NBAA Flight Plan Podcasts

At the beginning of 2014, there was much concern in the aviation community and on Capitol Hill regarding the FAA's controversial proposal to require certain pilots to undergo testing for Obstructive Sleep Apnea before receiving a medical certificate. What's the status of this issue, and how has NBAA been involved in the matter? Doug Carr, NBAA's vice president of regulatory and international affairs, recently provided an update on the Association's efforts on behalf of pilots who might have faced at least the temporary loss of their medical certification based on the proposed requirement.

At the beginning of 2014, there was much concern in the aviation community and on Capitol Hill regarding the FAA's controversial proposal to require certain pilots to undergo testing for Obstructive Sleep Apnea before receiving a medical certificate. What's the status of this issue, and how has NBAA been involved in the matter? Doug Carr, NBAA's vice president of regulatory and international affairs, recently provided an update on the Association's efforts on behalf of pilots who might have faced at least the temporary loss of their medical certification based on the proposed requirement.

Flight management systems technologies, especially when newly adopted, can be major distractions for flight crews, cause runway incursions and lead to confusion in flight, according to the NBAA Safety Committee, which has named technology management as one of its 2014 Top Safety Focus Areas. "When pilots step into a new avionics suite, it's not an evolution, it's a transformation," said Gray Stone Advisors Principal James Lara, a member of the NBAA Safety Committee. "In order to make that leap, you really need to have significant study and professional instruction to be competent and safe."

Flight management systems technologies, especially when newly adopted, can be major distractions for flight crews, cause runway incursions and lead to confusion in flight, according to the NBAA Safety Committee, which has named technology management as one of its 2014 Top Safety Focus Areas. "When pilots step into a new avionics suite, it's not an evolution, it's a transformation," said Gray Stone Advisors Principal James Lara, a member of the NBAA Safety Committee. "In order to make that leap, you really need to have significant study and professional instruction to be competent and safe."

Regional business aviation leaders met last week in San Antonio, TX for the NBAA Regional Leadership Roundtable, an annual forum for exchanging ideas and sharing experiences on how to further business aviation interests at the local level. While NBAA is able to bring legislative and operational expertise to regional groups, those same local groups are the eyes and ears of NBAA in every city hall, county commission and state house in America, noted Don Hitch, chairman of the NBAA Access Committee's Local and Regional Subcommittee. When the interests of business aircraft operators are at stake in any of those venues, NBAA is ready to respond with facts, figures and expert testimony whenever such assistance is requested by its valued regional affiliates.

Regional business aviation leaders met last week in San Antonio, TX for the NBAA Regional Leadership Roundtable, an annual forum for exchanging ideas and sharing experiences on how to further business aviation interests at the local level. While NBAA is able to bring legislative and operational expertise to regional groups, those same local groups are the eyes and ears of NBAA in every city hall, county commission and state house in America, noted Don Hitch, chairman of the NBAA Access Committee's Local and Regional Subcommittee. When the interests of business aircraft operators are at stake in any of those venues, NBAA is ready to respond with facts, figures and expert testimony whenever such assistance is requested by its valued regional affiliates.

At the NBAA Certified Aviation Manager (CAM) Governing Board meeting this month, the highly detailed Certified Aviation Manager (CAM) job analysis will begin the revision process that will lead to new educational and testing criteria in the near future. Think of the job analysis as a detailed job description for flight department leaders, said Jay Evans, NBAA's director of professional development. "It's a compendium of the things you need to know to run a flight department. It's also something flight department managers need to know to remain current on new issues and innovations that come down the path." The job analysis function also applies to the NBAA Professional Development Program.

At the NBAA Certified Aviation Manager (CAM) Governing Board meeting this month, the highly detailed Certified Aviation Manager (CAM) job analysis will begin the revision process that will lead to new educational and testing criteria in the near future. Think of the job analysis as a detailed job description for flight department leaders, said Jay Evans, NBAA's director of professional development. "It's a compendium of the things you need to know to run a flight department. It's also something flight department managers need to know to remain current on new issues and innovations that come down the path." The job analysis function also applies to the NBAA Professional Development Program.

The battle over noise from East Hampton Airport escalated into a lawsuit, which was recently settled when the FAA agreed to end three grant assurance programs seven years early. The agreements will now end on Dec. 31, 2014. But local aviation groups plan to continue their push to keep the airport open, even as town officials investigate restricting certain types of air traffic to reduce noise.

The battle over noise from East Hampton Airport escalated into a lawsuit, which was recently settled when the FAA agreed to end three grant assurance programs seven years early. The agreements will now end on Dec. 31, 2014. But local aviation groups plan to continue their push to keep the airport open, even as town officials investigate restricting certain types of air traffic to reduce noise.

The NBAA Safety Committee lists what it calls a "positive safety culture" as one of its 2014 Top Safety Focus Areas, and it is actively developing materials and strategies to help Member Companies push forward in the creation and development of such a culture. "It's leadership accepting, encouraging and acknowledging the employees' decision to do the right thing," said NBAA Safety Committee member Bill Grimes, vice president of safety for CitationAir, a division of Textron.

The NBAA Safety Committee lists what it calls a "positive safety culture" as one of its 2014 Top Safety Focus Areas, and it is actively developing materials and strategies to help Member Companies push forward in the creation and development of such a culture. "It's leadership accepting, encouraging and acknowledging the employees' decision to do the right thing," said NBAA Safety Committee member Bill Grimes, vice president of safety for CitationAir, a division of Textron.

As aviation students prepare for graduation at colleges throughout the country, many may be wondering how they will get ahead once they start their business aviation careers. The same goes for more established aviation professionals further along in their careers. Steve Brechter, senior advisor for operations at Gray Stone Advisors, has published "Five Ways to Get Ahead in Business Aviation." "Because flight departments are sometimes small and far from the core of the company's main business, it's often tough to get ahead," Brechter said. "We're off by ourselves and out of the mainstream. We need other, perhaps unconventional tactics, to advance our careers."

As aviation students prepare for graduation at colleges throughout the country, many may be wondering how they will get ahead once they start their business aviation careers. The same goes for more established aviation professionals further along in their careers. Steve Brechter, senior advisor for operations at Gray Stone Advisors, has published "Five Ways to Get Ahead in Business Aviation." "Because flight departments are sometimes small and far from the core of the company's main business, it's often tough to get ahead," Brechter said. "We're off by ourselves and out of the mainstream. We need other, perhaps unconventional tactics, to advance our careers."

Leaders from business aviation groups across the country will meet at NBAA's second annual Regional Leadership Roundtable, set for June 5 in San Antonio, TX. "The objective of the roundtable is to connect the dots between aviation groups all over the country," said NBAA Access Committee Vice Chairman Don Hitch, whose group sponsors the Regional Leadership Roundtable. "They can share information on how to deal with their own challenges and, we think, learn very important lessons from each other."