AERO Programs of Woonsocket, R.I. offers a day-long, on-site Corporate Flight Stress Program designed to allay passenger apprehension of business aircraft. Barry Giordano, director of AERO, says the program is specifically intended for persons who are comfortable and secure on airliners, but feel anxiety or claustrophobia on business or commuter aircraft. The program costs $100 to $200 per person. Phone: (401) 658-3464.
B/CA is issuing a call for papers for its forthcoming Handbook of Business Aviation Management. This book, scheduled for publication in November, will present in a single source the best thinking of industry and academia on the management issues specific to providing safe, efficient and economical business aviation transportation services. Abstracts are due March 15 and finished papers are due July 1. For more information, contact Abe Harraf at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach. Phone: (904) 226-6694; fax: (904) 226-6696.
New and derivative helicopter models combined with strong economic conditions in the United States and Europe will spur demand for more than 2,500 new helicopters between 1998 and 2002, according to two separate forecast studies-the first ever by AlliedSignal and the annual 10-year forecast from Allison Engine Co. This near-term figure amounts to a three-percent annual growth rate, but that's on top of a 16-percent jump in helicopter sales in 1997 compared to 1996. But Allison's long-term forecast is not optimistic.
A report in February Intelligence (page 22) erroneously interpreted Cessna's promotion of Charles B. Johnson as an announcement of succession to chairman Russ Meyer. In fact, the only change is that Johnson, previously executive vice-president-operations, has now assumed the role of president and CEO, a position that had been vacant since mid 1996. Chairman Meyer, vice chairman Gary Hay, Johnson and Cessna's senior staff provide the company's top leadership. Current plans call for Meyer to retire in 1999.
A newcomer in Conklin&de Decker's Aircraft Comparator series is a special book providing data on ultra-long-range business jets (those with more than 4,000-nm range and at least six feet of headroom). Data for 11 aircraft from Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier, Dassault Falcon Jet and Gulfstream are included. Operators can make direct visual comparisons by using transparencies that highlight differences between aircraft.
A protracted debate with enormous consequences for aviation is to begin this month in Washington. The focus will be on the report of the National Civil Aviation Review Commission, which recommended a number of steps to change how the FAA is funded and reduce accidents. The Transportation Department has been developing legislation in response to the NCARC report and Congress is scheduled to begin holding hearings this month.
Members of the air taxi, FBO and maintenance industries attending this year's combined trade shows of the National Air Transportation Association and the Professional Aviation Maintenance Association on April 1-3 in Kansas City, Mo. probably will remember the events for their numbers as well as for their content.
If you plan on buying an FAR Part 36, Stage 1 aircraft, do not plan on joining the NBAA. The association recently passed a resolution calling for all NBAA members to refrain from adding Stage 1 aircraft beginning in January 2000 and ending operation of such aircraft by January 2005. The association says less than 68 aircraft of the 6,800 operated by NBAA members are currently Stage 1.
-- AAR Corp.(Wood Dale, Ill.)-Philip MacVane is the new vice president of sales and marketing for AAR Engine Component Services. -- Avidyne (Lexington, Mass.)-Carl R. Wolf, Jr. has joined this manufacturer of multifunction display systems as the director of aftermarket sales and marketing.
New York's Westchester County Airport and Georgia's Dekalb Peachtree Airport have a substantial positive economic impact on their host communities, according to recent studies. A study prepared by Westchester County officials found that the total economic impact of the New York airport (of which 80 percent of the traffic is general aviation) was $613.8 million and nearly 10,000 jobs were attributable to it.
Photograph: Ken Goldsmith While competitors raise questions of how GE will impact the business, Ken Goldsmith, vice president-business development for Phoenix-headquartered Garrett Aviation Services, says the success of the company depends less on size than it does on how well it serves its customers. The issue, he says, is not that Garrett is a part of GE and whether GE can leverage its engine business or not. The issue is what the customer is asking for and how that service is provided.
Accidents and fatalities involving U.S. twin-turbine helicopter operations decreased in 1997 compared to 1996, but while total accidents of single-turbine helicopters decreased, the number of fatalities increased, according to Robert E. Breiling Associates of Boca Raton, Fla. In 1997, twin-turbine rotorcraft had nine accidents (one corporate), three of which were fatal, resulting in three fatalities. In 1996, the accident figures were 11, six and 14, respectively.
