State Aviation Forum

[Rob Moore]

#2693

With the help of Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum, there was a aviation forum conducted on December 18, 2019 to discuss aviation personnel shortages.  There is another follow-on Aviation Symposium to be held on January 10, 2020 at PHAM to discuss and flush out solutions.  Below is a summary of topics, issues and recommended solutions:

December 18, 2019 Aviation Forum
(Attendance reported at the end of this document)

Summary of Discussion Issues and Possible Solutions

Physical Space / DOTA
Space at Hawaii airports are either State owned-facilities rented from the State or State-owned leased land from the State that the business (or private individual) uses for a period of time.  Rented State facilities are month-to-month and are on a 30-day revocable permit (RP) that the individual (or business) must accept all the terms and accomplishing an arduous clearance procedure from State and City and County of Honolulu governmental agencies.  The use of leased land is usually for period of 20-30 years with or without periodic rate adjustments or renegotiations and a very detailed (70+ pages) lease agreement no matter whether you are a business or individual.  There are no non-State-owned airports in Hawaii, except Princeville Airport.

Issues:
·       Difficult and inconsistent nature of doing business with the DOT-Airports Division (DOTA)
Renting State-owned facilities – 30-day revocable permits (RP) impeding FAR business requirements and bank loans among other issues (FAR 135 and 141 require a minimum of a 6-month lease to operate)
Rent increases at State airports are arbitrary but significant
State airport facilities not improved or maintained, especially GA facilities
Constant audits & tickets
DOTA focus is on airlines and FAR 139 airports
Airport badging process is slow / continuous changes make it hard to keep up for small businesses.  Must secure a badge for each airport even though all airports under DOTA (each airport charges and ask for the same information)—charter operators that operate in Hawaii must secure multiple badges to use all Hawaii airports
Honolulu Community College (HCC) A&P School rent increase ($48K -> $1.25M/year)
Hangar 111 (controlled by UH) at Kalaeloa Airport has sat empty for at least 5-years
Students need to be close to airport
Possible Solutions Discussed:
·       Have DOTA write longer RP period (at least 6-months) (OPR: DOTA)
·       Have DOTA issue rent offsets for renter-initiated facility improvements (OPR: DOTA)
·       Eliminate/significantly reduce City and County taxation of rented airport facilities (OPR: HI Legislatures)
·       Return Kalaeloa Hangar 111 to aviation use (OPR: UH and HI Legislatures)
·       Have DOTA make a master use and maintenance plan for all State airports; increase maintenance/repair of GA facilities (OPR: DOTA)
·       Have DOTA and the aviation community participate in annual airport reviews and when airport rule changes are being proposed (OPR: DOTA and GACH)
·       Have a one-badging system for use at all State airports; implement electronic badge swiping at all authorized airport entrances (OPR: DOTA)
·       Either allow HCC A&P school move into Hangar 111 or significantly reduce rent at present location to reasonable levels (OPR: DOTA and UH)
Military
Issues:
·       Many military members have experience but not the relevant FAA certifications
Part 65 schools are needed
Must be sensitive to military retention needs
Possible Solutions Discussed:
·       Have the military transition team knowledgeable in advising military members on how to convert their aviation pilot/maintenance experience into useful FAA certificates (OPR: Workforce Development)
·       Establish FAR 65 schools (OPR: UH, FAA and qualified instructor)

Personnel
Issues:
·       Cost of training
Cost of living in HI
Supply of applications into programs is not an issue. Retention, quality, capturing the passion and keeping students engaged are the issues
HI local students are leaving to the mainland (cost is lower, opportunities are higher)
Create dormitory for students
How do we transfer auto mechanics to A&Ps – night school (but currently not available)?
Possible Solutions Discussed:
·       Have more scholarships available/get out the word that scholarships/grants maybe available (OPR: Aviation Industry and Local Airlines)
·       Establish a program to track young people’s interest in aviation to an aviation training program (OPR: Workforce Development & HI DOE)
·       Have aviation training programs in Hawaii (OPR: UH)
·       Increase PHAM and other programs that encourage aviation career fields (OPR: PHAM and HI DOE)
·       Establish programs to people in related mechanical courses look at aviation A&P schools (OPR: UH)

