a single FBO, and in Hong Kong, there is virtually no space for business aircraft parking. "We're overcoming cultural differences and plan to grow the membership by 20 percent this year," he said. "Operators are seeing the value of our organization and they're beginning to share, trust and build a real community."
U.S. Rep Bill Shuster (R-9-PA) has announced plans to introduce an FAA reauthorization bill calling for a privatized air traffic control system funded by user fees. But spinning out ATC and funding it with user fees is contrary to long-held positions in the general aviation community, noted NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen. "We believe that the ability to tax is the ability to destroy," he said. "Our concern, as it has always been with a privatized system funded with user fees, is it could impede our access to airports and airspace."
Government security clearance is not necessary to find vital information about country conditions and potential threats before traveling overseas, according to experts. "You don't need a clearance," said Centennial Airport Executive Director Robert Olislagers, who is also a subject matter expert for the Aviation Security Advisory Committee. "But security generally isn't cheap, and good information is sometimes hard to come by. The biggest problem is that there is good information spread across 20 or more Internet sites. They're good resources, but our goal is to provide a central resource."
Operators need to be mindful of cultural and procedural differences when flying internationally, said Gary Tucker, a pilot for the Ball Corporation who has flown globally for 15 years. Tucker, who also serves as technical coordinator of the NBAA International Operators Committee, shares his top five tips for international flying, including being prepared for Safety Assessment of Foreign Aircraft in Europe and flying the clearance, not the flight plan, on an international overwater flight.
In September, NBAA is offering Members a chance to visit the nation's capital and prepare to move up the business aviation career ladder. The Association is hosting two Professional Development Program (PDP) courses at its headquarters. "Regulatory Compliance and Documentation" takes place Sept. 14, followed by "Goal Achievement and Performance Reviews" on Sept. 15. And while at NBAA, "you have the opportunity to sit down face-to-face with folks in the operations division, or in membership, or conventions and marketing," said Tyler Austin, who coordinates NBAA's PDP courses.
Before, during and after a hurricane, NBAA Members can count on the Association to keep them up-to-date with the latest information. "We'll include information on any airports or facilities where FAA personnel have been evacuated and are therefore considered 'ATC Zero,'" said NBAA Air Traffic Services (ATS) Weather Specialist John Kosak. "The important thing to remember is that these storms are huge, and damaging winds can reach out more than 100 miles from the center of the storm. So the information we put that in the airspace alerts reflects that as well."
U.S. Rep. Dina Titus (D-1-NV) is sponsoring the first of what she hopes will be an annual series of aviation symposiums in Las Vegas, and NBAA is supporting her efforts. "The symposium will bring together local business leaders and community decision-makers whose vision helps drive the state's economy," said NBAA's Western Regional Representative Stacy Howard. "I can't overstate the importance of having someone from Nevada's congressional delegation, along with the FAA administrator, come to Nevada and talk about how important a growing aviation industry is to this state."
In 2006, planning got underway to build a vertiport in West Chicago. Certified as operational this March, the $13 million facility features a 30,000-square-foot hangar and an 11,700-square-foot terminal. The vertiport is home to aircraft sales and brokerage business, and DHL has signed on to conduct daily operations, to fly in packages and documents for companies doing business in Chicago.
The Association recently held its first safety workshop in Alaska, where pilots often face a different operating environment than they would elsewhere in the U.S. "NBAA Members that operate in Alaska often land on snow or gravel runways," noted NBAA Chief Operating Officer Steve Brown. "Many of those are short runways that require high-performance takeoffs and landings. And because of the wildlife hazards at many of the more remote locations - including bears, wolves and other carnivores - often the first thing out of the airplane is the rifle."
This year's Business Aviation Safety Summit, produced by the Flight Safety Foundation along with NBAA, will offer a number of sessions on hot topics in the business aviation industry. "It has been a leading-edge event where the focus isn't only on what you can take home with you today, but on pushing the bounds of safety exploration in our community, looking for new and perhaps yet-to-be-tested ways we can address common or emerging issues," said Doug Carr, NBAA's vice president of regulatory and international affairs.
With unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) becoming more popular, the FAA has granted Auburn University approval to operate a new UAS Flight School as part of its Aviation Center. Auburn hopes to launch it's program in June, and will open the non-credit classes to anyone interested, not just Auburn students. "The reaction has been overwhelming," said Bill Hutto, director of Auburn's Aviation Center. "We've gotten inquires from as far away as Oregon State." While the curriculum is still evolving, Hutto anticipates offering courses in pipeline inspection, use in agriculture and law enforcement and more.
The NBAA Maintenance Management Conference (MMC2015), takes place May 5 to 7 in Portland, OR, and offers plenty of reasons to attend. "This is the one show a year dedicated to maintenance professionals to help you be a better maintenance professional, to help your flight department and to help you interact with all the exhibitors and the leaders in the industry that you do business with," said Jim Huntoon, chairman of this year's conference. Sessions cover leadership, regulatory issues, troubleshooting, NextGen mandates, budgeting and much more.
A pilot is on the visual approach taking the aircraft all the way down to the runway, but just as wheels touch there's a gust of wind, and they bounce out of the touch-down zone. But, the end of the runway is approaching, so what does the pilot do? "I think a lot of pilots think once the aircraft touches down 'I am committed,' but you're not, you can go ahead and get out of there and perform the go-around maneuver at that point," said JR Russell, chairman of ProActive Safety Systems and a member of NBAA's Safety Committee. The committee supports a recent FAA Safety Alert for Operators, which encourages "scenario-based go-around training into pilot training curricula." Listen to this week's NBAA Flight Plan podcast for more on the importance of go-around training.
The FAA is proposing restrictions on unscheduled access to the three main NY-area airports: LaGuardia Airport (LGA) and John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York, and Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) in New Jersey. "In our view the FAA has failed to justify why unscheduled access should be subject to such substantial reductions," said Doug Carr, NBAA's vice president of regulatory and international affairs. The comment period on this proposal runs through May 8, and Carr is urging NBAA Members and others potentially impacted by this change to submit comments opposing these restrictions. Learn more in this week's NBAA Flight Plan podcast.
This year's annual Local and Regional Group Leadership Roundtable is set for May 14 in Minneapolis, MN, and this one-day event allows business aviation industry leaders from around the country to meet and discuss best practices for running regional groups. Topics for discussion include: grant funding, how to implement an executive director and different types of IRS entity structure that groups can set up. "These groups share their experiences and at the same time share their challenges for sustainment," noted NBAA Director of Regional Programs Steve Hadley, who also serves as the Southwest regional representative. "They can strengthen themselves by collaboration."
The International Business Aviation Council (IBAC) recently welcomed back Kathy Perfetti as senior advisor, regulatory affairs. She will serve as the IBAC observer on the Flight Operations Panel of the International Civil Aviation Organization, and as a member of the General Aviation Subgroup. Perfetti had previously directed IBAC's International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations from 2007 to 2011, and also spent 29 years with the FAA. "My role will be more of an industry advisor to provide the information to help government officials with their decision making, to be that liaison, to carry that industry voice to the table," she said.
Last fall, the Collaborative Convective Forecast Product (CCFP) was automated, becoming the Computerized Convective Forecast Product, allowing the Aviation Weather Center to expand CCFP coverage to 24 hours a day, year round. As a result, a new collaborative product was needed, and after years of work the Collaborative Aviation Weather Statement (CAWS) has been implemented. CAWS can highlight specific, smaller areas of concern. Air traffic managers will be able to make more accurate decisions regarding traffic management initiatives, and CAWS will help to reduce weather related delays throughout the national airspace system, said John Kosak, a specialist with NBAA's Air Traffic Services, who advised Members to make CAWS a part of their flight-planning routine. .
Business aviation leaders in Alabama recently met to form the new Alabama Business Aviation Association (ABAA). Ryan Waguespack, vice president of business development at Priority Jet, was instrumental in getting the new group off the ground. "The real need was the lack of network and the lack of communications," he said, adding he hopes the new organization will "provide a community to gather to communicate about operational and safety matters." One of the first orders of business, according to Waguespack, is giving business aviation operators a voice at Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport (BHM).
