PrivatAir's managed fleet has grown to 55 aircraft with the recent addition of seven aircraft -- including five Gulfstreams. Among the new aircraft are a Charlotte, N.C.-based Cessna Citation X and a Learjet 45 based at the company's North American Headquarters in Stratford, Conn. Both aircraft are factory-new and available for charter. Also joining the fleet are a Gulfstream II in Van Nuys, Calif.; a Gulfstream II, IISP and IVSP based in Stratford; and a Palm Beach, Fla.-based Gulfstream V. All but the G-V are also available for charter.
An unexpected fallout from the September 2001 terrorist attacks has been a heightened interest in business aviation, largely in response to the passenger security and safety the medium has come to represent.
LASIK -- Laser-Assisted in Situ Keratomileusis (LASIK) is used to treat nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. This surgery is known as a flap procedure in that the surgeon cuts a thin flap in the cornea near the center (corneal apex), folds it aside, and accesses the corneal tissue underneath. A computer-directed laser is used to vaporize some of the corneal material in the bed of the flap. The corneal flap is then returned to its original position and the operation is over.
Peter Edwards, a veteran of more than 20 years of aircraft marketing experience, has been named president and chief operating officer of Bombardier's Business Aircraft division. Edwards succeeds Pierre Beaudoin, who had been serving in that capacity in addition to serving as president of the company's entire Aerospace unit since October 2001.
Members of Congress have urged the FAA to work closely with the National Air Transportation Association as that organization explores the potential of biometric identification technologies for airport security. They feel biometrics have the potential to decrease delays at low cost while increasing airport security.
Conidia Bioscience's Fuelstat diagnostic kit is an easy-to-use device for the detection of the fungus Hormoconis resinae) in jet fuel. The test, which can be accomplished in as little as 10 minutes, produces a semi-quantitative result. This means that either the fuel system is clear or has some contamination that requires further monitoring or is so serious it requires remedial action. Conidia said use of the Fuelstat test kit ensures greater maintenance efficiency resulting in greater operational efficiency.
Honeywell's annual business aviation forecast, revised since the September 11, 2001, terror attacks, now projects a modest decline in business jet deliveries this year. The forecast predicts a seven- to eight-percent drop in 2002 business aircraft deliveries compared to 2001. About 750 business jets were delivered in 2001, valued at some $11.6 billion.
A multi-screen, interactive use-of-force simulator trainer for sky marshals was announced by Advanced Interactive Systems, Inc. of Seattle. AIS products use video and computer technology to provide ``immersive real-life judgmental training scenarios.'' The system presents specific threats in an aircraft cabin and provides fore and aft views from the trainee's position. It portrays threats and passengers' reactions to actions taken by the trainee.
In an effort to quell membership concerns about its recent dues increase, Professional Aviation Maintenance Association (PAMA) President Brian Finnegan told B/CA that ``membership happiness'' is now the group's top priority.
The technology of choice for measuring fuel quantities in general aviation jets is still capacitance probes, but new measuring approaches may be in the offing. ``Our goal,'' notes Tom Tully of Smiths Aerospace, ``is to develop a system where all sensors are located completely external to the tank, so there's no chance of electrical energy getting into the tank. Current FQIS (Fuel Quantity Indicating System) harnesses are prone to integrity problems that come as the equipment ages.
Lufthansa Technik AG, Hamburg, Germany, has promoted Gerald Frielinghaus to production head of its aircraft overhaul and modification division. Norbert Marx has been promoted to CEO of the company's Composite International subsidiary in the United States.
Dassault Falcon Jet says that it has 40 deposits on its new $35 million Falcon 7X. The 63,500-pound MTOW transport has a maximum range of 5,700 nm (5,100 nm at 0.85 Mach and 4,600 nm at 0.87 Mach), providing 0.85 Mach speed between 98 percent of the world's most-popular city pairs, such as Los Angeles to London, according to Dassault.
Hoping to succeed where dozens have failed, Rifton Aviation has launched a new regional fractional ownership program called JetLimited. Based at Stewart International Airport (SWF) in Newburgh, N.Y., JetLimited offers pricing and service guarantees comparable to the established fractional operators, along with some alternatives a niche operator has the flexibility to provide.
