Midcoast Aviation is now an authorized DVRSM installation center for Avcon Industries, of Newton, Kan., for Learjet 20 series aircraft and for West Star Aviation, of Grand Junction, Colo., for Learjet 31, 35 and 36 aircraft. Midcoast also can support the Learjet 55 through Bombardier's STC and the Learjet 60 per Service Bulletin compliance.
Seacor ordered 20 AB 139 medium twin helicopters from Bell/Agusta, the companies announced at Heli-Expo. It is the largest single order placed for the AB 139 and raises the order backlog to 100, said Bell/Agusta. The aircraft are currently scheduled to be deployed in support of Seacor's offshore oil operations in the Gulf of Mexico.
Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich outlined his stance on building a third Chicago-area airport in Peotone -- dubbed Abraham Lincoln National Airport -- when he delivered his State of the State message. With one in four flights delayed, Chicago O'Hare needs to be expanded, but that won't be enough, the Democratic executive said. ``We need another airport,'' he continued.
The aircraft, a Canadair Challenger Model 600, s.n. 1014, N370V, was attempting to take off on 6,013-foot Runway 6. After accelerating to near takeoff speed, the Challenger ran off the end of the runway, went through a fence, crossed Route 46, striking several cars on the busy, multi-lane commuter route, and crashed partially through the wall of a brick warehouse. The airplane then caught fire as it sat with its forward fuselage sticking into the warehouse. Within minutes, the scene was televised live nationally from at least three New York City TV traffic helicopters.
Airports railed against the Bush administration's proposed $600 million slashing of Airport Improvement Program (AIP) funding announced Feb. 8. According to the Airport Legislative Alliance (formerly AAAE/ACI-NA Legislative Affairs), the cuts to the AIP and FAA's air traffic modernization program, ``if adopted, would have a significant impact on critical capacity, safety and security-related projects at airports across the country. . . .
The Vref Midsize Jet Index -- a compilation of quarterly prices recorded for the Astra SP, Cessna Citation III and VII, Hawker 800A and Learjet 60 over the past 10 years -- shows that the values of these medium business jets began turning north during second quarter 2004 and have been creeping upward ever since.
In October 2003, two soldiers were changing a tire on a Army Black Hawk helicopter near Ballad, Iraq, some 50 miles north of Baghdad, when a sudden explosion caused deadly shrapnel to lash out everywhere. One of the soldiers, a 19-year-old private, was killed instantly. His comrade, a 31-year-old sergeant, was severely wounded and ended up losing his entire right arm and much of his left.
When questioned whether IAI might make a very light jet, Moshe Keret, IAI president and CEO, said, ``We have been checking this market and are still in the process of evaluating it.'' He said there are two potential groups of VLJ operators -- business users and air taxis. While the former market is quantifiable, he said, ``no one can give you a clear answer'' regarding the real potential of FAR Part 135 use.
THE MISTRESS OF the household had spent the day cleaning, child ferrying, working out, dog walking and trying to turn words into money on deadline, and now she was quite thoroughly spent. She offered two dinner options: spaghetti with a sauce straight from a jar, or takeout. We were on the phone to Wild Ginger before you could say ``Szechuan dumplings and shrimp fried rice.''
The International Heli Trade show, first held at Geneva in October 2004, is to become a biennial event, says the organizer, International Heli Trade. The three-day event attracted a modest 1,231 visitors from 30 countries, but according to the organizers three-quarters of the exhibitors ``achieved most or all of their objectives,'' and 79 percent plan to exhibit at the 2006 event. No date has yet been announced. Visit www.internationalhelitrade.com for more information. Mike Vines
Executive Jet Management, Cincinnati, named Pete Djordjevic chief pilot. Djordjevic will be responsible for the safe administration of all of the company's flight operations. He has been with EJM since 1985 and most recently served as a Challenger CL-604 captain. In addition, EJM's new Westchester County Airport (N.Y.) facility announced the promotion of Marietta French to vice president and general manager, and Devin Piacente and Donald Scanlon to operations managers.
The Learjet 60 combines the cross section of a midsize jet, legendary Learjet climb performance, and virtually unbeatable dispatch reliability. Pilots laud its handling qualities and its sporty thrust-to-weight ratio. Lightly loaded, this aircraft will rocket to FL 410 in 11 minutes -- performance unmatched by any other business aircraft in production.
