Luxivair SBD, the service provider at California’s San Bernardino International Airport, is now the latest FBO to join the Titan Aviation Fuels dealer network. Centrally located between Los Angeles and Palm Springs, the airport-operated facility supports domestic and international flights in business, general, commercial, and military aviation.
The 12,000-sq-ft, two-story terminal offers a spacious glass-enclosed atrium lobby, concierge service, ramp-side vehicle access, pilot lounge, snooze room, 14-seat conference room, theater room with stadium seating, flight-planning room, gym, crew cars, on-site car rental, and complimentary snack bar. It also has an outdoor lounge offering a panoramic view of the airport framed by the San Bernardino Mountains. In addition, on-site U.S. Customs service is available.
“Delivering high-quality aviation fuel products at an exceptional value to the broader airport community is a key objective of our business model,” said Mark Gibbs, the airport’s director of aviation. “We are confident our customers will be more than satisfied with the value, quality, and reliability Titan Aviation Fuels offers.”
AINsight: Stopped in My Tracks!
A recent industry article about integrating new hires into the flight department by writer and aviator James Albright continues to resonate in my head and makes my stomach churn. It was an excellent article until I hit this passage, “You may be surprised that some in your flight department have deep-seated prejudices against certain types of pilots…I still encounter pilots who vow to never fly with female pilots.”
This last sentence is what stopped me in my tracks, and it left me thinking about the issue. I was hopeful those biases had long since been put to rest.
Within the last 10 years, a female pilot we worked with shared that she flew only with two out of about six pilots in her department. The reason: because their wives wouldn’t allow it.
Perhaps those wives really did object. Or maybe it was the pilots who chose to use that excuse as a means of hiding their own objections. Whichever the case, no employee or spouse should have that much power over a work schedule. Not to mention, have control over who to hire based on their gender, race, or sexual orientation.
As the boss, the way to handle this situation is to say, “That is not appropriate here, and if you feel that way, this is no longer the place for you to work.”
Customer demand has prompted MRO provider Duncan Aviation to establish what it calls a “workaway station” at Nashville International Airport in Tennessee, following FAA approval. The expansion of Duncan’s satellite shop network comes after customer requests and a town hall meeting with them.
“Duncan Aviation on the field is going to be a major asset to not only our company but to all the other operators located here,” said Nicholas Weaver, director of maintenance for Nashville-based hospital chain HCA Healthcare. “Having support so close is going to allow us to minimize downtime and keep these aircraft operating 24/7. I no longer have to factor in travel time or fees when faced with an issue we need support with, and that is something everyone struggles with.”
Before the new station, Duncan’s closest satellite shops were in St. Louis, 315 miles away, and Atlanta, more than 250 miles away. The Nashville station is “in close proximity to many cities, including Memphis, Knoxville, and Chattanooga, Tennessee; Louisville, Kentucky; and Birmingham and Huntsville, Alabama,” noted Duncan engine service sales representative Joe Tulowitzki. “We’re opening here because we listened to our customers and know we are filling a void in the avionics repairs, services, and installations in the area.”
AOPA president and CEO Mark Baker called BasicMed “one of the biggest wins in general aviation in the last 50 years” and told lawmakers this week that the association is working to expand it outside the U.S. Adopted into law in 2016 and implemented in 2017, BasicMed is an alternative path to third-class medical as long as qualified pilots meet certain requirements, including taking an online medical course.
During a House aviation subcommittee hearing Wednesday on general aviation issues, Baker noted that in the five years since its implementation, some 73,000 pilots have taken advantage of BasicMed. “We did the safety look back [and found] no discernible difference between that and third-class medical at all, zero from a safety perspective."
This data provides an opportunity to revisit the medical qualification and “look at how could we expand it,” he said. AOPA has been working with Canadian officials to expand the concept there, Baker said. “We've got it done in the Bahamas, in Mexico, and most of the Caribbean.”
Helicopter Association International president and CEO James Viola, who also testified before the panel this week, noted that BasicMed also ties into workforce development. “There are people that knew how hard it was to get through the medical process,” he said, adding that now those people know they can get started with BasicMed.
