Brenda Stoltz
Recent Posts
Cargo Operator, Airport, Fixed Base Operator, Maintenance Operator, Aircraft Operator, Corporate Flight Department, Flight Training Provider, Blog | January 22, 2015
4 Things To Do To Prep For Your Hiring Needs
Updated November 9, 2021 - It is always exciting, and a little intimidating, to grow your operation. However, with careful assessment, you can put together a plan that will enable your operation to attract candidates who fit your current and future needs. Let’s look at four things you can do now to prepare you for your hiring needs.
Crewmember, Cargo Operator, Aircraft Operator, Corporate Flight Department, Blog | January 15, 2015
What the Air Transportation Industry Can Learn from the Galactic Crash
On Halloween, the Virgin Galactic SpaceShip Two broke apart over the Mojave Desert, killing co-pilot Michael Alsbury. Alsbury, along with pilot Peter Siebold, who survived the crash, were performing a test flight when something went wrong. While the exact cause of the crash is being investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), early findings reveal some sobering lessons that the air transportation industry can learn from.
Even Experienced Crew Make Mistakes
Humans are fallible, even those who have undergone the best training and have the most experience. Alsbury had 15 years of flight experience, and the Halloween flight was his ninth trip in SpaceShipTwo; Siebold got his pilot’s license when he was 12. Just a week after the crash, NTSB revealed that the 39 year old co-pilot changed the spacecraft’s aerodynamic controls prematurely, causing the tail to rise and create drag, essentially hitting the brakes early. NTSB Chairman, Christopher Hart, cautioned this “feathering” error should not have caused the crash on its own, and is only one of several possibilities the organization was exploring as the cause of the crash.
Airport, Fixed Base Operator, Maintenance Operator, Anti-Drug & Alcohol Program Manager, Aircraft Operator, Anti-Drug & Alcohol Program Management, Aircraft Repair, Blog | January 8, 2015
Does Your Drug and Alcohol Policy Change with Medical Marijuana Authorization?
It seems that with every election of late, more and more states vote to decriminalize medical or recreational marijuana. Twenty-three states and the District of Columbia have voted to legalize some use of marijuana for medical purposes or, in the case of four states, recreationally. These recent changes in state laws are throwing employers, including aircraft operators, into uncharted territory, given the fact that the federal government still classifies the drug as a Schedule I controlled substance that is illegal to use.
Despite this classification, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) issued a memo in 2008, and again in 2013, that federal government resources would not be focused on those individuals complying with state marijuana laws. To help shed some light on the issue, let’s review how these recently passed state laws affect your drug and alcohol policy.
Fixed Base Operator, Aircraft Operator, Corporate Flight Department, Education, Fingerprinting, Blog, DASSP | January 1, 2015
Reviewing the Security Needs At Washington, DC,'s Airport (DCA)
Updated November 9, 2021 - Since the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, some airports serving sensitive markets have been subject to special, enhanced security measures. One of these airports is the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). While the enhanced security measures have eased over the years, there are still special precautions in place designed to keep our nation’s capital safe. Let’s review some of these special requirements and how to begin operating flights in and out of DCA.
Measures Required by the DASSP
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Department of Defense (DOD) collaborated after 9/11 to create the DCA Access Standard Security Program (DASSP) to regulate aircraft operations in and out of DCA. The program requires extra security for all crewmembers and passengers. For crewmembers, DASSP requires both a TSA inspection and fingerprint-based Criminal History Records Check (CHRC). Since 2011, operators were allowed to, once again, change their flight crew at the last minute, providing they have gone through the proper security screenings required by DASSP.
Blog | December 18, 2014
The Key to Fixing the Pilot Shortage in the Aviation Industry
Last year, the FAA changed the requirements for pilots looking to become First Officers, mandating they must complete 1,500 hours of flight time instead of the previous 250 hours. This significant jump came after the 2009 crash of Colgan Air flight 3407 was found to be caused by pilot error resulting in the death of 50 people in upstate New York.
While the new rules are meant to improve safety, they also have had the unintentional consequence of adding to an already precarious situation in meeting pilot supply. Retiring boomers, a lost decade of hiring combined with high training costs, and a low initial salary has left the industry with a shortage of qualified pilots needed to fulfill the 4,500 yearly demand for pilots. Without new strategies to fill the gap, the public could be faced with cancelled flights and the industry with reduced revenues. Let’s take a closer look at the problem and underlying cause.
Cargo Operator, Airport, Fixed Base Operator, Maintenance Operator, Aircraft Operator, Corporate Flight Department, Flight Training Provider, Blog | December 4, 2014
Lessons from the Chicago Air Traffic Control Tower Fire
On September 26, all air traffic in and out of Chicago’s O’Hare and Midway international airports were grounded due to a fire in the basement of the Chicago Air Route Traffic Control Center (ZAU) in Aurora, IL. The center covers 91,000 square miles, and its closure resulted in the cancellation of thousands of flights to and from Chicago area airports over several weeks, causing a ripple effect felt throughout the nation.
The fire is being blamed on a contract employee, Brian Howard, who is facing multiple charges and is currently awaiting trial. The damage caused when Howard cut cables; early reports suggest that nearly $123 million in economic activity was lost as a result of the cancelled flights.
“This is one of the most challenging situations that air traffic controllers and other FAA employees have faced since 9/11,” NATCA President Paul Rinaldi said. Rinaldi went on to say that it was almost impossible to overestimate the damage Howard caused.
Aircraft Operator, Blog | November 27, 2014
Preparing Your Staff For The Holiday Season
With another holiday season just around the corner, many travelers are making plans to see friends and family. Serving and protecting these holiday travelers is the job of everyone in the airline industry. Because the holidays are one of the busiest times of the year to fly, now is the time to think about ways to prepare your staff for the crowds, the delays, and the stressed-out, impatient, angry passengers. A little planning can help reduce angry passengers and improve the morale of staff.
Is the Next Generation Air Transportation System a Reality or Pipe Dream?
A report by the U.S. Department of Transportation Inspector General last month is raising concerns about the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) ability to carry out its upgrade of the nation’s air traffic control system. The program, called the Next Generation Air Transportation System, or NexGen, began in 2003 and was supposed to conclude in 2020. However, funding issues, doubts, and general uncertainty are creating delays and making the program more expensive than originally conceived. All this is making some wonder, is NexGen for real?
Crewmember, Blog | November 13, 2014
TSA PreCheck Is Now For Members Only
Over the last year, many passengers have been enjoying the benefits of the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) PreCheck program. Recently, however the TSA has been spreading the word that the program will begin limiting its expedited service through airport security screening to paid members only. Let’s look at what the program is and why this change is happening now.
Cargo Operator, Anti-Drug & Alcohol Program Manager, Aircraft Operator, Corporate Flight Department, Anti-Drug & Alcohol Program Management, Blog, CrewID | November 6, 2014
Pilots Found To Be Using More Drugs
Last month, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released a study that found drug use among pilots had increased substantially since 1990. Using data collected from 6,700 pilots killed in plane crashes between 1990 and 2012, the NTSB found pilots’ use of over-the-counter, prescription, and illegal drugs all increased. While the rate crashes due to pilot impairment as a result of drug use remained steady at about 3%, the increased use of all drugs has prompted warnings about the implications and need for further study.