On that call, Neil Mitchill, Raytheon’s chief financial officer, pointed out how bad that was for the company when he said, “the absence of productivity” from not enough workers being available to complete projects was hurting profit margins between 15 and 30 percent. 

Raytheon’s ceo, Greg Hayes, put it bluntly when investors asked how quickly the industry could remedy the problem through hiring. “This does not get solved this year,” he said. “I think the only thing that’s going to solve labor availability, and I hate to say this, is a slowdown in the economy because right now, there simply aren’t enough people in the workforce for all of our suppliers.”

• READ MORE: See Where Top Aviation Universities Rank

A Dire Need for Mechanics

If that is the sentiment for one of the largest aerospace and defense companies, it’s not hard to estimate what many small businesses are up against as they try to attract workers. Finding engineers is one thing, but a bigger knot in the system threatens a complete rebound of the industry: finding mechanics and technicians. In its commercial Pilot and Technician Outlook for the 20-year period between 2022 and 2041, Boeing said the global industry needed to recruit, train, and hire 610,000 new maintenance technicians. The need existed before the pandemic, but a lot has changed with the social upheaval caused by COVID-19. 

FLYING spoke about this with Jonas Murby, a principal at AeroDynamic Advisory, a specialty consulting firm focused on the global aerospace and aviation industries, and who has worked with MROs, OEMs and investors for nearly two decades on making strategic decisions. In the wide-ranging discussion, Murby pointed out multiple factors that make it clear the mechanic shortage needs closer attention.

“There was kind of a structural issue already before COVID,” Murby said, “but when COVID hit, the oldest and most experienced people suddenly left aviation.”

It’s a similar problem that many airlines found themselves in when they offered early retirements to their pilots, only to find themselves understaffed for the resurgent travel demand. In July, Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) CEO Ed Bastian said nearly 2,000 senior pilots from his airline retired early in the summer of 2020, and that caused a bullwhip effect this summer as there weren’t enough active pilots to meet the airline’s schedule.

However, that could be one of the only similarities to the shortage on the mechanic side. Pilots who have decamped from the industry altogether might be inclined to return because of the initial investment they’ve made in training and the lucrative pay incentives that airlines are now offering. For mechanics, though, Murby said it might not be so easy to get them back.

Why Is It Hard To Recruit Mechanics?

“Younger people discovered that there is a life outside aviation that is perhaps more stable,” he explained. “If you’re a mechanic, perhaps life outside aviation means less work on a hot ramp or in the rain. It’s also less work with dirt and at a higher salary.”

It will be hard to ignore the salary aspect. In April, when inflation was at 4.5 percent, FLYING reported that mechanics at every level struggled to make ends meet. Since then, inflation has more than doubled to 9.1 percent in June, putting workers at risk of a deficit.

To balance things out, for mechanics, it’s not as easy as finding a second job, Murby said.

“The problem is, if you’re a mechanic, that’s a very physical job.” He explains that if there is a shortage of workers, the ones present have to work even more. “The shortages themselves exacerbate that problem because a company with too few mechanics certainly doesn’t want those mechanics to work fewer hours.”

• READ MORE: University of Oklahoma Ranked Best College for Aviation

Workforce Rules and Benefits Haven’t Changed Much

Companies wishing to keep their workers could choose an updated work schedule, but most of that type of workforce innovation seems to be taking place faster outside the aviation industry. Many companies have embraced remote work or opted for flexible work schedules. The most recent jobs report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) also shows broadly that more people were working multiple jobs this year than last.

Since that’s not likely an option for mechanics, Murby said aerospace companies need to upgrade the employee experience to compete for talent. He said that means flexibility, better technology, and higher salaries—but even that, Murby noted, is another challenge.

“I’ve heard consistently across the globe from companies that want to bring back somebody they lost during COVID that the people want 20 percent, in some cases up to 50 percent pay raises because that’s what they’re getting now.”

That means companies could grapple with wage inflation, as JetBlue’s CEO, Robin Hayes, told investors in May, even as the costs increase for other materials. With the strong demand for consumer travel, it seems rational that companies should also increase wages, but Murby said the pent-up demand driving the system now isn’t typical and could cool off. That means if a looming recession caused customers to cut back on travel, MRO providers who suddenly increased wages to help workers might unwittingly become unprofitable.

“So ultimately, if everybody begins paying their mechanics and the rest of the staff 20 percent, in some cases up to 50 percent more, what happens?”

Competition Creates an Overall Labor Shortage

Where does that leave the industry’s ability to attract or retain mechanics and technicians? The challenge that the aviation industry has to overcome may have been hiding in plain sight but is becoming more evident now with the growth of outside sectors. The new wave of innovation sweeping the automobile industry and the emergence of new aviation technologies like electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft have increased the demand for mechanical labor immensely. 

The BLS estimates that about 69,000 openings for automotive service technicians and mechanics are projected each year, on average, over the decade until 2030. That puts those sectors in direct competition for a limited amount of talent. In places where there is more money on the balance sheet and more innovation around the quality of work, Murby said it will be a challenge for the aviation’s MRO industry to keep up and that, more broadly, all sectors could struggle.

“In the future, if we have more competition for those types of workers from multiple industries, is there a critical mass of maintenance?”

It’s not unlike the computer chip shortage that developed in the early part of the pandemic as consumers shopped for more electronic products, taking away from the supply needed for cars as well as aircraft. In the same way that the chip shortage proved to be a structural and macro issue for many companies—so much so that the U.S. government is now onshoring chip-making—the widespread demand for mechanics poses a similar threat. Murby pointed out that, for some companies, it might mean purposefully getting smaller.

