Shuttle America, which plans to emerge from bankruptcy this month, has become a US Airways Express carrier. The Hartford, Conn.-based regional will operate six daily roundtrips from Hanscom Field in Boston, to Trenton/Mercer County Airport in New Jersey and inaugurate five daily roundtrips from Bedford, Mass., to the US Airways hub at Philadelphia International Airport. Trenton is a new market in the US Airways system. Shuttle America discontinued service to Buffalo, N.Y. -- its only other remaining destination -- in mid-October.
The pilot of a Beech King Air escaped with minor injuries after an early October hijacking attempt at a rural New Mexico airport. Operating on an aeromedical flight for Seven Bar Flying Service under contract to the University of New Mexico Hospital, the aircraft was awaiting the return of flight paramedics with a patient at Deming Municipal Airport (DMN). A masked man put a knife to the neck of the sole pilot and commanded her to fly to an unknown destination.
Nav Canada Shortfall Leads to Cuts, Rate Increase Nav Canada will end its temporary rate reduction for users and mount a cost-cutting campaign to deal with a possible U.S.$92.5 million revenue shortfall during the fiscal year September 1, 2001to August 31, 2002. The temporary rate reduction will be eliminated and will result in a service charge increase averaging six percent starting January 1, 2002.
Edited by David RimmerBy Fred George in San Diego Bombardier Introduces Global 5000 Global Express, Jr. promises 4,800 nm at 0.85 Mach
Many of the specifications and performance figures that follow are B/CA estimates based upon preliminary and incomplete Bombardier data. Global 5000 B/CA Estimated Specifications and Performance B/CA Equipped Price $32,950,000 Characteristics Seating 3+13/19 Wing Loading 86.1 Power Loading 2.98 Noise (EPNdB): TO/Sideline/APR 82.4/88.6/89.8 Dimensions
The BoltMike III, from StressTel, ultrasonically measures tension and clamp load of threaded fasteners, such as those used on engine pylons and wheel assemblies. The 2.5-pound instrument has a large, high-resolution VGA LCD display to verify signal and optimize probe placement. The BoltMike III runs up to 40 hours on five AA batteries and its Windows-based software allows the operator to download measurements, create reports and upload test parameters.
TAG air crews can accomplish part of their recurrent training with Web access to online modules from Jeppesen. TAG crews can log on from home or on the road to accomplish interactive, self-paced training that can cut their FAR Part 135 recurrent training classroom time to two days instead of four. TAG is Jeppesen's lead customer for customized computer-based training programs.
Execair, a division of the Menzies Aviation Group, has opened a new business aviation center at Cardiff International Airport in Wales. This is the eighth European facility that Execair has acquired and the first facility dedicated to business aviation.
Many airports around the country have seen such a dramatic decline in business since the September 11 attacks that FBOs and other service providers have either laid off employees or shut down completely. Freeway Airport, in Mitchellville, Md., is one of many FBOs that have cut expenses to the bone, laying off 25 out of 31 employees. The airport, operating under Washington, D.C.'s Class B airspace, has already lost approximately $150,000 in revenue following the terrorist action and saw a drastic reduction in traffic.
Flightcom Corp. is now offering its Denali headsets in helicopter configuration. The helicopter version of the Denali is available in passive and ANR versions and comes in either ``J3 yellow'' or graphite blue. The headsets are configured with four-conductor coiled com- munication cables and have a 30-day ``Fly 'em&Try 'em'' guarantee. Price: $165 to $605 Flightcom 7340 S.W. Durham Rd. Portland, Ore. 97224 Phone: (503) 684-8229 Fax: (503) 620-2949 www.flight-com.com
The NBAA has decided not to pursue its appeal of a U.S. District Court decision upholding a proposed ban on the operation of Stage 2 business jets at the Naples, Fla., Municipal Airport. The ban, which is to go into effect in March 2002, remains the subject of administrative review by the FAA under separate statutory standards and the conditions of the federal grant agreements.
Few aspects of operating the Learjet 45 have caused more heartburn than lack of spare parts. Operators told B/CA they've been stranded for two to three days or longer while awaiting AOG spares. Bombardier officials don't mince words in owning up to the problem. ``A year ago, our same-day, AOG fill rate was 45 percent,'' said Spare Parts Director Christian Bergeron.
