Month: October 2022

New Jersey American Water Conducts Second Annual Drone Emergency Response Drill

Kim Stevens

New Jersey American Water conducted a functional exercise with the National Aerospace Research and Technology Park (NARTP) to demonstrate how Unmanned Aircraft Systems can be used to support natural disaster recovery efforts across New Jersey. This year’s exercise, conducted in collaboration with national, regional and local emergency management and government agencies, focused on improving the efficiency and coordination of response efforts following a major flood.

“As severe storms and flooding continue to impact New Jersey, it is critical that we consider how best to improve future response efforts by utilizing available technology and enhancing opportunities for coordination,” said Mark McDonough, President, New Jersey American Water. “New Jersey American Water has a critical duty as an essential service provider to do everything we can to try to maintain operations and reliability for our customers—even when an unexpected disaster strikes. While natural disasters such as floods may be largely uncontrollable, we can control how we respond and how quickly we respond through the investments and decisions we make today.”

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Today’s event followed a successful tabletop exercise held on October 13, 2022, at New Jersey American Water’s headquarters in Camden. During the tabletop exercise, various participants from local, state and federal government agencies, industry partners and emergency management agencies met to plan and coordinate how to best incorporate the use of drones to improve and inform traditional emergency response and Search and Rescue operations.

This year’s drill was conducted as the state approaches the 10-year anniversary of Hurricane Sandy. Nearly a decade later, New Jersey has experienced several damaging floods and natural disasters, serving as an unfortunate reminder of the need for UAS technology to accelerate response, improve coordination between first responders, government agencies and essential service providers and safe lives.

“Events such as today’s, demonstrate the benefit of investing in state-of-the-art UAS technology to adequately assess damage and provide critical real-time imagery and intelligence,” said Howard Kyle, President/CEO, NARTP. “We feel that today’s exercise also demonstrates an important need for change. Current Federal Aviation Administration guidelines do not permit immediate reconnaissance drone flights following a major storm or flood. New Jersey has the opportunity to improve our protocol and response efforts to improve efficiency, and now is the time to act on this and be a leader in this space.”

During the flood exercise, multiple aircrafts were dispatched to locations in Atlantic and Somerset counties, including New Jersey American Water’s Raritan-Millstone Plant and Ocean City water and wastewater distribution system. UAS flight and live imagery data was streamed in real-time to the NARTP “Thunder Room” in Egg Harbor Township, where industry partners, regulators and public safety officials gathered to watch the simulation.

The exercise was led by New Jersey American Water and NARTP and conducted in collaboration with industry partners and various local, state and federal agencies including:

•             American Aerospace Technologies Inc.

•             Atlantic City Fire Dept.

•             Atlantic City OEM

•             Cape May PD

•             Censys Technologies

•             FAA SOSC

•             Iris Automation

•             New Jersey Innovation Institute

•             New Jersey State Police

•             NJ Office of Emergency Mgt.

•             Somerset County OEM

•             U.S. Coast Guard, SDB

•             Unmanned Safety Institute

Greenville-Spartanburg Names Vice President/Chief Commercial Officer

Kim Stevens

Steven Baldwin Associates has announced the selection of Deven Judd, A.A.E., IAP, PMP as Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer at the Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP) in Greer, South Carolina. The Airport is owned and operated by Greenville-Spartanburg Airport District.

Deven Judd

Judd has served as the Director, Concessions Development for the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) in D.C. since 2016 while also serving as acting Vice President, Marketing & Consumer Strategy from 2021 to May 2022. Prior to his work with MWAA, Judd held the positions of Concessions Business Development Manager at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Project Consultant for Jacobsen/Daniels Associates, and Business Development & Properties Administrator for Jacksonville Aviation Authority in Florida.

Judd is an industry professional with over 20 years airport executive leadership experience and during his career has developed and led a wide variety of revenue initiatives as well as successfully managed concessions programs generating over $100M in annual revenues. Deven has a B.S. in Aviation Management from Hampton University as well as an MBA from the University of North Florida. Deven is also an Accredited Airport Executive (A.A.E.), an International Airport Professional (IAP), and a Project Management Professional (PMP).

Judd is responsible for the strategic direction of the customer and concessions departments of the Reagan National and Dulles International Airports, which generate over $107M in revenues. Deven has extensive experience in revenue forecasting, contract administration, lease/contract negotiations, capital improvement planning, and land acquisitions.

