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.
Signature Flight Support bought Harrods Aviation FBO at Heathrow just two months after Harrods' Heathrow partner Swissport (UK) Ltd. went into receivership. Steve Grimes, Harrods Aviation CEO, said, ``After 40 years at Heathrow we believe the timing is right to sell and focus efforts on our core business at our other locations.'' Harrods Aviation has FBOs at London Luton and London Stansted airports, and the company says it hopes to open at Paris Le Bourget soon.
Florida Jet Center, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., promoted Kelle Goodwin to director of charter sales for its charter division, Jim Long to director of maintenance sales for its Learjet maintenance division, and Steve Ratkowski to director of parts sales.
Alabama-based Southern Star Avionics received an STC for a glareshield expansion on Cessna Citation 500, 550, 560 and S550 series aircraft. This fairing provides additional panel space for modern avionics packages. The enhanced panel fits over the existing glareshield, allowing the annunciator panel and fire and thrust reverser controls to be moved up for increased visibility. This change also opens space on the center panel.
The Sikorsky S-76D, due in 2008, is the launch customer for the new-generation P&WC PW210S, which will drive to a totally new composite main rotor with a composite spar and integral electric deice that would permit flight into known icing conditions. The engine/rotor combination gives the D-model 300 pounds more Category A hot-and-high takeoff gross weight capacity and 50 miles more range than the S-76C++. Compared with the S-76-C+ the hot-and-high takeoff weight advantage is 1,000 pounds, with the same range as the C+.
MTU Aero Engines, Rocky Hill, Conn., appointed Jurgen Eschenbacher to the position of vice president of MTU Aero Engines North America, design/engineering operations. Eschenbacher, who has spent 17 years with MTU, replaces Dr. Oliver Kosing, who has returned to Germany.
Keystone Helicopter expanded its accessories capabilities on both the Rolls-Royce 250 and Honeywell LTS101 engines. The company invested more than $500,000 in tooling and test equipment to become a Honeywell-authorized repair and overhaul facility. According to Ralph Kunz, Keystone Helicopter's vice president of MRO, adding accessories capabilities has allowed Keystone Helicopter to offer a wider range of product offerings on the RR 250 engine, while supporting the LTS101. Keystone is also an authorized Rolls-Royce maintenance center for 250 series engines.
CAE, the Canadian simulator manufacturer and training provider, took a charge of $443.3 million in the third quarter ending Dec. 31, 2004, which resulted in a net loss of $347 million for the quarter. The company also announced plans for a major restructuring and said it plans to lay off some 450 employees. As a result of a review by incoming CEO Robert Brown in August, officials decided to maintain both the Civil Training Group and Military Group.
Two stories in the January B&CA warrant comment. In ``A New Deal in Business Jets'' (page 36), an error was reported in the prices. The Eclipse 500's list price (in June 2000 dollars) is $1.175 million. CPI-W from June 2000 through December 2004 (estimated) was 10.6 percent and so the price in December 2004 dollars is $1.3 million.
Greer Aviation opened an FBO at Edinburgh Airport, adding to its first at Glasgow-Prestwick, opened three and a half years ago. The new facility, although currently smaller than Prestwick (which doubled in size in 2004), includes two lounges, bathrooms and a large kitchen. A bonus for pilots at Edinburgh is a free car for 24 hours and use of the nearby Hilton Hotel leisure facilities.
Ever been in this situation? It's about 45 minutes before scheduled takeoff. This is going to be a long ride. Cairo back to Washington, D.C., or Tokyo back to New York. You ran the flight plan for the entire week before you left and, if the weather holds, it's doable. You will arrive at destination with just enough fuel for NBAA reserves. The tanks are just about full. Fifteen hundred pounds more and you'll be set for the long ride home as Capt. Hero, making one of the longest nonstops in recent corporate history. Then the fuel truck shuts off.
Before the Feb. 2 TEB crash, National Air Transportation Association President James Coyne had already raised the issue of charter safety and had announced that the association would work proactively with its charter members to develop recommendations and forestall possibly inappropriate FAA regulatory action.
Sao Paulo is a city of over 18 million people, where the poor public transportation system has helped spur car ownership so that now, on average, there's about one car for every two inhabitants. The result is ground traffic chaos, particularly on rainy days when traffic jams can stretch a staggering 120 miles throughout the city's streets.
After a stint as a prosecutor in the New York District Attorney's office, Santo, a pilot, joined a law firm that he helped expand rapidly by flying Mooneys, Malibus, Cheyennes and King Airs to reach new, distant clients. That experience evolved into an aircraft leasing business and, in 2002, the founding of Avantair, a fractional program that operates the Piaggio Avanti P180 exclusively. The company currently flies 16 aircraft for 100 owners and plans to add another 20 aircraft by 2006.
Embraer announced new advanced range versions of the EMB 190 and 195. JetBlue, the launch customer for the Embraer 190, is the first operator to opt for the new AR version, converting its order of 100 firm aircraft plus 100 options from LR (Long Range) into AR. The new versions have structural reinforcements in the fuselage, wings, pylons and flight control surfaces that allow the aircraft to be operated at higher maximum takeoff and landing weights, translating to an extra 300-nm range.
Raytheon Aircraft Services introduced an anti-terrorist system that is designed to disable the engine-start circuits of light turbine-powered airplanes to prevent their unauthorized use. Called Secure Start 1000, the system uses a double access-code keyboard to thwart would-be aircraft thieves; however, the unit's patent-pending design assures that the system cannot be locked in flight. The system also can indicate if an unauthorized attempt has been made to start the powerplant.
Sikorsky also announced that CHC Helicopter Corp., based in Vancouver, B.C., signed a contract for five new S-76s for offshore operations around the world. CHC and its subsidiaries have been operating Sikorsky helicopters for more than 40 years in all types of utility and transport operations. The latest order for five new S-76s comes as a follow-on to a previous order for 10 new S-76s executed in 2004. In addition, CHC said it will add S-92 helicopters to its North Sea offshore fleet.
Further to the Strange Bedfellows Department, it seems that a major neighborhood association flanking Southern California's Daugherty Field/Long Beach International Airport (LGB) has joined aviation interests in opposing a plan put forward by none other than the Boeing Co. to add a 1,400-unit housing development sited literally on airport property.
