Amid the tidal wave of criticism washing over airport security providers, Boeing and El Al are studying the feasibility of a worldwide joint venture security and safety business for airlines, airports and governments.
Boeing and Airbus achieved international technical specification status with their co-developed industry guidelines for bar code parts identification, the two companies announced. "Achieving international status supports our vision to deploy an ISO standard that meets the needs of both the commercial and military aviation industries around the world," said Kenneth Porad, program manager of the Permanent Bar Code on Parts Identification Program at Boeing.
Edited by David RimmerBy Dave Benoff B/E Aerospace Offers Hardened Doors
B/E Aerospace has introduced its AeroGUARD Integrated Aircraft Security System for commercial (FAR Part 121) aircraft. Offering what it calls the only fully SFAR 92-compliant cockpit security product, the AeroGUARD system features a cockpit door featuring titanium louvers and anti-ballistic panels, and accompanied, by a video monitoring system.
FAA Administrator Jane Garvey has named 65-year-old Nick Sabatini the agency's new associate administrator for regulation and certification. He succeeds Tom McSweeny, who retired in late October. The appointment marks the second time in less than six months that Saba- tini, a 22-year agency veteran, has been tapped for a major leadership role at the FAA. In May, he replaced Nick Lacey as director of the FAA's Flight Standards Service.
Bombardier's Middle East distributor, TAG Aeronautics, ordered five Global 5000 business jets unveiled in October to fit the market niche between Bombardier's long-range Global Express and Challenger 604. The target range of the intercontinental jet is 4,800 miles, cruising at 0.85 Mach. The aircraft is expected to enter service in 2004.
Avfuel has gained two new dealers. International Corporate Cargo Services (ICCS) has opened a new facility at Tampico, becoming the 14th Avfuel dealer in Mexico. TXI Aviation, a fixture at Dallas Love Field since the 1970s as a corporate flight department, then as a full-service FBO, has also become an Avfuel dealer.
In her first address to general aviation pilots since the September 11 attacks, FAA administrator Jane Garvey sought to reassure attendees at the annual AOPA Expo that agency personnel are ``working as hard as we can to get you flying.'' Garvey explained that some in the intelligence community and the general public perceive general aviation as the ``least managed and potentially largest fleet of weapons in the U.S.''
Edited by David RimmerBy Richard N. Aarons Little Rock Recommendations NTSB: Crews should use autobrakes and monitor spoiler action
The NTSB has closed its investigation into the June 1999 crash of an American Airlines DC-9-82 at Little Rock, Ark., and has asked the FAA to mandate new cockpit procedures for FAR Part 121 and 135 operators. The Safety Board also wants ATC to implement new systems to track and report severe weather.
TRC is now offering owners of select Challenger, Falcon and Gulfstream aircraft an online service that helps them ascertain ``real-time'' market value specific to this aircraft. After analyzing the entire fleet of a given make and model, as well as competing aircraft, the TRC software provides owners with the data to make informed decisions. Only authorized members may access TRC's online application, and the identities of all members are filtered for complete anonymity.
Lanmar Aviation plans to begin operations of its new FBO at Connecticut's Groton-New London Airport (GON) by the end of this month. Focusing on small to medium-size corporate jets, Lanmar has constructed eight ``Jet Condos'' large enough to accommodate Bombardier Challenger 601-size aircraft. The main facility features a 10,000-square-foot heated hangar, office space, pilot's lounge, flight planning room and corporate offices for Lanmar's FAR Part 135 operation.
The New Piper Aircraft has restarted production after a two-week shutdown to clear a delivery bottleneck resulting from the 9/11 ground stop and subsequent general aviation grounding. The company was forced to furlough all but a skeleton force of 250 while it worked through the backlog. Company officials remain cautious about the economy and have noted that orders are ``way down'' from their previous levels.
October 7: The commercial pilot and one crewmember aboard a twin-engine Eurocopter AS355F1 TwinStar helicopter sustained minor injuries after a loss of power in both engines led to a hard landing near Rosebud, Texas. An additional crewmember was uninjured in the mishap, which caused substantial damage to the helicopter. The Southwest Helicopters TwinStar was en route from Valley Mills, Texas, to Scott and White Memorial Hospital in Temple, Texas, when it was diverted to the scene of an automobile accident.