Regarding his new appointment, Judd stated, “I am honored and excited to join the award-winning team at the Greenville-Spartanburg Airport District and I look forward to meeting and working with all of the tenants, stakeholders, and partners to the Airport and region. I am looking forward to contributing to the continued growth of the Airport and exceeding the expectation of the District.”

President and CEO, David Edwards, stated, “I am extremely excited to have Deven join the GSP Team. His past experience in multiple areas of airport commercial business will be a tremendous asset for the District. His passion for the industry is evident and it will continue to serve him well as the District looks to take our commercial business programs to the next level. Deven’s involvement as a leader at the industry level through several of our association groups is terrific. His peers in the industry hold him in high regard. I am truly looking forward to having Deven begin the next chapter of his career here with us.”

Fifteen Manitoba Airports to Receive Funding for Safety Improvements

Kim Stevens

The Minister of Transport, the Honorable Omar Alghabra, announced that the Government of Canada is making important safety investments at local and regional airports in Manitoba.

Through Transport Canada’s Airports Capital Assistance Program, 15 airports in Manitoba will receive over $5.1 million from the Government of Canada for projects and equipment that will help maintain safe airport operations for passengers, crews, and airport workers. The airports receiving funding are:

Berens River – to purchase a compactor (tow behind) – $50,000

Bloodvein River – to purchase a compactor (tow behind) – $50,000; to install wildlife control fencing – $940,655

Flin Flon – to purchase runway friction tester – $6,420; to purchase a grader – $438,000; to replace runway approach lighting – $90,329

Gods Lake Narrows – to purchase a compactor (tow behind) – $50,000; to purchase a loader mounted snow blower – $210,000

Norway House – to purchase a compactor (tow behind) – $50,000

Oxford House – to purchase a compactor (tow behind) – $50,000

Pukatawagan – to purchase a compactor (tow behind) – $50,000

Red Sucker Lake – to purchase a compactor (tow behind) – $50,000

South Indian Lake – to purchase a compactor (tow behind) – $50,000

St. Andrews – to purchase a sweeper – $395,200

St. Theresa Point – to purchase a compactor (tow behind) – $50,000

Tadoule Lake – to purchase a compactor (tow behind) – $50,000; to install wildlife control fencing – $1,029,573

The Pas/Grace Lake – to purchase a loader mounted snow blower – $234,000

Thompson – to purchase a snowplow – $358,960

York Landing – to install wildlife control fencing – $926,610

The equipment will be used in maintaining aircraft movement surfaces and the removal and control of ice and snow from airside surfaces such as runways, taxiways and the apron. For airports with a gravel runway, a compactor is used to compress the gravel on the runway, creating a stable surface for safe landing and takeoff operations. The wildlife fencing will keep large mammals away from secure airfield areas.

This funding is in addition to the more than $20.8 million provided under the Program in 2021 to support safety-related projects at the Flin Flon, Gods Lake Narrows, Lac Brochet, Red Sucker Lake, Shamattawa, and Thompson airports.

“Airports play a crucial role in keeping Canadians connected across our vast country, and the last two years have only underscored this,” said Minister Alghabra. “Today’s investment of over $5.1 million for 15 airports across Manitoba is great news for the region’s air sector and for the communities these airports serve. Investments like these will ensure that our air sector comes out strong as we enter post-pandemic recovery, and help us keep our commitment to building safer, stronger communities.”

Windsor International Airport to Receive Safety Investments from Canadian Government

Kim Stevens

The Minister of Transport, the Honorable Omar Alghabra, announced that the Government of Canada is making important safety investments at the Windsor International Airport.

Through Transport Canada’s Airports Capital Assistance Program, the Government of Canada is providing the airport with $180,000 for the purchase of a 4×2 plow truck to be used to remove and control snow and ice.

This investment is in addition to the more than $200,000 provided to the airport under the Program in May 2021, to purchase a loader.

This funding will ensure continued safe and reliable airport operations for residents, not only for personal and business travel, but also for access to routine and emergency medical care in larger centers.

“Local and regional airports like the Windsor International Airport are critical to the communities they serve, whether it be for staying connected with loved ones, or for accessing critical services,” said Minister Alghabra. “This investment will make a real difference for Windsor International Airport and ensure the communities that rely on it continue to be able to access safe and reliable air transportation options.”

