Precise Flight's Pulselite System is participating in a demonstration of the use of pulsed external aircraft lighting for improved conspicuity on the airport surface. A video of the demonstration is online at www.pulselite.com. Pulselite allows the flight crew to pulse any combination of an aircraft's existing external lights in patterns to create an illusion of exaggerated motion, which Precise Flight claims makes an aircraft visible for miles, even in fog or smog.
The A700 AdamJet, Eclipse 500 and Safire, among other very light, personal-sized jets, will feature three-screen, flat-panel fully integrated avionics systems supplied by Avidyne. The Entegra II, in contrast to current Entegra systems, will have fully integrated radios, digital flight guidance systems and weather detection equipment.
In 1929, four airlines wanted to install radios in their aircraft, knowing that a voice link would improve safety. However, to satisfy the Federal Radio Commission -- the keeper of the airwaves before the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) came into being -- the airlines had to create their own company to manage the required frequency spectrum.
Garrett Aviation has selected Rockwell Collins to provide elements of its Pro Line 21 family of avionics as part of a retrofit program aimed at upgrading Cessna Citation 501s.
Messier-Dowty's Business and Regional Aircraft business unit delivered the 1,000th landing gear shipset to Bombardier Aerospace for the Bombardier CRJ100/200 program. Delivery of the gear took place in late March.
AOPA President Phil Boyer praised the TSA's decision to suspend enforcement of regulations that would allow the agency to revoke certificates of pilots deemed security threats. ``This little bit of common sense has been a long time coming,'' said Boyer. ``The TSA has to have the tools to protect our national security, but at the same time, pilots' constitutional rights to due process must be guaranteed.'' The FAA and TSA released coordinated rules in January 2003 establishing procedures for certificate revocations of believed security threats.
Signature Flight Support has acquired the assets of AirKaman at Cecil Field (VQQ). Located some 15 miles west of downtown Jacksonville, VQQ serves as a reliever airport for the Jacksonville International Airport (JAX). ``This is a unique opportunity for Signature. We are honored to serve existing based tenants, which include Boeing, U.S. Customs, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Navy and the Dutch Air Force,'' said Beth Haskins, Signature's President and CEO. ``It is a strategic choice due to our existing facility at Jacksonville International Airport.
``They knowingly broke the rules and they knew the consequences,'' said Maytag Aircraft Corp. of two former employees fired for photographing and working to publish photos of caskets of military personnel in Kuwait. DOD policy expressly prohibits photography of fallen U.S. military members in transit without prior consent. Additionally, Kuwait City International Airport regulations and local U.S. Air Force Operating Instructions prohibit photography of flight line operations.
With the planned implementation of domestic reduced vertical separation minimum (DRVSM) operations in the United States just six months away, the FAA and NBAA are offering new help to U.S. aircraft operators that have not yet modified their aircraft to meet the more-stringent navigational requirements of the new regulation, which decreases the vertical separation between aircraft from 2,000 feet to 1,000 feet on heavily traveled airways.
Sikorsky Aircraft (Stratford, Conn.) -- Dean C. Borgman, who has been chairman of the helicopter manufacturer since 2003, plans to retire on July 1, bringing to a close a career that began in the 1960s. Before becoming chairman, Borgman served as president of Sikorsky for nearly five years and previously led the Arizona-based helicopter operations of Boeing and McDonnell Douglas.
BE A PILOT, the nationwide program designed to introduce prospective students to flying, is kicking off a nearly $1 million television advertising campaign offering a free introductory flight certificate and a $49 first flying lesson that is valid at more than 2,000 participating flight schools in the United States and Canada. The advertising campaign will emphasize flying testimonials and target the baby boomer generation.
XCOR Aerospace has received a Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) mission license from the FAA's Office of Commercial Space Transportation (AST). The license, which is the first for a ground-launched RLV, will be used to test technologies for suborbital passenger missions. The launch license is for a technology test vehicle, not for passenger operations, though it does allow for revenue payload flights after initial tests are completed.
Air Tractor's AT-802 single engine air tanker (SEAT) is the only aircraft in America specifically designed for fighting and controlling wildfires the company says. The AT-802F with its 800-gallon capacity to carry fire retardant, foam or water has gained popularity in the United States in recent years because it is well suited to attack and control fires in increasingly populated ``urban interface'' areas, and in high altitudes and mountainous terrains.
