If financing an aircraft is on your horizon, now is the time to secure your loan. The end of the year is fast approaching, and that means many individuals and businesses will be looking to finalize large purchases for tax offset purposes.

Getting preapproved in August or September is the smart move if you want to miss the hassle of buying during the holidays. As with any financial decision, timing is key.

Why Is There a Time Crunch?

According to Keller Laseter, Chief Commercial Officer at FLYING Finance, the answer is simple: holidays.

“The holidays are the biggest factor to our time crunch,” Laseter said. 

There are multiple bank holidays in the fourth quarter, and that significantly bottlenecks the process.

“When the banks are closed, we lose a lot of valuable time and your loan does not move forward,” Laseter said. 

While some salespeople and lenders may still be eager to close with you no matter the season, it’s an unavoidable fact that many banking and financial professionals will be planning vacations and focusing on family from October to early January—which means they won’t prioritize getting your loan closed. 

“The best way to avoid the busy season is to beat the crowd that’s late to the game,” said Laseter. “Being responsive, communicative, and having your ducks in a row will put you very high on the list.”

Why Start Shopping in August and September?

Waiting until Q4 can lead to delayed closings, aircraft being sold to cash buyers, and worse options and terms.

Typically, clients buying an aircraft for business reasons have complex financial documentation, meaning it takes time for lenders to underwrite them. The savvier and more prepared a client is, the more questions banks and lenders need to clarify. 

With many buyers going through this process at the same time, it can take longer for loans to be completed and can push some finalizations into the next year, which may not be ideal. 

Likewise, inventory is much more limited at the end of the year, with fewer options available for late buyers. The earlier you decide to take to the skies in a new plane, the more variety you’ll find and the more sellers and brokers will be willing to negotiate on terms in order to make those sales.

Can Both Corporate and Personal Aircraft Owners Benefit?

 Absolutely! Actually, securing your aircraft loan early is the surest way to reap the benefits of depreciation and minimize your tax burden. 

“There’s always a rush of clients who approach the finance team in mid-December looking to complete a loan on a large purchase before the end of the year,” Laseter said. “That’s our busiest time, so while we do our best to satisfy this request, it can be difficult.” 

Both corporate and personal buyers can get ahead by submitting the necessary documents as early as possible. Once approved, it’s simple to get reapproved if any time lapses.

Why Have Financing Preapproved in the Fall?

Two of the biggest factors that prolong the financing process are submitting all financial documents in a timely and accurate manner and finding the right deal on the aircraft that suits your needs. Completing the financing side of the equation means you can focus on shopping with confidence in your financial situation. 

The bigger and more complex the airplane, the more in depth the process has to be. Pre-buy inspections, appraisals, logbook review, and other factors mean you’ll want to line up your loan as early as possible so you can be satisfied with a thoroughly vetted aircraft. 

Without preapproval, the time, energy, and money spent on choosing and inspecting the right aircraft can be wasted.

“Just like with buying a house, someone who has an approval in hand when making an offer on an aircraft will be taken more seriously than someone without,” said Laseter. “If you have an approval and the aircraft of your dreams pops up for sale, you can move quickly on the sale and have less risk of the seller going with a cash buyer.”

How to Get Started 

Depending on how your finances are arranged, it’s a good idea to reach out to any investment brokers, accountants, or wealth management firms you work with to get a complete picture of your assets and liquidity. Likewise, make sure you know the details on any existing loans or liabilities so you can go into the pre-approval process with realistic goals. 

If you aren’t sure what documents you’ll need, the FLYING Finance team is here to help you with any questions. Getting started today will get you into your dream aircraft sooner. 

Instead of spending the holidays struggling to finalize details, you can be flying and enjoying the skies.

The post Beat the Holiday Time Crunch: Get Preapproved for an Aircraft Loan Now appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Navigraph has been the flight simulation community’s trusted charts and navigation data provider for more than two decades. With a user base surpassing 1 million, Navigraph is highly regarded for its all-in-one subscription offering, providing a comprehensive suite of charts, navigation data, and flight planning utilities. In the user-friendly Charts app, subscribers can access worldwide IFR charts and VFR maps sourced from Jeppesen. 

In this article, we’ll embark on a flight from Los Angeles International Airport (KLAX) to Harry Reid International Airport (KLAS) in Las Vegas, utilizing Navigraph’s simulation apps for flight planning, charts, and navigation data, observing how they seamlessly integrate to enhance the simulation experience.

Navigating the Struggle: Flight Planning

Virtual pilots, like their real-world counterparts, must meticulously plan flights, understand fuel consumption, monitor real-world weather injected into the simulator, and if flying a commercial airliner, take on roles such as dispatcher, baggage handler, operations agent, and sometimes even cabin crew duties, among others.For our KLAX-KLAS flight, we’ll utilize SimBrief, a free flight planning application by Navigraph. SimBrief will generate a real-world-based dispatch release, or operational flight plan (OFP), which can be up to 40 pages long. These OFPs can be input directly into the flight management computer (FMC) of many popular simulator aircraft for enhanced convenience.

Staying Current: Jeppesen Data

Navigraph ensures that subscribers have access to the latest Jeppesen data across all their services. They also offer navigation data update apps for popular simulators, as well as add-on aircraft and tools. Every 28 days, Navigraph updates the Jeppesen data, including waypoints, VORs, NDBs, intersections, and airports, aligning with the real AIRAC cycle. We use the Navigraph Hub desktop app to install current Jeppesen data into our Microsoft Flight Simulator. The navigation data installation is done with the click of a button.

