ViewTech Borescopes December 2025 Newsletter

NEW ViewTech VJ-4 Triple Camera Video Borescope

ViewTech Borescopes is proud to introduce the NEW VJ4 Triple Camera video borescope. Engineered to deliver an almost complete 360° view. The VJ4 Triple Camera system features three high-resolution cameras, one front view and two side view.

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NEW VJ-4 Triple Camera video borescope for sale.

ViewTech Holiday Schedule

On behalf of everyone at ViewTech, we extend our best wishes to you and your family for a safe, joyful, and prosperous holiday season.

Please be advised that our office will be closed on December 24, December 25, December 31, and January 1. We appreciate your understanding and look forward to serving you in the coming year.

2025 ViewTech Holiday Schedule

Inspection Image of the Month

Weld inspections captured while utilizing a VJ-4 6.0mm x 8.0m video borescope.

Want to share your inspection images?

Email info@viewtech.com

Video Borescope Weld Inspection Images

ViewTech Borescopes November 2025 Newsletter

Chris Courtright, ViewTech Sales Consultant, Joins ASTM Committee

ViewTech Joins ASTM Committee

Chris Courtright, a ViewTech Sales Consultant and NDT Responsible Level III, was nominated for and accepted the role of Secretary of the ASTM E07.03 Liquid Penetrant and Magnetic Particle techniques committee. Congratulations, Chris.

Over 35,000 industry volunteers, including manufacturers, consumers, and other interest organizations like government or academia, make up the ASTM (Advancing Standards Transforming Markets) Committees.

Pressure Pumping Company Prefers the VJ-4

Pressure Pumping Company Prefers the VJ-4

After experiencing a VJ-4 Dual Camera demo, the field service manager of a pressure pumping company shared “that the Borescope operates very easily and the unit is very user friendly, they actually prefer the operations and functionality over our Olympus”.

Inspection Image of the Month

Inspection Image of the Month

A cracked fuel nozzle was captured by a technician utilizing a VJ-4 6.0mm x 3.0m Dual Camera video borescope.

Want to share your inspection images?

Email info@viewtech.com

NBAA BACE Day 1 Keynote Presentation

Key Takeaways

• NBAA celebrates the launch of Climbing Fast (climbingfast.com): a public advocacy campaign aimed at spreading awareness for NBAA’s commitment to reaching net-zero emissions by 2050
• Jared Isaacman is awarded NBAA’s Meritorious Service Award for his career as a civilian pilot, entrepreneurship, and for leading the first all-civilian mission to space (SpaceX’s 2021 Inspiration4)
• Representatives from the FAA and NTSB share their thoughts on the state of the industry and how their work with the NBAA is shaping the future of aviation

Featured Speakers:

• Ed Bolen, NBAA President & CEO
• Katie Thompson, FAA Deputy Administrator
• Jennifer Homendy, National Transportation Safety Board Chair
• Jared Isaacman, Pilot, Astronaut, Entrepreneur, Philanthropist
• Dr. Sian Proctor, Astronaut, Poet, Artist, Author
• Andre Agassi, Retired Tennis Star, Entrepreneur, Philanthropist
• Steffi Graf, Retired Tennis Star, Entrepreneur, Philanthropist

The 2023 NBAA|BACE Conference kicked off with opening comments from an energetic Ed Bolen – President & CEO of the National Business Aviation Association. Mr. Bolen began by announcing a brand-new public advocacy campaign Climbing Fast. This new campaign serves to promote and highlight the many achievements business aviation has made over recent decades in the fields of sustainability, including:

– 42% reduction in overall environmental footprint of the industry in the last 4 decades
– 80% reduction in total emissions
– 30% average overall improvement in aircraft efficiency with each new model of aircraft

As well as promoting the launch of Climbing Fast with a brand new website (climbingfast.com) Mr. Bolen also used the concept of “sustainability” as the theme undergirding this year’s expo.

President Bolen then brought on representatives Katie Thompson (of the FAA) and Jennifer Homendy (of the NTSA) to discuss the state of the aviation industry, as well as regulation and safety.

“Aviation cannot grow and reach its full potential unless we’re safe and being perceived as safe…” – Ed Bolen

Ms. Thompson highlighted the many ways in which the FAA is dedicated to furthering aviation safety, including their recent hiring of over 1,500 new air traffic controllers 2023 alone. While optimistic about what can be done to further improve safety and operational standards, she stressed the importance of funding – highlighting how their facilities and capabilities suffer as a result of dwindling appropriations from congress.

