Miami Air International

In the Vanguard of Airline Safety Nationwide

Wed, 09 May 2012 11:35:00 -0900

Miami Air International, America’s premier charter airline, took a giant leap forward in airline safety when the FAA’s SMS Project Office in Washington, D.C. approved Miami Air’s implementation of a Safety Management System (SMS), becoming only the fifth airline overall and the first Part 121 charter airline to do so.

SMS is an organized approach to managing safety. It is a system that encourages airlines to take a deep look at their policies, procedures and accountabilities beyond regulatory requirements. It is designed to make the airline industry, already one of the safest industries, even safer.

Miami Air’s SMS has implemented proactive and predictive hazard identification processes to complement the traditional reactive processes. The company’s management personnel, including the President have been trained to actively identify hazards and mitigate them before they cause an incident. All Miami Air employees have been trained and encouraged to identify and report hazards in a non-punitive environment.

The concept of SMS is an effective, proven system of managing safety in Europe, Australia, Canada, and other countries around the world. In August, Congress will enact law requiring all US Part 121 air carriers including both charter airlines and scheduled airlines, to implement a Safety Management System within three years.

“Thanks to our participation in the FAA’s SMS Pilot Program, Miami Air will be able to operate with a clearly defined and efficient Safety Management System that will show our employees, the industry, our government and governments worldwide, Miami Air International’s commitment to operate with the highest level of safety, as intended by the impending 14 CFR Part 5 regulation and international aviation standards,” said Jim Proia, President of Miami Air International.

Currently, there are 79 airlines in the entire US enrolled in the Federal Aviation Administration’s SMS Pilot Program. Of these, only five, including Miami Air International have implemented the safety system. Miami Air is the only luxury on demand charter airline to have implemented SMS.

In the Vanguard of Airline Safety Nationwide

Wed, 09 May 2012 11:22:00 -0900

Boeing ‘Dreamliner’ Now a Reality

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 06:16:00 -0900

Boeing’s newest airplane, the 787 jet it calls the “Dreamliner,” has been waiting in the wings for long time. Finally, the development of the craft is complete and the waiting is over.

The aviation industry is particularly excited about the Dreamliner because of its unique design elements – which could influence new aircraft builds for years to come. For example, most of the Dreamliner is covered in carbon fiber instead of aluminum – a longstanding aviation standard. Although carbon fiber is not completely new – being used in the military plane designs for years and on portions of some jetliners, it has never been used to such a degree on commercial airliner.

The carbon fiber used on the Dreamliner is strong and light-weight – like an advanced plastic. Its strength allows windows to be bigger and higher, creating amazing scenic views during flight. It also permits the climate conditions of the cabin to be more comfortable. Cabin pressure on the Dreamliner will be equivalent to 6,000 feet, instead of the usual 8,000 feet. And because carbon fiber is not vulnerable to corrosion (unlike aluminum), cabin air have more humidity, which should cut down on the dry throats and noses sometimes common on other aircraft. On top of that, the Dreamliner is estimated to be 20 percent more fuel-efficient than current airliners.

The first 787 will go into service at Japan's All Nippon Airways. However, more are sure to start appearing all over the world with Boeing reporting more than 800 orders for Dreamliners. With news like that, it seems the future of aviation is fast approaching.

Why use Miami Air instead of a scheduled airline?

Wed, 09 Nov 2011 06:09:00 -0900

Some may ask why a group would charter with Miami Air International (MAI) – a charter airline – instead of a large scheduled airline that operates hundreds of aircraft. Most scheduled carriers do provide charter service, and some of them claim to have plenty of aircraft to back up a charter flight in the event of a maintenance irregularity.

