Training the next generation of pilots

The exclusive magazine covering the news and activities of the Regional Airline Association
REGIONAL HORIZONS
THIRD QUARTER 2011 Issue 50
Available on www.raa.org
Training the
next generation
of pilots
PUBLISHED BY
IN PA RTNERSHIP WITH
Message from ROGER COHEN RAA PRESIDENT
Regional Airline Association
2025 M Street, NW, Suite 800
Washington, DC 20036
Tel: 202/367-1170 Fax: 202/367-2170
[email protected] • www.raa.org
RAA staff
President
Roger Cohen
Senior Vice President-Operations & Safety
Scott Foose
Senior Vice President-Government Affairs
Faye Malarkey Black
Senior Director-Industry & Regulatory
Affairs
Liam Connolly
Operations Manager
Staci Morgan
Association Associate
Convention Manager
John Rubsamen
Sponsorship Manager
Diana Lundie
Sponsorship Assistant
Susan Young
2010-2011 board of directors
Chairman
Jim Rankin
Air Wisconsin
Treasurer
Keith Houk
PSA Airlines
Vice Chairman
Dan Garton
American Eagle
Secretary
Dan Wolf
Cape Air
Directors
Cesar Garcia Uribe
Aerolitoral
Lesley Kaneshiro
Island Air
Fred Deleeuw
Airnet Holdings
Joseph Randell
Jazz Air
Brad Holt
Atlantic Southeast
Airlines/ExpressJet
John Spanjers
Mesaba
William Bendokas
New England Airlines
Steve Farrow
Piedmont
John Sullivan
Commutair
Sean Menke
Pinnacle Airlines Corp.
Tim Komberec
Empire Airlines
It’s the worry that keeps me awake at night (along
with the Cleveland Browns), just how many US communities are going to lose their scheduled air service?
Of the 500 airports—75% of the country—whose only
air transportation link to the global economy comes on
a regional airline, this threat just became a whole lot
more real – and immediate.
The good news, we in the aviation community have
the power to delay and maybe even prevent these
flight reductions and resultant job losses – and RAA
is doing everything we can to make sure they never
happen.
Today’s threat – $100 flight fee
A proposed $100 per flight fee represents the most
pressing threat. Hundred bucks may not sound like
Allison Gross
John Bendoraitis
Comair
“Not if, or even when…but how many?”
much for a big industry like ours, but this added $475
million burden would more than erase the annual
earnings of all regional airlines – combined.
This discriminatory fee hits regional airline passengers and the communities that depend on us even
harder. Do the simple math: on a big widebody with
300 seats it might come to about 30 cents per passenger, but it’s $2 for a regional jet passenger and more
than $5 for someone flying a 19-seat turboprop. Or,
based on yearly airport boardings at Chicago O’Hare,
the fee equates to $1.31 per passenger – but more than
$3 per person at Springfield, Illinois, the state capital.
And consider a whopping $15 per traveler from Pierre,
South Dakota’s statehouse. By the way, these new
fees wouldn’t provide even one new safety or ATC
benefit.
Doug Voss
Great Lakes Aviation
Mark Slack
Scenic/Grand Canyon
November
2-3
Darrell Richardson
Gulfstream
International
Chip Childs
SkyWest Airlines
November
8-9
Rick Leach
TransStates Holdings
November
8-9
November
8-9
November
9
Regional Horizons is published quarterly
by Emerald Media in partnership with RAA.
Editor
Kelly Murphy, Emerald Media
[email protected]
C ontributing editor
Design and
layout
Carole Shifrin
Advertising
Cheryl Goldsby
[email protected]
Jennifer Moore
Aeris Graphic Design
[email protected]
P rinted in USA September 2011
©2011 RAA All rights reserved
Airlines and MROs are today working very hard
to maintain their fleets because America just can’t
produce enough trained mechanics (and do I wish my
under-employed college graduate son had gotten his
A&P license as well.) But the looming pilot shortage is
real – not a question of “if”, but “when”.
The causes are well-documented: Age 65 retirements, the high cost of training, no more military pipeline, career turbulence from bankruptcies, furloughs,
pay cuts etc. Not even the new Pan Am network TV
show can begin to make up for two decades of our
own intramural bashing that has sapped much of
the job’s glamour. (I’ve worked in this industry for 40
years, and while airline jobs might not be as great as
we romanticize they once were, they are still damn
good jobs with solid pay, benefits, career potential –
>>13
and still a dash of fun).
2011
Bob Hajdukovich
ERA Aviation
REGIONAL HORIZONS
The looming challenge – pilot labor supply
Even when (we’re working overtime to make sure it’s not
an “if”) Congress kiboshes the $100 fee, the challenge
of recruiting enough aviation professionals poses similar
risks to our ability to serve hundreds of communities.