NBAA Members fly all over the world, and it's important to remember that medical safety is as important as personal safety, advised England-based Dr. Michael Braida, medical director for MedAire in Europe. Braida said the Democratic Republic of Congo, Southeast Asia and the Caribbean offer some of the most substantial health risks to operators. Learn more in this week's NBAA Flight Plan podcast.
As industry officials and interested stakeholders learn more about the FAA's proposed rules governing small, unmanned aircraft systems (s-UAS), NBAA is cautiously optimistic that the agency has taken a "good first step" toward integrating the devices into the nation's airspace, but that some details will need to be further explored. Bob Lamond, NBAA's director, air traffic services and infrastructure, discusses the FAA's proposed rules, and their potential impact for business aviation, in a special edition of NBAA Flight Plan podcast.
While the industry is still waiting the FAA's proposed rule on the use of small, unmanned aircraft systems (s-UAS), NBAA is monitoring the situation and continuing to provide input on their use in the National Airspace System (NAS). Even when a proposed rule is released, it will still be about a year before a final rule is in place, said NBAA's Director of Air Traffic Services and Infrastructure Bob Lamond. NBAA has long maintained that safety needs to be a key concern with s-UAS, said Lamond, adding that geofencing technology, which keeps the devices away from areas they are not allowed, is a good example of ways to keep them from interfering with operators currently in the NAS. Listen to this week's NBAA Flight Plan podcast for an update on s-UAS.
The FAA issued an information for operators memo asking for operators to file accurate flight plans, due to an increasing number of inaccurate flight plans. "Occasionally, for whatever reason, operators need to make a change to that flight plan," said John Kosak, NBAA Air Traffic Services specialist. "The problem comes when they make that change incorrectly. They might cancel the flight plan, but it doesn't actually come out of the system, and now they've got two flight plans in the system and nobody's sure which one they want knows." Operators also need to reflect their aircraft's capabilities in their flight plan, Kosak said. Hear more in this week's NBAA Flight Plan podcast.
Many NBAA efforts in NextGen planning meetings are based on Member input, according to NBAA Chief Operating Officer Steve Brown. Through a number of channels, NBAA Members are providing constant feedback on operations, equipment and costs. "All of that - literally dozens of times a day - helps us formulate recommendations for progressive improvement," he said. Listen to this week's NBAA Flight Plan podcast to learn more about the association's work on aviation modernization.
The Flight Safety Foundation's annual Business Aviation Safety Summit (BASS) has long had the support of NBAA. "This is one of the business aviation industry's premier safety events, an annual tradition and a platform for safety information that's vital to all aspects of our operations," said Mark Larsen, NBAA's senior manager for safety and flight operations. This year's BASS takes place May 13 and 14 in Weston, FL.
Corporate Angel Network (CAN), which helps cancer patients and their families access life-saving medical help by arranging free travel to treatment using empty seats on business aircraft, flew 24 flights in its first year of operation in 1981. Today, the 563 company flight departments that participate in CAN annually fly as many as 2,700 cancer patients and family members to treatment facilities cross the country, according to CAN Executive Director Dick Koenig. "It almost feels like a privilege to be able to do this for a family that really needs something like this at this point in their lives," said Pat Cunningham, director of aviation for PepsiCo., which has participated in CAN for more than 25 years. Learn more about CAN in this week's NBAA Flight Plan podcast.
Looking back at 2014, NBAA was actively involved in advocacy efforts on behalf of he business aviation industry. The year began with a proposal from the Obama administration to implement per-flight user fees. The Association led the fight against the plan, which was also met with strong, bipartisan opposition on Capitol Hill, and eventually dismissed. NBAA also was active in advocating against an FAA proposal for mandatory sleep apnea testing and for extending certain tax provisions, including accelerated depreciation. Listen to a special year-end NBAA Flight Plan podcast for more on the issues that took center stage in 2014.
