EMBRAER AND FOKKER recently celebrated significant anniversaries. Fokker observed its 90th anniversary on July 21, and Embraer marked 40 years in business on Aug. 19. Nine decades after Anthony Fokker, the father of Dutch aviation, formed his company to build pioneering transport aircraft, some 3,700 employees of the Fokker companies (which now are part of the Stork group) produce electrical systems and aerostructures and offer aircraft maintenance and services while continuing to support 800 Fokker aircraft worldwide.
FLIGHTSAFETY INTERNATIONAL secured the first FAA Level 7 qualification for a flight training device (FTD). The FTD, for the American Eurocopter AS 350 B2, is stationed at FlightSafety’s learning center in Tucson, Ariz. The FTD is equipped with FlightSafety’s VITAL X visual system, which provides 220 degree by 100 degree wraparound visual capability. The AS 350 B2 FTD also has a vibrating motion base.
Revolution Air has launched an online tool on its Web site – www.revolutionair.com – to provide customers quotes on charter travel. Customers can go to the Web site to find a quote based on their airports of choice and date of departure, said Ron Goldstein, president of Revolution Air. “Once the quote itinerary is submitted, the customer is contacted directly by a charter specialist to determine the precise needs and requirements of the flight,” he said. “A finalized quote is then built and submitted back to the customer.”
ESTERLINE CORPORATION promoted Gregory Yeldon to president of Esterline CMC Electronics Inc. Yeldon has more than 23 years of aerospace experience, including 14 years as CMC’s vice president and chief financial officer. He also has served as interim president of the company since November 2008. Before joining CMC, Yeldon held positions with Leigh Instruments and Micronav International.
EIGHT AIRLINES have struck a multiyear agreement with Rentech, Inc. and Aircraft Service International Group to receive up to 1.5 million gallons of renewal synthetic diesel (RenDiesel) for ground service equipment operations at Los Angeles International Airport. The agreement followed shortly after ASTM International approved the use of a synthetic fuel that Rentech develops for commercial airline use (BA, Aug. 10/59). The fuel will be provided beginning in late 2012.
TRACY ROBINSON was promoted to vice president, quality for Cessna Aircraft. Robinson is an 18-year company veteran, serving in a number of senior production and quality assurance roles. Most recently, she was director of paint/interior operations. She also is a Textron Six Sigma Black Belt and a certified Quality Auditor. Robinson will direct all quality programs at Cessna.
INTERFAST INC., a Toronto, Canada-based aerospace and industrial fastener distributor, signed a letter of intent to acquire Burwood Fastener Products Ltd. of Chobham, Surrey, United Kingdom. The acquisition will provide Interfast with a “firm base of operations” in Europe, Interfast said. The company will operate as Interfast Europe Ltd.
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U.K.-based International Air Charter (IAC) is expanding its regional presence within the Middle East and around Europe after noticing an increased number of bookings for short regional flights. European travelers coming to the UAE have increased as they buy properties or invest in elite developments, said a new IAC report. “While commercial airlines are still convenient for long-haul flights, a growing number of elite clients are now looking for charter jet solutions for shorter local and regional flights within the Middle East or around Europe,” it added.
THE SENATE this month also confirmed Susan Kurland as assistant secretary for aviation and international affairs at the Department of Transportation. Most recently managing director at Jefferies & Company in the areas of airport infrastructure and municipal finance, she formerly has served as associate administer for airports for FAA. She also has been vice president and deputy general counsel for US Airways and deputy corporation counsel for the City of Chicago.
HAWKER BEECHCRAFT Chairman and CEO Bill Boisture last week acknowledged that the delays experienced in bringing the Hawker 4000 super mid-sized business jet to market have been disappointing. “While we’ve made good progress on the 4000 this year, we still have work do before we reach a predictable delivery cadence on this program,” he said.
SAAB 340A, SF340A and 340B airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2009-0134; Directorate Identifier 2008-NM-162-AD] – This proposal would require operators to replace the hydraulic accumulator in accordance with the instructions of Saab Service Bulletin 340-29-023 Rev. 1 or 340-29-024 Rev. 01 (both dated April 3, 2009) as applicable. This proposed AD, which resulted from an MCAI originated by the European Aviation Safety Agency, was prompted by two cases of main hydraulic accumulator failure.
