SAFETY & SERVICE

At AirShares Elite, Safety is a central concern in every action we take and every decision we make. We believe that Safety is the result of a proactive relationship between the Client and the Company. At AirShares both parties work together to create a continuously evolving Culture of Safety.

Safety doesn't just mean well-maintained aircraft. While high-quality maintenance is a foundational element of Safety, our broader Culture of Safety is built on four pivotal Pillars, which you can learn more about below:

Training  |  Maintenance  |  Aircraft  |  Best Practices

Training

• Leadership -- AirShares Elite's Chief Pilot, Rich Bertoli, sets the standards for all of the training programs, operating guidelines, and currency requirements. Under RIch's leadership, our Certified Instructors focus on two important areas: Airmanship and Decision Making
• Airmanship -- Flying and handling the aircraft, or "Airmanship," is taught using a detailed syllabus that includes every system and approved maneuver in the aircraft. AirShares training system uses techniques that Rich and our other instructors have has amassed from their years of aviation experience. He then combines this experience with the latest tools and products that have been developed by the Aircraft Manufacturers, the FAA, and the world's leading aeronautical universities. This portion of the training is based on a classroom curriculum as well as in-aircraft training, and pre and post-flight briefing sessions.
• Decision Making -- Decision making and risk assessment training is challenging to teach, but we feel it is an extremely important training component. We use scenario-based discussion as a primary format for teaching this material. In small groups and in structured training flights, this method is invaluable as it helps pilots examine real world situations and discuss them in an open format.
• Continuous Improvement -- At AirShares, training is continuous. In addition to thorough "initial" training, our pilots are required to have recurrent training on an annual or semi-annual basis depending on currency and experience. During recurrent training, our instructors work with each pilot to determine that pilot's "Personal Minimums" so that each of us has written operating guidelines that are tailored to our respective experience. Additionally, recurrent training sessions focus on creating annual Learning Objectives that push of us into being a better pilot each year.

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Maintenance

• Leadership -- Our maintenance program is led by MacAurthur "Mac" Little.Mac has been with the company since 2002, and has been instrumental in designing world-class maintenance systems and processes for AirShares Elite. Mac teaches a maintenance symposium for Cirrus Pilots and Owners several times each year around the country. Additionally, he works extensively with the Aircraft Manufacturers to continuously refine processes and procedures. Mac joins us with nearly 15 years of Military and Civilian maintenance and management experience.
• Process -- The FAA requires general aviation aircraft to be inspected annually. We have chosen to maintain our aircraft to the higher standards of the FAA's commercial aviation standards. This policy means that our program costs more, but we feel that saving money on maintenance is like trying to locate the cheapest doctor in town when you need surgery. We feel its worth it to spend more on maintenance, and we hope you do to. As part of the commercial standards, our aircraft are inspected at 50 and 100 hour intervals, as well as each year for Annual Inspections. Each aircraft in the AirShares fleet is tracked with a computerized system that keeps precise information about the aircraft, its usage, and when each maintenance cycle due. The system prevents an aircraft from being dispatched unless all of the required inspections have been accomplished, and the aircraft is ready for flight.

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Aircraft

• AirShares has several aircraft in the program. While each aircraft model is carefully selected for its required mission, all of the aircraft in our program are known in the industry for their respective safety record. Our flagship product, the Cirrus Design SR-22, is known for its novel approach to safety. The Cirrus SR-22 includes state of the art "Active" and "Passive" safety features including:
  
  Active Features
  • CAPS™ - The Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS), is indicative of Cirrus' visionary commitment to aviation safety. The CAPS system is designed to protect the occupants in the event of an extreme emergency by lowering the aircraft to the ground after deployment. The Cirrus is the only FAA-certified aircraft in the world to incorporate this technology.
  • Wing Design & Enhanced Stall Characteristics - Safety and innovation are unequivocally evident in the wing design and its docile low-speed handling and stall prevention characteristics. The wing is a blend of several high-performance airfoils and is easily recognizable by the extended leading edge section near the wing tips. The result is exceptional roll control authority and excellent pre-stall warning. These features, tested and proven by NASA, also provide an improved resistance to spin entry during an inadvertent stall.
  • CEAT™ - The proprietary Cirrus Energy Absorbing Technology (CEAT) integrated into each Cirrus seat protects occupants in emergency landing conditions by absorbing energy equivalent to 26g's vertically and 19g's horizontally.
  • Composite Construction - Sturdy composite construction has a significant safety benefit in addition to being the key contributing factor to improving aerodynamics, fit and finish. For example, a bird strike to the leading edge of a traditional aluminum wing may cause significant damage by altering the shape of the wing airfoil. A sturdy composite wing, however, can deflect impact or absorb more damage due to its rigid construction.
  Passive Features
  • Visibility - Visibility is by nature a passive safety feature because the pilot must be able to see something in order to avoid it. The single piece windscreen and over-sized windows provide and unobstructed view on the ground and in the air. The low-mounted glared shield helps the pilot keep the runway in sight during critical phases of take off and landing.
  • Side Yoke - The intuitive side yoke used in Cirrus aircraft improves safety by providing the pilot with an unobstructed view of critical flight instrumentation and helping prevent injury.
  • Comfort - Keeping a pilot comfortable is a contributing factor to reducing pilot fatigue and stress that can diminish pilot performance. The 49" wide cabin with ample headroom and legroom and luxurious seats make even the longest flight segments comfortable for the pilot.

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Best Practices

• AirShares Elite is at the forefront of the rapidly growing Shared-Ownership Industry. In order to ensure that operators in this business create and maintain the highest level of operating standards, AirShares has become a key participant in several innovative industry groups. These groups have different purposes, but all have unique value to us, our clients, and the industry at large with multiple aspects of Safety and Professional Standards.
  
  
  • NATA - The National Air Transportation Association created an advisory committee, the Fractional Aircraft Business Council (FABC), to assist as liaison between the industry participants and the FAA. These efforts are instrumental to the FAA in helping them create a proper regulatory environment for the industry
  • FITS - AirShares Elite is a founding member of the FAA / Industry Training Standards committee.FITS' singular mission is to Improve pilot learning to safely, competently, and efficiently operate a technically advanced piston or light jet aircraft in the modern National Airspace System (NAS).
  • COPA - The Cirrus Owners and Pilots Association (COPA) is a not-for-profit membership organization established to educate, promote the safety of and support the owners and pilots of certified aircraft manufactured by Cirrus Design Corporation, encourage ownership of these aircraft and provide social activities for its members. Many AirShares Elite customers, employees, and principals are members of COPA. The knowledge base, materials, and programs that COPA has developed contribute to the safe operation of the Cirrus Aircraft and Technically Advanced Aircraft in general.

Are you ready to fly the Cirrus SR22 and make your flying more effective? Call us today at 800-482-5411 or click here to have an AirShares Elite professional contact you.

"I figure I have better availability to the aircraft than if I owned an entire plane outright."
- Paul Platt, Atlanta, GA