Joseph Carfagna Jr.

News and developments about airplanes, helicopters and unmanned air vehicles used in all varieties of operations, including airlines, military, business, commercial, general aviation and private.

News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.

Now is the time to start shopping for a business aircraft

AINsight: Planning To Buy for the First Time or Upgrade?

Stuart “Kipp” Lau

News and developments about aviation fuel, including jet fuel, aviation gasoline, and biofuel.

News and information on safety procedures and concerns.

News and issues relating to international air transport and cargo carriers, national airlines and regional airlines, including aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

How to calculate an aircraft fuel load that is just right

AINsight: Goldilocks Approach to Aircraft Fuel Planning

Sheryl Barden

News about simulators and training procedures, as well as workforce.

Making and maintaining industry connections is essential

AINsight: Staying Connected Is Part of the Job

David G. Mayer

Don’t go it alone on business aircraft transactions

AINsight: Why Buying a Bizjet Is Like No Other Deal

Julie Boatman

News and issues concerning general aviation, specifically airplanes and helicopters powered by piston and alternative engines (i.e., non-turbine powered aircraft). Subjects include aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

Ground accidents all too common across operations

Expert Opinion: Taxiing Hazards and Letting Your Guard Down

Performing a rejected takeoff is the easy part, but pre- and post-incident requires more thought

AINsight: What To Do before and after a Rejected Takeoff

Reflect on your wins before next year’s pressures take over

AINsight: Why You Need a Year-end Debrief

Robert Sancetta

News about bills, laws, regulations and other governmental decisions affecting aviation and aerospace. Topics include FAA re-authorizations, taxes on fuel and aviation activities, environmental legislation, ICAO decisions, governmental mediation of labor conflicts and World Trade Organization disputes and decisions.

Preventative testing can help pilots avoid bigger problems later on

AINsight: Navigating Screening Medical Testing for Pilots

Matt Thurber

News and issues about aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), covering all segments of the aviation industry; and modifications for aircraft and engines. Subjects include product support of aircraft, engines and avionics, MRO company mergers, acquisitions, announcements and personnel, Airworthiness Directives, Supplemental Type Certificate approvals and other topics.

The more work required on an aircraft, the more mechanics are needed

AINsight: Reducing the Mx Burden Could Help Aviation

News about significant aircraft accidents and information from accident reports.

Continuation of an unstabilized approach nearly led to disaster

AINsight: FMS Error Results in Near-CFIT Accident

Commuting crews can work for some business aircraft operators

AINsight: When Home Isn’t Where the Hangar Is

Many find navigating the legal and tax issues are more than worth it for charity flights

AINsight: Three Top Issues in Charitable Flights

Aircraft transactions up since Labor Day, expected to accelerate in Q4

AINsight: Bonus Depreciation Brings Bizav Boom

Hiring starts with hope, but the key is to make the match last

AINsight: Retention Starts with the Right Match

Runway excursions account for a third of business aviation accidents

AINsight: What’s Going On with Bizav Runway Excursions?

ECGs are required for pilots over 35 with an FAA first-class aeromedical

AINsight: The Screening Electrocardiogram for Pilots

Charles Alcock

News and information about crew, passenger, aircraft and airport security issues.

Candid discussions at AIN’s CALS Europe Summit were revealing

AINsight: Euro Bizav Leaders Get Real about Challenges

Julie Clark and “Fig” Newton share insights for aviation’s next generation

AINsight: Leadership Lessons from Aviation Hall of Famers

New developments at airports including regulations and noise issues; legal disputes; openings, acquisitions and mergers.

Two aircraft overshot runways but were saved by an engineered materials arresting system

AINsight: The Dangers of a High-energy Approach

Issues regarding financing of aircraft; aviation insurance; tax issues for aircraft operators; new companies and people in the aviation financing and insurance industries.

Buying a private jet, or a fraction of one, is a viable option

AINsight: How the Ultra-wealthy Buy Private Jets Today 

Jim Stabile

News about environmental issues relating to aircraft operations, including noise issues, emissisions, and regulations. See Fuel for biofuel.

Higher diversion altitudes allowed by onboard oxygen use reduce aircraft fuel burn

AINsight: Enhancing Sustainability Via Fuel and Oxygen

Overbearing financial scrutiny of a flight department risks increasing employee turnover and decreasing safety

AINsight: Department of Pilot Efficiency (DOPE)

Truth, respect, culture, and transparency go a long way

AINsight: Six Ways To Win Over Bizav Job Seekers

It’s often difficult to tell if FAA aeromedical decision letters bring good or bad news

AINsight: Reading between the Lines in FAA Letters

Delaying purchase plans to year-end could lead to fewer choices and less time for due diligence

AINsight: Don’t Wait To Buy That Big, Beautiful Bizjet

LOC-I is far and away the top cause of fatal aircraft accidents

AINsight: LOC-I Is a Killer in Aviation

Aviation industry needs to think differently to reach future generation of workers

AINsight: We Need To Recruit 2nd Graders and Their Parents

FAA has improved on privacy issues

AINsight: Bizjet Owner Privacy Challenges and Solutions

FAA program allows many AMEs to issue medicals on the spot for pilots with stabilized cancers

AINsight: Cancer and Flying, Part 2

Flight deck security continues to be an issue and doesn’t seem to acknowledge safety concerns

AINsight: Will Secondary Doors Be a Flying Jail Cell?