Business aviation passengers expect to be able to work productively on the way to their destination, and that has sparked an ongoing revolution in data and voice connectivity. But, more connectivity means more people have to make more decisions about capabilities, standards and training. That's where NBAA's new Connectivity Subcommittee comes in. Part of NBAA's Maintenance Committee, the group recently met to begin discussions on establishing guidelines, noting that lack of standardization may be the biggest element that drives problems with technology in the cabin. This week's NBAA Flight Plan podcast has the story.
Last week, NBAA's John Kosak, an Air Traffic Services specialist and staff liaison for the NBAA Weather Subcommittee, highlighted the top weather resources for business aircraft operators. In this week's NBAA Flight Plan podcast, Kosak elaborates on these websites, gives tips on how to best use them and shares further thoughts for safe winter flying.
NBAA Chief Operating Officer Steve Brown represented Member's concerns regarding the FAA's Jan. 1, 2020, deadline to equip aircraft with Automatic Dependent Surveillance - Broadcast (ADS-B) at a Nov. 18 "Equip 2020" working group meeting. According to Brown, the three main issues that must be addressed are: the equipment's expense, the need to streamline the approval process and to need to accelerate the installation of the equipment.
NBAA, along with other aviation interests, participated earlier this month in the 14th Annual Aviation Security Summit, hosted by the American Association of Airport Executives in cooperation with the Department of Homeland Security and the Transportation Safety Administration (TSA). While the summit was primarily focused on airport and airline issues, NBAA's Senior Manager of Security and Facilitation Sarah Wolf identified five key topics of interest for business aircraft operators.
One of the biggest airspace reconfigurations ever undertaken in North America is underway. Called the Windsor/Toronto/Montreal (WTM)/Northeast U.S. Airspace Redesign, it will affect just about every route, departure and approach between Windsor, Ontario, Canada; Cleveland, OH and Boston, MA. Building on experience gained through the redesign of the airspace over Houston and Dallas,TX, the FAA is partnering with Nav Canada for this latest redesign, which goes into effect with the next chart cycle on Thursday, Nov. 13. Listen to this week's NBAA Flight Plan podcast for details on these widespread airspace changes
The process of predicting weather that could impact aviation is about to change with the conversion of one product to full automation and the advent of another collaborative service that will combine automation with human oversight. The Collaborative Convective Forecast Product, for predictive snapshots of weather in two-hour increments, will soon be automated and offered 365 days a year, 24 hours a day. In addition, the FAA will soon offer a new product: the Collaborative Aviation Weather Statement, an advanced weather forecasting tool with interactive human oversight.
As NBAA2014 gets underway, NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen is optimistic about the year ahead. Bolen points to the willingness of business aircraft manufacturers to not only persevere during the Great Recession, but to actually forge ahead in what many consider the worst of times. "Through it all, business aviation has been investing in the future," Bolen said while surveying the exhibit floor of NBAA2014. "Now, we're beginning to see the fruits of that investment - not just in one or two sectors, but across the broad spectrum of business aviation."
Amelia Rose Earhart will address young attendees during a Careers in Business Aviation Day on Oct. 23, 2014, at NBAA2014, hoping to inspire them to consider careers in business aviation."I want to start conversations about careers in aviation," she said. "We can't let the passion disappear." At 31, Earhart is already determinedly following in the footsteps of her aviation pioneer namesake. "Instead of saying, 'You should' do this or 'You should' do that, she just went out and did it,"Earhart said of famed aviator Amelia Earhart, the first female aviator to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean."She led by example"
Because owner-pilots wear so many hats, single-pilot operations are among the 2014 Top Safety Focus Areas of the NBAA Safety Committee. "The safety record is not as good as it could be" for single-pilot operations, according to NBAA Safety Committee member Jim Lara, an ATP-rated pilot with 12,000 hours as pilot-in-command, who has spent much of his flight time as a single pilot. As the committee noted on its Top Safety Focus Area web page, "Owner-flown aircraft face unique challenges: often a lack of guidance, financial support, and clear procedures allow the pilot to use personal discretion without a set standard to measure against."
