2005 called. It wants its on-board cellphone rules back.
It’s hard to believe that already a year has passed since flight attendants so famously kicked Alec Baldwin off a plane for playing “Words With Friends.” Technically, you’re still not allowed to conduct business or shop skymall.com or even play solitaire while waiting for your airplane to take off or land.
Safety regulators cite something about how radio signals might interfere with critical airplane communications. But they’re not sure which devices emit these mixed messages or if they’re strong enough to do damage.
So why the mystery? It seems like a pretty straightforward issue to address.
For starters, nobody wants to pay for the testing. It’s easier to be on the safe side and just ask passengers to shut off their devices. Boeing, however, found at least one cheaper way to test signals and ensure they don’t interfere with critical aircraft electrical systems: use potatoes instead of people. Potatoes behave similarly to humans as far as electrical currents are concerned, and the tubers require much less pay and don’t complain about sitting for hours upon hours of testing.
But there is good news for members of the flying public who use mobile devices. (In other words, everyone!) We can see signs of life in the issue. In August of 2012, the FAA decided it was time to form a committee to study the effects of portable electronic devices on the safety of cockpit equipment. This is supposed to be a six-month study, so hopefully we’ll hear the results soon. Then in December, the FCC advised the FAA to “enable greater use of tablets, e-readers, and other portable devices” on airplanes. Additionally, the FAA passed new requirements making it easier for airlines to provide in-flight Wi-Fi services to passengers.
Aviation has always been a shining example of innovation and technological advances. It’s about time we get this pesky mobile device problem solved!
Airlines expect 42 million Americans to fly during the Christmas holiday. If you’re one of the millions heading to an airport this weekend, you might start considering a private jet.
What you’ll be missing
If you fly on a private jet, you may feel like you would miss out on some holiday traditions. Just remember, a tradition isn’t necessarily a good thing!
- Intense car traffic around the airports
- Common flight delays due to unpredictable winter weather
- Close quarters on the airplanes as many flights will be full this time of year
Inside the airports, you’ll likely experience several other challenges to your holiday spirit. Like the nickel-and-diming. You paid for your ticket, now you have to pay a checked bag fee, television viewing, snacks — just one thing after another.
And don’t forget the security lines. Standing in line, removing your shoes, emptying your pockets, measuring your carry-on liquids, opening your laptop – does it ever end? All of the meticulously packed bags are rummaged through. Of course, the security check is crucial, so you try to maintain your jolly disposition, but there’s nothing like a full body scan to chase away your last shred of merriment.
So close your eyes and imagine a better way:
- A quick ride to a congestion-free, municipal airport
- No security lines or missed flights
- Roomy seats and no lost luggage
- A cocktail in hand as your jet takes off
Now that’s the way to travel for the holidays. There’s plenty of room for presents — and they can be wrapped in advance! Many people feel enough stress around the holidays, with many activities, irregular schedules, extra family time, shopping for that hard-to-shop-for person. Take flying concerns out of the picture. Ask Santa for a private jet!
We like to highlight other companies that assist in private jet travel and maintenance. We hope you find this piece about Aviation Aesthetics helpful, especially if you’re planning a renovation.
A home isn’t your home until you’ve made it yours, adding your own personal touches, relaxing in your favorite chair, painting it in your custom colors and making it work for you.
If you spend much time in your or your company’s jet, you’ll enjoy your time that much more when it’s as comfortable, relaxing and functional for you as home.
And that’s where Aviation Aesthetics comes in.
Aviation Aesthetics specializes in highly customized private jet interior design, applying the extensive experience in the luxury residential and corporate sectors to the aviation market. Its philosophy is that aircraft interior design should be comfortable, stylish, provide multiple functions at your fingertips and have durability for intensive use.
The interior designer’s emphasis is on both aesthetic and functional design, offering a comprehensive service that starts with the initial project design consultation and includes project management, advocacy and delivery.
Aviation Aesthetics acts as a committed advocate on behalf of its clients with all of its manufacturers, completion centers and vendors to ensure that your vision guides the process every step of the way. Its goal is to deliver your aircraft on time, within budget and with the highest standards of quality.
Founded by Havilande Whitcomb after working for award winning architecture firms in New York and New England, Aviation Aesthetics offer a new approach in the private aviation sector, merging luxury with art and functionality.
