Corporate F/A Dispatch

I manage quite a number of sites including blogs, message boards, and web pages. One of the ways to add value to any site is to exchange links with quality sites, particularly those that have been in place for some time and are regularly maintained.

Although I have quite a few links on this site, several will soon be dropped to make way for new links. If you would like a permanent link to this blog, then here is what I am looking for:

• Quality sites related to business aviation.
• Sites that have a travel focus, particularly those featuring high end accommodations, fine dining, and vacation packages. When our corporate flight attendants are not flying they want rest and relaxation, not additional work.
• Personal care sites geared toward women (at least 85% of business aviation cabin crew is consists of female flight attendants).

Of course, no adult or family unfriendly sites will be considered. If you are interested in linking to Corporate F/A Dispatch, then simply hit the reply button and add your information or contact me privately. Be prepared to share with me where a link to this blog will appear on your site. Thanks!

Business aviation is a small, but rapidly growing segment of the air transportation industry. During the 15 years that I have been involved in this business I have seen many changes including the unbelievable growth of NetJets and the development of new aircraft from Gulfstream, Bombardier, and Dassault Falcon Jet to name just a few.

If you are seeking to enter business aviation, it isn’t as “open” of a field as commercial aviation. Many companies prefer to remain rather quiet about their business jet holdings so job opportunities are typically shared only with members who are already familiar with business aviation.

Networking is important and can be done in many different ways including attending seminars, conferences, and other special events held at locations around the world. Locally, the NBAA provides one day regional conferences where jet displays, vendor information, and seminars are held. These short events are a good opportunity for people to “press the flesh” and check out what is new in business aviation.

As mentioned last month, Fort Lauderdale will be the site of the next NBAA regional event and that event takes place tomorrow. So, if you are in the area why not stop by and see what is going on? Visit the NBAA web site for all of the details surrounding this event.

Happy networking!

Knowing that so many people who are part of this aviation community are world travelers, I was approached by a company who asked that I would share their Asian hotel finder site with you. Specifically, the section of their site that they wanted me to bring to your attention is about Batam, an island in the Indonesian archipelago located off the coast of Singapore.

Most of the time when I search for accommodations I go to one of the big travel sites, such as Expedia, and do my research there. I want a site that not only gives me rate information, pictures of the hotel and sample rooms, but additional information about the general area. Even when I am on business in another city, if there is a cultural or recreational attraction of interest nearby, I want to set aside some of my time to see these places too.

The Hotels in Batam section of Asia-Hotels.Com site meets my expectations as a local travel information resource. On this site you get all the hotel information you need and you can book your stay once you decide where you want to visit. Best of all, the site features mostly 3, 4, and 5 star hotels at prices that are very affordable.

Just in case you wondered, Batam is just a one hour ferry ride south of Singapore so if your business is in Singapore, you can easily stay in Batam. Golf courses, marinas, and shopping are nearby and word has it that the nightlife in Batam is very active and enjoyable.

Finally, you can get all the information you need about traveling to Indonesia on this site as well as all other details about the other countries lining the Pacific Rim.

Doc Sullivan started an interesting thread this past Monday titled, “Long Trips and Long Duty Days,” which asked forum members three questions:

What’s the longest trip you’ve ever done, in days or weeks — the longest you’ve been continuously way?

And what would you estimate to be the longest duty day you’ve ever worked? (Not flight time, but duty time.)

What are the most legs you’ve flown in a single day (including ferry legs)?

I had long heard of some interesting experiences from our corps of business aviation flight attendants, but I was amazed at the lengthy duty days that some have had to endure including being on duty for more than 24 consecutive hours. If you are surprised about this type of practice, please note that Part 91 flight attendants are not offered the same protection as Part 135 flight attendants. What’s more, if you are working under Part 135 there are ways your duty day can be extended by several hours without violating the Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs).

One more point: if you are not officially “crewed” when you are flying, i.e. working as a cabin attendant, then all bets are off. You are manifested as a passenger, but you are performing almost all of the duties of a flight attendant. A couple differences being that you are not permitted to perform the passenger briefing and you are not responsible for the passengers in the event of an emergency, particularly one leading to an evacuation.

A few year’s back I compiled some FARs related to corporate flight attendants and posted that information here. I updated the information a few month’s back to reflect some minor changes.

By the way, go ahead and check out Doc’s five aviation blogs — listed on the sidebar. Flying For A Living is Doc’s latest contribution to the blogosphere, something all flight crew will want to visit and take note of.

Photo credit to Allison Choppick; Toronto, ON

I am reminding everyone on both the forums and on this blog that the time to get your NBAA Flight Attendant / Flight Technician Scholarship application in is NOW. Yes, you still have a little over two weeks to fill out your application, but you know how that goes — if you put it off, a trip could pop up and you’ll soon forget the deadline.

Besides the chance to win a scholarship, the NBAA traditionally allows winners to attend the F/A Conference for free to claim their prize. This year’s NBAA Flight Attendants Conference will be held at the Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina — West Tower on June 29-30, 2007. You’ll still be responsible for getting there as well as for hotel accommodations, but you’ll be admitted to the conference at no charge to you!

Photo credit to Donald Cook; Potrero, CA

I do not like Daylight Savings Time, the time of the year when clocks are moved forward a full hour to add an extra hour of sunlight at the end of the day. Instead, I would prefer that time would not be fiddled with and our clocks left alone.

Hawaii, Arizona, parts of Indiana, and Sasketchewan are four states/provinces where time stands still, meaning that local residents do not participate in this annual madness.

The reasons to move time forward supposedly include energy savings, but an article that discusses this subject suggests that outdoors oriented businesses benefit as well as candy makers since the clocks will not “fall back” again until the first week of November under the new set up. More trick or treat time for the kiddies under sunlight vs. moonlight.

Yes, most of us in the U.S. and Canada will move our clocks forward before we retire tonight and endure several days or more of sleepiness as our bodies try to adjust to the change. Yippee.

Photo credit to Michael Bretherton; Queensland, Australia