“It goes to that critical mass idea because there just aren’t that many people that could do that job in certain countries and regions,” he said.

Could Skilled Immigrants Help?

So, with a thin supply of technicians and mechanics, and a growing volume of labor that needs to be completed, does the solution include U.S. immigration policies that result in an increased influx of skilled workers? Occupations such as farmers and nurses have benefited from skilled-immigration policies in countries like Canada, which the government has said are essential for filling out the labor force and overall economic growth. Canada’s government plans to welcome an average of 255,000 skilled immigrants through 2024. However, the U.S. caps its employment-based recruitment to 140,000 each fiscal year.

Ultimately, if the mechanics and technicians shortage continues to worsen, there is a confluence of challenges the aviation industry will need to resolve.

Murby put it best: “There is definitely more work to be done.”

The post The Aviation Mechanic Shortage Is Worse Than You Might Think appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Garmin GI 275/Dassault Falcon 7X

Garmin’s GI 275 can now replace the original secondary flight display in the Falcon 7X and be configured to serve as an attitude-direction indicator with synthetic vision technology. When Garmin introduced the GI 275 in January 2020, it seemed the powerful little round dial with all of Garmin’s software stuffed inside was positioned to corner the general aviation avionics market. If you’ve seen or used it, you know it.

The 3.125-inch, panel-mount digital gauge can do the work of four separate analog instruments, with pilots having the option to choose the configuration they want. So, with the ability to display primary flight and engine information, matched with FAA approval for installation in more than 1,000 single-engine and multiengine business and general aircraft models, owners could give their panels a facelift and keep some of those old birds flying a little bit longer.

In the case of the Falcon 7X, Garmin said 300 aircraft across the global Falcon fleet were eligible to add the GI 275. Either way, this recent addition shows just how capable the instrument is, if it can serve both weekend warriors doing breakfast runs in, say, a 1983 Piper Turbo Arrow IV—as I’ve seen—to now Falcon jet drivers, possibly taking the boss into Teterboro for a critical meeting.

Is that a coincidence? Not really. Jim Alpiser, who leads the aftermarket sales team for Garmin’s aviation segment, shared with FLYING that Garmin has in mind all the use cases, from big airplanes to small, when it designs and rolls out versatile products like the GI 275. “The person installing it in a Bonanza or a Mooney should feel amazing because that same technology is also inside a Falcon aircraft now,” he said.

It doesn’t mean some larger screen products, such as the G1000, will lose their place in the market. Instead, Alpiser uses the analogy of the suite of Apple products that share similar basic capabilities regardless of screen sizes. In this case, it’s more about what’s visually appealing to the pilots, and, like the Falcon 7X application, it could even augment the larger displays.

Garmin G5000/Cessna Citation Excel

In addition to the announcement on the GI 275, Garmin also said it was working with European regulators to gain permission for EASA-certificated operators to install the G5000 integrated avionics suite on the Cessna Citation Excel and Citation XLS. Since Garmin launched the Cessna Citation Excel and Citation XLS G5000 modernization program three years ago, more than 100 Excel and XLS aircraft have added the avionics package, and now European operators will benefit once the integration is approved. The three landscape-oriented displays give pilots added situational awareness and additional capabilities.

Finally, Piper Aircraft, which also exhibited at the conference, shared an update to say that the touchscreen Garmin G3000 and the software innovation for that avionics suite featured in Piper’s flagship M600/SLS was a big boost for safety. Some of the latest G3000 upgrades in the M600/SLS include enhancements to the synthetic vision system, weather radar, navigation, flight planning, checklists, and SafeTaxi. Though the G3000 isn’t available commercially for retrofits, Piper’s confirmation is a testament to the role of advanced avionics in improving both the lifetime and ease of operation for these airplanes.

Even the new HondaJet Elite II, which the OEM announced that same week, boasted the updated G3000 would be equipped with autothrottles. To that end, the new model would have Garmin’s emergency system, Autoland, as a standard feature when it ships. 

It speaks to the bigger trend at play. When the Aircraft Electronics Association shared its six-month Avionics Market Report in August, it said owners and operators spent more than $615 million on retrofits, including flight deck upgrades and other electronics, antennas, and so forth. That represented more than 45 percent of all the avionic sales it recorded, compiled with data from more than 1,300 member companies.

That means aircraft owners and operators are finding new ways to stretch the lifetime of their aircraft by tapping into these avionics upgrades. That’s easier to do than airframe or powerplant upgrades, since those technologies progress much slower and suffer from more restrictions.

As Alpiser explained, “avionics upgrade technology has accelerated over the recent decades. In regards to the GI 275, it embodies that spirit because it packs many capabilities into a smaller space.”

Moreover, pilots now have an added layer of safety that comes from the reduced workload Alpiser says these upgrades offer. “Adding safety to the cockpit is a huge driver of upgrades and modernization. Adding safety-enhancing technology, like synthetic vision or additional data fields, can help make you a better pilot.”

Atlas, From Avidyne

Other legacy jet platforms are also being rejuvenated through avionic offerings from Avidyne. During NBAA-BACE, Avidyne shared that Learjet 55C owners and operators could now add Avidyne’s dual Atlas flight management system retrofit upgrade. The upgrade provides them with fully-coupled GPS approach capabilities, including LPV, LP, LNAV/VNAV, and LNAV-only, while not needing to make expensive EFIS86-L system replacements.

