Have you ever witnessed anything so out of proportion as the news media's coverage of the July 16 crash of John F. Kennedy, Jr.'s airplane off the coast of Martha's Vineyard? I stumbled into this apparent attempt to induce mass hysteria the way many people did late Saturday morning, while trying to find out if the Frenchman was still leading the third round of the British Open in Carnoustie, Scotland. Instead, I encountered CBS's Dan Rather blathering away about the accident.
Million Air Monterey (Dallas) -- Dolores M. Johnson was appointed marketing director at Million Air Monterey, and Stephanie Calcagni was promoted to assistant manager at Mil- lion Air Richmond.
Business jet operators suffered fewer accidents in the first six months of 1999 compared to the same period a year ago, according to figures released by Robert E. Breiling Associates of Boca Raton, Fla. Jets were involved in seven accidents with no fatalities as compared with 10 accidents and six fatalities in 1998. Turboprop safety also improved, with 13 accidents in 1999 versus 15 last year. Fatalities were reduced to seven in the first half of the year from 10 a year ago.
Aviation Information Resources, Inc.'s fifth edition of the Airline Fleet&Sim Directory provides information on 7,638 aircraft operated by 126 airlines in the United States. Intended as a job-seeking tool for pilots, this reference book lists the fleet mix at 14 U.S. major and 36 national airlines, as well as for 76 jet and non-jet operators. The 60-page, softcover edition also includes a list of over 43 U.S. simulator operators by state and by type. Price: $24.95 (AIR members), $29.95 (non-members) AIR, Inc.
Orlando -- The Greater Orlando Aviation Authority announced it will build a new 349-foot ATC tower on the airport's south side. The structure will be completed in early 2002, with operations beginning in late summer 2002. The existing 230-foot tower will be dismantled when the new tower is finished. Oshkosh, Wis. -- J.A. Air Center now offers, at no additional cost, a 120-day standard warranty with the sale of its reconditioned avionics and instruments.
The fledgling GMD Aviation, which took over Atlanta Jet at Gwinnett County-Briscoe Field in Lawrenceville, Ga. in summer 1998, has full-speed construction under way to prepare for this year's NBAA convention and the 2000 Super Bowl.
A government crackdown on suppliers of substandard aircraft parts has led to the filing of criminal charges against two Florida companies. The nationwide initiative has resulted in 57 convictions for the sale or distribution of ``suspected unapproved parts'' (SUP) since January 1997, generating $15.3 million in fines, recoveries or restitution.
Raytheon Systems has won the contract to provide a new primary digital radar system for approach and tower controllers at London's Heathrow Airport. Selected by the United Kingdom's British Airports Authority (BAA) and the National Air Traffic Services (NATS), Raytheon's ASR-10SS radar will be installed near Heathrow's Terminal 1, and will feed digital data directly to Heathrow Tower and to the London Air Traffic Control Center complex in East Drayton.
In response to controversy surrounding its position on regulation of fractional ownership, the NBAA has sent a 40-question survey to some 4,000 voting members and aircraft-operating associate members. NBAA President John Olcott said preliminary results are expected in weeks, and that the survey will be used to guide the organization's Board, but will not be a referendum.
Available now from Sporty's Pilot Shop is a 25-minute video that advises pilots of recovery procedures they can implement when they encounter tailplane icing. The video, which was produced by NASA, gives a physical description of the problem, along with warning signs. Viewers ``go along for a ride'' with NASA crewmembers as they cope with an icing problem. Price: $5.00 Sporty's Pilot Shop Clermont County Airport Batavia, Ohio 45103 Phone (513) 735-9100; Fax: (513) 735-9200 www.sportys.com
The identities of airline employees who report safety and security violations would be protected from public disclosure under new rules the FAA has proposed. Called the Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP), the measure is designed to help the FAA spot potential problems before they result in accidents. ASAP builds on a previous initiative -- Flight Operations Quality Assurance (FOQA) -- which encourages airlines to submit FDR data to aid in tracking safety trends. ``FOQA tells us what happened, ASAP will tell us why it happened,'' says an FAA spokesman.
