Years of Experience
Born into a military family in Seoul, Korea, Pflieger graduated from the US Naval Academy (1985) in Annapolis, Maryland, and flew B-52s and C-130s in the U.S. Air Force, Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard. He obtained his MBA and law degree (with distinction) from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, and graduated from the University of Southern California’s Aviation Safety Program.

His was associated with the law firm of King and Spalding until he was lured away by an offer from Delta Airlines where he became the Director of Flight Safety, Chief Operating Attorney and flew 767s, 757s and 737s. As the VP Operations with Delta’s Song he orchestrated the transit of 7 million people each year.

In 2004 he joined Virgin America as a founding officer, serving as General Counsel, Senior Vice President Legal, Government Affairs and Sustainability, as well as Vice President Operational Control Center and – he got to fly the planes as a Virgin America Captain – piloting the airline’s inaugural flight from Washington, DC to San Francisco.

Not Just a Pretty Face
It is possible that Pflieger was selected CEO because of his political acumen evidenced at Virgin America where he fought against competitors and the US government to prove the company complied with foreign ownership requirements. His negotiating prowess will definitely be called into play as he works Air Pacific and Fiji through the turbulence being created by the controversial issue known as Pacific Islands Air Services Agreement (PIASA; it has been approved by most regional governments, except Fiji, who wants to protect Air Pacific from the forces of competition. If implemented, the agreement would open the Pacific Islands airline route to all islands airlines instead of flights conditionally restricted by bilateral agreements negotiated by governments. It is interesting to note that PIASA currently exists; however, none of the countries that are signatories to the agreement have yet implemented it.

Resistance to the agreement also comes from the Association of South Pacific Airlines (ASPA) an organization representing most of the region’s airlines. ASPA believes that the accord would open the region to aggressive competitors from foreign airlines. Australia based airlines are of special concern for they are in a position to pick the profitable routes, leaving government-owned regional airlines to run unprofitable social service routes that are government mandated.

Continue reading the original article on eTurboNews.com

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It comes as no surprise that technology is advancing rapidly. And with the rapid advancement of technology, humans have been able to create some of the most amazing inventions in history. A recent focus has been on the automobile. Several companies are looking to make self-driving cars. But one company in particular is looking to the sky. Airbus, one of the world’s largest aircraft manufacturers, is designing a flying car. And it will apparently be ready to test by the end of the year.

According to a report from Reuters, the aircraft goliath is planning to test out their brand new flying car before the end of the year. The car is being created in hopes of decreasing gridlock on the highways and city streets. If that weren’t enough, the car is also being designed to be self-driving.

The company has recently been focusing heavily on urban mobility, starting a division named Urban Air Mobility last year. Airbus’ CEO, Tom Enders, noted that the company is looking to help the economy, as well as the roadways. “With flying, you don’t need to pour billions into concrete bridges and roads,” he said. Enders also mentioned the company’s seriousness on creating the car, saying, “We are in an experimentation phase, we take this development very seriously. If we ignore these [technological] developments, we will be pushed out of important segments of the business.” They are even attempting to make the car as environmentally friendly as possible, which is definitely a plus.

With companies such as Airbus harnessing today’s technology, we may be getting closer to the age of the flying car.

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During the winter, air travel can be unpredictable. The weather can lead to a delay or cancellation of your flight, and if you’re not prepared, this can put a damper on your vacation. Here are a few rules to remember when you’re flying in the winter:

1) Don’t make a tight schedule

Remember that there is always a possibility for delays and cancellations, especially in bad weather. If you’re arrival time is extremely important, such as a can’t-miss meeting, a secondary departure or an important celebration, make sure you allow for any air travel snarls that could occur. This could even mean travelling a full day early. The minimum amount of time for recovering from delays is several extra hours, so an extra day is certainly a possibility.

2) Check the weather

If you want to predict delays before your airline officially tells you about them, make sure to stay up-to-date on weather forecasts. You’ll want to keep tabs on the weather several days in advance, and make sure you check the weather at the location of every airport you plan you use, whether for a departure, a destination or a layover. Check inbound arrivals at any airport where you plan to have an early-morning departure. If your plane is unable to get in the night before, it won’t be at the airport for your morning departure. To check the weather frequently, consider getting a mobile app for this purpose.

3) Book early flights

As much as we’d all like to get better sleep, booking an early morning flight will help you avoid travel issues. The earlier your flight, the less likely your flight is to be affected by issues at other airports. Getting this early start will also give you more opportunity to find a different flight for the same day in the event that your flight is canceled or delayed. If you start your travels later in the day, delays or cancellations may mean that you have to stay in a hotel overnight.

4) Try to book direct flights

Booking a direct flight will prevent any connection issues that you may have due to delays. Even if you notice that most flights from the airport nearest you require connection, you should think about driving to another airport a few hours away so you can get to your destination in one flight.

5) Avoid problem hubs

If you can’t avoid having a layover, try and make sure you aren’t going through a hub that will encounter severe winter weather. In the first quarter of the year, the lowest percentages of late arrivals occur in Dallas/Ft. Worth, Phoenix and Houston. If you can have a layover at one of these airports, you’ll be more likely to make your connecting flight. While you typically will want to avoid hubs where there is heavy snow, Salt Lake City and Denver do surprisingly well because they know how to handle heavy snowfall.

Flying in the winter can be a hassle due to weather conditions. Make sure you’re staying up to date and taking the proper precautions so that you will be prepared for any delays or cancellations that may come up.

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