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When “It Will Never Happen to Me” Happens to You

May 27, 2014/in Personal stories/by studentpltnews

The Case for Non-Owners Insurance You are well on your way to your first solo and you are excited about the chance to pilot your craft by yourself. Along with this new freedom will also come new responsibilities. One of these is the fact that you alone are responsible for this aircraft. Back at your introductory […]

FBO Speak

May 14, 2014/in Tips and technique/by studentpltnews

When “It Will Never Happen to Me” Happens to You

May 27, 2014/in Personal stories/by studentpltnews

FBO Speak

May 14, 2014/in Tips and technique/by studentpltnews

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When “It Will Never Happen to Me” Happens to You

May 27, 2014/in Personal stories/by studentpltnews

The Case for Non-Owners Insurance

You are well on your way to your first solo and you are excited about the chance to pilot your craft by yourself. Along with this new freedom will also come new responsibilities. One of these is the fact that you alone are responsible for this aircraft. Back at your introductory flight you might have even inquired about insurance. Perhaps the instructor had confidently replied “don’t worry, we have insurance.”

But did that mean YOU are insured against loss? Or did it mean the instructor carried insurance or the FBO had insurance if they sustained a loss? Too often, too late, a renter finds out they are not covered in the event of an accident.

What do you mean I need insurance?

Chances are that if you rent a car, your own auto insurance will protect you. Go to a resort and rent skis, chances are your homeowners insurance will protect against a loss. But neither policy will likely cover your escapades in an airplane. The FBO may have coverage against THEIR loss, but often their insurance will attempt to recover their money through a process called subrogation. In other words, the insurance company pays the FBO and then bills you for their costs. Yes, it is legal.

Thankfully, airplane crashes are rare. So rare that one occurring in California will get coverage in newspapers and on TV on the east coast. So your chances of needing insurance are slim, right? Maybe not.

While airplanes seldom wind up as total losses, each day the FAA lists about a dozen accidents and incidents reported to them. Swerving off the runway and hitting one or two runway lights will never make it on the NBC Nightly News, but can make a substantial impact on your wallet.

How much insurance do I need?

There is no one size fits all answer to this question. Let’s take a moment to understand the types of damages for which you may be responsible. From there you can determine your individual tolerance for each risk.

Actual Loss – This is the actual amount of damage that results from an accident or incident. Total losses are rare, but because aircraft are unique by requiring certified parts installed or repaired by a licensed mechanic, even partial losses can run up a substantial bill. Let’s take the aforementioned runway excursion. Damage to the wing, tail and landing gear can total hundreds if not thousands of dollars. If the propeller strikes the light, an engine “tear down” and inspection may cost $20,000 or more! If you hit a drainage ditch and damage the firewall and damage the propeller in the process, the total can easily exceed $50,000.

Loss of Use. The FBO has a rental airplane because, let’s face it, they have renters. At a busy airport the average monthly rental per plane may exceed 50 hours. That is money, on which the FBO could reasonably expect, they will not receive. It is not unusual for the repairs to take a month or longer so expect an additional 5 grand to cover the FBO’s losses.

Diminution of Value – You may know that all maintenance records are kept with the airplane for its entire life. Airframe repairs must be recorded and becomes part of that permanent record. It will vary depending on the age of the airframe, but often appraisers will diminish the value of the airframe 10% for accident repairs.

General Liability – Just as with an automobile, you can be responsible for whatever (or whomever) you hit. Should an accident cause injury to a person, you might be responsible for medical bills, lost wages, etc. Here is a case where existing homeowners may provide some coverage, but you should check with your provider. Even the runway lights mentioned earlier are more than $200 plus installation which may increase that cost another $50 to $75.

The good news: insurance is available and surprisingly affordable.

Not comfortable writing a check for $50,000 or more? Then you should consider purchasing non-owners or “renters” insurance. Reasonable coverage can be purchased from several sources so consider this before you take the airplane out on your own… it can happen to you.

FBO Speak

May 14, 2014/in Tips and technique/by studentpltnews

Interacting with the local FBO (Fixed Base Operator) isn’t something you’ll typically learn as part of a standard training curriculum at your local flight school. But yet we depend on FBOs to take advantage of everything we do in aviation – the gateway between the free skies and rest of the world. Learning the ins and outs of “FBO speak”, FBO culture and standard practices will make for a much more enjoyable flying experience and give you the confidence and insight to go new places and try new things.

Part of the challenge of taming the FBO world could very well be that no two FBOs are created equal. This may be a bit of an exaggeration today as mergers and acquisitions have given rise to big chains with predictable service, but there can be subtle nuances even among the same brand. And for sure local practices vary. If this sounds confusing or intimidating, please read on…there is universal language to get you by at any FBO.

Hours of Operation – believe half of what you read and none of what you hear. One of the more challenging aspects of FBO interaction is unlocking the mystery of operating hours. And for all of you bargain fuel price hunters, there’s a strong correlation of low fuel price to unpredictable availability. My advice would be to a) don’t believe what’s published on the website or sign and b) always call to verify that you’ll be able to receive service. The wrong time to figure out real FBO hours is Sunday evening, low on fuel, on the way back home.

Arrivals – call ahead to avoid surprises. You’ll find that most FBOs offer plenty of parking space and can handle about any aircraft that shows up on the ramp; however, most pilots are planners and don’t wish to leave anything to chance. Call ahead to check on any particular service you may need. This can be done via telephone, email or use the published radio frequency to call when you’re about 10 minutes away from the ramp. The busier FBOs will appreciate the advance notice. And if you need to perform a quick turnaround, the call-ahead will ensure the fuel truck is ready upon your arrival.