With the current AIRAC cycle installed, we can enter the simulator. This flight is conducted in Microsoft Flight Simulator (MSFS) on a PC, however, integrated features are available for several MSFS aircraft on Xbox. Navigraph offers extended integrations, such as charts with moving maps, navigation data, and flight plan import capabilities for MSFS, X-Plane, and many add-on aircraft for Prepar3D and Microsoft Flight Simulator X.

Seamless Integration: Navigraph Charts App

Utilizing the SimBrief import feature, we load our flight plan into Navigraph Charts. We’ll now be provided with a visual representation of our route. The charts include high and low IFR en route symbology familiar to Jeppesen users. Navigraph’s global charting capability allows access to airport charts, SIDs, STARs, and approaches in Jeppesen format without regional limitations.

Upon reaching the gate at LAX, we activate Navigraph’s weather overlays to assess current and upcoming weather conditions. Forecasts on turbulence help anticipate our experience at cruising altitude, essential for ensuring passenger comfort. A handy feature in Navigraph Charts for increased situational awareness is the overlay feature, allowing us to superimpose our SID out of LAX.

Navigraph provides several methods for pilots to incorporate their technology into simulation.

First, there’s the mobile app, accessible via the Apple Store or Google Play, effectively transforming your tablet or smartphone into an Electronic Flight Bag (EFB). Second, they offer their desktop application, Navigraph Charts, ensuring full functionality across various platforms.

Navigraph also offers a web-based cloud interface and its Charts In-Game Panel for MSFS that seamlessly integrates into the simulator as a compact window. In addition to the native apps, Charts can be displayed inside the virtual cockpit environment of many aircraft, enhancing the overall immersion and facilitating a better virtual-reality experience.

Flight Essentials: Key Features in Charts

The Navigraph Charts app boasts an array of valuable features essential for every flight. These include real-world ATIS for designated airports, METARs, NOTAMs, moving maps (ideal for real-time position tracking), and telemetry monitoring, providing crucial flight data.

We utilized Navigraph’s VFR charts during our flight, seamlessly incorporating FAA sectionals directly into the app. For example, when we wanted to pinpoint Soda Lake for our virtual passengers, it was conveniently located on the VFR sectional chart, just northeast of the Hector (HEC) VOR—really good for those PAs.

KLAS is a busy airport. We use Navigraph’s annotation feature to draw our taxi route to the gate. For increased resolution as we approach it, we use the map view and zoom-in to access the detailed airport diagrams in Charts powered by Jeppesen’s Airport Mapping Database (AMDB).

Navigraph: Your Key to Elevated Flight Simulation

Navigraph’s comprehensive suite of features revolutionizes the flight simulation experience. With comprehensive flight planning, worldwide Jeppesen charts, and matching data, Navigraph covers the needs of any IFR flight simulation adventures.

The integration of worldwide VFR maps and U.S. sectionals adds another layer of detail, allowing flight simmers to navigate with precision and share geographical landmarks effortlessly.

Whether accessed through the mobile app, desktop application, web interface, or in-game panel, Navigraph’s versatility and functionality make it an indispensable tool for enhancing the realism and accuracy of flight simulations. It’s a must-have if you want to take flight simulation to the next level.

The post Next-Level Flight Simulation with Navigraph appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Overall, the process can seem fairly simple: fill out the online application (MedXPress), schedule your exam with an Aviation Medical Examiner (AME), and get your certificate. But like in so many other areas, simple does not mean easy. Rather than thinking of the FAA medical as “going to the doctor,” realize it is a physical examination. There isn’t much you can do about your past medical history. There may not be much you can do about what the AME finds during the exam. So beyond filling out MedXPress, choosing an AME and sitting for the exam, what can one do? You can prepare and have a plan.

The very basics of a plan are:

1. Put your best foot forward. Do not show up to your exam with an acute illness or injury.
2. Be prepared for questions. For any significant medical conditions, bring up-to-date documentation from your doctor that shows they are well controlled.
3. Be honest. Addressing your problems openly with the FAA will dramatically increase the chances you will be able to keep your medical certificate in the long run and will probably reduce the amount of time it takes to get it in the first place. 

The Devil Is in the Details

If you have any significant medical issues, the FAA will want to know about them. More than that, they will want to know that your health conditions do not pose a risk to you, your passengers, or bystanders on the ground. One of the best things you can do to prepare for your FAA medical exam is simply to have a good, consistent relationship with a primary care physician.

If you and your doctor have a good grasp of what medical conditions you have now or have had in the past, what medications you take and why you take them, when and why you went to physicians or medical facilities, you probably have 90 percent of the information you need to pass your FAA medical exam. In fact, a well written note from a doctor who is familiar with your condition will avoid the majority of problems pilots encounter when it comes to getting their medical.

The challenge is packaging the information in a way that your AME and the FAA can process efficiently without resorting to supplemental information requests that could leave you grounded for months. Many times, pilots with the same medical conditions could receive their medical certificates on the day of their exam, receive their certificate after a lengthy review by the FAA, or even have their medical certificate denied or revoked. Most of that variation depends on how well they prepare the information to bring to their AME or to send to the FAA. That is where we come in.

The Best a Pilot Can Do Is Break Even

In a humorous take on the pilot profession, “Rules of an Aviator,” posted on atcmemes.com, says Rule No. 7 is: “The medical profession is the natural enemy of the aviation profession.” It is also commonly said that “the best you can do at a flight physical is break even.” While usually said in a joking manner, many a pilot would attest to the validity of these statements. We want to ensure that you at least break even—and get your medical. Who are we?

We are Wingman Med and we keep you flying! We are pilots and doctors with qualifications that allow us to address FAA medical certification challenges like no one else. Many doctors also fly, but what sets us apart is that we all started our careers as professional pilots and spent over 30 combined years with at least a mild degree of anxiety—OK, maybe fear—in the days leading up to our annual visits to the flight surgeon or AME. It doesn’t matter how healthy you are. It doesn’t matter if the doctor in question is a personal friend. Rule No. 7 is a constant and undeniable threat. You use a checklist for every takeoff and landing. Why not use one for your FAA medical exam?

