The European Commission unveiled plans in December 1996 to set up a European organization to have regulatory control of aviation safety, certification and operation that would have sufficient clout to compensate for the influence of the FAA (B/CA, January, page 13).
A suit has been filed in U.S. District Court in Tucson charging that the FAA violated a pilot's constitutional rights in suspending his ATP certificate. Timothy Frye, chief pilot for Viscount Air Services of Tucson, was cited for several FAR violations in the repossession of a Boeing 737 at Pittsburgh International Airport.
As anyone who surfs the Internet knows, the amount of information available there can be bewildering. Since aviation safety information often is buried in the maze of sites, finding credible resources can be a formidable task. Safety/OASIS, the aviation-safety information area of the Aviation Week Group's home page has a new look and has added features. The site provides a simple index to its collection of safety-related news, on-line information and links to government, academic and industry safety resources.
Wayfarer Aviation (White Plains, N.Y.)-Jon Swartzentruber joined this corporate aviation man-agement and charter company as manager of charter sales. Previously, he was vice president of marketing for Marc Fruchter Aviation in Reading, Pa.
Coming to the home of one of the largest marinas in the world and a favored spring-break haven, the National Air Transportation Association Annual Convention and Trade Show convenes March 24-27 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The five-year-old Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center will be the hub of special events for NATA's ap-proximately 1,400 members, representing the air charter and FBO community.
Photograph: Aviation Computing Systems by Mal Gormley If you've ever wondered about the contribution of computing systems to the aviation world, how they became such an integral part of the industry, and how they will affect your career, then Aviation Computing Systems by Mal Gormley is the baseline reference you need. The author, who writes B/CA's annual ``Avcomps Roundup'' is an established specialist in aviation computing technology. While being the closest thing to the long-missing text on the subject, Gormley's book doesn't squelch the wonder.
In-Flight Phone Corp. of Oakbrook Terrace, Ill. has filed for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. IFPC forged an interim service agreement with MCI Telecommunications Corp. to conduct business as usual for 45 days, and is making plans for post-interim funding after that period. IFPC is the maker of Flight Link Executive, an airborne telephone system that features completely digital phone service with an interactive screen-based information and entertainment system.
Gulfstream International Airlines, the rapidly expanding Miami-based regional, has signed a code-sharing agreement with Continental on flights between Florida and the Bahamas. The company also has a marketing agreement with United. Gulfstream will operate as a Continental Connection carrier in Continental Connection livery throughout Florida and to Freeport, Nassau, Treasure Cay, North Eleuthera and Marsh Harbour in the Bahamas. The carrier has more than 160 daily departures.
A majority of operators and the NTSB support the FAA's long-awaited proposal to allow single-engine aircraft (piston or turbine) to carry passengers for hire under FAR Part 135 IFR. But at least two major manufacturers do not agree. For example, Cessna, which builds the Caravan single-engine turboprop, says the rule should be limited to turbine aircraft. And Raytheon, which builds no single-engine turboprops, is against the proposal altogether. Comments were due March 3 (B/CA, January, page 13).
Professional Aviation Maintenance Association (Washington, D.C.)-Karl Florian, vice president of operations for Jet Support Services in Chicago, is this association's new chairman.
When Israel Aircraft Industries starts delivering new Galaxy business jets to the United States for completion, they will arrive on ferry engines that will be removed and shipped back to Israel to power another delivery. As the aircraft nears completion, it will be fitted with new engines. Galaxy Aerospace Corp., the marketing and support arm for IAI business jets, says this procedure will save related inventory costs for customers.
HeliShare, a fractional ownership program introduced in 1996 by the Lynton Group, expects to put its first helicopter into operation on April 1. Lynton, with offices in London, England and Morristown, N.J., bought a Eurocopter AS355N that will be offered for sale in one-quarter shares to owners for transportation throughout the Washington, D.C./New York/Boston corridor. Lynton said it expects to have sold all four shares in its first AS355N by May 1, and, in a second, identically configured AS355N in July.
