The incident began innocently enough. The Boeing 757-200 was making a CAT II approach to Runway 01R at the Gardermoen Airport near Oslo, Norway. ATIS weather reported winds variable from 010 at three knots, visibility 9,842.5 feet in light freezing drizzle, few clouds at 200 feet and a broken cloud base at 300 feet. However, the visibility temporarily decreased to 3,280.8 feet with vertical visibility of 200 feet. The flight was descending from the west when ATC gave the crew a runway change to 01L because 01R was closed to allow snow plowing.
Honeywell unveiled its annual turbine helicopter market outlook at the Helicopter Association International's Heli-Expo in February. The Fifth Turbine-Powered Civil Helicopter Market Outlook projects deliveries of approximately 2,600 new helicopters during the five-year period of 2003 to 2007, driven in part by increased demand in law enforcement and emergency medical services helicopters, which combined are expected to account for over half of all new helicopter applications during the forecast period.
Eclipse Aviation announced on Feb. 19 that it had chosen the 900-pound-thrust Pratt & Whitney Canada PW610F to replace the Williams EJ22 on its Eclipse 500 twin jet. The P&WC engine will weigh about 70 pounds more than the 770-pound-thrust EJ22 but will provide better climb and cruise thrust, thereby boosting maximum cruise speed to 375 KTAS, a 20-knot increase. MTOW will increase to 5,500 pounds, allowing for an additional 180 to 200 pounds of fuel, needed to preserve range with the thirstier engines.
It was a busy night for John, a third-shift mechanic for an FAR Part 135 operator, and the work cards continued to pile up. He was wrapping up a brake rebuild and replacement on a King Air B200 when his manager asked him to help out with an oxygen system problem. John quickly completed the logbook entries on the King Air and carted his tools over to the next aircraft. Within minutes, John was up in the hell hole, getting ready to open the oxygen supply line.
Elliott Aviation won FAA STC approval for a Pro Line 21 Continuum retrofit avionics package in Hawker 700As. The installation includes new Collins FDS-2000 flat-panel displays and dual AHC-3000 attitude heading and reference systems, along with WXR-850 Doppler radar, a TCAS-4000 airborne collision avoidance system and Mark VIII enhanced ground proximity warning system.
A spokesman confirmed that Marshall Aerospace, Cambridge, England, will discontinue maintenance services for Gulfstream and Bombardier aircraft models, but continue as a Cessna Citation Service Center. The spokesman would not comment on either Gulfstream's or Bombardier's intentions, but reliable sources said that Gulfstream was negotiating with Signature Flight Support at Luton to set up an authorized service center relationship and organize an orderly transfer of work from Marshall to Signature.
Signature Flight Support, Orlando, Fl., has named John ``Cy'' Farmer, vice president of operations. He will be responsible for operational oversight and implementation of Signature's standards at over forty FSO locations in North America.
Executive Jet Management, Inc., Cincinnati, has named Jeffrey A. Reid vice president of information technology. Additionally, the company has hired four charter service personnel to staff its new Charter Services office at Teterboro Airport, N.J. The new representatives are Daniel Flynn, Vincent Knitowski, Jane Stern and Stephen Fiscus. The four previously worked for Jet Aviation Business Jets at Teterboro.
As aircraft age, so do their electrical systems, and that can make for shocking surprises. The crew of a Boeing 727 got just such a surprise one day right after takeoff. White smoke came billowing out of the cabin vents, obscuring visibility and sending a bolt of fear through passengers and cabin attendants alike. Fortunately the crew was able to quickly dump fuel and return for a hasty emergency landing before the situation got out of control. The problem appeared to be chaffed electrical power cables that had shorted out.
Dassault Falcon Jet has begun a $30 million overhaul of the Wilmington, Del., service center it acquired from Atlantic Aviation two years ago. Upgrades include the construction of a 40,000-square-foot paint facility able to handle 70 aircraft annually, refurbishment of a 20,000-square-foot maintenance hangar, and new offices. The New Castle County Airport (ILG) center has already completed the conversion of a hangar into a structural repair center with tooling to fabricate slats, leading edges and other key components for all Falcon models.
In direct current (DC), the electricity flows in one direction only. In alternating current (AC), the flow of electrons reverses. The frequency of AC is the rate at which these reversals occur. Most modern jets and turboprops use both DC and AC, and the reasons are practical, if not immediately obvious. AC current is more efficient to make and distribute. Alternators can provide electricity at lower rpms than DC generators. Resistance to AC current decreases at high voltages, so high voltage AC can be distributed efficiently with smaller, lighter cables.
ExpressJet CEO Jim Ream told analysts in New York in late January that he doesn't foresee adding larger regional jets like the Embraer 170 and 190 to the airline's fleet of 30- to 50-seat Embraer RJs. Continental's scope clause agreement with its pilots restricts the fleet composition of its Houston-based partner. ExpressJet has its compensation rates locked in with Continental through 2004.