So, not only does it extend the useful life of these time-tested jets, but for operators, their world just got bigger.

“A lot of these airplanes are perfectly good airplanes,” Tom Harper, Avidyne’s marketing director ,tells FLYING. “With LPV, you’re opening up so many more runways, since that’ll allow you to get into airports that don’t have an ILS. Or, in some cases, they only have an ILS on one runway, and the winds aren’t favorable. So, the upgrade just gives you more options to complete the mission.”

In terms of use, each Atlas flight management system boasts a QWERTY-style keyboard with touchscreen capabilities so pilots can flight plan and view maps to their liking. They are also equipped with integrated wireless connectivity that links them to iPads to complement third-party flight planning apps.

Regarding the layout, Harper said the Learjet upgrade requires reconfiguring the center pedestal to make a more pilot-friendly interface by bringing EFIS mode select controls and FMS units forward.

Harper added that the upgrade to the Lear 55C is just an indication of things to come. Avidyne will look to breathe new life into other “old birds,” including others in the Learjet family, Dassault Falcons, Cessna Citations, Beechcraft King Airs, the IAI Westwind, and the Piaggio P.180 Avanti.

This article was originally published in the December 2022/January 2023 Issue 933 of FLYING.

The post Avionics Upgrades Go a Long Way appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

SMS Mandate

One priority is the need for widespread adoption of safety management systems in business aviation, as in airline travel. Presently, Part 91 and 135 operators who offer commuter and on-demand operations, and some conducting air tours with various aircraft types, are subject to different requirements. While business aviation has a low accident rate—comparable to airlines—when there is an accident or incident in the business aviation industry, the ensuing corrective mandates don’t follow the same path as those for commercial air carriers.

This is because these operators aren’t required to have the same safety systems as the airlines. The FAA established the safety management system (SMS) requirements for Part 121 operators in 2015, giving them less than 40 months to develop and implement acceptable SMS programs, and by March 2018, there was 100 percent compliance. Yet, the FAA doesn’t mandate air medical services, air taxis, or on-demand flights to have the safety management systems, flight data recorders and systems,and safety-critical training practices that are required of passenger-carrying airline operations. While some operators have adopted SMS under the FAA’s voluntary program, it’s only a dozen or so out of more than 2,000 charter operators in the U.S.

But that is about to change. Long an NTSB most wanted list item, SMS requirements for air carriers operating under Parts 21, 91, 135, and 145 are currently under development and the FAA plans to publish a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for these regulations in Fall 2023.

Sustainability

Fast-tracking the industry’s sustainability initiatives is another top priority, and in 2023, you can expect to see an upshift into another gear. One feature that makes this possible is the Inflation Reduction Act passed in August 2022, which took effect January 1, 2023, and gives sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) providers tax provisions to boost production. The IRA allocates a $1.25 per gallon tax credit for each gallon of SAF sold. To claim the credit, SAF producers must demonstrate that the fuel can cut greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent as part of a qualified mix compared to regular jet fuel.

More broadly, the U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Department of Transportation, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and other federal agencies have set a Grand Challenge to boost research, development, and production of SAF. Their goal is to get to 3 billion gallons per year by 2030 and 35 billion gallons per year by 2050. That’s the same year the industry has committed to being net-zero in carbon emissions, but we have a long way to go.

In 2022, according to the International EnergyAgency, global SAF production was approximately 26.4 million gallons a year, or about 0.1 percent of all aviation fuel. The International Air Transport Association indicated in an October 2021 study that for airlines to reduce emissions to meet the 2050 net-zero goal, SAF would be needed to reduce up to 65 percent of emissions. It estimated that electric and hydrogen solu-tions would contribute 13 percent to the reduction, while more efficient operations and infrastructure would add another 3-percent improvement. The GA sector is playing its part, with various FBO chains boosting their capacity, and 2023 could prove to be a year in which SAFis not only widely produced but also widely available.

People in the Workforce

Another trend in sharp focus is the industry’s workforce challenge. While some sectors have been able to attract, recruit, hire, train, and keep talent, 2022 was a year in which the whole industry—business, commercial, general, and even military aviation—was prevented from hitting its stride because it simply couldn’t find the talent it needed. Indeed, it was acute at the pilot level, but manufacturers also felt it, struggling to find skilled workers to make critical equipment for aircraft. 

Depending on the state of the broader economy,some of the demand felt across the industry by people clamoring for air travel in 2022 might wane, giving us time to catch our breath. But, if the trends persist and travel proves to be a non-discretionary commodity, this could be an interesting year. As we’ve learned through thepandemic, successful recruitment is no longer about compensation but increasingly about flexibility. Companies wishing to grow will have to be creative to find the people they need to support their businesses.

Innovation

Finally, innovation remains a key driver. In 2021, a bevy of emerging aerial air mobility and future technology ventures became publicly traded companies promising to shake the industry up by late 2023 into 2024. However, progress toward certification has been incremental and arguably cosmetic. With investors tightening their belts amid a shakier economy, this year could be the make-or-break one for some of these enthusiastic upstarts. Progress will need to be tangible, or there could be fierce consolidation across players, at best. Regulators will also need to play their part. To be clear, the industry needs winners because innovation moves us forward, or as they say, a rising tide lifts all boats.

Plenty is at stake in 2023. At the heart of each trend are people like you and me, who have the opportunity to make meaningful contributions and move the industry forward. I encourage you to give your best efforts. See you at work!

This article was originally published in the February 2023 Issue 934 of FLYING.

