Bose Corp. has introduced its QuietComfort Acoustic Noise Cancelling headset for passengers. The headset features the same proprietary active noise-reduction technology that is incorporated into its flight crew headsets. The system suppresses unwanted high- and low- frequency noise with 17 dB of attenuation. In addition to noise reduction, passengers will also be able to use the headset to listen to inflight audio and to access audio from their own music, video or laptop sources.
A year had passed since we'd signed the contract. And now I sat, as patiently as possible, awaiting word that the FAA inspector had released the paperwork certifying that our new Gulfstream IV-SP indeed met all appropriate regulations. Delivery of the STC compliance paperwork was to have occurred the previous week, but the wheels of regulatory process turn slowly. Meanwhile, we waited.
FlightSafety's GV simulator in Savannah now has an FAA-certified Enhanced Vision System (EVS), and crews are now training with the system. The EVS projects infrared-derived exterior visual cues on the HUD. The image overlays the real-world view, which could be obscured by poor weather conditions. The HUD and the simulator visual system are integrated to present the same FAA Level D accuracy in simulated adverse conditions as in clear day and night scenes.
Greeley-Weld County Airport, Greeley, Colo.: Airport Manager Michael A. Reisman has been elected to fill one of two general aviation airport representative seats on the board of the Colorado Airport Operators Association. Reisman has been manager of the airport since 1996 and is a professionally accredited member of the American Association of Airport Executives.
Corporate Rotable&Supply, Inc., Fort Lauderdale, Fla., has added Greg Chin to its quality/repair control group. His roles will include repair administration, vendor monitoring, expediting of customer property repair/overhaul and customer advocacy.
Duncan Aviation, Lincoln, Neb., has appointed Dave Schiver as the new Learjet Technical Representative. Schiver will ensure that technical issues are handled efficiently between Bombardier and Duncan Aviation, and he will provide technical information to Learjet operators and Duncan's Learjet airframe programs. He replaces Bill Schroeder, who has retired after 38 years in the aviation industry.
Jet Aviation, West Palm Beach, Fla., has named Walter Berchtold as vice president of refurbishment and completions. Berchtold has worked for Jet Aviation in various capacities for the past 16 years and has more than 20 years of experience in business aviation. In addition, James Harrison was named director of completions and maintenance sales. Harrison has been employed by the company for eight years and has over 21 years of corporate aviation experience.
Jet Aviation Basel, Switzerland, has appointed a new head of engineering. Jurg Bislin, who has more than 12 years of aviation industry experience, will supervise all engineering processes regarding the completions, refurbishment and modification of VIP aircraft.
Unison Industries, Inc., Jacksonville, Fla., has named Bradley D. Mottier as its president. Mottier joined the company in 1980 and most recently served as executive vice president. The appointment is concurrent with General Electric Engine Services' acquisition of Unison.
Executive Fliteways, Inc., Ronkonkoma, N.Y., has recently hired several pilots. Ozzie Shamiyeh and Clayton Thomas both pilot Learjet 31As, Sean O'Connor flies a Raytheon King Air 90, Storm Cowan flies a Hawker 700/800, and Kenneth Hertz pilots a Learjet 60.
Cessna Aircraft Co., Wichita: Flight training supervisor Kirby Ortega was named the nation's top flight instructor for 2002 at the Aircraft Electronics Association Annual Convention and Trade Show in Palm Springs, Calif., on April 26. The award was bestowed by a panel of general aviation industry and FAA officials. Ortega, who has been flying with Cessna for 22 years, also won the Regional Flight Instructor Award just 11 days prior to receiving top flight instructor status.
College of Aeronautics, Flushing, N.Y.: Two transportation industry officials received honorary degrees at ceremonies held in May. Marion C. Blakey, chairman of the NTSB and keynote speaker at the college's 70th commencement exercise, received an honorary doctor of science degree for her contributions to the aviation and transportation-related industries. Donald S.
Certainly numbers can be gray -- no one other than a statistician really wants to spend much time with statistics -- but numbers can be a useful tool in safety management. They can tell us how we're doing and where we must focus in our training programs and procedures development processes.