Ms. Homendy then explained how the NTSB has worked to overcome historical staffing issues to fill vacancies and grow their organization. This increase in staffing enabled the NTSB to catch up on their backlog of over 500+ ongoing investigations – many of which were 2-4 years old or more at the time. Today, the organization boasts zero backlogged investigations.

Attendees were then treated to an interview of 2023’s Meritorious Service to Aviation Award Winner, Jared Isaacman. Interviewed by fellow astronaut and one-time co-pilot Dr. Sian Proctor, Mr. Isaacman shared his rich life story as an entrepreneur and pilot – leading all the way up to his leading of the 2021 SpaceX mission to orbit, titled Inspiration4. As well as making history as the first all-civilian mission to space, Isaacman’s mission also broke records by raising nearly $240,000,000 in charitable donations for St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.

The keynote was then rounded off with talks from tennis superstar couple Andre Agassi and Stefi Graff – who spoke on the topic of their family, their experiences navigating the world of professional tennis, and on the importance of business and philanthropy.

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Air Charter Brokers & Part 295: Five Years Later

Key Takeaways

• September 2018 saw the DOT releasing their first ever rules on air charter brokers, establishing specific industry definitions and clear standards for operational behavior
• In the five years following the ruling, despite initial fears, the air charter industry has experienced numerous benefits – including the “legitimization” of the air broker industry as a whole
• New disclosure requirements have made doing business in the industry of air charter safer and more transparent – for both clients and operators

Featured Speakers:

• Jason Maddux, Garofalo Goerlich Hainbach PC
• Dayton Lehman, Capital Business Solutions Inc. (Aviation attorney)
• Richard Zaher, Paramount Business Jets (CEO & Founder)

In September 2018, the Department of Transportation issued their first ruling on air charter brokers. This ruling saw initial upset and uneasiness within the field of private air charter – leaving many to wonder how these new regulations would impact the industry. Now, five years after the ruling broke ground, a panel of industry experts sat down to explore some of the ways in which business has changed.

Dayton Lehman, an Aviation Attorney for Capital Business Solutions Inc., along with Richard Zaher, CEO & Founder of Paramount Business Jets, began by describing a feeling of ease and renewed optimism within the industry. They describe the initial worry they saw among their peers and others in the industry at the onset of the DOT ruling – and how now, in hindsight, the ruling has proved a boon for private jet brokers across the market. Whereas the efficacy and trustworthiness of the air broker industry had been called into question in the past, this new ruling legitimized air charter brokers by setting ground rules and standards. Now, interested parties had a sense of a “right and wrong” way of doing business.

Mr. Lehman discussed how the new ruling can be broken down in essence to requiring air charter brokers to provide clients with three key pieces of information:

– The name of the aircraft operator
– The capacity in which you (the charter) are operating
– Whether you are insured

Mr. Lehman stressed that – while air charter brokers are not legally required to have liability insurance covering the charter – they are legally obligated to inform the customer about their insurance coverage.

On the topic of operator fraud, Richard Zaher gave examples of cases in which operators would take payment for a chartered flight, claim mechanical failures, cancel the flight, and then refuse to reimburse the charter. He suggested a website known as Blacklist.aero as a potential resource for companies looking to recoup their investments from belligerent operators.

Mr. Zaher finished the panel discussion by delving into the issue of tax remittance and auditing. He assured attendees that – “If (they) haven’t been audited yet, (they) will be”. He also noted that the auditing process is far less daunting than it is often made out to be, and that the IRS is very forthcoming as long as the auditee has been documenting their tax remittances.

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Formulating, Implementing and Refining SMS Policies for Your Operation

Key Takeaways

• NBAA’s four-part Safety Committee reaffirms their dedication to making business aviation safer; outlines the core components every safety management system (SMS) needs, as well as the FAR Part 5, Subpart B 5.21 Safety Policy Requirements
• Guest speakers, representing businesses ranging in scale from single operator up to international enterprise, shared their thoughts and suggestions on the topic of safety policy, risk management, and operational standards

Featured Speakers:

• Benjamin Berman, K&R Aviation, LLC dba OpenAir
• Jim Hosey, IAI, LLC
• Larry Karpurk, Salt River Project
• Michelle Knoll, Pfizer Aviation

The NBAA Safety Committee is one of the leading forces for promoting safety and process improvements within the aviation industry. The committee is broken up into four teams, each oriented around a specific component of safety policy:

– Preventable Accidents Team
– Operational Challenges Team
– Mitigation Strategies Team
– Safety Promotion Team

These four teams mirror the four core components of a Safety Management System (SMS):

– Safety management policy and objectives
– Safety risk management
– Safety assurance
– Safety promotion

Guest panelists representing every scale of business in the field of aviation – from single-owner LLCs to enterprise-level air charters – met to highlight the importance of detailing and maintaining a strong SMS for their organizations. Sharing stories of operational safety and policy development, the group discussed many ways in which those in the aviation industry can work to implement safety policy into their operation.

