FAA Administrator Marion Blakey, testifying at recent hearings on Capitol Hill, asked House leaders to ignore some of their colleagues' calls for "modest" tweaks to the aviation funding system and instead introduce significant reforms in the tax structure. "I firmly believe a cost-based funding structure is our best chance of transforming the aviation system . . . quickly and efficiently," Blakey said.
Honeywell is developing a Multi-Function Display (MFD) for general aviation that will incorporate GPS and WAAS capability as well as a new software-based VHF communication and navigation radio. The KSN 770 system will feature a state-of-the-art graphical interface that was originally designed for Honeywell's large integrated business aircraft cockpits. The system is called INAV GA.
Oberstar acknowledged that, "it's equitable for general aviation users to pay somewhat more than they are currently paying." The T&I Committee recommended that the jet fuel tax increase from 21.8 cents per gallon to 30.7 cents and the avgas tax increase from 19.3 cents per gallon to 24.1 cents. "While I believe general aviation should pay somewhat more, I do not believe that the airlines should pay less than what they are now paying," Oberstar said.
Eighty members of Pentastar Aviation's maintenance and avionics team have been awarded the FAA's Aviation Maintenance Technician Award in addition to two corporate awards.
Aero Toy Store -- the Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based aircraft sales company -- has been named the exclusive provider of aircraft that incorporate custom designs developed by a unit of Pininfarina, the Italian firm renowned for its work with classic motorcars such as Ferrari and Maserati.
NetJets Europe is to retrofit its Falcon 2000EX EASy fleet with blended winglets at a total cost of $4.4 million. The Aviation Partners high-Mach winglets will upgrade the aircraft to the new Falcon 2000LX standard. Dassault claims a 5-percent increase in fuel efficiency at 0.80 Mach for this version, which extends the aircraft's range by 200 nm to 4,000 nm. Retrofits are scheduled to begin late this year.
In reference to the June issue of B&CA, may I call your attention to page 32, specifically Fast Five, question 5 where you asked William Voss, "Which of your aviation ratings was the hardest to acquire and which brought the most satisfaction?" In the interest of possibly avoiding confusion among B&CA readers I respectively submit that Mr. Voss did not receive his ATP certificate at age 21. The minimum age for that certificate is 23; has been dating back to well over 50 years.
June 14, 2007, was a significant day for business aircraft operators since it was then that the IRS published its long-awaited "Deductions for Entertainment Use of Business Aircraft." This 19-page Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) attempts to clarify the Oct. 22, 2004, changes to IRS Code Section 274.
On July 31, Bombardier delivered its 150th Challenger 300 to Flexjet, the manufacturer's fractional jet program. According to Bombardier, since the model's entry into service in 2004, the Challenger 300 jet has achieved a dispatch reliability over 99 percent.
Professional Pilot's Career Guide, second edition, by Robert P. Mark, is just out from The McGraw-Hill Cos.' Profes-sional book division. The new version contains detailed coverage of pilot ratings and practical test standards, plus goal-achieving tips on job hunting, networking and information on the regional and major airlines. The book also contains 200 common interview questions and the 10 most frequent interview mistakes, in-depth pilot interviews and essential Internet resources. Price: $24.95 The McGraw-Hill Cos.
The NBAA sponsors an Inspection Authorization (IA) renewal course that coincides with the annual convention, this year held in Atlanta, on Monday, Sept. 24. The seminar will provide eight hours of approved training toward IA renewal and will feature regulatory and industry subject matter experts extolling on an array of topics including: the FAA's Customer Service Initiative; Instructions for Continued Airworthiness, Safety Management Systems (SMS) and development of an approved maintenance program.
IFR Avionics of Van Nuys, Calif. has earned an STC for its retrofit installation of a Universal Avionics EFI-890R display in a Gulfstream GIII. The aircraft used to gain the approval also was equipped with Universal's Vision-1TM, an application server unit that provides Jeppesen charts for a paperless cockpit. The new display was interfaced with dual UNS-1 flight management systems and a Class A terrain awareness and warning system. The GIII STC also covers installation of the EFI-890R in the GII and GII-B.
