ExxonMobil Aviation has added Oslo's Executive Airport Services to its Avitat global FBO network. Avitat Oslo, located at Oslo Gardermoen Airport (OSL), joins Avitat Paris (Euralair Airport Services), Avitat London Stansted (Metro Business Aviation) and Avitat Keflavik (South Air Icelandic) in ExxonMobil Aviation's European region. The new Avitat facility includes a reception area for passengers and guests, a separate pilot lounge, a flight planning area, conference room facilities and a customer service center.
Acid Etch -- A chemical process used to roughen the surface of a metal to improve adhesion of paint. Alodine -- A product used to chemically create an aluminum oxide film on aluminum surfaces. Anode -- In an electrochemical process, the anode is the positively charged surface. Electrons flow from the anode, allowing it to enter a reaction with the electrolyte to form a metal salt. The anode is consumed in this process. Atom -- The smallest particle of an element that can exist alone or in combination.
There's an accelerated evolution under way in air transport, the proof of which was confirmed on my recent trip to Orlando. My conveyance was a new Airbus 320 with leather seats and a 24-channel inflight TV in every seatback. The cabin was clean and the crews cheery despite full loads. I had window seats, as requested, and push back occurred to the minute, as scheduled. There were libations and snacks to keep the voyagers content during the flawless journey.
Pilatus PC-12 deliveries will have picked up to a total of 45 to 50 aircraft by the end of this year, predicts Thomas Bosshard, president of U.S.-based Pilatus Business Aircraft. ``Traditionally, and unlike most manufacturers, we deliver more aircraft in the second half of the year,'' says Bosshard. First-half deliveries were down to 17 aircraft, compared with 24 in the first half of 2001, he says.
Professional Aircraft Accessories has a contract to be the exclusive Mitsubishi MU-2 landing-gear parts overhaul agency for Turbine Aircraft Components. PAA will help support more than 400 aircraft. PAA is an FAA/JAA 145 repair station based in Titusville, Fla.
CharterAuction.com has launched a management program that supposedly will allow users of the new ``super-light'' personal jets to effectively own and fly the aircraft for free.
Hardigg Industries, Inc. has come up with a new line of high-quality, injection-molded transport cases. Tough, rugged and lightweight, Hardigg Storm Cases provide a safe transportable environment for aviation test equipment and tooling. The cases are manufactured with the company's proprietary HPX high-performance resin, easy press and pull latches, and durable soft-grip. The Storm Cases are airtight, watertight, dent- and shatter-resistant, and are made to defy the elements. The cases are available in 10 sizes and are guaranteed for life.
Pentastar Aviation has signed an agreement with Rolls-Royce Canada Ltd. confirming the relationship established under its previous ownership for maintenance and overhaul services, and in-field support for Rolls-Royce Spey, Tay and BR710 jet engines. Work will be undertaken at Pentastar's Oakland County International Airport facility in Waterford, Mich. The agreement continues a 10-year working relationship established by Chrysler Pentastar, later DaimlerChrysler Aviation. In 2001, the business was purchased by Edsel B. Ford II and the Pentastar name was reinstated.
Southwest Jet Aviation has added a King Air C90-B to the managed charter fleet at its Scottsdale, Ariz., base to cater to entry-level charter customers. Southwest Jet manages and operates Hawkers, Citations, Beechjets, Learjets and larger King Airs from its bases in Tucson and Scottsdale.
Mercury Air Centers, headquartered in Atlanta, has created a customer programs department that will administer the company's proprietary Web-based software. The online services include EasyTurn (a reservation system), EasyCharter (a charter reservation system) and EasyTrack (an aircraft maintenance tracking system).
TEAC America, Inc. is introducing a line of DVD and digital file servers designed for corporate aircraft passenger entertainment. An-choring its line of products is the VE-801SS, which is a video reproducer unit (VRU) with large-capacity solid state memory. The unit's capabilities include playback of either MPEG1 or MPEG2 movies regardless of bit rate, allowing flight departments to use pre-encoded video material. Video reproduction is possible from MPEG data downloaded from the built-in DVD-ROM drive connected to the solid-state memory module.