As pilots, the physicians of Wingman Med are combat tested Naval Aviators who have flown aircraft such as the F/A-18 Hornet, F-16 Fighting Falcon, F-5 Tiger, and SH-60 Seahawk. We have landed on aircraft carriers, conducted transoceanic crossings, flown across international borders around the globe, and even graduated from TOPGUN. Our FAA flight qualifications include ATP, CFII, and MEI. As doctors, not only are we AMEs, we have all completed dedicated specialty training in aerospace medicine—something that is extremely rare even among AMEs. We spent the same amount of time learning about aerospace medicine as your family physician did in their specialty training. Along with our training in aerospace medicine, we also have other medical board certifications, including family medicine and occupational medicine.

The Ability To See Both Sides

What sets us apart is that our vantage point as doctors is informed by decades of experience as professional pilots. Most doctors are well-meaning and want to help people—even pilots! Not only that, the FAA is reasonable when it comes to medical flight standards. They will consider your case on an individual basis and for most medical conditions—even some that were disqualifying only a few years ago —it is still possible to get your certificate. Where most stumble is by misinterpreting the nuances of the FAA’s medical certification requirements or by failing to obtain or submit the right medical documents at the right time. We specialize in guiding pilots through that process. As pilots, we understand the imperative of maintaining your FAA medical certificate and the urgency of getting it back when you lose it. As doctors, we specialize in getting it done.

What Does Wingman Med Do?

Wingman Med is an aviation medical consulting service. In a sense, it is all in the name. In military aviation, pilots fly with a wingman to provide mutual support and make the mission more effective. The flight lead is generally responsible for planning the flight and directing the mission, while the wingman is there to help watch out for any inflight hazards and take care of the more mundane aspects of flying.

When it comes to obtaining your FAA medical exam, you are the flight lead and we are your wingman. When faced with a new diagnosis, or any issue affecting your FAA medical certificate, you have a lot to worry about. Your aviation career—whether as a profession or just for the joy of flying—is on the line. Navigating the FAA system can be difficult and time-consuming. Often, you need a large amount of required documentation to submit and the process can involve multiple requests for additional information from the FAA. From start to finish, it can sometimes take six months or more from your visit to the AME to finally receive your certificate.

At Wingman Med, we specialize in taking the guesswork out of the medical certification process. You are responsible for making sure you stay healthy and keep up with any treatments recommended by your physicians or medical providers. You are responsible for gathering all the information that the FAA needs to determine that you’re safe to fly. But, just like a good wingman in the air, we are here to make sure you avoid anything that could threaten your goals. We make sure that everything you submit to the FAA is done right the first time so you stay in the air or don’t stay grounded any longer than absolutely necessary.

The Services We Offer

We do this in several different ways. Our blog discusses a variety of aviation-related medical topics. We post new articles every two weeks to keep pilots informed. We also have a medication search tool where you can look and see if there are any issues flying with your current medications, or new ones your doctor may recommend. Another tool on our website is a MedXPress simulator. For those who are new to the game, or returning from a long absence, you can use the simulator to get a preview of what questions the FAA will ask, re: the medical. There is also an option to have us review your answers and provide some feedback.

We are also developing a limited network of AMEs who are familiar with complex medical certification. They may not be nearby, but they could be worth the trip. Depending on where you live, just finding an AME, much less a good one, can be difficult. We know from personal experience how frustrating it can be to call multiple AMEs, only to find out that one retired, another moved, and a third stopped doing the exams, yet they are still listed in the FAA directory. We created the Pilot Doctors directory to solve that problem. By soliciting feedback from pilots and working with AMEs to confirm their current level of service, we have created the premier directory to help you find the best AME for you.

Full Consultation

While we offer a free 15-minute consultation to any pilot, our premier service is a comprehensive consultation to guide you through the process of obtaining, or regaining, your FAA medical certification. With our service, you are not assigned to a supporting staff member. You will work directly with one of our physicians. We will have multiple discussions and review how you would answer the questions on MedXPress. We may request medical records to ensure we know exactly what you are dealing with. Then we will provide you with a personalized plan that lays out what you and your physicians need to do.

You use a checklist for every takeoff and landing. Why not use one for your FAA medical exam? We are with you to help answer any questions that you or your physicians may have to ensure you are ready for your next FAA medical exam.

Navigating the FAA medical exam process can seem daunting and unpredictable, especially when faced with a new medical diagnosis or letter from the FAA. Unlike your pilot’s certificate, your medical certificate always has an expiration date. Our experienced staff is here to help you get your FAA medical certificate with efficiency and peace of mind. At Wingman Med, we are pilots helping pilots achieve FAA medical certification with confidence! Don’t stay grounded for longer than you have to. We keep you flying!

The post Preparing for Your FAA Medical Exam appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

In today’s job market, pilots are at the helm of their careers. According to Raymond James analyst Savanthi Syth, domestic airlines have more than 13,000 pilot positions to fill this year and in 2023. 

The Upshot: Pilots Have Their Pick of Postings 

So why is fractional jet ownership company Jet It attracting so many pilots? Its unique approach offers one-of-a-kind opportunities. 

“Jet It sparked my interest when I learned it was an aviation company built by aviators,” remarks Jay Langford, Jet It assistant chief pilot/training captain. “Glenn, Jet It’s founder and CEO, is a former Air Force F-15 pilot who doesn’t hesitate to show his appreciation for service to our veteran employees. I appreciate that acknowledgement.” 

