The Desert Mountain Community Foundation (DMCF) and Pinnacle Aviation, in partnership with the Desert Mountain Golf Professionals, presented the Third Annual Pinnacle Aviation Putting Challenge fundraising event with 100% of the proceeds benefiting the DMCF Scholarship Fund. 

Saturday, April 1, 2017 was a cool but beautiful Arizona day, when twenty-three (23) participants competed on the 20-putt course, held at the Cochise/Geronimo putting green during Desert Mountain’s golf product Demo Day. Each Putting Challenge participant donated $100 for 20 putts – 5 putts on four designated putting holes with one point awarded and tallied for each putt made. Participants had the option to play a second round for $75 and a third round for $25. Each of the contestants who participated were gifted a dozen Titleist Pro V1x golf balls! Mr. Wolski made 5 for 5 putts on the first hole and made 4 of 5 on his second hole! He finished with an impressive 12 of 20 to become the 2017 Pinnacle Aviation Putting Champion. His win includes a $500 credit in the Desert Mountain Golf Shop, along with a beautifully inscribed silver-plated Champion’s trophy. Mr. Wolski also earned a shot at the 50-foot putt to win an all-expense paid, luxury private jet trip for eight (8) to his choice of Bandon Dunes, Pelican Hills or Jackson Hole, valued at over $50,000! 

Mr. Wolski lined up and put a good stroke on the long putt. The ball rolled smoothly on-line, breaking slightly toward the hole from left to right coming to rest short of the cup. It was a gallant attempt and a fun showing for the cheering spectators. 

The event raised and donated $2,925 to the DMCF scholarship fund. The DMCF’s volunteer committee members, along with Pinnacle Aviation’s team have already begun compiling their notes and ideas to grow next year’s event and raise even more for the Scholarship Fund. 

The DMCF established the Scholarship Fund in 2012 to provide need-based support for eligible Desert Mountain employees, their spouses, and dependent children and grandchildren, as these individuals pursue their educational goals. The scholarship program is also open to employees of CCMC, the company that provides professional management to the Desert Mountain Homeowners Associations. Scholars are selected through an application process by a review panel that includes members of the DMCF Advisory Board, Desert Mountain members, a local education expert, and Arizona Community Foundation Scholarship Office staff members. Selection is based on financial need, essays about future plans and goals, academic achievement, demonstrated community service, and relationship to a Desert Mountain employee in good standing. 

Congratulations to our 2017 Pinnacle Aviation Putting Champion, Mr. Daniel Wolski!

Desert Mountain member, Mr. Daniel Wolski, (pictured left below with Mr. John Nicholson) is the 2017 Pinnacle Aviation Putting Challenge Champion!

 

 Pictured above left to right: Connor Bergman, Orin Anderson, Daniel Wolski, Ann Melsheimer (DMCF Chair), Brook Urban & Steve Ketterer

 

 

 

Pinnacle Aviation has engaged two ASU interns, Matthew Stem and Ernesto Quintero, to be a part of our team during their Spring semester. These interns will act as assistants to our Director of Safety, Don Wade. They are trained on the Pinnacle Aviation Safety Management System, the performance of safety audits, and the duties of the Director of Safety as outlined in the Pinnacle Aviation General Operations Manual.

The interns conduct Pinnacle Aviation internal evaluation audits, aircraft spot audits, training of Pinnacle personnel on the Safety Management System, and security and emergency response procedures.

Don Wade’s goal for the program is that the ASU interns will achieve an understanding of how a mature and robust Safety Management System is structured and operates in our general aviation world. The program at ASU is focused primarily on mass transportation systems such as the airlines. Exposure to Pinnacle Aviation allows the interns to expand their view of air transportation in general aviation.

Click the link below to learn more about the program they are attending at ASU:

https://poly.engineering.asu.edu/aviation/professional-flight-bs/

 

At Pinnacle Aviation we exceed FAA requirements for pilot proficiency. We are proud of our pilots and believe they are the best in the industry. Each year Pinnacle Aviation selects a pilot to give a Pilot of the Year Award to. The pilot is chosen based on hours individually flown, feedback from other pilots, feedback from scheduling and operations, and feedback from customers.

Pinnacle Aviation’s 2016 Pilot of the Year Award was given to the Captain of one of our Citation CJ3s, Don Yoo. Don accumulated a yearly total of 518 hours flown. The next closest 3 pilot crew flew a total of 428 hours. His colleagues commended his hard work and described Don as a leader by example. Our scheduling department said that Don’s positive attitude and good sense of humor stands out. Don also has great attention to detail on all his trip sheets.

Our customers had nothing but good things to say about Don Yoo. Posted below is an email we received from one of our clients who was flown by Don.

“It is refreshing to find a company that values customer satisfaction. I commend the pilots and ground crew at the FBO we visited. It turns out we had a mix-up with our rental car reservation. The pilots started to work on the problem while enroute and by the time we landed we had a rental car waiting for us at Teterboro airport. They exceeded my expectations! Well done to all involved.”

