Inaugural Symposium Addresses Challenges for Small Flight Departments

Oct. 16, 2018

Every flight department faces challenges, but those burdens magnify for a small flight department operating just one or two aircraft with a handful of employees – or often just a pilot. The inaugural NBAA Small Operator Symposium, held Oct. 15, before the opening of the NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE), offered tips to assist department managers in building safer and more efficient flight operations.

Small flight departments comprise a significant portion of business aviation operations. Among respondents to a survey conducted through the NBAA-BACE mobile app, 40 percent of those attending the symposium operate a single aircraft, with just 25 percent flying three or more. Part 91 operators comprised 90 percent of those surveyed, with 80 percent flying turbine-powered airplanes.

Such operations are a familiar environment for many NBAA members and staffers alike. “I used to fly a King Air with a regional bank,” noted Steve Brown, NBAA’s chief operating officer. “Those were some of the best years I ever had, but those were challenging operations.”

Besides the obvious responsibility to operate every flight safely and in compliance with the FARs, small flight departments must also shoulder the burden of additional obligations such as maintaining their aircraft, handling regulatory and compliance issues properly, pilot training, record keeping and numerous other obligations.

That means department personnel must wear many different hats, noted Lou Sorrentino, a consultant to small flight departments for Aviation & Marine Safety Solutions International. Balancing those responsibilities requires a flight department to establish and follow effective processes that may come from FAA regulations or, as Sorrentino recommends, adhering to voluntary standards programs like the International Standard for Business Aviation Operations.

“The regulations, in and of themselves, are the lowest common denominator,” he said. “Anyone can operate to those regulations, but what’s interesting is what you put over and above those regulations that make your operation special. What we aim to do by embracing voluntary standards into our program is to raise all boats.”

Maintenance is another critical area that requires close attention from small flight departments. Of respondents through the NBAA-BACE app, 84 percent of symposium attendees reported contracting heavy maintenance to OEM maintenance facilities or trusted independent providers, with 50 percent outsourcing light maintenance as well.

Failure to adhere to an aircraft’s master minimum equipment list (MMEL) as defined by the manufacturer and the FAA – as well as several other conformity requirements – places small flight departments at risk of running afoul of the FARs and manufacturer specifications. However, they also provide valuable tools for managers, even when flying under Part 91 where conformity to such lists isn’t mandatory, but may stave off unpleasant exchanges.

“I’ve been through 80 or 100 conformity inspections through my career,” said W. Ashley Smith, Jr., owner and operations director for JetLogistics. “Now, should you do a conformity inspection under a Part 91 operation? Well, who’s responsible for the airworthiness of the aircraft? The owner. Who’s the owner going to yell at if something isn’t airworthy?”

Deferring an MMEL item may be legal for the operation, but could also carry unforeseen consequences. Smith cited the Beechcraft King Air 200, for which deferral of the plane’s autopilot requires the addition of a qualified second-in-command in the right seat. “If you’re Part 135 and have a second crewmember, you’re now required to have a CVR,” he noted. “Even if you can defer it, you must ask yourself, ‘is it realistic?’”

Other discussions at the symposium included tips for the successful development and implementation of safety management systems scaled to smaller flight operations and hiring tips to effectively locate and vet contract pilots when supplemental lift is necessary.

“Our hope is you’ll help us define the future for small operators,” Brown told attendees. “We’re committed at NBAA in keeping small operators front-of-mind and making sure we work with government and our broader industry partners to try and enable small operators to operate even more safely and securely.”