Landmark Aviation, the new name of the Garrett/Piedmont Hawthorne/Associated Air Center FBO, maintenance and completions group, is in a growth mode. CEO Roger Wolf told B&CA that company plans to expand in all of its major businesses, including FBO and airport services, MRO, aircraft sales, charter and management and completions.
Fractional provider Avantair placed an order for 36 Piaggio Avanti IIs during the NBAA show, which when delivered over the next three years, will increase the company's fleet to 57 Avantis. The $230 million order was the largest ever received by Piaggio. In addition, Avantair's new majority owner, Alfred Rapetti, said Avantair will move its corporate headquarters from New Jersey to St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Fla., by the middle of 2006 and that the company will grow to more than 100 employees.
FAA ADMINISTRATOR MARION BLAKEY, addressing the agency's Second Annual International Aviation Forum in late October, turned to anthropology to make a point about safety.
Beyondbulbs.com is a Web-based direct seller of LED-based personal and portable flashlights and lanterns. In addition to aviators, the company caters to police and fire fighters, as well a divers. The site sells LED lights from six different manufacturers with detailed specs for each model offered.
Dallas Airmotive, Orlando, named Hugh E. McElroy president and CEO. McElroy has been with DAI since the company acquired UNC Airwork Corp. in 1999, where he served as vice president and general manager for the Millville, N.J., location.
The FAA has extended the comment period until Feb. 6 on its controversial proposal to make permanent the airspace restrictions over Washington, D.C. The agency also said it would hold a public meeting on the proposal to establish a National Defense Airspace Region encompassing the inner Flight Restricted Zone and the more sweeping Air Defense Identification Zone.
Each year we editors at B&CA exchange observations on people who have made significant contributions to the business aviation community. Because of these remarkable individuals' special vision, determination and actions, business aviation operations have been made safer, less constrained, faster and more cost effective. Fortunately, we have been blessed with many such contributors over the years and many are at work for our collective benefit right now.
Genesis 3 Engineering Inc., the Woodland Park, Colorado company that has been offering a reduced vertical separation minimum (RVSM) compliance package for Dassault Falcon 20s, is working on certifying an RVSM solution for Learjet 35, 35A, 36 and 36A airplanes. The retrofit comprises installation of dual Revue Thommen AG AD30 air-data display units and dual J2, Inc. air-data computers. The modification also includes installation of new probes that match those installed on later-model Learjet 35s and 36s.
John Rosanvallon, CEO and president of Dassault Falcon Jet, says the company will produce a shorter-range variant of the Falcon 2000EX that will be capable of flying six passengers 3,250 nm at 0.80 Mach and landing with NBAA IFR reserves. The aircraft should satisfy market demand for a Falcon that offers the runway performance and range of a Falcon 50EX plus the cabin comfort of the Falcon 2000. The new Falcon 2000DX, a 2007 model, will be capable of departing a 4,800-foot runway with full fuel and six passengers, with standard day conditions.
The Challenger 605, the model's first major upgrade since the Model 604 in 1996 was announced at NBAA. The new model features a completely redesigned Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 cockpit, a new cabin interior and multiple reliability improvements. Several popular 604 options are standard on the Model 605 and weight reduction efforts lower the BOW of a typically equipped airplane by 200 pounds, and boost the tanks-full payload by one passenger.
Linden Blue took the wraps off his Spectrum 33 twin-turbofan at the NBAA. CEO and chairman of Spectrum Aeronautical LLC, Blue and his son Austin own the company, based in Encinitas, Calif. The Spectrum 33 will be powered by twin 1,560-pounds-thrust Williams International FJ-33-4 engines. Intended for single-pilot operation, the aircraft will seat two in the cockpit and five to six passengers in the main cabin, which will include a full-width, fully enclosed aft lavatory. First flight of the prototype is scheduled for mid-January 2006.
The underlying strength of the U.S. economy continues to be the key driver in continued vigorous sales of previously owned aircraft. And despite the negative economic effects of the run-up of energy prices and the hurricanes that battered the Southeastern United States, industry observers are optimistic that the good times will continue into the new year.
