It Was 50 Years Ago Dave Esler does an excellent job describing and analyzing the various jet card options in “Dealing Cards” (October 2014, page 72 ), and the reasons for their emergence as a popular option among turbine aircraft users. But the “jet card” was born much earlier than the 1999 Sentient or 2001 Marquis card — or even the mid-1980s charter broker “reminder card” as recalled by Fred Gevalt.
If you ask maintainers what’s their most unpleasant, even disgusting, job the response is invariably working on lavatory systems. They’d prefer cleaning out the nastiest, fungus-lined fuel tank to wearing the “blue stain of courage.”
When an operator has maintenance done on an aircraft airframe, including a “heavy maintenance visit,” are the bills deductible immediately as ordinary and necessary business expenses, or must the cost be “capitalized,” that is depreciated over time? Since business aviation exists to serve at a moment’s notice, it’s natural that flight departments want to deduct the full cost of all maintenance immediately.
Since the ATP requirement for first officers of FAR Part 121 carriers took effect in summer 2013, the debate over the existence of a pilot shortage has intensified. So, too, has the finger pointing all across Washington.
Designers attempt to give exceptional capabilities in all areas, including price, but the laws of physics, thermodynamics and aerodynamics do not allow one aircraft to do all missions with equal efficiency. Tradeoffs are a reality of aircraft design.