The post Business Trends To Watch in 2023 appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

For many who decide to go on this worthwhile pursuit of becoming a professional pilot, student loans offer an opportunity to pursue their dreams. Indeed, they seem quite generous. Between private and federal lenders, new students can get almost unfettered access to cash.

But should you fund your training only through student loans? Students attending colleges/universities enjoy the benefit of applying for federal and state financial aid grants (including federally backed student loans) for paying for tuition, books, and other fees. Elsewhere, pilots have options to complete all their flight training with companies that can take you from zero to hero in less than nine to 12 months that covers costs using a personal loan that starts accruing interest (often at significant rates unless collateralized by a home or other assets) with payment schedules that begin the moment the money is accepted. 

The Back-Up Plan

There are two experiences that have shaped my decision-making psyche in my relatively young pilot career. 

The first came at the very start. In the first semester of my freshman year of college, before I even set foot in an airplane, I tore my ACL trying to earn a soccer scholarship. While inconvenient, my injury wouldn’t have been as disruptive in some other careers, but pilots need their legs to push rudder pedals. So a torn ACL stood in my way—both for soccer and aviation.

I set my soccer pursuits aside and had to rehab for the entire school year, missing a complete academic cycle in flight training. At the very beginning, I realized how tantamount my health would be to my career. Plus, aside from the disruption, the whole thing made me question putting all my eggs in one basket. 

When I wrote about whether pilots should go to college, many people emailed me that a pilot degree offered many people something to fall back on if things went wrong. They were onto something, but I wonder what would happen if this could be the way experts advised those going into flight training. In other words, would it be better to counsel student pilots that, in addition to flight training, they should consider the broad trends of where the world is going and select a comparable field of study that they would enjoy equally, expecting that something could go wrong? 

For one, it would let them know that other options are on the table—that if you have the mindset to be a pilot, there are equally rewarding fields worth pursuing. It doesn’t have to be something to fall back on.

Save Money. No, Really

The other experience that shaped my career was the matter of paying for training each time I flew. Because I moved to the U.S. for flight training as an international student, I was only able to attend college because my parents could afford to send me there. I wouldn’t be privy to the riches of private and federal student loans some of my classmates benefited from. 

In one way, my ACL injury bought us time to figure out consistent cash flow, because as most pilots will explain, the most efficient way through training is to move through it without stopping. If you have to pause, as many do, for financial reasons, later on, it may affect your proficiency. That’ll mean spending more on sessions to get refreshed. 

• READ MORE: Previous Editions of “What a CFI Wants You to Know”

The other upside is that when I paid for each training session, I fully understood the reality of spending hard-earned cash, and it encouraged me to develop habits that ensured my time in training was efficient. Money means something when you know where it came from. Accepting that loans weren’t an option forced my parents and me to think about additional ways to generate income, and after I completed my training, those streams of revenue remained. What would happen if you didn’t jump right into training but considered that, too?

When I finally graduated college, I realized that these two consequences may have had the most enduring positive effects on my career. Understanding the volatility of my career and being debt-free is a long runway to almost anywhere.  

Later on, when I began working as CFI, I found myself in another quandary. My paycheck would fluctuate based on things beyond my control, such as weather, mechanical delays, ATC delays, and others. Being pushed to my own financial limits with very little wiggle room, I wondered how my counterparts handled all this with their student loans. 

How Pilots Typically Approach Loans

On different occasions, I encountered pilots with fully financed loans of more than $200,000. They explained that they’d have 20 years to pay it off, and their monthly payments varied between $1,000 to $2,000. There was no room for disruption. Sure, some would be able to refinance these loans as they went along, moving on to airlines and climbing the seniority ladder, but when we zoom out, working nearly two decades to become whole again financially seems expensive. I say expensive because conventional wisdom holds that time, over money, is the most important commodity.

According to Data USA, a database by Deloitte and MIT that tracks public U.S. data, the average age of major airline pilots is 44.4 years. Elsewhere, the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) also shows that the median pay will work out to be $160,970. Another way to look at this is that even with the industry’s pilot shortages—and the current financial incentives offered by many airlines—it takes years to get to the point where you get to start reaping the rewards of the investment made in training. In fact, a common sentiment among pilots has been to embrace sticking to a tight budget while repaying their loans in the early parts of their earning career, and to be as close-fisted as possible in the early years, as there are rewards on the backend.

After all, the cash flow at the early part of their careers—and their existing loans—demand it.

Is there another way?

While incoming pilots are promised a lucrative career, I wonder if there is another way to unburden students for the future? Furthermore, when we look at the scale and pace of the projected return-on-investment for those who study in fields such as software or computer engineering—especially with low barriers to entry—could pilots set themselves up better by pursuing a degree in these fields? And have a more enjoyable lifestyle upfront and still relish the benefits of flight by being able to actually afford it?

Embrace emerging technologies for their financial upside.

There are many options here that I think students should consider. For one, as I have argued before, pay attention to the trends in the industry. When I wrote about the threat and promise of advanced air mobility, apart from the disruption that is predicted to come to the industry, there’s actually an opportunity to pair your desire for flight with a burgeoning field of students. This might not please many departments with dedicated pilot programs, but at the end of the day, your future is ultimately in your hands.

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If you are to go into debt with student loans, would it be more worthwhile to consider the emerging technologies across the entire aviation industry that might require someone who is not only a pilot, but also has the technical capabilities to work on those projects, and furthermore, are offering a lot more capital upfront? You could have the best of both worlds.  

Should you buy your own airplane for training?