UPCOMING INDUSTRY EVENTS
Bryan Bedford
Republic Airways
Holdings
Glenn Johnson
Horizon
That’s why RAA has joined
with our mainline partners,
airline labor, general aviation
and others in telling Congress
to reject this fee and a new
tripled security charge. (see joint letter sent to Congress
on the RAA website http://bit.ly/oWeQRB). But if the
$100 per flight fee does get enacted, it’s a safe bet that
100, 200 or even 300 cities will lose scheduled service,
maybe all their service, and maybe overnight.
October
18-19
November 9-10
November
RAA Flight Training Committee Meeting
Milwaukee, WI (at Air Wisconsin Airlines Training Center)
Joint RAA Inflight Committee & ATA Cabin Operations Council Meeting
Atlanta, GA (at Delta Airlines)
RAA AQP Working Group Meeting
Fort Worth, TX (at American Eagle Airlines Flagship University)
RAA Security Committee Meeting
Las Vegas, NV
RAA Safety Council Meeting
Phoenix, AZ (at US Airways Training Center)
RAA Joint Regional Operations Council & Safety Council Meeting
Phoenix, AZ (at US Airways Training Center)
RAA Regional Operations Council Meeting
Phoenix, AZ (at US Airways Training Center)
RAA Dispatch Management Working Group Meeting
Airline-Community Leadership Summit
Memphis, TN (co-sponsored by RAA and AAAE)
December
5-7
December
RAA Flight Technology Committee Meeting
6-8
Tucson, AZ (at Universal Avionics Systems Corporation)
2012
May
21-24
RAA Annual Convention
Minneapolis, MN
INSIDE
First AAAE/RAA Airport
& Regional Airline Executive Summit..................4
Addressing the pilot labor supply issue..........6–7
Training focus........................................................7
Power profile: New Gulfstream
management unveils future plan........................8
Security updates: Industry rolls out
Known Crew Member program........................ 10
RAA Summer Seminars: New Orleans style... 11
News briefs...................................................12–14
Cover photo: Provided by FlightSafety
International, the CRJ900 NextGen
simulator is one of many regional
aircraft types that the company offers
pilot training in.
REGIONAL HORIZONS
|
Third Quarter 2011
|
3
AAAE/RAA
Airport & Regional Airline Executive
summit Building Stronger Relationships between Airports and Regional Airliners
Tentative Agenda
December 5–7, 2011 | Memphis, TN
(as of October 1, 2011)
MONDAY, DECEMBER 5
3:00-5:30 pm
RAA Board Meeting
6:30-8:00 pm
Opening Reception at Westin Hotel
Sponsored by Memphis International Airport
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6
8:00-9:00 am
Registration and Continental Breakfast
9:00-9:15 am
Welcome by AAAE and RAA Chairs
AAAE Executive Committee Chair
Kelly Johnson, Northwest Arkansas Regional
Airport Authority Airport Director
RAA Chairman of the Board
Jim Rankin, Air Wisconsin President and CEO
9:15-10:30 am
Kelly Johnson
Jim Rankin
CEO Mastermind
The summit kicks off with Bill Swelbar of the aviation blog Swelblog
(www.swelblog.com) moderating a panel of RAA CEOs and Airport
Directors, focusing on trends in regional markets, fleet changes, and what
the landscape might look like in the next 5-10 years.
Bill Swelbar
10:30-10:45 am
Coffee Break
10:45 am-noon
Strengthening Market Forces and Community Advocacy Panel
Now that we have heard the forecasts, what can be done to open new markets, and strengthen the
current routes? How can we best interact with our communities to best serve their needs and attract
the right service? A panel of Airport Directors and Airline CEOs discuss what has worked in the past,
suggest new ideas and identify barriers and unique opportunities.
noon-1:30 pm
Luncheon with Keynote Speaker (TBD)
1:30-2:45 pm
EAS – What is the future?
As Congress debates the value of Essential Air Service every year, new
threats to the program emerge. The program has had many changes over
the years, but what is to come? Hear from RAA and AAAE’s Essential Air
Service Committee, along with the US DOT on their thoughts regarding this
integral program for smaller markets.
RAA Vice President-Government Affairs Faye Malarkey Black moderates
this panel with invited airline and airport CEOs, along with DOT’s Kevin
Schlemmer.
3:45 pm
Refreshment Break
Concluding Remarks
What have we learned, Where do we go from here?