Two new Turbomeca Arriel 2S2 turboshafts will power the Sikorsky S-76C++ to provide an installed across-the-board 5- to 6-percent performance increase -- for example, a 350- to 450-pound increase in Category A takeoff gross weight at sea level at 90F. The Arriel 2S2 has an integrated two-channel digital electronic engine control unit (EECU) and can be fitted with a barrier inlet filter for FOD and particle protection. The engine/airframe combination flew in December 2004 at Turbomeca's flight-test facility in Europe.
Honeywell released additional information on the T5317BCV turboshaft engine that powered the new Bell 210 on its first flight. The new engine is based on the T53-L-703 that powers the Bell Huey II, but provides 28 percent more takeoff horsepower. The 5317BCV is rated at 1,800 thermodynamic shp at takeoff on a standard day, and achieves its higher performance through a combination of design changes and advanced metallurgy. Improvements include turbine discs fabricated with new PM Astroloy. Honeywell also improved the reduction gearbox and accessory drive carrier designs.
M7 Aerospace, San Antonio, named Charles Gumbert vice president of maintenance operations with responsibility for all of the company's maintenance, repair and overhaul operations. Gumbert is also responsible for the company's airliner conversion activity, which converts passenger aircraft to freight-hauling configuration.
It's been almost seven years since the Swissair Flight 111 onboard fire tragedy took the lives of 239 people off the shores of Halifax, Nova Scotia. After one of the most expensive and exhaustive investigations ever undertaken in aviation history, the NTSB recommended smoke visibility devices be carried on the flight decks of all U.S. air carriers. That hasn't happened.
CMC Electronics predicts that the Bombardier Enhanced Vision System, which incorporates CMC's SureSight I-series Enhanced Vision System infrared sensor, will win Transport Canada and U.S. FAA approval within the next few weeks. Transport Canada certified the SureSight sensor in late December 2004. The sensor will be incorporated in the Thales HUD as part of the Bombardier EVS. CMC also is supplying the sensor for EVS systems aboard Boeing Business Jets and the Dassault Falcon business jet fleet. Those systems are powered by Rockwell Collins Flight Dynamics' HGS-4860/5860.
Predictably, local politicians called for more restrictions at Teterboro (N.J.) Airport in the wake of the high-profile accident Feb. 2 involving a Challenger 600 registered to 448 Alliance Corp. Both Rep. Steve Rothman (D-N.J.) and Richard Codey, the acting governor of New Jersey, issued calls for flight reductions and other restrictions at TEB, one of the busiest business aviation facilities on the East Coast.
GAMA said at its recent industry review briefing that continuing to improve the margin of safety for general aviation is its highest priority in 2005, notwithstanding the fact that the number of general aviation fatal accidents reached an all-time low in 2004. Another priority is ensuring the United States has the most efficient and up-to-date air transportation system possible, with sufficient capacity to meet the needs of all users.
John Rosanvallon, president and CEO of Dassault Falcon Jet Corp., said the company has more than 50 real orders -- backed by deposits of at least $1 million -- for the Falcon 7X. He told B&CA at the 7X debut that the next available delivery position for the aircraft is in first quarter 2009, which has led Dassault to consider ramping up production from a steady 2.5 per month, beginning in 2007, to as many as six per month. That decision may be announced at the Paris Air Show this summer.
Seacor Holdings Inc. purchased Era Aviation from Rowan Cos. at approximately $118.1 million in cash. Era provides helicopter services to oil and gas operations in the Gulf of Mexico and Alaska and also conducts firefighting, sightseeing and utility operations in the Western United States and Alaska. In addition, Era also operates a fixed-wing commuter airline and charter business in Alaska. All totaled, Era employs approximately 900 people and owns a fleet of 81 helicopters and 16 fixed-wing aircraft.
University of Nebraska at Omaha's Aviation Institute honored John W. ``Jack'' Olcott with the William F. Shea Award for Distinguished Contributions to Aviation ``in recognition of extraordinary contributions to the field of air transportation.'' Olcott, president of the NBAA from 1992 to 2003, is currently president of the New Jersey Aviation Association and president of General Aero Co., Inc.
Rep. Jerry Costello (D-Ill.) was named the ranking Democrat on the House Aviation Subcommittee, filling the slot vacated by Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.), who took the ranking position on the House Highways, Transit and Pipelines Subcommittee. Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.) remains chairman of the aviation panel.
Atlantic Flight Training, the professional pilot academy based at Coventry Airport in England, is installing a Frasca International Diamond DA 42 Twin Star training device before the arrival of the academy's first twin-diesel-powered DA42, which will be the first of its type on the U.K. register. The Frasca device was built within the guidelines of European JAR-STD 3A and will have FNP II certification.
