OK, so 2005 was not a great year for many people but, here we are, refreshed and rejuvenated after a great holiday season and our thoughts inevitably turn to New Year’s resolutions.

When we were children, it was “I’ll stop biting my nails”, or “I’ll make my bed every day”. As we grew a little older, it became “I’ll cut down on the amount I drink”, or “I’ll stop smoking”.

They all had one thing in common, of course – they were completely forgotten about by the end of January!

I would like to suggest a few New Year’s resolutions from the perspective of your aviation insurances for 2006. Try to adopt as many as you can. Even if you only manage one, any bad habit you give up, or a good one you adopt, is a step in the right direction.

Resolution No 1 - I will never “press on” into marginal weather conditions, no matter how irritating or inconvenient it may be to make a precautionary landing or abandon the trip altogether. I will never place myself in a position where I say “I wish I had”, but I will always say, happily and without any embarrassment, “I’m glad I did”.

Resolution No 2 - I will ensure that my aircraft is insured for no less than it would cost me to replace it, taking into account its condition, equipment, etc. I will never be faced with being unable to replace my aircraft because I tried to save a few Rands in premium. I will put aside the “it won’t happen to me” mindset. When it comes to insurance, I will adopt the “I’m assuming it WILL happen to me” philosophy.

Resolution No 3 - I will insist on a full disclosure of the Insurers with whom my insurances are placed and I will not hesitate to veto any Insurer that I am in the slightest bit uncomfortable about, no matter if it means I pay a higher premium. If my insurance is placed in the international insurance market, I will insist on being provided with the current Standard & Poor’s financial strength rating for each Insurer and I will not be tempted into accepting sub-standard Insurers merely because I can save some premium that way.

Resolution No 4 - I will not allow my aircraft to be flown by any pilot until I have personally verified that he/she has a current license, medical certificate, clean accident record and complies with my insurance requirements. I will always insist on receiving a signed declaration of the pilot’s experience and accident record, no matter how experienced I am assured he/she is.

Resolution No 5 - My aircraft will only be maintained by a properly-licensed AMO which has adequate insurance coverage to compensate me in the event of a loss arising from the AMO’s negligence. I will not hesitate to ask for a copy of the AMO’s insurance certificate, nor will I feel any compunction in removing my aircraft if I am not completely satisfied. I acknowledge that AMOs who carry proper insurance inevitably have a higher overhead than those who do not.

Resolution No 6 - When considering how best to manage my aircraft and its operation, I will ignore uninformed opinions that may be offered to me. I will deal only with providers that can offer me service levels which fulfil the high standard of service I offer to others in my own business. I will put aside personal relationships in assessing which companies or organisations can provide me with the service I demand.

And a Happy New Year to you all!