WAI Study Underscores Gender Gap in Aviation Workforce

A new study highlights gender gaps not only in the pilot population but throughout the aviation workforce, with women accounting for less than 10 percent in key roles. Women in Aviation International (WAI) released the study, a first of its kind, conducted with the University of Nebraska at Omaha Aviation Institute with a NASA Nebraska Space Grant.

The study, which drew 1,323 respondents from a variety of occupations, found women account for 3 percent of the CEOs in the world’s top 100 airline groups, 2.4 percent of the FAA-certified maintenance technicians, and 5 percent of airline pilots. Only 1 percent of airline pilots are female captains. On the positive side, though, the number of female pilots has increased slightly over the past decade to 7.3 percent.

An underlying purpose of the survey was to identify what can bring women into the field, Becky Lutte, an associate professor for the University of Nebraska Aviation Institute, said, discussing the findings in WAI’s Aviation for Women magazine. A passion for aviation was the top influencing factor cited, followed by perception as an adventurous profession, perception as a fun profession, desire to prove personal abilities, and desire for a challenging career. Negative factors were costs, “good ole boy” perception, and family life impact.

Lutte is detailing the findings this afternoon during a session at Women In Aviation International’s 2020 conference.

AINsight: Information Overload

Lately, more and more prospects for preowned business aircraft have hit the internet before they ever call me. Often, they feel they are armed with “ah-ha” moments given what they think is information making them smarter than aircraft brokers like me.

One of my favorites is when someone calls and says they have been on the web and see there are 35 airplanes for sale in a category they’re interested in and asks what value I could possibly bring since they can see all this available inventory. After about three minutes of my segmenting the list, they realize they have been trapped in the warp of information overload.

Parsing the 35 airplanes by those with unpopular configurations, ultra-high time for the fleet, based and operated in parts of the world that are problematic to import, or that have no serial numbers (meaning they are not even a real airplane for sale) is done by a professional with real experience in the market.

We all know that this is a dynamic industry and no market conditions last forever. Being able to anticipate market moves is the key to staying ahead and having the right partner to give clear intelligent guidance is critical. Whatever you pay your resource of either transactional support or consulting services will be cheaper than a mistake made while completing the transition.

BBGA Focuses on Sustainability, Illegal Charter, Brexit

The British Business and General Aviation Association (BBGA) went ahead with its annual conference near London Luton Airport yesterday with Marc Bailey, BBGA CEO, chairing a panel of association heads that included Athar Husain Khan, secretary-general of EBAA, who was asked by almost every delegate if EBACE would go ahead this year. He hopes it will proceed, but the Swiss authorities could have the final say, he told AIN.

The tone of the day was very much for supporting efforts such as sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and the environment panel—led by EBAA’s Bruce Parry—discussed the promise of “click and claim” for paying for SAF fuel that is used in other aircraft, somewhere else in the world where SAF is already available.

Also discussed was Brexit. Although opening meetings have been held, the CAA and UK Department for Transport representatives present could say little other than they were approaching the task in a cooperative manner. Aoife O’Sullivan, founder or The Air Law Firm and now also BBGA chair, reflected on how disastrous a no-deal Brexit would have been.

The BBGA event also included a panel discussion on illegal charter, with Air Charter Association’s Dave Edwards warning that the long-anticipated report on last year’s accident that killed footballer Emiliano Sala would be released “soon” and with it likely negative press for the industry.

Opening of 2020 Conference Begins New Chapter for WAI

The 31st Annual International Women in Aviation Conference formally kicked off yesterday afternoon in Orlando, Florida, beginning a new chapter for the organization and its hallmark event. Allison McKay cut the ribbon to open the annual event for the first time as WAI CEO. McKay, the former v-p of the Helicopter Association International Foundation, became only the second CEO in the WAI’s more than 25 years after its founder, Peggy Chabrian, retired.

“This was a very emotional day, because of the welcoming response of the members,” McKay told AIN after a first conference day packed with meetings and events. She opened a conference that had more than 4,000 registrants in the days leading up to the event and more than 180 companies representing the spectrum of aviation companies. Corporate flight departments, public operators, government agencies, airlines, charters, enthusiast organizations, universities, manufacturers, and repair stations were among the organizations that filled the sold-out exhibit hall. 

With a looming workforce shortage, WAI takes center stage as thousands of students and young professionals arrived to look for guidance. The conference not only included many companies looking to hire but also sessions such as networking for students and minute mentoring to help cater to the would-be and young professionals. Scholarships remain a key part of the organization, with more than $800,000 anticipated to be awarded at the conference.

