To all of our readers:

This week, we are beginning the migration process to our new home, www.2fly.com.

Better URL. Less annoying hackers looking for us to push cheap drugs.  We are also moving our hosting platform to better serve you.
There will be no re-direct, so please make a note of it.

On Friday, DayJet, the first per-seat, on demand air taxi operating the Eclipse 500 VLJ, ceased all passenger operations.  After about a year of flying and after burning through tens of millions of dollars, DayJet flew itself out of cash.
DayJet posted this message on it website, where it largely blamed current economic conditions for its demise. DayJet also took a parting shot at Eclipse Aviation, blaming the manufacturer of being slow in filling parts orders and satisfying contractual obligations.

DayJet had more than two thousand customers, according to executives.  So, in some ways, they proved travelers will take air taxis.  They did not prove their business model was viable.
We are sad to see any member of the aviation industry go out of business and as a partner in a start-up air taxi business, I personally want to know more about what happened. We have some armchair, Monday morning quarterback analysis of just what happened. Hindsight, even when flying, is always 20/20, right?
Keep It Simple, Stupid

The old saying, “KISS”, should have been DayJets’s business model.  A customer simply wants to know if they can fly from Jacksonville to Orlando, when they can fly, and how much it will cost.  But DayJet pioneered a visionary, but complicated, pricing structure.  Customers were given numerous options that lowered or increased fares.  Would they make additional stops?  Would they agree to take other passengers?  Would they be flexible on when they would depart and come back?  To this end, DayJet spent millions on developing software that aimed to solve the famous “traveling salesman” problem.  They may have done it (and should be noted for that accomplishment), but was the cost worth the result?  Customers aren’t interested in doing math.

Manage Size and Costs.  Every Day.

DayJet threw it all out there early on.  They began with more than twenty aircraft and more than 200 employees.  Instead of growing into the market, they needed the market to grow into them.  Passenger loads never approached their goals.  Last May, they grounded more than half their aircraft and laid off more than 100 employees.  DayJet expected investment money to keep them afloat from quarter to quarter.  As the economy unravaled, the model became unsustainable.

New, Unproven Aircraft

Like DayJet, Eclipse Aviation is a visionary company.  However, Eclipse has had numerous management and operational problems.  DayJet filed more than 90 operational reports to the FAA.  And Congress is looking into whether the plane was rushed into certification.  DayJet took a leap of faith with the Eclipse.  Now, Eclipse is struggling too.

Air Taxi Industry is Still the Future

Neccessity is the mother of invention, someone said.  And we need a new way to travel by air.  DayJet will be remembered as focusing public attention on this new way to travel. Take the internet. Most of the early-stage companies are not around today.  But the internet is.  And it’s sort of big.   And this will be big.

DayJet may go west, but the aviation industry owes them a debt of gratitude for putting air taxis on the map.

-Andrew

For Eclipse Aviation, it’s a case of a) whew and b) some anxiety.

An internal investigation by the FAA reported last week that while the procedures for the certification for the Eclipse 500 VLJ could be improved, the plane is safe.  As such, its certification stands.

However, The New York Times reports today that the aviation subcommittee of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee has issued a summary report calling the certification “rushed.”  

The FAA stands by the certification.  While there have been an above average number of operational problems reported to the FAA, the FAA says that’s not unusual for a new aircraft.

The largest operator of the Eclipse is DayJet.  Pogo Jet also plans on flying the Eclipse.

AOPA used the seventh anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks to rememeber the tragedy by whining about the restrictions on private pilots.  We don’t support many of the restrictions and we agree that the government has overeacted.  But guess what?  Today is not the day to lament about it.  Today is a day to remember the vicious assault on our nation and the loss of our citizens.  When I was escaping from ground zero, I wasn’t thinking “boy, I hope this doesn’t hurt my ability to fly my Cherokee around” (I had earned my private pilot’s certificate only a month before). 

Instead, AOPA used its website to tout all the great things its done to protect GA.  And it has.  But, we repeat, today wasn’t the day to bring that up.

EAA was much more respectful and provided a thoughtful reflection.

Our comments section isn’t working, so email us at andrew@2flytv.com. 

-Andrew

Months after Adam Aircraft collapsed, a new investor group has put the production of A700 back on track and has launched a new website.

Check it out here.

