Advanced Scheduling Part135 - … · Difficulty concentration Poorer immune system ... Night shift planning Use of drugs and alcohol ... Aircraft charter brokers acting as “agents”

Advanced Scheduling Part135

PRESENTED BY:

Luis Garcia – Starbasejet

Rebekah Herbert – Jet Edge International

John Rodriguez – Avjet

Schedulers & Dispatchers Conference | San Jose, CA | February 3 – 6, 2015

Wednesday, February 4, 2015| 3:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Advanced Scheduling Part 135

Extreme tiredness or lack of energy and motivation in the workplace is a serious issue.

In the aviation industry, it is also a serious SAFETY issue with severe/fatal consequences. Fatigue management is not only important for pilots, it is also important for the those in support of flight operations, to include Schedulers & Dispatchers, and MX personnel.

Fatigue leads to physical and/or mental slowdown, which may result in:

Reduced productivity

Miscommunications and incidents/accidents

Irritability, which will negatively affect your work relationships

Burnout, and lack of motivation ~ subsequently seeking different employment

Fatigue is a warning sign that your body needs rest and rejuvenation. Understanding the causes of workplace fatigue helps you find ways to reduce it and improve performance.

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Crew & Dispatcher Fatigue

Source: FAA Medical Factors for Pilot OK-07-193


It’s normal to feel tired or drowsy after prolonged mental or physical

effort at work. Fatigue is more than just feeling tired or drowsy.

Fatigue: The state, following a period of mental or bodily activity,

characterized by a lessened capacity or motivation for work and reduced

efficiency of accomplishment, usually accompanied by a feeling of

weariness, sleepiness, irritability, or loss of ambition

Fatigue has a potential serious implications in the workplace and

public safety and can also have long-term effects on health.

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What is fatigue?

Source: Medilexicon’s Medical Dictionary


Work & Lifestyle Related Causes Psychological Conditions

Work scheduling (days, hrs, shift) Family situation & responsibilities

Workload: complex or monotonous Anxiety / Depression

Physically or mentally strenuous Grief / Stress

Work environment Disrupted Circadian Rhythms

Lifestyle & social life Medical Conditions

Diet & hydration / alcohol Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Other employment COPD / Emphysma

Lack of exercise Obesity / Medications, etc..

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Causes of fatigue

Source: Mayo Clinic


Circadian rhythm is your body's clock. It regulates the body's chemical and

hormonal production and metabolism along a 24 hour cycle.

Short CR = “Morning person”, energized: Long CR = Groggy, wake up tired

Your sleep health and overall wellbeing is dependent on your circadian rhythm

working correctly; and remaining synchronized with night and day. If disrupted,

you can experience jet lag, fatigue, disorientation, and insomnia.

If disrupted chronically, it could lead to sleep disorders & bipolar disorder, just to

name a few. The most important external indicator to help keep your body

synchronized with this routine is light.

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Circadian Rhythms

Source: Sleep.org/sleep science


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Circadian Rhythms cont.


Vision problems, blurriness Abdominal pain

Headache Constipation / IBS

Impaired judgment Nausea

Moodiness / Irritability Painful lymph nodes

Difficulty concentration Poorer immune system

Dizziness Sleepiness

Indecisiveness Drowsiness

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Signs of fatigue

Sources: Medical News Today Sept 5 2014 “What is Fatigue?”


Primary Types

Physical Fatigue: Muscle weakness, lack of strength

Mental Fatigue: Inability to focus, headaches, lack of motivation

Other Types

Emotional Fatigue - Customer service driven

Compassion Fatigue – Seen in doctors and caregivers

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Types of fatigue

Source: Mayo Clinic


Managing fatigue is both the responsibility of corporate

management as well as the individual.

Company’s responsibility Individual responsibility

Work scheduling and planning Effective use of time off

Night shift planning Use of drugs and alcohol

Training and education Exercise & diet

Reporting Sleep management

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Prevention

Source: FAA AC Fatigue Risk Management Systems for Aviation Safety


Before & During trips

Some advise from schedulers and human factors experts

Use an ISP for “overnight” calls. with certain authorizations

Ensure crews have ALL contacts prior to leaving the country

Re-confirm all services prior to an overnight shift (fuel, cater, etc..)

Middle of Night

Take it easy and go to bed early a few nights before you’re “on call”

Use caffeine and light cues wisely

Get up, move around

Write EVERYTHING down

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Scenarios: Fatigue Mitigation for a 3am phone call

Source: NBAA Insider May/June 2014


SMS – Safety Management Systems

FRAT – Flight Risk Analysis Tool

FRMS – Fatigue Risk Mitigation Systems, see Title 14 of the CFR

part 117.