Stephens Named NATA Vice President of Regulatory Affairs, McGraw Stays on as Senior Advisor (Security)

Kim Stevens

The National Air Transportation Association (NATA) has announced that Alan Stephens, former FAA Flight Standards’ Acting Deputy Director of the Office of Air Carrier Safety Assurance (ACSA), has been named Vice President of Regulatory Affairs. Stephens will take over as department head from John McGraw, who will continue to foster collaboration and connectivity between the Transportation Security Administration and industry in his new role as NATA Senior Advisor (Security).

Alan Stephens

“John McGraw’s achievements as NATA Vice President of Regulatory Affairs over the past 10 years are impressive. He has been instrumental in ensuring general aviation and on-demand carrier operations receive equitable access to key airports; safeguarding the continuation of essential aviation operations throughout the pandemic; and fostering collaborative, consensus-based standards in charter operations training approaches as Chair of several ACT ARC Working Groups,” stated NATA President and CEO Curt Castagna. “NATA’s staff and membership are grateful for John’s expertise, guidance, and continued efforts to produce progress through partnership.”

“I am blessed to have worked alongside the talented NATA team for the past 10 years as Vice President of Regulatory Affairs and now as Senior Advisor (Security). The NATA staff is dedicated, providing invaluable services to our members and creating significant impact as industry advocates,” said John McGraw. “I am excited to see the regulatory team continue to evolve, and its work elevate with Alan Stephens as department lead.”

Prior to joining NATA, Stephens held several key leadership positions at the FAA until his retirement in September 2021. In his role as Flight Standards’ Acting Deputy Director of the Office of ACSA, Stephens oversaw three Divisions providing oversight for 33 Part 121 Certificates.

Stephens began his career at the FAA as an Aviation Safety Inspector (Avionics) in September of 2001. Subsequently he served as Avionics MD-10/11 Partial Program Manager, providing oversight on the FedEx Part 121 Certificate; Remotely Sited Inspection Supervisor; Avionics Unit Supervisor; Supervisory Principal Avionics Inspector; Assistant Manager and then Manager of the FedEx Certificate Management Office (CMO); Associate Division Manager for the legacy Central Region; and Manager of Air Carrier C Division, Office of Air Carrier Safety Assurance.

Stephens also served in enlisted and officer roles in the Tennessee Air National Guard from February of 1981 to his retirement in July of 2015.

Stephens is a graduate of the Federal Executive Institute and holds a bachelor’s degree in Professional Aeronautics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University as well as associate degrees in Avionics Systems Technology from the Community College of the Air Force and Telecommunication Engineering Technology from Southwest Community College in Memphis. “Alan brings more than 40 years of aviation experience, including nearly two decades in various roles at the FAA, and we are thrilled that he will be leading NATA’s regulatory affairs efforts,” said NATA President and CEO Curt Castagna. “Alan’s vast aviation knowledge, agency experience, and strategic skill will be invaluable to charting a path forward for our members on all regulatory fronts. His initial focus will be on prioritizing industry issue resolution, member feedback, and NATA representation on key industry stakeholder committees. We look forward to Alan continuing to build on the progress made by John McGraw.”

Massachusetts Airport Managers Look Outward as They Chart the Future of Aviation

Kim Stevens

Photo above – State Senator John C. Velis addresses the delegates at the 2022 MAMA Annual Conference.

More than 130 delegates to the Massachusetts Airport Management Annual Conference addressed a wide range of topics as the organization celebrated its 50th Anniversary at the MGM Hotel in Springfield, MA (Oct 23-25).

Airport Managers, consultants, service providers and officials from the FAA Regional office and the MassDOT Aeronautics Division focused on topics ranging from modernizing airport electrical capacity, preparing for a future without 100LL avgas, improving workforce development and funding opportunities from the Bi-Partisan Infrastructure Legislation.

A major emphasis was placed on ways to educate legislators and local, regional and federal officials about the role that an airport plays not just on that local community, but the national airport system.

State Senator John C. Velis, Co-Chair of the Massachusetts Aviation Caucus made it clear the caucus is aware of aviation in the Commonwealth. He told delegates, “As Co-Chair of the Legislature’s Aviation Caucus, it is fantastic to join MAMA at your 2022 conference. Our airports bring enormous benefits to our Commonwealth’s economy and workforce and allow Massachusetts to remain connected to so many other regions and opportunities. I am grateful to have participated in this important discussion on how elected officials can best work together with airports and commissioners to advance our Commonwealth’s aviation industry.” He went on to say that it was critical that airports invite local officials out to see all the economic and social value that airports provide. Co-Chair of the Legislature’s Aviation Caucus is Representative Natalie Blais.