Dutch Government Targets SAF Blending Mandate by 2023

The Netherlands remains committed to imposing a mandate to blend lower-carbon sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) with jet-A from 2023 and increase the obligation to a 14 percent blend by 2030, Dutch minister of Infrastructure and Water Management Cora van Nieuwenhuizen told members of parliament this week. The use of sustainable aviation fuels is one of the few possibilities to “significantly” reduce aviation’s carbon emissions in the short- and medium-term, she noted, pledging the country will take the lead on pushing for an EU-wide mandate.

A European approach, she said, would be preferable over a national blending mandate in view of ensuring a level playing field, the potential to achieve a larger CO2 reduction, and the international character of the aviation sector. But if the introduction of a European blending obligation in a timely manner fails, the Netherlands will “strive to introduce a national mandate by 2023.”

The Dutch government last year reached a National Agreement on Sustainable Aviation with stakeholders. This agreement stipulates that, by 2030, 14 percent of all aviation fuels should be sustainable and sets down the ambition to completely replace fossil kerosene with SAF by 2050.

The European Commission is targeting to publish a legislative proposal establishing a blending mandate—most likely from 2025—across the 27-country bloc.

Aero Friedrichshafen Postponed Amid Virus Effects

Organizers of Germany’s annual Aero Friedrichshafen general aviation show today postponed the event because of issues surrounding the growing coronavirus threat. The show was scheduled to take place April 1 to 4.

Roland Bosch, head of the show, explained, “In accordance with the saying ‘Complete safety is an illusion; there are only varying degrees of risk and uncertainty,’ we were convinced right up until the end that we would be able to overcome the challenge we were facing in the coronavirus.

“Despite the uncertainties, we believed Aero Friedrichshafen 2020, with the participation of around 700 registered exhibitors, would be able to be held. However, in recent days we received a very large number of cancellations and clear signals from our exhibitors and potential visitors, making it impossible to hold the event now.”

The show is postponed to a future date that has not yet been selected. The organizers will honor tickets at the future event or ticketholders can receive a refund. Show organizer Messe Friedrichshafen has also canceled two of its other shows, Aqua-Fisch and IBO.

"The current situation with the coronavirus has resulted in a nasty domino effect,” said Messe Friedrichshafen managing director Klaus Wellmann. “The industry members of the general aviation community also see the health and economic risks of the upcoming trade fair as too high.”

ACI Jet Establishes Bombardier Parts Depot

With a more than $1 million investment in parts inventory, along with additional stock inventoried by Bombardier Aviation, California-based ACI Jet has opened a 5,000-sq-ft parts depot at its San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport (SBP) headquarters. The facility, which has more than 3,000 part numbers in stock, will serve Bombardier Global and Challenger owners and operators.

ACI's parts depot complements its Bombardier-authorized service facility at SBP, where it also maintains an FBO and aircraft charter/management base. “Bombardier’s support network on the West Coast has grown to include full-service light and medium line maintenance and inspections through ACI Jet’s authorized service [facility],” said ACI senior v-p of maintenance Dave Jensen. “The addition of a parts depot featuring the most common and mission-critical parts and components for Bombardier aircraft means that their customers have a much wider net of support.”

In addition, ACI operates FBOs and charters and manages aircraft from three other California locations: Orange County, Paso Robles, and Oceano.

Boeing’s FARA Contender Finally Emerges

Boeing this week revealed details of its entry for the U.S. Army’s Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) program—the last of the five rival bidders to do so. FARA aims to provide the Army with an advanced light attack and reconnaissance capability, replacing the now-retired Bell OH-58D Kiowa Warrior scout helicopter. It will also eventually replace those AH-64 Apaches that are now used in the armed reconnaissance role—accounting for nearly half of the fleet.

Five teams were awarded FARA design contracts in April 2019. Three teams will be dropped later this month when the remaining two teams will be funded to build competitive prototypes. They will fly by 2022 before a head-to-head fly-off at the end of Fiscal Year 2023. The final design is due to be fielded by 2028.

The design Boeing revealed is a purpose-built, clean-sheet design employing a broadly conventional configuration. The aircraft is a thrust-compounded helicopter with a propulsor on the tail, a configuration that Boeing says will allow the helicopter “to maintain airspeed during maneuvers that would cause other helicopters to lose airspeed.”

This configuration is reminiscent of Lockheed’s AH-56 Cheyenne, especially around the tail rotor and pusher prop, with the tailwheel similarly integrated with a ventral tailfin. The aircraft also bears some resemblance to the stealthy Boeing/Sikorsky RAH-66A Comanche, especially in its fuselage cross-section and internal weapons bays.