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Tools & On-Going Management


How does Tom Brady maintain his edge and provide championship performances time after time:

“I go to bed at 830pm every night because I get up early. The decisions I make center around performance enhancement. So whether that’s what I

eat or drink or don’t drink, it’s so that I can be the best every day and every week, especially for my teammates. As I want to this for a long time!”

~ T. Brady

Manage your body and lifestyle so that you can perform at your peak at your organization. We all work together, and need to be at our best at all times.

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Manage Your Body Like the Pros

Source: ESPN


• Disclaimer: I am not a tax expert and in no way should any of

this information be taken as legal advice.

• The NBAA publishes many articles throughout the year on these

topics and I highly suggest that if you have any questions, you

search their web site for advice.

• Another great website to search is Conklin & de Decker

(https://www.conklindd.com)

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Overview of Federal Excise Tax (FET)

https://www.conklindd.com/

https://www.conklindd.com/


Federal excise tax (FET), or air transportation tax, on commercial

transportation of persons includes three elements; a percentage tax,

a head tax on domestic segments, and a head tax on international

transportation.

FET on air transportation of persons is 7.5 percent of the “amount

paid” for air transportation that begins and ends in the United States

or the “225-mile zone”

Federal Excise Tax (FET)

Sources:

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The 225 mile zone is that portion of Canada and Mexico that is not

more than 225 miles from the nearest point in the continental United

States.

The exception to this rule is the Bahamas. Even though it is within

the 225 mile radius it is considered an international flight and no

FET applies.

225 Mile Zone

Sources:

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• Flight time (including deadhead time)

• Waiting time

• Landing fees, FBO handling fees, and aircraft parking fees

• Crew expenses (per diem rates, overnight or day hotel rooms,

rental cars, meals)

• State sales taxes

• Any other expense that is incurred in the movement of the

aircraft

What items are taxable?

Sources:

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Payments for certain items not related to the movement of the aircraft may not be subject to the percentage tax so long as they are separately stated on the customer invoice.

For example, payments for the following items are not taxable:

• Catering expenses

• Passenger ground transportation

• Additional non-transportation items that are billed separately and provided to the customer as a convenience

• Aircraft broker commissions

*If these items and associated fees are not separately listed, they are subject to the percentage tax.*

What items aren’t taxable?

Sources:

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Rates as of January 2014:

Domestic Segment Fees: $4.00 per person per segment

International Segment Fees: $17.50 per person per segment

Hawaii and Alaska Segment Fees: $8.70 per person per

segment

Note: Segment fees are changed in January each year.

Segment Fees

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A lot more countries are charging a per passenger tax for arrivals

and departures from their country. It is important to know these fees

ahead of time so that you don’t have any surprises.

The fees could be small for many countries. For example $10-50

per person. But depending on your passenger count these fees can

add up quickly.

International Taxes

Sources: NBAA Federal Excise Taxes Handbook

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Aircraft charter brokers acting as “agents” for aircraft charter

operators are required to collect and remit FET on air transportation

to the charter operator, and the charter operator is required to file

IRS returns and remit the FET to the IRS. By contrast, independent

charter brokers acting as principals are required to collect and remit

FET on air transportation directly to the IRS. In this situation, the

regulations require that the charter operator notify the charter broker

of its FET obligation.

Charter Broker Obligations for Air Transportation Excise Taxes


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CONT.

Where a charter broker is an independent, third-party intermediary

unrelated to the charter operator, and the charter broker is itself not

operating or chartering aircraft but merely acting as a conduit and

simply facilitating the purchase of taxable transportation from a

charter company, the charter company, and, not the intermediary

charter broker, is responsible for collecting FET.



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Not only should a note about the broker collecting and remitting the FET be added to the invoice you send a broker it is a good idea to have verbiage added to your quote that will notify a broker that you are not quoting the trip with FET and they need to be responsible for remitting it. You may also want to add a line so that they can initial it.

For example:

This quote is exclusive of any applicable taxes. XYZ is responsible and hereby agrees to collect the FET, segment and other applicable taxes from the client and remit to the IRS.

______ Initial


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Teterboro (KTEB) to Toronto (CYYZ)

FET 7.5%

International

Segment Fees

$17.50 per

person

Toronto is within the 225 mile zone from the United States.


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West Palm Beach (KPBI) to San Juan (TJSJ)

No FET

International

Segment Fees

$17.50 per

person

San Juan is a US territory but it is considered an international

flight.


