Remember the old FAA? The fellow aviators whose first question is, ``What is the root of the problem?'' The FAA that attacked problems with training for the novice, reminders for the experienced and clarification of the confusing? That FAA is alive and well in the Office of Runway Safety. Runway incursions and surface incidents have become a subject of considerable interest and concern in the past few years and the Office of Runway Safety has set out to do something about it.
W. Stephen Dennis has been named chairman of Metro Business Aviation, a British FBO chain with operations at Heathrow, Battersea, Luton and Stansted airports. A well-known executive in the U.S. FBO industry, Dennis has relocated to London and, according to Metro, will work closely with CEO Steve Grimes ``to develop the business model for a major expansion of the company.''
The Aviation and Transportation Security Act President Bush signed into law on November 19 establishes uniform standards, federalizes the screener work force with pilot federal/private programs, calls for 100-percent baggage screening and, according to House leaders, ensures that ``potential threats are protected without unduly burdening general aviation.''
United Air Lines, following the lead of regional carrier Mesa Airlines, has announced that it plans to install Taser electronic stun guns in the cockpits of its aircraft to defend against hijackings. The decision is subject to FAA approval. United said the Taser weapons will be kept in electronically coded lock boxes.
Bombardier and Gulfstream will compete to provide a new long-range anti-piracy, anti-smuggling aircraft for the Japan Maritime Safety Agency. The agency has requested $30 million from the Ministry of Finance to buy the first of two such aircraft. The agency currently uses two Dassault Falcon 900As in that role but announced in 2000 that it would seek longer-range aircraft to perform patrol missions in Southeastern Asia, including the waters off Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines. The agency wants to be able to operate nonstop between Japan and Singapore.
Air, Inc.'s October pilot hiring report shows a sharp decline across the board. Just 392 new pilot jobs were created with only 82 of the top 209 reporting airlines and operators hiring. Detailed information is posted on Air, Inc.'s Web site, www.jet-jobs.com.
Edited by David RimmerBy David Rimmer eBay'ers Bid Up Business Jet Flights
Some of eBay's 34 million registered users are apparently intrigued by the idea of traveling in a corporate jet. A recent charity auction of $20,000 in business jet charters attracted 38 bids with the winning bid topping out at $24,100. The item was featured in the online Auction for America event to benefit survivors of the September 11 terror attacks.
``The answer to airport chaos is not forcing communities to accept more runways or new, expanded airports. The answer is high-speed rail.'' Former Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis in The New York Times
The town of Islip, N.Y., reacting to FAA advice that it should not enforce a $50,000 nighttime landing fee at MacArthur Airport (ISP), said it was ``puzzled'' by the FAA's citation of certain regulations and federal statutes to back its warning, ``since neither [the FAA's] letter or the letter of Eastern region counsel states anywhere therein that either of you have examined the subject ordinance.'' The town asked the agency to ``provide a clear, unequivocal determination of the FAA's position on this specific ordinance,'' adding that such a position would ``weigh heavily'
Honeywell announced that its Bendix/King FIS products will be standard on Socata TBM 700s delivered in the United States. FIS (Flight Information Service)-equipped aircraft can receive continuous real-time text-based weather information broadcast from a dedicated 200-station network at no cost. For a monthly fee subscribers can receive graphic weather displays and other services. Weather information is received on the Bendix/King KDR 510 data radio and displayed on either a KMD 550 or KMD 850 multifunction display.
FlightSafety International has received Level D certification for a PC-based simulator. The company's third Citation Excel simulator, this one installed at the Columbus, Ohio, learning center, marked a significant step forward in the convergence of PC and flight simulation technology when it received FAA Level D certification recently. The simulator's host computer is Pentium-based and runs on a Windows operating system. Don't expect a Level D simulator on your desktop, though.
For the past five years, Meigs Field (CGX), the closest airport to downtown Chicago, has been on the brink of extinction. The city's mayor, Richard M. Daley, has long sought to convert the 53-year-old lakefront landing facility into a bird sanctuary. It appeared as if he would get his way when the city closed the municipal airport in October 1996. Only legal action by airport advocates saved the airport's single, 3,900-foot-long runway from being demolished.
Edited by David RimmerFred George, in San Diego Cockpit and Cabin Monitors
Big Brother could be monitoring airline passenger behavior and cockpit activities by the end of 2002, if Qualcomm Chairman and CEO Irwin M. Jacobs has his way.
Signature Flight Support, Orlando, has appointed Gary Gutkowski as general manager at its Orlando International Airport facility and Dale Krupla as general manager at its Baltimore/Washington International Airport facility.
Photograph: James Schuster Raytheon Aircraft Chairman James Schuster has reorganized the company's senior management ranks for the second time in four months. Schuster, who took the top slot at the Wichita aircraft manufacturer in June, announced a major reorganization less than six weeks later. At that time he promoted Richard Dan-forth from vice president of operations to senior vice president, aircraft business, and named him to a senior leadership team within the company. Recently, however, RAC said Danforth has left the company.
Sean O'Keefe was nominated as NASA administrator by President Bush. O'Keefe is the deputy director of the Office of Management and Budget and is known for his efforts to control spending on the International Space Station. If confirmed by the Senate, he would replace outgoing NASA Administrator Dan Goldin, who stepped down in November after a 10-year term. O'Keefe is a former secretary of the Navy and chief financial officer of the Department of Defense.
FlightSafety's Embraer ERJ-145/135 flight simulator at its Paris Le Bourget learning center has received FAA Level D certification. It had previously been certified to equivalent French standards by the DGAC. FSI operates a total of 13 simulators in the United States and Europe for Embraer's 50-seat airliner.
``If you fly now, you must be prepared to wait and wait, flee, duck, intervene or die. Not a pleasant way to spend your miles.'' Real estate executive Norm Quinn speaking about the lessening appeal of frequent flier miles, in The Wall Street Journal ``I came up here in a Global Express, and I've got to say you've got something going for you.'' Former President George H. Bush at Bombardier dinner in Montreal ``My sense is that it's not the Number 1, 2, 3 or 4 priority.''
The New York Aviation Management Association is conducting a survey of all FBOs and GA airports in the state to define and quantify the economic impact of September 11 and subsequent events on such things as tiedown fees, fuel sales, flight instruction and maintenance. The NYAMA, primarily an airport management association, is also conducting a parallel survey of New York air carrier airports and their tenant businesses under the assumption that the impact profile will be substantially different, requiring different metrics to yield valid results.
Columbia Air Services has opened an aircraft sales office at New York's Westchester County Airport (HPN). Located at the Westair General Aviation Complex at Hangar M, the office, managed by Eric Winston, will also function as a field office for Columbia's avionics shop to service smaller aircraft. Columbia can ferry owners or their aircraft to and from Columbia's main facility in Groton, Conn.
Dassault Falcon Jet, Teterboro, N.J., has promoted Rich Iudice to director of flight operations. Iudice currently flies the Falcon 900, 2000 and 50 and is type rated in the Falcon 10.
Bell Helicopter and Agusta have selected Smiths Aerospace to supply electronic components for several new helicopter models. Smiths will provide Cockpit Voice Recorders (CVR) and Integrated Data Acquisition and Recorder System (IDARS) for installation on current and future Bell 412s. The CVR also will be installed on Bell 430 helicopters. Agusta will equip Agusta Bell AB139s with Smiths' Health and Usage Monitoring System (HUMS).
