Securing a safe and hygienic environment on a private aircraft with limited and distanced passengers is extremely doable… But what about any contamination that could happen at the FBO? The National Air Transportation Association (NATA) cleaning standards for FBOs were released this summer. Called ‘Safety 1st Clean’ and published by the NATA’s Safety Committee and COVID Taskforce, it details universal SOPs to curb the spread of infectious disease and provides practical advice on facility cleaning and disinfection. It not only is giving the business aviation community a free guide to streamline standards across global operations and keep people safe from infection as they work or travel. It also has made a great contribution to ensure FBOs continue to operate as much as possible during these times.
Putting clients’ or passengers’ minds at rest is incredibly important to sustain confidence in private travel… particularly as commercial airlines have extremely well-developed SOPs to deal with COVID-19 and related challenges. However, the nature of private travel itself is tremendously advantageous – even the time spent in an FBO is minuscule compared to that spent at an airport terminal if flying commercially. Nevertheless, the standard covers a huge amount of areas related to hygiene… guidance for best practice cleaning and disinfecting all interiors including high-touches hot-spots, materials, and electric devices. It also outlines details of how an aircraft should be handled and new protocol for catering. For example, opting for pre-packaged food that is sourced from a certified COVID-free environment.
The Safety 1st Clean has been making an impact globally. In the first two weeks alone after its launch, 50 companies globally adopted the standard and took advantage of the self-certification process that allows FBOs to highlight their use of it. Well done to NATA and to the many global FBOs that are using this or similar standards to battle the spread of COVID. To take a look at the free standard, click here.
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UAS Operations | - 08/26/2020
Mitch Launius
Instructor Pilot for 30 West IP
Mitch is the CEO of 30 West IP where he is also an instructor providing pilot training on international procedures. With an illustrious career of over 34 years in the cockpit, Mitch has acquired over 13,000 hours of flight time flying worldwide, with over 9,000 hours of this in Challenger and Gulfstream aircraft. He is an experienced safety officer and was also an IS-BAO project manager for a fortune 500 flight department. He has presented on Safety and Operations topics at the NBAA International Operators Conference and the Canadian Business Aviation Association Convention and is currently on the NBAA International Operators Committee and serves as the North Atlantic Regional Lead. Mitch is also a member of an FAA working group on General Aviation International Authorizations and Tabletop Exercises (GIATE). He was recently selected to represent IBAC as a member of the ICAO Personal Training and Licensing Panel (PTLP) and was also recently named as a 2020 recipient of the NBAA Tony Kern Professionalism in Aviation Award for his contribution to the business aviation community.
Henry ‘Duke’ LeDuc
Director Of Operations, Americas, UAS International Trip Support
Duke has been a dearly respected member of UAS Americas team and the UAS global family for more than five years. A safety-oriented, FAA-licensed aircraft dispatcher, he oversees all of the operations of the elite UAS Operations Team. With twenty-five years of experience in aviation overall with more than fifteen years of experience in international flight planning and VVIP trip coordination, he is responsible for the development of the dispatch training program and involved in the strategic development of UAS Americas. With a myriad of rich aviation experience behind him, he has extensive experience in worldwide operations with both corporate and charter environments, including seven years as Operations/Dispatch Manager in an industry-leading, Fortune 500, IS-BAO Stage III Certified corporate flight department. Duke is frequently asked shares his knowledge at major industry events and is currently serving on the NBAA’s International Operators Conference (IOC) Planning Committee.
Dudley King
President and Founder, FlightBridge
Dudley is the Founder and President of FlightBridge, which he established in 2011 and has been focused on technology solutions for the private aviation industry since 2006. Since he graduated from Dartmouth in 1988, he has worked with an array of companies listed anywhere from VentureWire to the Fortune 100. A rare blend of executive, entrepreneur, and consultant, Dudley’s executive roles have included acting CIO positions for several companies and tech advisory services to CEOs trying to rebuild their technology organizations or looking for an external, professional point of view. Highly skilled at deeply understanding his customer’s business challenges and drawing from a long and varied experience in information technology services, Dudley excels at designing technology solutions to solve their problems.
Dr. Paulo Alves
Global Medical Director, Aviation Health, Medaire
Paulo has extensive experience in medical advisory in the aviation industry. As a cardiologist, he provides technical guidance and analysis for MedAire’s MedLink medical advisory service and is MedAire’s liaison with civil aviation regulators and industry associations. Paulo worked with Varig Brazilian Airlines for 23 years, 10 of which were spent as General Medical Manager. A member of the MedAire Medical Advisory Board, Paulo is also President of the Ibero-American Aerospace Medical Association, a member of the International Academy of Aerospace Medicine, a member of the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) Safety Committee, a Fellow of the Aerospace Medical Association (AsMA), and a Fellow of the Civil Aviation Medical Association. Throughout his illustrious career, Paulo has held industry leadership roles including Chairperson of the AsMA’s Air Transport Medicine Committee, President of the Airlines Medical Directors Association, President of the Brazilian Society of Aerospace Medicine and was a member of the IATA Medical Advisory Group from 2002 to 2006.
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