MD Helicopters has received FAA approval to install its new “slimline” advanced glass cockpit in the MD 500E single. The installation is now standard on all new-production MD 500Es and provides four inches of additional visibility on both sides of the instrument panel when compared to the traditional configuration. “We have put considerable effort into listening to our customers these past two years—increasing visibility and field of view, and modernization of the cockpit was a common request,” said Jason Lindauer, MD Helicopters v-p for business development and aftermarket.
The new design features the Garmin G500H TXi dual touchscreen integrated display system with a primary flight display and multi-function display. Helicopter synthetic vision technology and helicopter terrain awareness and warning system capabilities are available options. Dual Howell Instruments displays serve as the engine indicating and crew alerting system, while the Garmin GTN 650H provides navigation and communication functions and also includes a moving map.
MD will be installing the slimline cockpit into company training aircraft. Interested customers are encouraged to contact MD or visit the company’s display at the Airborne Public Safety Association’s Annual Conference and Expo from July 25 to 30 in Reno, Nevada.
Speaking this week before the U.S. House subcommittee on aviation, Chris Rozansky, executive director of Florida’s Naples Airport Authority, described the benefits that general aviation airports provide to their local communities.
Rozansky, who also serves as vice-chair of the American Association of Airport Executives general aviation committee, noted that in his state alone, some 100 general aviation airports support more than 100,000 jobs and generate more than $18 billion annually in economic impact. According to the Florida Department of Transportation, Naples Airport (KAPF) provides an annual economic impact of nearly $450 million.
With an extremely noise-sensitive community surrounding his airport, Rozansky said that the industry needs a more collaborative approach from stakeholders—including the FAA, airports, and communities—to address concerns that extend beyond the traditionally established noise contours. While he added that general aviation airports are committed to transitioning to unleaded avgas by 2030 through the Eagle initiative, such a transition must be carefully planned. That includes consideration about what types of infrastructure improvements would be required to safely support the widespread usage of the new fuels, he said.
To that end, Rozansky described the funding gap that exists for infrastructure development and urged Congress to make a greater financial investment in airports.
The Air Charter Association (ACA) is soliciting nominations for its annual awards program. ACA will host a gala event on November 17 at the Hilton Metropole in Brighton to honor recipients of The Air Charter Excellence Awards. The event typically gathers more than 400 guests.
ACA's awards program spans nine categories, including two new honors—Helicopter Charter Operator of the Year and Charter Broker of the Year. Other categories are: Executive Passenger Charter Operator of the Year, Commercial Passenger Charter Operator of the Year, Cargo Charter Operator of the Year, Handling Agent/FBO of the Year, Aircraft Manufacturer of the Year, NextGen Group’s Young Person of the Year, and the Sir Michael Marshall Award for Sustainability in Aviation.
Nominations will be accepted through July 29 and can be made by any person or organization, regardless of ACA membership. Entries will be shortlisted and then ACA members with a panel of independent industry experts will vote for the finalists in each category.
“The Air Charter Excellence Awards are an ideal opportunity to recognize and reward the best in our industry,” said ACA chairman Kevin Ducksbury.
Charter provider Priester Aviation has relaunched its Centerline jet card in response to customer demand and expansion of its managed fleet. The services provided to invitation-only Centerline cardholders include immediate booking and guaranteed availability.
The Centerline jet card is sold in 25-hour options. With a refundable deposit and no positioning fees, cardholders also receive flexible cabin class and point-to-point pricing.
“The Centerline Jet Card client is the one who recognizes the value of an elevated flight experience,” said Priester Aviation chairman and CEO Andy Priester. “They appreciate the industry-leading level of personal attention and professionalism our team and crew provide during a flight. Now we’re able to offer that exceptional service with even more flexibility for them. It’s the best of both worlds—like having their own flight department on call, without making a long-term commitment.”
In other news at the company, Priester said five new aircraft—a range of light to large-cabin business jets—were recently added to its charter fleet.
Photo of the Week
Peaked interest.Tim Knopp took this photo of the sun rising over Alaska's Denali National Park while departing Anchorage in his company’s Bombardier Global 6000. This aerial perspective masks the fact that Denali is the highest mountain peak in North America, with a summit elevation of 20,310 feet msl. Thanks for sharing, Tim!
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