With the pace of flying for many operators unexpectedly increasing, many have had to turn to using contract pilots and other help for the first time or more than before. Guest speaker Zoe Katsilis, Director of Sales & Recruitment with Jet Aviation Staffing, discusses the perils of using contract staff directly with the individual instead of through an agency and the benefits they provide the operator and the contractor.

Open forum discussion among the callers hosted by AeronomX Walter Kraujalis on issues affecting business aviation safety. Discussed during this call include the importance of establishing and using standards; being a little "rusty" coming out of the COVID slowdown; FBOs are short on staff; more day trip requests putting pressure to extend duty days; rusty travel planning; and subtle pressure from self-imposed guilt of having so much rest from COVID and wanting to please the customer with requests close to or outside our normal standards.

Open forum discussion among the callers hosted by AeronomX Walter Kraujalis on issues affecting business aviation safety. Discussing during this call include the recent the fatal crash of a Challenger 605 at Truckee California (KTRK) and the lessons learned from it.

Open forum discussion among the callers hosted by AeronomX Walter Kraujalis on issues affecting business aviation safety. Discussed during this call include how the pace of flying has dramatically increased, and with that the pilot shortage has reappeared resulting in being short on pilot staffing. How to use contract pilots in a safe way.

Open forum discussion among the callers hosted by AeronomX Walter Kraujalis on issues affecting business aviation safety. Discussed during this call include whether it is time to update your flight department's COVID mitigation policy and procedures in light of the vaccines.

Guest speaker Dr. Paulo Alves, Global Medical Director Aviation Health for MedAire, and a Member of NBAA Safety Committee returns again within 3 months to provide yet another update on COVID issues in business aviation, specifically about COVID vaccine effectiveness, vaccinated and non-vaccinated workers being together, and suggestions for updating your flight department's COVID mitigation procedures. This call is hosted by AeronomX Walter Kraujalis, and several questions from the listeners were addressed afterwards. There was a request from a listener for some official references, which Dr. Alves has provided and are available below for download.

By the way, the so-called ‘breakthrough’ infection rate (people who got infected after being vaccinated) is estimated in 0.01%.
 
https://www.yalemedicine.org/news/vaccines-long-covid
 
Also, from the CDC website at: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/faq.html?s_cid=10482:vaccine%20and%20already%20had%20covid:sem.ga:p:RG:GM:gen:PTN:FY21
 
 
If I have already had COVID-19 and recovered, do I still need to get vaccinated?
Yes, you should be vaccinated regardless of whether you already had COVID-19. That’s because experts do not yet know how long you are protected from getting sick again after recovering from COVID-19. Even if you have already recovered from COVID-19, it is possible—although rare—that you could be infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 again. Learn more about why getting vaccinated is a safer way to build protection than getting infected.
If you were treated for COVID-19 with monoclonal antibodies or convalescent plasma, you should wait 90 days before getting a COVID-19 vaccine. Talk to your doctor if you are unsure what treatments you received or if you have more questions about getting a COVID-19 vaccine.
Experts are still learning more about how long vaccines protect against COVID-19 in real-world conditions. CDC will keep the public informed as new evidence becomes available.
 
Last but not least, a few charts plotting vaccinations and the 7-day rolling average of new cases for Israel and the US as encouraging examples.

Open forum discussion among the callers hosted by AeronomX Walter Kraujalis on issues affecting business aviation safety. Discussed during this call include recent aviation incidents, the prevention of runway excursions, and recent flight activities with the flight departments of the callers. The Global Action Plan for the Prevention of Runway Excursions document mentioned in the podcast is available for download below.

Download a copy of the FSF Global Action Plan for the Prevention of Runway Excursions, CLICK HERE.

Guest speaker Josh Wheeler, Senior Director of Entry into Service, Cybersecurity for Satcom Direct provides an great overview of vulnerabilities of digital data for flight departments and provides simple tips to enhance security. Issues discussed are aircraft WIFI access, hangar office WIFI access, defenses for devices, data storage, and data audit standards and penetration tests. This call is hosted by AeronomX Walter Kraujalis, and several questions from the listeners were addressed afterwards.

Here are some helpful links mentioned in the podcast:

• For training on cybersecurity with NIST.gov, click HERE.
  
• Cybersecurity training with EdX.org, click HERE.
  

Open forum discussion among the callers hosted by AeronomX Walter Kraujalis on issues affecting business aviation safety. Discussed during this call include recent aviation incidents, landing with tailwind beyond allowable limits, TEB TUG meetings, unknowingly switching nav sources, and ADS-B flight tracking.

Open forum discussion among the callers hosted by AeronomX Walter Kraujalis on issues affecting business aviation safety. Discussed during this call include an informal survey of the listeners as to the pace of their operations during this period of COVID, COVID vaccines and legality of requiring vaccines, cybersecurity. Also good discussion on who within a flight department should have access to SMS reporting.

Guest speaker Dr. Paulo Alves, Global Medical Director Aviation Health for MedAire, and a Member of NBAA Safety Committee returns after his first appearance on July 8, 2020 (see podcast) provides an update on COVID issues in business aviation, specifically about COVID vaccine development and effectiveness, and upcoming new testing techniques that will be able to be done at home with immediate results. This call is hosted by AeronomX Walter Kraujalis, and several questions from the listeners were addressed afterwards. Questions include: is there one vaccine better than another; are any countries not accepting a specific vaccine; how does herd immunity work with vaccines; should a pilot wait to get the vaccine?