Those familiar with the new departure clearance phrase "climb via" say it continues to cause confusion among flight crews and air traffic controllers. "Only 5, maybe 10 percent of pilots are using the appropriate climb via phraseology," said Rich Boll, who chairs the Airspace, ATC and Flight Technologies Working Group of the NBAA Access Committee. Climb via clearances are based on SID procedures and were first used on air traffic control frequencies on April 3. When receiving such a clearance, flight crews are supposed to comply with lateral, vertical and speed restrictions published in the SID. Those provisions are designed to increase the efficiency of communications between ATC and flight crews.
As the business aviation industry looks at ways to attract young professionals to the industry and keep them there, the NBAA Safety Committee has made talent pipeline challenges one of its Top Safety Focus Areas for 2014. Safety culture, sound values and a solid compensation package are all key elements in attracting and keeping quality employees, according to Safety Committee Secretary David Ryan. We need to make it impossible for them to leave, he said.
China is planning a city called Superior Aviation Town, which would be home to a general aviation airport with a 7,800-foot-long runway, and a convention center dedicated to general aviation. The town's backers and the Chinese government plan to make the town, located about 11 miles from Beijing, a haven for international investment in hopes of sparking global interest in the aviation-related businesses that would call the city home.
With Customs and Border Protection (CBP) subjecting more international travelers to electronic and biometric data collection, incoming international general aviation flights at many commercial airports have been directed to taxi to airline gates, where CPB had its data collection equipment available. In an attempt to accommodate the needs of international GA arrivals, CBP developed a comprehensive set of facility standards known as the airport technical design standards (ATDS), which define the criteria for construction of customs facilities on the GA side of the airport. Over the past three years, approximately 15 ATDS facilities have been built. Another 14 or so are under construction, and approximately 18 are either in the proposal or design phase.
As a member of his state's new Aviation Development Task Force, W. Ashley Smith, Jr. hopes to address the disparity between how established businesses are treated, compared to those the state is trying to lure to North Carolina. Smith said it would be easier for him to grow his existing aviation companies, which employ more than 70 people in North Carolina, if he were able to enjoy some of the incentives offered to companies looking to relocate. Learn more in this week's NBAA Flight Plan podcast.
The government regulates the National Airspace System (NAS) with the intent of promoting safety, but what happens when the regulations themselves might adversely impact safety? NBAA's Safety Committee has named public policy as one of its top Safety Focus Areas, to bring attention to the unintended consequences legislative and regulatory actions may have on business aviation safety. "NBAA Members are totally focused on safety, and we don't want to see programs that might unintentionally encourage us to act against safety," said NBAA Vice President, government Affairs Dick Doubrava.
Each year, the International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations (IS-BAO), a set of best operating practices for business aviation, is updated through a painstaking process that begins with ideas submitted by operators to the International Business Aviation Council (IBAC), the industry organization that manages IS-BAO. IS-BAO is improved and refined based on the input of operators around the world, said IBAC's IS-BAO Program Director Sonnie Bates. "Our favorite way to get that input is face-to-face," Bates said. "We also send out emails to the industry each year, asking operators and auditors how IS-BAO can better serve them."
To assist in the development of superior airmanship skills, the NBAA Safety Committee's Training Advisory Subcommittee is developing an online Training Management Systems Tool. It's an effort to incorporate training concepts and the sort of organization flight departments have become familiar with, thanks to the safety management system concept put forth by the International Standard for Business Aviation Operations. "The idea is to show flight operators how to incorporate training as a tool to mitigate risk," said Steve Charbonneau, deputy chairman of the NBAA Safety Committee and the senior manager of aviation training and standards at Altria Client Services. "It will help operators identify training needs, develop training plans, then evaluate those plans to gauge their effectiveness."
NBAA issued an alert to its Members in Massachusetts, urging them to contact their legislators about overriding the governor's veto of funding for an airframe and powerplant maintenance technician program on Cope Cod. The advocacy push resonated, and soon the phones were ringing in legislators' offices at the state house. Ultimately, state lawmakers voted unanimously to restore the funding.
