HPN Uses Traffic Lull To Accelerate Runway Rehab

With the decreased traffic at New York’s Westchester County Airport (HPN) due to the Covid-19 pandemic, airport management has decided to accelerate the construction schedule for the rehabilitation of its primary runway. While initial plans for the project called for nightly closures of the runway, the 6,500-foot Runway 16/34 will now be closed entirely for several periods. Starting on April 21, it will be closed through 6 a.m. on April 25 for survey work to establish runway pavement grades and install wire conduits and centerline light cans.

From April 27 through May 21, Runway 16/34 will be closed to mill the existing pavement and install asphalt leveling course pavement and final asphalt pavement wear course, along with the installation of touchdown zone and centerline in-pavement lights and the runway pavement markings. The entire airport will be closed to fixed-wing traffic from April 29 through May 5, when Runway 11/29 will be also closed while work is conducted on the intersection.

Once the new pavement on 16/34 has aged for a minimum of 30 days, it will require grooving to provide channels for the escape of standing water, and the airport will issue another notice regarding nighttime closures for that runway as the window approaches.

Treasury Department Eases Aid Path for Small Carriers

A U.S. Treasury Department clarification eases the path for small passenger air carriers to access payroll support under the recently adopted CARES Act. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin on April 10 confirmed that carriers with a payroll under $100 million are not required to provide financial instruments as appropriate taxpayer compensation for assistance under the Air Carrier Worker Support Program. “As such, for passenger air carriers with payroll support payments up to $100 million, funds will be available promptly upon approval of their applications,” the Treasury Department said, announcing the determination.

The department has received more than 230 applications for payroll support from a range of passenger air carriers, including Part 135 charter operators. Most of the requests are seeking less than $10 million, the Treasury Department said. “Small and medium-sized passenger aviation businesses are particularly vulnerable to the disruption from Covid-19,” Mnuchin said. 

In addition, the Treasury Department is working with 12 carriers with payrolls exceeding $100 million on securing the financial instruments to compensate taxpayers, it said.

NATA and NBAA welcomed the move, saying the department considered the diverse and unique nature of Part 135 operators and the challenges they face.

NATA Issues FBO Equipment Care Guidance

With FBOs pumping less fuel as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, NATA has issued equipment maintenance guidance for fuel providers. During this “low-use” period, problems that might be encountered in refueling equipment include microbial growth in filter vessels, tanks, and piping; increased water production in fuel tanks with low volume; and unused fuel left in hoses that could possibly “spoil” or degrade off-specification.

NATA recommends that FBOs continue to conduct and document their regular quality control checks for all equipment and on a weekly basis recirculate fuel at maximum achievable flow, and move fuel through bottom loading hoses.

For tanker trucks seeing limited use, operators should recirculate fuel through a single-point hose at the maximum flow and flush over-wing hoses into jet-A and avgas specific reclamation/sump saver tanks. Refueler trucks should be started and driven regularly to move fluids through the transmission and power steering lines, as well as to maintain a battery charge.

To prevent “static shock” or fuel that has been in storage for more than six months since it was received, the organization suggests taking lower fuel loads. NATA noted that recirculation is not a remedy for static shock, and any fuel in long-term storage should be tested to make sure it meets the applicable ASTM standard before being delivered to the aircraft.

Coronavirus Crisis Spurs Catering Concerns

With many questions regarding inflight catering in the Covid-19 era, NBAA conducted a webinar last week featuring John Detloff, vice president of Air Culinaire Worldwide; Paula Kraft, founding partner of DaVinci Inflight Training Institute; and Shannon Weidekamp, chair of NBAA’s Flight Attendant/Flight Technician Committee and lead flight attendant manager and director of client services for a Part 91 and Part 135 operator. Among the takeaways: reputable catering kitchens, which already operate at an extremely high level of food safety, have increased their cleaning and sanitizing protocols and still represent one of the safest options versus ordering from local restaurants or bringing food from home, according to Kraft.

Detloff noted that some flight departments have begun double-provisioning for their flight crews so they can take caterer-prepared meals back to their hotels and not have to search for food options at their destinations.

Additionally, to avoid having to clean and sanitize dishware, some operators have eliminated formal dining presentations and switched to disposable paper and plastic place settings so their flight attendants won't have to worry about washing and sanitizing dishware, Weidekamp said. She explained that when searching for onboard housekeeping supplies such as disposable gloves or sanitizer solutions, aviation supply companies, local restaurant supply houses, and even your caterer are good places to start.