Conclusion of Day 2 Joint Meetings
3:45-5:00 pm
RAA Board Meeting (continued)
2:45-3:00 pm
3:00-3:45 pm
Faye Malarkey Black
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7
Westin Memphis Beale Street
Memphis, TN
4
|
REGIONAL HORIZONS
|
Third Quarter 2011
9:00-11:30 am
One-on-One Air Service Marketing/Development Meetings between Airport
Official and Regional Airline Officials
Nouveau Monde DDB Toulouse - © pixteur.com
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AND LOW NOISE LEVEL GO TOGETHER?
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ENVIRONMENT
NOISE LEVEL
10% lower than chapter IV ICAO rules
TECHNOLOGY
Latest Generation Glass Cockpit
www.atraircraft.com
Photo: Ulf Wallin
pilot
SUPPLY
Addressing the Pilot Labor Supply issue
With Pilot Labor Supply at or near
the top of the industry’s concerns,
RAA is taking every opportunity to
communicate this message and
strategize with industry stakeholders
on developing the infra-structure to
address this growing concern that
affects all segments of the industry.
Recognizing that FAA has issued
fewer advanced pilot certificates
year-over-year, the RAA Safety
Council and Regional Operations
Council (ROC) will make Pilot Labor
Supply a focus topic of their November 8-10 meeting to be held at
US Airways Flight Training Center in
Phoenix, AZ.
“Tuition debt has become a
significant concern for many aviation career-minded students. And
of course, we are quite concerned
about the impact of P.L. 111-216 (HR
5900) which will require all air carrier pilots to have an ATP certificate
and 1500 flight hours as of August
2013,” RAA Senior Vice PresidentOperations and Safety Scott Foose
6
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REGIONAL HORIZONS
|
Third Quarter 2011
underlines. “We are following with
great interest the FAA’s effort to propose a new rule that will define an
academic credit system. All of these
issues will come into play at the
Phoenix meeting,” adds Foose.
A highlight of the meeting will
be the findings of a soon-to-be
released Pilot Training (and Supply)
Study by Dr. Gerald Dillingham,
GAO’s Director-Physical Infrastructure
Issues.
RAA members interested in
attending the Safety Council
and Regional Operations Council
meetings, contact [email protected]
i
» Air Wisconsin will host a twoday RAA Flight Training Committee
meeting in Milwaukee October
18-19. Several sessions will focus
on program designs for effective
assessment of pilots’ Human Factors
performance and how airline training departments are using safety
data to enhance safety and training.
» RAA talks to aviation universities and colleges at Indy
Conference
For the first time, RAA participated
in the University Aviation Association (UAA) Fall Education Conference in Indianapolis. Senior Vice
President-Operations and Safety
Scott Foose gave his perspective on
the importance of “Educating Tomorrow’s Aviation Professionals” during
the Opening General Session. The
panel discussion, which focused on
the future of First Officer Qualifications (FOQ) and the regional airline
pilot labor supply, also featured
Republic Airways Holdings Executive Vice President and COO Wayne
Heller. Embry-Riddle’s Department
Chair of Applied Aviation Sciences
Guy Smith shared the findings of a
2010 Pilot Source Study analyzing
pilot backgrounds and subsequent
success in US regional airline training programs.
The report, published in The
International Journal of Applied
Aviation Studies, found the best
performing pilots were those who
had flight instructor certificates,
graduated from collegiate accredited flight programs, received
advanced (post-Private) pilot training in college, graduated with collegiate aviation degrees (any aviation discipline) and had between
500 and 1,000 pre-employment
flight hours. The study also showed
pilot source characteristics that had
no significance in regional airline
pilot training success were: having a non-aviation college degree
and having prior corporate pilot or
airline pilot experience.
Go to http://1.usa.gov/mRvZ8a
for a copy of the FAA’s
Summer 2010 issue of The
International Journal of Applied
Aviation Studies.
To view Scott’s presentation
go to www.raa.org and
visit www.uaa.aero for more
information about the three-day
conference.
i
i
industry
TRENDS/ANALYSIS
TRAINING FOCUS
» The world’s airlines will need to add 460,000 pilots and 650,000
maintenance technicians over the next 20 years, according to a Boeing
study. These employees are necessary to both fly and maintain an expanding
fleet by 2030 of more than 39,500 aircraft and to replace current employees
who are due to retire during this period. (See charts below)
The study underlines aircraft manufacturers and the aviation industry will
have to keep pace with technology—including online and mobile computing—
in order to match the learning styles of the next generation of tech-savvy
pilots and technicians. “The growing diversity of pilots and maintenance
technicians in training will require instructors to have cross-cultural and
cross-generational skills in addition to digital training tools and up-to-date
knowledge of the aircraft,” notes Boeing.
