Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada-based Helijet Airways finalized its previously announced agreement to buy Vancouver Helicopters (B/CA, May, page 16). The purchase increases the helicopter fleet operated by Helijet to 12, including five Sikorsky S-76s used in scheduled services. Helijet also takes over existing arrangements with Vancouver Helicopters for additional aircraft used in contract and charter services throughout western Canada.
At the end of the Cold War, the concept of converting military airports to civilian use took on a new sense of urgency as local communities sought to mitigate the economic ripple effects of a downsized military. Over the years, the conversion of war surplus assets has been particularly important to the growth of business aviation. The availability of cheap, excess military aircraft that could be modified for what was then called ``industrial aid'' flying helped spur the growth of corporate aviation after World War II.
The sun is setting on the days of wide-open, blue-skies flying over the Pacific. Increasing air traffic density in the Pacific Oceanic Track System will require much tighter navigation tolerances, as well as upgrades to communications and surveillance capabilities.
Raytheon has selected an electromagnetic deicing system for the horizontal stabilizer of its new Premier I light business jet (B/CA, October 1995, page 50 and March 1996, page 22). According to its developers, Cox&Company of New York City and Innovative Dynamics of Ithaca, New York, the system uses relatively little electrical power-about 75 watts compared to nearly 6,000 watts for the more typical electrothermal systems.
Respondents to B/CA's operator survey were divided into four categories based according to fleet structure: Category I. Companies operating heavy jets or two or more jets of any type. -- Category II. Companies not included in the above category which operate at least one light or medium jet. -- Category III. Turboprop operators (namely, companies with at least one turboprop and no jets). -- IV. Helicopter operators (or companies that operate at least one helicopter).
Following two successful operational trials, a Buffalo-area company is convinced it has developed a better way to fend off Ol' Man Winter. Process Technologies says its InfraTek infrared heating system can be used to quickly and efficiently deice aircraft. The InfraTek system in-cludes a semi-permanent, tent-like structure and an array of natural gas or propane-powered heaters, which the company calls ``energy process units.''
Ten to 15 years ago, the helicopter community was barraged by headlines that addressed the problem of accidents caused by tail-rotor limitations. Several labels-such as ``tail-rotor spin,'' ``loss of tail-rotor authority,'' and the final champion, ``loss of tail-rotor effectiveness'' (LTE)--were applied to the problem.
SNECMA in France and Pratt&Whitney Canada, a unit of United Technologies in Hartford, Connecticut, hope to break into the powerplant market for regional jets. The two companies recently signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly develop and market a family of turbofan engines in the 12,000- to 16,000-pounds-thrust class aimed at powering 70- to 90-passenger regional jets. Both firms are leading players in providing engines to commercial aircraft, but no P&WC or SNECMA engines currently power any regional jets.
Soon you will be able to view Jeppesen approach plates electronically and print them out from a laptop or desktop PC using Windows. In late summer, Denver-based Jeppesen Sanderson says it will introduce JeppView, a fully integrated CD-ROM system of nav data and flight information for use in the cockpit as well as on the ground. Geographic coverage will be phased in for JeppView. Initially, updates will be on disc, but plans call for an online revision service.
Swedish regional Skyways Aviation has formed a British subsidiary-Skyways Aviation (U.K.) Limited-to offer aircraft re-marketing and consultant services to regional airlines worldwide (see B/CA, March, page C4).
The former Aerospatiale General Aviation, the Grand Prairie, Texas, subsidiary of France's Aerospatiale, was renamed Socata Aircraft. Company officials said the change is one element of a ``comprehensive strategic plan to establish the Socata name as a worldwide resource'' within the aviation industry. Socata aircraft include the Tampico, Tobago and Trinidad single-engine recips and the TBM 700 single-engine turboprop.
New York City's Economic Development Corporation has issued a request for proposals for an FBO to run the city's East 34th Street Heliport. The heliport ``offers the future operator a well-established market,'' city officials say, but plans are afoot to reduce operations there by 50 percent if a proposed new heliport is built at 38th Street (B/CA, March, page 24). Proposals, expected to be submitted by the current FBO as well as others, are due by July 1. For details, contact Patricia Walker. Phone: (212) 312-3969.
