Best Practices for Safe Business Aviation Quick Turns

Sometimes in business aviation, various circumstances come into play that require a quick turn on an incoming flight. In general, a quick turn is when a flight arrives at a destination and crews are called on to effectively and efficiently get under way for the next mission as soon as possible, while always maintaining safety as the top priority.

Successful quick turns often hinge on planning ahead while safely and efficiently coordinating ground tasks between the flight crew and FBO.

“I always call the FBO in advance to let them know we’re doing a quick turn and what services are needed,” said Abbie Fox, a scheduler with Simon Hangar, a Part 91 outfit operating four business jets. “It’s also important to keep the FBO updated on the trip.”

Fox usually places a call to the FBO 15 minutes before the aircraft’s arrival to ensure a fuel truck, passenger escorts or extra wing walkers are standing by. Aircraft size is another consideration that may require having special items available on the ramp for arrivals, such as airstairs or an aircraft belt loader.

FBO considerations are important as well, Fox said. Factors such as having to taxi long distances to and from the FBO, or, if the FBO ramp tends to be crowded with several aircraft, can prolong a quick turn.

Timely Communication Is Key

Julia Harrington, a lead captain on a Challenger 350, a Citation XLS and a Citation CJ2 for Axis Jet, finds about a quarter of her flights involve quick turns.

“We do a lot of pre-positioning to pick up passengers, or sometimes we stop to drop off a few passengers as other passengers remain while we refuel,” she said. “That’s where we feel the most time pressure.”

To expedite things, Harrington will contact the FBO with an estimated time of arrival and then make a radio call about 10 minutes out to have the fuel truck ready. After landing, the crew performs a walk-around. “That’s especially important when anything touches the plane, such as a fuel truck or lavatory cart, to make sure all access doors and fuel caps are secured,” she said.

When returning from international flights, Harrington suggests using airports that are known for quick and efficient customs stops.

Keep a Sharp Eye Out

For David Collins, director of maintenance at a Chicago-based company that operates a Gulfstream IV, preparing for a quick turn means having a sharp eye. He observes the inbound landing. “I look for anything out of specification, such as the spoilers being out when they should have been retracted, the flaps not retracted after landing or the thrust reversers not positioned properly,” Collins said. “If you know the aircraft, you know where to look for trouble. Observation is your friend.”

During towing, Collins observes the full rotation of the tires to ensure there are no bald spots, and he also checks tire pressure. “Many of the quick-turn checks are done in preflight, so when the aircraft is placed in service it’s not mechanically touched the day of the flight unless the pilot has an issue,” said Collins.

Gather the Right Intel Beforehand

Part 91 Capt. Lauren Maas always calls ahead, especially for FBOs at smaller airports to find out key intel such as what type of aircraft they regularly service, hours of operation and ramp lighting for nighttime flights. But one of the most important pieces of information, she said, is ramp size. “On a quick turn, you want to know if you can steer the aircraft completely around, especially at a place you haven’t been,” said Maas.

Maas pilots a Gulfstream 280 and an Embraer145 for Cummins Inc. The company runs a shuttle to their manufacturing locations involving frequent quick turns. “We’ll fly passengers from Columbus, IN, to Madison, WI, then a quick turn to take Madison passengers to Columbus,” she said.

During those stops, quick-turn tasks are coordinated. One crew member does the flight planning while the other is outside doing the walk-around and overseeing the fueling and then goes inside the FBO to pay for the services and escort passengers to the aircraft.

While pilots strive for efficiency, Maas said passengers must understand that certain procedures need to be done for safety. “When you’re feeling pressure, that’s when you have the possibility of making mistakes,” said Maas. “Just slow down and follow the checklists and that will keep you out of trouble.”

No Rush

At on-demand service aircraft provider Wheels Up, crews can take as much time as needed to safely quick-turn the airplane. In fact, the company considers any turn that’s less than an hour a quick turn, said scheduler Mitchell Papontos.

“For the crews to hear that from the company is reassuring,” Papontos said. “If an aircraft is running late, we’ll call the member and explain there might be a delay.”

In that case, Wheels Up schedulers will arrange for a quick turn, focusing on flight planning, weight and balance and performance analysis for releasing the flight, along with letting the crew know the passengers of the next flight have been informed.

“Much of this mitigates the feeling of being rushed and potentially making mistakes,” Papontos said. “We let the crew know it has an hour on the ground to do what they need to turn around that aircraft safely.”

Review NBAA’s safety resources at nbaa.org/safety.