Parking – take it slow and keep your head on a swivel. The well-staffed FBOs will likely have line personnel (those working on the ramp) to direct you to parking. Once a lineman begins to offer hand signals (more on that shortly) for aircraft maneuvering, trust but verify. The ramp area is full of hidden obstacles and plenty of distractions so confirm what you’re being instructed to do will keep you out of trouble.

If you’re taxing on to an FBO ramp off hours with no personnel, take cues from how other aircraft are parked or positioned and if possible, park into the wind. And if it’s dark, lookout for low fences and other hidden obstacles. Don’t believe an FBO will always have tie-downs or ropes so either call ahead or better yet, invest in a tie-down kit for the back of the airplane.

DO NOT LEAVE YOUR PARKING BRAKE SET. FBOs appreciate the flexibility of being able to move airplanes to more convenient locations or to remote areas if staying for an extended period. And if you’re parking in an area prone to severe weather, you’ll appreciate the FBO taking the liberty of moving your aircraft to a safe location if need be.

LOCK UP because not everyone is honest and your headset, iPad, etc. are valuable. Further, security regulations require your aircraft be properly secured. There are pilots who have been flying for years who have never locked the aircraft, so may want to confirm your key will work and the locking mechanism is fully functional ahead of your trip.

Hand Signals – for effective communication to take place there must be a sender of information and able receiver. Hand signals do no good if only the sender (lineman) understands the message.

My friend, Jason, FBO Manager of Eastern Cincinnati Aviation at Clermont County Airport, confirms that hand signal communication is a shortcoming of the general aviation community. Such miscommunication can wreak havoc on a crowded ramp. The Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM) dedicates a section to hand signals. This is critically important, often overlooked information. Take time to learn the basic hand signals before going solo to a new FBO.

Ground Transportation – proper planning for ground transportation can make or break a trip. Many FBOs offer “crew” or “courtesy” cars and some even advertise this fact on websites or other FBO listing websites. Courtesy cars are simply vehicles that are loaned free to customers for short amounts of time – like an hour or two, not a 3-day weekend. The custom is to keep the car clean and return it in as good or better condition than you found it with at least as much gas as when you left.

If you require a car for a longer period of time or courtesy cars aren’t available, you can check on the availability of cabs if you’re going to a relatively large city or arrange for a rental car. Many rental car companies have relationships with FBOs that either allow the FBO to rent directly or allow cars to be delivered and dropped off at the FBO. This is not always obvious if using rental car company websites. It may require a call to the FBO or call to the local car rental office. I’ve found that even if a formal relationship doesn’t exist with the FBO, some local offices are happy to drop a car off at your airport location.

And don’t forget about the possibility of a free hotel shuttle.

Fueling – you want to get this one right. To borrow a previously used term, trust but verify. Don’t assume FBO personnel are experts on your type aircraft and don’t trust that fuel orders are always relayed accurately. If you’re not in a position to supervise the refueling of your aircraft, it’s certainly acceptable to make a call to check on the fueling status and of course, perform a thorough preflight and check of the tanks prior to departing.

Self-serve fuel is becoming more readily available and it’s often cheaper and accessible 24 hours per day. For your first self-fueling, I’d recommend getting supervision at your home airport or even observe the local FBO refueling an airplane. You’ll want to know how to position the nozzle, where to stand, and most importantly, where to ground the airplane.

As an aircraft flies through the air, it can accumulate static electricity. If the electricity is not dissipated before fueling, an arc could occur and ignite vapors. To prevent a potential arc, aircraft are electrically bonded to the fueling station/truck and not disconnected until after fueling is complete.

Weather and flight planning – you may not always have internet access. As hard as it may be to believe, high speed internet service is NOT available everywhere. The point here is to have more than one trick in your bag for weather data and/or flight plan filing should your first option not be available. Flight service via telephone could be your only option.

Departing – be mindful and considerate of your surroundings. Not all FBOs or airports allow vehicles to be driven on to a ramp. Always check with personnel before driving your bags directly to the airplane.

Remember that aircraft are loud and kick up a lot of wind which can be damaging to other aircraft and to any open doors. Be sure there is plenty of maneuvering room from where you start and that your taxi path won’t blow items around through an open hangar door.

It’s also courteous to avoid long periods on a crowded ramp or near a building with the engine running and NEVER perform an aircraft run-up in a parking area. Also keep in mind there could be line personnel waiting to dispatch your aircraft from its parking space. After completing that after start check, use gentle applications of power to carefully maneuver the airplane to a location away from people and buildings. Even at towered airports, there is generally a non-movement area that you may maneuver your airplane in without obtaining a clearance to do so. This is usually anywhere on an FBO’s ramp.

PIREPs – help other pilots understand the ins and outs by providing feedback. Any numbers of FBO listing sites or apps allow pilots to leave feedback. We want FBOs to flourish to ensure this vital infrastructure is around and successful for years to come. Help fellow pilots by providing insightful information and be encouraging whenever possible of patronizing your favorite FBOs.

What helpful tips or lessons would you share related to FBOs?

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When “It Will Never Happen to Me” Happens to You

FBO Speak

When “It Will Never Happen to Me” Happens to You

FBO Speak

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When “It Will Never Happen to Me” Happens to You

FBO Speak

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