The Massachusetts Airport Management Association (MAMA) is a non-profit membership-based trade organization that promotes the economic and educational benefits of the aviation industry and provides scholarship support to aviation management students. MAMA members include the public use airports, engineering consultants, and service providers.

City of Riverside Names C. Daniel Prather New Airport Manager

Kim Stevens

The City of Riverside has named Dr. C. Daniel Prather, an aviation veteran with two decades of experience, as Airport Manager at Riverside Airport. He replaces Kim Ellis, who managed the airport for the past eight years.

Dr. C. Daniel Prather

Prather has served for years as a trainer, educator, speaker and author across several states in the U.S. Locally, he developed the Aviation Flight and Aviation management majors at California Baptist University, created and managed the CBU Flight School, and hired and supervised faculty and staff. He teaches several courses each semester for CBU as Professor of Aviation Science.

Prather is President of DPrather Aviation Solutions, an aviation consulting firm for which he conducts research for the Airport Cooperative Research Program and consults with airports nationwide.

“Dr. Prather’s education and experience make him highly qualified to manage Riverside Airport,” Interim City Manager Michael Moore said. “I look forward to him carrying on the tradition of excellent customer service established by Kim Ellis.”

He previously served as Assistant Director of Operations at the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority at Tampa International Airport in Florida, and as Associate Professor of Aerospace at Middle Tennessee State University. He is an Accredited Airport Executive through the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) and a Certified Aviation Manager through the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA).  He is also an instrument-rated private pilot and a Remote Pilot with sUAS rating.

Dr. Prather holds a Doctor of Philosophy degree, a Doctor of Business Administration degree, a Master of Public Administration degree, a Master of Business Administration degree, and a Bachelor of Commercial Aviation degree.  He is the author of two college-level textbooks.

“Riverside is an exceptional airport that is well-situated in Southern California for continued excellence,” Prather said. “I am excited to apply my knowledge and experience to support continued development of the airport so it can reach its full potential.”

Flight Safety Foundation to Recognize International Teams for Safety Leadership and Innovation

Kim Stevens

The government/industry-led Aviation Safety InfoShare and a team comprising Zipline and the governments of Rwanda and Ghana will be honored next month by Flight Safety Foundation for safety leadership and innovation. The two groups will be recognized during a special awards dinner held in conjunction with the Foundation’s 75th annual International Air Safety Summit (IASS) in Atlanta.

The Aviation Safety InfoShare, which is a joint effort of the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and industry, was selected to receive the Jerome Lederer Safety Leadership Medal for its significant contributions to the advancement of civil aviation safety. InfoShare, which was started in the mid-1990s, is a biannual, industry-sponsored and FAA-facilitated forum for participants from numerous segments of aviation to voluntarily share — in a protected environment — current and emerging safety issues, lessons learned, best practices for data analysis, and successful mitigation strategies.

The Jerome Lederer Safety Leadership Medal is named for Jerry Lederer, one of the founders of the Foundation, who, in the 1940s, was first to facilitate the exchange of safety information through sharing of critical information among airlines, government and industry, saving countless lives.

Zipline, which designs, manufactures and operates the world’s largest instant logistics and delivery system, and the governments of Rwanda and Ghana, were selected to receive the Foundation’s David Morrison Innovation Award for the development and implementation of their instant drone-based logistics systems to safely and reliably deliver vaccines, medicines, blood and other critical medical supplies over vast geographic areas in Rwanda and Ghana. The operations have had a demonstrable impact on healthcare. Globally, Zipline operates on three continents and completes a delivery every two minutes.

The David Morrison Innovation Award is named for another FSF founder. Morrison was an inventor and cockpit designer who played a critical leadership role in the early days of the Foundation.

The awards dinner will be held Monday, Nov. 7, 2022, at the Omni Atlanta Hotel at CNN Center and is an important part of the IASS 2022 agenda. For more information and to register for IASS, please visit the IASS 2022 page on the Foundation’s website.

AeroX Partner Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office Launches North Carolina’s First Drone First Responder Service

Kim Stevens

Imagine you hear intruders attempting to break into your home. You dial 911. As law enforcement speeds to your location, a drone appears and begins transmitting video of the intruders to law enforcement, following the intruders as they flee, until Deputies can apprehend them safely.

