NAC Aviation, the U.K. distributor of Beechcraft and Hawker aircraft, has relocated its sales office from Farnborough Airport to Oxford Airport near London.
Although sales of previously owned, turbine-powered aircraft traditionally take a break during July and August, the market upturn experienced during the spring is expected to continue even after many used-aircraft dealers and brokers return from their summer vacations.
Forecast International projects Cessna to be the market leader in unit production during the 2004-2013 forecast period, with production of 3,268 business jets, representing a market share of 30.2 percent. Next in volume will be Bombardier with 1,699 aircraft and a 15.7-percent share, and then Eclipse Aviation with 1,317 jets and a 12.2-percent share. Gulfstream and Raytheon are expected to tie for fourth place, with production of 1,083 business jets each, which translates into a 10-percent market share for each. When the market is measured in U.S.
Despite its Washington ADIZ proposal, the FAA said it would deny the DOD's request to convert 11 TFRs over military establishments into permanent prohibited areas. The FAA had already released two NPRMs to establish prohibited areas over submarine facilities in Bangor, Wash., and Kings Bay, Ga., before making the about face. The AOPA has been pushing the FAA to make the TFRs ``national security areas,'' which pilots would be advised to avoid.
AvCraft, which took over the rights of the Dornier 328 turboprop and jet, is to restart full-scale production of the 328JET in January 2005 with the first roll-out scheduled for April and first delivery in June. ``We have moved from a survival situation into pre-production mode, and have financing in place to produce 15 aircraft in 2005,'' said CEO Ben Bartel. So far the company has booked orders for eight Envoy 3 corporate jets and six options from the United Kingdom's Bookajet and Hainan Airlines of China's follow-on order for 20 328JETs.
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Fla., has added Fulbright Scholar Siobhan Tiernan to its faculty for the 2004-2005 academic year. Tiernan is a lecturer in aviation management in the Kemmy Business School at the University of Limerick, Ireland. In addition, Embry-Riddle has promoted three administrators to newly created vice president positions to form a university-wide External Relations unit: John Metzner is vice president of External Relations; Darryl Niemeyer is vice president of Corporate Relations; and Dr.
The next time somebody asks you about general aviation, use this! GAMA has launched a Web-based Media Guide to General Aviation and Its Airplanes. The association intends the guide to be a research tool for the news media and others -- the others are all of us when the neighbor asks that particular question. It includes detailed information on nearly every airplane model since 1946 including range and speed, the total number of airplanes shipped to date, and the date it received FAA certification. Photos are available for leading current production models.
Cessna Aircraft has been preparing for the rebounding market described by Forecast International (see page 11), gradually recalling its bargaining unit employees who had been furloughed during the economic downturn. Cessna will have recalled the last of the bargaining unit employees by the end of this month and plans to increase its employment base to 11,000 by year-end. Cessna employment had dipped below 10,000 when the company slowed production.
There are now 92 G200s in service, and Gulfstream, which expects to deliver the 100th aircraft later this year, is continuing to enhance the systems offerings on the airplane (see side column). The Gulfstream 200 got off to a slow start as the namesake airplane of Galaxy Aerospace, but it is finding broader market acceptance as part of the Gulfstream product line. When General Dynamics, Gulfstream's parent, agreed to buy Galaxy three years ago, fewer than 20 Galaxy business jets had been delivered. *
In July, Gulfstream Aerospace began offering to retrofit the more than 90 in-service G200 business jets with Safe Flight Instrument Corp.'s Enhanced AutoPower Automatic Throttle System (ATS). The Safe Flight AutoPower system -- which provides continuous thrust management during cruise, descent, approach and landing -- comprises a dedicated computer, two status display monitors and a modified throttle quadrant that includes the drive units and engage and disengage switches.
The latest addition to the Olympus IPLEX videoscope product offerings is the MX. Weighing 10 pounds, the MX can be worn by the operator with a shoulder strap during the entire inspection. The system features a 6 mm diameter insertion tube approximately 9 feet long, integral display and compact control unit that provides fingertip operation of controls for zoom, freeze, extended exposure, recording and brightness. The internal, rechargeable lithium-ion battery provides two hours of continuous operation, or four hours with an optional external battery.
