Recent Articles
5 Great Tech Stops in Australia and the Pacific Islands for Business Aviation – and Why
This aviation blog post is part of a series on great technical stops for business aviation. When overflying vast areas of ocean and very remote regions such as the South Pacific, it’s important to carefully plan tech stops – and alternate tech stops. For business aircraft operators, many good tech stops exist in Australia and [...]
Tips on Picking an Airport in Paris for a Business Aviation Flight
This business aviation blog post is part of a series on operating to France. Paris Le Bourget (LFPB) is one of the most business aviation-friendly airports in Europe in terms of operating flexibility, available services and maintenance support. There are, however, other airport options to consider when operating to Paris. A 3rd-party provider can help [...]
Tips on Picking an Airport in Madrid, Spain, for Business Aviation
Madrid offers two airports for business aircraft: Torrejon (LETO) and Barajas (LEMD). Most operators choose Torrejon (LETO) due to the size of their aircraft. However, depending on your trip, Barajas (LEMD) may be your only option, as it is able to accommodate after-hours’ operations, as well as large General Aviation (GA) aircraft. If you are [...]
Alternate Aircraft Parking Locations for Italy During the Summer Months
Italian luxury tax legislation has now been revised to allow non-Italian private non-revenue operators to remain in the country for up to 45 consecutive days without being taxed. Charter (non-scheduled commercial) flights are exempt from this regulation. However, in Italy, an operator still needs to take into account traffic increases during the summer months. Many [...]
Reader Question Day: Operating to Sanctioned Countries
Here is this week’s business aviation question: On average, how many times per year do you receive requests to operate to sanctioned or restricted countries? You can answer by taking the poll below. Results will be posted in real-time. Remember, you can still participate in and see the results of our earlier business aviation polls. [...]
EBACE2012 Special: Planning a Business Aviation Trip to Europe
Over the past four months since we first started this business aviation blog, we’ve released a number of articles covering business aviation operations to, from and within Europe. The 2012 European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition is jointly sponsored by the National Business Aviation Association and the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA). As this convention is taking place next week, we thought it would be useful to compile these recent articles together [...]
Flying Your Business Jet to the Venice International Film Festival
This year’s 69th Annual Venice International Film Festival runs from 29 August through 8 September 2012. Every year, Venice sees an influx of aircraft traffic during this mid-summer festival. Throughout this time period, you should expect possible airport and city congestion. As always, business aircraft operators should take steps to plan ahead. Here are some [...]
New IRS Taxation of Managed Aircraft: 4 Updates and 3 Questions for Aircraft Owners (Part 2 of 2)
This is a post by guest author Dave Weil. Dave was asked to contribute to this blog because of his expertise in tax issues impacting business aviation. Any thoughts expressed below are entirely Dave’s and do not necessarily reflect the views of Universal Weather and Aviation, Inc. This aviation-blog post is the second part of [...]
In-flight Catering for the 2012 London Olympic Games
This business aviation blog post is part of a series on planning for the 2012 London Olympic Games. With sufficient notice, UK-based in-flight caterers can source just about any food request needed for your business aviation flight. A wide range of options are available within this multi-cultural region. In preparation for the upcoming Olympics period, [...]
Reader Question Day: Constraints When Operating to Volatile Areas
Here is this week’s business aviation question: From a risk standpoint, which of the following constrains your operation most when considering operating to a volatile area? You can answer by taking the poll below. Results will be posted in real-time. Remember, you can still participate in and see the results of our earlier business aviation [...]
6 FAQs about Using Your Border Overflight Exemption
This aviation blog post is part of a series on border overflight exemptions for business aviation. A Border Overflight Exemption (BOE) is a valuable asset in improving overall operational flexibility. However, it’s important to be aware of inherent limitations. In most circumstances, you can’t use your BOE to return to the U.S. from south of [...]
How to Select a VAT Recovery Program: Tips for Business Aviation Operators
This aviation blog post is part of a series on tax issues impacting business jet operators. Valued Added Tax (VAT) can add 15-25% to all aircraft- and business-related expenses while in the European Union (EU). The good news is that these taxes, in many cases, can be exempted at the pump or reclaimed after the [...]
UEFA Champions League Final in Munich: 4 Tips for BizAv Operators
The UEFA Champions League final will take place in Munich (EDDM) on 19 May 2012. As this final is fast approaching, there are a few things to keep in mind for that period of time which may impact your business aviation operation: High traffic for the city of Munich due to the final Increased traffic [...]
Understanding SMS Programs for Business Aviation
This aviation blog post is part of a series on safety management systems for business aviation. A Safety Management System (SMS) can be a tricky area and hot topic for many business aviation operators who want to implement a program like it. These operators may have misconceptions about what an SMS actually is, what it [...]
Reader Question Day: Short-notice Trips
Here is this week’s business aviation question: What is the biggest concern you have when planning a short-notice trip? You can answer by taking the poll below. Results will be posted in real-time. Remember, you can still participate in and see the results of our earlier business aviation polls. Thank you for reading Operational Insight [...]
