Sue Sommers has been promoted to national marketing director, with increased responsibilities for field service and franchise development for this FBO network.
The Institute for Crisis Management has developed tip sheets to help operators respond properly to workplace emergencies. Tips are included for handling situations ranging from work-related deaths of employees, major accidents and sudden labor disputes to serious financial, legal and management problems. Kits in-clude four-page worksheets, checklists, log sheets and hints for spokespersons. The Sudden Crisis Kit is for major chaotic events, while the Smoldering Crisis Kit is for in-house management problems that are incubating. Price: $185 for each kit.
As of September 30, about 75 percent of the worldwide fleet of corporate jets under 75,000 pounds MTOW complied with FAR Part 36, Stage 3 noise levels, according to B/CA research. The FAA reports that about 70 percent of aircraft weighing 75,000 pounds MTOW or greater are in compliance. By 2000, all aircraft of 75,000 pounds MTOW or greater and operating to or from the United States must be in compliance (B/CA, August, page 80). There is no requirement for jets under this weight to meet Stage 3.
A trio of commercial pilots in Italy is attempting to patent and market an APU-powered device that mounts on the nose landing gear to drive the wheels for taxiing. Because the main engines wouldn't be used to taxi, the inventors see a three-fold advantage: decreasing fuel consumption, reducing pollution and lowering noise. The device can be installed on both single- and dual-wheel landing gears. For more information, contact G. Franco Gritti in Bolzano, Italy. Phone: +39 471 934200; fax: +39 471 935739.
Watch for an FAA notice and advisory circular announcing the expansion of the NASA-run Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) to grant the same protections and rights to aircraft maintenance personnel that is provided to pilots and air traffic controllers. Under the ASRS program, pilots, controllers, dispatchers and other FAA certificated persons can anonymously report safety problems without concern that the information might be used by the FAA for civil penalty or certificate action (B/CA, October 1995, page 33).
CharterNet is the internet unit of U.S. Skylink in Charlotte, North Carolina. Phone: (888) DEADLEG or (888) 332-3534 toll-free. CharterNet services, which include allowing air-taxi companies to list their deadhead flight availability status, were incorrectly identified as connected with the Air Charter Guide in the September issue (page 22). The Air Charter Guide is a separate but competitive company based in Cambridge, Massachussets. Phone: (617) 547-5811.
Soloy Corporation will increase the maximum weight of its stretched, Dual Pac twin-engine conversion for Cessna 208Bs to 12,500 pounds. But the additional work will delay certification at least 15 months, to early 1998, says the Olympia, Washington firm. Certification had been scheduled for early 1997 (B/CA, July, 1995, page 30). Soloy plans on exhibiting the upgraded prototype Dual Pac aircraft at the NBAA convention later this month in Orlando.
A completely new executive interior will grace the NBAA convention mockup of the Sino-Swearingen SJ30-2 business jet. The interior, designed by Isaacman Associates and fabricated and installed by Tyler-Jet Completions in Tyler, Texas, features new cabinetry and seat designs, a forward-cabin lavatory and a cockpit equipped with a Honeywell Primus 1000 integrated avionics system. The SJ30-2, a six-place, stretched version of the original SJ30, is scheduled to enter service in 1999.
The decision was due by the end of September. It did not come, but there is very little doubt that the new Fairchild Dornier combo is going to hang a couple of turbofans on the Do 328 high-speed turboprop.
The altitude at which pilots can request more direct routing under the FAA's National Route Program (NRP) was reduced to FL 290 from FL 310. This step completes implementation of the NRP, designed to allow flights to select minimum time/cost routes beyond 200 nm at each end of a trip. In addition, the FAA is considering doing away with the 200 miles at each end of a trip in which ATC procedures are the least flexible. The agency also is looking at eliminating aircraft speed restrictions below 10,000 feet.
MentorPlus is likely to become a more familiar name in the aviation computing world. With the announcement that it has been purchased by Jeppesen, MentorPlus, Incorporated will gain the huge marketing leverage of Jeppesen. And Jeppesen will at last gain a foothold in the DUATS market. MentorPlus had, prior to its purchase, developed a FliteStar-like interface to Cirrus, GTE DUATS' new Windows-based automated DUATS briefing software. (See this month's Observer for more details on Cirrus.).
After two years in gestation, Australia's ruling Labor Party cleared the way for the Aussie federal government to proceed with its plan to lease up to 22 state-owned airports, including the yet-to-be-built Sydney West airfield. Initially, the government is seeking leaseholders for Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth airports. Sale of the airfields is not expected to immediately affect aircraft operations (B/CA, June 1994, page 20).
U.S. Customs is now basing an inspector at Long Island Jet Center, an FBO at MacArthur Airport. Two hours advance notice is required for customs clearance between 0800 and 1630 hours; four hours advance notice is required for service between 1630 and 2300 hours. (516) 588-2560.
Precision is one of those positive, comforting words. It implies accuracy and exactitude. It suggests a standard that exceeds all normal conditions. It calls to mind excellence in the small details, as in surgery or watchmaking. It is a principle that attracts the consumer and challenges the producer. ``Precision.'' It is reassuring and comforting. It has a nice ring to it.
Jet Aviation's aircraft-service operations in Germany have expanded their capabilities. The company recently added a hangar and more customer-service personnel at its Dusseldorf Airport facility. Jet Aviation's business aircraft center at Hannover received certification from Germany's civil aviation authorities to perform maintenance on Israel Aircraft Industries' 1124 Westwind corporate jets. This authority allows the facility to perform work that includes A, B, and C checks as well as landing gear and wing repairs.
Two years ago, the Flight Safety Foundation offered to sponsor a panel to study fatigue-avoidance principles and guidelines for corporate aircraft operations. A core team representing manufacturers, educators and operators was established, and Patricia Andrews, manager of global aircraft services for a major corporation, agreed to head the group. The panel interviewed almost 100 operators and received information gleaned from a research effort conducted by NASA.
The Flight Center recently completed a ``top-to-bottom'' renovation that was started soon after Craig O. McCaw purchased the Boeing Field FBO from Portland, Oregon-based Flightcraft (B/CA, July 1995, page 20). Included in the rebuild is a gourmet catering operation supervised by an on-site chef and featuring a viewing window so customers can watch inflight meals being prepared. The new Flight Center facility also offers crew and passenger lounges, a flight-planning and weather-briefing area, and heated hangar space.
Canada's Transportation Safety Board (TSB) accident findings-in synopsis and full-report formats-have just become more useful and easier to acquire, thanks to the Internet. Currently, the TSB's Web site (http://bst-tsb.gc.ca/airlist.html) includes reports and synopses by type of occurrence, such as ``Controlled Flight into Terrain'' and ``Risk of Collision Between Aircraft.'' Reports have been compiled and filed from September 1991 through April 1995.
Illustration: Map: Tank Approach Making reservations for attending the NBAA annual convention doesn't stop with accommodations, transportation and dining. For those flying themselves and their passengers to the show, one more set of reservations is needed, courtesy of the FAA. From November 15 through November 25, all turbine IFR and VFR aircraft must have reserved arrival and departure slot times for the following airports: Orlando Executive (site of the convention's aircraft static display), Orlando International, Orlando Sanford and Kissimmee Municipal.
Human engineering is a term often heard when discussing contemporary avionics packages, but it truly applies to the Primus 1000 package in the Learjet 45. The accompanying photo shows its four eight-by-seven-inch CRT displays, the dual Primus II radio management units with flat-panel displays and its glareshield control panel.