Avolar will locate its headquarters in Chicago, the company said in a December 13, 2001, announcement. The exact location is still under review, but Avolar has apparently committed to locate within the city limits and cited the fact that Illinois' state and Chicago's city governments ``value and encourage the development of new business and new jobs.'' Chicago Mayor Richard M.
Phazar Aerocorp has started the first two aircraft refurbishment programs at its new 86,000-square-foot facility on Fort Worth's Meacham International Airport. The first is a complete interior and a new entertainment system for a Falcon 10. The second job will install new interior panels, an entertainment system and a programmable cabin management system in a Falcon 2000.
Although WAAS is funded in the new FAA budget, congressional staffers expressed concern about an FAA mindset that has the potential of derailing the program by addressing each challenge with a dramatically more expensive program with lower performance criteria. They urged the FAA not to ignore using positioning information from other navigational and communication capabilities. Relying on GPS without any backup, internal or external, the astronomical reliability requirement overlaid on the WAAS system as proposed is difficult to achieve.
Air Nippon Network is the name given to Japan's newest stand-alone regional airline set up by parent Air Nippon (ANK). The regional is being equipped with three 56-seat Bombardier Q300s, the second of which was just delivered. The first aircraft, based at Haneda Airport, is already in service and flying several short routes to Oshima and Miyakejima. The newly arrived second Q300 is based at Sapporo on Hokkaido in northern Japan, and the third aircraft will also be based at Sapporo.
Executive Jet renewed its agreement with Air Security International to provide security for its NetJets fractional ownership program. ASI will provide risk and threat assessment services for overseas locations and aircraft guards and crew and passenger transportation for international destinations. ASI will also provide customized intelligence reports for flight crews.
Honeywell has delivered its first TFE731-40 retrofitted Falcon 50 to Anheuser-Busch. Compared to Falcon 50s with the original TFE731-3 engines, the refitted aircraft has as much as 24 percent greater cruise thrust and a nearly 10-percent reduction in TSFC. It can climb directly to 41,000 feet, about 16 minutes faster than a Falcon 50 can step-climb to 39,000 feet with the older engines. A new Digital Electronic Engine Control on the -40 engine allows automatic takeoff, climb and cruise thrust settings. It comes with a five-year, non-prorated warranty.
One aerospace analyst asserts that Boeing's Sonic Cruiser, if it flies, will stimulate SBJ development in two ways. First, says Richard Aboulafia, chief aerospace analyst at the Teal Group, top corporate executives will demand the same or better performance in a corporate aircraft. Secondly, the Sonic Cruiser looks strange enough to change the public perception of what a proper aircraft has to look like, presumably freeing SBJ designers to do their thing.
Devices that use lasers for the storage and recovery of electronic information on CD-ROMs and DVDs have become the industry standard. Typically, a CD can hold 700 megabytes (MB) to 1.3 gigabytes (GB) of data and a double-sided, double-layer DVD can hold over 15 GB of data. Although impressive, the technology of tomorrow could dwarf both of these devices.
Honeywell and Iridium are adding their proposal for inflight cockpit monitoring to the bevy of plans responding to the DOT request for such ideas. They propose to develop a satellite link to send continuous live cockpit audio from an aircraft in trouble to authorities on the ground. The system, Cockpit Audio Monitoring, would use the Honeywell/Iridium Airsat I satellite communications system. Once activated by a crewmember, the system could not be turned off for the remainder of a flight.
ICCS, Palmas Polanco, Mexico, has announced that Alberto May has stepped down as CEO and sold his shares to Ricardo Albarran, president of the company. Albarran will also serve as CEO.
The National Air Transportation Association (NATA) has acquired the Aviation Training Institute (ATI), a provider of training programs for line service personnel. According to NATA President James Coyne, ATI's current programs will be integrated into NATA's existing training initiative known as Safety 1st. Under the Safety 1st program, NATA members are trained and tested on their ground safety knowledge and practices. The training program also will be expanded to include airport security.