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Van Nuys (KVNY) to Nassau (MYNN)

No FET

International

Segment Fees

$17.50 per

person

Nassau Bahamas is within 225 miles of the United States but

it is considered an international flight.


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Van Nuys (KVNY) to Honolulu (PHNL) to Van Nuys (KVNY)

FET

Hawaii Segment

Fee $8.40 per

person

Domestic

Segment Fee

See next slide for

calculation…


• Determine total distance of flight

– KVNY-PHNL= 2,215 miles

– Flight Time= 5 hours

– Roundtrip Distance= 4,430 miles

– Roundtrip Flight Time= 10 Hours

• Determine mileage over land in Continental U.S. (Distance from KVNY to a point 3 miles off the U.S. coast)

– 11 miles over land (each way)

– Roundtrip Miles Over Land= 22

• Determine mileage over land in Hawaii (Distance from a point 3 miles off the coast to PHNL)

– 8 miles over land (each way)

– Roundtrip Miles Over Land= 16


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• Calculate cost per mile

– Assume that the charter rate for this aircraft is $5,500 per hour

– $5,500 x 10 hours= $55,000

– $55,000/4,430 miles= $12.41 per mile

• Calculate total mileage over land

– 16+22= 38 miles

• Calculate percentage portion of FET for flight over land

– 38 miles x $12.41 per mile= $471.58

– $471.58 x 7.5%= $35.37

• Calculate Hawaii/Alaska Segment Fee (applies only to departures)

– 6 passengers x $8.70= $104.40

• Calculate Domestic Segment Fee

– 6 passengers x $4.00 x 2= $48.00

• Calculate Total FET Due

– Percentage Tax for Flight Over Land= $35.37

– Hawaii/Alaska Segment Fee= $104.40

– Domestic Segment Fee= $48.00

– Total Tax Due= $187.77


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Palm Beach (KPBI)-Teterboro (KTEB)-London (EGGW)

No FET

Domestic

segment Fee

$4.00 per person

International

Segment

Continuous flight from West Palm Beach thru

Teterboro to pick up an additional passenger and

then continue onto London.


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Palm Beach (KPBI)-Teterboro (KTEB)-London (EGGW)

PBI-TEB FET

Domestic Segment

Fee $4.00 per person

TEB-EGGW No FET

International Segment

Fee $17.50 per person

West Palm Beach to Teterboro, overnight, and the

next day to London.


Pre-Planning of a domestic trip

There are many logistical aspects and preparation that needs to be

taken into account prior to coordinating or dispatching a private and

charter flight.

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Alleviating Flight Coordinating Issues


Pre-Planning of a domestic trip

• Do you have all the tools and information you need to coordinate/dispatch the requested trip?

• Crew duty time / duty rest

• Weather conditions you will be encountering

• Special events requiring slots for arrival, departure and parking

• Runway lengths and airport curfews, noise restrictions and night operations

• Equipment at the destination airport (i.e. tow bars, air stairs de-Ice equipment hangar space)

• Fuel pricing and ramp fees

• Passenger requests and expectation including transportation and catering

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Pre-Planning of an international trip

• All of the above

• Cabotage

• What countries are you flying over /and routes.

• Will you need any overflight permits

• Will you need visas for the countries you will be in

• Do your crews have/need multiple passports

• Will you need slots and or PPRs : Germany, United Kingdom, China etc.

• Security issues or airport operation strikes

• Is the airport an airport of entry/do they have customs and immigration

• National holidays in the countries you will visit

• Where is the closest maintenance facility to where your aircraft will be

Understanding what is expected of you from your crews and passengers is the key to a successful trip.

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There are many scheduling providers and websites, as well as scheduling programs to assist you

• FOS/NT, SchedAero, Flight Pak scheduling systems

• NBAA website for many answers to questions

• Using Google Earth or Navpak for locating a specific airport

• Using Fltplan.com for a multitude of services

• Calling your flight plan provider (i.e. Universal Weather and/or Rockwell Collins)

• Locating weather conditions through Weather Underground or NOAA websites

• Using SkyVector or Great Circle Mapper for great circle routes

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Utilizing of modern technology


There are many back-up plans you can anticipate prior to scheduling a trip. Should you have a maintenance or need to re-route due to unforeseen reasons

• If a maintenance issue arises, try to find out how long it will take to fix

• Check to see if you have an aircraft in your fleet close to assist in continuing the trip

• Start to reach out to other operators in the area to recover the trip.

• Look at your options and alternate airports if having to re-route.

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Back-up plan for clients

Advanced Scheduling Part135 - … · Difficulty concentration Poorer immune system ... Night shift planning Use of drugs and alcohol ... Aircraft charter brokers acting as “agents”

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