The agency announced these appointments to the Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee: Sarah H. MacLeod, executive director of the Aeronautical Repair Station Association, as ARAC chairperson; and Steven J. Brown, senior vice president of government and technical affairs for the AOPA, as vice chairperson.
This FBO announced two senior promotions: Francois Chaurette to vice president of operations and Jerry Sosontovich to director of sales and marketing for Innotech/Execaire Aviation Group.
SimCom International said it will open a training center in Scottsdale, Arizona on or about December 11. The new facility will be the first remote operation for the five-year-old, Orlando-based company. The Scottsdale center first will provide initial and recurrent proficiency training for pilots of the Cessna 300/400 series and the King Air 90/100/200 series in two SimCom-built flight-training devices featuring widescreen, visual-motion technology.
Teledyne Controls in Los Angeles is developing a system to provide digital datalink messaging between business and commuter aircraft and ground networks. The new Telelink unit can be used for digital communications with ATC, flight planning and weather services, GPS-based position reporting and custom messaging, and can be integrated with FMSes. Teledyne says Telelink will provide messages through VHF, ARINC Communications Addressing and Reporting System, satellites and Mode S.
Under an accord announced in February of this year, the United States and Canada agreed in principle to ease requirements for passing between the two countries. For customs-weary pilots, the announcement seemed too good to be true-and for the foreseeable future, it is. While Canada acted quickly and adopted a trial program called CANPASS in July, the U.S. effort has been stymied, primarily because of opposition from the National Treasury Employees Union, which represents customs inspectors.
Upstart TriStar Airlines is rapidly expanding its operations base to increase the utilization of its three leased BAe 146s and perhaps get a jump-start over a potential competitor. The Las Vegas-based carrier was established earlier this year on the premise of hauling Asian tourists from Los Angeles and San Francisco to Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon.
Executive Aircraft Corporation has started renovating its FBO at Mid-Continent Airport. Initial work includes a redesign of its line service area, customer lounge and eating area. Future plans call for an additional hangar. Also, the company recently expanded its parts department for Challengers, JetStars and Sabreliners. (316) 946-4990.
Corporate Aviation Management, written by former corporate pilot Raoul Castro, is the latest aviation title published by Southern Illinois University. The 349-page hardcover book discusses the history and function of business aviation, aircraft selection and cost/benefit analysis, key management factors and future trends. Also included is an index, bibliography and many illustrations. To order the book, priced at $37.95, phone (800) 346-2680 or fax (800) 346-2681.
The ICAO Council has conferred its highest honor in civil aviation-the Edward Warner Award-to Captain Elrey B. Jeppesen, founder of the Jeppesen Company and publisher of the Jeppesen airway manuals. He was honored for his ``eminent contribution to the development of international civil aviation,'' particularly air navigation.
The Saab 2000 corporate shuttle displayed its long legs and speed during a nonstop flight from the NBAA Convention in Las Vegas in September to Detroit Metro Wayne County Airport. Specifically, N5123L-the first of three Saab 2000s that will be operated by General Motors Worldwide Travel Service-covered the 1,516-nm great-circle distance in 4+03 hours, burning 7,750 pounds of fuel in the process.
Primus 2000 avionics are now found in a number of business and regional aircraft, but the Citation X's package is one of the best. The panel has five, eight-inch-by-seven-inch displays, including left- and right-side primary flight displays (PFDs) and multifunction displays (MFDs), plus a full EICAS display in the center-a first for a Cessna aircraft.
Telectro-Mek's newest addition to its line of aviation fuel testers is the Accumetric II-a portable, digital electronic unit. The company claims a quick setup time and test results for both particulate and free water within 10 minutes. The 16-inch by 12-inch by six-inch unit is self- contained and weighs 10 pounds. Operator training takes an hour or less, says Telectro-Mek. Price: $3,500, including compact fiberglass case, battery, AC charger/ adapter, cigarette lighter adapter, five monitor capsules, 100 sampling pads, 50 free-water pads and other accessories.
The NoiseBuster headphone from Noise Cancellation Technologies electronically reduces aircraft-engine noise for air travelers. To soften the drone, a battery-powered controller ``senses'' the noise and produces an equal but opposite sound wave, or ``anti-noise,'' to selectively reduce only low-frequency noise. Desired sounds, such as music or speech, are audible. The unit can be used in conjunction with portable audio and inflight entertainment systems. Music and movie volume need not be cranked up, but can be enjoyed ``at a more reasonable volume level.'' Price: $99.
A ban on corporate aircraft activities during the daytime at Hong Kong International Airport (VHHH) was lifted, but this does not guarantee a landing slot. Plans for using VHHH should be made early. Also in effect: Only FAR Part 36, Stage 3 aircraft are allowed to operate at VHHH (Baseops International).
By all measures, the number of international flights flown by business aircraft operators has been growing at an unprecedented rate. In a recent address to a group of operators regularly flying the North Atlantic (NAT) Organized Track System, John W. Olcott, president of the NBAA, reminded his audience that U.S. international corporate operations had grown to an average of 30 flights per day. This represented an increase of approximately 24 percent over 1994.
Corporate image with ``a touch of elegance'' comes to inflight dining in five-piece place settings imprinted with the corporate logo. Aircraft Equipment Corporation says the china is lightweight, yet strong and chip-resistant. Place settings are available in space-saving, rim-less designs or different styles of plates with plain or decorated rims, such as gold or silver trim. Price: $89.95 per setting with logo in 24-karat gold (for a minimum order of 12 place settings); $140 to $170 per setting with custom color-matched logo.
Corporate pilots, owner pilots, flight instructors, ground instructors, training schools and just about everyone else involved in the certification of airmen are impacted-to one degree or another-by the FAA's proposed sweeping revision of regulations covering certification and training.
``I love what you do for me, Toyota,'' the popular advertising jingle for Toyota automobiles, could also be Toyota's sales tune for aircraft engines one day. The Japanese manufacturer, in partnership with Hamilton Standard, hopes to receive FAA certification by the end of the year of an aircraft version of the V-8 engine that powers some of Toyota's luxury car line, Lexus.
International Aviation (West Palm Beach, FL)-Wayne Turnquist was appointed president of the International Aviation Group of this FBO with four locations.
Cessna has bundled the most commonly ordered cabin and cockpit options into the Citation VII Magnum, a package-priced edition of the Citation VII available for $9.95 million. A Citation VII spec'd out with the same equipment individually would sell for about $10.3 million. The Magnum joins the package-priced Citation family that started with the Bravo and Ultra models. Meanwhile, Citation VIIs still can be specifically outfitted at the customer's discretion. More than 40 Citation VIIs have been delivered since the aircraft's introduction in 1992.
Planning to fly to or from Atlanta during the 26th Summer Olympics to be held July 19 through August 4 in 1996? Note that the FAA will have a VFR and IFR slot-reservation system in place, along with flight restrictions and other special ATC procedures. The slot system will apply to 13 airports, and an 800 number will be set up for pilots to make reservations. The FAA feels so strongly about ensuring a smooth and safe operating environment for the event in Atlanta that the agency had a booth at the September NBAA convention to provide details about the ATC plan.
In his first NBAA convention press conference as Gulfstream vice chairman, Bryan Moss (who, as it will be remembered, shifted his allegiance from Canadair to Gulfstream in a much-publicized move) reflected the confidence born of having his company's major new product, the G-V, safely rolled out onto the ramp in Savan- nah. It came off without a hitch just days before the beginning of the convention and within 60 days of its scheduled first flight. Initial deliveries also are set to start on schedule in the fourth quarter of 1996.
