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University Aircraft Policy

Policy
Purpose: 

To describe operations and procedures related to the use of institutionally owned, leased, chartered, or donated aircraft for official business travel, hereafter referred to as General Aviation.

Applies to: 

University of Kansas employees, students, affiliates, and affiliate entities traveling on official business.

Campus: 
Edwards
Lawrence
Juniper Gardens
Parsons
Yoder
Topeka
Medical Center, Kansas City
Salina
Wichita
Policy Statement: 

1. Overview

KU Aviation Services operates a Light Business Jet to support the numerous business travel needs of the University and its affiliate entities. Occasionally, flights may also be conducated using alternate aircraft (i.e., charter and donor aircraft) that have been approved and certified to meet the minimum aircraft requirements outlined in section three (3) of this policy. Use of alternate aircraft must be reported in advance and is subject to approval by KU Aviation Services.

As designated below, KU Aviation Services schedules all General Aviation travel for the University, Kansas Athletics, and the University of Kansas Medical Center (KUMC). All flight requests will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the Director of Aviation Services. Spouses, children, and guests are not permitted to fly on aircraft arranged by KU Aviation Services unless such travel serves a clear business purpose that is documented and approved by the Director of Aviation Services.

2. Scheduling

All General Aviation travel for the University, Kansas Athletics, and KUMC must be scheduled though the Flight Coordinator. The The Flight Coordinator should be provided as much advance notice as possible when inquiring about a flight, not exceeding six (6) months in advance. Short notice flight requests are generally acceptable but are subject to availability. Persons interested in General Aviation travel should contact the Flight Coordinator for aircraft availability and other information prior to completion of the Flight Request Form.

The Flight Coordinator will provide an itinerary to the requestor’s designated contact person the week before the scheduled flight. The itinerary will indicate scheduled departure and arrival times, destination city and airport, and passenger manifest. Any changes or corrections should immediately be brought to the attention of the Flight Coordinator.

In the event of a flight modification or cancellation after the itinerary has been provided, the pilot or Flight Coordinator will notify the contact person listed on the Flight Request Form. The contact person is responsible for notifying all other interested parties of the updated flight status.

2.1 Day of the Flight

The flight departure time is indicated on the itinerary. Passengers should arrive fifteen (15) minutes prior to scheduled departure time to ensure an on-time departure. It is not necessary to arrive earlier than this as flight crew will be completing pre-flight tasks and aircraft preparation to ensure a timely departure.

The number of hours a pilot can be on duty, and the number of hours a pilot must be off duty between flights, is determined by Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Regulations and KU Aviation Services Policy. Flights are only confirmed if they meet these criteria. While flexibility is part of our service, passengers should make every effort to communicate delays or changes to the Flight Coordinator or to the flight crew directly. There may be circumstances where KU Aviation Services cannot accommodate changes due to these restrictions.

2.2 Aircraft Assignment

KU Aviation Services assigns aircraft based on various factors, including, but not limited to, availability of aircraft, planned destination, number of passengers, and cost efficiency.

2.3 Payment for General Aviation Aircraft

Payment for all flights scheduled through KU Aviation Services are payable to “KU Aviation Services” via check or electronic funds transfer (EFT). Both State and private funds are acceptable. Consult your specific department’s accountant if you have questions regarding the required payment methods.

3. Minimum Aircraft Requirements

3.1 All aircraft (including charters and donor provided aircraft) used for official business must meet the following minimum requirements:

  • Not older than 25 years (or sufficiently upgraded to modern standards);
  • Powered by two (2) or more turbine engines;
  • Equipped and certified for flights into all weather conditions;
  • Insured in accordance with requirements outlined in this policy with evidence of such insurance submitted to KU Aviation Services prior to flight;
  • Operated with two (2) pilots who meet the requirements described in the Pilot Requirements section of this policy; and
  • Maintained as described in the Maintenance Requirements section of this policy, with complete and satisfactory maintenance records.

4. Pilot Requirements

4.1 Pilots for all operations regardless of operator type (owned, leased, chartered, donated) must have, as a minimum:

            4.1.1 Pilot in Command (Captain) requires the following:

  • An FAA Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate and current FAA first-class medical;
  • Hold a Pilot in Command (PIC) Type Rating in the aircraft to be flown, if applicable;
  • Have completed training in the applicable aircraft type at Flight Safety International, Simuflite Training International, or equivalent aircraft manufacturer’s training within the past 12 months;
  • Be employed as a full-time pilot by the operator conducting the flight;
  • Have accumulated at least:
    • 3,000 hours total flying time, 1,500 hours of which are turbine engine time, 500 hours flying time in the aircraft type to be used, or equal Pilot in Command experience in a similar aircraft, 20 hours flying time in the past 120 days in the aircraft type to be used; and
  • Must meet the recency of experience requirements of 14 CFR 61.57 relevant to the operation.