A delay in finishing the rail link between Chek Lap Kok Airport and Hong Kong's downtown business district will postpone opening of the airport until at least early July, rather than April as originally planned (January, page 28). The railway is now scheduled to become operational in June. Hong Kong plans to close the existing Kai Tak Airport in the city's business district as soon as Chek Lap Kok opens. AMR Combs is still on tap to run the airport's FBO (October 1997, page 20).
Irrespective of the admiration for Senator John McCain's (R-Ariz.) superb Vietnam record and subsequent POW tour in the Hanoi Hilton, this senator is bad news for general and corporate aviation, particularly corporate jet operations. His proposal for air traffic control fees are patently unfair and very nearly as asinine as the Clinton administration's, which would charge a big number for each leg of a biz jet flight, thereby increasing variable operating costs by thousands per month. God only knows how these legs would be fiscally monitored.
Mesa Air Group and United are still at it, this time over their code-sharing agreement at Denver. After pulling the plug on Mesa subsidiary WestAir at Los Angeles and San Francisco and awarding those markets to SkyWest, United has informed Mesa that it will terminate its code-share at Denver on April 22. United will, however, enter into a new six-month agreement with Mesa on April 23, subject to renewal for two more six-month periods.
Operators of Bell helicopters in Latin America are now eligible to participate in a preferred policyholder program offered by United States Aviation Insurance Group. The program was initiated in February 1996 with partners Bell Helicopter and FlightSafety International as a means to encourage a high level of safety while at the same time help to resolve concern over dramatic fluctuations in insurance premiums and coverage limitations. Participants must meet specific aircraft equipment, maintenance and pilot/mechanic training requirements.
In a meeting with the NBAA in February, providers of flight tracking software pledged to come up with a mechanism in May for de-identifying general aviation aircraft. The most likely solution appears to be an option that will allow any operator to contact a single clearinghouse, possibly the NBAA, that will ensure N numbers of specified aircraft are removed. Several providers process the FAA's aircraft situational display data and make it available to subscribers.
Widening interest in general aviation and heightened activity in aircraft purchasing have prompted the Aviation Education and Development Group to expand its Aircraft Sales Seminars, according to Ed Sieb, Group president. The program, which had been held quarterly since its start two years ago, will be held five times this year: March 12-14, May 14-16, July 16-18, Sep-tember 17-19 and November 12-14. All seminars are held in Oklahoma City.
Britain's IEC International launched a range of passenger information products, the result of the company's recent acquisition of In-Flight Systems from Hunting Aviation. Products include an audio track selector that enables several passengers to choose the same individual track simultaneously. There is also a digital versatile disc player with surround sound and a TV tuner (for ground-only operation) that can be controlled from the front panel or through a cabin management system.
Following a public hearing early this month, the Los Angeles Board of Airport Commissioners will send its recommendation on an FAR Part 36, Stage 2 non-addition rule at Van Nuys Airport to the L.A. City Council for a final decision. Commissioners also will be reviewing an economic analysis update and availability of noise contours. As expected, effective February 13, the nighttime curfew for Stage 2 aircraft departures at the airport was expanded from 2300 to 2200 local (January, page 22).
The year-end delivery rush propelled 1997 new turbine aircraft sales well beyond 1996 levels, Aviation Data's final accounting of 1997 revealed. "Thanks to some late-arriving overseas information, we made adjustments to some of the international figures for October and November that really helped boost the view of preowned sales, as well," said Peter Simmonds, AvData's business-turbine analyst.
Enclosed in this issue of B/CA is a salary survey form for both flight crews and maintenance staff. The results of the anonymous survey will be published in B/CA's August issue. Please fill out the postage-paid card, located between pages 16 and 17 and return to B/CA by April 1.
An Anonymous Incident Reporting System (AIRS) will be launched by the NBAA on the member-only portion of the association's Web site. The NBAA says that member companies will be able to report incidents "without legal repercussions." AIRS is one of the first projects to be managed by the NBAA's new Safety Committee, chaired by John Lauber of Airbus Industrie and a former NTSB member. B/CA editor in chief Richard Aarons also is on the committee.
Mom always said it was good to share. But when it comes to sharing maintenance technicians, following mom's advice can be fraught with pitfalls. That's not to say that workers can't be brought into an operation on a part-time basis and do work legally, professionally and safely. However, casually asking someone to lend a hand on a buddy basis may not be a great idea.