Corporate Jets, Inc., Scottsdale, Ariz., has elected John J. Frevola as president and chief operating officer. Frevola began his career with Corporate Jets in 1980.
GAMA Aviation of Farnborough, England, has added a BBJ to its portfolio of large managed corporate jets. The company expects to fly the Bermudan-registered BBJ about 300 hours per year, which is about the same as averaged by its Gulfstream IV. Roughly the same amount of hours are expected to be flown on its new Gulfstream V, scheduled to arrive at Farnborough in February. GAMA Aviation has been managing the Gulfstream IV since October 2001 and the BBJ since December 2002.
Universal Weather and Aviation, Inc., Houston, has named Dave Diulus as vice president for its UVair Fuel Division. Diulus, who has been with Universal for over 15 years, most recently served as senior manager of sales and marketing for the company. In addition, Universal has recruited two new sales representatives, Angie Bauzo-Guzman and Felix Vinklarek.
The FAA is seeking comments on the privatization of New Orleans Lakefront Airport, which would become the second airport to enter the FAA's privatization program. Federal officials announced on Jan. 16 the opening of the 60-day comment period on a plan to grant Santa Monica, Calif.-based American Airports a 50-year lease to run NEW. So far Stewart International Airport (SWF) in Newburgh, N.Y., is the only airport in the United States privatized under the pilot program.
This arguably is the best time to buy a used business jet in more than two decades. Why? There's a record flood-stage glut of used aircraft on the market. Buyers grin when bulls charge and brokers growl. You can have your choice, for instance, of dozens of 1970s-vintage Citations, Falcons and Learjets for around $1.5 million. Such entry-level fanjets can fly one to two miles higher and 100 to 200 knots faster than most turboprops, plus they have guaranteed one-engine-inoperative (OEI) takeoff, climb and balked landing performance.
Reports continue to circulate that Raytheon and Flight Options are close to an agreement under which Raytheon -- which previously merged its Travel Air fractional program into Flight Options in return for a 49.9-percent stake -- would assume majority control of the Cleveland-based fractional provider, but a Raytheon spokesman told The Weekly of Business Aviation that nothing has yet changed in the Raytheon/Flight Options relationship. Kenn Ricci, Flight Options CEO, previously said an agreement could be finalized by mid-February. (See B/CA, February, page 22.)
Oxford Airport's aircraft engineering and aircraft sales divisions reverted to their former operating name of CSE Aviation in January. The re-re-branding comes after the BBA Aviation Group (parent of Signature Flight Support) bought the airfield, its flight school and GA aircraft engineering facilities in 2000. The Signature branding into this market had caused some confusion within the U.K. general aviation community.
CAE SimuFlite has teamed with Summit Solutions to offer management, communications and leadership courses that are approved for the NBAA's Professional Development Program (PDP). Under the new alliance, professional development consultant Summit Solutions will conduct the courses at SimuFlite's Dallas facility. Upon course completion, participants will receive NBAA PDP certificates.
The U.S. Department of Justice finally published background check procedures for foreign pilots seeking initial training on aircraft with a max gross weight of 12,500 pounds or more. The new rules were published on Feb. 13, one week after Senate Aviation Subcommittee Chairman Trent Lott (R-Miss.) agreed to look into the DOJ's inaction.
Feb. 13 -- A Cessna Caravan 208 flown by the U.S. government crashed in rebel territory near Florencia, Colombia. Engine failure is suspected as the cause of the crash. As we went to press, fears existed that the four American passengers and the one Colombian passenger were taken by rebels, officials say. No bodies were found among the wreckage, according to Colombian army troops. Jan. 30 -- A Beech 200 had a landing-gear collapse upon landing rollout. Although the pilot reported no injuries, the airplane sustained substantial damage. Jan.
New Piper Aircraft began another round of layoffs and lowered its production estimates. The Vero Beach, Fla., airplane maker is cutting employment by 150 and lowering its planned production from just over 300 aircraft to 252. New Piper spokesman Mark Miller said the layoffs are ``directly attributable'' to the Textron Lycoming situation. The FAA grounded certain Lycoming-powered aircraft and Lycoming suspended production of certain Lycoming engines after problems with the crankshafts were discovered.
Ourjet, a new aircraft charter company, has started operations from Farnborough Airport with four aircraft acquired from the Official Receivers of the bankrupt Chauffair fleet. Chauffair Ltd. went into receivership on Jan. 14, 2002, with debts estimated at around $19 million. Ourjet's fleet consists of two Hawker 125-800s, one 125-700 and a Cessna Citation V. ``The takeover of Chauffair's assets inked in late November and December [2002] saw the necessary AOC [Air Operators Certificate] gained.
