Aviation View April 2023

9 AVIATION VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 3, ISSUE 1 The team is in constant contact, with a group text message confirming every arrival, departure and schedule change. Any change in the recruit visitation schedule sets off a cascade of updates to rental car reservations and every other flight – as many as 11 legs in a day. “Where we really shine is our flexibility. We operate as a team, with full transparency to tackle each day’s aircraft movements,” said Wilde. “I try to keep the same flight crew on each flight because they’re familiar with it. They’ve been studying the weather; they’ve been looking at the airports. Safety is our number one priority.” COMMUNICATING SAFETY Although UAA is a Part 91 operator, the team holds itself to many more stringent Part 135 procedures, including a limit of 10 flying hours within a 16-hour duty day. Adams ensures each of the five pilots gets the required rest, especially during the hectic recruiting schedule. Managing fatigue is also a team effort. “Staying sharp on the road starts the day before the trip, with getting enough sleep,” said Assistant Chief Pilot Joseph Piazza. “At FBOs, I use the quiet room and put my phone down to get real rest. And communication is so important. As the end of a long duty day nears, we ask each other how we’re doing and watch ourselves more closely.” Both Phenoms are always flown two-pilot – an insurance requirement. It was at a safety seminar hosted by the company’s insurer that the team learned their policy offered a credit to purchase technology for a safety management system (SMS). “I talked to some other university aviation directors for recommendations, and we chose OPENING L INES