If you want to learn the secrets of an aircraft -- whether under the aluminum and composites it has the heart of a Belgian plough horse or is really a hangar queen -- ask the mechanics who maintain it day in and day out.
Saab Aircraft Leasing (SAL) is getting into the executive air transport market, with the unveiling at the NBAA Convention of a corporate-configured Saab 340A. The Saab 340 has staked its claim as one of the most popular regional turboprop airliners. Now SAL, and its partner, Piedmont Hawthorne, have developed a 27- to 33-seat business-class shuttle version, with leather seats and a full-service galley. SAL hopes that the aircraft will be the first of a new breed of corporate shuttles derived from the Saab 340A and 340B.
On April 28, 1988, a 19-year-old Boeing 737 operated by Aloha Airlines suffered the loss of a major section of the upper fuselage while flying at 24,000 feet. The NTSB attributed the accident to failure of the operator's maintenance program to detect corrosion damage.
New Piper president and CEO Chuck Suma says he'd have a ``tough time predicting'' what, if any impact, the Eclipse 500 will have on sales for the Vero Beach, Fla.-based manufacturer.
Pratt&Whitney Canada is moving its recently acquired Altair Avionics electronic monitoring and data capture subsidiary into larger quarters in Norwood, Mass., to accommodate expected growth. Altair designs, builds and supports electronic monitoring systems for airframes and engines and provides Internet-based data management services. P&WC wants its customers to use Altair software such as Turbine Tracker to capture and track engine parameter exceedances, and performance and usage data, and to generate trend analysis information.
Marion Blakey's nomination as FAA Administrator was approved by unanimous consent of the U.S. Senate, and she has been sworn in and is on the job as you read this. During her live televised confirmation hearings before the aviation subcommittee of the Senate commerce committee, there was not a single unkind word said about the candidate. By the end of the day-long hearings, most senators were pronouncing her name correctly (there is only one l in Blakey).
-- Keep the aircraft clean. Dirt, grunge, grime and grease put moisture and contaminants in contact with metals, greatly enhancing the prospects of corrosion. -- Pay particular attention to lavatories and food service areas, and clean these areas promptly and thoroughly after use to avoid accumulation of contaminants.
The U.S. Commerce Department now has an online newsletter to inform U.S. aerospace and defense companies of foreign trade opportunities. The Aerospace&Defense e-Market Express lists trade opportunities and disseminates market research and lead information. It's updated monthly at www.oceac.com/buyusa/ame/index.htm.
Safe Flight Instrument officials say interest remains high in both its N1 Computer found on many Citations and the AutoPower System for Bombardier Challenger 604s. The White Plains, N.Y.-based company recently delivered the 400th N1 for installation on a Cessna CJ2. The N1 helps reduce engine repair costs and extend engine life with accurate displays of N1 thrust settings for takeoff, climb, cruise and go-around.
Transport Canada certified Bombardier's 86-seat CRJ900 on Sept. 13. Joint Aviation Authorities and FAA certification are expected soon. Bombardier established the program in July 2000. An 895-hour flight test program wrapped up in June at the company's flight test center in Wichita. The first production aircraft is being prepared for delivery to launch customer Mesa Air Group this month.
Lufthansa Technik reports that it will restructure its Hamburg, Germany, operation to make it even more friendly to big-jet corporate and VIP aircraft ranging from the BBJ and Airbus A319C. Company officials said that of 40 jobs currently under way in Hamburg, 30 are non-airline, non-military air transports. Over the past year, they said, corporate/VIP aircraft accounted for more than half of Hamburg's total business.
Pilots have dreamed of a day when they could receive the same kind of weather information in the cockpit as they could obtain on the ground, in real time. That day has arrived.