The truth is – the charter business is totally different than scheduled service. Scheduled airlines are committed to running their published schedule. Most, if not all, of the entire fleet within a scheduled airline, are used to support the schedule. Very few planes, if any, are set aside for charter flights. If the charter plane experiences a maintenance delay, the scheduled airline cannot withdrawal a plane from the schedule to rescue the plane with the maintenance problem. To do so, they would have to cancel or delay a flight within their schedule. Charter flights actually conflict with scheduled operations.

A scheduled airline may claim to operate in most cities within the United States and Canada, and therefore have support all over. This is true to a degree. Many scheduled airlines have personnel hired in many of the destinations they fly into. However, those employees are there to simply check-in passengers and service the aircraft. Major airlines do not have an inventory of parts housed in every station in which they fly. In the event of a maintenance break, when a part is not readily available, a scheduled carrier would have to bring in a part from another location – just as MAI would. Just like large scheduled airlines, MAI relies on other carriers for maintenance support at out stations throughout the world. Currently, MAI has a maintenance contract with one of the top five carriers to supply maintenance support wherever they have maintenance facilities and personnel. More importantly, MAI has a certified mechanic flying with all of its aircraft to supervise and assist any maintenance need while our planes are away from our headquarters in Miami, Florida.

MAI’s maintenance, safety, and training programs are all certified by the FAA to the same level as any US scheduled airline. We are qualified by the US Department of Defense to fly military troops; to do this requires stringent inspections of our maintenance, safety, and training programs. Many Fortune 500 companies have hired independent third parties to inspect MAI’s entire operation and we always pass with the highest marks.

Miami Air International’s expertise and experience in the charter business is the most significant reason to work with us when chartering an airplane for your group. Chartering is our business. We often fly into small, secondary airports that do not even have scheduled service. We sometimes have to contact a local restaurant near these small airports to accommodate first class catering requests. Once, a customer of ours used a scheduled carrier only to arrive at their destination airport with no way to get off the airplane; because the carrier did not check to and see that the airport did not have air-stairs to accommodate a large aircraft. Of course MAI addresses such issues on a daily basis to ensure the customer enjoys a seamless experience.

Miami Air International and The Sunshine Foundation

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 04:27:00 -0900

The Sunshine Foundation was founded in 1976 with a lofty, yet admirable goal: to realize the dreams of chronically ill, seriously ill, physically challenged and abused children. To help these children feel like kids again, the foundation built the Dream Village, an amazing theme park in Davenport, FL, where children and their families stay in fairytale themed cottages and enjoy a handicapped accessible playground and pool, as well as a mini-golf course. The Sunshine Foundation works to fulfill so many children’s dreams, including everything from celebrity meet-ups, to family trips to shopping sprees. To date, the foundation has answered more than 35,000 dreams.

Aside from a visit to the Dream Village, The Sunshine Foundation finds itself inundated with requests to visit Disney World here in Florida. That’s where the Dreamlifts program comes in. A few times per year, the Sunshine Foundation charters an aircraft to transport children to Orlando for the vacation of a lifetime. As a sponsor and Corporate Dream Maker of the Sunshine Foundation, Miami Air International proudly participates in the Dreamlifts program, and donates flight time to The Sunshine Foundation.

Our participation in the Dreamlifts program is something we are very proud at Miami Air International. To learn more about Dreamlifts, as well as other commitments to the environment and community visit our responsibility page.

Why use Miami Air instead of a scheduled airline?

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 04:01:00 -0900

Some may ask why a group would charter with Miami Air International (MAI) – a charter airline – instead of a large scheduled airline that operates hundreds of aircraft. Most scheduled carriers do provide charter service, and some of them claim to have plenty of aircraft to back up a charter flight in the event of a maintenance irregularity.

The truth is – the charter business is totally different than scheduled service. Scheduled airlines are committed to running their published schedule. Most, if not all, of the entire fleet within a scheduled airline, are used to support the schedule. Very few planes, if any, are set aside for charter flights. If the charter plane experiences a maintenance delay, the scheduled airline cannot withdrawal a plane from the schedule to rescue the plane with the maintenance problem. To do so, they would have to cancel or delay a flight within their schedule. Charter flights actually conflict with scheduled operations.