Ricardo Cartagena concurs with the importance of company leadership. “Glenn is so inspirational,” Cartagena says. “He makes you feel like something extraordinary is possible.”

“Having a pilot at the reins puts our quality of life on the forefront of what’s important,” adds first officer Isaac Van de Berg. 

In addition to the unique perks of flying for a pilot-owned and operated company, Jet It also offers a host of other benefits. 

“It’s important that we take care of our pilots and crew,” says Jet It CEO Glenn Gonzales. “We complement our empowering company culture with competitive compensation and an elevated quality of life, which includes home-basing, bonuses, and unlimited PTO.” 

Jet It and Jet It Club co-founders Vishal Hiremath (left) and Glenn Gonzales (right) pilot a Jet It HondaJet. [Courtesy: Vishal Hiremath]

“I think by far the biggest selling point for pilots coming to Jet It is quality of life,” says Van de Berg. “Being homebased is truly a beautiful thing. When my trip is over, I know I’m going to be home at a reasonable hour, plus I don’t have to spend a cent of my own money on the road.”

“Jet It stands out from 121 airlines by allowing me to live anywhere and providing travel to and from the aircraft,” agrees Langford. “Since I don’t live anywhere near standard airline crew bases, this was a key factor in my decision to apply. I no longer commute on my days off, and at my own expense.”

For Jet It Pilots, the Bonus Program and Generous Time Off Are Important Factors for Signing 

“The 30k bonus is truly awesome,” says Van de Berg. “We’re also paid extra above a certain number of flight hours per day or month. Plus unlimited time off means that I’m not stressed about making sure every vacation day is planned down to the hour.” 

“The unlimited PTO allows me to go on military orders to continue to serve my country as needed,” adds Cartagena. “There are so many great incentives to keep pilots motivated and feeling valued.”

Jet It is different, right down to its fleet. The company enhances its unparalleled day-use model and unrivaled hourly operation value with advanced HondaJets. These aircraft are a boon to passengers and pilots alike. 

“We enjoy flying a unique, state-of-the art aircraft,” says Langford. “You can find any ‘standard’ business jet on the airport ramp, but the HondaJet stands out.”

Jet It Helps Pilots Level Up Their Careers and Their Lives

Jet It G150 and HondaJet [Courtesy: Greg Loflin]

“When I found the new opportunities at Jet It, I was driven to be part of a new, fast-growing company,” says Langford. “I have moved up the ranks here quicker than I ever expected. Our constant growth is significant, and there are ample avenues for advancement. The leadership team is constantly striving to grow in multidimensional ways and improving employee job satisfaction.”

“We have an entire team to take care of us and help us with anything that may come up,” adds Van de Berg. “You get to know the people you fly with and become friends with them. We have a great team.”

“It’s an amazing community with a diverse group of individuals that possess a tremendous amount of knowledge in the aviation community,” says Cartagena. “I am extremely thankful for the opportunity to fly for Jet It.” 

If you’re interested in having your quality of life take off, right along with your career, Jet It invites you to apply online or come to one of the company’s recruiting events. 

The post Landing the Perfect Job appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

On February 25, 2020, my granddaughter, who lives with her husband in Hollywood, Florida, gave birth to a little boy, a first great grandson for my wife and me. As it turned out, I was scheduled to be out of my office at a three-day conference in Washington, D.C., the following week. With a quick calculation, I determined that I could attend the first day and a half of the conference, accomplish what I had to, and then, with an extra day out of the office, fly to Florida to greet the new arrival. My wife would book a commercial ticket, and we’d meet in Hollywood.

Our airplane, a 1981 Cessna T210N, was well-equipped with a GNS-530W, Aspen PFD1000, Garmin GTX345 Transponder with ADS-B in and out, Stormscope, oxygen with outlets for all six seats, full TKS deicing, and SiriusXM weather. We hangar at Republic Airport in Farmingdale, New York. I had accumulated almost 4,400 hours of flight time in the 25 years since my wife had bought me a birthday present of “a flying lesson.” This flying lesson led to my private pilot certificate, the purchase of a Piper Dakota, an instrument rating, a multiengine rating and, ultimately, the purchase of the Centurion. I always stayed instrument- and night-current. So I departed for D.C. on Saturday evening and landed at College Park (KCGS), the closest GA field to downtown D.C.

On Monday at noon, having accomplished what I needed to at the conference, I returned to KCGS, fueled the plane, and departed VFR for a pleasant one-stop flight to Hollywood/North Perry (KHWO), which had me back together with my wife for a meet-up with the new parents and their newest addition to the family that evening.

After a very pleasant Tuesday with family, it was time to plan our return to New York on Wednesday morning.

As I normally do before a long cross-country flight, I had been watching commercial and network weather for a few days, as well as the MOS forecast, to see what was developing. Weather was forecast to be benign, with one exception of a stalled front trailing a cold front lying across Georgia and South Carolina that would be generating a large swath of nastiness involving IMC, turbulence, and possible convection. The Prog charts and TAFs for the area had me concerned enough on Tuesday evening to question whether we’d be able to make it home that day. I was also concerned that even if I felt the flight was safe, it might be uncomfortable enough for my wife to want to book a commercial ticket back to New York. This was the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, however, and folks were not mask compliant on the flight down to Florida. Therefore, my wife chose to fly home with me despite the longer flight time and possible weather delays. I did have my wife pack an overnight bag in case we had to land short and wait out the weather in Jacksonville, which appeared to be the best plan B at the time.

We departed KHWO on Wednesday morning with an instrument flight plan filed for North Myrtle Beach (KCRE) at 9,000 feet. I was paying for a motel in Hollywood, and even if we had to wait out weather in the Jacksonville area, a night in Jacksonville would cost me no more and would likely provide me a nonstop back to our home base in Farmingdale once weather cleared.

