I am a big advocate of the technology world. I run in circles that believe that technology and specifically applications and software are what will fuel our next economy. When I see things that talk about applications and technology I tend to pay attention. Something that is a hot item in the world of mobile phones is Plane Finder. AIN recently reported that the application that costs the user $2.99 from a UK based company is all the rage. It was reported:
[the application] displays aircraft transmitting ADS-B Out signals–and only ADS-B–in a user’s geo-referenced area, whereas Pinkfroot’s planefinder.net Web site shows ADS-B-equipped aircraft across the world moving atop various map backgrounds, including Google Earth. In the iPhone and Android apps, touching an aircraft brings up its ID, type, operator’s name, altitude, groundspeed, heading, route and its manufacturer serial number, in addition to clickable pages of other information. While this is pretty straightforward database information, the clever twist is augmented reality, where pointing the mobile device’s camera at a visible overflying aircraft integrates the smartphone’s GPS position with the aircraft’s altitude and its ADS-B’s GPS position to display its bearing and distance, as well as the same full data block. Spotters are thrilled; not surprisingly, homeland security officials aren’t.
I would say that homeland security might be very interested in the use for this application to say the least. I would also think that those paparazzi that are tracking celebs might also find a use for the aircraft finder for their own “research”. Finally, I would be interested if this application might also be used by corporate espionage to find out what planes are flying to what places and landing at what times times to determine when meetings are held, where executives are going and when. All information that could be assisted with the pointing of your iPhone at over head aircraft.
After reading about Avtrak in some aviation news I had a look at there operation. They are here close to me in my area and I wanted to get familiar with their operation. AIN reports that Avtrak is expanding its operations in Mexico and is soon growing beyond its capacity at its current location and will be moving its headquarters to Centennial Airport in Colorado. This is good news for companies in the aviation industry and it shows that this company is working hard to get ahead during down times. Their VP of marketing, Dennis Steinbeck, echos that sentiment in his statement to AIN, “We are one of the fortunate companies that have been expanding during one of the worst times in our industry.”
Avtrak is a maintenance tracking company and from their site they state:
Avtrak’s easy to use, web based services are recognized as the preferred maintenance tracking service by maintenance professionals worldwide. Avtrak’s services are considered the perfect blend of technology and highly qualified support people.
It is good to see that there are companies still expanding and growing and taking advantage of their hard work during this time of difficulty in the economy. If they can do it, I am positive we can all benefit from some hard work and some hustle.
I was reading an article sent by a friend that indicates that studies have shown that corporate jet use is up and the month of June showed the increase as well. That means more and more companies are using their corporate jets for more travel and I am sure that personal use is up as companies and their executives use the aircraft for personal use associated with vacations. This increased use of the aircraft also means a possibility that you will have a higher maintenance budget. If you have budgeted for an amount certain for 2010, and that amount increases at all that may mean that your business aircraft or private personal jet may now be up for an inspection and those costs will be added to the yearly maintenance budget.
If your usage of your corporate jet increases over the year and it changes either your maintenance schedule or inspection, this can have a large effect on the annual budget you have for the use of that aircraft. You need to stay on top of that usage and the budget associated with the use so that it will not change your bottom line at the end of your fiscal year. Keep someone on top of the business use and the personal use and keep up to date with the maintenance of your aircraft. With the use of corporate jets increasing for both the business use and personal use it may be marking another indicator that the slide is over in this industry. It is good to hear that corporate jets may be on the rise.
Today at the Air Transport World 3rd Annual Eco-Aviation Conference, J Randolph Babbitt spoke about the environment and how the FAA is working to make it better. He states that over the last three decades aviation has done an exceptional job of reducing the noise and emissions of aircraft. He gave us an example of that reduction by stating that a fully loaded 787 flying from San Francisco to Kennedy yields fuel efficiency that’s similar to a 2010 Honda Accord at almost 10 times the speed. Very impressive statistic being that we are moving 3 times the amount of passengers as the 80’s.
In addition to the remarks about how well the industry has done over the last thirty years, Babbitt stated that the FAA is launching the CLEEN program. The CLEEN program, Continuous Lower Energy, Emissions and Noise, will award $125 million in contracts today to five separate companies to develop and demonstrate technologies that will reduce commercial aviation jet fuel consumption, emissions and noise. These five year contracts are going to: Boeing, General Electric, Honeywell, Pratt and Whitney, and Rolls Royce. Babbitt stated:
“The bottom line here is that we want engine and aircraft technologies that can be incorporated into the U.S. fleets by 2015 and will produce a 33 percent reduction in fuel burn regardless of the aircraft class. We want to cut nitrogen oxide emissions by 60 percent. And we want to make a cumulative reduction in aircraft noise levels by 32 decibels. These are ambitious goals, but they are achievable goals.”
Babbitt stated that this new technology could be seen in commercial aircraft as soon as 2015. This seems to be a new strategy for everyone as we begin to see how we can become more eco-friendly in out industry and how we can make our world a better place. These companies and the FAA seem to be leading that new directive well.
If you’d like more information about GE Aviation’s commitment to reduced emissions and fuel consumption, visit their website: www.geaviation.com
Earlier this year the Transportation Security Administration was discussing the idea of creating tighter security with the use of private or business aircraft. The threat of terrorism seems to be more of a commercial issue than it is a private jet or corporate jet issue. With the crack down in security on the commercial level many people were concerned that terrorism may be looking to the use of private aircraft or the business jet industry. So far this has not been an area of concern and the TSA has not implemented any changes.