A new effort to improve the gathering and dissemination of weather information to general aviation operators was highlighted on July 21, as NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen announced the formation of a new NBAA Weather Subcommittee. "A lot of people, at every level, are dedicating their time and expertise to help us try and identify the best weather practices, and best weather information, so that together we can ultimately disseminate it," Bolen said. "Working together, we can collectively raise the bar and continue to enhance aviation safety, not just in the U.S., but around the world."
The Association recently took part in the General Aviation Issues and Security Conference, hosted by the American Association of Airport Executives in Pittsburgh, PA. "The good news coming out of the conference was that general aviation airports are continuing to recover," said NBAA Vice President of Government Affairs Dick Doubrava. "We also talked about ongoing challenges. Chief among them is the pressure some airports are feeling from the communities they serve to curtail aviation activities or close altogether."
The Airport Audit Tool, which is now in the final stages of development, is designed to standardize the process of identifying and assessing risks that are unique to each airport operating environment, said NBAA Airport Safety Working Group Leader Bob Conyers. "Consider it a PIREP (pilot report) about any kind of condition you might find at the airport," he said. "That's why we decided to create a risk assessment tool. It's been vetted with both airport and aircraft operators."
Last week, NBAA announced the release of its first-ever Aircraft Transactions Guide, a one-stop resource for owner-operators and flight departments planning to conduct an aircraft transaction. Covering issues that range from taxes to FAA regulatory considerations, the publication is not intended to replace transaction advisors but instead augment their advice and help Members make smart purchasing decisions. With advance planning and knowledge of the questions to ask your advisors, we hope to help Members avoid costly pitfalls during the transaction process." said Scott O'Brien, NBAA's senior manager for finance and tax policy, who managed the publication's production in conjunction with several industry volunteers on the Association's Tax Committee.
Regional business aviation group leaders who attended the second annual NBAA Regional Leadership Roundtable in San Antonio this month deemed the event to be even more fruitful than the first. Approximately half of the regional business aviation groups in the United States were represented at the event. "Frankly, it's invaluable," said Ed Vesely of Welsch Aviation in Houston, who hopes to start a regional business aviation group in that city. "With NBAA's help, I've been able to develop some creative ideas."
At the beginning of 2014, there was much concern in the aviation community and on Capitol Hill regarding the FAA's controversial proposal to require certain pilots to undergo testing for Obstructive Sleep Apnea before receiving a medical certificate. What's the status of this issue, and how has NBAA been involved in the matter? Doug Carr, NBAA's vice president of regulatory and international affairs, recently provided an update on the Association's efforts on behalf of pilots who might have faced at least the temporary loss of their medical certification based on the proposed requirement.
Flight management systems technologies, especially when newly adopted, can be major distractions for flight crews, cause runway incursions and lead to confusion in flight, according to the NBAA Safety Committee, which has named technology management as one of its 2014 Top Safety Focus Areas. "When pilots step into a new avionics suite, it's not an evolution, it's a transformation," said Gray Stone Advisors Principal James Lara, a member of the NBAA Safety Committee. "In order to make that leap, you really need to have significant study and professional instruction to be competent and safe."
Regional business aviation leaders met last week in San Antonio, TX for the NBAA Regional Leadership Roundtable, an annual forum for exchanging ideas and sharing experiences on how to further business aviation interests at the local level. While NBAA is able to bring legislative and operational expertise to regional groups, those same local groups are the eyes and ears of NBAA in every city hall, county commission and state house in America, noted Don Hitch, chairman of the NBAA Access Committee's Local and Regional Subcommittee. When the interests of business aircraft operators are at stake in any of those venues, NBAA is ready to respond with facts, figures and expert testimony whenever such assistance is requested by its valued regional affiliates.
At the NBAA Certified Aviation Manager (CAM) Governing Board meeting this month, the highly detailed Certified Aviation Manager (CAM) job analysis will begin the revision process that will lead to new educational and testing criteria in the near future. Think of the job analysis as a detailed job description for flight department leaders, said Jay Evans, NBAA's director of professional development. "It's a compendium of the things you need to know to run a flight department. It's also something flight department managers need to know to remain current on new issues and innovations that come down the path." The job analysis function also applies to the NBAA Professional Development Program.