This futuristic scenario is happening today in the Village of Clemmons, where Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office (FSCO), with assistance from AeroX, has launched North Carolina’s first Drones as First Responders (DFR) program.

DFR allows the drone operator to listen to live 911 calls and, if necessary, deploy a drone to the scene to provide a set of eyes before deputies arrive. The drone can stream live video to both deputies responding and the command center, providing critical information that can significantly change the outcome of the response. DFR have been proven to reduce response times, increase resident and officer safety, and provide critical situational awareness for responders and callers.

Forsyth County’s DFR program is being piloted in the Village of Clemmons due to its population density, moderate call volume and enthusiastic support from Clemmons Village Council. The program will operate first within a one-mile radius of the Lewisville-Clemmons Road/Interstate 40 intersection, with the goal of expanding to other locations soon. FSCO and AeroX have applied to the Federal Aviation Administration for approval to operate the first-responder drones to fly beyond the pilot’s line of sight, which would allow the program to operate across a wider area.

“We are embracing this important new technology and deploying it in this innovative way to increase safety and improve law enforcement in our community, providing a model for how other communities across our state and nation can use drones to transform public safety,” Sheriff Bobby F. Kimbrough Jr. said.

“The Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office continues to be a vital AeroX partner and innovator, leading the way in aviation’s new frontier with this major advance in the area of public safety,” said AeroX President Basil Yap.

The nonprofit AeroX, led by public and private partners including FSCO, works with innovative organizations and the FAA to find new ways to use drones to deliver public and private services, cargo and, ultimately, people that are more effective, efficient, safer and less costly.

AeroX is focusing first on expanding drone use in public safety, with the DFR program as a major initiative, package delivery and infrastructure inspection. By leading in the unmanned aviation industry, Forsyth County can attract new companies, create new high-paying jobs and improve the quality of public services.

AeroX continues work on building a ground-based surveillance system to support low-altitude traffic management, funded by a $5 million grant from the N.C. General Assembly. Dubbed Project ATLAS, it is focused on providing surveillance data on “non-cooperative aircraft,” those without transponders that help other aircraft detect and avoid them. Filling that critical surveillance data gap will support help support FSCO and other drone operators seeking FAA approval to fly drones beyond the operator’s visual line of sight.

Jet East Acquires New Facility in Statesville, Expands Nationwide Reach for Aviation Maintenance

Kim Stevens

Jet East, a Gama Aviation Company, announced today that they have officially signed an agreement to open a full-service flagship maintenance facility in Statesville, North Carolina (SVH). This additional site will compliment Jet East’s current footprint which includes coast to coast maintenance bases and an expansive AOG network. Located 40 minutes north of Charlotte (CLT), the new base is comprised of two state-of-the-art facilities with a combined 75,000 square feet of hangar space, 40,000 square feet of office and back shop space and an additional parcel of adjacent land for future growth.

The main hangar was built in 2004 and is in immaculate condition. It is fully equipped with LED lighting, fall protection, and a fire suppression system for Jet East to take immediate possession. A secondary hangar provides the same appealing infrastructure and was built in 2007.  The City of Statesville and airport officials have been working behind the scenes with the Jet East leadership team and are equally excited about the new partnership.

Jet East has targeted Q1 of 2023 as an estimated timeframe for launch.  When fully operational, customers can expect full-service capabilities from the SVH location, including every facet of maintenance, avionics, interiors, composites and structures. In addition, there are immediate plans to construct a brand-new paint facility at the site. The company estimates bringing more than 250 jobs to the area as a result of the new location.  Key airframe types that will be the primary focus include Cessna, Gulfstream, Bombardier, and Embraer products.

“The facility at SVH offers an amazing opportunity for Jet East and allows us to expand our capacity, capabilities and reach within a key region of the U.S.,” noted Stephen Maiden, Jet East President and CEO.  Maiden continued, “The facility is in impeccable condition. The energy for this new endeavor is high and this is truly a milestone moment for the Jet East team and the customers we serve and support.”

“We are extremely pleased that Jet East selected Statesville as the location for their newest maintenance repair and overhaul facility. This exciting partnership will bring additional corporate aircraft into the Statesville Regional Airport from all over the world. We look forward to a long-term relationship and the overall benefits it will bring to our community,” said John Ferguson, SVH Airport Manager.