The Air Line Pilots Association has asked the Federal Bureau of Investigation to look into Jumpseat Fraud, or the theft of air travel by individuals posing as flight crew. According to a warning sent to Northwest Airlines crews by pilot union leaders, several Internet sites contain information about flight crew procedures for gaining access to airline jumpseats. ALPA has asked its members to check the credentials of prospective riders, including company ID, pilot and medical certificates.
The periods when technologies change present the biggest challenges to all involved. Someday, pilots and controllers will be monitoring their systems as aircraft are automatically and smoothly sequenced to their destinations with great efficiency and safety -- or, at least, so we are told. In the meantime, we have to survive any way we can, and survival with today's hodgepodge of ground and inflight automation can be difficult if not hazardous at times.
The FAA has certified Honeywell's One View direct broadcast TV system for in- stallation on Gulfstream III and IV aircraft. The manufacturer anticipates approval for the Challenger 604 and Global Express shortly. Honeywell also says that its Total Aircraft Infor-mation System -- which includes Inflightmail airborne e-mail, airborne credit card validation, Flight Operations Quality Assurance and other functions -- has been flight-tested and FAA certified.
Atlantic Coast Airlines (Dulles, Va.) has named Bill Lange as its senior vice president, maintenance and operations. Lange is a former executive vice president of World Airways, president and CEO of Pan Am Express and COO of Jetstream Aircraft. The carrier also promoted Bill Poniatowski to senior director of maintenance. Formerly director of maintenance at ACA, Poniatowski spent eight years at British Aerospace.
AirLifeLine and Lifeline Pilots, both of which offer free air transportation to critically ill people and their families, have agreed to affiliate. AirLifeLine President Jon Wurtzburger says the agreement will make the services ``more accessible for Americans in their time of need.'' Lifeline, which will become the Midwest affiliate of AirLifeLine, provides service in 15 Midwestern states, while AirLifeLine operates throughout the United States. The groups expect to fly more than 4,000 missions in the next year.
French manufacturer OBSTA is ex-panding its Balisor line of high voltage line warning lights to the United States and Canada. Balisor can be installed on power lines, buildings, TV and radio towers, and any other obstacles to air navigation. When installed on high voltage lines, the system draws power directly from the lines. Price: Varies with installation OBSTA 12, bd. des iles 92441 Issy les Moulineaux, France Phone: +33-1-41 23 50 10 Fax: +33-1-41 23 50 11 www.obsta.com
Alaska Central Express has agreed to a Fleet Management Program with Pratt&Whitney Canada. Under the terms of the 15-year, $21 million deal, P&WC will provide all engine service for the carrier's PT6A-65B-powered Beech 1900 fleet.
Avionics shops may soon be able to say ``ADEOS'' to many of the delays and red tape experienced when seeking FAA approval for equipment installations. Short for AEA Designated Engineering Organization Service, ADEOS is the first of a group of private-sector initiatives, or Designated Maintenance Organizations (DMOs), the FAA will launch in the coming months.
Wescam (Flamborough, Ont., Canada) -- David J. Smith joins as vice president of commercial sales and Heinz Kraus was named vice president of quality and performance.
Honeywell's RDR-4B wind-shear detection radar, recently certified with a smaller 24-inch antenna, will shrink again in size during the next two to three years, thus making it suitable for installation in business aircraft. This is the first time, since Rockwell Collins introduced the TWR-850 radar, that a solid-state radar has been designed specifically for business aircraft applications.
Manx/British Regional Airlines is Jetstream 41 launch customer for BAE Systems' Material and Component Repair and Overhaul program (MACRO). MACRO is a power-by-the-hour program already in use with 10 Jetstream 31 operators worldwide.
Charter operator Westchester Air is opening a new headquarters at Westchester County Airport (HPN). The facility will include 12,000 square feet of hangar space and 5,000 square feet of executive office space.
HCC Insurance Holdings, Inc. (Houston) -- Richard P. Boeschen was named president and CEO. Paul H. Leonard has joined as executive vice president and COO.
Edited By Paul RichfieldMike Vines, in Birmingham, England
Merger negotiations between GKN-Westland and Agusta are still under way after nearly two years, and a formal announcement is expected by July. The merger then will require the European Commission's blessing as well as the approval of three collaborative partners: Boeing with GKN-Westland and Bell Helicopter Textron and NH Industries with Agusta.
The NTSB has issued its annual Most Wanted Transportation Safety Improve-ments list, and it is virtually identical to the 1999 list. The agency called for reducing runway incursions, revising airframe icing rules, improvements in onboard data recording devices, action to reduce the possibility of explosions due to fuel-air mixtures on transport category aircraft, and studying the problem of fatigue in transportation. Changes in each of the categories require action by the FAA.
Recognizing that another aircraft is on a collision course with us is only the first step in collision avoidance. Next, we must properly maneuver our aircraft to avoid the collision. Several basic principles can help ensure we make the right moves. The first rule is to turn opposite the direction of the other aircraft's movement. This increases the rate of separation between the two aircraft. If we turn in the direction of the other aircraft's movement, we actually reduce the separation rate and increase the chances of a collision.
If you are operating a company plane, it almost goes without saying that it should be kept spotless inside and out, in showroom condition, because first impressions are most important. For example, years ago I was presenting a Douglas B-26 Executive to Hess Oil at Teterboro. The plane came in from Ohio a few hours before the showing, and it looked like it had been stored outside for a month (it had). My competition was a Phillips Petroleum B-26 that was shiny bright inside and out. My plane had much lower total time, lower engine times and better bells and whistles.
L.J. Aviation has opened an FBO facility at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport (LBE) in Latrobe, Pa. The new facility has a private passenger lounge, crew lounge, conference room, weather center, compu-ter connections, snooze room and showers.
The European Union's threatened ban on hush-kitted Stage 2 aircraft went into effect in May, inciting the wrath of U.S. industry and trade officials who have bitterly opposed the measure. Though some have categorized the ongoing conflict as a ``tempest in a teapot'' with limited significance, the debate stands to have a far-reaching influence on the creation of new worldwide standards for aircraft noise regulation.
Bombardier is offering Heads Up Technologies' PBS600 Pre-Recorded Announcement Machine as an option on the Canadair Regional Jet 200 and CRJ700 series aircraft. The PBS600 plays announcements and boarding music.
