• The pilot shop is open.  Flight and ground training is available.
• If you’re interested in flight training or have questions, please call (815-356-8121) or email – we’re happy to help.
• Remote learning (Zoom, Facetime, etc) for ground instruction is also available if desired.
• Take your temperature and perform a self-assessment before coming to the airport.  If you are sick in any way or have any symptoms of COVID-19, do not come to the airport.
• If you have a positive COVID-19 test (even if free of symptoms) OR exposure to a person with a confirmed positive COVID-19 test or a person actively displaying symptoms, stay home, and please report the circumstance to Blue Skies staff.   We will work together to follow the appropriate CDC and FAA guidelines before you resume flying.
• Appropriate masks should be worn when in the pilot shop or other areas where standard social distancing guidelines cannot be followed.   You must arrive at the airport with your own mask – they will not be provided.   Test your mask to make sure your glasses don’t fog, headset fits, etc.   Make sure that your equipment works together and that your setup is comfortable enough to wear for the whole flight.

• Flight and ground lessons may be conducted if both the instructor and student agree to do so.   We ask that students respect the individual decisions of their instructors and vice versa.   If you have concerns about instructor availability, please contact us to discuss alternate options and we will do our best to address the situation.
• Wash hands (or use hand sanitizer) before and after each flight.
• If you need to cancel a flight, please give us as much notice as you can.   This will help us to keep things running as smoothly as possible for everyone.
• When planning your flight, please give extra attention to TFRs during this time.  The situation continues to change rapidly and it is possible for new TFRs to pop up on short notice.    Also consider the availability of services at your destination – many locations will have limited availability of fuel, crew cars, bathrooms, etc and may have local travel restrictions or procedures.  Call ahead to your destination to confirm.  You may wish to plan training flights with a taxi-back and departure, rather than stopping and getting out.
• Cleaning products are available for the aircraft and the sim.   There is a spray bottle with disinfectant and paper towels in each hangar.   We would encourage you to use it.   The disinfectant is rated to kill a wide range of viruses, bacteria, etc and is safe for use on most aircraft surfaces.   However, it can damage clear plastic.  Please do not use it on the windows or electronic screens.   And, soaking the panel with wet spray is not good for the switches, instruments, and other devices there. Do not spray directly at anything in the aircraft – instead, spray the product on the paper towel and wipe as needed, rather than spraying directly.   If you need to clean the windows, use the “Plexus” spray and rags that have always been in the planes.  Please dispose of the paper towels in the garbage cans located in each hangar and leave the supplies for the next pilot.
• We will be providing additional cleaning for the aircraft but, due to the nature of the situation, we cannot guarantee that any airplane is completely “disinfected” at any point in time.
• The guidelines here are intended as a minimum requirement.   As with other aspects of flying, personal standards above these minimums are encouraged and supported.   Individual instructors may require other additional measures at their discretion.

Sincerely,

Blue Skies Team