With more than 300 small airports to make sweeping changes to in the area of security it would be a fairly costly maneuver. At this juncture the TSA has not implemented the changes and has not discuss any further ideas towards that idea. The current security falls into the hands of the individual operators of the aircraft, the crew and the passengers. The likelihood of a terrorist action using private aircraft remains a possibility but as yet this has not been an area where the TSA has made any changes. At this time the aviation community is doing a good job of reducing the risk of terrorism and private jets or business aircraft.
The most recent event of terrorism involved a small plane in Austin, Texas. The Washington Post covered that event and reported:
Pilots of private planes fly about 200,000 small and medium-size aircraft in the United States, using 19,000 airports, most of them small. The planes’ owners say the aircraft have little in common with airliners.
“I don’t see a gaping security hole here,” said Tom Walsh, an aviation security consultant. “In terms of aviation security, there are much bigger fish to fry than worrying [about] small aircraft.”
It is not discussed about the issue of private aircraft or the size of a large business jet, but in that case it seems that they have tighter restrictions on the passengers and the use than a commercial airliner. We will keep you up to date on any changes in the private aircraft security.
I was reading recently from Forbes.com an article written in Wheels Up by Susan Friedenberg called “Is The Person In The Back of Your Private Aircraft Trained To Save Your Life?”. I am not sure there is ever a time when you would want to respond to that question in the negative. It was interesting to note that not all aircraft attendants are “certified”. Friedenberg states:
Non trained or unprofessionally trained people acting as a corporate flight attendant and being listed as a passenger on the aircraft manifest or listed as a “cabin server” is beyond dangerous. It is unacceptable and a liability for an industry that is responsible for keeping people, including corporate executives, safe.
As not only a corporate executive myself but also a husband, father, son and friend I can assure you I would like to be as safe as possible on any flight I take be it on a private jet, business jet, commercial airliner or a bus ride across town. The article is worth reading, and if you are a private jet or corporate jet owner, it might be a good time to go over your current operation and audit your crew as to their qualifications. The writer provides her own thought here:
I think it is time for corporate aviation passengers to start asking who the people are in the back of their aircraft whether it is a Part 91 or a Part 135 operation, and if they are corporate aircraft specific trained.
When it is time to save a life, it might just be yours they are saving. This might not be a place to go with the easy way out.
I love playing golf and watching golf is almost as fun. This weekend is the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach. The airport that is going to be servicing the U.S. Open for many of the private jets used by companies, sponsors and players is the Monterey Peninsula Airport. The FAA has issued a statement concerning the traffic concerns that will be a result of the event.
James Babcock, the air traffic manager at Monterey Airport states:
“Starting the afternoon of June 13, 2010 and continuing through the morning of June 21, 2010, we anticipate that the amount of traffic arriving and departing Monterey will likely double.”
They are also like to see the airport fill up with a number of aircraft and they are finding ways to park the number of private jets and corporate jets that they will have at Monterey. They are asking that other airports be used during the event. Arrival and departure slots will not be required, but the NBAA recommends that operators contact their FBO’s in advance if operating in or out of MRY during this event.
It would be interesting top see all the different aircraft that is being used by corporations or private individuals that are coming in and out of the airport for the U.S Open. I for one would love to be there to see the event in California.
The fear of flying is pretty common… But you can do it!
There are simple ways to overcome this phobia and take to the skies!
In an article from WebMD, the magazine shares information about the fear and easy steps to get you off the ground, and in control.
“… more than one in four people are somewhat afraid, and one in 10 considers him or herself very afraid of taking to the skies.
Despite the term, fear of flying isn’t just a fear of being in the air.
Some people are claustrophobic or afraid of being far from home. Al Forgione, PhD, a Boston psychologist, says the most common fear is not crashing, but becoming hysterical and humiliating yourself in flight. And “the underlying fear in all of these anxieties is loss of control,” he says. To create the illusion of control, some people believe that their actions — listening for odd noises, noting the slightest dip, or even staying motionless in their seats — could actually save the plane.”
All plausible reasons, but easily avoided with conscious thinking…
Many use videos of planes taking off and landing. The most popular videos are those that are shot from inside the plane or looking out the window at the wing. The sound of the roar of the engines and seeing the ground rise and fall with take off and landing enables fearful flyers to participate in a takeoff and landing without actually being on a plane. Using these techniques can condition your mind to think that these events are just normal, everyday experiences- like taking out the trash. (Which can be scary sometimes too!)
Other techniques include books, therapy, and medication. Any of these methods can ease your fear of flying, but nothing will help as much as just getting on the plane more and more. Just focus on your destination, whether it be a tropical location, snowy mountains, or a busy metropolis, because you know that when you arrive…
You did it!!
To keep you posted on the current situation in Europe surrounding the volcanic eruption last Wednesday in Iceland, almost 20 European countries now have shut down their airspace and officials say, “we’ve not yet seen the light at the end of the tunnel.”
Flight safety is an important topic on the minds of everyone and so is helping share information about this natural disaster that’s wreaking havoc on the airlines industry. It is said that millions are stranded in airports across Europe and flights about the globe have been disrupted by this amazing event.
The BBC has the latest information about the situation and most news outlets are posting updates as well.
Bill Voss,the CEO of the Flight Safety FoundationFlight Safety Discussed on FOX News, has been on FOX News this morning to talk about the impact the economy is having an adverse impact on airline flight safety. He says we’re in one of the safest flying periods ever in airlines histories, but with the tighter economy, things are riskier than normal and worse than they should be. This really sounds like the best time to buy a jet of one’s own so that business executives can avoid the hassles of airport security as well as fly in a safe piece of equipment that they own and are assured is safe to fly on.
