INTRODUCTION: As I was researching and writing this article the morning headlines read “Thousands Flee as Wildfires Burn Out of Control Around Los Angeles.” Honestly, I was in wonder at this coincidence, but here we go. I had the pleasure of being engaged in working on a project to certify aircraft on behalf of a US State who contracts with Aerial Firefighting companies. In the process I learned a lot about the distinctive aspects of these aviation operations, and since I know a few of ASA’s con...

I have received many inquiries about opening FAA repair stations in the USA and have had the pleasure of working with clients on many such projects. I have also worked with clients to open a Canadian AMO and Brasilian repair station, but those are ideas for another article someday. Since this has become a topic of consideration in many a business plan, I thought I’d share some practical nuggets from experience for you to better develop your implementation and execution strategy. This information...

In this age where we bask in torrents of overwhelming data, we must pause and ask, as we used to say in the military, what bits of this information comprise actionable intelligence? Most importantly is which bits can be data-mined for analysis which will contribute to continuous improvement in your operation? BACKGROUND: In my experience in working with many firms, an often-overlooked opportunity exists to data mine product returns to suppliers, or from customers and/or RMA (Return Material Auth...

In aviation a conspicuous requirement among all the standards and regulations is training, Every. Single. One. Do you claim to have a Quality and Safety culture? Show me your training program. If there has ever been a critical time to revisit and emphasize your training program it is now. In this article we’ll address the following: Industry Characteristics. Executives: We need to talk. Types of Training. Required Training Recurrent Training Remedial Training Industry Characteristics. Conside...

As many of you know I have a fondness for electronics born of my avionics and electronic warfare background and experience, so the subject matter herein always commands my attention, as it should for you too since so many of you either sell assemblies with electronic/electrical components in them or sell the individual electronic/electrical components themselves. In this article we’ll review: Definition of counterfeit. Who is ERAI? The data. The new Quality Standards being flowed down to supplie...