Robert Brown, the long-time aerospace executive currently president and chief executive of simulation training specialist CAE, is retiring Sept. 30. CAE tapped Marc Parent, currently executive vice president and chief operating officer, to succeed Brown, who will remain with CAE in an advisory capacity through the end of the year.
AEROMECHANICAL SERVICES LTD. (AMS), of Calgary, Alberta, completed pre-deployment testing on a new communications technology that will stream real-time data from air to ground. AMS is working with a customer on in-flight evaluations of the Automated Flight Information Reporting System (afirs) emergency-mode data streaming. Marketed under the brand FLYHT, afirs can transmit key position and flight data recording information.
Hawker Beechcraft and Rockwell Collins recently completed a round of tests on an experimental autoland system that would be designed to enable general aviation aircraft to land safely in cases of pilot incapacitation. The companies began working collaboratively on the safety technologies last year.
SHELTAIR AVIATION SERVICES increased its network of fixed-base operations to 13 with the addition of a facility at the Pompano Beach Air Park in Pompano Beach, Fla. The facility provides ground services, T-hangar rental and a large corporate hangar. SheltAir also has land available for development of new facilities.
THE GULFSTREAM AEROSPACE service center in Brunswick, Ga., has received FAA’s 2008 Aviation Maintenance Technician Diamond Certificate of Excellence for the eighth consecutive year. Gulfstream Brunswick employees also individually earned 21 Ruby, 14 Gold, 62 Silver and eight Bronze awards.
CHRISTOPHER HART was sworn in Aug. 12 as a member of the National Transportation Safety Board. The White House nominated Hart for a second stint on the safety board in late June, and the Senate confirmed the nomination Aug. 7. Hart first served as a board member from 1990-1993. Most recently, he served as deputy director for air traffic safety oversight at FAA. He also has been FAA assistant administrator for the Office of System Safety. His new term at NTSB runs through Dec. 31, 2012.
SIMCOM INTERNATIONAL has added a Light Jet Familiarization course to its training portfolio. The five-day course is designed for single-engine or light-twin operators who are considering moving into a light jet or a very light jet (VLJ). Conducted at SimCom’s training center in Orlando, Fla., the course uses a full-motion Level C CitationJet simulator. The training includes 10 hours of simulator training, as well as an introduction to typical aircraft systems found on a light jet or VLJ.
The Teterboro, N.J., airport controller handling the Piper PA32 flight when it collided with a sightseeing Eurocopter AS350 helicopter over the Hudson River Aug. 8, has been suspended from duty for being “involved in inappropriate conversations on the telephone” at the time of the midair, FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt said in an Aug. 13 statement.
AIRVOLGA of Volgograd, Russia is launching Bombardier CRJ200 regional jet service in Russia. The carrier recently acquired two used CRJ200s as part of its strategy to modernize its fleet, and has indicated a desire to add more of the 50-seat CRJs. The CRJ LRs initially will operate in Russia, Armenia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.
Airport Improvement Program (AIP) project grants issued under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) did not meet all the requirements, said a new report from the Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General (DOT IG). The stimulus funds included $1.1 billion in AIP grants to handle transportation infrastructure projects to provide long-term economic benefits, preserve and create jobs and promote economic recovery.
Hawker Beechcraft employees were warned in a letter last week that more layoffs are coming, because of continued “significant economic challenges” in its worldwide general and business aviation marketplace. “Buyer confidence is low, financing more difficult, and in the U.S., which is our predominant market, business aircraft have been disparaged by our political leadership,” wrote Chairman and CEO Bill Boisture. “These combined factors have significantly reduced demand for our products, and recovery is difficult to forecast with certainty.”
IN THE FACE of increasing criticism, House defense appropriations subcommittee Chairman John Murtha (D-Pa.) last week defended language in the fiscal 2010 defense appropriations bill to increase Air Force funding for executive branch transport aircraft over the Air Force request. House leaders took heat for including up to $200 million for three C-37s (Gulfstream G550s), when the Air Force sought one (BA, Aug. 10/57). The language also called for two additional C-40s (Boeing 737s) over the Air Force request.
