API In the News

The pressures of the COVID-19 pandemic have been particularly severe on women professionals, but in the face of those challenges, women in business aviation are finding new ways to support each other. They are seizing the moment, making positive career or life changes, and even innovating in new ways. A Thought Leadership Session on Dec. 3 for the NBAA GO Virtual Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (VBACE) addressed Women in Aviation: We Can’t Afford to Lose Them. A five-women panel moderated by Textron Aviation Senior Vice President of Parts & Programs Kriya Shortt offered an inspiring view of how women in the industry are pivoting and responding during the pandemic.

Women in Business Aviation are Growing Careers

Sheryl Barden has seen many industry trends as president and CEO of Aviation Personnel International, but she feels the pandemic has made it more important than ever for women to stretch themselves “out of your comfort zone.” “Take this time to learn how to advocate for yourself. Get your own seat at the table,” encouraged Barden, who also noted the importance of having a mentor for support. View full article on NBAA's website

Onboarding airline pilots

Airline furloughs resulting from COVID-19 have led to a rise in the number of air carrier pilots now seeking new opportunities in business aviation. How should flight department managers prepare for onboarding airline pilots? “In addition to flying proficiency and quantitative experience, it’s also important to look at the applicant from a holistic approach,” noted NBAA Domestic Operations Committee Chairman Jason Herman. “What type of experience and skills do they have, both inside and potentially also outside of the cockpit?” In this episode of NBAA’s “Flight Plan,” host Rob Finfrock speaks with:

• Lisa Archibald, CAM, Delta Air Lines first officer and a volunteer on Delta’s Master Executive Council
• Jason Herman, CAM, chair of NBAA’s Domestic Operations Committee
• Jennifer Pickerel, vice president at Aviation Personnel International

  Podcast Episode Direct Download

  Bizav Operators have been impacted by COVID since March 2020. Here, FlightGlobal's Kate Sarsfield shares from industry leaders, including Sheryl Barden, on the impact. “Before Covid-19 typically trips would take a couple of days and involve a hotel stop-over and dinner with clients. Now, senior executives are fitting the itinerary into a one-day trip, which tells you that people are still a little fearful of being exposed [to the virus]. It could be like this for some time.” He says. Lack of confidence may be a major obstacle to the resumption of corporate travel, but market forces, driven by the need to create new business opportunities, will eventually drive demand, says Gallagher. “You can’t go visit a facility via Skype, you can’t go look at a piece of land via Skype, and you can’t hold a roadshow or close a multi-million-dollar deal by Skype. These interactions are far more effective in person,” he states. In a recent blog post, Sheryl Barden expressed her concern at the reluctance of companies to resume business travel and called on, corporate flight departments – which often use a mixture of company owned and third-party party aircraft – to actively engage with their organisations to stress the important benefits of flying privately in the current environment. They need to offer “an end-to-end solution that focuses on safety – one that delivers significant value to your corporation,” says Barden. This is particularly important as corporate legal executives remain concerned about “duty of care” for their employees, she continues, noting that flight department executives can stress that business aviation has much lower risk, with only about 20 touch points versus 700 for commercial travel. “It’s unrealistic and unfeasible for a Fortune 500 company to ban travel altogether,” Barden says: that’s why “you’ve got to get creative”. View original article here

Aviation Personnel International (API) has updated its “Your Best Foot Forward” aviation outplacement program to support virtual platforms and incorporate the latest technology. The program helps companies provide support to employees who are facing layoffs. These updates were designed to enhance the platform to meet the challenges associated with the Covid-19 pandemic, API said. Along with enabling career coaches and participants to meet virtually in small group workshops, the updates let coaches work with each outplacement participant in developing a job-seeking strategy. The new virtual delivery platform includes online video capabilities and provides access to workshop training materials through a secured website. At the same time, API said, it has “honed its focus” on emotional support to ensure coaches understand the unique factors in each situation. Recognizing that many outplacement participants haven’t been in the job market for a decade or possibly longer, the API coach will help review and update the job-seekers’ social media footprint and the company offers resume templates that will help “make it past an electronic scanner.” Video interview and cover letter support also are available. “When a company hires API for outplacement, they demonstrate to their flight department employees that their departure will be handled with great care and concern,” said API president and CEO Sheryl Barden. “We’re a specialized aviation outplacement firm, so it’s a win-win. The displaced employee reaps the benefit of aviation-specific career coaching, and their employer is able to do the right thing. Additionally, the employer can shed a positive light on their brand.” View original article about "Your Best Foot Forward"

As many companies remain reluctant to travel, bizav execs need to actively engage with their organizations to stress the important benefits of flying private and to ensure they have a “seat at the table” when shaping health and safety protocol, according to Aviation Personnel International CEO Sheryl Barden. Recently stressing her concerns in a blog and during an NBAA webinar, Barden noted many corporations remain in stand-by mode on travel and said, “Quite frankly, it’s unsettling.” Many aviation leaders are awaiting directives from headquarters, she said. “Let me be perfectly clear: Waiting for the phone to ring is not an effective strategy. If you’re not flying, I encourage you to disrupt the status quo.” Aviation directors need to “lean in” and request to be part of any Covid-19 response efforts, including the development of health management policies to ensure a seamless and safe travel environment, she said, suggesting bizav execs consider expanding their aircraft-use policy. “You need an end-to-end solution that focuses on safety— one that delivers significant value to your corporation.” Barden cited the example of a corporate flight department executive who remained actively involved in his company’s Covid-19 conversations, concerned that otherwise employees would travel by airlines. His task was to convince company executives of the need to travel aboard company aircraft for health and safety reasons, she said. His team further developed travel go-kits that contained items such as cleaning products for rental cars and hotel rooms. “I realize, of course, that we’re not infectious disease experts. But we can offer our learned perspective on current practices,” she said, noting business aviation teams already have been focusing on the protection of environments, from the FBO to catering and baggage handling. “It’s all about providing an ‘end-to-end health corridor’ for the executive traveler.”  

The COVID-19 pandemic has required most flight departments to make changes – some of which may be permanent – to their operations, from crew pairings to aircraft cleaning to how car rentals are vetted. For aviation directors and their teams, however, the need to reimagine the value of their flight department with company leadership is possibly one of the most consequential results of the pandemic. “Things have changed in the aviation community,” said James Lara, principal of Gray Stone Advisors, a speaker on the recent NBAA News Hour webinar that examined the issue of a flight department’s value. “An aviation leader has to understand what the company’s post-COVID organization looks like, and the flight department’s reason for being. Be a fountain of ideas and suggestions.” Lara encouraged webinar participants to work with their reporting executive and identify any barriers to travel. “Additionally, take a look at your company’s aircraft use policies, because what was appropriate pre-COVID may not be appropriate anymore,” he noted. See full NBAA article here

Strategic use of social media to help in a job search, or grow one’s professional network, has taken on even greater importance during the COVID-19 pandemic. With many job seekers, recruiters and human resources executives working from home, social media is filling in the gaps created by the loss of in-person networking opportunities and employment intelligence normally gleaned at impromptu meetings near the company watercooler or at job fairs, workshops or conferences. Employment experts agree that LinkedIn is the go-to platform for job seekers and recruiters, as well as employed individuals wanting to expand their professional footprint. “LinkedIn is an excellent tool and every job seeker should be on it,” said Jenny Showalter, client services manager at Aviation Personnel International. Many companies have their own LinkedIn profiles, which also can be helpful to those looking for a new position, she added. See full NBAA article here