We are proud to have such a humble leader like Don on our Pinnacle Aviation team. We appreciate all his hard work and effort that he puts into his job which makes Pinnacle Aviation the company we are.

 

 

 

 

On November 1, 2016 two FAA drug abatement inspectors conducted an in-depth inspection of Pinnacle Air Charter’s drug audit program. The inspectors planned on taking most of the day to review records, but Cynthia, who is responsible for overseeing and maintaining this program, did an amazing job of having all the necessary records documented and organized. This saved the inspectors considerable time and they finished in just 3.5 hours.

The inspectors checked to make sure that Pinnacle Air Charter is complying with the rules and regulations set up by the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the FAA. They verified our records to make sure we are following the guidelines set forth by the DOT and FAA on all personnel who hold a safety-sensitive position. This includes our pilots and maintenance technicians.

We were commended on the fact that we have thorough records and documentation they don’t normally see. They were impressed that we check with the lab and notify them of an employee being sent for testing which they said is something that many employers do not do and should be doing.

Thanks to Cynthia for the great job she has done and continues to do to give us such a positive audit!

Line Service Technicians are the professionals working on airport ramps to assist with aircraft movement. They juggle a wide variety of responsibilities; including staging jets on the ramp in preparation for departures and moving them cautiously into the hangars after they arrive. It is a precarious job that requires steady nerves and the ability to focus their attention on their work.

The Southwest Jet Center facility in Scottsdale has Line Service Technicians available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to direct the departing and arriving flights. During peak times, there may be as many as 3 or 4 Line Service Technicians working the ramp and hangars; however, most of the time there are 2 Line Service Technicians on duty to ensure aircraft movement operates safely. The Line Service Technicians are also responsible for fueling the jets appropriately and assisting pilots and passengers with luggage and ground transportation. A good line technician is able to concentrate his attention on the specific task at hand – especially when there is lots of activity on the ramp. Whether driving the aircraft tug to position a jet in a hangar or walking along the wing to guide the tug driver – the line service professionals must be 100% focused on the ever-changing environment on the ramp. On an average day, a Line Service Technician may be responsible to move and position $100 Million dollars in assets. Even a minor accident, called “hangar rash”, can result in extraordinarily costly repairs. As Bobby Garcia, the Line Crew Manager at Southwest Jet Center puts it, “you’ve got to have your head on a swivel at all times”. 

Every day presents a fresh set of challenges for the Line Service Technicians to evaluate and solve together. Successful outcomes to the ever-changing daily situations are usually the result of working effectively with all of the other stakeholders on the ramp. “I’ve seen dramatic improvements in how jets are serviced and maintained these days”, says Cindy Mattan, Southwest Jet Center’s Office Manager with more than 10 years of experience in the private jet industry. Cindy continues, “…the sophistication of the computerized scheduling has come a long, long way from the white board and notebooks that were used in the past”.

The National Air Transportation Association (NATA) has a comprehensive program for Line Service Technicians called Safety 1st. Southwest Jet Center has invested in Safety 1st certification for all of their Line Service Technicians.

Pinnacle Aviation teams up with Southwest Jet Center’s administrative staff and crew of eight (8) dedicated Line Service Technicians, affectionately known as “The Line Guys” to ensure our operations run smoothly. “It makes a big difference when the line guys are proactive and diligent” says Scott Casey, Pinnacle Aviation’s Charter Manager, “whether we have a client departing at 4:00 am or arriving late on a holiday the line guys do a fantastic job with the client’s baggage, vehicles and handling the aircraft movements – their support is critical and always appreciated.” He added, “Their great service is not surprising considering most of the line guys have extensive experience working on the line.”

Teamwork, attention to detail, focus, communication and cooperation are the successful characteristics of the professional Line Service Technicians at Southwest Jet Center.

 

ADS-B Out & TCAS 7.1

Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast, also known as ADS-B, is a satellite-based surveillance system. ADS-B Out uses GPS technology to determine an aircraft’s location, airspeed and other data, and broadcasts that information to a network of ground stations. After it reaches the ground stations the data is sent to air traffic control displays and to nearby aircraft equipped to receive the data via ADS-B In. Before January 1, 2020 an operator will need to get ADS-B Out hardware installed in their aircraft before the mandate kicks in. To fulfill the ADS-B Out requirement, they will need to equip their aircraft with either an integrated or stand alone transponder. Based upon the aircraft’s existing equipment, an operator can also upgrade to a Mode S transponder to fulfill ADS-B Out compliance. Aircraft will also require a position source in the United States, a source that must be Selective Availability capable with a Wide Area Augmentation System GPS position source. For aircraft wanting to fly to Europe, the ADS-B mandates also come along with the Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) 7.1 mandate, which is unique to Europe as it requires in-service TCAS systems to be Change 7.1 compliant by January 1, 2017. 