Among the communication errors that resulted in altitude deviations were misunderstandings of the ATC amended clearance. Let's start with the simpler clearances and work to the more complex or confusing. When the air traffic controller states, "Bizjet 123, descend and maintain six thousand," according to FAA Order 7110.65, Air Traffic Control, the pilot is expected to commence descent upon receipt of the clearance and to descend at the suggested rates specified in Aeronautical Information Manual Paragraph 4-4-9, until reaching the assigned altitude of 6,000 feet.
Misset altitude alerters were involved in 58 percent of the altitude deviations. This closely mimics the data collected at several major airlines prior to implementing their own altitude deviation programs. The Aviation Safety Reporting System hear-back study noted that after the altitude alerter was set, it tended to become "the sole authority for what the aircraft's altitude should be."
Jeppesen has introduced interactive, multimedia E-learning programs for Garmin panel-mount integrated avionics systems as well as Garmin and Lowrance portable GPS units. The scenario-based, guided simulation training system allows pilot to train on the ground and will minimize the "heads down" time incurred when pilots are unfamiliar with the avionics systems, according to Jeppesen. Courses are available for the Garmin SNG 530W/430W and are offered at three levels: Basic VFR and IFR ($159.95), Advanced IFR ($139.95) and Advanced WASS Procedures ($139.95).
China Sonangol International Holding Ltd., an oil business enterprise, has ordered two Embraer Legacy 600s, which will make them the first of the aircraft type to be registered in mainland China. The aircraft will operate primarily as "corporate traveler transporters," according to Sonangol. A Macao-based Legacy has been operating in the region for some time.
Jan. 24, 2006, was a spectacularly clear winter day in Southern California. John "Jack" Francis and Andy Garratt were crewing a Citation V that departed Hailey Airport in Sun Valley, Idaho, bound for McClellan-Palomar Airport in Carlsbad, Calif. Aboard were Frank Jellinek Jr., recently retired chairman of Fisher Scientific and father of two children, along with Janet Shafran, mother of four. It was going to be just a brief stay in the San Diego area. Jellinek's father, Frank Sr., lived in the vicinity. Everyone planned to return to Sun Valley that afternoon.
Operations at New Orleans Lakefront Airport (NEW) have picked up since the control tower reopened on July 30. The Louisiana airfield, which was devastated by Hurricane Katrina on Aug. 29, 2005, handled 240 operations during a single day recently, according to Louis Capo, director of the Orleans Levee District's Division of Non-Flood Assets, which oversees NEW. Although Lakefront reopened on Oct. 15, 2005, it was only able to handle about 160 movements daily without the tower. Now the tower is operating from 8 a.m.
I am writing to bring your attention to an error in "Career Development Tips for Maintenance Managers" in the May B&CA (page 93) The page contains a small insert mentioning "National AMT Day." The H. Res. number for our National AMT Day Resolution is H. Res. 444, not 4582 as you published. The Aircraft Maintenance Technicians Association (AMTA) requested that Rep. Bob Filner (D-Calif.) introduce this resolution. On May 24, he did introduce it and it is now before the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Aviation excise taxes should remain in place, since the current funding system will cover the needs of the next generation air traffic control system. Rep. James Oberstar (D-Minn.), chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee, made that appeal during a hearing on aviation taxes just prior to the August congressional break. "I believe that the current system is tried and true, that it has accommodated the enormous growth American aviation has experienced over the past 30 years and that it will continue to do so," he said.
The Avanti II's front office is equipped with a full complement of Rockwell Collins avionics, featuring three, eight-by-10-inch, portrait configuration adaptive flight displays, a glareshield flight guidance control panel, a console-mounted FMS 3000 CDU with radio tuning function and a panel-mounted radio tuning unit. The MFD has an engine instrument display feature, but no crew alerting function or systems schematics. The Avanti II retains the original aircraft's 28 annunciator light panel.
