AOPA President Phil Boyer chastised U.S. Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta for failing to include any general aviation representatives among the latest nominees for the FAA Management Advisory Council (MAC). ``Ninety-five percent of the U.S. civilian fleet, more than three-quarters of all flights in the United States, and two-thirds of all U.S. pilots are general aviation,'' said Boyer.
Enstrom Helicopter Corp., Menominee, Mich., appointed Mike Terrien as chief financial officer. Terrien brings 15 years of experience in financial management to the position. In addition, Enstrom president Peter Parsinen was appointed to the Helicopter Association International board of directors as airframe representative.
Piaggio also announced DRVSM approval for the Avanti. Beginning with s.n. 1063, delivered in May of this year, all U.S.-delivered Avantis will be DRVSM compliant. Piaggio and Stevens Aviation have developed a retrofit DRVSM kit based on an IS&S encoding altimeter and a Collins air data computer, plus installation hardware for aircraft already in the field. ``To earn DRVSM approval this far ahead of the deadline provides security for our customers and prospects,'' said Jim Holcombe, Piaggio America chief operating officer and executive vice president.
Universal Weather and Aviation, Inc. relocated to Jet Aviation's facility at Teterboro Airport (TEB) in New Jersey from Westchester County Airport (HPN) in New York, effective Oct. 20. The new office houses Universal's current New York weather operations and sales staff, and will offer a customer service desk to accommodate walk-in operators requesting weather briefings, access to Jet Aviation's pilot lounge and lobby area for Universal clients, and more space for additional weather equipment.
FlightSafety International will build an Avanti simulator and develop a complete training package for Piaggio pilots, conducting the training programs at its West Palm Beach, Fla. (PBI) learning center. Officials say the training program is scheduled to commence within 18 months, with the simulator to receive FAA certification in 2005.
A Falcon 900EX equipped with dual Collins HST-900 transceivers, tied to a Collins SAT-906 satcom system, becomes the first business aircraft to operate simultaneous dual high-speed data (HSD) channels and Aero channels. The system has received FAA STC, according to Rockwell Collins.
The NBAA has scheduled the next several sessions of its Business Aviation Regional Forums, which feature exhibits, static displays and informational sessions. The one-day events typically have attracted some 60 exhibitors, 40 aircraft and 1,000 attendees. The next sessions are scheduled for Nov. 13 in Scottsdale, Ariz.; March 10, 2004, in West Palm Beach, Fla.; May 2004 in London; June 24, 2004, in Chicago; July 2004 in China; Aug. 26, 2004, in Seattle; and Nov. 18, 2004, in Dallas/Fort Worth.
Aviation South, Saint Simon's Island, Ga., has been inaugurated by Mike Pickett, who recently retired from Wachovia Bank, where he headed the aircraft finance division for 17 years. Aviation South will offer various services to the business aviation community, such as aircraft brokerage, finance, scheduling, management and pilot services.
Jet Aviation West Palm Beach now has Group Approval to outfit Falcon 10s with RVSM, TCAS and Class B TAWS systems. Avionics Manager Brian Wilson said that Jet is currently working on the fifth Falcon 10 covered under the Group STC.
Piaggio, following through on its previous statements (Intelligence, October, page 14), is using the proceeds of the n20 million ($22.4 million) investment by the Italian government to strengthen its position in the U.S. market. Piaggio America is moving its headquarters from Greenville, S.C. (GYH) to Florida's Palm Beach International Airport (PBI) in first quarter 2004 to gain the advantages of being in a larger business aviation community.
The first product developed under the FAA/Industry Training Standards (FITS) Program is expected to be a transition training syllabus for the Cirrus SR-22 as a basis for generic programs for similar new aircraft. The University of North Dakota (UND) aerospace program is incorporating the SR-22 syllabus into its training curriculum. Eclipse, meanwhile, is working on a FITS program for turbine aircraft, including its Eclipse 500. Adam Aircraft, Diamond Aircraft and Lancair are also participating.
The new hands-free Blue Box Communicator from ER-Link for remote medical assistance communication is smaller and lighter than any of the company's previous units. The Blue Box weighs 1.75 pounds and measures 6 inches by 6 inches by 2.5 inches tall. It allows simultaneous transmission of voice and vital signs data to selected parties such as the University of Texas Medical Branch, your corporate doctor or a designated specialist.
