GAMA reports the 1,766 new aircraft units shipped worldwide in the first nine months of this year represented a decline of 16.6 percent over the same period in 2001. Of the total, 497 were business jets (down 12 percent), 170 were turboprops (down 40 percent) and 1,099 were piston-powered (down 13.4 percent). The combined value of the new aircraft was put at $8.4 billion.
A new regional airport, Niederrhein, 80 km north of Dusseldorf, Germany, on the Dutch border, is due to open to the airlines in February 2003. A 136,000-square-foot passenger terminal is being constructed to handle up to 1.5 million passengers per year. The airport's management hopes to attract scheduled airlines, low-fare carriers, and leisure and freight operators. Around $25 million has been spent on the project so far by its 99-percent-owned Dutch investment group. M.V.
FAA Administrator Marion C. Blakey has addressed a series of forums within the aviation community since her appointment. Speaking before the AOPA Expo in Palm Springs, Calif., Blakey acknowledged that the FAA's role is to be ``an advocate for commerce and the economic benefits of aviation'' and said, ``We will never overlook an opportunity to remind our colleagues in the security agencies of the importance of general aviation.'' But she added that the community must be its own best advocate before the Transportation Security Administration.
PENTAR Avionics has introduced the JetLAN AS200, its next-generation airborne network server. The airborne computing platform/file server combines high-performance commercial off-the-shelf PC architecture with custom avionics interface technology to suit it for a wide range of airborne applications.
Canadian simulator manufacturer CAE continues to expand its training business, forming a joint venture with China Southern Airlines to provide aviation training for a number of Asian carriers. The new enterprise, Zhuhai Xiang Yi Aviation Technology Co. Ltd., will be 51 percent owned by China Southern and 49 percent by CAE. It will operate from the airline's existing training facility at its Zhuhai flight base in Guandong beginning in January 2003 and will provide training for operators of Boeing 737NG, 737-300, 777, 757-200 and Airbus A320 aircraft.
For all of us in the northern climes, the winter solstice is soon to be upon us, and for many, the season's ice and snow have already arrived. The flexibility of business helicopters in shuttling between airports, corporate headquarters , city heliports and off-field landing sites can really come to the fore when ground traffic snarls in frigid weather. But the months to come will also present special obstacles to rotary operations.
Part 91.1009 Clarification of when owner is in operational control. (a) The owner is in operational control of a program flight when the owner: (1) Has the rights and is subject to the limitations set forth in Parts 91.1003 through 91.1013; (2) Has directed that a program aircraft carry passengers or property designated by that owner; and (3) The aircraft is carrying those passengers or property. (b) The owner is not in operational control of a flight in the following circumstances:
Pratt&Whitney Canada's new PW600F turbofan engine completed initial flight trials in October, passing another key milestone, the company said. A 2,500-pound demonstrator mounted to a Boeing 720 test bed first flew Oct. 10 for more than 2.5 hours and logged six more hours the next two days. The Boeing 720 flew to altitudes of 43,000 feet. ``Performance, handling and re-light testing met and exceeded our expectations,'' said Maurice Weinberg, P&WC director, small turbofans.
By Kent S. Jackson [email protected] Incorrect accounting or nondisclosure regarding personal use of company aircraft can have unpleasant consequences.
FEDERAL AUTHORITIES ISSUED A grand jury subpoena for documents and testimony concerning use of aircraft leased to Westar Energy, CEO David Wittig and general company records, according to a filing by Westar with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
Westchester County Airport (HPN) officials in White Plains, N.Y., recently presented their annual noise-abatement awards to local operators and unveiled a new brochure designed to encourage transient-operator compliance with the voluntary curfew. A total of 27 local operators were recognized for eschewing flying during the midnight to 6:30 a.m. curfew throughout 2001. Bristol-Myers Squibb garnered awards in each aircraft category -- jet, turboprop and helicopter.
Years ago there was an exchange (probably apocryphal) between Ronald Reagan and a fault-finding young person. The latter spoke of the technology -- computers, video, telecommunications , etc. -- that has become the fabric of modern life, and then dismissed Reagan and his doddering contemporaries saying, ``What would your generation know? You didn't grow up with these things.'' ``No, `` Reagan supposedly replied. ``We didn't grow up with them; we invented them.''