4.1.2 Second in Command (Copilot) requires the following:

  • A Commercial Pilot Certificate with multi-engine and instrument ratings, and current FAA first or second-class medical;
  • Training in the aircraft type to be used at Flight Safety International, Simuflite Training International, or equivalent aircraft manufacturer’s training within the past 12 months;
  • Accumulated 1,500 hours total flying time, including 100 hours flying time in the aircraft type to be used, or equal experience in similar aircraft; and
  • Must meet all applicable recency of experience requirements of 14 CFR 61.57.

5. Maintenance Requirements

5.1 Maintenance for all aircraft used to transport University employees, students, and affiliates require the following (except FAA Part 121 team charter contracted by Kansas Athletics, Inc. and FAA Part 121 Scheduled Airline service):

  • All required inspection and maintenance procedures must be performed by an appropriately rated FAA certificated repair station, the manufacturer, or a manufacturer authorized service center.
  • Maintenance log records must be approved by personnel who have been trained and rated within the previous five (5) years to maintain the designated aircraft by either Flight Safety International or equivalent manufacture’s authorized training program.

6. Additional Information of Operational Restrictions

  • No aircraft will depart into forecasted or reported hazardous weather conditions such as moderate or greater icing, thunderstorms, or wind shears.
  • No circling approaches will be authorized with ceilings less than 1,000 feet and visibility less than three (3) miles.
  • All flights with passengers must be conducted on an Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) flight plan.
  • No passengers may enter the flight deck during the takeoff, approach, or landing phases of the flight. When the aircraft is below 10,000 feet, passengers will remain seated with seatbelts fastened unless directed otherwise by the flight crew due to an emergency situation.
  • All flight operations must be conducted in accordance with applicable FAA regulations and aircraft operational limitations.
  • Aircraft owned by University employees, students, or affiliates is prohibited from use for any official business travel.
  • Charter and donor aircraft must be maintained under the appropriate FAA operations specifications.
  • Charter aircraft must provide evidence of a current aircraft carrier certificate, under FAA Part 135.
  • Donor aircraft may be reimbursed for expenses incurred on the trip in accordance with paragraph 91.501(d) of FAA Guidelines, as agreed upon before scheduling the trip.
  • The Pilot in Command has final authority to cancel, delay, or modify any portion of a planned itinerary in the interest of safety.
  • Passengers must adhere to all federal and state laws, regulations, and University policies.

7. Insurance

7.1 Minimum liability limits for aircraft used by the University: $100M each occurrence including passengers.

7.2 Aircraft Physical Damage: equal to the fair market value of the aircraft.

The insurance shall include the following:

  • The Kansas Board of Regents and the University of Kansas or affiliate entities must be named as additional insured with respect to the operations of the aircraft owner/operator.
  • The insurance company must agree to waive all rights of subrogation with respect to physical damage to the aircraft in favor of Kansas Board of Regents and the University of Kansas or affiliate entities.
  • The insurer agrees to provide thirty (30) days advance written notice of cancelation to the Kansas Board of Regents and the University of Kansas or affiliate entities.

All insurance must be provided by an insurer licensed/admitted in the state where the policy is issued and a valid certificate of insurance evidencing all requirements outlined above must be provided to KU Aviation Services prior to operations of the aircraft.

Exclusions or Special Circumstances: 

Flights operated by FAA Part 121 Certificated Air Carriers (such as commercial airlines or airline team charters) are not subject to the General Aviation requirements of this policy.

This policy does not encompass aviation activity conducted by or on behalf of the KU Aerospace Engineering department. KU Aviation Services does not manage, oversee, or conduct aviation operations for or with Aerospace Engineering.

Contact: 

KU Aviation Services
Lori Montgomery
Flight Coordinator
225 Strong Hall
785-864-4694
lmontgomery@ku.edu

Approved by: 
Chancellor
Approved on: 
Monday, September 1, 1997
Effective on: 
Monday, September 1, 1997
Review Cycle: 
Annual (As Needed)
Definitions: 

General Aviation: any non-commercial flight that falls within the parameters of this policy.

Keywords: 
aircraft, airplane, air travel
Change History: 

02/08/2022: Updated Flight Request Form and corrected typo.
01/20/2022: Revised to reflect operational updates and payment source changes; updated and expanded donor aircraft requirements for clarity; revised Pilot Requirements section with aviation-standard phraseology.
02/14/2017: Updated URL
01/31/2017: Policy expanded from campus specific to an all University policy; Pilot and Co-Pilot requirements updated; Flight request form updated; Changes approved by the Chancellor.
08/23/2016: Updated Minimum Aircraft Requirements and Pilot Requirements sections. Policy formatting cleanup.
07/11/2016: Updated to remove gendered pronouns.
01/13/2015: Policy formatting cleanup (e.g., bolding, spacing).
02/03/2014: Made technical edits to Policy Statement.
09/19/2013: Added updated form.
09/11/2013: Updated policy to include greater detail.
11/16/2010: Updated contact information on Flight Request Form.
04/09/2009: Reviewed and updated to reflect that only SOV funds can be used.
09/01/1997: Approved and effective.

Operational Categories: 
Facilities

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