The battle over noise from East Hampton Airport escalated into a lawsuit, which was recently settled when the FAA agreed to end three grant assurance programs seven years early. The agreements will now end on Dec. 31, 2014. But local aviation groups plan to continue their push to keep the airport open, even as town officials investigate restricting certain types of air traffic to reduce noise.
The NBAA Safety Committee lists what it calls a "positive safety culture" as one of its 2014 Top Safety Focus Areas, and it is actively developing materials and strategies to help Member Companies push forward in the creation and development of such a culture. "It's leadership accepting, encouraging and acknowledging the employees' decision to do the right thing," said NBAA Safety Committee member Bill Grimes, vice president of safety for CitationAir, a division of Textron.
As aviation students prepare for graduation at colleges throughout the country, many may be wondering how they will get ahead once they start their business aviation careers. The same goes for more established aviation professionals further along in their careers. Steve Brechter, senior advisor for operations at Gray Stone Advisors, has published "Five Ways to Get Ahead in Business Aviation." "Because flight departments are sometimes small and far from the core of the company's main business, it's often tough to get ahead," Brechter said. "We're off by ourselves and out of the mainstream. We need other, perhaps unconventional tactics, to advance our careers."
Leaders from business aviation groups across the country will meet at NBAA's second annual Regional Leadership Roundtable, set for June 5 in San Antonio, TX. "The objective of the roundtable is to connect the dots between aviation groups all over the country," said NBAA Access Committee Vice Chairman Don Hitch, whose group sponsors the Regional Leadership Roundtable. "They can share information on how to deal with their own challenges and, we think, learn very important lessons from each other."
Among the Top Safety Focus Areas listed by the NBAA Safety Committee, "professionalism" is often the most difficult to define. "That's exactly what the Professionalism Working Group has been focused on," said Marty Grier, Sr., maintenance manager at the Home Depot flight department and member of the NBAA Safety Committee.
In an airspace increasingly composed of RNAV fixes and the routes they define, the FAA has introduced new phraseology for the delivery of IFR clearances: "climb via" and "descend via." Whether used in conjunction with standard instrument departures (SIDs) or area navigation standard instrument departures (RNAV SIDs), climb via is simply shorthand for fly the departure as published. "Some pilots are confused by this phraseology," said Keith Gordon, director of aviation at Flynn Gallagher Associates in Las Vegas, and a member of NBAA's Access Committee. "But once you understand the basic concept that this is simply verbal shorthand for 'fly the published procedure,' it becomes much easier to grasp."
Ensuring fitness for duty - physically, mentally, emotionally and cognitively - is one of the most important aspects of a pilot's job, and so crucial that NBAA's Safety Committee has listed it among its Top Safety Focus Areas. Committee members, working closely with the NTSB, FAA, safety experts and Members, will focus intently on various issues that fall under the term "fitness for duty," providing the industry with information and guidelines for avoiding or mitigating the myriad of issues that can impact duty fitness.
Business aircraft operators in India are "cautiously optimistic" about the coming of a new government in June, which may bring with it major changes in that country's policies toward general aviation. Representatives of India's Business Aircraft Operators Association met recently with senior officials from the office of the Director General of Civil Aviation to discuss topics ranging from tax relief for maintenance, repair and overhaul facilities, to a new government policy that would allow commercial carriers to team up with non-scheduled operators to provide regional air service throughout India.
Following the announcement earlier this year of the NBAA Safety Committee's 2014 Top Safety Focus Areas, the committee and its associated working groups are working to develop products, resources and tools to help Member Companies elevate safety standards and best practices within their operations. These efforts are being carefully designed within the construct of the 10 identified focus areas -- issues within business aviation that committee members believe require greater attention and increased vigilance across all aspects of flight operations.
