Ron Frederick has been named president of Garrett Aviation Services following Dave Clemons' decision to leave the Phoenix-based firm after its recent acquisition by General Electric. Clemons in 1994 led a management buyout of the Garrett hangars from AlliedSignal (December 1994, page 26). Two years later, the facilities were purchased by UNC (June 1996, page 20). Frederick began his career with GE Aircraft Engines and served with the company for 22 years before leaving in 1987.
After years of traveling coach and toughing out airline gates and waits, Microsoft Corp.'s chairman and CEO, Bill Gates, has purchased an aircraft-a Challenger 604. A Microsoft spokesperson said Gates bought the aircraft himself rather than having the company foot the bill. She said he plans to use the jet for business and personal trips.
Aircraft Security and Alert Systems has introduced a lock kit fit for a king-all Raytheon King Air series aircraft, that is. The kit includes a non-removable door handle with lock and key, flush or surface locks for the two avionics panels, a lock for the aft compartment and an emergency exit safety removal streamer attached to the inside latch. The locks are from Medeco, and offer a pick-proof key and tumbler system. One key unlocks them all.
Air Luxor, with FBOs in Lisbon and Paris, plans to begin serving business aircraft at the new international airport on the island state of Macau in February 1998 (July, page 20). Operating initially from the main airline passenger terminal, Air Luxor expects to complete the construction of a dedicated business aviation facility in July.
A provision in the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 (October, page 15) could substantially increase the tax on jet fuel. Effective July 1, 1998, jet fuel will be considered as kerosene and be hit with the 24.4-cents-per-gallon highway tax. In the case of most FBOs, that tax will be tacked on to the price of fuel at the pump because only the retail customer can claim a refund from the IRS. The National Air Transportation Association is working with the IRS to have jet fuel removed from the definition of kerosene.
Jet Aviation recently completed expansions at several of its facilities. At Teterboro, the company completed a seventh hangar, a state-of-the-art tenant facility able to accommodate G-V/Global Express size aircraft. Jet Aviation at West Palm Beach acquired Palm Beach Aircraft Painting and ap- pointed its former owner as paint shop manager. In Las Vegas, the company has grown by three hangars and added more business aircraft tenant office space. And Jet Aviation Basel erected a hangar dedicated to aircraft painting.
Digital TV broadcasting towers, many taller than 1,000 feet agl, could start springing up around the country, if the FCC enacts a proposal that would allow the agency to preempt state and local zoning laws governing land usage. (These are the only laws that can prevent construction of obstacles near airports.) The FAA has no authority over land usage, but the agency has worked with municipalities for years to protect the airspace from obstacles.
BFGoodrich will acquire Rohr, Inc. in a $1.3-billion merger deal that could close by the end of January 1998. Rohr, based in Chula Vista, Calif., makes engine nacelles and FAR Part 36, Stage 3 systems. Robert H. Rau, who is expected to continue as president of Rohr, also will be one of three new members the BFGoodrich board will add from Rohr.
Burbank, Calif.-Mercury Air Group will build a "1930s Hollywood style" art deco FBO at Burbank Glendale Pasadena Airport to replace the company's current facility. Focal point of the new FBO will be tenant and transient hangars, 10 acres of ramp space and a terminal building featuring a crew lounge, self-serve cafe, game room with a pool table, exercise room, private sleeping quarters and showers, plus a flight planning room and "business center." Outside the terminal will be a "championship quality putting green." (818) 841-2966.
Photograph: Gulfstream's proposed supersonic business jet featured this twin-engine design. It's too soon to know if Dassault's proposed Falcon SST will bear any resemblance. Two years after Gulfstream Aerospace gave up the idea for a supersonic business jet as impractical, Dassault Aviation has picked up the ball and is running with it. The company says it is making a "serious" study of developing a Falcon SST.
In anticipation of doubling current aircraft production levels to approximately 60 G-IVSPs and G-Vs annually by 1999, Gulfstream Aerospace has completed the addition of a 64,000-square-foot aircraft paint facility to its Long Beach, Calif. service center. Painting operations in the new facility are scheduled to begin this month (March, page 16).