Innsbruck, Austria-based regional Tyrolean Airways has confirmed a firm order for four de Havilland Dash 8-400 aircraft plus options for an addition four of the 72-passenger, high speed turboprops. Value of the order was placed at $83 million. Deliveries will begin in the fourth quarter of 1999 and conclude in the first quarter of 2001. Tyrolean already operates 11 37-passenger Dash 8-100s and eight 50-passenger Dash 8-300s as well as three Canadair Regional Jets with two options.
Rockwell's Collins AMS-850 avionics management system received an STC on a Beechjet 400A allowing pilots to make GPS approaches and to use GPS as a primary means of navigation.
United Express Great Lakes Aviation has obtained 20 additional Chicago O'Hare takeoff and landing slots. ``The approval is a result of joint efforts by both the company and several U.S. senators working closely with the U.S. Department of Transportation during the past year,'' the company said.
Dallas Airmotive will establish Allison 250 repair capabilities at the company's St. Louis regional turbine shop. Shop space at Spirit of St. Louis Airport has been doubled and Allison 250-qualified maintenance technicians have been added to the staff, says Dallas Airmotive. Meanwhile, London's BBA Group has completed its acquisition of Airmotive Holdings, the parent company of Dallas Airmotive as well as International Turbine Service. BBA Group also owns the Signature Flight Support FBO chain (B/CA, January, page 26).
Despite the fact that user-fee proposals have been hot in Washington at least since 1993, there still is only one comprehensive proposal being floated for what a fee structure might look like if the United States were to establish ATC as an independent, non-profit corporation free from government bureaucracy.
This table shows the results of a January survey of U.S. fuel suppliers. The survey, by Fillup Flyer Fuel Finder in Cincinnati, reflects fuel prices reported by up to 1,863 FBOs. All prices are full retail-before any discounts-and include taxes and other fees. Contact Fillup Flyer for individualized customer fuel surveys and logistical data maps at (800) 333-7900 or on the Internet at www.fillupflyer.com.
Global Analysis and Information Network (www.nasdac.faa. gov/gain/index.htm)-This site includes information on the FAA/industry GAIN program, including the first GAIN workshop, the GAIN concept paper and a summary of comments concerning the GAIN initiative.
The second Bombardier Global Express long-range business jet entered the certification flight test program on February 3. Serial number 9002 will be used primarily to evaluate systems and for natural icing and cold weather tests. To date, the first test aircraft has reached a speed of 0.90 Mach and an altitude of 49,400 feet msl. A structural testing airframe will be subjected to one lifetime of 15,000 simulated flights and a second lifetime in which damage will be introduced throughout the airframe.
AlliedSignal Aerospace announced at Heli Expo `97 (February 2-4 in Anaheim, Calif.) that it is seeking FAA certification of a ground proximity warning system for helicopters. The system will be a version of the company's Mark VII GPWS for transport airplanes that is modified to meet rotary wing requirements. Some of the helicopter-specific functions the GPWS will have include altitude callouts during autorotation, annunciation of excessive pitch, warnings of excessive terrain closure rate and minimum terrain clearance settings.
Scandinavian Airlines's regional carrier, SAS Commuter accepted the first of four new Saab 2000 regional aircraft. The airline has an option for an additional two aircraft. The SAS Commuter Saab 2000 is based at Stockholm's Arlanda International Airport and entered revenue service early in February. The aircraft is configured with 53 seats.
When you have to say more than that to the press, you might turn to the HAI's Visibility Unlimited, a guide to dealing with the media. The recently revised 34-page manual not only gives pointers on how to respond to reporters' questions during a crisis situation, but also how to obtain the assistance of the media to help promote the industry. Copies of the publication are available from HAI in Alexandria, Va. Phone: (703) 683-4646.
USF&G Aviation, Inc. (Baltimore)-David R. Brown has been appointed president of this new subsidiary of USF&G Insurance. Brown was the aviation department manager for USF&G since its startup in 1980. The new company will operate a Falcon 2000 from its base at Martin State Airport in Baltimore.
