Friday, August 23, 2019

PSA: Important reminders for first-time air travelers

Scott Beale, a professional in the aviation industry, knows the significance of both a passenger’s safety and experience of the flight to airlines and flight companies. On that note, Beale shares a few very important reminders for travelers who are flying for the first time.
Image source: theatlantic.com

Preparation is key.

Days, or even weeks before the flight, travelers should have every box on their need-to-do list checked. From travel documents to any required medication to who’ll feed the cat when they’re gone, travelers need to have all bases covered. This also provides much needed peace of mind while on the trip.

Research the destination.

One of the biggest regrets travelers have is not doing their research before leaving their point of origin. Doing one’s research can save a traveler a lot of time asking around or looking for guides that would point them in the right direction—time that could have been spent exploring places and enjoying the culture.
Image source: petergreenburg.com

Arrive early at the departure area.

It’s been said plenty of times that travelers should always arrive at least three hours before their scheduled departure. First of all, this ensures that no one misses his or her flight. Second, it prevents people from hurrying, which is a common cause of forgetting the important things for a trip.
What other tips can you give first-time flyers? Share them with Scott Beale in the comments section below.

Aviation professional Scott Beale’s leadership and uncompromised philosophy focused on safety resulted in Flightworks’ outstanding incident and accident-free record. He helped open domestic and international bases, and the aviation business grew organically with a fleet of 44+ aircrafts, 125 pilots, and over 200 employees. For more aviation-related reads, go to this page.

More aviation developments affecting the industry in 2019

It’s imperative for players to keep in step with various trends affecting the future of the aviation industry. Hereunder are more developments in the industry shaking things up this year, listed by aerospace and aviation professional Scott Beale.
Image source: cyient.com
 Let’s keep in mind that as Brexit becomes a reality, it will cause much disruption in the entire European continent. Lots of talks of potential takeovers are happening, affecting airlines such as FlyBe and airports like Cardiff’s in Wales. Certain countries are scampering to avoid compromising their already ailing tourism, evidenced by Icelandair’s acquisition of lost-cost carrier Wow Air (the success of this move remains to be seen).

On the other hand, rapid growth is expected in Asia the rest of this year, even as ASEAN countries like Pakistan and China are making great strides to improve their aviation infrastructures (the latter’s Hainan province has lifted all restrictions on foreign aviation investment). Across the continents, the introduction of premium economy flight choices, as opposed to the traditional business class, is expected to get the likes of American Airlines and Emirates much bigger passenger share.
Image source: en.globes.co.il

We are also seeing a boom in the air freight industry, boosted by the now-common concept of same-day delivery among those who prefer shopping online. This is punctuated by complementary technology like digital in-flight shopping, the more prevalent use of AI, and heads-up display or HUDs allowed by more relaxed FAA regulations, Scott Beale adds.

Scott Beale has been in the aviation industry for more than 20 years, successfully growing businesses both which he acquired and founded. Visit this blog for similar posts.

Thursday, June 20, 2019

A brief look at the wonder that is aeromedical evacuation

Image source: defense.gov
Scott Beale has always believed that the standard aeromedical evacuation (AE) procedure is one of the greatest innovations the aviation industry has ever produced. While mostly used for injured military personnel, AE has been performed on countless occasions during times of crisis in the United States and around the world.

At its core, AE provides in-vehicle care to the injured and quick transport to the nearest medical centers. In the military, medics are trained under global standards, which are constantly updated. These individuals learn everything, from advanced life support to bleeding control to other critical care procedures.

The United States has its own U.S.A.F. School of Aerospace Medicine and Air Education and Training Command, in which medics learn the basics of conducting. AE.
Image source: wikimedia.org

During the 70s and 80s, the decreased use of medics in the field of battle inevitably caused the rise of AE, as well as its advancement in terms of efficiency. In the first two decades of the 21st century alone, nearly 50,000 personnel in the service have been saved by AE. And AE has been a constant, reassuring presence in times of armed conflict and crisis brought about by natural calamities.

What are your thoughts on AE? Feel free to share them with Scott Beale in the comments section below.

