Superior Air Parts, Inc. named Don Decker as its sales representative for Latin America. Decker will be located at the regional distribution office in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., which also will serve as the headquarters for Latin American operations. Superior Air Parts, Inc. provides FAA/PMA-approved replacement parts for Lycoming and Continental aircraft engines.
Under the terms of a new agreement, Petroleum Helicopters' Aeromed-ical Services Division will supply pilots and maintenance technicians to the air medical program of St. Mary's Hospital in Grand Junc-tion, Colo. St. Mary's serves Western Colorado and Eastern Utah.
ERDA has introduced a new, fully powered seat designed for installation in business aircraft of virtually every size between the Learjet 45 and Boeing Business Jet. Dubbed the ``Command Chair,'' the seat features ergonomic design, full berthing, an automatically retractable footrest extension, and a full range of customized seating positions. Maintenance technicians will appreciate the ease of service, with all major components accessible either by removing two screws from the backshell or through the quick-release seatpan.
Atlantic Coast Airlines and Atlantic Coast Jet have selected 14 University of North Dakota aerospace students and graduates as interns. Once the students have accumulated 600 hours total time and completed their internships they are guaranteed job interviews with the carriers.
TAG Aviation has selected MedAire to train its pilots to cope with inflight medical emergencies. MedAire will teach the pilots CPR, automated external defibrillator use and crew resource management. The coursework will be a standard part of TAG's initial and recurrent pilot training. MedAire plans to expand its MedLink telemedicine center in Phoenix. Based in the emergency room of Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center, the call center responds to reports of inflight medical emergencies and other health-related inquiries from aviation providers.
In a previous article, we discussed the crew briefing and why it was essential (``Uniting a Flight Crew,'' April, page 76). But for the cockpit crew, the crew briefing is only the first briefing of many. One could easily argue that a highly effective crew conducts an almost continual briefing as the flight progresses from the chocks at Point A to the chocks at Point B, but this constant exchange of information and planning does not have a hard format or structure. It takes place as things occur.
Fractional aircraft owners are happy with their investment and rate service as the most important factor in their judgment, according to a recent study by the Aviation Research Group/U.S. (ARG/US). The most common complaint among fractional owners regarded the use of charter aircraft in lieu of their aircraft. Though fewer than five percent of 1999's respondents said they would consider owning an entire aircraft, an increasing number responding to the current survey said they might consider ownership within the next five years.
The NTSB hearings into the crash of an American Airlines MD-80 at Little Rock, Ark. (Cause&Circumstance, March, page 98) brought to light an MIT-Lincoln Laboratory study on weather penetration that startled the lay media and some aviation watchers on Capitol Hill. The research seemed to suggest -- or at least was interpreted by some to sug-gest -- that air carrier pilots routinely, and, perhaps, thoughtlessly, penetrated level five thunderstorms in terminal areas. Could this really be happening?
Wisconsin Aviation broke ground for a hangar complex at Dane County Regional Airport (DCRA). The four-bay hangar will house individual and corporate aircraft. Each bay will have heat, restrooms and a vehicle garage door with access from the general parking lot.
The Senate Transportation Appropriations Committee approved $12.1 billion in funding for the FAA for fiscal year 2001, but FAA Administrator Jane Garvey said the $6.35 billion approved for FAA operations falls short of the agency's needs. Garvey said the figure represents a $250 million decrease in the FAA's operations budget, which will trigger ``substantial delays in a system already strained'' by rapid growth. The legislation was expected to come before the full Senate for approval as B/CA went to press.
Cirrus Design will move Cirrus SR20 fuselage fabrication to its Grand Forks, N.D., facility this summer. Wing construction will continue at the company's Duluth, Minn., plant.
Users of small private and public airports, heliports and other facilities now can get instant, accurate weather information with the new DigiWX system from Belfort Instrument. Although not approved for FAR Part 135 operators and IFR conditions, the DigiWX offers a low-cost weather solution in other circumstances. Weather sensors mounted on an easy-to-install 15-foot tower provide wind, temperature, barometric pressure, dew point and other readings to DigiWX handheld units within a five- to 10-mile radius.
Edited By Paul RichfieldBy Paul Richfield, in Memphis
Northwest Airlink feeder Express Airlines I celebrated the arrival of its first Bombardier Canadair Regional Jet (CRJ) at its Memphis (MEM) base on May 16. The 50-seat jet is the first of 54 CRJs Northwest Airlines (NWA) ordered in 1999; the first 42 have been earmarked for Express I, while the remaining 12 could go to Express I or Mesaba Airlines, NWA's other regional partner.
Bombardier's Canadair Regional Jet 200 series (CRJ) received type certification from Japan's Civil Aviation Bureau. The Fair, Inc., a start-up regional, plans to inaugurate the country's first CRJ service this summer with two used aircraft and has ordered two aircraft for delivery in 2002. Japan Airlines subsidiary J-Air also has orders for two CRJ 200 series aircraft, with options for three additional aircraft. The aircraft are planned for domestic routes in Southern Japan.
Pilot union pressure has led the FAA to postpone plans to expand the use of Land and Hold Short (LAHSO) operations. Current LAHSO rules will remain in effect, the FAA says, until flight simulator modeling of aircraft performance under specific runway and weather conditions is complete. Six of the largest major airline pilot labor groups had urged their members to reject (LAHSO) clearances until the FAA addressed their safety concerns.
The first Galaxy business jet simulator is expected to be installed at FlightSafety International's new Dallas-Fort Worth training center in late July and FAA certified in October. Galaxy's Level D simulator will be the first at the new facility, which is designed to accommodate up to 16 simulators. FlightSafety is currently training Galaxy pilots in an aircraft supplied by the manufacturer. Galaxy Aerospace says that four Galaxies are in service and that it is delivering one new aircraft per month.
Louisville, Ky.'s Regional Airport Authority is slated to receive $5.8 million in FAA grants. The money will go towards runway and other improvements at Bowman Field and Louisville International's FAR Part 150 program.
Signature Flight Support has eliminated senior management and sales positions at its regional service center. John Rahilly, vice president of technical services, said the changes are designed to run the organization from the field instead of from the company headquarters. Rahilly also noted some of the personnel are being re-deployed to the regional maintenance facilities.
Jersey European Airways, the United Kingdom's third largest regional carrier, has changed its name to British European. According to company CEO Barry Perrot, the old name did not reflect the airline's true size and scope, and ``restricted our sales prospects.'' Repainting JEA's 27-aircraft fleet is slated for completion by March 2001.
All new Galaxy business jets will feature sound-absorbent material between the fuselage skin and interior cabin panels and other changes designed to reduce cabin noise levels. Developed in conjunction with Flight Environments, the modification includes changes to the aircraft's environmental control system, and will be offered at no additional cost.
High blood pressure is one of the greatest health and career threats. MD Systems' CardioGrip has shown promising results in reducing hypertension and it does so without drugs. The manufacturer says that, when used as directed, the unit can help lower blood pressure with just one 10-minute session per day. Previously, the CardioGrip was available only by prescription, but the FDA has ruled that the unit can now be purchased over-the-counter. At less than $500, it's inexpensive health and career insurance. Price: $499 MD Systems, Inc.
Cessna's Citation CJ2 mock-up has embarked on a 60-day 16-city European tour, culminating at the Farnborough Air Show later this month. The mock-up includes a fully functional cockpit as well as a full-size cabin. The tour is an advance of actual CJ2 demonstrators, which are expected to begin flying in the fall.
