The Environmental Protection Agency's mandate to replace or upgrade underground fuel storage tanks (USTs) by December 22 looms large. At the pump, pilots likely can expect a slight increase in fuel prices to defray the cost of this capital improvement at airports and FBOs affected by the regulation. In 1988, the EPA issued regulations requiring owners to either "upgrade, replace or close" existing USTs installed before December 1988 by December 22 of this year, or replace USTs with above-ground storage tanks.
Resolving hydraulic fluid and oil leak problems delayed the first flight of the Dakota Commander, a modified Twin Commander powered by 600-hp, water-cooled, turbocharged Orenda V-8 engines (May, page 20). The initial flight of the aircraft was originally scheduled for early July, but was rescheduled for mid to late August. Project leaders Mr. RPM of Camano Island, Wash. and Commander Aero in Dayton, Ohio, still hope to receive FAA certification of the Dakota Commander in April 1999. Meanwhile, Orenda Recip Inc. of Toronto has received its manufacturing certificate.
Piedmont Aviation Services, Inc. and Hawthorne Aviation have merged to become Piedmont Hawthorne Aviation, the second largest operator of FBOs (in terms of locations) in the United States.
Professional Aviation Associates (Atlanta)-Rick Scarbrough was promoted to sales associate in the Learjet division of this overhaul accessories and components distributor.
Flight Safety Foundation (Alexandria, Va.)-Jim Burin, former director of the U.S. Navy School of Aviation Safety, has been appointed deputy director of technical projects, reporting to Bob Vandel.
A prototype approach light system for heliports, particularly those with limited land area, has been moved to Washington, D.C. for further tests. Developed by the University of Tennessee, the system uses a 20-foot light pole, green cold-cathode lights and electroluminescent panels. When a helicopter is off course, the "light pipe" forms an angle with the extended line-up lights to provide a cue for the proper course correction. The light pipe was first evaluated during Operation Heli-Star at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta.
The recent merger of Piedmont Aviation Services, Hawthorne Aviation and American Beechcraft creates the largest FBO chain, in terms of number of locations, second only to Signature Flight Support. The new entity, called Piedmont Hawthorne, comprises 21 locations and is based in Winston-Salem, N.C. Jim Taylor continues as president of the seven original Piedmont facilities and Dean Harton oversees the 13 former Hawthorne bases.
In less than a half hour, the wing and fuselage mate for the first Premier I entry-level light jet was accomplished. "It took longer to lift the wing by crane and carry it across the manufacturing floor to the fuselage than it did to complete the attachments," said a satisfied Duncan Koerbel, director of the Raytheon Premier I. He credits precision of design, tools and manufacturing processes for the ease of attachment.
National Air Transportation Association (Alexandria, Va.)-This aviation trade group has added two staff members: Jennifer Banks as specialist, government and industry affairs and Pat Neary, manager of member services.
Sales of new business jets are estimated to climb to 330 units in 1999, making it the best year since 1981, according to the third annual corporate aircraft outlook published by the New Jersey-based CIT Group. The finance firm expects corporate turboprop sales to increase to 115 new units in 1999, the highest total since 1986. Meanwhile, GAMA reported that business jet and turboprop deliveries during the first half of 1998 increased, 21.8 percent and 12.8 percent, respectively, over the first six months of 1997.
With all the mergers and acquisitions going on these days you wouldn't think that Warren Buffett's purchase of Executive Jet, Inc. would capture the attention of so many people. After all, it's just one more old rich guy buying something else, right? Nope, not according to the buzz that began when Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway laid out $725 million for Richard Santulli's Columbus, Ohio-based EJI.
B/CA asked Jim Lauer, president of Van Nuys, Calif.-based IFR Avionics, to spec out a basic cabin office suite for a midsize business jet like the Hawker 800. We wanted four AC outlets and RJ-11 data ports distributed at seats throughout the cabin, a digital flight telephone system with data transfer interface to the RJ-11 ports, and a multifunction fax/printer/copier/scanner. Lauer, who is also chairman of the Aircraft Electronics Association, scoped the job out this way:
When new rules were enacted in May enabling IFR commercial passenger flights in single-engine aircraft, a procedure known as "limited IFR" was eliminated. Limited IFR allowed air taxi operators to legally fly in IMC for up to 15 minutes when conditions at the destination airport were expected to be visual after that time. The NATA has petitioned the FAA to restore limited IFR under an exemption to the new rules.
Charter and management firm Airborne, Inc. recently expanded its services by taking over management of Wellsville Municipal Airport in upstate N.Y. The company also has opened an office in Hangar E at Westchester County Airport, where it soon plans to base aircraft. Headquartered in Elmira, N.Y., Airborne currently charters or manages 15 types of turbine aircraft.
Doughty Hanson&Co., a European-based investment firm, plans to acquire BTR Aerospace Group from U.K.'s BTR plc. In addition to Standard Aero of Winnipeg, Canada, the units to be acquired include: Dunlop Aviation, a manufacturer of wheels and brakes; Aero Engine Equipment, which builds heat exchangers and bleed valves; and Dunlop Precision Rubber, a supplier of specialty rubber products. The acquired units will be renamed Dunlop Standard Aerospace Group.
Bell Helicopter Textron has chosen Amarillo, Texas, as the site for a new tiltrotor assembly center for the Model 609 civil tiltrotor. Orders for the 609 stand at 67 aircraft. Nashville, Tenn.-based Aerostructures is partnering with Bell to produce the 609 fuselage, work for which Boeing was responsible until it decided to end its 609 involvement and to get out of the commercial rotorcraft business early this year (March, page 13). The Model 609 is scheduled to make its first flight in fourth quarter 1999 and receive certification in first quarter 2001.
Bombardier's ultra-long range Global Express executive transport was conceived in 1991 amid a flurry of superlatives. It would be the largest airplane built specifically for the business aviation market, the Canadian company said.
The U.S. Supreme Court has denied the Professional Pilot Federation's petition for a rehearing on the FAA's age 60 rule, but the group will continue pressing its cause. Bert Yetman, the organization's president, said the Federation is in the process of formulating "an entirely different approach" to overturn the rule that they contend violates a federal law forbidding age discrimination (August, page 26 and September 1995, page 42).
Alcoholism can be cured by rehab, likewise drug addiction and nicotinitis. I am told that giving up the cigs is the most difficult of the above. Smoking amongst the pilot gentry has tapered off to be almost non-existent. Well do I remember how much I enjoyed a Pall Mall after a day of mogging through the ozone, even before a see-through drink at Pastor's Pastorium at Horsechester Airport. I stopped smoking in 1972.
Customers who fill up at Air BP-branded FBOs are being asked to stick a decal on their aircraft as part of a nationwide program to prevent misfueling. According to Air BP, a pilot operating an aircraft without a fuel grade decal will be asked to "sign a fuel request form verifying the grade of fuel to be used, and then given a decal." GAMA is providing the decals.
Four B/CA writers were nominated for five Royal Aeronautical Society Journalist of the Year awards for 1999. Senior Editor Fred George was nominated for his inflight report on the Learjet 45 (September 1997, page 66) and for his report on NASA's icing tailplane stall research (December 1997, page 80). Executive Editor Perry Bradley was nominated for his report on the FAA's Wide Area Augmentation System (November 1997, page 86).
World Fuel Services Corp., a Miami Springs, Fla.-based provider of airline fueling throughout the world, completed its acquisition of Baseops International, a Houston-based international handling agent. Tim Tirey will continue as president of Baseops (January, page 22).