Ohio State University alumnus Scott Beale is an aviation and aerospace professional. He was responsible for expanding FlightWorks from a $1.5-million-dollar business when he purchased it in 2000 to a $90-million enterprise when he sold the business in 2010. More on Scott and his career here.

Adhering to regulatory and compliance programs is key to airline success

Image source: airbus.com
As we head into the 2020s, we should expect airlines to increase their focus on abiding by standardization and regulatory directives, says aviation professional Scott Beale. These compliance programs are related to environment and consumer rights, accounting, and finance.

Many airlines in the U.S. are already keen on adapting to new pricing rules set by the U.S. Department of Transportation, which demand the inclusion of fees and taxes when advertising flight fares. Across the Atlantic, the European Union is relentless in penalizing any airline that violates set emission limits, and airlines in the continent are paying heed.

Image source: nbaa.org
It should be noted that compliance increases airlines’ total cost of operations, even as it is meant to improved business sustainability and increase passenger safety. But airlines must understand that it is integral to the transformation of their operations. In addition, abiding by regulatory directives comes with necessary expenses that they must shoulder on their own and not pass on to passengers. In so doing, their compliance initiatives could be in better alignment with today’s needed business processes.

Those in the industry should know that initiatives like the Simplified Interline Settlement or SIS ease the effect of regulation on revenue concerns. Introduced by the International Air Transport Association, this aims to speed up and standardize the industry’s interline billing and settlement. But to best take advantage of such, airlines should actively search for cost-effective support programs and partners, adds Scott Beale.

Scott Beale has led various aviation firms to attain growth in revenues with his competencies in strategic and tactical planning, account development and acquisition, government contract and management, sales team training and supervision, and financial reporting. For more aviation reads, go to this page.

Friday, May 10, 2019

What makes for a good aviation mechanic?

An aviation mechanic—also called aircraft mechanic or aviation technician—is a professional who diagnoses, repairs, and troubleshoots the engines, systems, and technology of airplanes. The role they play in ensuring optimum plane performance and guaranteeing pilot and passenger safety cannot be underestimated, says aviation and aerospace expert Scott Beale.
Image source: imagine-america.org
 In other words, aviation mechanics have to be good all the time. But with aircraft systems and controls now becoming more computerized and digitized, they’ve to have at least get an associate degree. Maintenance workers need to have a thorough educational background on computer repair and aviation flight instruments. Solid experience is a big plus, but even seasoned professionals need to contend with the influx of (and be familiar with) new aviation technology.

The FAA, of course, has clear and strict guidelines to this end, mandating aircraft maintenance to be performed or at least supervised by certified mechanics. Indeed, credentials are key to this line of work; in fact, distinct certifications are required for plane bodywork and engine work.
Image source: aircraftmechaniccareer.com

One way to ensure that hired mechanics completely know what they’re doing is to check their Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) ratings. For this, mechanics need to be fluent in English, having a full, 30 months of aircraft maintenance experience, and at least be 18 years of age. A known alternative to an A&P rating is the completion of the Aviation Maintenance Technician School program.

There’s also the Aircraft Electronics Technician (AET) program certification received through the National Center for Aerospace and Transportation Technologies. Finally, the FCC issues a radio-telephone operator certification for avionics technicians who plan on working on airplanes’ communication equipment. All in all, being a good aviation mechanic is mostly dictated by his or her gained credentials, adds Scott Beale.

Aviation and aerospace professional Scott Beale is responsible for piloting the successful business turnaround of Aerodynamics Inc. As its CEO from 2011 to 2015, Scott helped increase the company’s profitability with new business initiatives and diversification efforts. Visit this blog for more posts on aviation.

