The threat of an inflight fire exists on any flight, at any time. An uncontained fire can lead to the catastrophic loss of an aircraft in minutes, making it one of the most stressful and hazardous situations that a pilot can face during flight.

From the moment a fire warning is activated on an aircraft, according to a Canadian Transportation Safety Board (TSB) study, pilots have only 17 to 19 minutes to get the aircraft on the ground. Any later than this means the chances of survival are highly unlikely.

Ten-year-old Kenny Aronoff sat mesmerized as TV’s Ed Sullivan Show introduced the Beatles in February 1964. Like millions of people, he fantasized about being in that group—or at least in a successful rock band. Unlike nearly all those other Beatles fans, however, he wound up living the dream, serving as John Mellencamp’s drummer for nearly two decades and playing drums for many others.

It also afforded him the opportunity to fly the globe on private jets. "I remember we played Houston, flew to L.A., got a bigger [private] plane, flew to Fiji, fueled up, and then flew to Australia and flew all over Australia in our jet. I mean, that's the way to go. I love it. I drive up to the jet. In 10 minutes, we're taking off," he said.

“If Part 135 aviation had the same tools as Part 121,” including safety management systems (SMS), flight data monitoring (FDM), and crew resource management (CRM), “we might not be here today,” former NTSB chairman Robert Sumwalt had said during a board meeting on the May 15, 2017 fatal crash of a Learjet 35A during an approach to Teterboro Airport. “This accident might never have happened.”

According to Sumwalt, “The pilots allowed the aircraft to stall, and they subsequently lost control of the aircraft as they were turning onto final approach while on a poorly flown circling approach.” The airplane struck a building and a parking lot and was destroyed by impact forces and a post-crash fire, killing both pilots.

Sirius Aviation has revealed the design for its Sirius Jet, a hydrogen-electric VTOL aircraft it describes as a "business jet." The company intends to have the aircraft certified and in service by 2025 and will offer two variants—one tailored for private use and the other for air taxis. 

The private-use Sirius Business Jet will accommodate one pilot and up to three passengers and have an anticipated flight range of 1,150 miles, while the larger five-seat Sirius Millennium Jet can fly just over half that distance, with a range of 650 miles. Both versions should be able to fly at altitudes of up to 30,000 feet at a cruise speed of 323 mph. Refueling the aircraft with hydrogen gas will likely cost around $500, according to Sirius.

Industry leaders are anticipating the continued post-pandemic strength to carry over into 2024, albeit at a slightly more muted pace. But the supply chain remains on everybody’s minds.

Eric Hinson, president and CEO of Simcom Aviation Training in Orlando—and outgoing chair of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association—is among those cautiously bullish about the industry’s future. “Pilot training demand for general and business aviation remained strong through 2023,” Hinson told AIN. “And while total flying hours have abated slightly, we predict healthy training demand to continue in 2024.”

The Federal Aviation Administration has taken swift action to avoid any repeat of the kind of accident that befell an Alaska Airlines flight from Portland, Oregon to Ontario, California, on January 5.

The Boeing 737 was brand-new, yet its 60-pound door plug—an exterior panel, easily visible, that represents an unused emergency exit option—blew out just minutes into the flight. The aircraft made an emergency landing in Portland roughly 20 minutes after takeoff. The door plug was later found in the backyard of a Portland-area home. Luckily, the passengers and crew suffered no serious injuries.

In leadership, the role of a leader transcends micromanaging every aspect of a task. It's more like a conductor steering an orchestra, understanding that the symphony's beauty emerges from the harmonious collaboration of diverse instruments and musicians.

At business aviation flight departments, an adroit leader might mirror the corporation’s general counsel. He or she acknowledges their limitations and, rather than striving for authority, embraces the art of assembling a diverse cohort of experts. They recognize the significance of temporary expertise infusion, akin to calling in “pinch hitters” when needed, to elevate the team’s performance and resolve intricate challenges.

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