Cessna's Citation CJ2 received FAA type certification and a production certificate in late June. Launched at the NBAA convention in 1998, the CJ2 is Cessna's third aircraft to receive type certification this year, following the Citation Encore in April and the CJ1 in February. The CJ2 features Collins' Pro Line 21 avionics suite, Williams FJ44-2C engines, 10-percent more wing area and a 35-inch fuselage plug. Three CJ2s will begin customer demos in the fall, and customer deliveries are slated to begin later this year.
Kissimmee Airport employee Tim Shea has vacated his position as director of aviation. Shea says he is leaving the position to seek other career opportunities and spend more time with his family. The city of Kissimmee is conducting a nationwide search for a replacement.
Government regulators say the anticipated benefits of the FAA's planned Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) may no longer outweigh the program's mounting costs. In recent hearings, the House Subcommittee on Aviation said WAAS is now nearly three years behind its original schedule, and is still several years away from meeting its Phase I contract goals.
The DOT in June ordered 20 business jet charter operators listed on the Skyjet.com flight reservation Web site to justify their authority to ``hold out to the public'' (i.e., ``fly for hire'' or otherwise act in the capacity of a commercial operator). Each of the operators received a letter from the DOT's assistant general counsel for aviation enforcement and proceedings, a copy of which was obtained by B/CA.
Embraer has decided to fit winglets to its proposed ERJ-170 regional airliner, saying the modification improves fuel economy and climb performance while enhancing the aircraft's range/payload profile. The action was triggered, Embraer says, by performance gains winglets provided an EMB-145 equipped for the military airborne early warning role. Embraer says the change will not affect the ERJ-170 development schedule or time to market, and could lead to the installation of winglets on other Embraer regional jets.
Wood Group Turbopower has a new comprehensive warranty currently available for the Pratt&Whitney Canada PT6A Turboprop. The extended warranty covers workmanship and parts for the engines' full TBO, and extends for 10 years based on the engine. Wood Group was established in 1974, and is an FAA, CAA and JAA approved repair station specializing in PT-6 engines.
The NASA Aeronautics and Support Team (NAST) commissioned a recent survey which concluded that Americans support increased federal funding for air safety research. NAST, formerly known as the NASA Langley Support Team, is an advocacy group of former NASA officials and other interested parties supporting the space agency's air safety and space exploration initiatives.
Raytheon Aircraft has sold a new Beech 1900D airliner to Impulse Airlines of Australia, and leased a Beech 1900C to Helitaxi of Bogota, Colombia. Beech 1900D production continues despite an apparent plateau in the 19-seat turboprop market. Raytheon's Wichita plant is building around 25 new 1900Ds for US Airways Express carrier Commutair, as part of a one-for-one swap arrangement involving the airline's used Beech 1900D fleet.
Caribbean operator Winair is near to closing the purchase of two de Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter aircraft from the Canadian government. According to the St. Maarten Herald, the Windward Islands Bank has approved a $2.6 million loan to fund the acquisition, which will enable the St. Maarten-based carrier to increase frequencies to the islands of Saba, Statia, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Barths, Anguilla and Tortola.
Less than a year after the fatal crash of one of its Learjet 35s, carrying golfer Payne Stewart, two business associates and two crewmembers, Orlando-based SunJet Aviation has been sold to new investors. The company is now known as Orlando Jet Center and has most of the same staff and services as the former SunJet. In an interview with B/CA earlier this year, SunJet President Jim Watkins said an FBI raid and other government tactics directed at his company reminded him of the incidents at Waco and Ruby Ridge.
Five staff members have been named to serve as liaison between customers and the company's sales scheduling and training services department: Deborah Blackburn for Dassault and Westwind clients, Jennifer Jennings for Raytheon, Amy Lichtenberg for Cessna, Angela Miller for Gulfstream and Johnene Vardiman for Bombardier.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) tapped American Port Services Inc. (AMPORTS) to provide ``fee based'' airport management services at Teterboro Airport starting in September. Under the terms of the five-year, $25 million contract, PANYNJ will pay AMPORTS a management fee, but will retain all airport revenues. Port Authority Chairman Lewis Eisenberg says the new arrangement will help make the airport ``a better neighbor'' and will make more money available for renovation and refurbishment of airport facilities.
