FRANK RODGERS was named director of human resources for Associated Air Center. Rodgers will be responsible for all human resources functions at the center, including recruiting, selection, employee and team development, organizational design and change management. He has 20 years of human resources experience with companies such as L-3 Communications, Motorola, General Instrument and Northrop Grumman.
The House and Senate last week passed another extension of FAA’s authorization and aviation excise taxes, deferring action once again on a long-term bill. The extension authorizes FAA’s programs through the end of March. Lawmakers were forced to opt for another stopgap bill while the Senate continued its all-consuming debate on health care reform. The House passed its version of a long-term FAA funding bill in May, but the Senate has not yet acted.
MARQUIS JET was selected as a private aviation partner for the California-based Montage Hotels & Resorts and Jackson Hole Mountain Resort in California. The partnerships will give exclusive benefits for resort guests and Marquis Jet Card holders.
President Obama last week made the widely expected announcement of his selection of Michael Huerta to serve as the next FAA deputy administrator. The White House’s announcement of its intent to nominate Huerta has been anticipated in recent months. FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt in October had acknowledged that a candidate was being vetted (BA, Oct. 12/167).
TWIN COMMANDER 690, 690A and 690B airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2009-0778; Directorate Identifier 2009-CE-040-AD; Amendment 39-16119; AD 2009-25-02] – Inspect between the surface of the left-hand and right-hand upper wing skins and the engine mount beam support straps for any signs of corrosion, replace the upper steel straps with parts of improved design, and modify both wings.
FAA fiscal 2010 funding is included in an umbrella appropriations bill that is expected to be passed by Congress by the end of this week. Several appropriations bills are covered by the wider legislation, which was approved last week by a House-Senate conference committee.
BOMBARDIER Regional Jet Series 700, 701, 702, 705 and 900 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2009-1110; Directorate Identifier 2009-NM-116-AD] – This proposed AD, which would supersede an existing directive (AD 2009-10-10), would require operators to conduct repetitive checks of the manual mode motor and altitude limitation functions of the outflow valve (OFV), in accordance with the instructions of Bombardier Alert Service Bulletin A670BA-21-022 (dated Aug. 3, 2006).
FALCON AVIATION SERVICES recently took delivery of two Bell 412EP helicopters. These rotorcraft are the ninth and tenth 412s delivered to the operator, eight of which have arrived this year. Abu Dhabi-based Falcon Aviation, which has a fleet of 21 helicopters and five business jets, uses its rotorcraft to provide offshore oil support and VIP and tourism helicopter services. The operator’s fixed-wing aircraft fly corporate, VIP and charter services. The company also offers aircraft management and maintenance support.
MARY ELLEN JONES was named president of the Engine Alliance, a joint venture of General Electric and Pratt & Whitney. Jones previously led Commercial Engines & Global Services Marketing for Pratt & Whitney and, before that, was head of sales and marketing for the Engine Alliance.
SPECIAL CONDITIONS FOR THE CJ4 have been issued by the FAA. Cessna’s Model 525C will incorporate several novel features, including two aft-mounted Williams International FJ44-4A turbofan engines with a full-authority digital engine control system, along with other performance characteristics that were not envisioned by the FAR Part 23 regulations when the Model 525 was originally certificated.
HONEYWELL has begun taking orders for its KFD 840 primary flight display (PFD), the first of the new Bendix/King Apex Edge Series to achieve certification. Aimed at the light general aviation market, the KFD 840 won technical standard order approval earlier this fall. The PFD includes an 8.4-inch LCD screen that will interface with many common autopilots and radios. Honeywell plans to add a weight-and-balance calculator as well as flight director input. The PFD also will be upgradable to incorporate features such as Honeywell’s SmartView synthetic vision system.
Private jet company Encore Aviation has developed a new hybrid charter/fractional ownership program that provides members access to a variety of aircraft. The Aviation Country Club program offers one-time refundable memberships starting at $258,750 with a minimum of 50 occupied hours per year. “The Aviation Country Club concept works like fractional ownership without actually having to purchase a portion of the aircraft,” Executive Vice President Jason Payne said.
BOMBARDIER reported a positive number of net business jet orders (two) for the fiscal third quarter, but backlog continues to slide. Analyst JP Morgan continues to predict further production cuts in the future. While a 29-month backlog for the Global line could buffer steeper cuts, JP Morgan forecasts Bombardier business jet deliveries could drop by 19 percent in fiscal 2011 from 177 this year and another 15 percent in fiscal 2012. See article on Page 262.