In addition to serving as resources for experience in aviation safety, the panelists also defined the industry-wide standards aviation is held to – including the six components of an FAA-defined safety policy under FAR Part 5, Subpart B 5.21:

1 – A statement of safety objectives
2 – A commitment to achieving the objectives
3 – A clear statement, committing to provide the necessary resources
4 – Safety reporting policy requiring reporting of safety hazards or issues
5 – Definition of unacceptable behaviors and conditions for disciplinary action
6 – An emergency response plan

For those looking to bolster their safety knowledge, the NBAA recommends their Safety Manager Certificate Program – as well as their NBAA Professional Development Program (PDP) courses on SMS for Business Aviation.

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In-Flight Lithium-Ion Battery Fires: 2023 Edition

Key Takeaways

• With a total of 481 reported incidents of lithium battery fires on flights (including 46 in 2023 alone), the FAA stresses the importance of proper training and awareness for identifying and fighting these dangerous events
• As the number of battery-powered devices on planes continues to trend upward year-to-year, the FAA expects these fires to continue becoming more common
• FAA guidance outlines clear and repeatable steps for reducing the risk of an uncontrolled lithium battery fire (Early identification//Knock down flames//Submerge in liquids)

Featured Speakers:

• Ben Supko, FAA
• Ross Faith, Spectrum FX
• Paulo Alves, M.D., MSc, FAsMA, MedAire, an International SOS Company

This safety panel, headed by FAA representative Ben Supko, sought to dispel common myths and misunderstandings about lithium-ion battery fires – as well as highlighting the proper procedures for managing these incidents when they occur.

According to FAA data, there has been an increasing trend in the number of lithium-ion battery fires aboard flights in the US. These fires can be particularly dangerous and difficult to fight, due to their sudden volatility and the heavy metals presence in the electronics. Panel experts noted that the most dangerous component of these fires is often the smoke – which can proliferate quickly through the cabin, and which contains many harmful and potentially deadly chemicals.

Panel experts discussed the different classes of fires, as well as the methods for fighting a lithium-ion battery (Class B) fire. In order to stop the chemical reaction in the fire, the battery must be cooled below a certain temperature – which requires the use of specialized tools such as a Halon-gas extinguisher.

The panel noted that the best and most repeatable steps for extinguishing a lithium battery fire safely are as follows:

– Identify the flame early
– Knock down the flame using an extinguisher
– Use non-flammable liquids to douse and cool the device
– Seal the device in an FAA-certified electronics fire containment bag

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Top Ten Things Owners Should Know When Registering Aircraft With the FAA

Key Takeaways

• Obtaining and maintaining proper aircraft registration with the FAA is a crucial and legally required component of owning and operating any aircraft in the United States
• Penalties for invalid registration can civil penalties and liens – all the way up to asset seizures and potential felony imprisonment (in the case of fraud or repeat violations)
• The “Owner” of the aircraft is the only party legally allowed to register an aircraft with the FAA; this owner may be an individual, or a trustee
• There are a number of obligations and responsibilities deferred upon the registered owner of an aircraft; these obligations must be met in order to maintain proper registration

Featured Speakers:

• Scott D. McCreary, Juris Doctor, McAfee & Taft, A Professional Corporation
• David T. Norton, Juris Doctor, Shackelford, Bowen, McKinley & Norton, LLP

Scott McCreary and David Norton headed a panel on registering aircraft with the FAA – using their decades of knowledge and background as aviation lawyers to give clarity on a number of topics pertaining to the registration process.

Before an aircraft can take flight, it is required by law to be registered with the FAA. There is no grace period for obtaining registration, and the FAA is vehement about enforcing proper registration across the industry. Those that fail to obtain proper aircraft registration face penalties ranging from having their registration revoked, to civil penalties and asset forfeiture, all the way up to imprisonment. This is why it is vital that aircraft owners and operators are aware of and invested in these processes.