Chevron is now the sole avgas and jet fuel supplier for Mercury Air Group's 18 FBOs under a new agreement the two companies signed in July. John L. Enticknap, Mercury Air Centers' chief operating officer, said the agreement gives Mercury ``a competitively priced fueling program'' with ``unified fuel standards and availability.'' The agreement also entitles Mercury to joint marketing with Chevron at trade shows and other events, plus additional airport fire protection (FAR Part 139) training for Mercury's technicians.
Are you among the millions who are turning to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in addition to more conventional medical treatments? Surveys show the use of CAM in the general population is growing geometrically, and pilots -- always interested in health -- probably are well represented among the users. CAM strategies include herbal and mega-vitamin diet supplementation, acupuncture, spinal adjustments, therapeutic touch and chelation therapy.
FlightSafety International will add a UC-35 simulator at its Daleville Training center in Alabama in early 2002. The UC-35 is the U.S. Army's version of the Cessna Citation Excel. The company's West Palm Beach, Fla.-based Sikorsky S-76C+ simulator recently received Level D certification from the FAA.
Westfield State College in Massachusetts has inaugurated a summer program aimed to help minority children pursue aviation careers. For two weeks, 50 children will be introduced to different aspects of aviation including weather, principles of flight, airport management, air transportation and local flights at the school. The summer program is supplemented during the school year, and in the third year of the program, eligible students can start ground school. Funding for the program comes from the Irene E. and George A.
New entrant manufacturer Eclipse Aviation has altered the planned performance numbers and price of the Eclipse 500 business jet, now in the design phase. The aircraft's maximum speed has been reduced from 368 KIAS to 355 KIAS, NBAA IFR range was reduced from 1,450 nm to 1,300 nm, and the twinjet's useful load is now 2,000 pounds, a 50-pound reduction.
Matthew Beirne has been promoted to vice president, new aircraft programs and Michael Walling is now vice president, technical group. Christophe Chicandard joins the leasing and financing organization as vice president for airline marketing. Chicandard is a veteran of Airbus Industrie, ATR and Aerospatiale.
After years of double-digit premium reductions, corporate aircraft insurance rates are rising and are expected to continue to increase for the foreseeable future. ``We're undergoing a market correction,'' says Larry Colton, director of general aviation underwriting at Associated Aviation Underwriters (AAU), explaining that insurance companies are trying to reverse a 50- to 60-percent rate ``erosion'' since rate-cutting began more than five years ago.
South African Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) chief Trevor Abrahams faces fraud and corruption charges related to the alleged sale of airline transport pilot license (ATPL) written examination questions and pilot certificates to the public. The action follows the confession of one SA Airlink pilot, who said he had bought his ATPL from CAA officials. Also arrested were two other CAA employees and five other pilots.
New e-business entrant AviationX has abandoned plans to become a multi-level aviation exchange, and has shifted its focus toward providing software applications for the regional airlines. The change could be indicative of a larger trend among aviation e-business ventures: the uphill battle independents face when confronted with competing systems backed by industry giants with influence over hundreds of their own suppliers.
Kolwave's Airmaster provides welcome relief to summer's high heat and humidity. With sizes ranging from 10,000 BTUH to 65,000 BTUH, the units provide instant cooling in cockpits, passenger cabins and hangars. Airmaster is self-contained, portable and economical -- more effective than closing your window shades and pulling a curtain across the entry door -- and allows operators to keep the APU turned off until flight time. Price: $4,000 to $12,000 Koldwave 260 N. Elm St. Westfield, Mass. 01085 Phone: (413) 564-5520