During the time I flew northward along the Florida coast, I was studying the Stormscope and, while I saw no organized convective activity, I was still concerned because the SiriusXM Radar NEXRAD was showing pockets of heavy precipitation. The ADS-B weather pretty much agreed with SiriusXM, although it didn’t offer nearly as clear and distinct a picture of the precipitation.

The deciding factor became the SiriusXM Echo Tops feature. As I traveled north, I spent considerable time studying the Satellite Mosaic and Echo Tops. I was able to determine that most of the tops were at 15,000 feet, with clear skies at FL200. My aircraft—with Turbocharger, onboard oxygen and TKS deicing—was, and is, fully capable of flying into these flight levels. Based on the SiriusXM picture, I made the decision to climb to 15,000 and step up in 2,000 foot increments until I was clear. As we approached Jacksonville, I plugged in the oxygen masks and got cleared to 15,000 feet. I was also aware that the given winds aloft at 15,000 and FL180 as displayed on SiriusXM would make for a quick trip to Myrtle Beach.

At 15,000 feet, we were bumping along in very rough air—minimal precipitation but a lousy ride. Then 17,000 had us in IMC but smooth air and no precipitation. Ice started to accrete as we climbed through the low teens, so I turned on the TKS deice system. I leveled off at 17,000, and I could have continued my climb to FL 190, but as expected, the TKS handled the ice that formed until it was time to descend into Myrtle Beach for our fuel stop, making further climb unnecessary.

We landed in light showers and had a blast watching a US Marine Osprey performing rounds of touch-and-go’s while we fueled the plane and stretched our legs.

Our second leg had us north of the really nasty stuff, and we had a great time flying on top and in the clear listening to SiriusXM music all the way to New York.

Every time I read or hear about data link weather, the emphasis seems to be on the NEXRAD radar. NEXRAD is vitally important, but to make an informed decision about weather, you must utilize the many other features available from the SiriusXM toolkit. In my case, it made an “undoable” flight quite simple.

Without the SiriusXM Echo Top and Satellite Mosaic features, safety would have dictated that I land short of the weather, and I would not have made it home as quickly, if at all, that day.

Michael Harbater, 70, is very recently retired from 42 Years in the Building Material Business. He lives in the New York City area and thrives on getting over, under, around and through the New York Class Bravo Airspace.

A father, grandfather and great grandfather, he now spends his time flying and doting on his various offspring.

He began flying at 45 achieving his Private, Instrument and Multi. He flies for Angel Flight and Patient Airlift Services as a volunteer and around the country keeping up with the expanding family.

The post Getting Home Safely with the SiriusXM Toolkit appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Pilots flying during the COVID-19 pandemic have an added layer of complexity to consider in their initial flight planning. This planning now needs to include the various travel restrictions on where to go and if to stay. Summer 2020 included much of this consideration when planning where to visit with my Piper Cherokee PA-28-180. If you were from New Jersey, then Maine was one of the few states you could go and not quarantine on either end of your stay. Making my decision easier was that a friend of mine was visiting Bar Harbor with his family. Spending a few days with them while working remotely during the day seemed like a good option. SiriusXM Satellite Weather couldn’t help with COVID-19 planning or precautions, but it did help me get home safely a few days later.

It was Wednesday afternoon, and the weather was predicted to remain pretty good over the next 24 hours along my route of flight from Bar Harbor, Maine (KBHB), to Greenwood Lake Airport, New Jersey (4N1). I have a regular meeting at work at 1 p.m. on Thursdays, which I prefer to take in my office in New Jersey. Admittedly, this meeting was an added “external pressure,” or “E” in the PAVE checklist. I asked myself if I would be taking the flight if it weren’t for the meeting; I concluded that I would be based on the information I had.

Other than an expected headwind, the weather was going to be flyable, so I decided to stay one more night with my friends in Maine and fly home in the morning. The headwinds were going to be a factor, so I knew that I needed to leave KBHB by 8 a.m. I figured that 8 a.m. was late enough in the morning to justify spending time that night to enjoy dinner and get a good night’s sleep. I wanted to make sure I was fully fit for flying on what could be a long flight home. Being current to fly in every requirement—the “P,” or “pilot,” in the PAVE checklist—was complete, and I was up for the flight.

I woke up the next morning and obtained a full standard weather brief from ForeFlight. The forecast had changed quite a bit. The ceilings were predicted to be lower than I thought, and I didn’t want to fly under visual flight rules (VFR) the entire way. This was mostly because the ceilings were low in some places along the route, and in the case that I needed to fly the instrument approach at Greenwood Lake, filing an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was the best option for me. I reviewed all of the airports and forecasts along the route of flight, thought about alternates along the way, and selected an alternate for my arrival airport. I usually choose Morristown (KMMU) Airport as an alternate because it is still close to my house and there is an ILS approach there as well. This covered the “V,” or “enVironment,” in the PAVE checklist.

I filed an IFR flight plan about an hour and half before my scheduled departure from my hotel room in Bar Harbor. I showered, got in the car that my friends allowed me to use, and drove to the airport. My friends were going to pick up the car later that day, so I left the keys with the very kind people at KBHB’s Columbia Air Services. I had been in and out of that particular FBO quite a bit over the summer. When I said I was leaving for the season and likely wouldn’t be back for a while, they gave me a Columbia Aviation T-shirt. I thanked them for the T-shirt and all the help over the summer, and I walked out to the ramp to preflight the plane. I am especially grateful to brothers Ian and Austin, who work the flight line at Columbia. I dropped one of my favorite ball caps at the airport, and they sent it to me in the mail at my house in New Jersey. Outstanding service and kindness from Columbia.

