Flying for Business
The company I work for has prohibited private flying ever since a “Risk Management” department was started over 10 years ago.The company owns two Gulfstreams and two Sikorsky S-76 helicopters, which were flown by professional pilots under contract with an outsourced firm.About two years ago, the company started its own Flight Department and the pilots were brought in as employees. Great! I thought, now I have a chance since the liability of company pilots flying Gulfstreams and Sikorskys would certainly be as great as the liability of me in my (then) single engine recip.I inquired and a meeting with the head of the flight department and our Risk Mangement director was set up. They informed me that our corporate aviation policy strictly forbids employees outside the flight department flying for business. The only way around the rule would be for me to join the Flight Department and then I would need to follow the same training requirements, which include trips to Flight Safety every six months. That would negate any economic advantage of me flying for business to the company and therefore would not be approved.Occasionally the company charters a Navajo for shorter trips. I now have a Seneca and have more hours than those up front in the Navajo when I go on those occasional trips.Someday, I hope to have my own business and get to put my pilot certificate and airplane to work. Until then, it’s $100 hamburger time.Jack Burton
Welcome To The Aviation Business
I’m not pretending to know all of the issues at Stinson Air Center, but …Until GA (especially commercial) can neuter the insurance costs(plaintants, lawyers, and insurance), GA will not be healthy. $6000 to $8500 per year for insurance for a single can be crippling.We in GA need to somehow put our foot down or we may lose even what we have!Robert Haley
GUMPS
A question came up on another aviation message board about the origin on the memory aid “GUMPS.” I wonder if any of the old timers at AVweb would know?Jerry Plante
Sport Aircraft Question of the Week
In response to the June 2 AVmail from James Critchfield …Since FAA must represent the public, it might be that FAA has EAA in a corner!Doug Nichols