FANS 1/A+ and PM-CPDLC

FANS 1/A+ uses the Global Aircraft Communications and Reporting System Network, which leverages Air Traffic Control for text messaging between controllers and pilots. By the beginning of 2018 over 50 airports will be able to provide these digital departure clearances.

Protected Mode-Controller Pilot Data Link Communication also known as PM-CPDLC helps aircraft fly preferred routes with the help of the Aeronautical Telecommunication Network. This mandate was originally set for February of 2015, but regulators pushed it back to 2020. To comply with these mandates operators will need to upgrade their communication, navigation and surveillance equipment onboard the aircraft.

Charise was born and raised in a small town located 5 miles from the South Dakota border called Hills, Minnesota. She moved to Arizona 28 years ago and has lived here ever since. Charise has many hobbies including reading, cooking and taking care of her animals. It’s not uncommon to see Charise find a wounded animal and nurture it back to being healthy.

At the beginning of her career she started as a Director of Operations and Dispatch Manager for various ground transportation companies. These jobs laid the foundation of detailed coordinating and scheduling that launched Charise into a career of aircraft charter in 2001. In 2009 Charise joined Pinnacle Aviation as a Charter and Management Services Coordinator. This position is responsible for working with aircraft owners in meeting their specific needs. She schedules clients’ flights, assigns the crews, arranges hotels, ground transportation and catering. Charise has been instrumental in introducing new clientele to our charter fleet, a facet that she excels at, as she is an expert in understanding which aircraft will meet the personal needs of the private and corporate traveler.

Charise’s favorite part about working at Pinnacle Aviation is that her job is never mundane. She has the opportunity to meet various people from all over the country. Charise has had the opportunity to help plan surprise trips, family vacations, help people make it to important business meetings to name a few. Her gratification is seeing the smiles on their faces as a successful trip is accomplished. She also enjoys working amongst talented colleagues and being a part of the Pinnacle Aviation Charter Team.

As you might have noticed, we’ve redesigned our website. With our website’s new features you will be able to request specific information, watch videos of aircraft for sale, read our blog, compare aircraft and much more.

Our new Homepage is easy to navigate, interactive and informative. On the Homepage under the “Want to Know More” box you are able to request specific information regarding sales, charter, management, maintenance, and insurance. You can also easily receive a charter quote for the next trip, learn more about our maintenance department or check out employee highlights. You are able to watch videos of new aircraft listings with Pinnacle Aviation and get a snapshot of other events going on around the community involving Pinnacle Aviation. Comparing aircraft can also be done on our new Homepage, just simply click on the comparison box.

Stay up to date on the latest market information, company stories, and more on our company blog spot and news feed. Another exciting feature that is offered on our new website is a team member page. On this page you will be able to meet the professionals of Pinnacle Aviation.

Throughout our website you will also find videos of aircraft for sale, a large range chart for aircraft comparison, our company video and information on our latest ratings. We hope you enjoy exploring all our new website has to offer.

 

 

Take a behind the scenes look of Trends Magazine’s photoshoot honoring the Phoenix Heart Ball that took place at Pinnacle Aviation. The Heart Ball Committee is a fundraising group for the American Heart Association. They began their fundraising 50+ years ago and have continued to grow over the years. The 2016 Phoenix Heart Ball will bring the community together and help raise money for the American Heart Association. Thank you, Jennifer Carmer, Char Hubble, Nan Howlett, Kristine Thompson, Carolyn Jackson and Marilyn and Dave Alexander for all you do. You are all amazing and we enjoyed being a part of such a great cause. Click the link below to learn more about the Heart Ball Committee and how you can be a part of the Phoenix Heart Ball.

https://ahaphoenix.ejoinme.org/MyEvents/20162017GreaterPhoenixHeartBall/tabid/770032/Default.aspx

Pinnacle Aviation has expanded our charter fleet by welcoming two new jets in 2016. We were excited to add a Challenger 604 in January and a second Hawker 400XP in August to our fleet.

Our Challenger 604 offers a luxurious 12 passenger interior with an extended cabin. It is equipped with a large forward galley and a cabin service representative to make flights more enjoyable. The Hawker 400XP is a light jet that has a 7 passenger interior with a full entertainment system and a range of 1500 statute miles.

In addition our management company added a Citation CJ2 in April that is based at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, and a Citation X and Citation Bravo that are based at Scottsdale that were added in August.

Contact Us

800.333.1680
480.998.8989
[email protected]

Orin Anderson is Pinnacle Aviation’s Director of Business Development. He helps generate new business for Pinnacle by building and fostering relationships within the community. Read the article below to learn more about Orin Anderson and all that he does for Pinnacle Aviation.

http://www.azredbook.com/homepage-grid-feature-spot-4/navigating-the-world-of-private-jets/