The manufacturer’s study also underlines “the signs of a global pilot
shortage are mounting as airlines expand their fleets and flight schedules to
meet surging demand in emerging markets.” The largest projected growth
in pilot demand continues to come from the Asia Pacific regional, with a
requirement for 183,200 pilots during the next 20 years. China’s demand for
72,200 pilots is the region’s largest. Statistics show Europe will need 92,500
pilots, North America 82,800, Latin America 41,200, the Middle East 36,600,
Africa 14,300 and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) 9,900.
Pilot and technician outlook
Demand for pilots by 2030
Supporting fleet growth and retirements
500,000
9%
400,000
2% 3%
40%
8%
300,000
200,000
20%
100,000
0
2011
Pilots
237,400
2030
Pilots
470,400
2011 to 2030
Pilots
460,000
• Asia Pacific • North America • Latin America • CIS 18%
• Europe • Middle East
• Africa
Pilot and technician outlook
Demand for technicians by 2030
Supporting fleet growth and retirements
400,000
8%
300,000
2% 3%
8%
38%
200,000
100,000
0
2011
Technicians
184,400
20%
2030
Technicians
324,600
• Asia Pacific • North America • Latin America • CIS 2011 to 2030
Technicians
650,000
21%
• Europe • Middle East
• Africa
Copyright © 2011 Boeing. All rights reserved.
» Universities are also reporting increased use of iPads in the classroom. Tom Karcz, assistant professor of aviation at Kansas State University
Salina, tells RH, “our first-year students are using iPads in the Intro to Aviation class and ground school…usage is starting to expand through
the entire program as our certified
flight instructors also use them,
and other students have seen the
benefits.” Taking the iPads inflight,
student pilots can download policy
and procedure manuals, as well as
flight training manuals.
» As part of a move to concentrate its training programs on current and
next-generation aircraft, FlightSafety International has sold simulators
and training programs for 14 turboprop aircraft, mostly general aviation
aircraft but also including the Saab 2000. The buyer is Orlando,FL-based
SimCom Training Centers.
» Pilots of Jazz Aviation, training for their new Bombardier Q400
regional turboprops, were among the initial users of CAE’s new Q400
training capability at its training center in Montreal, Canada. Jeff Roberts,
CAE Group President, Civil Simulation Products, Training and Services, says
the new Q400 training capability in Montreal is in response to “customer feedback that they wanted an advanced technology alternative
for training that is easily accessible and close to their operations.” At the
center of the Q400 training program is an FAA-qualified Level D CAE 5000
Series full-flight simulator with CAE Tropos™-6000 visual system and CAE
True™ Airport service for keeping training databases fully up to date with
regulations. Also incorporated into CAE’s turnkey training curricula are CAE
Simfinity™ e-Learning courses and integrated procedures trainers. CAE
also has announced a new joint-venture with Mitsui & Co. to establish and
operate a training center in Japan in support of the upcoming Mitsubishi
Regional Jet. It will be ready for training in 2013.
» Looking to hire regional pilots?
Providing resources for professional and aspiring pilots is the goal of
FltOps.com through a series of Regional Airline Pilot Job Fairs themed
“Focus on the Future.” The day-long sessions provide a networking opportunity for future professional pilot or other aviation professionals looking
for an aviation university or flight school to meet school representatives
and airline recruiters. Seminars are held on how to finance an aviation
education including advice about loans, grants and scholarships. Longterm employment projections for aviation and aerospace professionals
are also addressed. “Our first ‘Focus on the Future’ job fair on September
24 in Los Angeles was a huge success for recruiters – with over 250 pilots
attending,” FltOps.com Vice President Judy Tarver says, noting that similar
fairs will be held in Newark on October 29 and in Orlando November 19.
For airlines interested in learning more about attending, contact
Craig Washka at [email protected] or tel: 1-800-JET-JOBS.
i
» ATR has partnered with SIM Aero Training to open a new pilot training
center in Paris. Based near Charles de Gaulle airport in Roissy, the center
is equipped with a brand new Full Flight Simulator (FFS), developed and
manufactured by Thales, for crew training on the ATR 72-500. SIM Aéro
Training will house the simulator and provide technical support. ATR also
has another pilot training center in France, based in Toulouse, as well
as locations in Bangkok and Toronto. Other centers will open soon in
Johannesburg, South Africa and Bangalore, India, to meet the growing
demand for ATR flight training.
REGIONAL HORIZONS
|
Third Quarter 2011
|
7
power
PROFILE
Photo: SBPR Corp.