Training programs need to take the needs of small flight departments into account

AINsight: Why Small Aviation Teams Need Big Support

Laser strikes can cause temporary or permanent eye injury to pilots

AINsight: Don’t Turn a Blind Eye to Aircraft Laser Strikes

Curt Epstein

New developments at FBOs including regulations and noise issues; legal disputes; openings, acquisitions and mergers.

A drawer full of old shirts speaks to industry changes

AINsight: NBAA Forum Stirs Memories of FBOs Past

How to be an employer of choice

AINsight: Be the Bizav Org Everyone Wants To Join

News and issues relating to the aerospace industry that are related to the science, engineering and business of flight in space involving civil, industrial and military applications, and similar topics related to flight in the atmosphere of the Earth that are not covered more directly by other AINonline subject channels. In other words, both astronautical and aeronautical subjects, except for those aeronautical topics that are specifically covered elsewhere on this website.

“You cannot cut corners on pilot training”

AINsight: Boeing 737 Max Crashes and Lessons Learned

But with cash, financing, or leasing?

AINsight: 3 Ways To Buy a Plane Amid Tariff Uncertainty

Improper rudder use can lead to loss of control in aircraft

AINsight: Focus on the Rudder and LOC-I Accidents

Fixating solely on salaries is shortsighted

AINsight: Culture Is Your Competitive Advantage

Most pilots can continue flying even with a cancer diagnosis

AINsight: Cancer and Flying, Part 1

Punishing flight crewmembers for mistakes impedes safety advancements

AINsight: Criminalization in Aviation a Genuine Concern

Costs to replace a critical flight department employee can easily be in the six-figure range

AINsight: Hidden Cost of Losing a Senior Maintenance Technician

Industry must be promoted as a long-term career, not just a stepping stone

AINsight: The Bizav Pilot Pipeline Predicament

Ever-shifting U.S. strategy adds complexity and costs to business aircraft transactions

AINsight: How Tariffs Hit Aircraft Sales and Financing

Global 5000 accident exposes major safety issues

AINsight: An Eye-opening Lesson on Eye-to-wheel Height

Don’t overlook maintenance directors’ skills when looking for a flight department leader

AINsight: From DOM to DOA

A pilot's foremost responsibility medically is to assess their fitness to fly

AINsight: Too Sick To Fly, Part 2

News and issues concerning the aviation charter and fractional-ownership industries and markets, including company announcements, regulations, new developments and labor issues.

U.S. executives hail ‘Trump bump’ but acknowledge some cause for concern 

AINsight: Business Aviation Outlook Shows Wider Transatlantic Gap

Exploring pathways in aircraft brokerage for the NextGen

AINsight: Private Aircraft Broker Career Pathways

Mishaps started with flight crews not responding correctly to flight control warnings on takeoff

AINsight: Recent Bizav Accidents Are Head-scratchers

Chris Lutat

Knowing FMS and debrief protocols are important 'Ins' for 2025

What’s In and What’s Out for 2025: You Decide

Managerial courage and emotional intelligence help create a culture where employees feel valued

AINsight: Two Skills That Make or Break Aviation Leaders

Fly privately on your own aircraft for less

AINsight: Aircraft Fractional Shares 101

Pilots must be aware of when known icing is present and prepare

Knowing the Known in Icing

News and issues relating to civil and military unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) of all kinds and sizes, including those used for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), combat (unmanned combat air vehicles, or UCAVs), law enforcement, research and other applications. Of particular focus is the FAA's planned integration of UAS into the U.S. national airspace system.

NASA ASRS database gives insight into drone safety

AINsight: Nothing Mysterious About This Drone Report

If a pilot has to ask, they probably should stay grounded for now

AINsight: Could You Be Too Sick to Fly?

Now is the best time to plan the rest of your career

AINsight: Plan Your Future, Own It

Chad Trautvetter

Green marketing for aircraft biofuels doesn't resonate with a conservative audience

Expert Opinion

Insights and analysis from AIN’s industry veterans.

AINsight: Planning To Buy for the First Time or Upgrade?

Now is the time to start shopping for a business aircraft

AINsight: Goldilocks Approach to Aircraft Fuel Planning

How to calculate an aircraft fuel load that is just right

AINsight: Staying Connected Is Part of the Job

Making and maintaining industry connections is essential

AINsight: Why Buying a Bizjet Is Like No Other Deal

Don’t go it alone on business aircraft transactions

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