There’s one other thing you might consider. Buy your own airplane for training. Believe it or not, the college professor who taught the ground portion of my CFI course advised us to do so, though we laughed at the idea. In hindsight, Professor Joe Clark was on to something. With the removal of the complex requirement making it possible to do most of your training in one aircraft, a used Cessna 172 could get students through all their training, from private to CFI, and they would only have to rent for their multiengine ratings. If they did it with a partner, it could come at a fraction of the cost of the traditional way but would have positive long-term effects as you’d be able to acquire hours for your airline transport pilot certificate much faster and sell the airplane afterward to recapture the money invested. The plan offers the additional upside of aircraft ownership—convenience, and pride.

There is more to be said about pilots and student loans. In March 2020, when the industry was handbraked because of the pandemic, an interesting phenomenon took place. The airline industry, like most others, is predicated on pilot workforce flow, backstopped by mandatory retirement at 65 years old for senior pilots. This allows newcomers to come in and realize their initial investment in training. Yet, even though everything paused suddenly, it took a while for the flow of pilots already in motion to come to a halt—who’d already borne the costs of training and were either now facing furloughs or a pause in pilot hiring even with their student loans still due. What would’ve happened to the industry if the government didn’t provide relief? If pilots couldn’t continue to move up the pay scale—because there were no upgrades, or that departments simply weren’t hiring—how would they be able to handle their real cost?

How then should you think about financing your professional pilot career? As I’ve shared, my experiences allowed me to see that there were more options than I initially imaginedIf you are to take out student loans to finance a college degree, I think it is worthwhile to consider degree programs that aren’t specifically tailored to pilots. Instead, look at those with lower barriers, such as just needing internet access or access to some software, but which offer more immediate upsides right out of college. You can pursue your flight training at the same time and enjoy the benefit of both without having all your “financial eggs” in one basket. Additionally, it is worth considering subsidizing the cost of training by purchasing a trainer aircraft that will serve you long after training.

The post Student Loans Aren’t the Only Way to Fund Your Training appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

While I generally write to pilots, sometimes I get feedback from would-be pilots seeking to learn how and where to get into the industry. At a surface level, if you asked someone randomly their idea of what avenues are available to pilots, they’ll point to the airlines or the military. Still, anyone in aviation long enough knows there are endless options.

So, it turns out this isn’t a unique phenomenon. This is what Kine Paulsen said she was up against when someone jokingly suggested to her that she should become a pilot. In an interview with FLYING about her book, “Demystiflying: How to Become a Pilot for Those Who Don’t Speak Pilot,” Paulsen said she fundamentally wanted to answer the main question people like her and I would ask: 

“Where do I start?”

The book, released on World’s Pilot Day on April 26, aims to do one thing for pilots-to-be, which is to “chair-fly the pilot’s journey,” Paulsen told FLYING. In other words, she makes it clear from the outset that readers shouldn’t learn how to fly from the book.

For Those Who Want to Know Where to Start

“It’s not the technical book that will teach you how to fly. It’s teaching you how to become a pilot.”

One day, a college mentor asked Paulsen what she would do if money weren’t an issue, to which she jokingly responded that she would become a pilot so that she could fly around the world, making interesting restaurant stops along the way.

“I don’t know about the restaurant part,” the mentor countered. “You could start flying.”

Weeks later, Paulsen found herself on a discovery flight, living out that “first time in a small airplane experience” that pilots who’ve done it can speak to. She discovered a hunger for more and decided to lean into the idea of becoming a pilot. Perhaps expecting a formal process that she could tap into, the business owner said she found herself groping for answers.

“When I started flying, I was intimidated and overwhelmed with the process,” she said. “While I found many great resources in the aviation community, there wasn’t that intro book without the jargon or technical terms that I’d start reading but had to start looking up.”

But where most people are turned off altogether, Paulsen set out to write the ultimate “start here” book. While already-pilots might find it rudimentary, it will be a wealth of knowledge for the person who can’t comprehend the idea of customs like the “$100 hamburger” or sayings like “aviate, navigate, communicate.”

To achieve this feat, she interviewed more than 200 pilots over two years to understand how they all got into the industry. You might also recognize some names such as Bob Pittman, founder of iHeartRadio and MTV; Lee Abrams, co-founder of XM Satellite Radio; Michael Govan, director of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA); Sharon Preszler, retired Southwest pilot and the first woman to fly the F-16; and others. Some of them, she discovered, became pilots out of necessity to support their business.

• MORE READING: Good FLYING Reads: Skyfaring—A Journey with a Pilot

“One of the coolest stories is Bob Pittman, who founded MTV. He grew up not having the funds to pursue a license, so he decided to get multiple jobs to come up with the funds—one of those jobs was at a radio channel. Now, he owns iHeart Radio, MTV, and he has his ATP licenses.”

The most common response Paulson got was that most people didn’t think they had what it takes to become a pilot. She said she found it exciting because more people have what it takes than not.

Busting Myths

The book’s mission is to make flying more accessible by busting widely held myths about pilots. 

“I thought all pilots knew that they wanted to be pilots from a very young age,” Paulsen said. “I thought you needed to know all the models and the makes of airplanes to be a good pilot. I also thought you had to have this overwhelming interest in aviation to become a pilot, but those were not true.”

• READ MORE: Previous editions of “What a CFI Wants You to Know”

This might be a helpful perspective to people who get intimidated by the predominant stereotypes of pilots, including another mental hurdle that tends to turn people away—that they have to become professional pilots. She makes the case that this might be one of the biggest burdens to the industry, increasing its general aviation population.

