Flight departments have to train their people constantly, and until online classrooms became a factor, training meant the department was down one or two people for the duration. Although not all training can be conducted digitally, whatever can be done on line tends to keep people close to their jobs and conserves time.
Global Jet Services, Inc. has just launched Aircraft Electronics Technician (AET) Course 1-Basic Electronics. The new course will provide technicians with the basic skills necessary to accurately identify basic AC and DC terms, obtain an understanding of circuit theory calculation, troubleshooting, measurement and the function of resistors, among other skills. The interactive Web course enables students to learn at their own pace from any location and gain Inspection Authorization and FAA Awards Program learning credit for eight hours.
Elliott Aviation, the Moline, Ill.-based business aviation services company, has received FAA certification for an upgraded “elite series” cockpit installation for the Falcon 10/100 aircraft, which features the latest generation of Universal Avionics’ EFI-890R display suite. Elliott originally earned an FAA STC for its elite series cockpit for the Falcon 10/100 in 2005.
FAA’s ATC modernization has been on a GAO high risk program list since 1995. The Government Accountability Office put the program on the list because of its record of cost overruns, schedule delays and performance shortfalls and there it languished for 14 years. But on Jan. 22, the agency happily announced that its ATC modernization program had been dropped from the list just two days after new acting Administrator Lynne Osmus took the helm from Robert Sturgell.
The NBAA’s inaugural Light Business Airplane Conference (LBA2009), originally scheduled for San Diego on March 13 and 14, is being merged into the association’s annual convention, scheduled for Oct. 20 to 22 in Orlando. The association cited the lousy economy for its decision. NBAA President Ed Bolen said there will be two days of educational sessions customized for light aircraft operators, including the Cessna Single-Pilot Safety Standdown. Also, the association said exhibitor and attendee pricing will remain unchanged from 2008’s fees.
The former aircraft sales unit of Landmark Aviation has been resurrected as Piedmont Aircraft Co. Tom Mekis, who has long been affiliated with the operation, will head the newly established Piedmont Aircraft as president and CEO. Piedmont was originally part of the 2004 merger of three companies — Piedmont-Hawthorne Aviation, Garrett Aviation Services and Associated Air Center — to form Landmark Aviation.
When I explained the game of “paper, rock, scissors” to my oldest son many years ago, he argued strenuously that paper can’t beat rock. When I learned the game as a kid, the explanation was that the “paper” is sandpaper and it wears down the rock. Anyone who has paged through reams of conflicting interpretations of the FARs knows that paper can wear down anything or anyone. If you operate under Part 91, then the FAR game of paper, rock and scissors, with extensions, goes like this: U.S.
Bombardier Aerospace recently established its first line maintenance facility in Finland and increased capabilities in China and the United States — expanding its global network of authorized service and maintenance facilities for the 12th time in the last 12 months. Jetflite in Helsinki provides AOG assistance to customers throughout Scandinavia.
At 16, Brandon Gordon is into gaming with his XBox 360, likes hanging with his buddies in his hometown of DeWitt, Mich., and is an unabashed hockey fanatic — he not only talks the game nonstop, but he’s a whiz on blades. In fact, he was the St. John Area Skating Association’s star goalie, and wears his #22 jersey with pride, but not aboard the company jet, which he rides often.
Vociferously unfavorable feedback to the LASP proposal seems to have captured the attention of new Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano. In one of her first meetings with TSA officials, Napolitano reportedly mentioned the LASP rulemaking and said the department must balance the need for a secure transportation system with “the legitimate impact on consumers.” She stressed that the department must “continue to work and improve.” Stay tuned.
After months of negotiations, Michael Jaffe, the insolvency administrator for Grob Aerospace, has named H3 Aerospace as the buyer of the company’s training aircraft and support businesses. Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany-based H-3 Aerospace is making the purchase through Fortius Mittelstandskapital. Around 100 employees were expected to resume work at Grob’s Tussenhausen-Mattsies, Germany, facility in February. The insolvency administrator said he expects further growth, with the initial 100 returnees just a starting point. The SPn program is expected to survive separately.
