BAE Systems has received a contract to enter Phase III of the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) program to protect commercial airliners from shoulder-fired heat-seeking missiles, also known as Man Portable Air Defense Systems (MANPADS). The contract was expected and, including options, is valued at more than $50 million. In Phase III, BAE will continue to refine its military-derived JetEye airliner protection system, which uses a low-power laser to blind the seekers of incoming missiles. JetEye flew on an American Airlines Boeing 767 in late 2005.
A July survey of used airplane brokers and dealers from around the United States indicated that the traditional summer slowdown in previously owned aircraft sales has not materialized for most of them this year. A majority of the aircraft salespeople polled said that demand for late-model, low-time aircraft remains robust, thanks to multi-year backlogs for many popular new-production models, a resilient economy and continuing relatively low interest rates. A few brokers and dealers, however, have noticed a modest slowdown in their business.
AS CHIEF OF AVIATION for the California Department of Forestry (CDF), I was used to alarms. But this note rattled me: "Call the governor's office." I dialed and a woman said, "I need to coordinate the governor's flight to Lake Tahoe on Friday. He's meeting Nevada's governor to sign the joint environmental agreement for Lake Tahoe." After noting times and places, I signed off and immediately called the CDF director's office. His assistant provided background.
Germany-based Thielert Aircraft Engines GmbH has signed a breakthrough deal with the American Flyers to convert its 55 of the training company's Cessna 172s to Centurion 1.7 jet fuel piston engines. Frank Thielert, managing director of Thielert, stated, "If the other European certifications are validated in the United States, we can reckon with a North American market of 1,000 replacement engines a year for the Piper PA28-161 alone." The FAA type certification for the installation of the Centurion 1.7 for the Skyhawk was awarded in January 2005.
Voyager Jet Center, an aircraft management and flight services company and the FBO at Pennsylvania's Allegheny County Airport, has added a Hawker 850XP to its charter fleet. VJC-managed aircraft operate on Atlantic Aviation Flight Services' certificate. For additional information, visit www.voyagerjet.com.
The latest in Sporty's popular Flight Gear line is the Solo Flight Gear Bag. Designed by Sporty's team of pilots, this bag meets the needs of experienced pilots who have less to carry on their flights. A completely padded interior features three separate compartments, giving pilots the versatility to carry their headsets, GPS and other necessary gear. A special padded exterior pocket is designed for a handheld transceiver.
Aircraft hydraulic systems were developed in the early 20th century as a practical means of transmitting robust mechanical power generated by a pump, usually driven by an engine, to a motor or actuator several feet away. Newly developed "heavy lifting" functions, such as actuating landing gear and flaps, required more mechanical muscle than could be supplied by electric motors or actuators of acceptable weight or size.
On Sept. 25, the U.S. Coast Guard will take over the rotary-wing air intercept mission handled by U.S. Customs and Border Protection and protect against low, slow-flying aircraft penetrating National Capital Region airspace. The Coast Guard crews, based at Air Station Atlantic City, N.J., will fly HK-65C "Dolphin" short-range recovery helicopters and operate under both Title 10 (military service classification) and Title 14 (law enforcement) authorities for the mission.
Runway 1/19 at Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport (MKC), reopened Aug. 15, a week ahead of schedule. The project involved completely removing and replacing the pavement and electrical systems for the main, 7,000-foot-long runway. The 5,050-foot-long Runway 3/21 reopened earlier this summer after the intersection of the two runways was rehabilitated.
Boeing officially signed Connexion's death warrant on Aug. 17. The company announced that it has decided to exit the high-speed broadband communications connectivity markets. The Boeing move compounds the turmoil in the wake of Verizon's retreat from inflight phone service to business aircraft (see below). Boeing said it will work with its customers to facilitate an orderly phase out of the Connexion by Boeing service.