Instead, Paulsen said her efforts would be successful if people just went out and took one lesson.

“Allowing yourself to have one lesson before you make all the decisions on how to get your license would benefit people highly. If someone calls me and says that they got one lesson from reading my book, that would be a success.”

• READ MORE: How much are flight lessons?

The post How to Become a Pilot for Those Who Don’t Speak Pilot appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Back at my home airport in Daytona Beach, Florida (KDAB), I’d mastered all the visual navigation aids that had come to serve as cues for my flying. For example, to fly the RNAV Runway 16 approach at that airport, a local hospital positioned 5 miles north of the airport was my signal to establish a steady, 500 fpm descent with 10 degrees of flaps—which would take you right in. If you wanted to circle-to-land on Runway 7L, here’s what you’d do: You only had to wait until you were adjacent to the Daytona International Speedway, at which point you could make a turn left and fly towards I-95 south until the nose of your airplane touched the road. With Daytona’s 10,500-foot primary runway now on your left—provided that you leveled off well at your circling altitude—you’d gradually bring the power almost to idle, confirm that your gear and final flaps were down, and you’d be right on the numbers. With the visual cues guiding me along the way, my rehearsal worked every time, whether day or night. Whenever I had to teach that sequence to students, I was like a drill sergeant training recruits how to march in step.

Now, imagine doing that circle-to-land procedure at another airport and—compounding the level of complexity—doing it at night. You might feel the urge to look for similar cues, but it is unlikely you’d get the same results since very few airports are built alike. So, I used to find myself approaching a new airport in the air while under visual flight rules, and instead of being able to focus on the approach phase, I’d end up behind the airplane, figuring out where I was. And it was easy to lose my way if the airport had multiple runways and air traffic controllers issued instructions that required me to report from a particular reference point to be configured for the traffic pattern. Plus, pilots know all too well that the simplified rendering on sectionals and airport diagrams by themselves never completely do the job of allowing you to get up to speed ahead of time.

I know I am not alone here. As an instructor, I’ve seen students at all levels display the same patterns of confusion, regardless of experience. If you’ve recently purchased a new or new-to-you airplane and have set off to explore the world, it will only be a matter of time before you run into this problem. How can you overcome this? Here are some best practices I’ve discovered that quickly orient me to new surroundings and help me get configured for landing in a timely manner.

The rise in satellite imagery available on many commercial products allows you to see photo-quality images of the world as it appears in real life. This tip I discovered when I had to fly into a private airport for a check ride and needed to figure out what visual cues I would use for my traffic pattern. Using Google Earth, I could set up the point of view as if I was at a reasonable altitude and looking forward. Using this perspective, you can see the world as you’d see it from an airplane. I could follow the path I’d expect to fly and learn the surroundings.

To apply this, I suggest positioning yourself 20 nm away from the airport and role-playing what ATC might assign you for headings and altitudes during normal operations. Determine how you would join the pattern for various runways. Think about what you’d need to do if the pattern was full and you needed to turn around without causing a problem for someone in trail. More importantly, figure out where the highest obstacles are. Compare it with your sectional to watch for nearby airspace and establish visual cues to keep you from violating any that you’re not cleared to enter. Consider what you’d do in low-visibility conditions, or at night. 

In hindsight, I was surprised it took me so long to use this, but it has proven to be a helpful idea for preflight planning. By talking about how the airplane should be reasonably configured as you fly along and using visual markers as guiding points, you can ensure that by the time you actually make the trip, you know what to expect. It sure beats what I’ve seen other CFIs try to do, e.g.: holding up an airport diagram and spinning it north to figure out where they are. Whenever I’ve shared this Google Earth tip with new students, I’ve seen their eyes light up as they know they now have a workload-relieving tool that improves decision-making and situational awareness. And here’s another tool: You can use ForeFlight’s 3D View after selecting an airport to get a similar bird’s-eye view of your approach to any airport in their database. Pretty slick.

Once you get on the ground, you also need to have a plan. In the past, I’ve let my guard down—just being happy to have safely landed—only to be bombarded with taxi instructions from controllers that sound like a foreign language. Did they say cross this runway and then hold short of the next taxiway, or was it the other way around? Familiarize yourself with the airport diagram beforehand to help mitigate this potential confusion—better yet, a copy of the diagram at your fingertips. Airport taxiways and runways are usually organized in an orderly fashion and have typical flow patterns that pilots at the airport follow. You can also call the tower ahead of time on a mobile phone, or talk to other pilots to figure out those best practices and save yourself some trouble. 

In every situation, even with your best efforts, don’t be ashamed to ask for help. However, forming good habits can ensure you enjoy exploring new locations and continue to fly safely.

The post Approaching a New Airport appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

That was the case a few years ago when a long-time pilot friend told me she wanted to upgrade to a Beechcraft Bonanza that had come up for sale. It was in the middle of the pandemic, which meant she probably wasn’t alone in her pursuit, as more people were finally deciding to tap into the general aviation market.

The problem, my friend explained, was that while she earned her private ticket years ago, she hadn’t pursued her instrument rating because flying was still just a hobby for her. Years went by while she worked in another industry, and she only periodically kept up with flying, usually going up with friends. However, now, with money in hand from her professional endeavors, she had the means to buy her own airplane.

