Robert Sumwalt, who is stepping down as NTSB chairman at the end of this month, remains concerned that a lack of procedural compliance remains one of aviation's biggest safety issues. In a wide-ranging interview with AIN, Sumwalt expressed concern that once pilots start deviating from standard operating procedures, they open the door to consequential errors. “In some cases, people spend more time trying to figure out how to skirt the regulations than actually complying with them,” he said.
Sumwalt also stressed the importance that flight departments take every step to ensure they run properly, noting that passengers “don’t really know what's behind their hangar door. They just assume that since the airplanes are shiny, the pilots look spiffy, and the crew gets them where they want to go…they have a good flight department. And the question I've got is, ‘How do you really know?’”
He further endorsed flight data monitoring as a way to root out systemic issues, but said pilots need to understand that “these programs are not intended to spy on people.”
As for his time with the agency, Sumwalt said, “It's been such an honor and privilege to serve,” adding he is “blown away” by the fact he had been nominated and confirmed by three U.S. presidents. “I feel kind of like Forrest Gump, here—kid gets lucky in life.”
As the U.S. economy opens up, many professionals are looking for a career change. In fact, job changes are at their highest level since 2000, and business aviation is not immune to these changes.
While there are some unemployed aviation professionals as a result of Covid-19 downsizing, I’d venture to say that there’s a bit of a “reshuffling” going on. And it’s only going to get more competitive as the demand for talent quickly increases. Is your flight department experiencing departures?
If you do start to fill vacant spots, hire by “design” not “default.” In other words, don’t “post and pray” and rely on a job posting to attract talent. This is the “default” strategy—relying on the available talent versus going out and searching for the exact talent you need. Be sure to push yourself beyond your immediate network and broaden your scope to include names you don’t necessarily recognize.
The 2021 edition of NBAA-BACE is gaining steam with fewer than 100 exhibit spaces remaining for the October 12 to 14 event in Las Vegas, the association reported yesterday. Many of the anchor exhibitors are returning, including OEMs such as Textron Aviation, suppliers like Universal Avionics, and other major support companies such as World Fuel Services.
In addition, exhibitor hotel registrations are on par with those for recent-year NBAA conventions in Las Vegas and the aircraft display at Henderson Executive Airport appears on track to sell out, said Chris Strong, NBAA senior v-p for events. The event received an additional boost when Las Vegas lifted all of its Covid restrictions earlier this month.
Absent on the exhibit floor, however, will be Gulfstream Aerospace, which said its customers “have shared that their preference is for smaller events right now, and we are hosting those accordingly. We anticipate returning in the future.” Also, it's unclear whether travel restrictions may hamper some exhibitors and/or attendees.
But for those planning to exhibit, excitement “was palpable” during a tour last week of the 1.4 million-sq-ft West Hall that will be hosting the 2021 event. The delegation was able to see a live event underway with measures in place such as online registration, wider show-floor aisles, and temperature screenings. Aside from such measures, NBAA said the show was “business as usual.”
Bombardier Hands Over First Indonesia-based Global 7500
Bombardier’s Global 7500 has entered the Indonesian market with the first delivery of one of the company’s flagship business jets to an undisclosed customer based in Jakarta. The worldwide Global 7500 fleet now exceeds more than 50 aircraft, a milestone reached in March, about 2.5 years after the model entered service in late 2018.
Indonesia marks the latest Asia-Pacific region expansion for the Global 7500, an aircraft model that is also based in Japan, Australia, Taiwan, and Malaysia. Bombardier noted that its entire portfolio is generating strong interest in the region.
Calling the Global 7500 “ideally suited to customers in the Asia-Pacific region who are looking to connect far-flung city pairs,” Nilesh Pattanayak, Bombardier regional v-p of sales for Asia-Pacific, said, “The ultra-long-range Global 7500 aircraft opens up a world of possibilities for convenient and productive travel.”
With a 7,700-nm range, the Global 7500 can fly nonstop from Jakarta to Seattle, from Singapore to San Francisco, from Tokyo to New York, and from Melbourne, Australia, to Los Angeles, Bombardier said.
As its presence expands in Asia-Pacific, Bombardier has been growing its customer-service footprint in the region with a new customer-service center expected to open in 2022 at Essendon Fields Airport in Melbourne, alongside the ongoing project at its Singapore service center, which will quadruple the operation’s space there.
Mid-Canada Mod Modernizes Dassault Falcon 50
Toronto-based Mid-Canada Mod Center is developing supplemental type certificates (STCs) for installation of a Universal Avionics InSight Display System avionics suite in a Dassault Falcon 50. The first phase of the STC, due to be approved by FAA and Transport Canada by the end of the year, includes new displays and flight management systems (FMS), while a second phase due in the second quarter of 2022 covers engine instrumentation. Mid-Canada Mod’s ADS engineering and certification division is responsible for the STC work.