For more information about Aviation Aesthetics, visit http://www.aviationaesthetics.com/, call (203) 984-2607 or e-mail hbw@aviationaesthetics.com.
Although in-flight entertainment provides a much-needed distraction for passengers, it’s also crucial for making the most of in-air time for executives facilitating business meetings and multimedia presentations.
Modern in-flight entertainment systems include a wide variety of media:
- audio entertainment, usually with the assistance of headphones, compatible with XM Satellite Radio and iPods
- video entertainment through large screens at the front of the cabin or personal television sets, offering movies, direct-broadcast satellite television as well as video games
- in-flight Internet connection for Web browsing, text messaging, cellphones, and emailing
Because of the amount of wiring needed, risk of voltage leaks and possible arcing issues, safety is a major concern in creating an in-flight entertainment system. To contain these potential problems, the in-flight entertainment system is typically isolated from the aircraft’s main systems. And in the U.S., a company’s product must pass all of the applicable requirements found in the Federal Aviation Regulations for the FAA to certify it safe and reliable.
FAA regulations mean that once the electronic equipment is approved for installation and use, it’s properly labeled and that its design is appropriate to its intended function. And to ensure that it doesn’t alter the safety or function of the aircraft, the in-flight entertainment system must be independent from the aircraft’s main power source and processor.
Here’s a list of companies that make components for or full in-flight entertainment systems:
- PS Engineering Inc. makes affordable systems that are designed specifically for single/twin/turboprop aircraft. It produces a family of IFE systems from which customers can choose.
- Flight Display Systems manufactures more than 100 aircraft LCD monitors and in-flight entertainment products that include moving maps, cabin management systems, high-definition LCD screens and monitors; mounts; amps and splitters; audio/video; and retrofit/upgrades.
- Rosen Aviation is a leader in the design and manufacturing of quality flat-panel displays, source equipment and accessories for the aviation industry.
- Alto Aviation designs and manufacturers premium cabin audio systems for corporate aviation fixed-wing and rotor-wing aircraft, as well as 135 and 121 operators. The company’s complete line of products includes custom amplifiers, entertainment loudspeakers, subwoofers, page/chime loudspeakers and surround sound systems for any aircraft cabin.
- IntheAirNet creates next-generation, in-flight aircraft entertainment and information systems using a Web-based technological approach and Internet business model. IntheAirNet offers a reliable, complete solution for customers requiring Internet passenger and crew information, ubiquitous entertainment, intranet communication and on-board transactions.
One company, U.K.-based BlueBox Avionics, has released bluebox Ai, a portable in-flight solution that combines the iPad with the company’s proprietary security technology to protect “early-window” content, such as movies cleared for in-flight showings but not yet for pay-per-view, 10-DVD or digital sales. The company chose to combine its technology with iPad because of its long battery life and the fact that it can be loaded with games, magazines, ebooks, custom apps and video for each aircraft. Because iPads are wireless, new content can be loaded to the devices at any time. Individual iPads would also weigh less than built-in entertainment units.
Some countries are simply not as safe as others for travelers. Given the unrest is many parts of the world right now, it’s smart to take a little time to prepare for international travel. But the reality is anything can happen anywhere you fly, whether in the United States or the other side of the world.
According to Edward L. Lee II, author of Staying Safe Abroad: Traveling, Working and Living in a Post-9/11 World, no country is safe — especially for high-net-worth individuals who fly privately and make inviting targets for terrorists and other criminals. Lee spent 30 years with the U.S. State Department, in which he served as a regional security officer in Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East and helped develop post-9/11 anti-terrorism strategies.
Although flying by private jet eases your burden when flying internationally and domestically, Privatejetcharter.net offers these tips to make traveling internationally safer and smoother, in case a routine trip turns into one not so routine:
- Keep a travel folder with all of your documents in it for that trip alone. If you’re flying by charter, keep copies of private jet charter quotes and any paperwork you receive from your broker or charter operator. Ask the operator for confirmation that the aircraft is registered with the FAA and get copies of the aircraft’s FAA 135 Operating Certificate and relevant insurance policies to keep together in your travel folder.
- Research visa requirements for your destination country. Learn as much as you can, as far in advance as you are able, remembering that paperwork processing can often take longer than you might expect and expediting visa requests (when it can be done) can be costly.