There’s a reason the Bonanza has been in production since 1947, with more than 17,000 built. For most pilots, it gets the job done. Even older versions with enough retrofits—through engine upgrades, new glass displays,and electronic instruments—will feel almost new. With a Bonanza, you can get in and out of most fields with relatively modest runways and navigate moderately inclement weather with confidence. If you add on tip tanks or even internal auxiliary tanks, ferrying a Bo across the U.S. is doable and allows you to explore many places that an airliner can’t take you. Finally, with a six-seater variant, you can bring a lot of company along. However, all of that comes with a few caveats because of the higher exposure to risks, simply because you can do more.

Therein lies the challenge for many would-be buyers who find that leaping up in the airplane ranks isn’t as easy as they’d like it to be. Insurance companies tend to find pilots who lack an instrument rating or more advanced certifications too great a risk to provide reasonably priced coverage. Providers consider a series of factors that include the pilot’s background, recency and proficiency experience, and the category and class of the aircraft as part of the final policy premium.

Of all these factors, the most pressing is pilot experience and hull value. Simply put, in the eyes of your insurance agent, a bigger, faster, and more powerful airplane will naturally require a more experienced pilot, regardless of the would-be owner’s ability to pay for it. The more my friend realized this, she saw that being able to afford the Bonanza was the easy part.

The logic isn’t unreasonable, since if you want to fly a big, powerful cross-country airplane consistently, you’re going to need the option to file IFR—and it will offer the pilot the ability to get to most destinations more quickly. Popular higher-performance airplanes, like the Bonanza, Mooney M20, Cirrus SR22—and even the Piper Arrow—all allow pilots to climb to higher altitudes, which means there will be more opportunities to run into instrument meteorological conditions during any phase of the flight.

Aside from just the instrument rating, complex airplanes with retractable landing gear, variable pitch propellers, turbochargers, pressurization systems, and even a second engine all mean there are other levels of complexity to master. Those all need someone at the yoke who can handle emergencies if things go wrong. It gets even trickier if the airplane is older with less modern instruments or equipment.

So, as my friend discovered, her airplane-buying options were seriously limited, once she took insurance into the equation—and in her case, until she earned her instrument rating. She had to overcome that first, so she tapped me to help her prepare for her check ride. The first question we needed to answer was, was it practical for her to train in the airplane she wanted to buy, or should she try to complete the certificate in another model? Well, most pilots with an instrument rating will agree that the thinking—and the speed at which that thinking needs to happen to stay ahead of an approach—isn’t intuitive. Consequently, being in a fast aircraft with additional complexities makes it easier to be overwhelmed.

Ultimately, we determined it would be better for her to master the core skills, as much as practical, first on the ground with available simulators or even mobile applications, and then in a slower airplane, such as a Cessna172. After she had truly mastered the skills needed to execute all phases of instrument flight independently and consistently, it would be easier to move up.

Here’s the other thing. Even after my friend gained her instrument rating and could purchase her aircraft, another challenge awaited. She would discover that her insurance rate would be much higher because she didn’t have enough pilot-in-command experience in the make and model. To lower her rate, she’d probably have to fly with an equally or higher-rated pilot who could support her and be on her policy. And, it would help if that person was an instructor.

Most likely, if there is transition training available for the airplane, as some pilot groups of the airplane manufacturer offer, she’d need to complete that too, to get the insurance benefits at a cheaper price. For newer airplanes, some manufacturers, like Cirrus, have established training programs to get owners up to speed to lessen the insurance burden, and if you have the means, it is worthwhile to consider.

So, where did that leave my friend? It was clear that adding an instrument rating would only enhance her flying experience. She’d be able to enjoy more destinations with her friends and worry less about getting stranded or worse, scud-running to avoid marginal weather. Moreover, she discovered that overall, more training would ultimately lower her costs of purchasing and operating bigger, faster, and more powerful airplanes. Frankly, who wouldn’t want that?

The post Moving on Up appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Doing my typical spiel, I told Kevin it was possible to earn his entire certificate before the end of summer. I would do my best to make it happen if he was up for the challenge, but I warned him: “This will be very demanding.” The fact that we had to complete the entire training course was the easy part—the Florida summertime heat and humidity would push us to our limits. “At least your training block is at 6 a.m. It’ll be cooler in the mornings, but we have to watch for the early morning fog followed by the cloud build-up,” I reasoned out loud insearch of some reprieve in light of our aggressive training agreement.

Fast forward—it’s now August. Kevin and I could see the end in sight. We needed just one more flight to complete a mock checkride. We’d put all the things we’d been working on together in an entire sequence, and I told Kevin that if we found anything deficient, we would fix it on the spot. This meant we went on a flight much longer than usual—for three hours this time—hoping we’d have the endurance to match.

On Saturday morning, when we set out to complete our flight, I had the first indication that maybe I was unflinchingly optimistic about getting things done amid typical fuel and traffic delays. That should’ve been my cue to adjust our plans. Still, to a fault, I was bent on getting Kevin’s course complete.

We made it through the first series of procedures fine, but as the day grew hotter, both Kevin’s and the airplane’s performance waned. The Cessna 172 in which we were training was no longer climbing sharply as Kevin tried to complete his lazy eights, so his technique was off. I also failed to adjust the performance standards, instead insisting that Kevin make another attempt to fix the procedure as we dodged the clouds building up around us.

As the student, Kevin’s optimism rode on mine, but as the flight went on longer and longer, his energy and focus began to deplete, despite his best efforts to push through. As an instructor, I should’ve anticipated this and understood that Kevin would’ve gone along with anything I said. In the end, it turned out to be an exhaustingly futile—if not altogether foolish—exercise, and Kevin and I later admitted that we were shortsighted about the demands of summer flying.

