Operators with questions about Honeywell avionics now can get them answered 24/7 by the company's new customer response center. Honeywell's Commercial Electronics Systems division says the center has received more than 14,000 monthly calls since inaugurating part-time operation in February. Honeywell also says its new Mark VI and Mark VIII EGPWS systems for turboprops and light business jets have won TSO approval from the FAA. The Mark VIII already has been STCed for IAI Westwinds.
It's estimated that roughly 80 percent of our informational intake is through the eyes. When scanning for traffic, limitations to our vision make proper techniques vital to our safety.
Federal Express pilots are fighting the company's effort to seek a common type rating for the MD-11 and MD-10 aircraft. Recently FAA certified, the MD-10 is a McDonnell Douglas DC-10 with an upgraded, two-pilot cockpit. According to the FedEx Pilots Association, the two aircraft have similar cockpits but different landing techniques, handling characteristics and levels of automation. The FAA is expected to approve the common type rating. FedEx plans to modify 70 DC-10s to MD-10 standards under its contract with Boeing.
Edited By Paul RichfieldBy Paul Richfield in San Antonio
Photograph: BAE Systems announced at the RAA convention that Corporate Airlines of Smyrna, Tenn., has leased five additional Jetstream 32EPs to support its new code-share with TWA from the mainline carrier's St. Louis hub. In May, the company launched service on five turboprop routes vacated by Trans States Airlines, which has chosen to focus on developing its regional jet service. A sprinkling of new and used aircraft orders and development updates highlighted a restrained 2000 Regional Airline Association (RAA) convention, held May 1-4 in San Antonio.
Edited By Paul RichfieldMike Vines, in Aberdeen, Scotland
Two new EH101 helicopters have been a familiar sight over the stormy North Sea of late, as partners GKN Westland and Agusta attempt to prove the design ready for mass production. Based at Aberdeen, Scotland, the two aircraft participating in the 6,000-hour Intensive Flying Operational Program (IFOP) are flown at maximum weights by Bristow Helicopters crews, but with no passengers aboard.
One effect of AIR-21, the aviation bill signed by President Clinton in April, is the loosening of traffic restrictions at four of the nation's busiest airports. Effective immediately, new service may be added at New York's Kennedy and La Guardia Airports, Chicago O'Hare and Reagan-National in Washington by carriers serving small communities with aircraft seating fewer than 71 passengers. General and business aviation operators will not benefit form the changes until the slot system is eliminated at O'Hare in 2002 and the New York-area airports in 2007.
Jean Dubreuil has sold his majority holding in France's Regional Airlines to Air France, and purchased a 70-percent stake in Air Caraibes, a Caribbean inter-island operator. Air Caraibes operates a mixed fleet of single- and twin-engine turboprops under French registry, and has a number of Embraer ERJ-145 regional jets on order. Route expansion is planned once the new jets are delivered later this year.
The FAA is planning to pay tribute to the 100th anniversary of aviation maintenance in May 2003. The proposed tribute will include an award and recognition banquet, career-related training and an AMT Olympics, consisting of ``teams tested on FARs, IA, troubleshooting using FlightSafety's software and a timed pit crew sparkplug change,'' according to Phil Randall, FAA National Airworthiness Safety Program manager. The event is part of the AMT awards contest currently offered by the FAA, an incentive program for management to fund/provide training to the AMT work force.
Signature RMC named Robert Hohlowski as director of technical services for the West Palm Beach, Fla., regional maintenance center. Nina Cox joined the Orlando headquarters as the sales and marketing research manager. The company also named Terry Meisinger as manager of sales support and Richard Himmel as manager of the company's Las Vegas regional maintenance center.
Lynton Aviation has launched a new Web site for its aircraft sales, charter, engineering and FBO division. The site, which also includes current news about the U.K.-based operator, can be accessed at www.lyntonaviation.com.
Raytheon, GTE Airfone and Teledyne Controls have agreed to a five-year renewal of the MagnaStar Air telephone system. MagnaStar provides digital telephone service and hardware for business jets operating over the continental United States, Canada and Mexico. Under the terms for the $75 million deal, the three partners will continue their sales effort as well as provide support and service to existing MagnaStar customers.