Sino Swearingen Aircraft Corp. has received an FAA Repair Station Certificate allowing it to conduct a full range of maintenance, repair, service and support functions on future customer SJ30 aircraft at its new Customer Service Center at the San Antonio International Airport. This initial location was chosen due to its proximity to company headquarters located on the same airport and to provide a convenient central location for initial SJ30 customers. The Customer Service Center staff are all SSAC employees. Sino Swearingen Aircraft Corp.
AirCell has received EASA certification for its ST 3100 satcom system installed on a Cessna Citation Bravo. The AirCell ST 3100 system is the industry's best-selling satcom system, and is standard or optional equipment on nearly two dozen OEM aircraft programs worldwide. It operates on the Iridium Satellite System, providing pilots and passengers all-altitude, all-latitude coverage throughout the world. AirCell has EASA Part 145 approval (certificate reference number EASA.145.5595).
Although the satellite carrying your call, fax, e-mail or download will be a silent partner in the transaction, it's a good idea to understand the differences in what's up there -- and it's not complicated.
Shadin Avionics, St. Louis Park, Minn., announced the following changes in its management team: Allan Kramer is executive director of operations; Robert Randall has assumed the position of executive director of sales and marketing; Ron Roberts is the new director of engineering; Barry LeBlanc was named director of field service and tech support; and Roberto Rivera is the new director of production.
London City Airport (LCY) is tailor-made for business aircraft travelers. That was immediately apparent as we peered from the jump seat over the shoulders of Captains Marcel Moura and Antonio Bragança while they were flying the Embraer Legacy on ILS approach Runway 10 to LCY in July, demonstrating the aircraft's steep approach capabilities.
ADMS-COMMAND is an entry-level, modular ADMS system developed for emergency response agencies with limited training space or other financial or operational restrictions. ADMS-COMMAND uses the same technology used in the full, multi-station ADMS-TEAM system, but in a more adaptable and flexible configuration. ADMS-COMMAND is a single laptop-based training simulator, which is expandable into a team training system with the purchase of additional stations.
Bong Wie, a professor at Arizona State University, has been selected to receive the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics 2006 Mechanics and Control of Flight Award.
The SJ30-2's Primus Epic CDS, short for control display system, features three 10-by-eight-inch, portrait-configuration flat-panel displays. The outer left and right displays are PFDs and the left-of-center unit is an MFD. Standard equipment includes dual sets of Primus II radios with control units mounted in the instrument panel, TCAS, EGPWS, four-color weather radar, single radio altimeter, basic NZ2000 FMS and Iridium phone. Dual AHRS, yaw dampers, symbol generators and DADCs are included, along with a single-channel, three-axis autopilot.
The entire general aviation community agreed that the DOT lost a wealth of knowledge about aviation, and general aviation in particular, when Secretary Norman Mineta stepped down on July 7. A lifelong Democrat serving in a Republican administration, Mineta was one of the first Cabinet members to be sworn into the Bush administration, and one of the longest-serving members, with five and one-half years at the helm.
The FAA published a final rule regarding drug or alcohol testing and medical certifications that includes several changes to airman medical certification standards and applies to all certificated airmen. It also impacts all organizations with FAA-mandated Drug and Alcohol Testing Programs. The rule changes the airman medical certification standards to disqualify an airman based on an alcohol test result of 0.04 or greater breath alcohol content.
Twinjet of London Luton Airport received a new 34-seat Airbus ACJ to replace its current ACJ, G-OMAK, which has been managed and operated on behalf of Al-Kharafi Aviation 2000 Ltd. since 1998. The new aircraft will have a double bed in a forward compartment and luxury cabins with all seats convertible into flat-beds. Lufthansa Technik in Hamburg, Germany, completed the cabin interior. The two ACJs will operate side by side until September when G-OMAK is expected to be sold.
Two hundred twenty-five Cessna Citations transported more than 1,500 athletes to and from the Special Olympic U.S. National Games held the first week of July at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa. This, the fifth Citation Special Olympics Airlift, brought in Olympians from 28 different states and 39 different airports. Cessna reports that almost 25 percent of all the competing athletes were transported by the airlift.