Ultimately, Kevin made it through. We’d figured out that it was wiser to split the flight sequence up, and that it was in our best interest to stick to a shorter time limit for each flight, even though we originally thought otherwise.

While I’ve had other memorable summer flights, this one has been most instructive to me. As you navigate the summertime, you’ll realize there are multiple challenges to address. Even on the best days, your airplane will be sluggish—longer takeoff and landing rolls; slower climbrates; and, worse, never enough ventilation.

Weatherwise, pilots have to contend with morning fog, thunderstorms, microbursts, high winds, clear air turbulence, and humidity. The worst scenarios might find you hoping that your airplane can withstand whatever nature has thrown at you.

However, those aren’t the only hazards. As I discovered in my flight with Kevin, pilots tend to think about summer performance only in terms of the airplane and the weather, but more is at play. Indeed, the effect the environment has on our bodies might pose a more significant threat than we tend to acknowledge. This could be costly.

The FAA has described the challenge pilots and their passengers face in the heat as “thermal stress.” With extreme heat as the stimulus, thermal stress is an important factor in fatigue, and it impairs performance. Occupants of low-flying, piston-powered airplanes are the ones who typically have to deal with airplanes that don’t have the best air-conditioning systems, and most onboard cooling systems are deficient on the ground and at low altitudes.

Pilots need to anticipate this to take care of themselves and their students and passengers, especially since everyone reacts differently. Some human needs aren’t immediately obvious until you’re in a bind. As I learned with Kevin, it can be costly to push a fellow pilot along or expect a student to comply with your demands.

Whether you’re going on a long cross-country trip or doing a training flight, it’s in your best interest to consider the potential impact of heat exposure. This means planning shorter trip legs, diversion airports, and enough hydration. As usual, dress for the environment, understanding that your body cools down when you sweat, which means breathable fabric might be more comfortable. Flying with another pilot will always be a hedge against your own limitations, allowing you to reduce your workload and potential stress. Ultimately, planning your trips earlier in the morning and later in the evening will reduce your heat exposure.

While it may seem that these external elements threaten a good experience in the airplane, pilots who take the time to plan accordingly for the demands of summertime flying can ensure instead that the memories end up being pleasant.

The post Hot Weather Takes a Toll appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The certification is the latest for the aircraft, which have also received certification from ANAC (Brazil), the FAA, and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).

Embraer said in a statement that the first of 50 E195-E2 deliveries to Porter Airlines, A Toronto-based carrier, will happen at Embraer’s headquarters in São José dos Campos, Brazil, in the coming days. The OEM said it would also be the first E195-E2 to operate in North America.

• READ MORE: Embraer Nabs Order for 5 E195-E2 Aircraft, Keeps Airline Secret

Porter’s order with Embraer is for up to 100 E195-E2s, with 50 being firm commitments and 50 as purchase rights. Embraer said the deal is worth $5.82 billion at the list price, with all options exercised. The OEM also noted that Porter placed another firm order for 20 more aircraft this year, worth $1.56 billion.

Embraer said the E195-E2 burns 25 percent less fuel than the previous-generation aircraft. Meanwhile, the jet is expected to emit 17 percent fewer emissions, Embraer said. 

• READ MORE: Embraer’s Q3 Revenue Dips Alongside Defense Demand

In its third-quarter earnings update earlier in November, Embraer said its firm order backlog reached $17.8 billion. For the third quarter, it reported $929 million in third-quarter revenue and told investors that it had delivered ten commercial jets and 23 executive jets during the period.

CEO Francisco Gomes Neto, however, told investors that while business was strong, supply chain woes continued to impact its output.

The post Embraer E195-E2 and E190-E2 Receive Type Certification in Canada appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The step is a sign of progress for Joby after it told investors in November that it was delaying the commercial service launch of its eVTOL services until 2025, partly because of regulatory hurdles.

• READ MORE: Joby Pushes Back eVTOL Service Launch Due to Regulatory, Internal Delays

With this recent update, Joby said that the in-person multi-day audit by the FAA, which took place last week at Joby’s facilities in California, demonstrated its “leadership” in the eVTOL race.

“The series of system reviews serve to validate the overall architecture of the aircraft and ensure the company’s development process is on track to satisfy the FAA’s safety objectives associated with complex aircraft systems,” Joby said in a statement. “The system reviews take place alongside the ongoing submission of means of compliance, area-specific certification plans, and other certification documents that cover specific elements of the Joby aircraft and its systems.”

• READ MORE: FAA Reveals Airworthiness Criteria for Joby’s JAS4-1

“Progress on certification is a key area of focus for this nascent sector, and we’re pleased to mark our continued leadership with the successful completion of our second System Review,” Didier Papadopoulos, head of Aircraft OEM at Joby, said. “We’re confident that our aircraft design is on track to meet the FAA’s expectations regarding system-level safety, redundancy, and overall aircraft architecture.”

• READ MORE: Delta, Joby Aviation Partner to Launch Home-to-Airport eVTOL Shuttle

Joby received its Part 135 Air Carrier Certificate from the FAA in May this year, which will be necessary for its commercial air taxi services. 

In October, Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) announced a $60 million upfront equity investment in Joby—roughly 2 percent of the company—to help establish an ‘a multi-year, multi-market commercial and operational partnership’ between the two. Delta said the total investment could expand to $200 million if the partnership worked well.

The post Joby Completes Second of Four System Reviews with FAA appeared first on FLYING Magazine.