The nation's regional airlines accounted for almost half the applicants for federal aid under the Air Transportation Safety and System Stabilization Act.
Executive Jet Aviation in September took delivery of Dassault Aviation's 1,500th Falcon Jet. The Falcon 2000 was the 29th to join the NetJets fractional ownership program, with more than 70 additional Falcon Jets on order. The first Falcon 20 was delivered in 1963. Executive Jet Senior Vice President Kevin Russell (left) accepted the aircraft from Dassault Chairman Charles Edelstenne at the manufacturer's Teterboro, N.J., headquarters.
September 18: A LET 410 UVP-E crashed on takeoff from Guatemala City, Guatemala, killing the pilot and seven passengers and seriously injuring the copilot and four additional passengers. Operated by Atlantic Airlines, the flight was destined for San Pedro Sula in Honduras, a 161-nm flight. Guatemalan aviation officials are investigating the cause of the crash, the third for a LET 410 in the past year.
Westchester Air CEO Millie Hernandez-Becker has received the Northeast Region Businesswoman of the Year Award from the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. The award recognizes major accomplishments achieved in the areas of business and economic development, leadership and quality of service, and innovation in promoting the growth of Hispanic businesses.
While airlines of all sizes digest the business challenges created by the September attacks, Chalk's Ocean Airways -- the latest incarnation of the legendary South Florida seaplane carrier -- is facing some unique challenges and offering some unique solutions. Like many of its larger peers, 82-year-old Chalk's responded with staff furloughs across all departments, 20- to 25-percent schedule reductions, and a thinning of its active fleet from four full-time aircraft to three operating on a part-time schedule.
Pratt&Whitney Canada has delivered the 1,000th PW500 engine to Cessna. ``The PW500 engine family was born with Cessna and grew with Cessna, which makes this milestone all the more special,'' said P&WC president and CEO Gilles Ouimet. The PW500 turbofan family currently has three members. The PW530A powers the Citation Bravo. The PW535A entered service with the Citation Ultra Encore. The PW545A powers the Citation Excel.
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.