As regional airline industry leaders met in Nashville for the Regional Airline Association's annual convention in May, a group of regional pilots who claim the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) is failing to represent them properly has abandoned talks organized to settle their differences and reactivated a year-old legal challenge against the union.
Glenn E. Hess, a veteran of McDonnell Douglas and Boeing, was named president and CEO of Textron's Bell Helicopter. Hess, 52, will have overall responsibility for designing and building the company's line of turbine-powered helicopters. He fills a post that has been vacant since September 2001, when John Murphey was named chairman and chief executive. Murphey, a veteran aerospace executive, was promoted after John Janitz, who had been Textron's chief operating officer, and Terry Stinson, who had been CEO of Bell Helicopter, left the company last year.
Honeywell forecasters say the outlook remains strong for business jet manufacturers. Jim Wojciehowski, who heads the Honeywell forecast unit, told the FAA's General Aviation Forecast Conference this month in Wichita that OEMs still have a backlog of approximately 2,000 aircraft, up to 50 percent of which represents orders from fractional aircraft providers. While new business jet deliveries will decline slightly in 2002 and 2003, Wojciehowski said forecasters expect shipments to return to 2001's record levels by 2005.
One year after acquiring Galaxy Aerospace, Gulfstream officials say that many of the customer service, support and delivery issues have been resolved. The manufacturer is expected to deliver the first G-200 completed at Dallas Love Field later this month. Gulfstream relocated the G-100 and -200 completions from Galaxy's former Alliance Airport headquarters earlier in the year.
The new London City Airport Jet Center, due to open only a couple of weeks after EBACE, is also to be a corporate jet charter operator. The airport company has purchased and will operate its own Dassault Falcon 900EX (costing $34.8 million) for commercial charter. Says London City's (LCY) Managing Director Richard Gooding, ``The airport's management is demonstrating a real commitment to corporate aviation by this purchase. Delivery is set for July 31 and the completion undertaken by Jet Aviation of Basel.''
OGIO International has introduced a hard-shell golf bag travel cover that meets airline standards for checked baggage. The company touts the cover as the only ``travel-to-cart'' solution for transient golfers since it can be checked without the surcharge airlines often impose on soft bag covers. A removable hinged and padded lid that protects club heads during travel detaches to make the bag mountable on pull carts or golf carts. Dubbed the ``Rig,'' the extruded plastic casing holds up to 14 clubs and accommodates drivers up to 46 inches long.
A new dues structure that the NBAA will begin implementing in July is intended to generate more financial support from members and make the association less dependent on other sources of revenue, such as its annual convention and trade show. The change in the dues structure is the first since 1969, a span of 33 years.
The Experimental Aircraft Association expects to recreate the Wright brothers' first and last flights at Kill Devil Hills, N.C., on December 17, 2003. That date is the 100th anniversary of the Wrights' first flight. The EAA hired Ken Hyde of The Wright Experience to build an authentic reproduction of the 1903 Wright Flyer, which they say will be the most accurate of its kind. Sponsor Ford Motor Co. is contributing money and technical expertise to the project.
Toledo Express Airport announced an agreement with Airpath Wireless to provide wireless Internet access throughout the passenger terminal areas of the airport. Passengers with a PDA or laptop equipped for 802.11b (WiFi) wireless access can have complete Web and e-mail access to the Internet. This kind of access, often totally free -- and very fast -- is widespread in ``hot sports'' in most urban areas of the country and is a trend sure to continue to proliferate to other airport terminals and the more canny FBOs.
Satcom systems took center stage at the 45th annual Aircraft Electronics Association (AEA) Convention held in late April. EMS Technologies, for example, introduced its HSD-128 Swift64 data link system, which is compatible with the Rockwell Collins ARINC 741 satcom system, thereby allowing users to surf the Internet. EMS is also developing a private-label version for Rockwell Collins called HST-900 that will enable users to talk and use data link services simultaneously.
Saying it hopes to attract current and potential business aircraft users who ``don't have time to attend NBAA'' and other industry events, Pentastar Aviation is launching the Detroit International Aviation Expo this summer.