After my preflight check was complete, everything checked out fine. I had full fuel, which is about five and a half hours total, or four and a half hours with IFR reserves, made up of a 15 minute flight to KMMU and 45 minutes longer. This is all part of the “A,” or “aircraft,” in the PAVE checklist. With my preflight checklist fully completed, I called Bangor Approach’s Clearance Delivery. They gave me the following full-route clearance:

KBHB ENE V106 GDM V229 SEALL V188 CMK V39 SAX Direct 4N1

This original clearance issued by Bangor Approach brought me southwest, then west across the south shore of Connecticut. This can be seen here on the IFR (low) chart from ForeFlight.

It was approaching 8 a.m., and it was time to depart. Weather was getting worse south of my destination, with overcast and scattered clouds at various altitudes along the route of flight. I was happy that I had filed IFR so I could get through these en route cloud layers without much problem. There was precipitation on the radar to the southwest. I did notice a storm system developing and moving, but it appeared to be moving east-northeast, and it didn’t seem it would influence the flight. I suspected it would be past my destination and not impede the route I was flying by the time I was arriving to land.

By the time I flew over Manchester (MHT) an hour and forty-five minutes later, I checked my onboard SiriusXM Satellite Weather, which is received by Garmin’s GDL 69 and displays on both the Garmin 430w and the Aspen MFD on the panel. The plane is also equipped with a WX-1000 Stormscope. This equipment is helpful when flying IFR, but none of it makes a Piper Cherokee move faster. You can see the panel of the plane in the picture below while arriving this summer on RWY22 at KBHB.

As Murphy’s Law would have it, the combination of the strong headwinds causing me to move very slowly (it is after all a PA-28-180) were the very same winds that were advancing the storms faster than I had expected. Seeing the precipitation activity on the screens, I asked Boston Center to amend my clearance from GDM to BAF PWL IGN, then direct WAMUV for the approach to 4N1.

This would keep me at least 20 miles away and upwind of the storms.

Boston Center approved my request, and I flew on. I was feeling pretty good about the rest of the flight and exercising my pilot in command authority to request a better route for weather avoidance. I was switched to Bradley Approach, and they asked me to copy a “new clearance.” I copied the new clearance, which turned out to be the old clearance picking it up at SEALL. So much for that good feeling. SEALL is an intersection along V229, V188 and the southern end of V34. This is about 8 miles north of Tweed-New Haven (KHVN) Airport along the Connecticut coast, where it would predictably fly me into the foul weather.

Complying with the new clearance was fine until I was able to “trust but verify” and study the route a bit more closely. I updated Bradley Approach that I would be unable to continue to fly the cleared route and that SiriusXM Weather was showing moderate to high precipitation along the route they just gave me. It took them about 20 minutes to work out a new clearance with New York Approach.

While studying the new clearance now over Gardner (GDM), below is what SiriusXM Weather was showing.

It wasn’t until I was nearly over Hartford (KHFD) Airport and only about 30 miles north of some real weather problems that I was able to turn west toward Pawling (PWL), then later cleared direct Huguenot (HUO). New York Approach was very busy, and it took a while to check in due to the radio traffic.

Direct HUO was very helpful before getting to PWL; it brought me clear of clouds west of Stewart Airport (KSWF), and the ceiling was well above me when I canceled IFR and flew the rest of the trip VFR without any further issues.

This flight’s circumstances proved SiriusXM Weather’s value to me while in the air on these long cross-country flights. It also emphasizes the importance exercising pilot-in-command authority, using the best information available, asking for what you need from ATC, all while flying the airplane single-pilot IFR. Specifically, drawing the controllers’ attention to what the same information the pilot is looking at in the plane, then discussing the information to understand why certain requests are being made. ATC was certainly more than accommodating during this four-hour flight. Below is the weather at noon when I landed. You can see the moderate precipitation along the segments of V229 that I would have been flying just an hour and a half earlier.

Without the advance information from SiriusXM Weather in the cockpit with me, I may have gotten close enough to these storms, where I likely would have had to land and wait out the rain. Instead, I was able to navigate safely, arrive at my intended airport of landing, put the plane away, and make my 1 p.m. meeting in the comfort of my office.

Nick Bernice works full time as a public school administrator and part-time as a certified flight instructor. He has worked as a high school science teacher, middle school principal, and adjunct professor. Additionally, he has been a member of the US Coast Guard Reserve for over 20 years, in which he is a Master Chief Boatswain’s Mate.

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For a great holiday gift that will ensure your loved one who flies will not have to ask ATC to “say again,” the Bose A20 active noise reduction headset could be the most important box they unwrap from under the tree this holiday season. After the initial elation of being given such a well-engineered headset–backed by more than 30 years of legendary Bose research and development–imagine their face when they open a second box to unveil a pair of Bose Frames, the super cool Bluetooth sunglasses with exclusive Open Ear Audio technology that will let them discreetly listen to music or take phone calls without having anything inside or over their ears.

Right now, Bose is offering a smoking hot deal with any Bose A20 or ProFlight Series 2 Aviation Headset purchase by throwing in a free set of Bose Frames (Alto or Rondo models) – an up to $199.95 value. Plus, Bose is offering 10 percent off each additional A20 or ProFlight Series 2 headset purchased. A20 and ProFlight Series 2 headset orders received between November 22 and January 9 are eligible to receive a free set of Bose Alto or Rondo Frames. For additional information and promotion rules, please visit Bose.com/aviation.