There have been a ton of new technologies and developments in aviation in recent years: from hybrid and electric propulsion, improved fuel economy, and blended wing designs to reduced emissions, more secure connectivity, and additive manufacturing. In this blog, aviation expert Scott Beale lists down common themes and threads to watch in the aviation and aerospace sector in the coming years. Air taxis: Expect prototypes and demonstration flights of air taxis from various manufacturers in late 2019. These planes include Kittyhawk’s Cora, Boeing’s Aurora, and Airbus’ Vahana. Even Uber is working on bringing its services to the sky with its own set of experimental air taxis. Electric flight: Various startups are racing to develop prototypes for short-travel aircraft, hoping to energize regional aviation. For now, green aircraft propulsion is still in the middle of hybrid-electric and fully-electric. But agencies and manufacturers like NASA, Airbus, and Zunum are keen on developing full-fledged electric planes which could take to the sky in the coming decade. Narrow-body aircraft : Boeing just launched its 797 line, a new midsize, narrow-body plane that’s aimed to replace both the 757 and 767. This coincides with the first flight of the aviation manufacturer’s new 777X, which features folding wingtips that permit the plane to fit into standard-sized airport gates, explains Scott Beale. Unmanned planes: Boeing is also at the forefront in building military-grade aircraft, as evidenced by its prototype MQ-25 Stingray. The unmanned plane, the product of a multi-million US defense contract, also features a carrier-based, aerial-refueling system. Aerospace and aviation professional Scott Beale was responsible for expanding FlightWorks from a $1.5 million-dollar business when he purchased it in 2000 to a $90-million enterprise when he sold the business in 2010. Visit this blogfor related posts.

There have been a ton of new technologies and developments in aviation in recent years: from hybrid and electric propulsion, improved fuel economy, and blended wing designs to reduced emissions, more secure connectivity, and additive manufacturing. In this blog, aviation expert Scott Beale lists down common themes and threads to watch in the aviation and aerospace sector in the coming years.
Image source: newzbase.com

Air taxis: Expect prototypes and demonstration flights of air taxis from various manufacturers in late 2019. These planes include Kittyhawk’s Cora, Boeing’s Aurora, and Airbus’ Vahana. Even Uber is working on bringing its services to the sky with its own set of experimental air taxis.

Electric flight: Various startups are racing to develop prototypes for short-travel aircraft, hoping to energize regional aviation. For now, green aircraft propulsion is still in the middle of hybrid-electric and fully-electric. But agencies and manufacturers like NASA, Airbus, and Zunum are keen on developing full-fledged electric planes which could take to the sky in the coming decade.

Image source: eurekamagazine.co.uk
Narrow-body aircraft : Boeing just launched its 797 line, a new midsize, narrow-body plane that’s aimed to replace both the 757 and 767. This coincides with the first flight of the aviation manufacturer’s new 777X, which features folding wingtips that permit the plane to fit into standard-sized airport gates, explains Scott Beale.

Unmanned planes: Boeing is also at the forefront in building military-grade aircraft, as evidenced by its prototype MQ-25 Stingray. The unmanned plane, the product of a multi-million US defense contract, also features a carrier-based, aerial-refueling system.

Aerospace and aviation professional Scott Beale was responsible for expanding FlightWorks from a $1.5 million-dollar business when he purchased it in 2000 to a $90-million enterprise when he sold the business in 2010. Visit this blogfor related posts.

Monday, April 15, 2019

A few insights on flight simulations and games

The aviation industry is constantly filled with new and exciting innovations, Scott Beale notes. Countless advancements, breakthroughs, and milestones in technology have benefitted human flight over the decades.

Image source: gamespot.com
One of the more popular innovations is the flight simulator. Helping keep pilots safe, flight simulation games play a big role in many flight school’s training programs. It’s a safe environment, and pilots get to figure out how to operate aircraft without risking damage to the machine or himself. Flight data can also be recorded, and simulations have been improved to become incredibly interactive.

Flight simulations can now simulate flight in extreme weather, which has given many aspiring aviators a huge relief. In these situations in the simulator, accurate safety checks can be performed.

Image source: britishairways.com
However, many flight instructors caution pilots to not get too used to simulators, which is only natural. The actual experience of flying a plane is still very much different. Even researchers have found that the brain benefits a lot more from real-world experience compared to simulations.

In conclusion, while flight simulations and games are great training tools, they are just that. These programs are simply supplementary to one’s training to become a full-fledged pilot, notes Scott Beale.

Aviation expert Scott Beale is skilled in commercial sales and products marketing, government contracting, and business startups. He led Aerodynamics Inc., The Paulding Jet Center, Flightworks Inc., Mountain Aviation, and AVTech Executive Flight Center to their most successful years in the aviation industry. For more info on Mr. Beale’s work, go to this page.