The InSight Display System replaces the Falcon 50’s Collins Pro Line 4 CRT displays with four Universal Avionics EFI-1040 LCDs in portrait mode. The upgrade includes synthetic vision and electronic charts. The FMSs are replaced with two UNS-1Fw SBAS-FMSs and the pilot interface is upgraded to two Universal Touch EFIS control display units. A UniLink UL-801 communications management unit helps the Falcon 50 meet ATN B1 and other NextGen avionics standards. The package also includes Universal’s Kapture 25-hour cockpit voice recorder.
“Operators are painfully aware that as flight deck avionics age, they become more difficult to maintain and repair, which increases operational costs and makes preserving safety more challenging,” said Bill Arsenault, president of Mid-Canada Mod Center. “The beauty of the Universal Avionics InSight Display System is that these older aircraft can be equipped with modern technology that mirrors what OEMs are installing today in new aircraft.”
Jet Linx Breaks Ground on New Omaha Private Terminal
Following plans to open private terminals in three cities in the past year, aircraft charter and management firm Jet Linx broke ground this week on a new private terminal and hangar at its home base at Eppley Airfield in Omaha, Nebraska, to replace its original facility. The 70,000-sq-ft complex will consist of a 10,000-sq-ft terminal and a 60,000-sq-ft hangar.
Terminal amenities will include numerous seating areas, a private meeting room, an executive lounge, and a stocked kitchenette and bar. Plans call for the new facility to open in June 2022.
“It is an incredible milestone to be breaking ground and constructing a brand-new private terminal location, just steps from where we chose to launch our first local private terminal 17 years ago,” said Jet Linx CEO Jamie Walker. “It is with great pride that we celebrate the next era of the Jet Linx brand and introduce our new flagship facility.”
This fall, Jet Linx plans to open a private terminal at Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport in Florida, which will be its 20th private terminal. Last fall, Jet Linx opened a private terminal at Flying Cloud Airport near Minneapolis and one at San Antonio (Texas) International Airport in March.
The 22-year-old company offers jet cards, joint aircraft ownership, and aircraft management services.
Sky Aviation Holdings Donates Two Jets to N.C. College
Florida-based Sky Aviation Holdings and its MRO subsidiary, Sky Aircraft Maintenance, donated to the Guilford Technical Community College (GTCC) Foundation this week a 1984 Mitsubishi Diamond IA twinjet with fully functioning engines and avionics and the fuselage of another Diamond with a fully working avionics package. The donation is valued at $350,000 and will be used in GTCC’s Aviation Systems Technology Program.
Since establishing Sky Maintenance at Davidson County (North Carolina) Airport last fall, Sky Holdings president Tom Conlan said the MRO has developed a relationship with GTCC in nearby Jamestown that has included hosting seven of its A&P and avionics students for on-the-job training. Sky Maintenance specializes in Beechjet, Learjet, and Hawker airframes, as well as engines and interior completions.
“This is a remarkable gift from Sky Aviation,” said GTCC president Anthony Clarke. “It will give our students a better hands-on experience in their aviation education…and help them become better prepared for the workforce.”
Sentient Looks for Record Year as It Goes International
Directional Aviation’s jet card division, Sentient Jet, looks to have its best year in terms of flight volume at the same time it expands its programs for international travelers. Sentient president and CEO Andrew Collins said the company’s flight volume this summer is expected to exceed pre-pandemic seasonal volumes by 30 to 50 percent.
This growth is “a trend we anticipate will continue into the fall as our jet card owners keep embracing private aviation as a utility to travel safely,” Collins said, adding that 2021 “is shaping up to be our busiest year on record.”
Last month, Sentient launched a transatlantic program that offers its jet card owners guaranteed availability for one-way trips between New York and London. Now, the company is introducing guaranteed hourly pricing to worldwide destinations that leverages Sentient’s London office. Combined, the two programs allow Sentient card owners to fly direct from New York to London at a fixed rate, and to continue to other European destinations such as Geneva or Moscow at a guaranteed rate on a light, midsize, super-midsize, or large-cabin business jet.
“Sentient Jet’s continued international expansion and guaranteed pricing to international territories will offer our jet card owners a more seamless way to fly globally this summer as the world opens up,” Collins added.
Photo of the Week
Just hanging out. Photographer and long-time aviation enthusiast Thomas Reimer sent along this sunset photo of a HondaJet Elite and Acura NSX sport car (Honda Motor is parent to both Acura and Honda Aircraft) at the Grand Motoring Hangar Night, which was part of the activities during the annual Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance in Florida on May 20. “The program included three automobile-related short films, great food and drink, and this beautiful HondaJet in the company of an Acura NSX,” he said. “As the sun was going down, I was able to compose this photo, with the help of some external lighting and helpful people.” Thanks for sharing, Thomas!
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