The Primus 1000 avionics suite, the first four-tube configuration in a business aircraft to include EICAS, was one of the most advanced digital avionics systems when the Learjet 45 was introduced.
Canada's Standard Aero is now a GE CF34-3/8 service provider under an agreement with GE Engine Services. The arrangement provides Standard Aero full support for the engine overhaul process plus access to GE spare parts and component overhaul services. Standard will also be authorized to perform GE warranty repairs. Standard will begin work immediately on a new facility in Winnipeg that will ultimately total as much as 120,000 square feet and include an engine test cell and ``comprehensive'' component restoration capability.
Cessna has announced the first Citation X sold in China will be operated by the Civil Aviation Authority of China (CAAC). The 0.92 Mach Citation X will join two Citation 650s in the CAAC's Air Traffic Management Bureau to monitor and calibrate navaids as well as support special missions such as VIP transport. At the same time, Cessna announced that Roger Snyder from the Citation field support team would relocate to Beijing to provide full-time technical support to CAAC.
PrivatAir is expanding its U.S. charter operations with the opening of a new aircraft base in Houston and the addition of five new aircraft. The Houston operation is located in Enterprise Aviation at Hobby Airport with a Cessna Citation III. Other additions to the fleet include two West Palm Beach, Fla.-based Challenger 601s, a St. Petersburg, Fla.-based Falcon 50 and a Hawker 800 in Indianapolis.
Goodrich's Universal Propulsion Co. and Schroth Safety Products have developed an inflatable seat belt for installation in business aircraft. Inflatabelt can be used for virtually any seating configuration, including side-facing seats. Upon sensing sudden high g-loads, the belt inflates, limiting the passenger's forward movement during the crash event. In essence, the passenger becomes one with the seat, allowing the energy of the crash to be absorbed.
NASA Administrator Daniel S. Goldin, first appointed to the job in 1992, has resigned. He leaves office this month, before the selection of a replacement by President Bush.
The second Bombardier Continental made its first flight just eight weeks after the first took to the air. Serial number 2002, piloted by Doug May and Ed Grabman, took off on October 9 for a 2+45 flight that reached 35,000 feet and 250 knots. As of that date, aircraft 2001, which first flew August 14, had accumulated over 55 hours and 22 flights. A total of five aircraft will be involved in the Continental flight test program.
The October 29 issue of Forbes magazine lists Mercury Air Group as one of the ``200 Best Small Companies in America.'' Mercury Air Group operates at 90 locations worldwide, including 19 corporate jet facilities in the United States.
Marion Clifton Blakey, a veteran government employee and more recently a principal in a public affairs firm, in late September was sworn in as the ninth chairman of the NTSB.
Edited by David RimmerBy Richard N. Aarons Business Aviation Safety Stats Dive Accidents and fatalities up significantly over last year
The U.S. business jet and turboprop fleet safety record is slipping badly this year with increases in total accidents, fatal accidents, fatalities and incidents. The turbine fleet suffered 53 accidents in the first nine months of 2001, some 20 of them resulting in 43 passenger deaths and 23 crew fatalities.
On one hand, the business aviation community should be grateful that Norman Mineta and Jane Garvey were heading the DOT and the FAA when our world blew up and the airspace over the United States became an enormous no-fly zone. It took two days for the airliners to start moving again and four days to get GA IFR flights back in the air. Those 96 hours may have seemed like an eternity for those attempting to run their businesses and haul passengers and cargo.
Air Partner, a U.K.-based air charter broker, has opened a new office in London City at Canary Wharf. The office is the company's 13th worldwide and its third in the city's central business district. Creating downtown offices has become a key business strategy, according to Air Partner, with the company's Mark Sale saying, ``clients are far more likely to want to chat through important projects over a cup of coffee than via long telephone calls and tedious faxes.'' Air Partner also has downtown offices in Frankfurt and New York City.
Why didn't I get that house payment in the mail? . . . I hate those dunning letters -- darn creditors are like wolves . . . Lisa's doctor appointment was at nine, she should have the results by now . . . I'll call later, hope it's not serious . . . Bobby's still ill -- wish I could have stayed home with him . . . Never get a day off . . . ``Hey, Bob! Bob! That's twice I called for the descent checklist. Wake up!''