A scheduled airline may claim to operate in most cities within the United States and Canada, and therefore have support all over. This is true to a degree. Many scheduled airlines have personnel hired in many of the destinations they fly into. However, those employees are there to simply check-in passengers and service the aircraft. Major airlines do not have an inventory of parts housed in every station in which they fly. In the event of a maintenance break, when a part is not readily available, a scheduled carrier would have to bring in a part from another location – just as MAI would. Just like large scheduled airlines, MAI relies on other carriers for maintenance support at out stations throughout the world. Currently, MAI has a maintenance contract with one of the top five carriers to supply maintenance support wherever they have maintenance facilities and personnel. More importantly, MAI has a certified mechanic flying with all of its aircraft to supervise and assist any maintenance need while our planes are away from our headquarters in Miami, Florida.

MAI’s maintenance, safety, and training programs are all certified by the FAA to the same level as any US scheduled airline. We are qualified by the US Department of Defense to fly military troops; to do this requires stringent inspections of our maintenance, safety, and training programs. Many Fortune 500 companies have hired independent third parties to inspect MAI’s entire operation and we always pass with the highest marks.

Miami Air International’s expertise and experience in the charter business is the most significant reason to work with us when chartering an airplane for your group. Chartering is our business. We often fly into small, secondary airports that do not even have scheduled service. We sometimes have to contact a local restaurant near these small airports to accommodate first class catering requests. Once, a customer of ours used a scheduled carrier only to arrive at their destination airport with no way to get off the airplane; because the carrier did not know the airport did not have air-stairs to accommodate a large aircraft. Miami Air’s planes are equipped with self contained air stairs to accommodate customers into small airports. Of course MAI addresses such issues on a daily basis to ensure the customer enjoys a seamless experience.

What is an Electronic Flight Bag?

Wed, 12 Oct 2011 04:56:00 -0900

One of the many prides we take in our fleet is our use of electronic flight bags. It’s also one of our features that seems to get the most questions. Just what is an electronic flight bag?

A lot of initial confusion over the electronic flight bag comes from the fact that it is not a bag at all. To this day, pilots are required to carry a number of manuals, forms, and other documents with them on every flight. Pilots carried these materials in their “flight bag” – which tended to very cumbersome. Pilots made use of so many documents that flight bags often weighed 40 pounds or more. As an added inconvenience, 40 pounds of papers can clutter a cockpit.

As technology advanced, planes started to go paperless and documents were condensed onto computers which came to be known as electronic flight bags. When electronic flight bags first appeared in the early 1990s, they were simple laptops running standard programs like word and spreadsheet processors. Originally, pilots had to make performance or fuel calculations using manuals and pen and paper. Now, computers could perform and document all calculations conveniently and quickly.

Today, FAA-approved electronic flight bags come in many shapes and sizes. Some are average laptops or specially modified laptops. Most actually look like a tablet computer, but heavier – usually weighing between one to five pounds, which is much better than the 40 pound bags of old!

At Miami Air, we use what’s known as “Class 3” electronic flight bags – which mean they are actually installed equipment that is a part of the plane. This gives our pilots a paperless cockpit with all the information they need to get you to your destination quickly and safely.

The Legacy of ‘The Starship’

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 03:18:00 -0900

At Miami Air, our airline fleet is made up of Boeing 737s. Most everyone knows that Boeing is a prestigious name in the aviation industry. However, one of their airplanes was truly a superstar.

The very first Boeing 720 had a mild start, but was destined for greatness. Built for and used by United Airlines in 1960, it was later sold to Contemporary Entertainment and christened “The Starship” in 1973. It went right to work flying some of the greatest musical talent from gig to gig.