The New Year ushered in unprecedented turbulence for the business aviation industry. The market disintegrated in a fashion not experienced since the Great Depression, and National Air Transportation Association President James Coyne contends that the industry has entered a depression. Textron Chairman Lewis Campbell believes that 2009 is staged to become the most challenging year ever for manufacturers.
A Feb. 5 letter to Gale Rossides, acting administrator of the TSA, signed by the presidents of the AOPA, Experimental Aircraft Association, GAMA and the NBAA, said, “. . .
In a draft version 8.5 Advisory Circular dated Nov. 28, 2005, the FAA’s Air Carrier Training and 142 Training Branch, or AFS-210, presents guidance for “Alternatives to Classroom Training,” offering “a structured process for developing alternative training as a substitute for instructor-led classroom ground training.”
Sierra Industries (Uvalde, Texas) — David M. Welch, a 21-year aviation sales veteran, has joined the sales and marketing staff for this provider of performance enhancement modifications for Cessna Citations. Welch began his career as an aviation researcher for Gantt Aviation and served in aircraft sales posts with West Air and Texas Piper before launching his own start-up aviation sales company and an aircraft sales division for an aero-medical firm.
International Communication Group (ICG) , Newport News, Va., has restructured its sales organization. Armin Jabs, ICG’s president and chief operating officer, will oversee the private label and new market development segment. He will be assisted by Bryan Trainum, who holds the new position of director of new business development. Jeff Saucedo, vice president, product sales, will lead the OEM and Completion Center sales effort, assisted by Andrew Mayfield as senior sales coordinator.
Excellent January Viewpoint (“Without Apology,” page 7) but I believe your call for assertive action has both near- and long-term components of equal importance.
— At 1409 CST, a Sikorsky S-76C++ (N748P), registered to and operated by Petroleum Helicopters, Inc. (PHI), crashed into marshy terrain approximately seven minutes after takeoff and 12 miles southeast of Lake Palourde Base Heliport (7LS3), in Amelia, La. Both pilots and six of the seven passengers on board were killed. One person was critically injured. The helicopter departed 7LS3, a PHI base, en route to the South Timbalier oil platform ST301B to transport workers from two different oil exploration companies. No flight plan was filed, nor was one required.
Northern Jet Management , Grand Rapids, Mich., has promoted Rick Hansen to chief pilot. John Snyder was promoted to captain and Kip Catlin has been given IOE responsibilities with the flight crew team in additional to his captain duties.
Seattle-based Raisbeck Engineering has won Brazilian and European Aviation Safety Agency certification of its increased gross weight Epic package for Beechcraft King Air C90s and C90GTs. Brazilian and European operators of these twin turboprops now are able to benefit from a gross weight increase to 10,500 pounds, which provides operators with an extra 400 to 850 pounds of fuel and/or payload. The heavier-weight Epic performance package includes Raisbeck/Hartzell 93-inch quiet turbofan propellers and dual aft-body strakes.
EADS Socata has appointed Executive Airlines Pty. Ltd. as its sales representative for TBM 850 turboprops in Australia and New Zealand. Executive Airlines, which is based at Mel-bourne-Essendon Airport, also will manage an inventory of TBM spare parts to support the authorized TBM service centers in Australia. Executive Airlines has more than 27 years of business aviation experience. The company provides charter, aircraft management, maintenance, FBO support and consultant services.
Both the general aviation and airline industries cheered the installation of Ray LaHood as Transportation secretary. A former 14-year congressman from Illinois and one of two Republicans named to the Obama cabinet, LaHood was confirmed unanimously by the Senate. During his House tenure, he opposed user fees as an FAA funding mechanism, pleasing GAMA, the NBAA and AOPA.
NBAA says recently proposed fire supression guidelines from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) could adversely impact general aviation hangars across the country. The proposed guidelines would require all Type III hangars (those greater than 12,000 square feet, with hangar doors no more than 28 feet high) to install foam fire suppression systems. The NBAA wants members to contact the NFPA and request an extension to the March 6 comment deadline, so the industry can better understand the proposed requirements.