Education / Training Constraints
Issues:
·       Vocational training in high schools is down
·       Not enough A&P instructors and CFIs
·       Students need a guarantee that training is available in a timely manner
·       University schools need to monitor dropout rates to keep accreditation
·       UH Hilo has MOU with a mainland company to provide flight training in last year of their aviation program.  Students are lost to mainland companies, high cost of flight training and loss of potential flight instructors
·       Students are dropping out once they received their Commercial Pilot/CFI Qualifications and not completing their academic degree
·       STEM is not continued beyond HS
·       High military air activity that interferes with student flight training
·       Flight training on mainland will not result immediately in pilots/A&Ps returning to Hawaii

Possible Solutions Discussed:
·       Have more vocational options available in high schools (OPR: HI DOE)
·       Encourage aviation students to complete their degree as well as getting their FAA certificates (OPR: UH)
·       Have UH issue an RFP to HI/US mainland businesses to have flight instruction, training airplanes and qualified flight and ground instructors located at Hawaii airports for the UH commercial flight training program (OPR: UH)
·       Allow qualified HCC A&P instructors to act as FAA DMEs and to also teach FAR 65 courses (OPR: UH)
·       Encourage UH Pilot Training program students to remain as CFIs at the UH Commercial Pilot training program and to get their degree (OPR: UH)
·       Inform HI high school counsellors that programs are available to enter a field in aviation (OPR: HI DOE and Workforce Development)
·       Ensure military transition counselors are aware that exiting military members with aviation experience can convert their experience to a FAA certificate and that jobs are available for them in Hawaii (OPR: Workforce Development)
·       Increase HCC budget for the A&P school instructors (OPR: UH)
·       Encourage recent pilot graduates to become CFIs; allow airline commercial pilots who are CFIs to work at local flight schools (OPR: Aviation Industry and UH)
·       Increase children visits to the museum and to have encounters with aviation which sparks curiosity.  Develop a program that keeps alive an aviation spark for high school students (OPR: PHAM)
Develop Airport Management / Aviation Management courses at UH aviation program (OPR: UH)
Establish a local aviation industry mentorship program (OPR: Airlines)
Establish a local aviation industry support for aviation through scholarships/grants (OPR: Airlines)
Eliminate GET charges on training for private aviation institutions that are an accredited education institute (i.e., FAR 141, 142 and 65 schools) (OPR: GACH and HI Legislatures)
Allow for the repurpose / cross use of UH facilities for aviation businesses to use the facilities for training during off-hours (OPR: UH)
Operational
Issues
More presentations on the history & wonder of aviation
Grant programs through the airlines
Increase the need for FAA DPEs/DMEs
Extend parts GET elimination to GA—same theory applies as 2-jet engine airplanes
Possible Solutions Discussed:
·       Increase aviation programs in schools (OPR: HI DOE)
·       Have airlines support aviation training programs through grants (OPR: Aviation Industry)
·       Increase/authorize more DPEs/DMEs and certification approvals (OPR: FAA)
December 18th meeting attendance:
FIRST NAME
LAST NAME
ORGANIZATION
Heather
Jacox
Hawaiian Airlines
Neil
Fisk
Hawaiian Airlines
Gary
Fong
Aloha Air Cargo
Pat
McNamee
Pacific Air Charters
Don
Machado
Shider Jet
Ev
Greene
HCC A&P School
Ted
Ralston
UH-Manoa
Ben
Fout
Moana Loa Helicopters
Tim
Ward
UH-Hilo
Alan
Hayashi
State of Hawaii
Rick
Richardson
PHAM
Rob
Moore
PHAM
Elissa
Lines
PHAM
Shauna
Tonkin
PHAM
Ray
Johns
PHAM
Ray
L’Heureux
Wing Spirit

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