Avionics Firm Sets Up Protective Gear Assembly Line

Tucson, Arizona-based Universal Avionics has provided assembly line space in its headquarters facility for the local chapter of volunteer charity organization Hope Worldwide to manufacture medical face masks and shields in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“This plan was developed in coordination with the University of Arizona, city of Tucson, Pima County, and the Arizona Technology Council, and is a great example of our community coming together,” said Steve Pagnucco, Universal’s vice president of operations. “Within one week of reaching out to our partners to see how we could help, we had an assembly line safely set up to produce much needed personal protective equipment.”

“We are grateful for the tremendous outpouring of support to protect our healthcare workers and first responders,” said Daniel Dicochea, director of Hope Worldwide’s Tucson chapter. “We want to equip as many of our heroes as we can against this pandemic. The production of these shields is only possible because of community donors and volunteers.”

Textron Aviation Extends Furloughs, Reduces Workweeks

Textron Aviation will be extending the rolling, four-week furloughs of U.S.-employees that it announced March 18 and implementing reduced workweeks for others later this month, the Wichita-based airframer announced on Thursday. The duration of the furloughs and details of the reduced workweeks will vary by position and location.

Efforts to slow the spread of the Covid-19 virus combined with global economic instability are making it difficult for customers to purchase, take delivery, and operate aircraft, leading to this latest action, Textron Aviation said in a statement. “We are making proactive decisions that focus our resources, care, and concern on our workforce and our customers during this unprecedented time,” according to Textron Aviation president and CEO Ron Draper.

The manufacturer of Beechcraft and Cessna aircraft employs 10,000 in Kansas—the bulk of whom are in Wichita—and a total of 12,000 in the U.S. Workers’ employment status and health benefits will not change during the period, according to the company. Implementation of additional cleaning and social distancing protocols to mitigate the spread of the virus continues, it added.

Device Enables Multiple Patients To Use One Ventilator

Safe Flight Instrument has developed a device that enables a single ventilator to be used by four patients simultaneously, the prototype of which is undergoing approval under the emergency-use authorization for use by hospitals. Called the Quad/Vent Splitter, the device was developed by Michael Lambton, a mechanical design engineer for the manufacturer of aviation safety and flight performance systems.

Using 3-D printing, the product is designed with four independent ports that can be stopped using tethered splitter plugs, permitting a two-, three-, or four-way configuration. Safe Flight said pending EUA approval, it will deliver the products to hospitals that have been participating in trials of it and make the design available under license to companies with more extensive additive manufacturing capabilities.

The hope is that the Quad/Vent Splitter will compensate for the lack of availability of ventilators that are being used to treat patients during the pandemic. Lambton came up with the design after speaking with a relative who is a medical professional working on the front lines of the Covid-19 crisis.

“Having both the technical ability and support from Safe Flight made me feel as though it was my obligation to contribute in any way I could,” he said. “The company’s ability to rapidly reconfigure its people and processes to tackle this dynamic problem has been nothing short of inspiring.”

NBAA Webinar Focuses On Preserving Parked Aircraft

An NBAA webinar on Thursday explored what operators should do with their airplanes that remain parked during the Covid-19 pandemic so that they’ll be able to easily return to flying them once the effects of the crisis ease. The panelists for the webinar, “Fleet Readiness—Maintenance Considerations Amidst Covid-19,” included Masco Corp. director of operations Jay Orwin, Thoroughbred Aviation president and founder Nathan Winkle, and Immaculate Flight director of operations Phillip Hoyme.

First and foremost, operators should follow OEM recommendations on maintenance to be performed on idle aircraft, including not only those of the airframe OEM but also engine, avionics, and APU manufacturers. Engines and other exterior components such as pitot tubes should be covered when storing an airplane to keep out birds from nesting in engines or wasps nesting in pitot tubes.

The panelists also recommended pulling the airplane out of the hangar and onto the ramp and run every system on a regular basis—such as once a week—including satcom and Wi-Fi. Hoyme, whose company specializes in aircraft cleaning, also emphasized that before parking an aircraft it is important to clean and apply protection to its exterior and interior because it will help to ensure the paint remains undamaged and prevent mold and mildew developing in the cabin. 

AIN Webinar: Keeping Bizav’s Supply Chain Moving During Crisis

Join us on April 23 at 12:00 p.m. EDT as AIN senior editor Charles Alcock moderates a webinar discussion on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the business aviation supply chain and how the industry is responding. He will speak with three senior leaders from this sector—Marc Drobny, president of business aviation at StandardAero; Todd Winter, president and CEO of Mid-Continent Instruments and Avionics; and Aaron Hollander, CEO of First Aviation Services. Register today for this FREE hour-long webinar.