It probably was a coincidence that the NBAA's 24th annual International Operator's Conference (IOC) just happened to coincide with implementation of ICAO's revised vertical separation minimums (RVSM) on North Atlantic nav tracks on March 27, but the conjunction of the two events couldn't have been more timely. RVSM and Required Navigation Performance 10 standards (RNP-10), slated to go into effect in 1998 in the North Pacific, were hot topics among the 500 attendees at the four-day seminar and information exchange.
The aircraft modification business continues to be robust at practically every level. For this year's update, B/CA talked with nearly 100 companies in the modification business, and the overwhelming majority reported that business was ``good'' to ``excellent,'' or ``outstanding.'' Our poll wasn't formal, and some responses clearly were relative rather than numerical. (The head of one company said that business was moderate. His company's growth was ``only'' 15 percent over the previous year.)
The Master Executive Council for United Air Lines' ALPA unit has voted that its members should fly the regional jet. Just as their counterparts at American's Allied Pilots Association approved a tentative labor agreement that would assign RJs to the American Eagle regional subsidiaries, the United MEC said it had determined that, ``the presence of the RJ in the air-transport marketplace will impact the security of the careers of United Air Lines pilots. . . .''
Members of the Dassault Falcon Jet team responsible for supporting the firm's new Falcon 50 charter operation, Oriental Falcon Jet Service, in China include (from left): Pamela Lorenzo, manager of U.S. charter sales; John Rosanvallon, president of Dassault Falcon Jet; Ronald A. Zielinski, vice president of international marketing; and Jeff Habib, director of sales for North Asia.
Continental and the city of Cleveland have joined in a $120-million expansion at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport that includes an $80-million regional-jet concourse for the new Continental Express EMB-145 ExpressJet fleet. The concourse will be connected to Concourse C via an underground tunnel and moving sidewalks, and will provide 12 regional-jet gates with jetbridge loading plus 24 turboprop loading positions.
AOPA's seventh annual fly-in is set for June 7 at the association's headquarters at Frederick Municipal Airport in Maryland. Guests will be able to meet with AOPA staffers and visit the association's headquarters. In addition, the event features aircraft displays and a seminar program. A temporary tower will operate between 0700 and 1800 hours, and special ATC procedures will be in effect. Air traffic reservations are not required.
The integrated avionics suites found in modern business aircraft come in a variety of sizes--mostly industry-standard boxes. Deciding which to choose depends on the aircraft and the complexity of the avionics installed. The large-format display tubes found in the integrated cockpit systems of high-end aircraft are replacing many electromechanical instruments. Standard-size cutouts for Collins Pro Line 4 display tubes are 7.0 by 6.0 inches or 7.25 by 7.25 inches.
The first member airline of the European Regions (formerly Regional) Airline Association (ERA) to bear the new ERA livery has launched regional service between Maastricht, Holland and London Stansted and Amsterdam Schiphol airports.
Operators of Bell's new Model 430 should get significantly more life out of this glass-fiber-reinforced main rotor yoke system than the average 5,000-hour lifespan experienced by the titanium steel systems used in all previous Bell civil helicopters, according to manufacturer Owens Corning. The yoke (shown here with a portion of the blade assembly) is the heart of the four-blade, bearingless and composite main rotor system of the Bell 430.
Flight Services Group (Stratford, Conn.)--William Juvonen, previously the company's president of aircraft sales, is taking a one-year sabbatical leave and will continue to service key accounts. Also, FSG has promoted the following staff members: Ken Sowa to vice president of aircraft sales, Eric Petersen to vice president of charter sales, Fred Bernard to director of aircraft management services, Tom Miller to director of operations, John Schneider to chief pilot and Tom Connelly to director of maintenance.
Binghamton, N.Y.--Miller Aviation at Binghamton Regional Airport is now operating 24 hours a day--from 0700 on Monday through 0030 on Saturday, with weekend hours from 0700 to 1730. The company says its extended hours mean a 300-hour airframe inspection on a Learjet 55 is now completed in three days instead of seven. Tel: (607) 770-1093; fax (607) 770-0649.
FAA (Washington, D.C.)--Dr. Maureen A. Pettitt is the agency's new chief scientific and technical advisor for human factors. Pettitt, who holds a doctorate in education, previously owned and managed a flight school and air charter business.
At press time, the following individuals were appointed to serve on the National Civil Aviation Review Commission, which has the goal of coming up with recommendations for future FAA funding sources: Rep. Norman Mineta (D-Calif.)--chairperson. William Bacon--executive director at Rapid City, S.D. Regional Airport. Charles Barclay-president of the American Association of Airport Executives. Linda Barker--part owner of Business Aviation, a Sioux Falls, Idaho FBO. Bill Campbell--mayor of Atlanta.
Delegates to the European Business Aircraft Association convention were stunned by an apparently casual comment by a senior European Commission official, who effectively told them not to bother implementing JAR Ops 1, the long-awaited operating rules of the Joint Aviation Authorities.
In April, Signature Flight Support and Zimex Aviation Holding of Zollikon, Switzerland welcomed the first customers to their new FBO at Zurich International Airport. The enterprise, set up in direct competition to long-standing operator Jet Aviation, includes an 8,000-square-foot terminal, a hangar and 56,000 square feet of ramp parking. Amenities include a weather briefing room, crew lounge, sleeping and shower facilities, and conference room. Also operating out of the new facility are Zimex Aviation Maintenance (formerly Limess Aviation).
Airlines that fly cargo and repair stations that serve those airlines can expect to come under intense scrutiny by the FAA's new Dangerous Goods and Cargo Security Division. The division, headed by Charles N. Lovinksi, formerly a senior manager at Federal Express, will oversee 118 newly hired, full-time inspectors. A dozen lawyers also are being hired-to handle the ``anticipated increase'' in enforcement actions. Civil penalties for a single violation carry a maximum fine of $27,500.
Formation of a new marketing and support organization in the United States along with the infusion of new capital has left the IAI Galaxy on its best footing in years. Galaxy Aerospace Corp. aligns IAI with former Learjet president Brian Barents and the Pritzker family of Chicago, owners of Hyatt Hotels Corp. and other businesses.
Sikorsky launched development of the S-92 in June 1995, with the announcement that the company will build five prototypes of the 19- to 22-passenger commercial heavy, twin-turbine helicopter. First flight is slated for 1998, with certification in 2000. The S-92 will be powered by two 1,700-shp General Electric CT7-6D engines, and will have an aluminum and composite airframe that is derived from the U.S. Army's H-60 Black Hawk. Gross weight is expected to be 24,100 pounds, and range will be 400 nm at a cruise speed of 155 knots.
Northwest has acquired 100 percent of Express Airlines I, its Airlink partner at Memphis and Minneapolis/St. Paul, from founder and owner Michael Brady. The airline will be operated as a wholly owned subsidiary, independent of Mesaba Airlines, the Airlink carrier that serves Northwest's Detroit hub as well as Minneapolis.
Jacksonville, Fla.--Kaman Corp. has sold the last of its FBOs. AirKaman, at Jacksonville International Airport, was sold to a privately-held company led by C. William Kaman, II, who has managed the facility for several years. Malcolm L. Rich reportedly will continue as president of AirKaman. Tel: (904) 741-2201; fax: (904) 741-2250.