The Bose A20 has been a leader in the headset market for many years, due to the long list of desirable features that make it a popular choice of pilots who want to limit external cabin and engine noise to better understand ATC and radio traffic. The A20 headset gives pilots 30 percent greater noise reduction and 30 percent less “clamping force” than conventional aviation headsets, while a weight of just 12 ounces and soft ear cushions provide ultimate comfort. Add technology such as Bluetooth connectivity, 45 hours of battery life from just two AA batteries, auxiliary audio input with intercom/AUX priority switching for dedicated GPS and traffic warning systems, and flexible power circuitry with auto-on that switches to and from battery power and aircraft power, and you can see why this headset will be welcomed as 2020′s top holiday gift for any pilot.

The Bose Frames sunglasses are equally engineered to deliver the renowned Bose sound quality while looking good doing it. The Alto design has a classic angular shape–one of the most iconic sunglass silhouettes–while the Rondo design offers a distinct rounded shape first popularized by artists and musicians who need to just look great in their shades.

With a patented acoustic chamber that delivers sound without penetrating the ear and premium lenses in various popular shades and styles, Bose Alto and Rondo Frames weigh in at a comfortable 45 grams and have a Bluetooth range of 30 feet. After a fast charging time of just up to two hours, they will stream music or make phone calls for up to 3.5 hours. The Bose Connect app gives you easy access to personalize your Bose Frames settings to unlock new product features such as “Press & Turn gesture control” to change the volume of your phone while it stays in your pocket or bag.

To learn more and shop visit: Bose.com/aviation

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Living on the third rock from the Sun, that flaming orange ball is essential for our life, growing food, providing clean energy, and giving us something to lie under at the beach. But with all the good the Sun gives us, the side effects while flying are hours of exposure to harmful Ultraviolet rays, and when parked, it can cook our airplane’s cabin and avionics on a hot ramp. Lucky for us, though, we can mitigate all of this with a set of Jet Shades, an ingenious invention from company founder and Cessna 510 Mustang pilot Kevin Duggan.

Jet Shades are not just a temporary “automotive-style” shade that blocks the sun’s rays, instead, they are made of optical-quality polycarbonate material that are fitted to many aircraft and helicopter models. Virtually unbreakable and shatterproof, Jet Shades block 99.9 percent of cancer-causing UV radiation, over 44 percent of solar energy, and can reduce 70 percent of glare by shielding cabin occupants with side window protection plus in most installations, the top seven inches of the windscreen. Jet Shades are not designed for night flying and can be temporarily put behind a seat or stored in the included high-quality microfiber storage case when not in use.

Since Jet Shades do not attach to the airframe, no STC is needed, as the patented design simply presses into place without any attaching screws or fasteners. Each set is secured to the interior trim of the window and not the window itself, and owner installation is about five minutes without tools. The high quality of materials and ease of installation and removal earned Jet Shades the title of “Best New Aircraft Accessory” in the July 2019 issue of Aviation Consumer magazine.

Jet Shades are available for many popular makes and models of airplanes, including a foldable set for the Boeing 737 designed to attach to the professional pilot’s luggage so they can easily bring them onto the flight deck of each airplane they fly. Other sets include Jet Shades for Cessna Citation Jet 500/501/550/560, Cessna Citation Jet 525/M2 Series, Cessna Citation Mustang 510, Eclipse 500/550 Jet, King Air 90, 100, 200, 250, 300 and 350, Pilatus PC12, Piper M500/M600, M350, PA-32, Malibu, Matrix, Mirage and Meridian, Socata TBM 700/850 and 900 Series, Beechcraft Baron & Bonanza, Cessna 172, 182, 335, 340, 421 and TTx, Cirrus SR-20/22/22T, Columbia 300/350/400, Diamond DA 62 and DA40, and Robinson R66 Helicopter. If your airplane is not listed here, Duggan said a custom-designed set of Jet Shades can be fabricated for just about any make and model of airplane through the company’s dealerships.

A set of highly-functional Jet Shades will be a welcomed gift for any airplane owner this holiday season, and with gift certificates available at jet-shades.com, the pilot on your list will thank you any time they fly on a bright, sunny day or park on a blistering hot ramp.

To learn more and shop visit: jet-shades.com

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Today’s pilots have many options when it comes to aviation headsets. But when pilots are looking to invest in an active noise cancelling headset, the Bose name usually comes to mind. And it’s not just because Bose was the company that pioneered active noise cancelling headsets for pilots.

Bose aviation headsets are born out of a rigorous research and development process that has been refined and improved upon over many decades of product development. Ultimately, this process yields the best combination of noise cancellation, comfort and clarity – a difference pilots notice and appreciate in their aviation headsets.

Aviation Roots That Run Deep

Bose has been a household name in consumer electronics for a long time, but some might not know that the company’s roots in active noise cancellation technology actually began on an airplane more than four decades ago. On a long international flight in 1978, Dr. Amar Bose tried on a set of airline-provided headphones, only to experience increased noise from the aircraft. He immediately began designing a solution in his notebook. It was during this flight from Europe to the U.S. that Dr. Bose developed his concept for noise cancellation technology.

After years of research and development, the first prototype Bose active noise cancelling headset debuted on Voyager’s record-breaking nonstop flight around the world in late 1986. That historic flight provided a valuable test platform and proved that Bose active noise cancellation technology in aviation headsets would benefit pilots. In 1989, Bose introduced its first active noise cancelling headset to the broader market – the Series 1. And for over 40 years, Bose has been hard at work improving aviation headset technology.

Innovation Led by Pilots

Since Bose developed its first noise cancellation headset, the company’s relentless commitment to innovation and engineering excellence can be seen with each headset introduction. This has made Bose a trusted provider for U.S. military transport pilots, airlines, corporate flight departments, and many of the largest aircraft OEMs in the world. Bose has earned this trust because it has proven time and time again that its active noise cancelling headsets will provide clear, reliable communication, and a comfortable experience for pilots.

