Page 4 - May21T

Editor’s Briefing
by Rebecca Groom Jacobs
TAhe World is Your Oyster
s the pandemic subsides, flight activity is ramping FlightSafety International, “because when ATC gives you back up – and private/business aviation is route changes you did not expect, while possibly speaking leading the way. rapidly in broken English, is no time for the pilot flying to
A recent report from FlightAware shows that business learn the idiosyncrasies between domestic and international
aviation activity in 2021 is already surpassing the peaks seen seen in recent years. While this is certainly exciting news, operators continue to face constantly changing COVID-19 travel restrictions and requirements, particularly related to international flying. To help navigate the complexity of such evolving policies, the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) has developed several resources and tools from webinars, podcasts, and articles, to a COVID-specific webpage (nbaa.org/coronavirus).
Hopefully, the need for such extensive research will soon dissipate as travel restrictions continue to lift...but in the meantime, if you are considering resuming or commencing international flying, here are some of NBAA’s top tips (source: Business Aviation Insider).
Know the Differences
Operators that have not flown internationally before need to obtain the latest pertinent information on the proposed route, destination and alternate airport from a variety of sources, including consulting the company security department, if they have one. Then, they need to obtain international procedures training and develop detailed plans that take into account various possible travel scenarios and contingencies.
“As soon as you depart domestic airspace, it’s no longer just about flight planning, flying the plane and getting fuel,” said Robbie Moon, the director of flight operations for Deel & Winkler Family Office (who has made eight Atlantic crossings to the European Union in a single- engine turboprop). “Now you’re talking about customs, immigration, permits and taxes that may be required. This is where using a flight handler becomes important because it’s almost impossible to know every regulation for every country in the world.”
Additional advice: Know the differences in international weather planning; attend an international procedures course from a major training provider; take survival training.
Pair With an Experienced Pilot
If possible, operators new to international operations would be wise to pair an aviator making his or her first trip abroad with an experienced pilot who brings to the flight deck knowledge of the route.
“Having an experienced pilot with you is key,” explained Brian Moore, senior vice president of operations for
f lying. On my first international f light, I was left seat, and the guy in the right seat had flown the route before, so he knew what to expect. If we were just a couple of greenhorns, we’d have been so far behind the airplane.”
Consider Ground Operations
Once pilots have landed safely at an overseas destination, they need to be prepared for how the FBO will handle the airplane.
“I found the FBOs overseas to be very busy, so you need to plan a lot more time than you might expect for tasks to be completed because things take a while, particularly at a lot of the European locations,” said Moore. “You need to be ready for anything. On my first international flight, the ground crews would not handle anti-ice fluid because it is hazmat, and we were not able to buy fuel that already had fluid in there. So we needed to carry those additives ourselves and figure out the hazmat impact of that.”
Other international service considerations include ground transportation availability, aircraft security, catering services and off-duty crew security, even when using an international trip planning service.
Seek Advice from Experienced Pilots
One of the best ways for new international operators to obtain reliable information on overseas operations is to network with those in the industry who know the intimate details of worldwide destinations, said Scott Harrold, president of Sky Aviation International, an aviation consulting firm. Getting advice can be as simple as posting a question on NBAA Airmail or attending the NBAA International Operators Conference. “Even when an operator is using a trip planning service, there are details that other operators know from first-hand experience, from actually making the trips and being there on the ground.”
“I recommend that anyone with questions about international operations reach out to NBAA, which has specialists that can either directly answer questions about flying or managing aircraft or can direct that operator or pilot to other resources,” added Harrold. “Especially in the age of COVID-19, operators should contact NBAA staff, as they stay on top of everything that is changing rapidly.”
rebecca@twinandturbine.com
2 • TWIN & TURBINE / May 2021