Delta Air Lines has taken delivery of new, Australian-made fuel carts at its Atlanta hub. The 82 fuel carts, manufactured by National Valve&Engineering of Melbourne, represent a $7.3 million investment designed to improve fueling efficiency, Delta says, by eliminating up to 47 fuel trucks and up to 1,400 ramp vehicle movements per day. One cart will be located at each of Delta's 82 Atlanta gates.
Administrative receivers have sold British aircraft manufacturer Britten-Norman to a group from the Sultantate of Oman. Renamed the B-N Group, Ltd., the company plans to continue producing Islander, Trislander and Defender aircraft, while also adapting its existing facilities to permit the manufacture of other types of aircraft. The new owners also have pledged to fully support Britten-Norman aircraft currently operating worldwide.
Comair Jet Express will offer aircraft management programs at its new Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) FBO facility. Comair said the benefits of the program include discounted fuel and insurance, FlightSafety training for air crews, software tracking of operations and use of the hangar. ``The management program offers individuals or companies the opportunity to offset the costs of ownership by entrusting their aircraft to Jet Express,'' said Wynn Poe, director of Comair Aviation.
Cessna says that CitationJet CJ2s in the certification program are posting ``significant improvements'' to projected performance for the light jet. According to the manufacturer, the improvements include a 10 KTAS cruise speed increase, 200-pound full-fuel payload increase and 200-foot-per-minute boost in the aircraft's rate of climb. The CJ2 also is showing improved range, single-engine rate of climb and time to climb. Certification is expected this month.
FlyTimer is developing new technology to deliver ``near-real-time'' graphic weather information via a color Palm Pilot. The receiver is expected to be priced at less than $2,500, including the Palm Pilot and antenna, with monthly service starting at $45. Targeted at general aviation users, FlyTimer actually is creating a portable ACARS transceiver that will transmit ARINC's GLOBALink/VHF service. FlyTimer expects to demonstrate the system at the Experimental Aircraft Associa-tion's AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wis., in July.
AvFuel is selling its branded fuel products through five International Corporate and Cargo Services (ICCS) FBO locations in Mexico, including Mexico City/Toluca, Cuernavaca, Chihuahua, Morelia and Monterrey.
The Nasdaq Stock Market has removed Kitty Hawk, Inc. from being listed on the National Market System. The action was taken after Nasdaq was informed the company was not able to comply with the reporting and other continued-listing requirements. Kitty Hawk, Inc. provides scheduled overnight air cargo service through its hub in Fort Wayne, Ind., and also provides ACMI aircraft charter services and air charter logistics management services. The company formerly traded on Nasdaq under the symbols KTTY, KTTYE and KTTEQ.
If we are to accept that ``incident'' prevention is essential, then we also must accept and respect the contributing factors. When it comes to discussing accident prevention, there is a continuing debate on the significance of focusing on probable cause as opposed to contributing factors and ``incident'' prevention. After all, when an accident makes the news there is much immediate speculation as to why it happened. Since the public, however, has a short memory for such events, by the
TAC Air has acquired and commenced operations at Denver's Centennial Airport, formerly owned by Signature Flight Support, in Englewood, Colo. Dan Bryant was named as general manager and Paul House has joined, assuming the role of operations manager. Future plans for the facility include renovating the hangar, new tooling and expansion of the existing terminal.
The Make-It-Fly Foundation is gearing up for a marketing blitz this fall, aimed at junior high school students and timed to coincide with the beginning of the school year. The program is designed to expose kids to aviation maintenance as a career option as they begin to shape their educational track in the pre-high school years.
Three new operators have joined the Regional Airline Association, which now claims 60 airline members. The new members are Chesapeake, Va.-based Horizon Aviation, Atlanta's North-South Airways and SkyMark of Spokane, Wash. Both SkyMark and Horizon are start-ups, while North-South is an established cargo carrier. Association President Deborah McElroy says that, while consolidation has reduced the number of regional carriers, the group's future is secure.