- Register your trip with the U.S. State Department. In the event of a natural disaster or personal emergency in the foreign country to which you are traveling, the State Department can help coordinate assistance for you and your loved ones.
- Make several copies of your most important documents, such as passports, visas, travel insurance, travel itinerary, medical insurance, allergies and immunizations. Include one copy of each in every piece of luggage and leave one copy of each in a folder back home for your travel point-of-contact.
- Work with your travel agent, private jet charter broker or concierge to figure out in-country travel options in advance. Make sure you have cash in appropriate denominations for taxis, tours, ferries and other local transportation needs.
In case of distress while traveling abroad, U.S. consular officers are stationed in more than 250 embassies and consulates around the globe. To help prevent some unpleasant experiences, the State Department also offers plenty of valuable information — from what to take versus what’s better left at the office, to the laws and customs of the country you’re visiting.
- For travel safety tips and to find help while traveling abroad, go to http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/safety/safety_1180.html.
- To register your international trip as part of the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, go to https://travelregistration.state.gov/ibrs/ui/.
- To receive travel alerts by country, visit http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis_pa_tw_1168.html
Bon voyage!
Let’s face it — the average airport terminal or commercial passenger jet isn’t exactly conducive to creativity and concentration. Flight delays, long security lines, and noisy cabins are more than just mere sources of frustration. They can derail your ability to focus and get work done.
Taking time to focus
In spite of the many practical benefits of private air travel for business, many people tend to dismiss one of the most important advantages — the increase in productivity. For most corporate executives, creating opportunities to tackle business issues isn’t a luxury at all; it’s an essential time management tool.
Psychologists refer to the state of highly creative energy output as “flow.” The quiet and distraction-free benefits of private air travel create the perfect environment for achieving flow. Flying privately eliminates noise. The traveler can disconnect from chirping cellphones and concentrate on the more strategic or aspirational aspects of running a business.
Collaboration and confidentiality
Today’s private jet is nothing less than a fully equipped office and meeting space where executives work through complicated, strategic business initiatives. Conducting meetings in the air allows employees to work through confidential or sensitive issues in privacy.
Back on the ground, the executive who flies by private jet is more focused and better prepared to initiate the next client meeting, the next project, or the next presentation. The increase in productivity is a competitive advantage for the organization. Balanced against the cost of leasing or renting a corporate jet, private air travel is definitely worth a closer look.
Looking for a relaxing fall getaway? Here’s an idea: Yellowstone National Park. Located in beautiful rural Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho, but driving there is a hassle, no matter where you’re coming from. This trip is a perfect excuse for a flight on a private plane.
Throughout the summer, Yellowstone is often crammed with tourists, turning the scenic roads into bumper-to-bumper traffic. Any wildlife sighting (and there are many!) backs up traffic even more. You don’t go to Yellowstone to sit in your vehicle; you go to explore.
In early November, all of the roads close to the public except for the North Entrance near Mammoth Hot Springs. In mid-October, the number of visitors is pretty low, but the park is breathtaking. Clear, crisp air. Bugling elk. Potential for snow. Showy trees. Hot springs. Geysers. It’s truly a perfect time to experience the raw beauty and natural splendor of Yellowstone.
I went there a few years ago, and a huge bison greeted us just as we drove through the gate nearest Cody, Wyo., and a herd of elk was hunkered down in the yard outside Mammoth. If you fly in to Yellowstone Regional Airport, you’ll be on a fall adventure in very little time.
Here’s the latest FAA info for YRA.
Many people think immediately of an icy CEO or shallow celebrity when they picture a private jet passenger. Terminally ill children, disabled veterans, researchers, or rescued animals don’t usually spring to mind. However, many private aircraft operators, owners, and pilots offer their services and equipment for numerous types of charitable missions.
The variety of services provided by volunteer groups is pretty wide-ranging. The majority provide flights to specialized hospitals for extremely ill patients. Imagine the stress that free flights alleviate for families coping with severe health problems. For these patients, travel is difficult, especially frequent, expensive, long-distance trips. And that’s what groups like Angel Flight West provide: free flights to people in need. Volunteer pilots who love to fly and help others donate their time to transport individuals in extenuating circumstances.
Several charitable aviation organizations turn to the four-legged victims. Cloud Nine Rescue Flights rescues animals facing euthanasia from over-crowded shelters, and three volunteer pilots fly them to locations where they will be adopted. While this group will transport any healthy spayed or neutered animal, dogs and cats are the most common travelers.