Led Zeppelin famously chartered the aircraft for their 1973 and 1975 North American tours. They even had their logo painted onto the hull. Through the 70’s, The Starship was under almost constant service to some of the greatest rock stars of the time including Deep Purple, The Rolling Stones, Alice Cooper, Peter Frampton, and The Allman Brothers. Sadly, The Starship’s glory days were short lived. It began to suffer from engine problems by 1974 and became permanently grounded by 1977. It now no longer exists, as it was disassembled for parts in 1982.

The Starship was heavily modified to go from commercial craft to luxury craft. Rock stars enjoyed such comforts as a shower, bedroom, and a bar with a built-in electric organ. Miami Air is no stranger to handling charters by entertainers who love our customization options for flights. Opt for open bar services and exquisite catering options. You can even be like Led Zeppelin and get your logo printed on the headrest covers, cups, napkins, and more. At Miami Air, your utmost comfort and safety are our priority.

The Wonders of Aircraft Tires

Tue, 27 Sep 2011 03:27:00 -0900

We know our pilots and equipment make it smooth, but in reality, the physics of a perfect airplane landing involve a lot of heat and force. It involves conditions that ordinary tires just can’t handle. That’s why airline tires are a step above the kinds you’d find in any other industry.

Although they move through the skies with ease, aircraft are heavy vehicles. Combined with the speed involved in a landing, aircraft are built to exert a lot of force on whatever is underneath them. That’s why aircraft tires are built with such a heavy duty design – they need to withstand the heavy load of a landing.

In addition, airplanes handle different road conditions (or landing strip conditions, to be precise) than a typical vehicle. Planes may need to deal with not only rain or snow, but crosswind conditions as well. Unique tread patterns on aircraft tires allow them to land in nearly any conditions.

We also mentioned the large amount of heat generated during a landing. This occurs when the tires come into contact with the runway and the plane begins deceleration. Aircraft tires use two design features to render this heat harmless. Firstly, aircraft tires are filled with pure nitrogen. Compared to oxygen, nitrogen hardly expands with heat and pressure changes (like when a plane ascends and descends). Because they are filled with nitrogen, the tires’ shape changes very little which allows for smoother landings. In fact, nitrogen has proven to be so effective in airline tires, other industries (such as auto racing) now fill their tires with nitrogen too.

However, unlike these other industries, aircraft tires do not blowout from friction generated heat. A specially designed heat fuse is installed in every tire. If the tire reaches a certain temperature, the heat fuse melts and expels nitrogen from the tire in a steady, controlled stream – allowing for a smooth and safe landing.

When you think about airplanes, you probable never think of tires. Yet, they are an important part of all aircraft that make every landing possible.

Miami Air International’s 20th Anniversary

Mon, 12 Sep 2011 03:52:00 -0900

Miami Air International is proud to announce our 20^th anniversary in business. For two decades, we have provided a level of safety and service that has exceeded the expectations of our customers and made us the number one choice for leading corporations, professional entertainers, major sports organizations, world governments, and more.

Of course, we couldn’t have done it without our fleet of Boeing 737-800 and Boeing 737-400 aircraft. The versatility of these state-of-the-art aircraft allows us to customize flight experiences for each of our customers down to minute details – everything from seat arrangements, to menu and bar selections.

We are also well respected for the level of safety at our airline. We were among the first airlines to voluntarily implement a Safety Management System (SMS) and we will be at a one to one-and-a-half year advantage over other airlines when SMS implementation becomes mandatory. In addition, we are certified by the FAA under stringent Part 121 Flag regulations. We also regularly receive positive marks by independent aviation experts, and Miami Air International always offer a “100% reliability guarantee” to our customers.

Our customers enjoy an impeccable level of service from Miami Air. Whether its aircraft commitments up to two years in advance of flight date, access to preferred airports, planeside boarding, or expedited passenger screening, our customers’ safety and comfort always come first. By providing only the finest customized in-flight experiences, we look forward to flying for the next 20 years and beyond!