Garmin received the first aircraft-level certification for its G1000 integrated avionics system on May 13. The G1000 has been certified by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) in the Diamond DA42 Twin Star. The type certificate was presented to Diamond Aircraft Industries during a special ceremony at the Berlin Air Show (ILA), commemorating the first new aircraft certification granted by EASA. The G1000 system aboard the DA42 includes two 10.4-inch, XGA resolution (1,024 by 768-pixel) LCDs.
Pratt & Whitney Canada's new PW600 engine family reached another milestone with the May 4 first run of the PW610F destined for the Eclipse 500. After five hours, the engine reached its rated takeoff thrust of 900 pounds. The run completed ``key performance and characteristic testing,'' the engine maker added. ``We have a great partner in Pratt & Whitney Canada and are extremely pleased by the results of the PW610F development program to date,'' said Eclipse President and CEO Vern Raburn.
Jean-Francois Georges, former president and CEO of Dassault Falcon Jet Corp. and senior vice president of civil aircraft for Dassault Aviation, and Fernand Francois, CEO of the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA), are the 2004 recipients of the EBACE European Business Aviation Awards. Created to honor individuals who have made a significant contribution to the development of business aviation in Europe, the awards are presented during EBACE in Geneva.
The Mayo Clinic has developed a new training device and curriculum designed to help pilots recognize symptoms of hypoxia. The computer-based, portable Hypoxia Awareness Training System induces hypoxia at standard atmospheric pressure by having pilots breathe a controlled mix of oxygen and nitrogen. During an approximately 10-minute test, pilots are prompted to respond to commands and to carry out tasks while a video camera records their actions.
The presence of high-time ex-fractional ownership business jets with high serial numbers in the used aircraft market has created some discussion about how these aircraft should be valued against those of similar age but more conventional usage. When the used fractional airframes do hit the market, ``say a five-year-old airplane with between 4,000 and 5,000 hours versus a non-fractional airplane that flew only 2,500 hours in five years,'' consultant Bill Quinn observed, ``all other things being equal, you're still looking at a five-year-old airplane.''
Bombardier Aerospace established a new heavy maintenance facility for its CRJ regional jets and Q Series turboprop aircraft at the Tucson, Ariz., facility that it previously used as a completion facility for the company's business jets. Bombardier Regional Aircraft Services -- Tucson, an FAA-certified Part 145 repair station, is modeled after Bombardier's other heavy maintenance facility, West Virginia Air Center, in Bridgeport, W. Va., and uses the same systems and processes employed there.
Mooney Airplane Co. is celebrating its 51st anniversary in Kerrville, Texas, this year, where it has manufactured more than 10,000 aircraft. The company recently announced it delivered eight more new aircraft during the first quarter of this year and has orders for another 10. Complete information about Mooney aircraft is available at www.mooney.com.
Registration Climbs at LABACE2004. The Latin America Business Aviation Conference and Exhibit, held April 15 to 17 in So Paulo, Brazil, registered over 3,500 attendees, who viewed the products and services of 93 exhibiting companies at the Transamerica Expo Center and 19 aircraft on static display at Congonhas Airport. LABACE is the only Latin American event to focus exclusively on business aviation. During the event, LABACE management announced that LABACE2005 has been scheduled for March 31 through April 2 again in So Paulo.
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Oxford (U.K.) Airport Managing Director Steve Jones said that after the recent small runway extension there, ``Oxford has become a very attractive alternative base to some of the more costly traditional London airports.'' Corporate aviation traffic and public transport aircraft movements are increasing at Oxford, according to James Dillon-Godfray, the airport's business development manager, with movements rising to around 4,000 per year.
Manufacturer and Model This block includes the manufacturer's name and the aircraft's model name and technical designation. For more information on manufacturers, see ``Airframe Suppliers Directory,'' on page 117. B/CA Equipped Price This is the current price of the aircraft with the equipment stipulated in the ``B/CA Helicopter Minimum Equipment List,'' and is shown for comparison purposes only. In most cases, the price is provided by the manufacturer; exceptions are so noted.
Dr Pepper is making a major marketing investment in 11 air shows this year in the southern United States. The soft drink producer will sponsor shows organized by the Leesburg, Va.-based International Council of Air Shows in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana -- beginning April 24 and 25 in Shreveport, La., and ending Nov. 6 and 7 in San Antonio.
