Metroplex FBO Boosts Fueling Capacity

American Aero FTW, an FBO at Dallas-area Fort Worth Meacham International Airport (FTW), has acquired the fueling rights from competitor Cornerstone Air Center in a move that will leave the aircraft fueling tasks at the airport split between the two remaining FBOs.

Under the terms of the deal, which is awaiting approval by the city, Cornerstone will continue to lease the hangars it controls at the dedicated general aviation airport, while its fuel farm, consisting of a pair of 10,000-gallon avgas tanks and one above-ground 10,000-gallon jet-A tank, will be taken over by American Aero.

With this latest deal plus its military fueling contract, American Aero believes its market share at the airport will grow to 45 percent, up from single digits when the FBO first opened in 2012. The company debuted its FBO terminal in 2017, and expansion plans call for the development of another five acres of its leasehold with new hangars and more ramp space.

“American Aero has led the development and the renaissance at KFTW since it opened its doors and we will continue to do so,” said general manager Angela Thurmond. “We are ranked the best FBO in Texas and one of the top FBOs in the world because we are committed to creating a welcoming experience and making Meacham a beautiful gateway to Fort Worth and surrounding communities.”

FAA To Hold Off Enforcements for Expiring Medicals

The FAA is expanding its leniency for the aviation community during the Covid-19 crisis, releasing an exemption from enforcement for flight crewmembers who face expiration of airmen medical certifications between March 31 and June 30 but are unable to renew in that timeframe. This follows exemptions providing relief from certain Part 135/119 training requirements.

“It is not in the public interest at this time to maintain the requirement of an FAA medical examination, which is a nonemergency medical service, for pilots and flight engineers with expiring medical certificates to obtain new medical certificates,” the agency said, citing the burden that Covid-19 is placing on the healthcare system and possible transmission risks during aviation medical exams. Accordingly, the FAA plans to withhold enforcement through June 30 for holders of an FAA-issued medical certificate serving as a required pilot crewmember or flight engineer within the U.S. 

HAI still encouraged crewmembers to meet the requirements without delay, if possible. “I note that the document was signed by Legal, not Flight Standards,” said HAI president and CEO James Viola. “It's also possible that insurance companies may not acknowledge this document as binding.” HAI is seeking clarification but advises pilots to reach out to their insurance companies if they confront this situation.

In general, aviation groups are pleased with the action, praising the FAA’s willingness to work with industry.

Leonardo Dedicating Aircraft, Plants To Covid-19 Fight

Leonardo is using fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters to aid Italian authorities in the country’s ongoing struggle against Covid-19. Two C-27J transport aircraft and one ATR 72 turboprop are supporting the Protezione Civile (Italy’s Civil Protection Department), shuttling between Italian airports and other destinations to deliver medical equipment including ventilators and masks. Leonardo’s helicopter division is supplying three aircraft—two AW139s and one AW189—to support the maintenance of armed forces, police, and health care helicopters. 

In addition to these aircraft, Leonardo’s aerostructures and electronics divisions, in partnership with Brescia-based Isinnova, are manufacturing 3D-printed plastic valves used to convert snorkeling masks into respirators for sub-intensive therapies. Next month Leonardo’s Cyber Division will begin offering free threat intelligence service for two months to enable companies to improve their cyber defenses that could be potentially compromised due to large-scale smart working due to the Covid-19 emergency. The service will be offered to the first 100 companies that request it and provide monitoring of cyber threats and cover related vulnerabilities.

Leonardo said it was providing Covid-19 assistance to “provide resources and people in support of national institutions’ management and containment” of the pandemic and to support Covid-19 patients and their families “during this time of unprecedented health emergency in Italy.”

Embraer To Resume Certain Operations

Embraer is extending its paid leave for employees involved in non-essential activities through April 9 but is resuming operations such as customer support, aircraft maintenance, and manufacturing. During the plant shutdown that began last week, company managers outlined priority services that should continue during the global crisis and are recalling workers in those areas, the Brazilian manufacturer said today. As such, about 1,000 employees, or about 10 percent of its local workforce, are returning to work in Embraer’s Faria Lima and Eugênio de Melo facilities, both in São José Campos.

The company further had used the time during the temporary shutdown to adapt workstations and common areas for social distancing, intensify cleaning procedures and build in other precautions and preventative actions, Embraer added. All employees able to work remotely are continuing to do so. With a built-in holiday, employees on paid leave are slated to return on April 13.

In addition, Embraer has formed a working group for its efforts to assist with medical equipment and solutions during the Covid-19 crisis, including manufacturing parts for the respirator industry.

Overall, Embraer is monitoring the current situation and said it would adjust as needed.