New Gulfstream
management
unveils future
plans
Darryl Richardson, Gulfstream CEO
With new owners, new funding and a new
executive team, Gulfstream International
Airlines is poised for growth, soon to take on
half-a-dozen 30-seat Saab 340Bplus aircraft to
replace some of its 19-seat Beech 1900Ds.
The first of the Saabs will arrive by the end of November with the rest
to be delivered by the first of July, 2012, according to Gulfstream Chief
Executive Officer Darrell Richardson. They will replace 1900Ds on a
one-to-one basis.
The Saab 340s, which have lavatories and can accommodate flight
attendant services, will be instrumental in the airline’s plan to expand
service to the Bahamas. “We’re improving the quality of the product we
offer inside Florida and into the Bahamas,” Richardson tells RH. Gulfstream also has 340 options, and “would like more if we can get them.”
“We’re working right now on our three-year plan,” Richardson
notes, with most expansion opportunities expected within Florida and
in the Bahamas. In late June, Richardson met with tourism officials from
the Out Islands of the Bahamas who complained there was not enough
air service to the islands. With Gulfstream’s load factors above 90%, the
carrier added extra flights during the summer – 360 in July alone.
Ft. Lauderdale-based Gulfstream, which had filed for bankruptcy
protection late last year, emerged from bankruptcy in May after Chicago-based investment firm Victory Park Capital Advisors provided $5
million in debtor-in-possessing financing, acquired substantially all of
Gulfstream’s assets, purchased 21 of its Beech 1900s from Raytheon Aircraft Credit Corp., and appointed a new management team.
CEO Richardson has 40-plus years of airline experience, having previously served as the CEO of Air Turks & Caicos and Pace Airlines, chief
operating officer of Mesaba Airlines and Piedmont Hawthorne Aviation,
and senior director of technical operations for Continental Express.
8
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REGIONAL HORIZONS
|
Third Quarter 2011
Gulfstream also has brought on board a large number of senior industry veterans, Richardson says. (see related item on page 12) Overall,
the airline has about 500 employees, and will hire about 20 flight attendants for the Saab 340 operation.
Airline crew contract
In May, the airline and its flight crewmembers, represented by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, agreed to a new five-year collective
bargaining agreement with benefits for both management and labor.
The contract gives pilots increased ability to modify their schedule to
accommodate personal needs, at the same time increasing Gulfstream’s
ability to obtain pilot coverage for open trips, while making sure pilots
are fairly compensated for flying above and beyond a normal monthly
schedule.
“Contract negotiations are always about give and take,” says APA
Teamsters Local 1224 President Joe Muckle. “In this case, the pilot
group knew it was necessary to work with the company to help reduce
costs so that it could effectively undergo its reorganization…” He underlines they were able to find common ground on provisions making the
contract acceptable to the membership and the airline, as well as making
it appealing to the airline’s new owners.
The airline generally operates about 100 daily departures. Gulfstream
currently flies from seven cities in Florida, and eight islands in the Bahamas. The airline also operates flights from Cleveland, OH, to six cities in
New York, Pennsylvania and West Virginia; and to seven cities in Montana from a hub at Billings. Both are Essential Air Services market.
All its flights in Florida, the Bahamas and from the Cleveland hub
are covered by its United Airlines/Continental Connection codeshare,
while the Montana operation is independent.
As for new services in the future, Richardson says “we’re open...
Our job the next 12 months is to get cabin-class service, and get the
Saabs on board.” As other opportunities come up, “we will look at
them.” (Report by Carole Shifrin)
security
UPDATES
This summer TSA announced their blessing for a new pilot program—Known Crew
Member (KCM)—conceived by ATA and
supported by ALPA. The KCM program
allows for on duty pilots to access the sterile
area of the airport using a dedicated lane or
area of the airport checkpoint (sometimes
the exit lane). The KCM program allows for
TSA to positively verify the identity and employment status of flight crew members.
The program was initially opened to a limited number of airlines, but has since opened
to all US flagged carriers should they choose
to participate. The KCM pilot is intended
to initially roll out at seven airports—ORD,
MIA, SEA, MSP, PHX, IAD, BOS—by the
end of October 2011. At press time, the
Photo: Ulf Wallin
Industry rolls
out Known
Crew Member
program
program has successfully rolled out at ORD,
MIA, SEA, and MSP.
Currently there are 28 airlines either participating, or scheduled to participate in the
program, with 12 coming from the regional
airline ranks. To date, there have been no
major issues to report at the open locations, and according to reports from pilots
the program has been successful. KCM is
scheduled to run for 90 days after the opening of the Boston location, tentatively set for
October 25. At this time, there is no public
plan for what happens after the 90 days end.