Available now from HeliValue$ is the third edition of The Official Helicopter Specification Book, covering more than 125 rotary-wing models from the early 1950s to the present. This 6.5-by- 8.5-inch, 170-page spiral-bound edition provides current technical information and updated pictures. Price: $50. HeliValue$, 985 Jessica Dr., Wauconda, Ill. 60084. (847) 487-8258; fax: (847) 487-0206.
National Air Transportation Association told the FAA that ADs are an "inappropriate vehicle" for providing information about improving safety when flying in icing conditions. NATA's comments were in response to a series of proposed ADs requiring flight manual changes in thousands of aircraft (November, page 17). Airworthiness Directives are "channels to correct specific products with unsafe conditions." The method for solving operational issues should be part of a pilot's training, NATA argues.
Of a total of about 11,400 bird-strike reports in 1994 and 1995, nearly 5,000 indicated no harmful effect, 16 incidents resulted in forced landings and only one caused a fatal crash (March 1995, page 16), according to an ICAO study. The study, based on reports submitted by 45 countries, also found that the majority of impacts occurred below 200 feet agl during the approach and takeoff phases. The windshield and aircraft nose were the most-frequent impact points.
Nav Canada (Ottawa, Ontario)-John Crichton has been named president and CEO, following the resignation of Kenneth Copeland. And Louis R. Comeau was appointed chairman of this corporation that operates Canada's ATC system.
The excitement, the business deals struck and the camaraderie that is the NBAA convention always is counterbalanced by the expense for exhibitors and participants. Exhibitors have always found that "seeing and being seen" at the NBAA convention is part of the cost of doing business and, usually, a boost to business. But this year in Dallas, some grousing was heard about the high cost of such visibility-mainly aimed at the expenses associated with the travel, accommodations, meals, etc. incurred by a high-profile team rather than the cost of booth space.
Legislation to allow FAR Part 135 air charter operators to hire pilots and put them to work for 90 days while conducting the required new-employee background checks passed both houses of Congress in November and was expected to be enacted into law shortly thereafter. The air taxi industry asserts the previous law had been an extreme burden because pilots couldn't be hired until the required airman records were received by the new employer from current or former employers. The process often takes several weeks, according to industry officials (June, page 28).
Seven months from the first announcement of Oriental Falcon Jet, a collaborative charter service between Dassault Falcon Jet and the People's Republic of China, Falcon Jet officials say it is not yet a "go." The company is still waiting for approval from the Chinese government, but does not plan to abandon the joint venture (April, page 10).
The recent addition of Raytheon E-Systems brings to six the number of completion centers that will have access to Boeing's electronic aircraft data on the BBJ. The other five are: K-C Aviation, Jet Aviation Basel, Associated Air Center, Garrett Aviation's The Jet Center and Germany's Lufthansa Technik.
National Air Transportation Association teamed up with Transport Canada to develop a GPS training guide to assist flight instructors in teaching GPS usage. The guide covers how to use GPS receivers for en route navigation as well as for departures, holds and approaches. Copies are available for $20 each. Phone: (703) 845-9000.
Photograph: A forward c.g. reduces ice-contaminated-tailplane stall margin. Securely strapped into the left seat of NASA's Tailplane Icing Program (TIP) de Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter, we set up for a simulated approach to landing. The leading edge of its horizontal stabilizer was disfigured with a carefully crafted artificial ice shape. We slowed the aircraft, incrementally extended the flaps to 30 degrees and reduced power to begin the final descent. We made the usual small, crisp heading and descent rate changes to stay on azimuth and glidepath.
Mechanics training at SimuFlite International are now automatically eligible to participate in the FAA's Aviation Maintenance Technician Awards Program. The program recognizes mechanics who attain established levels of training, as well as companies that have employees in the program. The program, initiated in 1992, involves five phases of training, ranging from Bronze to Diamond, with each phase successively more demanding.