The only party that is able to register an aircraft with the FAA is the legal owner of the aircraft in question. This owner is:

– Not necessarily the operator
– Not a nominee
– Might not always be the holder of the legal title

In cases where multiple parties have vested ownership in an aircraft, or the aircraft is owned by a legal entity, certain requirements must be met in order for the FAA to grant them registration. Being that the FAA requires the owner of an aircraft to be a “legal citizen of the United States”, for a corporation to be considered a citizen, they must have:

– A board of directors that is made up of 2/3rds US citizens
– A president of that is a US citizen
– At least 75% of voting interest is owned by Citizens of the US

Alternatively, a corporation can register their aircraft under a Based and Primarily Used (BAPU) registration, so long as their aircraft is:

– Owned by a US-based corporation
– Based and primarily used in the US

In order to maintain compliance with the FAA, registered aircraft owners must maintain open contact with the FAA – as well as meet a set of obligations pertaining to aircraft maintenance and operational responsibility.

In order to register an aircraft with the FAA, the owner must either file their AC 8050-1 Aircraft Registration Application (along with evidence of ownership). These applications are accepted by mail, fax, or email.

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NBAA BACE Day 2 Keynote Presentation

Key Takeaways

• President Ed Bolen stressed the importance of sustainability initiatives within the aviation industry; NBAA seeks to highlight the many strides our industry has made, sharing them with the general public through the brand new advocacy campaign Climbing Fast
• A panel of experts met and discussed all things advanced air mobility – prompting discussions on topics ranging from VTOL infrastructure to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games. Representatives from the FAA spoke on what advancements are being made in the pursuit of cleaner, electric-powered advanced air mobility solutions
• Daymond John (Shark Tank) spoke on the importance of access to information in business, and how responsibility and dedication pave the way for innovation and success

Featured Speakers:

• Ed Bolen, NBAA President & CEO
• Col. Nicole Malachowski (Retired USAF)
• Matt Byrd, Hillwood Aviation
• Shannetta Griffin, FAA Associate Administrator for Airports
• Ben Marcus, UP.Partners CEO
• Melissa Tomkeil, BLADE Urban Air Mobility, President and General Council
• Daymond John, Shark Tank Investor & FUBU CEO

Day Two of the NBAA|BACE expo kicked off with a round of opening comments from President Ed Bolen – who both lauded the results of the first day of the conference, and promised even more excitement and opportunity was in store. After taking the opportunity to reiterate the importance of NBAA’s new corporate social responsibility initiative Climbing Fast, President Bolen introduced the morning’s first speaker – retired aircraft Col. Nicole Malachowski.

“The ground beneath us is constantly shifting; change is the name of the game.” – Col. Nicole Malachowski

Col. Malachowski captivated the audience with her life story – sharing her insights on what it was like starting a career in aviation as a woman, leading all the way up to her admittance into the famous Thunderbirds as their very first female pilot. Using her own adversity as an example, Malachowski spoke on the importance of being open to change.

“By turning into headwinds, an aircraft makes difficult transitions easier, smoother, and more efficient.” – Col. Nicole Malachowski

After capping off her speech with advice on how to navigate ever-evolving career opportunities and industry upheavals, Col. Malachowski bid farewell – allowing President Bolen to introduce the morning’s Advanced Air Mobility Panel.

The advanced air mobility panel – made up of representatives from aviation technology experts as well as the FAA – met and spoke on issues concerning the present day and future of electronic air mobility solutions. While the future of electrical aviation is bright – with many opportunities for integration on the horizon – there exist still a number of issues that need to be addressed. 

While the aviation industry works to develop technologies like electronic VTOLs for transporting civilians and drone delivery, the FAA is working with local and federal legislatures to create and preserve a welcoming regulatory environment for these exciting new technologies.

The morning’s panel was brought to a strong close with remarks from Shark Tank’s Daymond John – a lifetime entrepreneur and businessman. Mr. John shared insights from his own life as they pertained to topics like dedication, responsibility, doubt, success, and communication.

“Responsibility is something that is taken; it cannot be given.” – Daymond John

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Sustainability, Safety, Aircraft Values and Comfort: How a Certified Pre-Owned Program Addresses All and More

Key Takeaways

• The market for certified pre-owned aircraft has grown steadily over the prior decade; more and more customers are considering options rather than buying new, in part due to an increasingly eco-conscious customer base
• Refurbishing and retrofitting existing aircraft for sale is far more sustainable than the consistent manufacture of new aircraft
• Certified pre-owned aircraft brokers have several value-adds that make them an attractive option for new and old buyers alike

Featured Speakers:

• Marc Ayala, Senior Director, Business and Regional Avionics Sales, Collins Aerospace
• Kurt Edwards, Director General, International Business Aviation Council
• Amod Kelkar, Chief Commercial Officer Vice President, Customer Service, Honda Aircraft Co
• Rollie Vincent, Creator/Director, JETNET iQ
• Joe Zulueta, President, Aeronautical Systems
• Melissa Tomkeil, BLADE Urban Air Mobility, President and General Council