A similar previous pilot called CrewPass,
which was developed by ARINC, is still
running at BWI, PIT and CAE, but has not
been allowed to expand.
“There are still many questions about this
program that have not been answered at this
time,” RAA Senior Director-Industry & Regulatory Affairs Liam Connolly tells RH. “Chief
among them is when, or if, flight attendants
be included in this program. TSA published
requirements for any crew access program
last year, and it included the incorporation of
a biometric component, and an inclusion of
flight attendants. ATA and ALPA were given
a temporary exemption from both requirements for the purposes of the pilot, but it is
unclear how or when flight attendants would
be included,” notes Connolly.
i For more information on
Known CrewMember go to
www.knowncrewmember.org
R e al Value. eV eRY D aY.
HORIZONS | Third Quarter
2011
10 | REGIONAL
RAA-HlfPgAd_3.25_OLT.indd
1
8/1/11 2:50 PM
RAA Summer Seminars
New Orleans style
Offering tracks for RAA members responsible for Human Resources, Inflight and Drug & Alcohol Testing, the
2011 Summer Seminar provided multiple sessions during the three-day event, July 25-27, in New Orleans.
Save the date for the 2012 Summer Seminar August 6-7 at the Loews Don CeSar Hotel in St. Pete Beach, FL.
Photos by Liam Connolly
Ford & Harrison’s Tom French
gave a labor law update to the
Inflight Seminar attendees focusing on
the impact of mergers and acquisition
and NMB Voting.
Ford & Harrison’s Sarah
Wimberly joins Tom French to
talk about labor relations management
training, underlining how managers
can directly impact a carrier’s ability to
successfully negotiate contracts with
the union by better understanding the
effect of their actions.
Inflight Institute’s Ivan Noel
explains the hiring and training process of the next generation of
flight attendants.
The HR team from Piedmont Airlines organized a rousing “Employment Law Jeopardy” to interact with attendees
to demonstrate how they turn management training into an effective and enjoyable training session for front line
customer service managers.
Sonya Wolford of SkyWest leads
an Inflight session reviewing
stats gathered from each regional
carrier about inflight labor contract
employment provisions. Many carriers
are in negotiations or preparing for
negotiations.
Companies exhibited their
products and services during
the Seminar, including
sponsor MedAire.
Thanks to the following 2011 Summer Seminar sponsors
Inflight
Human Resources
REGIONAL HORIZONS
|
Third Quarter 2011 | 11
news
BRIEFS
» RAA Associate Member Comply365 announced a multi-year contract with
Air Wisconsin to use its AQP Manager software to assist with executing
its advanced qualification training program (AQP) with pilots. The new AQP
training approach allows pilots to train to proficiency rather than a process.
The software will “track and streamline our process, reduce risk and enhance
the training experience,” notes Air Wisconsin VP-Strategic Sourcing Janet
Huculak, underlining “greater efficiencies, expanded line of sight and dashboard reporting will give us the agility, compliance support, time and cost
savings we need in our competitive environment.”
» A third Sukhoi Superjet 100
performed its first flight in September
prior to its October 2011 delivery to
Aeroflot. After completing factory test
flights, the SSJ100 MSN 95011 flew to
Ulyanovsk to be painted in the Aeroflot livery at the Spektr-Avia facility.
» Delta launched the first Wi-Fi equipped
regional jet during a Bombardier CRJ700 flight
operated by Atlantic Southeast Airlines. By early
2012, airline passengers will have access to WiFi on more than 250 Delta Connection two-class
RJs; including the Embraer 170/175 and the
Bombardier CRJ700/900 models, adding to more
than 550 mainline Gogo connected aircraft.
» GE Aviation will invest $56 million in a new manufacturing facility in Ellisville, Mississippi, scheduled to begin production in 2013 and create 250 new
high-tech manufacturing jobs by 2016. The 300,000-square-foot facility, GE’s
second aviation manufacturing plant in the state, will manufacture advanced
composite components for aircraft engines and systems.
» Cape Air’s Caribbean presence will expand on November 11 with the
launch of new service between San Juan, PR and Nevis, in the West Indies.
Operating daily service between Luis Munos Marin International Airport and
Vance W. Amory International Airport, a second flight four days a week will
begin on December 22. Cape Air’s codeshare partnership with United will
start in March 2012 and will put Nevis on United’s route map.
