St. Croix-based aviation services provider Bohlke International Airways has forged a strategic partnership with Puerto Rico aircraft charter and management company MN Aviation, the two Caribbean firms announced today at the 2020 NBAA Schedulers and Dispatchers Conference.
Between Bohlke, which was established in 1959, and MN, which began operations in 1993, the agreement creates an expanded team of 60 people and a wide range of charter assets, including a San Juan-based Dassault Falcon 900EX that was recently added to MN’s Part 135 certificate. Other aircraft available in the combined, all N-registered fleet include a Gulfstream G100; Cessna Citation Bravo and two Citation IIs; Beechcraft King Air 200; Mitsubishi MU-2; and Cessna Caravan.
“This partnership with Bohlke International Airways will allow us to better serve the millions of residents and visitors who come to the Eastern Caribbean every year,” said MN general manager Alicia Pineda. “For our customer base in Puerto Rico, the addition of a locally-based Falcon jet adds significant value.”
“Our goal is to be the go-to resource for private aviation in the Caribbean,” added Bohlke president William R. Bohlke.”The Bohlke/MN partnership is a significant step towards providing a more robust aviation resource in the region utilizing the depth of industry knowledge and client goodwill toward these two brands.”
Despite FBO Industry Optimism, ABSG Sees Turbulence Ahead
As the 2020 NBAA Schedulers and Dispatchers Conference kicks off this evening in North Carolina at the Charlotte Convention Center, FBO industry consultancy Aviation Business Strategies Group (ABSG) has released the results from its annual FBO fuel sales survey, which shows an optimistic environment, it said.
A record 73 percent of respondents indicated they believe the economy is headed in the right direction, an increase over last year’s 61 percent. Among the FBOs surveyed, more than half responded that their fuel sales increased between 2018 and 2019, with nearly 20 percent noting their increase was more than 8 percent from the previous year.
“There’s no question that 2019 proved to be a very upbeat and positive year for the FBO industry, said ABSG co-principal John Enticknap. “The survey showed a continued incremental increase in fuel sales for the fourth year in a row for the majority of responding FBOs.”
Among respondents, 65 percent said they expected another increase in fuel sales in 2020, but with the full effects of the coronavirus outbreak on international commerce unknown, ABSG declined to issue an FBO industry growth forecast at this time.
When asked what they viewed as top concerns, respondents listed staffing shortages, fuel margin management, higher operational costs, rising airport fees and taxes, and environmental legislation/political landscape.
Paragon Taps FBO Partners for Safety Program
Paragon Aviation Group, a network of elite FBOs established in 2014, has selected aviation consultancy FBO Partners’ Online Safety Officer (OSO) Program as the cornerstone of its new safety initiative. Under the agreement, FBO Partners will provide Paragon members with safety communication, promotion, and training along with oversight of the group’s safety principles through its monthly, subscription-based program, which meets several requirements under the International Standard for Business Aviation Handling (IS-BAH) and safety management system (SMS).
“Often the biggest barrier to creating a strong safety culture is consistent communication and promotion,” said Patrick Moylan, who heads the program for FBO Partners. “For most FBOs, that barrier is in the form of time,” which OSO gives back to its subscribers with a complete framework for consistent safety promotion and communication regardless of the location’s size, level of staffing, or stage of SMS preparation.
“The Paragon network’s emphasis on safety is an investment in our members’ success and the consistent, safe handling of customers and their assets when visiting a Paragon FBO location,” said Paragon president Megan Barnes, adding the program provides its members with a level safety playing field compared with national or regional chains. “As our network continues to grow, we’re pleased to have partnered with FBO Partners as the launch customer for their online safety officer program.”
Satcom Direct Promotes Flight Ops Management Solution
This week at the 2020 NBAA Schedulers & Dispatchers Conference, Satcom Direct (SD) will be promoting its SD Pro data and communications platform that is aimed at improving modern flight operations management by way of standardized operating procedures and data protocols. SD Pro creates a centralized data management ecosystem that automates and enhances flight department communications and operations.
Working with its customer advisory board, SD mapped the processes used by more than 20 flight departments for planning and executing a flight, including scheduling an aircraft to post-flight logging. SD identified core similarities among those flight departments and common business functions that could be improved by automation and enhanced data visibility.
“SD is creating a valuable and forward-leaning system for business aviation,” said Citigroup director of aviation Bill Buttenwieser. “SD Pro gives us the benefit of a collaborative platform that provides visibility to our entire flight operations ecosystem, making us more efficient and more effective at our jobs. As this cloud-based system becomes fully integrated with third-party applications and continues to add functionality, we see digitalization and the power of that technology helping drive our business model forward.”
Environmental liability coverage is becoming more of a mainstream insurance coverage, according to Avfuel in-house aviation insurance subsidiary Avsurance. Those coverages protect operations exposed to unforeseen financial responsibility and even business interruption for spills or other incidents related to the environment, such as premises pollution, contractor's pollution liability, fuel storage, and above and below ground storage equipment.
“It surprises me how few of our new customers have ever been exposed to the option for environmental liability coverage, especially as we find most airports are now beginning to require it,” said Avsurance president Ed Underwood, adding that the company has offered this coverage to its clientele for some time. Fuel handlers such as FBOs and flight departments with their own fuel tanks might not be aware of those requirements and be responsible for penalties for unmet risk protection.
While some rates have increased throughout the insurance industry, Underwood noted environmental liability coverage has bucked the trend of late. “While it used to be considered too expensive for most FBOs, the cost is now reasonable, especially considering the cost not to have it.”
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