The International Business Aviation Council (IBAC) is hitting the road next month, hoping to forge alliances with business aircraft operators in several key venues, including the 2014 Asian Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition (ABACE2014). On April 14, the day before ABACE2014 gets underway in Shanghai, China, IBAC and NBAA will be among the sponsors of a half-day safety stand down. The following week, IBAC Director General Kurt Edwards and others will meet with business aircraft operators in Singapore, Hong Kong and Jakarta to talk about issues that range from safety to regulation. It is part of a larger effort by IBAC to interface with Asian operators.
Steve Hadley, NBAA's Southwest regional representative and director of regional programs, said growing regional cooperation is a factor in increased safety awareness and practices, and said the cooperation between regional groups does not stop there. Many groups receive safety training and materials from NBAA, and many are starting to share the resources they've developed independently, he said.
To help the business aviation community mobilize in opposition to President Obama's latest aviation user fee proposal, NBAA provides a Contact Congress advocacy tool with two ways for Members to take action, through the use of email or Twitter. Learn more in this week's NBAA Flight Plan podcast.
With breakthroughs in the technology of sonic boom shaping, some say the possibility of a supersonic business jet (SSBJ) may be getting closer to realization. According to Jens Hennig, vice president of operations at the General Aviation Manufacturers Association, "The effect of the wonderful research they've done at NASA [on flying at supersonic speeds] means the noise is greatly reduced. The Concorde's sonic boom was measured at 105 decibels. Now, the noise level is down to around 80 db. NASA's research says the acceptable level would be in the low- to mid-70 db range."
The new system enables subscribers to either email their flight plans or post them to an NBAA web page, then use that page to review and even edit their submissions, according to NBAA Air Traffic Management Specialist Jim McClay. "There's now more than one way to submit flights to us, and subscribers can make changes to their itineraries without having to resend the entire schedule," he added.
Now that the FAA has streamlined the procedures for certification of angle of attack (AOA) indicators, the next step is to gain greater awareness of what information can be derived from them, said Tim Short, a flight instructor and former military pilot who now flies for ExpressJet. Instruction in AOA indicator use generally requires three to five hours in the cockpit, as well as some ground instruction. NBAA Flight Plan has the story.
Small general aviation aircraft had virtually disappeared from some London-area airports and, as low-cost commercial carriers proliferated, the percentage of business aircraft movements declined, according to a study by Terry Yeomans, a customer service manager for an international trip-planning company. "This is not just about Luton [airport]," said Fabio Gamba, CEO of the European Business Aviation Association. "This is a problem we're facing all across Europe. The situation is critical."
The International Standard for Business Aviation Operations (IS-BAO), a comprehensive set of best practices for establishing a safety culture in flight departments, is useful for flight operations of all sizes. However, after talking with representatives of smaller flight departments, the International Business Aviation Council is now looking to put together a new set of IS-BAO templates that would simplify the process of creating a safety management system for these smaller operations.
Planning is key to a successful flight to Sochi, and NBAA has the information you need for your flight plans, as well as what you need to know once on the ground. Experts agree that having back-up plans and the proper paperwork are two of the most important elements to keep in mind when flying to Russia for the Olympics.
Increasingly companies are putting networking technicians on board business aircraft to ensure connectivity is maintained and to troubleshoot any problems that may arise, and flight attendants as well as other flight crew members are becoming versed in network diagnostics. An education session at NBAA's upcoming Regional Forum in Boca Raton, FL, titled "Networking in the Business Aircraft Cabin" will look at the issue of staying connected while in the air. NBAA's Flight Plan podcast has the full story, including tips for keeping your onboard connection intact.
Those attending this week's Schedulers & Dispatchers Conference (SDC2014) in New Orleans, LA, have the opportunity to interview for U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Global Entry program, which is an international trusted traveler program that allows pre-approved, low-risk individuals expedited entry into the U.S. using Global Entry kiosks. Interviews at SDC2014 will take place Jan. 15 and 16.
The changing climate for business aircraft operators across Asia is one reason for the change in attitudes in Japan, especially for airports near Tokyo. "[Japan] had the market cornered. But China has taken a lot of traffic away from them, and now the rest of Asia is jumping on board," said Phil Linebaugh, chief operating officer at International Trip Planning Services, LLC, based in Houston, TX.