3 Critical Things to Know about New IRS Taxation of Managed Aircraft (Part 1 of 2)
This is a post by guest author Dave Weil. Dave was asked to contribute to this blog because of his expertise in tax issues impacting business aviation. Any thoughts expressed below are entirely Dave’s and do not necessarily reflect the views of Universal Weather and Aviation, Inc. This aviation blog post is the first part [...]
UEFA Euro 2012: Tips for Business Jet Operators Flying to Poland and Ukraine
The 2012 UEFA European Football Championship (“EURO 2012”) will be hosted in eight different cities across Poland and Ukraine between 8 June and 1 July 2012. This championship tournament occurs only once every four years, so business jet operators should expect high traffic and take extra steps to plan ahead if operating to any of [...]
How Cabotage Regulations May Impact Your Flight
Cabotage is the transport of goods or passengers between two points in the same country by an aircraft registered in another country. The application of this regulation varies from country to country and changes from time to time. Penalties for cabotage violations range from fines, to payment of all applicable duties and taxes, to seizure [...]
International Flight Planning 301: 6 Tips for Routes, Permits, and Revisions
This aviation blog post is part of a series on international flight planning for business jet operators and continues from our last post “International Flight Planning 201: Random Routes and Route Restrictions.” For business-aviation flights, your ability to revise routes and permits varies depending upon the region of the world and reasons for the revision. [...]
Reader Question Day: Identifying Aircraft Equipment Requirements for International Ops
Here is this week’s business aviation question: How do you most often find out about the latest information regarding aircraft equipment (e.g., TCAS II, RVSM etc.) needed for worldwide operations? You can answer by taking the poll below. Results will be posted in real-time. Remember, you can still participate in and see the results of [...]
5 Great Tech Stops in the South American Region for Business Aviation – and Why
This business aviation blog post is part of a series on great technical stops for business aviation. Tech-stop choices depend, of course, upon your itinerary and great circle routing. However, for business-aviation operators, there are plenty of 24-hour, fast, and efficient tech-stop options within the South American region. While jet-fuel availability is not a problem [...]
Charter Flight Documents: Key Considerations for Charter Operators (Part 2)
This business aviation blog post is part of a series on charter flights and continues from Part 1 on Charter Flight Documents. Charter (also known as non-scheduled commercial) permit-documentation needs differ by country. Be aware of lead times, requests for documentation, and special forms required from certain countries. The best practice is to source or [...]
Pitfalls of Booking Airport Slots and Services for the 2012 London Olympic Games
This aviation blog post is part of a series on operating to London for the 2012 Olympics. If you are a business-aviation operator planning a trip to the 2012 London Olympics, it’s important to know the best procedure for booking airport slots, ground handling and auxiliary services. Over the Olympic Games period this summer, a [...]
International Flight Planning 201: Random Routes and Route Restrictions
This aviation blog post is part of a series on international flight planning for business jet operators and continues from our last post titled “International Flight Planning 101: 5 Things to Know before You Start.” For business-aviation flights, random routes (any routes not established or charted/published or otherwise available to all users) are available in [...]
Reader Question Day: Selecting Tech Stops
Here is this week’s question: What is the most important factor in determining a tech stop for your trip? You can answer by taking the poll below. Results will be posted in real-time. Remember, you can still participate in and see the results of our earlier business aviation polls. Thank you for reading Operational Insight [...]
6 Great Tech Stops in the Caribbean Region for Business Aviation – and Why
This business aviation blog post is part of a series on great technical stops for business aviation. For business jet operators, Caribbean tech stops are among the fastest, easiest and most straightforward in the world. We hear of few operators not receiving quick and efficient turns within this region. While paperwork and advance notice requirements [...]
Charter Flight Documents: Key Considerations for Charter Operators (Part 1)
This business aviation blog post is part of a series on charter flights. Documentation requirements are often more challenging for charter (non-scheduled commercial) operations than for private non-revenue operations. Charter operators may not be fully familiar with unique charter-specific documentation requirements for certain countries, and this has the potential of causing operational delays. In some [...]
Flying with an Experimental Operating Certificate: 3 Tips for International Operations
This aviation blog post is part of a series on operating with an experimental airworthiness certificate and continues from our last post “Operating with an Experimental Airworthiness Certificate: 7 Tips for Pre-flight Planning“. For operators of business jets, operating internationally under an experimental certificate does not have to be a difficult or operationally limiting experience. [...]
International Flight Planning 101: 5 Things to Know before You Start
This aviation blog post is part of a series on international flight planning for business jet operators. For business aviation operators flying internationally, airway and route planning is always a key consideration. The reasoning for this consideration is a range of airway restrictions worldwide: one-way airways, timed airways, domestic only or airline-only airways, as well [...]
Reader Question Day: Time-Consuming Tasks for Flight Crews
Here is this week’s question: Which of the following do you as flight crew spend more of your time on? You can answer by taking the poll below. Results will be posted in real-time. Remember, you can still participate in and see the results of our earlier business aviation polls. Thank you for reading Operational [...]
