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BuyATimeshare.com Sees Results in Going Green September 2, 2009

Posted by Bryan Connelly in : ARDA, Marriott Timeshares, New Features, News & Events, Timeshare Rental, Timeshare Resale, Timeshare Resource, Travel , 1 comment so far

In today’s corporate world, paper consumption is a leading environmental hazard. The typical office uses nearly 100,000 sheets of paper every month. Along with several businesses, BuyATimeshare.com has recognized the benefits of cutting out paper, deciding to make both of its offices completely paperless.

In a series of steps to become more environmentally sound, the advertising firm has made its offices more streamlined and cost effective. Switching to an electronic office has increased customer satisfaction through faster sales, effective customer services, and thousands more properties reaching the resale market than ever.

Many companies have taken steps to go “Green.” With a philosophy that believes: less is better, and recycled materials keep waste down. Even gigantic businesses like Marriott have taken efforts to reduce their global footprint. This is a significant amount of recycling when considering the thousands of Marriott locations around the world. While going paperless is environmentally sound, BuyATimeshare.com has witnessed faster results and greater customer satisfaction by conducting all business electronically.

Marriott, one of the largest brands in the hospitality industry, has switched to using recycled materials in its plastic key cars and in most paper products. With the staggering amount of pollution and waste, awareness of the planet outside the florescent lights is paramount. BuyATimeshare.com has put most printing and mailing to a stop. By using some valuable pieces of technology the advertising firm can now send all documentation and correspondences via email.

DocuSign, which eliminates paper-based contracts, has tripled the speed of transactions, bringing properties to the resale market faster than ever. More and more office buildings are beginning to adopt a “Green” approach. Going paperless is a great way for your office to begin actively reducing its global footprint. A more efficient way to operate, BuyATimeshare.com has replaced the printer and pen with a keyboard and an email.

As Marriott has taken steps to “go Green” it has not only made sure the environment is that much safer; it also demonstrates that responsible business management can be a positive impact on the environment. BuyATimeshare.com is witnessing the added benefits faster production with less than 20,000 sheets used per month!

With the click of a button consumers can find the ideal resort for their needs, they can chat with a professional online or in person at 800-882-0296. Vacationers have never had the industry so accessible to them. They can buy, rent, or advertise their property for sale by owner on the top timeshare resale websites in the industry—all without lifting a pen or wasting a single piece of paper.

Flying High in Florida: BAT Employee Experiences High Altitude Training September 2, 2009

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The trip started on Sunday afternoon from Clearwater Executive airport. Members of the EAA Chapter 282 were Bob Gibson (president) Peter Hunt and our pilot, Jim McCarthy. We flew into Panama City in Jim’s Beech Bonanza A36. The comfortable trip took about 2 hours and we touched down in the central time zone in the afternoon. Panama City is about a 30 min drive to Tyndall AFB.

Departing from CLW

Departing from CLW

On Approach to Panama City

On Approach to Panama City

On Final - Panama City

On Final - Panama City

Beech Bonanza A36

Beech Bonanza A36

We arrived at Tyndall’s Air Force Inn and had a moment to unwind and tour the base, which included a look at a few interesting aircraft. Dinner was had at seafood restaurant in the small town of Mexico Beach. After dinner we retired for the evening to prepare for our training.

Front View of the F4 Phantom

Front View of the F4 Phantom

Photo Op in front of the F-14

Photo Op in front of the F-14

F-14 on Display at Tyndall AFB

F-14 on Display at Tyndall AFB

F4 Phantom on Display at Tyndall AFB

F4 Phantom on Display at Tyndall AFB

Monday morning started early at 6:00. We were checked into the High Altitude class in the Flight Physiology Building and started our classroom sessions; learning what happens to the body during exposure to high altitude conditions. One serious condition is Hypoxia. Hypoxia is a deficiency in the amount of oxygen reaching body tissues that arises from breathing less concentrated oxygen in high altitude conditions. This is a dangerous state as it happens slowly and may not be detected by a pilot in charge of operating an airplane. This is thought to be the cause of the crash that ended the life of famous golfer Payne Stewart in 1999.

Classroom Session

Classroom Session

In addition to Hypoxia, we were taught about trapped gasses and how these affect the body at altitude. When a body ascends in altitude, gasses expand in 3 major areas of the body: Sinus Cavities, Lungs and Digestive Tract. We learned how to cope with these issues at altitude and to not be ashamed of passing gas, as it is positively necessary! Thank goodness the chamber had ventilation!

I gained a new skill in the class called pressure breathing, in which pressurized oxygen is forced into your lungs and one exhales by pushing air out, similar to blowing up a balloon. This is performed by fighter pilots at extremely high altitudes. It is completely opposite to normal breathing and takes a little bit to get used to.

After lunch, we participated in a night flying demo which highlighted the process of light adaption of the eyes. It took at least 30 minutes for the average person to adapt to complete darkness at ground level. This was done to preface a later demo in the chamber.

In the Chamber before Simulation

In the Chamber before Simulation

We were briefed on the altitude chamber and the equipment we would be using. It was then time to grab our gear and get on with the demo! We donned our equipment and got into the chamber to start our simulation. Once everyone was connected and we were briefed on the mission, we “climbed” to simulate a 5000 ft. altitude environment. This was done so that we could test the equipment and check for any problems. Once that was completed, we sat through an airplane-related episode of Mythbusters to decompress and prepare for the final phase of the altitude training. Once everything was ready to go, we “climbed” again at a rate of 3000 ft/min to reach an altitude of 35,000 ft above sea level. At this point, we took off our masks and began some simple tasks on a sheet of paper; answering questions, completing a maze, etc. The entire time, we were supposed to be noticing our own indications of becoming hypoxic. I had lasted about 3-5 minutes before I was feeling short of breath and needed air. I put my mask back on and “gang-loaded” the regulator, meaning to turn the regulator on, start the flow of 100% pure oxygen and to pressurize the mixture into my lungs (pressure breathing). Within seconds, I felt better and looked down at my activity sheet. The results were surprising!

Once everyone had the chance to complete the hypoxia demo, we “descended” a bit to 25,000 ft. where we performed the visual demo. Again we were instructed to take off our masks and look at a color wheel on our clipboards. In the darkness and in hypoxic conditions, there were maybe 8 colors visible. When the lights were restored, it was obvious that there were around 64 different colors on the wheel!

Hypoxia Demo in Chamber

Hypoxia Demo in Chamber

The demo ended around 5:00 CST and we were ready to head back to Tampa. Unfortunately, there was a front with thunderstorms between Panama City and Tampa and we decided to wait until the following day to try our luck with Mother Nature. While we tried to get out early the following day, the weather remained the same and we were forced to return to Tampa with the rental car. It was a full day’s drive from Panama City and I was happy to be home.

This was an excellent experience and one that even the most experienced pilot would benefit from. There are only a few altitude chambers in the US available to general aviation pilots and I was very fortunate to have had this opportunity!

High Altitude Training Class

High Altitude Training Class

Twitter Updates for 2009-09-02 September 2, 2009

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