In the last two decades, the market for pre-owned aircraft has grown from a niche into a mature, legitimate industry. This is in large part due to the lengthy time periods aircraft have as working assets. As the panel of experts representing the new and pre-owned aircraft industry explain, the trends for certified pre-owned aircraft are very favorable:

– After year 42 past its production date, over 50% of jets are still in service
– The market for pre-owned aircraft is 3-4 times the size of the market for new aircraft
– Over 3,500 retail transactions involving pre-owned aircraft in the last few years alone
– The demand for certified pre-owned aircraft continues to grow

With these data points in mind, the panel experts asserted that the industry can bear even more certified pre-owned programs – programs like HondaJet’s own certified pre-owned buyer program. For as well as being economically viable, programs like this also contribute to industry-wide sustainability efforts.

To understand how a certified pre-owned program is more ecologically beneficial than manufacturing a new aircraft, panel experts broke down the life cycle of an aircraft into four stages:

1 – Upstream – everything from design to materials sourcing and manufacturing
2 – Core – the assembling of an aircraft
3 – Operation
4 – End-of-life

Each phase of an aircraft’s life incurs certain environmental impacts – and after year 25 post-production, most aircraft see a drop-off in their utilization. By retrofitting an existing aircraft with new technologies, not only does the aircraft’s lifespan increase – the emissions tied to the first two phases are negated entirely; leading to a huge reduction in the aircraft’s overall ecological impact.

As new generations of buyers prepare to enter the aviation market, trends show that buyers are increasingly more attuned to the issues of sustainability and ecological innovation. Businesses can capitalize on this shift in consumer preferences by promoting their dedication to these core values, and by making investments in both sustainable design and sustainable business practices.

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Aircraft Leasing Regulations: Avoiding Illegal Charters

Key Takeaways

• There exists a level of confusion and misunderstanding in the industry around the concept of “wet” and “dry” aircraft leasing, leading to the FAA cracking down on a number of illegal dry leasing cases across the industry
• A “wet” lease occurs whenever a person agrees to provide an entire aircraft and at least one crewmember to lessee; operational control remains with the lessor
• A “dry” lease is considered to be the opposite of a wet lease; operational control is transferred to the lessee
• Problems arise when leases purport to be dry leases operating under Part 91; when in reality, they are wet leases that should be conducted under Part 135 – thereby making the initial charter illegal

Featured Speakers:

• Greg Reigel, Shackelford, Bowen, McKinley & Norton, LLP
• David T. Norton, JD, Shackelford, Bowen, McKinley & Norton, LLP

The FAA is cracking down on policy enforcement – particularly when it comes to the topic of air charter leases. For operations conducted under 14 CFR Parts 91 and 135, the FAA has outlined specific definitions pertaining to the owner and operator of an aircraft.

– Operate: With respect to aircraft, means use, cause to use or authorize to use aircraft for the purpose… of air navigation including piloting, with or without the right of legal control
– Operational control: Exercise of authority over initiating, conducting, or terminating a flight
– Operator: Who ultimately gets to say where the airplane is going and who is ultimately responsible for the safe conduct of the flight
– Commercial operator: An operator carrying persons or property for compensation or hire
– Compensation: Anything of value in any amount transferred with relation to a flight (includes food purchases, fuel reimbursement, gifts, etc.)

These definitions serve to clearly delineate the different stakeholders in a lease. It is vital that these definitions be followed vehemently, as they defer certain legal and operational obligations upon their respective parties. For example, it is the operator that is ultimately responsible for the safe conduct of the flight; however, determining who that operator is depends on the type of lease agreed upon.

“Wet” Lease:
– Any leasing arrangement whereby a person agrees to provide an entire aircraft and at least one crewmember to lessee
– Under FAA rules, presumes operational control stays with the lessor

“Dry” Lease:
– Not specified in the FAR, but generally considered to be the opposite of “wet lease”
– Under FAA rules, presumes operational control has been transferred to the lessee

For aircraft owners, pilots, and operators alike – following these legal definitions is paramount to avoiding enforcement. In cases where the FAA believes you have been either careless or criminal in action, they are within their legal rights to pursue disciplinary action ranging from the revocation of a pilot’s license – all the way up to and including criminal prosecution.

Industry lawyers stress that policy enforcement is the primary concern of the FAA – not with disciplining pilots and aircraft owners. For those that are unsure of their own legal standing or feel they might be dealing with policy enforcement in the future, they recommend early intervention with the FAA.

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