In a strong vote of confidence, Sino Swearingen's existing shareholders have ponied up last stage financing themselves -- not seeking outside money to complete certification and delivery of the SJ30-2, according to Chuen-Huei Tsai, chairman of the board of Sino Swearingen Aircraft Corp. Tsai said, "Our investors are committed to funding the program to complete certification and delivery of the SJ30-2 business jet as soon as possible." The company claims firm orders for 150 aircraft.
Goodrich Corp., Charlotte, N.C., named Jeff Yaker as president of turbomachinery products in Chandler, Ariz. Yaker was formerly president of the company's Universal Propulsion Co. subsidiary in Phoenix. Mike Heidorn has assumed the presidency at Universal and will oversee the company's ejection seat and restraint products.
Cessna's CitationShares is now offering a program aimed at companies that might need to fly between 25 and 50 hours per year. The Platinum Traveler Program costs $109,000 per 15-month period, during which the first 25 occupied hours are included. After that, additional 25 hours per period are available at savings of 50 percent. Travelers pay only for the hours they are on the aircraft -- CJ1s and Bravos -- with no positioning fees.
Although the Transportation Security Administration extended until the end of September the deadline for charter operators to review security procedure guidance applicable to aircraft weighing 95,000 pounds and up, as of mid-September there was no guidance to review. It had not even been distributed to FAA principal operations inspectors who were in turn expected to disseminate it to the operators.
The U.S. National Aeronautical and Space Administration has selected Bombardier Flexjet to provide fractional ownership business jet transportation services to the organization for a two-year test period, according to Clifford Dickman, president of Bombardier Business Jet Solutions. The agreement provides NASA with a one-half share of a Bombardier Learjet 31A and a one-sixteenth share of a Learjet 60, equivalent to about 450 flight hours.
Despite wariness on Wall Street and trepidation among major OEMs about thinning demand for new aircraft, the NBAA's 55th Annual Meeting and Convention in September drew a record 1,011 exhibitors and a more than respectable 27,785 attendees. Unlike last year's somber mini-convention in New Orleans, this year's Orlando event included the announcement of several new aircraft, major orders and also industry forecasts that pointed to a more robust future. Among the major developments during the Sept. 10-12 gathering:
The airborne office is taking a leap into the future -- at least on extra, extra-large aircraft. Lufthansa Technik (LHT) and Cisco Systems are developing a high-speed, wireless LAN that will be linked to a multi-user, multi-channel communications management unit.
While the FAA has agreed to permit operation of large aircraft such as the Boeing Business Jet under FAR Part 135 as long as they meet weight and seat limitations, the DOT has taken a different stance. In September, the DOT told Birmingham, Ala.-based MEDJet International that it was not authorized to use the BBJ for commercial purposes because it did not have the appropriate certificate authority. MEDJet originally applied to the DOT for certificates of public convenience and necessity, saying it intended to operate the BBJ commercially under Part 121.
Elliott Aviation and Ultra Electronics have been awarded Supplemental Type Certification for a new Active Noise and Vibration Control System for the Raytheon Beech King Air B200. The system, which has been jointly developed by the two companies, significantly reduces propeller noise throughout the aircraft, with the reduction in noise being especially dramatic in the cockpit and noteworthy throughout the cabin.
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Fla., promoted Guy McClurkan to vice president of affiliate operations. McClurkan will oversee the development and operation of business such as providing new sources of funding, expanding training operations and increasing the university's global reach. He will also be responsible for management of the Aviation&Space Technology Academy.
Wausau Financial Systems is now offering its KnowledgeCard IDS system to corporate flight departments. The system features include full-color image capture, biometrics such as embedded fingerprinting, and 2-D barcoding. The software allows the user to export high-security encrypted files to any of the KnowledgeCard sites located around the world. Price: $1,500 portable reader; $5.50 to $11.50 per card Wausau Financial Systems 9 Indianhead Dr. Mosinee, WI 54455 Phone: (800) 937-0017; Fax: (715) 241-2288
Regional giant Atlantic Coast Airlines (ACA) is attempting to become a player in the corporate shuttle and on-demand charter market with the launch of its new ACA Private Shuttle unit.