Bombardier's Skyjet business jet charter booking service announced a new incentive program for flight departments that use charter for supplemental lift. Under the program, flight departments can earn cash credits toward Bombardier Business Aviation Services (BBAS) maintenance and modifications, or pilot and technician training at a BBAS factory-owned service or training center. The program is available to customers of the Skyjet Premier Fleet jet membership program.
The Indian government signed a contract for five Embraer Legacy aircraft in executive configuration. Four of the jets will replace the venerable Avros operated by the Palam-based Air HQ Communication Squadron of the Indian Air Force, which carries the president, vice president and prime minister, among other dignitaries. The fifth Legacy will be operated by the Border Security Force, under the Home Ministry.
Jetnet reports that Aerostar Airlines of Kiev, Ukraine, is the first to use its Evolution Web-based sales information system in the Confederation of Independent States (CIS) region. Evolution provides Web access to Jetnet's Owner/Operator/Fractional Owner database, its Aircraft Transaction database and Aircraft Wanted-to-Purchase Database. Aerostar Airlines provides charter and aircraft management services in the CIS region. You can find out more at www.jetnet.com.
The NBAA board elected Donald E. Baldwin of the Coca-Cola Co. to the position of chairman of the board and Kenneth E. Emerick of GM Worldwide Travel Services as vice chairman. Jeffrey W. Lee of IBM Corp., who had been elected by the board in April as treasurer-elect, assumed his term as treasurer. George A. Saling of Altria Corporate Services, Inc. will serve on the board's executive committee in the position of immediate past chairman. The election took place Oct. 9 at the NBAA board of directors meeting during the association's convention in Orlando.
Executive Jet Management (EJM), the aircraft charter and management services unit of NetJets, has earned a coveted ISO 9001:2000 certification. The certification registrar was EAQA USA, which specializes in aviation. The ISO 9000 series of standards represents an international consensus on quality management practices with the objective of ensuring that an organization can consistently achieve customer and regulatory quality requirements.
Richard B. ``Dick'' Weeghman, an aviation writer and editor of long standing, passed away Oct. 13 near his home in Sarasota, Fla. He was 75. After graduating from Yale, Weeghman flew F-86s in the U.S. Air Force. He was an associate editor at Flying magazine, editor-in-chief at Air Progress, and later at The Aviation Consumer. After retiring to Florida, he was active in the Angel Network. His survivors include Diane, his wife of 40 years; two daughters; and three grandchildren.
``If we wait for congestion to return before designing, creating a transition plan for, and building the next-generation system, we will pay a heavy price,'' said John Hayhurst, president of Boeing Air Traffic Management, at the Aero Club of Washington on Oct. 2. A network-enabled approach to the air system would provide a strong and flexible platform for system transformation, he asserted. Such an approach would provide a common suite of information to system users.
The Franklin Institute's new Franklin Air Show aviation exhibit opened Oct. 18. The 5,000-square-foot permanent exhibit immerses visitors in the simulated environment of an actual air show and introduce them to the history, science and technology of powered flight. The Franklin Air Show contains more than 20 interactive devices in three environments -- an aircraft hangar, a midway and a pilot training facility.
IN THE LAST YEAR OR SO, the NTSB has repeatedly urged pilots to do a better job of self-monitoring for the effects of fatigue and the side effects of over-the-counter (OTC) and prescribed medications. Routine business stress can lead to fatigue and minor health problems. When we reach for OTC or prescribed medications to deal with those stress/fatigue-induced aches and pains, the situation can snowball. One of the accidents we've looked at for its operational lessons was the loss of the College of the Ozarks' Cessna Citation 525.
French officials from the equivalent of the U.S. DOT's Inspector General's Office traveled to the NBAA annual meeting and convention and attended a presentation, on Oct. 10, on fractional ownership that was described as a ``primer'' on this category of operation. The French officials then met in Washington on Oct. 14 with officials from the NATA, GAMA and NetJets to explore the regulatory issues surrounding fractional operations. NATA president James Coyne reported that the discussions were extremely positive. As with the United Kingdom.
Gulfstream's G100 (Astra SPX) dedicated to AOG support flew its 200th mission recently. The G100 flies critical components and technicians to the field to resolve AOG situations for Gulfstream customers. Gulfstream Aerospace inaugurated its GAPS (Gulfstream Airborne Product Support) program in May 2002. Using the dedicated aircraft for service missions routinely reduces the amount of AOG time for customers, sometimes by days, Gulfstream officials say.
