Skyshare International, an organization formed in May to provide packaged fractional ownership franchise systems to FBOs, is close to selecting its first true operators, according to company president Samuel Miller. The Little Rock, Ark., company has been testing the concept with a Bonanza A36, Baron 58 and King Air C90B managed by Central Flying Service, a Skyshare founding member. A Skyshare franchise includes documentation, aircraft selection, national interchange agreements, pricing of services, marketing, accounting and maintenance.
Truman Arnold Corp. (TAC Air) acquired Sky Harbor Air Service, an FBO at Omaha's Eppley Airfield and its eighth facility. All eight are Phillips 66 Aviation Performance Centers (APCs). In addition to Texarkana and Omaha, the company has FBOs in Lexington, Ky.; Shreveport, La.; Amarillo, Texas; Fort Smith, Ark.; and Greenville, S.C. Phone: (402) 422-6633.
The BAS-400 digital pitot/static test set, developed by Banyan Air Service, meets requirements for Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum certification for turbine-powered aircraft. The unit can be used to test and certificate altimeters and air-data computers, and can be used to troubleshoot and certificate pitot and static systems. Price: $8,900. Banyan Air Service, Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport, 1575 W. Commercial Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, Fla. 33309. (954) 491-3170; fax: (954) 771-0281.
PATS, inc. of Columbia, Md., has received its newest STC for the installation of an APU kit in the tail of Falcon 20s. The latest system features the Sundstrand T-40C9 APU, certificated for starts up to 25,000 feet msl and operation up to 35,000 feet msl.
British Aerospace plans to offer two to three BAe 146 four-engine regional jets per year to corporate customers. The niche is its ability to operate from 3,200- to 3,300-foot runways and meet FAR Part 36, Stage 3 noise limits, said Alan Stiley, who heads BAe's regional aircraft operation in Herndon, Va. Base price for the aircraft is $26 million--``nicely equipped for $30 million,'' he added. There are eight older BAe 146s in corporate service.
It isn't often that we come across a book that we know right away could become an industry standard. But that may become the case with Aircraft Acquisition Planning, the first of three texts produced by Conklin and de Decker, a provider of aircraft costing information based in Orleans, Mass.
The Air Line Pilots Association in late October granted $1 million each to the pilots of Atlantic Southeast Airlines and Skyway Airlines. Both pilot groups were threatening job action over stalled contract talks with their employers. In the case of ASA pilots, it was the second $1 million grant.
William B. Wagner, chief pilot of Townsend Engineering Co. and immediate past chairman of the NBAA Board of Directors, is the recipient of the first annual Duncan Aviation Excellence Award. The Lincoln, Neb.-based aircraft service and support company established the award to recognize ``an individual for his or her significant commitment and leadership in the business aviation industry.'' Wagner was the founder of Townsend's corporate flight department in 1978, and has served on various NBAA committees and in elected positions.
The FAA has approved FlightSafety International's Category IIIa low visibility training program for the Falcon 2000 equipped with the Flight Dynamics head-up display .
Delta Connection Comair has declared its seventh three-for-two stock split since going public in 1981. The split was payable November 13 for shareholders of record on November 3. Previous splits were declared in April 1996, July 1995, April 1993, January 1992, July 1985 and February 1985. Comair over the past month has led all of the eight publicly held regional carriers in stock prices.
Johnny Davis, 62, founder and president of Dallas Avionics, died October 26 of a heart attack. Davis, who worked in the general aviation industry for 30 years, was an active member of the Aircraft Electronics Association. He served as an AEA associate board member for several years.
In celebration of B/CA's 40th anniversary, each month throughout 1998 we will present excerpts from the top features published 40 years ago. We hope you find them interesting and fun. From the December 1958 issue:
Three separate measures that would have a significant impact on general aviation operators are no longer active. An FAA program to permit agency inspectors to issue violations--similar to a ``traffic ticket''--on the spot for alleged ``minor'' infractions is being shelved (see page 118). Congress took no action on legislation that would have allowed law enforcement agents to order aircraft they suspect of drug smuggling to land.
Fairchild Aerospace and Newcourt Capital have established Millennium Leasing in San Antonio to provide operating and finance leases for Fairchild Aerospace customers .
The AOPA not only speechifies and issues ``calls to arms'' about threatened airport closings, it's also ready with some new resources for volunteers who want to join in local efforts to save general aviation airports. To date, almost 500 AOPA members have joined the organization's Airport Support Network.
S-TEC Corp. says it still intends to offer a stability and control augmentation system (SCAS), but the firm no longer is setting a timetable or targeting a specific aircraft. S-TEC originally hoped to have systems STCed and available for Bell 206s in the fall of 1996 (August 1996, page 28). A spokesman told B/CA that the system is currently in ``development flight testing'' on a Bell 206 and that the company plans to give a complete update on the SCAS program at Heli Expo '99.
An STC to upgrade King Air 200s to Pratt&Whitney Canada PT6-42 power is no longer a conversion program in waiting. Engine overhauler Standard Aero and aircraft modifier Stevens Aviation are collaborating to offer P&WC PT6-42 conversions for King Air 200s powered by the -41. The conversion provides the KA200 with higher cruise speeds and altitudes, and eliminates hot-day takeoff restrictions.
Safety investigators are trying to determine the cause of the November 4 crash of a Mitsubishi MU-2B-60 near Rock, Kan., that had departed Wichita at about 2100 local on a maintenance test flight. Killed in the crash were pilot/owner Leslie Nesmith and FlightSafety International employee Phil Dupont, according to the NTSB. Weather was VMC.
Safe Flight Instrument and Bombardier have obtained an STC for a limited authority auto-throttle system for the Challenger 604. The lack of ATS on the 604 has been a shortcoming, considering that its heavy-iron class rivals, the Gulfstream IVSP and Dassault Falcon Jet 900EX, both have auto-throttle systems. On the 604, the ATS is a stand-alone system that is not integrated with the FMS or a full performance management computer. The Safe Flight ATS is designed to be used only with the autopilot engaged.
Owners and operators of more than 150 Citations have volunteered their aircraft to be part of the fifth Special Olympics airlift organized by Cessna Aircraft. Airlift director Marilyn Richwine estimates that 300 Citations will be needed to transport some 2,000 athletes to the game site in and about Raleigh-Durham, N.C., on June 25, and then home on July 5. Call (316) 941-7810 for information about volunteering your aircraft for the airlift.
I'm really not a big fan of sports metaphors--or sports in general, for that matter. And even though I'm a transplant to the New York area, I found myself rooting for the Yankees this fall. It hard not to like the team because they had accomplished so much on their way to the best-ever record in the American League.
A new player in the Gulfstream hush--kit business emerged at October's NBAA Convention in Las Vegas, claiming to have a ``really quiet'' solution for converting the Rolls-Royce Spey 511 turbofan to FAR Part 36, Stage 3 compliance.
Flint, Mich., recently asked the DOT for slot exemptions at Washington (Reagan) National Airport (DCA) for two daily roundtrips with 50-seat ERJ-145s operated by US Airways Express Chautauqua Airlines. This is endemic to what is happening in the air transportation industry today. It combines a desire of ``underserved'' communities for air service to major slot-controlled airports and the emergence of the so-called ``regional jet'' as a primary means of providing that service.