Air Chart Systems has introduced its VFR Sectional Atlas, Western U.S. Edition. The full-scale, full-color reproductions of FAA/NACO Sectional charts are bound in an 11-inch-square atlas format. Book purchase includes Air Chart's Minuteman Update Service, published on the FAA's 28-day cycle. The chart numbering system eliminates folding and unfolding charts in the cockpit.
There was a conventional wisdom at work in the distillate market by the time June rolled around. It went as follows: Gasoline prices were very high compared with distillates such as heating oil and jet fuel. Therefore, refineries would tweak their runs as much as possible to produce the maximum amount of gasoline, which would lead to reduced production of those distillates.
Embraer flew a Model 190 to July's Farnborough air show after adding a third aircraft to the test program. According to the company, the program is on schedule with certification set for third quarter 2005. The fourth test aircraft is due to make its maiden flight in September. The largest member of Embraer's family, the Embraer 195, which has not yet received any orders, is due to fly by year-end with certification planned for second quarter 2006.
Flight departments will be tasked with providing more lift as the economy continues to recover, but often they're also being told to minimize additional costs.
The Hangar Inc., Memphis, has added Roger Brown as director of marketing and sales. David McNatt and Holt Hall have also joined the marketing team as regional sales managers.
Honda announced it will establish a U.S. subsidiary, Honda Aero, Inc., to focus on what it calls the world's largest aviation market -- in a location yet to be determined -- ``with plans to become operational by the end of the year.'' At the same time, Honda said it is establishing the Wako Nishi research and development facility in Japan, ``dedicated to the research and development of aviation engines.
Piaggio Aero Industries and its U.K. agent Sloane Aviation have delivered the first U.K. commercial P180 Avanti to Coventry-based charter company Euro Skylink. Jose Di Mase, CEO of Piaggio, said he expected Euro Skylink to begin operations with the aircraft this summer. The company will operate the aircraft in executive transportation and air ambulance roles.
B/CA and Conklin & de Decker will conduct their Second Annual Charter Operators and Management Tax Course in Van Nuys, Calif., on Sept. 9-10 at the Airtel Plaza Hotel. The course will cover the entire range of key tax issues confronting business aircraft management companies and charter operators, including federal excise taxes, state taxes, international fees, the FARs and Internal Revenue Service rulings. The fee is $895 for registration before Aug. 20 and $995 for registrations received after that date.
Ever since regularly scheduled long-range commercial flights turned the world into a global village, the general public has viewed flying as routine, predictable, even humdrum. But back in the 1930s, at the dawn of the golden era of aviation, when flying was much more art than science, swashbuckling, pioneering pilots kept the world breathless by performing aerial feats never before imagined.
ACSS, an L-3 Communications and Thales joint venture based in Phoenix, has named Kris Ganase president. Ganase was previously executive vice president and chief operating officer for the company.
Recurrent training for jet and turboprop pilots performed in actual airplanes may go the way of the dodo if insurers have their way. I well recall once failing an engine on a student, now an American Airlines captain, while conducting a multiengine training session. In his haste to act, the student shut down the operating powerplant. As we drifted in complete silence toward the prairie below, I realized that reality training is dynamic, yet fraught with potentially lethal outcomes.
While the entry-level market is expected to grow rapidly over the next several years, most of the original equipment manufacturers expected to claim a significant share of the entry-level business jet market -- such as Adam Aircraft, Cessna, Eclipse and Safire -- have already selected powerplants designed and built by Williams and Pratt & Whitney of Canada. Nevertheless, Honda's announcement appears to signal a dramatic acceleration of the Japanese automaker's intent to pursue the U.S. aviation market after nearly two decades of research and contemplation.
AAR Aircraft Services, Wood Dale, Ill., received the Diamond Certificate of Excellence in the FAA's Aviation Maintenance Technician Awards program. In addition, 126 individual AAR mechanics qualified to receive AMT awards in recognition of their commitment to training.