SimCom International, which already offers training for King Air 90s, 100s and 200s, now is offering recurrent training for the King Air 300 and 350 models. The 300/350 course is priced at $3,100 and is available at SimCom's Orlando and Scottsdale, Arizona facilities. SimCom students train in actual aircraft cockpits modified to be used with motion that's simulated by visual depictions outside the cockpit windows. In addition to King Airs, SimCom also offers training for Piper Cheyennes and the Pilatus PC-12.
How much will you pay for a quiet cockpit? That's pretty much the only question you need ask if you're considering the new Series II headset from Bose, headquartered in Framingham, Massachusetts. The noise-canceling ability of the headset is second to none, but it comes at a price. The cost of the basic system, which includes a panel-mount receptacle, is $995. The portable unit, which comes with conventional microphone and headphone jacks as well as a supplemental battery pack, sells for $1,075.
FAA certification of the Cessna Citation X was expected at press time in mid May. Efforts to increase the maximum takeoff weight to permit a full-fuel payload of 1,400 pounds, and inclement weather, forced a delay in the original certification schedule-first from June 1995 to November 1995, and then to April 1996 (B/CA, January, page 18). Powered by twin Allison AE3007C turbofans, Cessna says the Citation X will have a 0.92 Mach Mmo.
Commuter aircraft under 19,000 pounds maximum takeoff weight and originally certificated to FAR Part 23 will not have to meet more stringent seat cushion fire-blocking requirements until December 20, 2010. A March 6, 1995 notice of new flammability standards for airline aircraft exempted Part 23 commuter aircraft that had been unintentionally included when the rule was adopted. The FAA issued this latest notice to remind these commuter aircraft operators that the same standards will apply at the later date (B/CA, March 1995, page 16).
Cleveland-The latest round of upgrades for Air Services of Cleveland at Hopkins International Airport is the completion of a terminal building modernization that includes a complete renovation of the lobby, crew lounge, flight-planning area and rest rooms. (216) 267-3711. Fort Lauderdale-New developments at Banyan Air Service at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport are European JAA approval for its maintenance services and its designation as an authorized Twin Commander service center. (305) 491-3170.
Most B/CA readers have come to expect only the worst from lay media writers and television producers reporting on the technical side of aviation. After all, operating airplanes is a complex undertaking; one that doesn't lend itself well to sound-bite analysis or surface-skimming generalizations.
The scenario was all too familiar in the regional airline business. A $1.7- million net loss in calendar/fiscal 1993 grew to a whopping $25.1-million net loss in 1994. Something was very wrong. Washington-Dulles-based United Express carrier Atlantic Coast Airlines appeared to be another victim of a senior partner reputed for eating its young.
Photograph: The Honeywell cockpit for the Hawker 800XP. Ahead of the Hawker's distinctive ``ram's horn'' yokes, pilots will find five small-format CRTs flanked by a blend of traditional analog gauges. The factory-standard avionics package is based on the Honeywell SPZ-8000 integrated avionics system.
Business aircraft operators and FBOs continue to navigate a strained, though mutually necessary relationship. So what else is new, except that by now, you'd think they'd have figured each other out. The dominant sentiments rising out of this year's B/CA survey of aircraft operators are that the operators believe FBOs are pricing their fuel at comfortable margins-and, in some cases, are gouging their customers.
The National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) sponsored a meeting in May to address operators' questions about ``how and where the pieces fit'' for complying with special ATC procedures now in place for the Olympic Games in July and August in Atlanta. To augment FAA information, NATCA and other speakers supplied ``tips'' for easing compliance, particularly on the procedures applying to VFR reservations.
Photograph: The ACRM program was developed under an FAA grant. Team members include the FAA, Atlantic Coast Airlines, researchers from George Mason University and private consultants. THE ACRM GRANT Atlantic Coast Airlines' advanced cockpit resource management (ACRM) program is the result of a grant from the FAA's human factors office. According to the FAA's Eleana Edens, a research psychologist specializing in air carrier training issues, the research was undertaken in response to the agency's airline ``safety summit'' (B/CA, February, page 39).
Photograph: The ``bottom line'' of B/CA's 1996 operator survey is that flight department managements are generally skeptical of FBO claims that their profits are marginal, those purchasing the most fuel being the least sympathetic. Some operators are countering what they feel is excessive fuel pricing by joining purchasing cooperatives or maintaining fuel farms at their home bases and tankering on trips.