TAKE-OFFS
» Pinnacle Airlines Corp. announced replacements for former longtime
execs Phil Trenary and Peter Hunt this summer. Sean Menke will lead the
Memphis-based company as its new President and CEO. Menke, a veteran airline
executive and managing partner at Vista Strategic Group LLC in Denver, Colorado,
succeeded Trenary on July 1, 2011. Menke, 42, brings 20 years of airline
management experience, as he previously served as Executive Vice President
and Chief Marketing Officer of Republic Airways Holdings Inc and President and
CEO of Frontier Airlines. Menke’s Vista Strategic Group colleague, Ted Christie,
also joined Pinnacle recently as its new vice president and CFO, succeeding Peter
Hunt. Christie was previously senior vice president and CFO of Frontier Airlines.
In addition, Mesaba President John Spanjers will replace VP and COO Doug
Shockey, who has resigned from Pinnacle. Spanjers will also retain the title of
senior vice president-operations for Mesaba Aviation.
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12 | REGIONAL HORIZONS
|
Third Quarter 2011
Sean Menke
Ted Christie
John Spanjers
» Gulfstream International Airlines announced a new executive team
this summer with Darrell Richardson now CEO of the Fort Lauderdale, FLbased regional. (see related story on page 8). The former CEO of Air Turks &
Caicos and Pace Airlines, Richardson has also held positions with Continental,
Air Florida and Mesaba, where he served at COO from 1995 to 2000. David
Querio, has been appointed COO and has held senior positions at Mesaba,
Aspen Mountain Air and Mahalo Air. Another appointments include Curtis
Berchtold as VP and CFO, Peter Barry VP-Technological Operations, Matthew
Holliday VP-Sales and Marketing and Donna Tipsword, VP-Human Resources.
» Embraer recently appointed Robert Stangarone
as Vice President-Corporate Communications
for North America. Based at the company’s US
headquarters in Fort Lauderdale, Stangarone
most recently served as Cessna’s VP-Corporate
Communications since 2005. He has also
held senior communications positions United
Technologies (Pratt & Whitney and Sikorsky),
Rolls-Royce North America and Fairchild Dornier.
Robert Stangarone
news
BRIEFS
APPROACH
» SkyWest Airlines expects to begin flying as US Airways Express,
its fourth code-share partner, early next year. Although the launch plan is
not finalized, the two airlines foresee SkyWest operating 14 50-passenger
Bombardier CRJ200 regional jets initially under the US Airways banner from its
Phoenix hub, replacing CRJ200 and Dash 8 Express service currently operated
by Mesa Airlines. A SkyWest official notes the operational teams are at work
on an implementation plan, including scheduling, hiring pilots and flight
attendants and transitioning some of its aircraft to US Airways Express livery.
The three-year agreement also gives US Airways the option of replacing
CRJ200s with larger CRJ700 aircraft.
The new partnership is indicative of SkyWest’s quest to diversify its flying
portfolio. In May, it began a code-share with Alaska Airlines; it currently
operates 25 daily departures, serving seven cities, on routes formerly operated
by Alaska-owned Horizon Air. Using five Bombardier 70-seat CRJ700s in an
all-coach configuration, it serves Seattle, WA; Portland, OR, and five cities in
California: Burbank, Fresno, Long Beach, Ontario and Santa Barbara.
SkyWest also recently added a new nonstop between San Francisco and
Oklahoma City on behalf of United Airlines, its largest code-share partner,
using a 66-seat CRJ-700. SkyWest, celebrating its 40th year in business
in 2012, also has a partnership with Delta Air Lines, but its code-share
relationship with AirTran was ended this year after AirTran’s acquisition by
Southwest Airlines.
In other SkyWest news, Chairman and CEO Jerry Atkin told the Deutsche
Bank Aviation and Transportation conference that the carrier still expects to
achieve a single operating certificate for its ExpressJet Airlines acquisition
by the end of the year. While SkyWest’s traffic and capacity are way up,
in the range of 53%, because of the acquisition, its load factor for the
combined entities—SkyWest, ExpressJet and Atlantic Southeast—inched up
in August to 80.8%.
» Brazilian airline Azul Linhas Aéreas Brasileiras recently became the
first Latin American operator of the new
ATR 72-600. Azul has placed orders for
a total of 30 ATR 72-600s, with options
for 10 additional aircraft. The ATR turboprops join Azul’s jet fleet of Embraer
190s and 195s.
Message from ROGER COHEN RAA PRESIDENT continued from page 3
Hopefully, FAA will heed the safety experts by authorizing credit for
experience and structured training programs against the August 2013
deadline for the 1500 hour minimum entrance requirement for airline
pilots. By recognizing that the best and safest path to becoming an
airline pilot is through rigorous, multi-dimensional professional and
academic training—and not by towing Coppertone banners above the
Jersey Shore —August 2013 won’t be “when” hundreds of communities
turn out the lights simply because there’s not enough pilots to fly to
them. Previous blips in the pilot supply have forced airlines to cancel
some flights – a hard and fast 1500 hour rule will mean dozens, likely
hundreds of communities will lose all scheduled flights.
