Flight Options Adds New Players to Sales Team

As Flight Options looks toward new growth, two aviation sales veterans have recently been added to the FO team.

Jay Heublein returns to Flight Options where he began his aviation career as a regional sales director. In his new role as vice president, Jay will lead the national sales force and create and execute Flight Options’ sales and marketing strategies.

In addition to Jay as the new VP of Sales and Marketing, Eli Flint joins as the Southeast region's new Sales Director.

Eli grew up in the aviation industry and has spent the last four years as a sales director with another aircraft manufacturer-owned fractional program. Prior to his most recent fractional sales position, Eli spent ten years employed by FlightSafety, where he held several roles in international sales and marketing.

Gentlemen, welcome to the team.

Flight Options and Pilots’ Union Announce Joint Cooperation

Flight Options and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 1108 recently announced an unprecedented expression of mutual cooperation. Both labor and management have pledged to put their past differences aside and instead dedicate their efforts to achieving common goals.

Kenn Ricci, the chairman of Flight Options, recently joined negotiations with the Flight Options pilots’ union. When asked how his personal involvement will change the focus at the bargaining table, Kenn said, “Our employees are our most precious resource and we recognize that our pilots are the most important part of delivering exemplary safety and service to our customers. As such, we intend to offer our pilots a long-term contract that recognizes them as the best in the industry.”

Captain Mat Slinghoff, the union’s president, when reached at the IBT Local 1108 office said, “We are pleased to join with the Company to express both eagerness and confidence that our first Collective Bargaining Agreement is now within reach. The pilots share Flight Options’ goal of providing unparalleled safety and service to our customers.”

"The Union and Company negotiating teams are working day and night to finalize an agreement that satisfies both the needs of the pilots and the business. I’m confident that bright skies are ahead,” Slinghoff added.

Flight International Reveals 100 Greatest in Aviation

The Apollo 11 moon landing where Neil Armstrong first stepped on to the moon has topped a poll of the 100 Greatest in Aviation - revealed at a special 100th birthday ceremony for Flight International magazine held at the Farnborough Air Show in Hampshire last night [Tuesday 15th July].

Murdo Morrison, editor of Flight International magazine said: "We've had some really iconic aircraft and moments that have been nominated by thousands of Flightglobal.com readers and users, but the Apollo 11 landing was truly a golden age of mankind reaching new boundaries in science and technology."

Here is the link to the complete list: 100 Greatest in Aviation

Safety, Once Again & Always

Last week, the Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) announced a new comprehensive safety audit for Part 135 operators (including fractional providers). Flight Options took part in the development of the new approach. Here, FO VP of Safety Chuck Starkey offers an overview:

"Our Safety Department worked with National Air Transport Association (NATA) and the ACSF as part of the Audit Standards Working Group. Bill Boswell, our internal evaluation program manager, and I were regularly involved. The group has worked since the spring of 2007 to develop a single, common and comprehensive audit standard for Part 135 and Fractional operators. This standard incorporates effective safety management, continuous improvement and other industry best practices as requirements for a Part 135 or fractional operator to successfully complete the audit and achieve registered status with ACSF. Similar to the existing International Air Transport Association (IATA) Operational Safety Audit used as the industry audit standard for commercial airlines worldwide, ACSF's comprehensive audit covers ten major areas of operation:

1. Corporate Organization and Management
2. Flight Operations
3. Operational Control
4. Aircraft Maintenance
5. Cabin Operations
6. Aircraft Ground Handling & Servicing
7. Cargo Operations
8. Operational Security
9. Passenger Handling & Safety
10. Dangerous Goods / Hazardous Materials

These 10 sections contain hundreds of individual audit elements. To successfully complete the audit and achieve ACSF registry, the operator must show that every applicable element is documented, implemented and effectively meets the audit standards. The audit is designed to be scalable, allowing both small and large operators to implement appropriate programs within their organizations to meet standards.

ACSF’s single, independent audit standard and registry should provide a common accepted standard for operations and safety within our industry, and help to eliminate redundant audits."

The Greener Future of Aviation

Really interesting blog today about an exhibit at the Science Museum of London that explores what a greener future for aviation might look like.

As might be expected, technology plays a big role in this future--with much emphasis placed on designing aircraft that simply burn less fuel.

Apropos of Nothing in Particular

Today's/yesterday's (it's just past midnight, you see) entry on the blog Cockpit Conversation concerns the blogger's trip to Mount Rushmore.

Nothing aviation-y about it, but it's interesting.

(There's no individual link for the post, so just go to the blog and scroll to May 17. If you want.)

Fuel-Saving Techniques for Pilots

The AOPA (Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association) just put out an information sheet on the top 3 techniques pilots can use to reduce their fuel burn. This is an area of great concern for both financial and environmental reasons.

(We've blogged about our own efforts to reduce fuel burn here and here.)

Obviously, given that it's for pilots, this information sheet contains specific maneuvers that won't necessarily mean much to non-pilots, although the technique related to descent is not all that technical. (Essentially, the idea is to plan ahead, and descend very gradually.)

The point is that fuel burn, as an issue, continues to grow in importance, based on skyrocketing fuel costs as well as carbon emission concerns.