Sikorsky is seeking to establish its first equity partnership in China. A possible joint venture with Shanghai Little Eagle Science&Technology Co. would produce light civil helicopters for the Chinese market. The two companies have signed a memorandum of understanding to discuss forming a new entity, to be called Shanghai Sikorsky Helicopter Co.
The PremierCare Certification System, a qualification program for line-service technicians at Avitat, is being introduced by ExxonMobil Aviation. ``The PremierCare Certification System is designed to help ensure that FBO line-service technicians meet the extremely high level of service that the general aviation community expects,'' said Richard Oldham, U.S. General Aviation Manager of ExxonMobil Aviation.
Area firefighters received realistic aircraft fire training at Chesterfield, Mo.'s Spirit of St. Louis Airport (SUS), the primary GA reliever for the St. Louis area. Nearly 200 SUS personnel and firefighters from surrounding communities used a $1.1 million full-scale aircraft simulator that can be configured to replicate GA, airline, cargo and military aircraft. The computer-controlled unit simulates fire conditions with propane burners placed throughout the structure.
Start-up Max-Viz, Inc. is developing compact IR Enhanced Vision Systems for taxi and approach applications. The Portland, Ore.-based company was founded by President Gregg Fawkes and Vice Presidents Roger Watson and Richard Kerr, who have backgrounds in infrared and head-up display technologies. Max-Viz's first offering, dubbed Taxi-Max, uses an infrared sensor mounted in an aircraft's tail cap, radome or belly to display the ground environment, including obstacles and other aircraft, on an MFD or a dedicated liquid crystal display.
SimuFlite has begun its third major facility expansion at DFW in six years, breaking ground for a 70,000-square-foot north wing that will add six more simulator bays plus classroom and office space. The GE Capital business unit also announced that its simulator fleet expansion for 2001 remains on schedule with Gulfstream V, Citation Ultra/Bravo and Citation Excel sims now on line, and a Beechjet 400A and a King Air 350 due by the end of the year.
Westchester County Airport (HPN) telephone numbers have a new prefix not yet published in the airport databases. Numbers listed with the 285- prefix have been changed to a 995- prefix. If you dial the ops number with the old prefix, you'll get an out-of-service message with no further information. At press time, directory assistance did not have the new prefix.
Shell Aviation and Avfuel Corp. have agreed to accept each other's credit cards and provide seamless billing for their respective cardholders. The alliance, effective November 1, allows holders of either card to use them at any Shell or Avfuel fueling location worldwide. The companies will exchange billing information to allow their customers to receive a single statement of both Shell and Avfuel purchases. Shell Aviation has about 700 AeroShell-branded operations in 85 countries. Avfuel has more than 800 branded locations, primarily in the United States.
Mooney Aircraft Corp., which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in July, has retained First Equity Development Corp. of Westport, Conn., as a financial advisor. First Equity would assist Mooney in a sale or potential investment. Over its five-decade history, Mooney has produced more than 10,500 aircraft of which 7,500 remain in operation.
Raytheon Technical Services Co. has won a five-year, $11 million contract to repair and calibrate test equipment at the FAA Logistics Center Depot in Oklahoma City. The award was for a one-year base period with four one-year options.
Bombardier offers Learjet 45 operators Dependability Plus in several flavors. Under the basic program operators of new airplanes can cover all scheduled airframe maintenance plus tire and brake wear through monthly payments at a set flight-hour rate. Other options include guaranteed trade-in value or the option of covering all scheduled and unscheduled maintenance and parts and labor when it's performed at Bombardier-authorized facilities. Operators can even receive limited reimbursement for work they do themselves.
Corporate Airlines, former code-share partner of defunct Midway Airlines, has shuttered its Raleigh-Durham, N.C., operation. More than 100 employees were furloughed -- including 75 pilots and some 30 maintenance and station employees. Seven leased British Aerospace Jetstream 32s also were grounded. Carrier President Chuck Howell says he hopes to have the people and aircraft flying again in early 2002 in what will likely be a mix of code-share and point-to-point service under the Corporate Airlines banner.
Parker Hannifin Corp.'s Aircraft Wheel&Brake Division is offering a $500 rebate to purchasers of its Sikorsky S-76 helicopter wheels and brakes. The rebate program runs until June 30, 2002 and coupons are available through Helicopter Support Inc. and Parker's Web site. Parker said its new cast aluminum brake cylinder pro- vides better corrosion resistance than the existing mag- nesium design and will reduce maintenance time and cost. In addition, Parker is offering a $400 rebate on any Cleveland wheel brake conversion kit through June 30, 2002.
Investigators working the Lynch 414 accident studied the weather reports and forecasts for appropriate times and locations, and even looked into definitions of the terms weather analysts use in the products they produce for the aviation community. Here is some of what Gregg Nesemeier's NTSB team uncovered:
An ICAO resolution calls for a high-level international conference on aviation security to develop measures for ``preventing, combating and eradicating acts of terrorism involving civil aviation,'' and to review Annex 17 to the ICAO charter in light of the September 11 attacks. Annex 17 and associated guidance material contain the internationally approved Standards and Recommended Practices and Procedures of aviation security as they relate to international flights.
Bombardier has sold two, and options for five more, Q300 turboprops to Petroleum Air Services in Cairo. The first two 50-passenger aircraft will be delivered in May 2002. The optioned aircraft would be delivered by June 2004. Petroleum Air Services currently operates five 50-passenger de Havilland Dash 7 airliners plus a sizeable helicopter fleet.
Edited by David RimmerBy Kerry Lynch FAA Warns Islip on $50k Landing Fee
The town of Islip, N.Y., received warning from the FAA to back away from its $50,000 nighttime landing fee at MacAr-thur Airport (ISP) or face losing its airport grants and passenger facility charge authority. Despite an outpouring of opposition, the town on September 10 unanimously voted to impose a $50,000 charge on aircraft that land at the airport after the 11 p.m. curfew.
Memphis visitors can order FBO ground services online at Wilson Air Center's Web site: www.wilsonair.com. Pilots and dispatchers can advance order fuel, hangar space, and catering services as well as rental car, limousine and hotel reservations.
Multi-Aero, a St. Louis-area aviation services provider, is rolling out a nationwide shared charter service that it has already launched locally. Dubbed Share A Flight, the service allows travelers to commit to single seats on one of a selection of planned one-way or roundtrip charters. The proposed flights are initiated either by other travelers, Multi-Aero or one of its partners.
The Helicopter Association International's (HAI) president, Roy Resavage, testified October 8 before the Subcommittee on Aviation concerning the present restrictions on general aviation flying in Enhanced Class B Airspace.
Furloughs and hiring freezes already under way before September 11 at major airlines and regionals, as well as at some corporate flight departments, have accelerated. But organizations whose stock-in-trade is matching pilots to empty cockpits say there's reason to hope the downturn won't be as steep or severe as some might fear.
In the first senior management change at an OEM since the September 11 terrorist attacks, 40-year company veteran John Murphey has replaced Terry Stinson as Chairman and CEO of Bell Helicopter. Murphey wrote in a letter to Bell customers that Stinson had retired, but the shakeup was announced as part of a broader corporate restructuring at Textron -- the manufacturer's parent company. Textron has been hard hit by flight restrictions and market uncertainties at both its Cessna and Bell Helicopter operating units.