CitationAir announced plans last week to bring back 16 pilots from furlough, driven by increased demand in its jet management business. This leaves CitationAir with 48 captains who are still downgraded and 69 pilots on furlough. “We are gratified to be able to bring back so many of our pilots at a time when the industry needs to hear some good news,” CEO Steve O’Neill said.
PIAGGIO P-180 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2009-1116; Directorate Identifier 2009-CE-061-AD] – This proposed AD would require operators to conduct a dye-penetrant inspection of the “0” pressure bulkhead and reinforce it by installing doublers, per the instructions of Piaggio Service Bulletin (Mandatory) N.: SB-80-0267, Rev. 0 (dated May 19, 2009) and N.: SB-80-0267, Rev.1 (dated June 16, 2009).
CHRISTINE SASTRE was appointed head of business development for Assistair, a fixed-base operation chain in Spain. Based in Palma de Mallorca, Sastre reports to Assistair Group founder and CEO Catherine Gaisenband. She will work with operators, handling companies and flight originators to ensure that all operations run smoothly. She also will be responsible for developing new contacts to expand business at the five Assistair FBOs in Palma, Barcelona, Valencia, Ibiza and Gerona.
GULFSTREAM devised a temporary “workaround” to remedy a landing-gear door vibration that cut short the first flight of Gulfstream’s G650 flagship on Nov. 25 (BA, Nov. 30/256). The fix will enable flight testing to resume. The company continues to work on a permanent solution, said Heidi Fedak, Gulfstream’s communications manager. No information was available on the exact cause of the vibration or steps for a permanent fix, nor a target date for releasing the aircraft to resume the flight test program.
WESTCHESTER COUNTY AIRPORT (HPN) in White Plains, N.Y. may get quieter in 2010 with the establishment of a new high-range noise event limit of 90.0 dBA beginning in February 2010. The current limit is 93 dBA. HPN encourages operators to meet the voluntary criteria with its annual Spirit of Noise Abatement Awards. See article on Page 265.
Private jet charter broker JetHub LLC is hoping to expand its business base with a new Add a Private Jet marketing program, which offers travel agents the chance to boost commissions on booked trips. Travel agents can use their own Web sites to access the program, JetHub President Kevin Lippert said. “We realized that many travel agents were having their commissions reduced from other sources and wanted to partner with them to provide their clients private jet travel,” he said.
Bombardier Aerospace’s third quarter produced mixed results ranging from the welcome return of positive net orders to an unexpected delay in the launch of its 100-seat regional jet. The release of the orders came just after Bombardier announced planned production cuts on the CRJ aircraft line, which will lead to layoffs of 715 workers in the company’s Montreal plant.
FAA is expanding its ban on aircraft takeoffs with polished frost on critical control surfaces to include many business aircraft, charter and other operations. The agency previously had prohibited scheduled commercial carriers from taking off with “polished frost” – frost buffed smooth – or other contaminants on wings, stabilizers and control surfaces. Under a rule published in the Dec. 1 Federal Register, the ban will include Part 91 subpart F, Part 125 and Part 135 operations.
A total of 31 aircraft operators based at Westchester County Airport (HPN) in White Plains, N.Y. were recognized recently for their unwavering commitment in 2007 and 2008 to the quiet flying procedures in place at the New York metro area airfield. The awards were presented to operators who achieved 100 percent compliance with the airport’s midnight to 6:30 a.m. curfew and high-range noise event limit of 93 dBA.
A new FAA Safety Alert for Operators (SAFO) is urging training centers and operators to ensure their training curriculum for the Learjet 60 adequately covers recognition of thrust reverser stowage. The National Transportation Safety Board in July had recommended that FAA require training for pilot recognition of inadvertent stowage of the Learjet 60 thrust reversers. The safety board also had called for changes in the design of the Learjet 60 thrust reverser system (BA, July 27/38).
FAA granted certification for the Garmin 1000 avionics on Piper Mirage and Matrix high-performance piston singles. The award completes the G1000 option for all PA-46 aircraft; the Piper Meridian turboprop got the integrated avionics system in April. The new optional system comprises three large-format displays that present attitude, nav, comm, weather, terrain, traffic and engine data digitally. The high-resolution displays are mounted on an equipment rack that makes the system easy to install and maintain.
AN AVIATION RULEMAKING COMMITTEE (ARC) tasked with developing recommendations for Safety Management Systems (SMS) met again last week to discuss comments on FAA’s SMS advance notice of proposed rulemaking. The ARC, which has 12 official members but about 100 participants, is expecting to present its initial findings to FAA after its next meeting in March. Business aviation advocates are becoming increasingly concerned about missed deadlines for a formal SMS rulemaking.
