SEN. SAM BROWNBACK (R-Kan.) last week tried to combat the negative public perception of business aviation with a speech on the Senate floor. “We need to understand who actually uses business aircraft. Business aircraft are not toys used by executives to travel to weekend getaways,” the senator told his colleagues.
The Transportation Security Administration is beginning the process of evaluating the 4,800-plus comments that were flowing into the docket on the controversial Large Aircraft Security Program (LASP) proposal. The comment deadline closed Feb. 27, and TSA received a burst of last-minute comments that ran overwhelmingly against the proposal. The docket continued to grow last week as each comment was cataloged.
Tom Poberezny was named to succeed his father, Paul Poberezny, as chairman of the Experimental Aircraft Association. Paul Poberezny, 87, who founded the association, stepped down as chairman earlier this month. Tom Poberezny will continue as president of the association, in addition to taking on the new duties of chairman, until a successor can be found. Poberezny will work with the board and lead a search for a new president. The new president will be responsible for day-to-day operations of the association as well as for growth of the organization.
AVIDYNE CORPORATION, the Lincoln, Mass. provider of integrated flight deck and safety systems for general aviation aircraft, received a supplemental type certificate for installation of its TWX670 Tactical Lightning Detection System in the Cessna Corvalis (formerly Columbia) 400. The approval follows receipt of an STC in January for installation of the TWX670 in the Cessna 350.
National Air Transportation Association President James Coyne has appealed to President Barack Obama to “stop the populist demonizing” of the business aviation industry at a time when thousands of jobs are at stake. “[Business aviation] is under attack and may soon face economic collapse,” Coyne said in a lengthy, strongly-worded letter sent to Obama last week.
VIKING AIR LIMITED DHC-6-1, -100, -200 and -300 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2008-1267; Directorate Identifier 2008-CE-069-AD; Amendment 39-15815; AD 2009-04-09] – Modify and inspect the wing front spar adapter fitting and replace any cracked fittings, per the instructions of Viking DHC-6 Twin Otter service bulletins V6/540, V6/541 and V6/542 (all dated Oct. 1, 2007) and R.W. Martin, Inc. service bulletin 00160/2, Rev. A (dated Nov. 15, 2007).
To better serve operators in the Asia-Pacific region, Eurocopter is establishing a Customer Service Center (CSC) in Hong Kong. Helicopter CSC Limited will manage the daily operations of CSC Asia-Pacific, together with 12 local professionals. The new service center will eventually take over from the CSC in France all calls from Asia-Pacific customers, which operate more than 1,200 Eurocopters. Customers’ queries range from urgent requests for parts in AOG (aircraft-on-ground) situations to the management of parts-by-the-hour contracts and warranty claims.
Bombardier Aerospace has consolidated its U.S. Learjet, Challenger and Global sales teams into a single unit, led by Brant Dahlfors, vice president-sales. Three newly appointed regional vice presidents will report to him: Scott Westfall will handle the western region; Ed Thomas, the central; and Peter Vasconcelos, the eastern region. Mike Fahey, currently vice president-Learjet sales, takes on additional responsibility for pre-owned aircraft sales worldwide.
The Transportation Security Administration last week notified airport operators that it was extending the compliance date to June 1 for a controversial security directive that calls for badging and background checks for all personnel with access to secure areas of commercial airports. The compliance deadline originally was March 1 for the largest airports and April 30 for others.
GULFSTREAM recently installed the 50th Synthetic Vision-Primary Flight Display (SV-PFD) on a Gulfstream aircraft. The Savannah, Ga. business jet maker began installing the SV-PFD for operators of large-cabin Gulfstream aircraft one year ago. Developed with Honeywell Aerospace, SV-PDF enhances PlaneView flight deck displays to provide a three-dimensional color image of the terrain, overlaid with primary flight display instrument readings.
CAE has partnered with AgustaWestland to provide AgustaWestland AW139 training at the CAE Northeast Training Center in Morristown, N.J. The program will include initial and recurrent training using a Level D-certified AW139 full-flight simulator.
THE HOUSE Transportation & Infrastructure Committee is expected to bring its comprehensive FAA reauthorization bill to a vote on Thursday, but it may be months before the bill makes it through the House and Senate. The Senate is pushing for another short-term extension of FAA authorization, possibly through the end of the year. T&I leaders are open to another extension, but would like the term of the extension to remain as short as possible, a committee aide said.
Aviation groups are hoping to get in front of the wave of environmental initiatives coming up this year by issuing a new policy document, “Aviation and Climate Changes, The Views of Aviation Industry Stakeholders.”