Open forum discussion among the callers hosted by AeronomX Walter Kraujalis on issues affecting business aviation safety. Discussed during this call include ERP (Emergency Response Plan) issues such as different types of drills, ERP exercise examples on the AeronomX website downloads page (as well as a sample ERP manual template), ERP audit gotchas, ERP support vendors, and finally about ISBAO audit relief available due to COVID.

Open forum discussion among the callers hosted by AeronomX Walter Kraujalis on issues affecting business aviation safety. Issues discussed during this call include a recent United Boeing 777 catastrophic engine failure, and a Falcon 900 takeoff abort resulting in a runway overrun out of Montgomery County Airport in California. This discussion came up with recommended considerations of researching what the discrete radio frequency is for the crash, fire, rescue station for your airport. And to consider a before taxi checklist that includes the takeoff numbers being used are for the correct takeoff configuration. The call also discussed a reported an incident of an aircraft deicing event that was grossly not done correctly that could have lead to an aircraft accident.

To view document of improper aircraft deicing, CLICK HERE.

Open forum discussion among the callers hosted by AeronomX Walter Kraujalis on issues affecting business aviation safety. Issues discussed during this call include a recent business aviation accidents and more information on the recent CDC requirement for all aircraft inbound to the United States from overseas, including business aircraft, all passengers and crew are required to have negative COVID test results prior to entry. Additional discussion on the current pace of flying, promoting the use of business aircraft with your company, and staying aware of the subtle fatigue that seems to be affecting flight departments during this COVID time leading to little mistakes.

​Open forum discussion among the callers hosted by AeronomX Walter Kraujalis on issues affecting business aviation safety. Issues discussed during this call include a recent business aviation accidents and the recent CDC requirement for all aircraft inbound to the United States from overseas, including business aircraft, all passengers and crew are required to have negative COVID test results prior to entry. Links to relevant NATA webpages are listed below.

• CDC document of entry requirements, CLICK HERE.
• CDC Attestation document, CLICK HERE.
• Link to CDC webpage for this requirement, with FAQs, CLICK HERE.
• Link to NATA webpage of interpreting the CDC requirement, CLICK HERE.
• Link to NATA webpage of additional guidance of CDC order, CLICK HERE.
• Link to NBAA webpage for guidance of CDC order, CLICK HERE.

Open forum discussion among the callers hosted by AeronomX Walter Kraujalis on issues affecting business aviation safety. Issues discussed during this call include a great discussion on operators experiencing a low-level insidious amount of fatigue in business aviation operations.

Open forum discussion among the callers hosted by AeronomX Walter Kraujalis on issues affecting business aviation safety. Issues discussed during this call include the FAA says to hold off on getting a COVID vaccine for now. COVID test recommendations. The remainder of the call was a refresher of COVID related issues, including COVID mitigation policies for passengers; pilot currency; pace of operations; and training ideas. 

Here is the link to the CRL Clear test mentioned in the call, CLICK HERE. This is for a link to the test specifications, it is a a PCR test, CLICK HERE.

Open forum discussion among the callers hosted by AeronomX Walter Kraujalis on issues affecting business aviation safety. Issues discussed during this call include the FAA Special Airworthiness Bulletin SAIB NM-20-17 regarding disinfectant materials used within a cockpit or aircraft interior; being an aviation expert witness; the FAA Notice of Proposal Rulemaking for Pilot Record Database and Part 91 operators; will SMS be mandated for Part 91 operators; and should pilots take the COVID vaccine that is coming out.

Open forum discussion regarding the current status of Coronavirus issues in business aviation. Discussion on this call covered the recently issued FAA Special Airworthiness Bulletin NM-2017 (CLICK HERE to download a copy). The FAA issued Safety Alert for Operators (SAFO) 20009, describing recommendations for occupational safety and health on aircraft. Although the SAFO notes that any disinfectants used should be compatible with the aircraft and approved by the aircraft manufacturer for use on board the aircraft, this SAIB focuses on the potential near term and long term implications for airworthiness, and is directed to all persons responsible for airworthiness. ...Also discussed were current problems with ARINC flightplan formats, specifically routing and fuel planning amounts.

For a copy of FAA Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) NM-20-17, CLICK HERE.

Open forum discussion regarding the current status of Coronavirus issues in business aviation. Discussion also discusses use of automation versus manual flying skills; and Euro Control study of TA/RAs.

Euro Control document referred to during the call, CLICK HERE.

​Open forum discussion regarding the current status of Coronavirus issues in business aviation. Discussion about flight department activity levels and how to promote use of the company aircraft during COVID.

Open forum discussion regarding the current status of Coronavirus issues in business aviation. Issues discussed included a policy to fly a COVID-positive passengers, informal survey of the level of flight activity for operators (some have doubled their pre-COVID level of flights!), extra training ideas, to take the COVID vaccine or not when it comes out, and flying to Paris or to Mexico.

Open forum discussion regarding the current status of Coronavirus issues in business aviation. Issues discussed included state-to-state COVID travel restrictions, COVID testing to enter certain states and countries, and how about a policy to fly a COVID-positive passenger.