All Bose headset features and functionality are created with purpose, and pilot input is a valuable part of the process. In fact, many of the engineers, salespeople and product developers on the Bose Aviation team are pilots themselves. Because when it comes to developing a new aviation headset, there’s no better resource for gathering feedback than those who wear the headset every day.

Bose also looks to its valued partners for insights that drive product development and offerings. Through strong relationships with airlines, corporate flight departments, flight schools and leading avionics manufacturers, Bose keeps a pulse on changes to cockpit and flight deck environments and to the evolving needs of pilots.

Using these insights, Bose has designed headsets that help prepare pilots for unknown challenges. Even a pandemic. Bose’s move toward compact, lightweight headsets has made it easier for pilots to carry their own personal headsets from flight to flight, limiting the sharing of headsets between pilots.

Engineered for the Toughest Conditions

When it comes to piloting an aircraft, whether it’s a general aviation airplane, a commercial airliner or a helicopter, aviation headsets must be able to withstand the challenges of any cockpit environment. For this reason, Bose headsets are tested beyond the toughest conditions that most pilots will ever experience to ensure long-term product durability and reliability.

One measure of excellence is meeting and exceeding a TSO, which is an important step in the life of every Bose aviation headset. TSO – or Technical Standard Orders – come from the FAA. Like pilot licenses and equipment inspections, TSO certifications help the FAA ensure safety for the entirety of every mission.

Below is a partial list of the rigorous tests required for TSO certification:

• Extreme heat. The Bose ProFlight Series 2 and the Bose A20 must withstand temperatures at or above 55C/131F for several hours, followed immediately with drop tests from 6 feet (1.83 meters) onto a concrete floor along with cable flex tests. During those tests, they must continue to perform properly at those temperatures for two hours.
• Subzero temperatures. The Bose ProFlight Series 2 and the Bose A20 are stored at or below -25C/-13F and immediately subjected to drop tests from 6 feet (1.83 meters) onto a concrete floor along with cable flex tests. They must continue to perform properly at those temperatures after three hours in the cold.
• Electricity. The Bose ProFlight Series 2 and the Bose A20 are tested for electrostatic discharge immunity. Tested across dozens of contact points, each headset is subjected to between 4,000 and 12,000 volts of static electricity.
• Explosive atmosphere testing. The Bose A20 is tested in operational mode within an explosive atmosphere and is not a source of ignition.
• Extended wear. TSO requires that headset cables and components withstand tens of thousands of flexes and tugs and pulls – the equivalent of many years of use. The Bose standard is even more demanding than the TSO requirement to ensure each cable and assembly is durable and robust.
• Crush testing. While inside their cases, headsets are weight tested to make sure they can withstand the direct effect of weight applied to all surfaces of the case. The headsets also have to endure compression tests and mechanical shocks, surviving both with normal functionality.
• Decompression testing. Headsets must operate correctly after a decompression to service ceiling altitudes, which they are subjected to for at least 10 minutes.
• Vibration table testing. Headsets are subjected to vibratory forces across frequency ranges to ensure they survive without loss of functionality.
• Electromagnetic interference (EMI) testing. Products are tested for immunity to interference from magnetism, cell phone signals and radio frequency (RF) signal interference from various sources. Then we run conformity tests to ensure the product meets global regulatory requirements for radiated emissions and interference.
• UV. Accelerated solar radiation tests are performed to ensure components are durable and will not degrade in integrity or appearance, providing a consistent experience over the lifetime of the products.
• Chemical resistance. All surfaces, coatings and markings are tested for resistance to abrasion, cleaning, perspiration and other wear activities.
• Dozens of additional tests. In all, 145 separate tests are run to ensure the headset functions within regulatory limits under environmental and mechanical extremes, all while maintaining an acceptable appearance and user experience.

In addition to FAA and EASA E/TSO standards, Bose performs its own tests to ensure all aviation headsets are reliable and durable. Bose’s significant investment in the engineering, manufacturing and testing process validates your own investment in a Bose aviation headset.

The Bose Difference

Combine Bose’s 30 years of aviation headset research and development with its commitment to TSO certification, and it’s clear why Bose aviation headsets perform to a high standard. But the best way to understand that difference is by experiencing the A20 or the ProFlight Series 2 for yourself. You can do that risk-free with Bose’s 60-day test flight opportunity. Learn more here.

The post The Bose Difference appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Recognized as one of the premier flight programs in the nation, AeroGuard Flight Training Center offers professional, accelerated pilot training for individuals ready to launch their careers as commercial airline pilots, no experience required.

AeroGuard offers coast-to-coast flight training at five locations, originating in Arizona and expanding into California, Texas and most recently, Florida. Since 2000, AeroGuard has graduated 6,000 airline-ready pilots.

AeroGuard’s Pilot Pathway Program is offered in partnership with SkyWest Airlines, the largest regional airline carrier in the U.S. The Program provides students with high-quality training curriculum, placing them on a path to employment as a commercial airline pilot. In the Pilot Pathway Program, run as Part 61 for speed with elements of Part 141 practices to ensure quality, students complete training for 7 FAA ratings and certifications in about 10 months. Graduates are guaranteed an interview as a Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) with AeroGuard to further their training and build the 1,500 flight hours needed to work at an airline.

Upon successful completion of 1500 hours, pilots are guaranteed an interview with SkyWest during hiring periods, providing them with the opportunity to begin their journey as a commercial airline pilot.

AeroGuard’s all-inclusive tuition model encompasses what is needed for students to complete their training, including ratings and certifications, dedicated academic advisor support, unlimited overage hours, unlimited flight and ground school audits, briefing, workshops, uniforms and more.

AeroGuard is committed to creating the safest, best-trained pilots in the industry through exceptional education and operations.

To learn more, visit flyaeroguard.com or email info@flyaeroguard.com

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