Marquis Jet Partners -- the company offering one-year subleases of fractional ownership positions -- has clarified how its owners will be transported. In the original press statements issued jointly by Marquis and NetJets, the firm said that owners would ``have access to NetJets aircraft'' and boasted that members would enjoy an ``unparalleled level of expertise, safety, security and service'' as a result of the Marquis Jet Program being ``operated by NetJets.''
Avidyne also announced a data-link system to interface with its FlightMax displays. The FlightMax DX50 data-link system delivers weather information and data to any FlightMax display using a bi-directional request/reply protocol through the ORBCOMM low-earth-orbit (LEO) satellite constellation. Pilots can obtain NEXRAD imagery as well as METAR and TAF data. Since data are received from satellites, any weather information can be received at any altitude, including on the ramp prior to taxi.
Thales' wide-field-of-view HUD is now certificated on the Global Express. Bombardier Aerospace has received Canadian DOT and FAA certification of the Thales Avionics Head-up Flight Display System (HDFS) with approval for all phases of flight. It's the first Thales HUD certification on a business aircraft.
Edsel B. Ford II, a great- grandson of Ford Motor Co. founder Henry Ford, has purchased DaimlerChrysler Aviation -- eight months after the German-American automotive giant hung a ``for sale'' sign on it. Both sides declined to disclose financial terms of the deal.
Securaplane has created a Cabin Alert&Monitor System (CAMS). CAMS may be configured for use on the smallest cabin-size aircraft to the largest widebody aircraft. The Alert System allows the cabin crew to quickly and covertly alert the flight crew to trouble, and the Monitor System provides a way for flight crewmembers to see the area outside the cockpit door before opening. The system consists of multiple cameras, a Video Control Unit (VCU), a Display Monitor, a System Control Panel, wireless transmitters for the cabin crew and an Alert Receiver Unit (ARU).
Iowa State Press has released Job Hunting For Pilots, by Gregory Brown. The book explains how to meet the right people, establish ``inside contacts,'' create a memorable impression by resume and in interviews, and gain or maintain flight time and qualifications needed to become a corporate, commuter, commercial or charter pilot or a flight instructor. The book contains examples of pilot resumes, cover letters and interview preparation material. Price: $21.95 Iowa State Press 2121 S. State Ave. Ames, Iowa 50014
Since its founding in 1984, Milwaukee-based Midwest Express has stressed in-flight service, meals on chinaware, and legroom, while most other airlines systematically cut all three. Now, while many airlines are scaling back plans for fleet expansion, Midwest Express has placed an order for four new Fairchild Dornier 328JETS with options for an additional 10 aircraft. The aircraft will be operated by Skyway Airlines, Midwest Express' wholly-owned regional carrier. The value of the deal is as high as $177 million if all options are exercised.
Jetflite in Helsinki, Finland, placed a Citation Excel in JAR OPS-1 charter service in October with a factory-new aircraft managed by the company. Jetflite's charter fleet also includes a Challenger 604, three Falcon 20Fs and a King Air 200. Jetflite's Web site is www.jetflite.fi.
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) decision to extend its disaster relief loans nationwide came as welcome news to small aviation businesses ravaged by weeks of airspace restrictions stemming from the September 11 terrorist attacks. The program allows eligible businesses to apply for up to $1.5 million in loans at an interest rate of four percent over a maximum term of 30 years. The SBA set a January 21, 2002 deadline for loan applications. It previously limited the loans only to declared disaster areas -- New York and Washington, D.C.
Privatair Group CEO David C. Hurley, a longtime pilot and business aviation executive, has been elected to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum's board of directors. An ATP-rated pilot with 15,000 hours flight time, Hurley founded flight Services Group in 1984. The Stratford, Conn.-based company was acquired by Geneva-based PrivatAir, S.A. in late 2000. Hurley also has held senior positions with Cessna and helped launch the Canadair Challenger program.
Alliance Scale has introduced a fully portable and remote aircraft-weighing scale system. The RW-Series Model features cast aluminum construction, one-inch LCD and battery operation with an AC adapter/charger. It comes in 10,000- and 20,000-pound capacities and is accurate to one percent of the aircraft's total weight. The system also has digital filtering to compensate for vibrations and can operate for 20 hours on a single charge. As a safety feature, the scales are designed to handle a 150-percent overload and come in single- and double-width versions.