Other groups specialize in disaster recovery, environmental research, or search-and-rescue assistance. Light Hawk in Lander, Wyo., offers trips to scientists so they can acquire valuable sky-high data of environmental issues.
If you’re a pilot or an owner of a private jet, consider the good you can do. If you or someone you know has a compelling need for transportation, know that many private pilots and aircraft are willing to help you out.
To see a list of charitable aviation groups, visit aircareall.org. You can search by region, by need, or by alphabetical name.
When you hire a crew to fly your business jet, you’re hiring more than a run-of-the-mill operator and flight attendant.
You are, in fact, hiring people who should have your company’s best interests at heart — from economy and efficiency to comfort and safety. They also represent your company, whether you or your customers are on board.
In effect, they are employees of your company, and you should take as much care in hiring them as any other employee or executive, according to Jeffrey Reich, principal of Elevon Consulting, in writing for Forbes.
Therefore, you should hire the best in the field: operators who understand your company’s goals, who bring value and can find ways to optimize your aviation use, and who know how their practices “tie in to added effectiveness, efficiency and risk minimization,” Reich says. They need to represent your business with “the appropriate finesse.”
That doesn’t mean that the right operator is the most experienced; rather, that you can train a sufficiently experienced aviator with high values and standards to fly your plane and bring the value you’re looking for to your company, Reich says.
However, pre-training is essential for a private jet’s flight crew.
Susan C. Friedenberg, founder of Corporate Flight Attendant Training and Consulting Services, stresses that if disaster were to strike while a jet was in flight, the passengers trust that the crew knows what to do. If the crew — including the corporate flight attendant — has not undergone emergency training, lives could be lost.
Ehow.com offers these tips in hiring a flight crew:
- Contact a flight crew leasing company through a local fixed base operator (FBO) or online, with your requirements to hire a flight crew. A leasing company will perform background checks, performance reviews and match the right crew for your needs. Ask for references from other current clients to make sure they are happy with the level of service the leasing company has provided.
- Ask for references from other private jet owners you may personally know or have run into at the airport where you store your airplane. They may have operators and crew that can meet your needs.
- Place an ad in professional operator or airplane-owners magazines or visit Airline Pilot Central’s Web site for a private flight crew. This method would take the most effort since most likely you will have to screen and interview the crew yourself.
- Select a pool of operators and crew you want to interview. Ask for each of them to provide a resume for your review.
- Ask to see candidates’ current operators’ logs. This will tell you how current their flight hours are. Based on your level of comfort, you can hire an operator with 250 hours or up to 10,000 miles. Regional airlines hire their pilots with just over 250 hours, whereas larger legacy carriers hire operators with more than 5,000 hours.
- Ask for each operator and crew member to provide a criminal background check. They can receive these from their local sheriff or law enforcement agency. This will prevent you from hiring someone with a criminal history.
- Ask for a copy of operators’ passport photos. (They will need a current passport for international travel.) Inquire if they have international experience if you plan to travel to a global destination.
On July 27, the 2012 Summer Olympic Games open in London, England. The international event always promises competition, heartfelt stories of hard work and endurance, and of course, extraordinarily intense travel scenarios. London will host 10,500 athletes from 205 countries and millions of spectators.
To add to the chaos, much has been made of the potential for security threats during the Olympic Games. According to John F. Burns of the New York Times, the problems and shortfalls in the training of security personnel are wide-reaching. In order to offer some peace of mind to athletes, attendees, and the general public, officials are looking to the skies:
“A strike force of supersonic Typhoon jet fighters and helicopters carrying snipers went operational at a Royal Air Force base 20 miles from the Olympic Park. The Typhoon pilots were placed on a 24-hour ‘readiness’ status that requires at least one crew member to be seated in their cockpit at all times,” reports Burns.
But there’s more to the Olympics than security issues. And there’s more to aviation than military planes and defensive tactics. So if you’re flying to the Olympics this year, here are a few things to keep in mind:
- At Heathrow, be prepared for long lines to get your passport checked. There is a strong likelihood that Border Force will strike.
- Southend Airport is the closest airport to the Olympic Park — a 45-minute ride on the train.
Travel safely, cheer loudly, and be sure to tell us about your epic Olympic flying adventures.