A Russian investment firm, AAI Acqusitions, purchased the assets of bankrupt Adam. The Adam name has been jettisoned and the website makes no mention of Rick Adam.   We’re glad to see our friend Jan D’Angelo back as a major player.

We’ve always thought the A700 design was one of the more innovative VLJ looks. The earlier company was plagued by certification problems and a lack of transparency of the operation.  We look forward to good things from the new A700.

Meantime, the company is facing disgruntled A500 owners.  There are only a few who purchased the certified twin and AAI says no decision has been made on its future.

Let’s get the A700 certified.  It’ll be a welcome addition to the VLJ market.

-Andrew

Perhaps the most controversial aspect of the light sport rules involves medical certification. Most know the rule by now: A pilot can fly with a valid driver’s license in lieu of a third class medical provided their last FAA application has not been “denied, revoked, withdrawn or deferred.” In other words, if you applied for a medical and received anything back from the FAA other than a medical certificate, you’re grounded until you reverse their decision.

This rule was put into place at the urging of lawyers for the Department of Transportation who thought allowing medically-disqualified pilots to act as PIC, if the FAA knew of their medical condition, would create a liability risk.

As an attorney, we understand their position. As an aviator, however, we believe the rule is actually keeping pilots who can be certified from getting certified for fear of being turned down. That in turn may be leading to some giving up flying altogether.

I’m a perfect example. For seven years, I received a special issuance third class medical without any problems. As an insulin-dependent diabetic, the task can appear daunting. But with help from a team of doctors and helpful people from FAA, I never had a certification problem. However, last year I suffered a diabetic complication and underwent aggressive medical treatment. I reported this to the FAA, as required, and the FAA continued my certification. Currently, my doctors agree that I am more than fit to fly. No problem, right? Except there’s no guarantee that the FAA will recertify me this time around because they have no published rules on my specific condition. (my medical has since expired.)

Diabetes is not a static illness, which is why the FAA requires quarterly reports. I have consulted several medical experts (AOPA and EAA have excellent programs) and their answers are that I will “likely” be recertified. The key, anxiety-laced word is “likely”. None have said the condition is disqualifying. But it’s unclear what actions the FAA might take. Will the FAA defer the application for a certain time period? Will the FAA require a medical flight review? Will the FAA make the task complicated, time-consuming, and expensive?

I have flown several LSAs and agree they are fun planes, with some practical applications. I might even buy one someday. But I also know that I like taking friends flying. And I am the type of person who generally likes to advance in whatever I do, which can’t be done in the light sport category.

So my decision is made: I will apply for a new medical. It’s not a total roll of the dice because I go into it with all the available information I need at hand. The key word is available. What I don’t know is how the FAA will rule. And that means putting my passion for flying on the line.

First, the airlines charge you for checked luggage. Then they make you wait for hours on the tarmac. Then they charge you for a soda.  Now they take away your porn!
Several airlines, which will soon be debuting in-flight internet service, says passengers won’t be allowed to watch porn- at least if it makes other feel uncomfortable .  So flight attendants are being trained to identify porn sites (I’d like to sit in on that training) and politely tell passengers to cut it off, so to speak.

Studies have shown that men can’t surf the web for more than 38 seconds without going to a porn site.

No wonder why everyone can’t stand the airlines.

Our “comments” feature is not working.  Dunno why. Flying a plane is easier than figuring out Wordpress sometimes.
So if you have tried to write us, drop us an email at info@2flytv.com and we will put your comments in manually.

We continue to receive some notes on the Long Island drone-builder.  We stand by our comments, but ask a reasonable question:

Did the media, and then did we, engage in or help facilitate racial profiling by mentioning the individual building the probe was an Egyptian national who traveled here on a Sudanese passport?  We don’t think so because of the additional information that he was engaged in what could be suspicious activity, even though police cleared him of any wrongdoing.  It’s a valid question and we welcome the debate.

-Andrew

The recent accident of a Velocity experimental in Las Vegas has brought on the usual “are homebuilt, experimental airplanes really safe?” rancor.  But this time the person who wants them out is an aviation official.

As aero-news.net reports, an official from the Clark County Aviation Authority wants experimental aircraft banned from North Las Vegas Airport.  First, we don’t know why the Velocity crashed just yet.  Second, there is no widepsread evidence that homebuilts in any way represent a public safety concern.  Third, leave Velocity alone.

We had the opportunity to visit the Velocity factory in Sebastian, Fla in 2007.   We invite you to read our post to learn more about this unique airplane.