Cultivating and training the next generation of airline professionals is
a national challenge, as recognized by DOT’s Future of Aviation Commission, and RAA is helping meet this challenge:
•Leading the critical peer reviews of pilot training (ARCs, academic
and workplace studies), integrating the best practices from RAA’s
Strategic Safety Initiative and ground-breaking Fatigue Study.
•Partnering with the University Aviation Association, training providers, accreditation agencies—and working to grow our own Associate
Member Scholarship program—to provide more opportunities to
more deserving future pilots.
•Working with our member airlines, airline labor and the government to shine a bright light on this issue, waking up the nation’s
news media to the need for a steady stream of qualified aviation
professionals.
Regional airlines provide more than half the country’s scheduled
flights, and preserving this high level of safe, professional and reliable
air service will the #1 topic when RAA airline executives meet jointly
with Airport and Community leaders in Memphis Dec 5-7 (See detailed
agenda on page 4). Hopefully, by then, the $100 fee will be in our rear
view mirror.
The longer –term pilot supply issue we’ll continue to address – every
day up to and through next year’s Convention in MSP. With your continued support, we’re confident that through the combined efforts of all
aviation stakeholders and the commitment of the US government, we’ll
be able to keep flying to those 500 communities that depend exclusively on regional airlines.
And then, we’ll all be able to sleep a little better.
Roger Cohen
REGIONAL HORIZONS
|
Third Quarter 2011 | 13
news
BRIEFS
FLEET FOCUS
» Canada’s Jazz has taken delivery of three new Bombardier Q400
NextGen aircraft so far, with deliveries of the remaining dozen on firm order
to be completed by July 2012. The carrier also has options for 15 more.
Joseph Randell, President and Chief Executive Officer of Chorus Aviation,
which owns Jazz, said he expects the Q400 NextGen to create value for its
stakeholders “as a result of its enviable fuel burn efficiency and operating
economics.” First delivery was in May. The aircraft are being operated in a
single-class, 74-seat configuration, replacing 15 smaller, 50-seat CRJ regional
jets. The new Q400s are being operated on behalf of partner Air Canada
from Toronto to Quebec City, Thunder Bay, Ontario, and Fredericton, New
Brunswick.
» Bombardier Aerospace plans to reduce its CRJ aircraft production
rate, beginning in January 2012, as sales for the CRJ series jets have been
declining. Company officials say there are still active campaigns around the
world for the regional jets—with some expected to reach fruition—but the
CRJ backlog was down to 61 aircraft at the end of the last quarter. Because
Bombardier has other ongoing and in-development aircraft programs, it does
not expect any employee layoffs.
Overall, the Canadian aircraft manufacturer has racked up orders for 1,675
of its CRJ series aircraft, starting with the first 50-seat CRJ100 delivered in
October, 1992. Bombardier’s current CRJ backlog stands at a dozen 70-seat
CRJ700s, 13 90-seat CRJ900s and 36 100-seat CRJ1000s. It is concentrating
future efforts on its new CSeries aircraft.
Bombardier already had pared back slightly the production rate for its
successful Q400, but officials add that there also remain potential sales
opportunities for the efficient turboprop. It has 40 undelivered Q400s in its
backlog.
REGIONAL MARKET LINKS
» For its part, Brazilian manufacturer Embraer delivered two ERJ 145
family aircraft this year but has no remaining orders for the 35-50-seaters,
having delivered a total of 890 over the years. Embraer currently has a
firm order backlog of 261 aircraft for its newer Embraer EJet family. At
the end of the second quarter, the company had delivered 742 Embraer
170/175/190/195 aircraft.
TECH TALK
» American Airline’s Flagship University hosted the RAA Flight Technology Committee (FTC) meeting in Dallas in September. Aircraft technology
and services, pilot training and emerging regulations were some of the key
issues discussed amongst the 17 companies that were represented. The FTC
will next meet December 6-8 in Tucson, AZ, at the Universal Avionics System
Corporation facility.
» “Making the pilot and
plane more efficient,”
Apple underscores the
entrance of iPads in flight
cockpits during its 2011
‘Let’s Talk iPhone’ Event on
October 4, 2011.
REGIONAL MARKET LINKS
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14 | REGIONAL HORIZONS
|
Third Quarter 2011
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©2011. Bombardier, NextGen and Q400 are trademarks of Bombardier Inc. or its subsidiaries. © Porter and the Porter logo are registered trademarks of Porter Airlines Inc.