CESSNA AIRCRAFT added three new facilities to its international network of Citation authorized service facilities – FLYINGGROUP in Belgium, TAIKO Jet in Malaysia and JetAlliance Technical Services in Austria. Based at Antwerp International Airport, FLYINGGROUP is authorized to service all Citation models, except the Citation X. Currently, 28 Citations are registered in Belgium. TAIKO Jet, based at Subang Airport in Kuala Lumpur, is approved for Citation 550 and 680 Sovereign models. The Kuala Lumpur region is home to 21 Citations.
Sikorsky combined its commercial businesses under the banner of Sikorsky Global Helicopters, a move the company believes reflects its global expansion efforts. Sikorsky Global Helicopters will encompass units located in Connecticut, New York and Pennsylvania, including Sikorsky S-76, S-92 and H-92 helicopter lines; Schweizer Aircraft’s S-300c, S-300CBi, S-333 and S-434 rotorcraft; and all operations of Keystone Helicopter Corp. and Associated Aircraft Group (AAG).
Key Air -- 80,000 SQ FT OF JET STORAGE AND EXECUTIVE OFFICE SPACE AVAILABLE KEY AIR TWIN CITIES ANE Key Air Twin Cities ANE now has immediate hangar space available in its premier location at Anoka County-Blaine Airport, Minneapolis. There are numerous reasons to select Key Air’s newest full service FBO facility to base your jet: -- Short Term / Long Term Storage -- Only 15 minutes from downtown Minneapolis
Piper Aircraft will shut down its plant for another two weeks in a move to ensure its continued viability. The company announced earlier this month it would close the plant for a week in April and July for all employees without pay (BA, Feb. 16/10). It also furloughed 300 employees “due to lack of work.” Piper now will shut down for a week in May and another week in June, blaming the overall weakness of the economy, the inability of customers to obtain financing and the increase of both new and used aircraft inventory.
FAA scheduled a meeting of the recently formed “NextGen Mid-Term Implementation Task Force” March 4 at the Holiday Inn Capitol in Washington, D.C. FAA asked RTCA to create a task force that would develop an industry consensus for the mid-term goals of the next generation air traffic control system.
MIDCOAST AVIATION’s satellite facility in Teterboro, N.J. was recognized by the Cayman Islands as a certified aviation maintenance organization. The designation authorizes Midcoast Aviation Teterboro to support Cayman CAA-registered aircraft without having to obtain Cayman aircraft-specific, short-term approval. The Midcoast facility is the first Cayman-certified aviation maintenance organization in the U.S.
A footnote buried deep within the Obama administration’s fiscal 2010 budget calls for replacement of “some aviation taxes with direct user charges” beginning in 2011. The budget did not provide specifics, but the charges would appear to raise about $7 billion, the same amount sought by the Bush administration user fee proposal.
KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY’S Advanced Manufacturing Institute, AirLock Aviation Security Systems and Hawker Beechcraft Corp. received a supplemental type certificate from FAA for a new electronic security access system for King Air 200 and 300 series turboprop aircraft. The system will be available through Hawker Beechcraft’s Rapid Aircraft Parts Inventory and Distribution supply network. The AirLock system will provide controlled access to specific areas of an aircraft and an audit trail of all events. AirLock cylinders will replace mechanical locks.
The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association is hoping to attract a broader audience that reaches outside general aviation with its recently announced changes to the format of its annual meeting Nov. 5-7 in Tampa, Fla.
STACIE SOUMBENIOTIS was promoted to deputy chief counsel for the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Soumbeniotis will continue to serve as staff director for the aviation subcommittee and oversee all other issues under the committee’s jurisdiction. She joined the aviation subcommittee in 1999 and was the Democratic staff director since January 2000.
STANDARDAERO developed a new safety initiative, the StandardAero Immune-SMS (Safety Management System), which the company says is designed to focus practices, systems and culture on the common goal of improving flight safety. StandardAero said the programs will act like the human immune system by continually and proactively seeking ways to protect against hazards and unwanted flight-safety consequences. The program exceeds the SMS regulatory requirements that will take effect in Canada and Singapore this year, StandardAero said.
DORON GROSMAN was named president of advanced composites specialist Hexcel Corporation. Grosman most recently was president of Quebecor World’s Magazine Printing Solutions Business. He also held senior executive positions with American Standard Companies and GE Plastics. Hexcel produces lightweight, high-performance structural materials, including carbon fibers, reinforcements for composites, prepregs, honeycomb, matrix systems, adhesives and composite structures used in commercial aerospace, space and defense and industrial applications.