Aviation Supplies and Academics, Inc. has introduced a full-color Airline Transport Pilot Test Prep booklet for 2000. This volume includes the exact FAA questions and answer stems, explanations for correct and incorrect answers, and references for all aircraft categories. The book is bundled with a Computer Testing Supplement that includes the necessary figures, charts, diagrams and legends needed to prepare for the exam. Price: $34.95 Aviation Supplies&Academics 7005 132nd Pl. S.E. Newcastle, Wash. 98059
Cessna will extend the wings of its new Citation Encore business jet by 14 inches per side, delaying the planned certification date until second quarter 2000, or up to six months later than previously announced. Cessna says the change was prompted by data gathered during testing of the Encore prototype, a larger and more powerful variant of the earlier Citation Ultra. ``We increased the thrust, and found we had to make aerodynamic changes to reduce the drag that resulted,'' a company spokesman says.
Sikorsky has jointly developed an autopilot landing system it says will perform the first practical helicopter precision approach to a hover. According to one FAA study, integrating such a system into the future CNS/ATM environment could save helicopter operators up to $44 million per year, while enhancing safety. ``For the first time, we will be able to provide service to heliports and oil rigs in virtually any weather,'' says Nick Lappos, Sikorsky's assistant chief test pilot.
The FAA and JAA have certified Flight Dynamics' HGS-2850 head-up guidance system (HUD) for the Dassault Falcon Jet 900EX. The twin certifications follow DGAC approval in March. Initially, the HUD is approved for manually flown CAT I and autopilot-flown CAT II approaches. A follow-on development effort, slated for early 2000, will pursue approval for CAT III approach and wind-shear escape guidance. The HGS-2850 system weighs 89 pounds installed and costs around $450,000, depending upon the application.
Lockheed-Martin is exploring the use of stealth technology to eliminate sonic booms produced by supersonic aircraft. Its ``Quiet Stealth'' model bounces shock waves away from an aircraft, preventing or delaying the creation of the supersonic shock waves that cause sonic booms. Lockheed-Martin and Gulfstream continue to study the feasibility of a supersonic business jet, though sonic booms and engine reliability issues remain major stumbling blocks.
An updated version of Fit for Flight: Flight Physiology and Human Factors for Aircrew by Senior FAA Medical Examiner and B/CA Contributor Richard O. Reinhart, M.D. has just been published. The book provides an array of information about how factors affecting the human mind and body impact the performance of an aircrew. Topics covered include hypoxia, dehydration, fatigue, sleep deficit and how to recognize the early signs of illness and incapacitation. Price: $27.95 Iowa State University Press 2121 S. State Ave.
Transport Canada has awarded the Canadian Business Aircraft Association (CBAA) a C$100,000 grant to study the feasibility of self-regulation of business aviation, it was revealed at the group's annual meeting in Calgary. Art LaFlamme, director general, civil aviation at Transport Canada, said the CBAA's mandate is to examine areas such as issuance of private operator certificates, operations manuals, and training and maintenance requirements, while further reducing the accident rate.
The manufacturer has announced the retirement of Neil J. MacDonald after 39 years of service. Successors for MacDonald and their new positions are Ronald A. Zielinski, vice president of marketing for the U.S. Western region, and Jeffrey M. Habib, director of international sales.
Major underwriters likely will continue to brighten the days of flight department managers who are negotiating renewals or new policies for liability insurance for the remainder of the year and into 2000. Aviation insurance companies view corporate operators as their ``cream of the crop business.'' However, in most cases, the insurers are hurting while keeping their customers happy.
Canadian Airlines subsidiary InterCanadien becomes the first Canadian operator of the Embraer ERJ-145 with a $230 million order for six aircraft and options for six more. The order is especially noteworthy since Bombardier manufactures the competing Canadair Regional Jet in Montreal -- InterCanadien's hometown. InterCanadien operates 16 ATR 42-300s, and recently took over Air Atlantic's Canadian Airlines regional feeder contract when the latter two companies failed to reach an agreement.