Aircraft Insurance Pause Not Worth Risk, Says Broker

While aircraft insurance policies can be put on hold during extended periods of grounding such as during the current Covid-19 crisis, the cost savings don't outweigh the risks for most operators, Aviation Specialty Insurance president Matt Drummelsmith told AIN.

“The smaller operators are feeling a pinch because people aren’t taking flight lessons or tours right now,” he said. “For them, we can usually switch coverage to ground-only, which removes the flight portions of their coverage while keeping the airframe fully insured. This is a quick fix to help with expenses for the short term but there must be a commitment to the grounding period, usually a minimum of 30 consecutive days.”

If they have it, larger operators can take advantage of a lay-up provision in their policy that returns premiums for extended periods of inactivity, Drummelsmith said. “However, for those operators, insurance isn’t a substantial expense relative to other operating costs. A business jet operator could be saving tens of thousands of dollars per week just in fuel costs alone. To change anything with their insurance would be immaterial economically, relative to what they’d be giving up.”

Operators taking drastic measures to save a few dollars in the short term could have bigger ramifications long term, according to Drummelsmith. “People simply can’t afford to have their larger assets exposed.”

AviationManuals Tackles Covid-19, Travel Health Prep

In light of the Covid-19 pandemic, AviationManuals, a provider of aviation manual development services and safety management system software for business aviation, has developed a free, downloadable white paper for flight departments to update their flight operations and general operations manuals so they are prepared for travel health concerns. It plans to also develop one for FBOs.

“Formalized procedures in the form of quality operations manuals and an emergency response plan [ERP] can really help with preparedness and planning in times like these,” said AviationManuals CEO Mark Baier. “To prevent the spread of the disease, authorities stepped up precautionary measures, so it's good for everyone in an operation to be on the same page."

In addition to covering flight and general operations manuals, the eight-page white paper addresses updating safety management systems and ERP. It not only addresses concerns and planning specific to Covid-19 and other infectious diseases, but also procedures for addressing in-flight medical emergencies.

Dunlop Offers Tire Preservation Steps To Operators

Dunlop Aircraft Tyres is recommending owners and operators take a number of steps to preserve aircraft tires during extended storage. The practices are applicable to all tires, including those on the main and nose landing gear, as well as new and retreaded tires, it said.

Tires exposed to aircraft deicing fluid should be washed with clean water and plastic covers installed over them. Their pressure should be maintained at the level stated in the aircraft maintenance manual and checked with the appropriate tire gauge at least every five days while the aircraft remains parked. If a tire is found to be at less than 80 percent of its correct inflation pressure, Dunlop said it and its mating tire must be removed from the aircraft.

Moreover, if a tire is flat, it shouldn’t be re-inflated because damage to its internal structure might have occurred. Additionally, wheels should be rotated at least every two weeks by 90 degrees. Doing that will relieve flat spots. Finally, before the aircraft is moved, check to ensure all tires are at their correct inflation.

The flight crew might notice vibrations during taxi and takeoff that is caused by flat spots after a long period of storage. They should diminish after the initial aircraft movement, Dunlop said, adding that maintenance should inform flight crews to expect these vibrations.

BBGA Expects Full Bizav Fleet Grounding Soon in UK

The Covid-19 crisis is rapidly heading to the point where business aviation stops in the UK, according to the British Business and General Aviation Association (BBGA). “The expectation is that by the end of the month everything will be grounded,” said association CEO Marc Bailey.

Bailey said the pandemic has brought a consistent response from its members—for example, maintenance is being canceled. “We can only guess that this is for both hours predicted and for cash-flow reasons.” He said that operationally there was a “very short peak where people repositioned themselves” before borders closed, but now things are slowing to a halt.

In terms of those employed by BBGA members, Bailey said: “People are expecting to apply a mixture of unpaid leave and some layoffs. Our sector is now heading to the same position as scheduled airlines where we will struggle to service our debt and cash flow will be the killer. Therefore, all the measures in terms of tax relief, business rates and access to national funds need to be available to our sector. People forget that our industry [comprises] businesses that support the movement of people.”

He suggested that it could drive further consolidation as stronger businesses with good reserves see opportunities to expand.

Free AIN Webinar: How Bizav Can Survive Covid-19 and Thrive

Join us on April 7 at 12:00 p.m. EDT as AIN senior editor Charles Alcock moderates a webinar panel with General Aviation Manufacturers Association president and CEO Pete Bunce, EBAA secretary-general Athar Husain Khan, and Duncan Aviation COO Jeff Lake about how the business aviation industry can not only survive the Covid-19 crisis, but thrive in the aftermath. Register now. You can also submit questions for the panelists ahead of the webinar.