Buyers of new Global Express and Challenger 604 aircraft now will receive MedAire medical advisory services and training programs at no extra charge. For each Challenger 604, the service includes a one-year subscription to Medlink Worldwide and injury-management training for three crewmembers. The Global Express comes with a five-year subscription to Medlink Worldwide and training for five crewmembers. Both aircraft also will come with a MedAire first aid kit with automatic refill services.
Embraer has started delivering its new 50-passenger EMB-145 to Continental Express, the first U.S. customer for the regional jetliner. The airline ordered 25 of the aircraft with an option to buy 175 more. Both the standard and extended-range versions of the Allison-powered EMB-145 received Brazilian certification in November 1996. FAA certification was expected on December 16 and European certification this month.
BBA Group, the U.K. company that currently owns the Signature Flight Support FBO chain, plans to purchase International Airmotive Holding Company, the parent firm of Dallas Airmotive and International Turbine Service. Dallas Airmotive is an engine repair and maintenance firm, while ITS is a major parts distributor. Management teams for both Dallas Airmotive and ITS will remain in place, and day-to-day operations at both companies will continue unabated, said BBA company officials.
Certification of the McDonnell Douglas MD600N helicopter has again been delayed by an accident during flight testing, and it is now expected later this month. In early November 1996, one of three test aircraft was damaged during high-speed landing tests. According to the NTSB, the aircraft made a run-on landing at about 30 knots, and the tail boom was severed. In May 1996, another MD600N suffered a severed tail boom after an emergency autorotation and was destroyed in a post-accident fire.
Jane's Information Group has released a seven-volume set-Jane's Airports and Handling Agents 1996-97-as a comprehensive guide to airport services in each region of the world. Softcover books are available for Europe (two volumes-shown), United States/ Canada, Middle East/Africa, Far East/Asia, and Central and Latin America. The series contains data on over 1,700 airports and more than 2,500 handling agents and FBOs.
Some business aircraft manufacturers have gotten a jump on planning their 1997 maintenance and operations workshops. Meetings scheduled to date include: Cessna Citation, April 28-30 in Wichita; Gulfstream Aerospace, June 2-5 in Savannah and Raytheon Hawker Jet, May 18-21 in Colorado Springs. Dassault Falcon Jet and Learjet Incorporated will not host M&O meetings this year. See B/CA's Calendar for more details.
Mesa Air Group will retain its headquarters in Farmington, New Mexico, but will consolidate its training academy in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex, the company has decided. The carrier said in August 1996 that it was evaluating a number of headquarters options as it transitioned to an all FAR Part 121 operation and placed orders and options for up to 48 Canadair Regional Jets, which could double the size of the company over the next five years.
On February 2-4 in Anaheim, California, some 10,000 helicopter professionals will converge for the 49th annual Heli Expo, presented by the Helicopter Association of America.
The United States' top 1995 regional-airline city-pair would be a high-speed rail market in most other parts of the world. At only 129 miles apart, Seattle-Portland, generated nearly 600,000 passengers during the year, a 22-percent increase over 1994 and more than any other domestic city-pair.
CAL Corporation is teaming with Airshow Incorporated to introduce systems that will provide satellite-based communications capability for uplinking data to the cockpit and the cabin. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada-based CAL will design and build the satcom portion, while Airshow of Tustin, California will provide the system for displaying the information. The development effort is expected to take approximately six to eight months.
Sino-Swearingen started flying the first prototype of the SJ30-2 twin-engine, entry-level business jet from San Antonio in early November 1996. Serial Number 001 is scheduled to be joined by two other flight-test prototypes later this year. Two non-flying airframes will be built and used for structural testing. Initial flight tests are being conducted using 1,900-pounds-thrust William-Rolls FJ44-1A turbofans. The aircraft will be refitted with 2,300-pounds-thrust FL44-2As when that engine becomes available later this quarter.
FAA is discussing the process for selecting five airports for privatization, but the agency believes it will be some time before it receives an application. The FAA Reauthorization Act of 1996 authorizes privatizing one large hub, three smaller hubs or non-hubs and one general aviation airport through sale or lease.
Non-OEM aircraft vendors-including repair stations, PMA manufacturers and parts distributors-have formed a national association known as the Non-OEM Vendors Association (NOVA). The group held its first formal meeting on November 21 in Orlando. NOVA's stated mission is: to educate the aviation industry about the benefits of using non-OEM vendors, to establish organized representation of issues unique to its members, and to promote the integrity of all aviation vendors. An estimated 100 companies would initially qualify for membership in NOVA.
RVR distances now are available as part of AAI Corporation's Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS) II. Produced by the company's subsidiary, Systems Management Incorporated, the ASOS II is an international version of the FAA-certificated NEXWOS (Next Generation Weather Observing System). The Hunt Valley, Maryland company says its ASOS II has many unique features, such as plug-in expandability (allowing users to add specialized sensors as they are developed or needed), self-diagnostics and remote maintenance monitoring.
If operating an ``airline-size'' transport is a possibility for your flight department, you would do well to familiarize yourself with Daniel Systems Incorporated (DSI) of Opa Locka, Florida. The company's low profile in the maintenance management business belies the scope of its capabilities. Daniel Systems has been providing its aviation asset management software support to airlines, fleet operators and aircraft repair centers since 1968, and currently provides operators its services in two versions: COMPS and DSIS.
During fiscal year 1995-96, the FAA received just two requests for heliport development, even though Airport Improvement Program funds can be used for that purpose. Arizona's Wickenburg Municipal Airport netted $250,000 in AIP funds, mostly earmarked for heliport construction. Buffalo received an FAA grant for $99,000 to conduct a master plan study for a downtown heliport. Separately, the city of Chicago, which closed Meigs Field in the fall, has leased the Bank of America's downtown helipad and will make it available for public use on a per-request basis.
FAA is reviewing a noise-compatibility plan proposed under FAR Part 150 for Ohio's Springfield-Beckley Municipal Airport. The agency is scheduled to approve or disapprove the plan on or before March 18, 1997. Interested parties can comment on the proposal. Earlier, the FAA determined that noise-exposure maps previously submitted are in compliance with applicable requirements. For more information, contact Lawrence C. King, FAA Detroit Airports District Office, 8820 Beck Rd., Belleville, MI 4811.
Has the FAA's low-level wind-shear alert system (LLWAS) at New York's La Guardia Airport been working improperly for two years and, therefore, has ATC been ignoring LLWAS advisories? Controllers are making those claims to the NTSB during its investigation into the non-fatal crash landing of a Delta Air Lines McDonnell Douglas MD-80 on October 19, according to Aviation Week&Space Technology magazine. Between 1976 and 1992, LLWAS was installed at 110 U.S. airports, and there has been a long-standing plan to improve its capabilities (B/CA, January 1992, page 28).