Bombardier is already capitalizing on its Indy Racing League relationship offering Learjet 40 buyers an optional custom interior with special colors, leather upholstery, graphite and metallic accents, and seat backs embossed with the IRL logo. But wait! That's not all! Each $150,000 interior comes with four passes to the Bombardier Pagoda at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for each of the three Bombardier-sponsored racing events at the ``Brickyard.''
Cessna will not attend the 2003 Paris Air Show on June 15-22, but the company does plan to send a significant representation of its products and personnel to EBACE in Geneva, Switzerland, May 7-9. Cessna Chairman Russ Meyer put the cost differential between the two shows at ``a factor of 10 to one.''
Because of their box-like cabins and favorable operating numbers, some turboprop singles have become the darlings of the emergency medical services (EMS) community, especially among companies serving rural markets requiring short-field performance on rough surfaces.
P&WC's service network has a new fly-in repair and service center at Bridgeport, W.Va. Pratt&Whitney Engine Services has built a 22,000-square-foot hangar at the Harrison Marion Regional Airport in Bridgeport. The facility can provide quick-turnaround service, such as on-wing hot section inspections, or repairs ranging from lightning strikes to propeller damage. It also includes a quick-turnaround heavy engine maintenance (HEMA) line. The facility includes customer lounge and crew rest areas.
Dassault Falcon Little Rock won the WSO Concerned Company/ Corporation Award, Safety, from the World Safety Organization. The award recognizes companies for their ``superior attention to and concern for the safety of their employees.'' This is the second year in a row DF-LIT has received the award.
Edited by David RimmerMike Vines, in Birmingham, England
The future of the Farnborough F1 single-engine turboprop air-taxi hangs in the balance yet again, as its new owners attempt to raise $155 million in the next six to nine months. Farnborough Aircraft Corp. Ltd. (FACL) took over from Farnborough-Aircraft.com earlier this year when the company's management failed to attract more investment capital.
Honeywell TCAS (Change 7) installed on both aircraft functioned properly in the minutes leading up to the July 1, 2002, midair near Uberlingen, Germany, but failures at the Zurich ATC system seem to have set up the Tupolev TU-154M and the Boeing 757-200 for disaster.
StarPort, an FBO at Orlando Sanford International Airport (SFB), Sanford, Fla., has begun construction of a 45,500-square-foot maintenance facility scheduled to open in March 2003. ``We believe that now is a good time to make a strong statement -- one that shows our belief in the strength and resilience of the business aviation market,'' said Nelson Cambata, president of Cambata Aviation International, which is StarPort's parent company.
Piaggio's P.180 Avanti set a new Class C-1.E point-to-point speed record on its way to September's NBAA Convention. Flying from Fort Worth's Meacham International Airport to Orlando Executive Airport, the sleek pusher turboprop twin covered the 865 nm distance in two hours, 25 minutes, averaging 361 knots. The aircraft was piloted by Bill Hauprich, Piaggio America's director of engineering and standards, along with Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing Jim Holcombe as his copilot.
A quarter century ago, a half dozen government agencies, high-powered think tanks and even some airline experts promised an aviation future chock full of breakthrough technologies. Future commercial aircraft would have wall-to-wall LCD glass cockpits with electronic chart libraries, plus enhanced and synthetic vision systems. The aircraft would be built with advanced manufacturing technologies. These and other technologies promised to make flying safer, more affordable and more efficient.
Without a doubt, the buzzword of the day is ``integrity.'' With each passing day, we find ourselves questioning the integrity of political leaders, corporate leaders, religious institutions and accounting services. As we dig deeper into what once looked shiny and sound, we find an underlying erosion that leaves us questioning the very underpinnings of our physical, social, moral and financial safety.
While government leaders refuse to detail specific terrorist threats that are driving general aviation airspace restrictions, security experts say there have indeed been threats. According to Air Security International, individuals with ties to Al Qaeda have tried to purchase a mothballed Boeing 727, charter aircraft and obtain diagrams of four ``large general aviation facilities'' located in New York, New Jersey, Denver and California.