Uvex Safety has expanded its line of Genesis safety eyewear, adding a new patriotic design and a wider selection of lens tints. The Uvex Genesis ``Patriot'' features a red, white and blue frame and an imprint of the American flag. The bottom of the right lens (out of the field of vision) is inscribed with the words ``United We Stand.'' The company has also added a selection of task-specific lenses to the Genesis line as well as the Spectrum Control Technology lens, which absorbs select wavelengths of radiant energy into the lens. Call for pricing
The use of stabilized approach procedures is a key ingredient in the final stages of a descent to landing. A stabilized approach procedure means that all checklists are complete and the aircraft is properly configured and following the appropriate vertical flight path at the proper airspeed. In general, an aircraft should be stabilized before reaching an altitude of 1,000 feet agl for an instrument approach, or 500 feet for a visual approach. These altitudes represent limits -- not targets. The prudent pilot will have the aircraft stabilized at a higher altitude.
Dassault Falcon Jet, Teterboro, N.J., has promoted field service representatives Larry Burns (Northeast region), Gary Tchorzewski (mid-Atlantic region), Charles ``Chuck'' Woody (Southwest region) and Jim Walizer (Upper Midwest region) to the newly created position of customer service manager.
The Association for Women in Aviation Maintenance (AWAM) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1997 to promote professional growth and enrichment for its members. It does this by providing networking opportunities, obtaining educational assistance and educating the public on the role of women in the industry.
The U.K.'s London City Airport (LCY) has selected Daon's biometric authentication solution to update its security for all of its 1,600 personnel who work in restricted and secure zones. The identity management system known as Daon Engine employs fingerprint, iris or voice authentication methods and was due to be commissioned in November.
Schubach Aviation, an air charter company based in San Diego, Calif., added a Citation X, the 13th airplane in a fleet that includes a variety of aircraft ranging from King Airs to Hawkers.
Strong letter to Follow! The AOPA is ``insisting'' that it participate in a government study to compare the costs of providing flight service station (FSS) services by the FAA vs. the costs of contracting services to commercial companies. Actions based on the study could change the way FSS services are provided to pilots. In personal meetings with FAA officials and in a follow-up letter, the AOPA asked that it have input on the key document, the ``performance work statement,'' that will direct the course of the study.
Other highlights from the ERA gathering included: -- The Dutch company Rekkof is seeking support among the airline members to restart Fokker 70 and 100 production. Jaap Rosen Jacobson, president of Rekkof and owner of VLM Airlines, an all-Fokker 50 operation based in Belgium, met with other Fokker operators on the idea during the assembly. Rekkof first attempted to restart F70 and F100 programs in 1998 but shelved the plans because of the Asian financial crisis.
An important consideration in managing a descent is an understanding of the performance limitations of certain flight instruments, particularly the VSI. As we learn in primary instrument training, the VSI is quite rightly a secondary instrument. Although it can provide essential information, what pilots may fail to consider is that by its design, it tends to lag actual aircraft performance.
Thunder Aviation, St. Louis, has named Ron Scheer as director of operations. He will be responsible for the operations of all aircraft maintenance services, including charter and flight school maintenance, as well as purchasing.
The FAA has approved reinforced cockpit doors made by Cascade Aviation Services for de Havilland Dash 8 turboprops. Meanwhile, the Everett, Wash.-based company is developing doors for Embraer EMB-120s and the Fairchild Dornier 328 jet and turboprop. The new Kevlar and stainless-steel door weighs 48 pounds, 38 pounds more than the original non-secure door. Horizon Airlines has been testing the doors since January on its Dash 8-Q200s. Airline spokeswoman Cheryl Temple said the heavier doors did not affect the aircraft's weight and balance.
At ceremonies in Derby, England on Oct. 4, Gulfstream and Rolls-Royce celebrated the delivery of the 1,000th Tay engine, destined to power the 500th Gulfstream IV.
Coventry Airport in the British Midlands wants to erect a new terminal building capable of handling up to one million passengers per year. Steve Guynan, company secretary for freight carrier Air Atlantique and Coven-try Airport, said, ``As soon as we get the go-ahead our aim is to get the terminal up and running as soon as possible, which hopefully will be next year. We are hopeful and confident that given the explosion of low-cost carriers around, that maybe one or more will find Coventry a welcoming home.''