Officials at Pro Star Aviation in Londonderry, N.H., expect an STC to be granted soon for the company's installation of a Honeywell Primus Epic avionics suite in a Cessna Citation III. Besides the new displays, the installation will include an EFIS, a second air-data computer, TCAS II, ground proximity warning system, updated flight management system and the hardware needed to make the older jet RVSM compliant.
In the early 1990s, Cessna's highly successful Citation Ultra faced a formidable challenge from Bombardier's clean-sheet Learjet 45, which was positioned as a "super-light" jet with a large cabin, state-of-the-art systems and 440-knot speeds. But Cessna, the undisputed master of model iteration, had an ace up its sleeve. At the 1994 NBAA Convention it unveiled the Citation Excel, a Model 560 variant that combined a shortened Citation X fuselage and widened Citation V wing.
Jet-Care International won a contract from the U.S. Coast Guard to provide oil and debris analysis for Turbomeca Arriel 2C2CG engines that power the service's reengined HH-65C Dolphin helicopters. Jet-Care will provide analysis for more than 200 engines.
Dassault Falcon Jet brought the No. 3 Falcon 7X to NBAA. It's the endurance and "cabin- comfort test aircraft. Dassault Aerospace CEO Charles Edelstenne said these tests include the "final stages of validating some improvements," details of which will be made public shortly. It is no secret, however, that the No. 1 prototype is currently flying with winglets, which appear likely to become standard on the 7X. Already, though, Edelstenne is prepared to offer an "upgrade" to the promised 5,700-nm range to approximately 6,000 nm.
Airbus announced a new member of its Airbus Corporate Jet (ACJ) family, aimed squarely at taking on the long-range sector of the conventional business jet market, not otherwise seen as Airbus territory. With an order for three aircraft (plus three options) from Switzerland's Comlux Aviation, the newly announced A318 Elite is being positioned as a direct challenger to aircraft like the Gulfstream 450, Global 5000 and Falcon 900EX.
Scheduled airlines would like to shift $2 billion in taxes from airline passengers to business jet operators, according to NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen. Bolen believes the recent push by airlines for user fees -- which has caught the attention of FAA -- is "the single greatest threat that this industry has faced since I've been in this industry." The association is pushing its members to get involved in the battle. "Our industry is now too large to remain silent," Bolen said. "Our visibility and success have made us a target."
FAA approval of an RVSM compliance package for the Hawker 600 was expected in mid-November, according to Linwood "Woody" Cottner, Sr., CEO and vice president of engineering for LJSC Ltd., the Kansas-based company that is developing the modification. Flight Research, Inc. did the flight testing of the retrofit.
FAA approval of an RVSM compliance package for the Hawker 600 was expected in mid-November, according to Linwood ``Woody'' Cottner, Sr., CEO and vice president of engineering for LJSC Ltd., the Kansas-based company that is developing the modification. Flight Research, Inc. did the flight testing of the retrofit.
Million Air, Houston, announced the appointment of Terry Cross to the position of chief operating officer. In addition to his responsibilities as COO, Cross will be actively involved in corporate management of FBOs, Million Air's newest endeavor.
AS THE EXECUTIVE IN CHARGE of your company's flight department, you are responsible for the safe and efficient transport of the firm's key personnel and the protection of its valuable assets, its aircraft. Obviously you take those responsibilities seriously. And in all likelihood, oversight of the flight operation is just one of a broad range of your executive administrative duties.
Beyondbulbs.com is a Web-based direct seller of LED-based personal and portable flashlights and lanterns. In addition to aviators, the company caters to police and fire fighters, as well a divers. The site sells LED lights from six different manufacturers with detailed specs for each model offered.
Jerry "Hawkeye" Hawkins (Griffith Aviation Co., Tulsa, Okla. )
Kudos to Fred George for his insightful essay on the Cessna 441 Conquest II (November, page 184). We have specialized in the Conquest II market since the first 441's rolled off the production line in Wichita in 1978, and can therefore readily attest to the overwhelming degree of owner loyalty and satisfaction with this terrific airplane. Keep up the great work. Our only concern with the otherwise flawless presentation is that the airplane pictured is not a 441, but rather a C-425 model Conquest I.
