AVIATION COMMUNICATIONS veteran Andrew Broom is joining the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association as vice president of communications on March 30. Broom previously held senior communications roles with Hawker Beechcraft and Eclipse Aviation. He also has served with the General Aviation Manufacturers Association.
Honeywell has painted a dreary short-term picture for the helicopter market, citing plunging purchase expectations, a severe shortage of credit availability, increased used inventory and dwindling orders. In its 11th Turbine-Power Civil Helicopter Purchase Outlook released during last week’s Heli-Expo, Honeywell said the market could range from 3,500 to 4,500 new units between 2009 and 2013. Fellow engine-maker Rolls-Royce, meanwhile, agreed that the next few years could be troubling for the market, but believes it is poised to grow significantly after 2013.
JOSEPH WENDER joined the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s oversight and investigations staff. Wender formerly was counsel and director of legal affairs for the political consulting group, Grassroots Campaigns. Wender, a 2008 graduate of Harvard Law School, formerly was a law clerk on the Judiciary Committee staff.
THE TURBOPROP market appears to actually be on the upswing in Europe. As the market for air taxis expands in Europe, there could be room for expansion downward into lower-cost (turboprop-based) aircraft, according to a new Eurocontrol report. “In total, we predict a modest 15 percent increase in European turboprop fleet size over the next 10 years, from a base of 700 aircraft in 2007 to 800 turboprop aircraft in 2018-19,” Eurocontrol said.
New Eclipse Acquisition LLC, a start-up company founded by Phil Friedman of Wichita-based Harlow Aerostructures, Friday announced plans to bid for the assets of bankrupt Eclipse Aviation during its upcoming Chapter 7 liquidation auction. Eclipse Aviation officials have given up on attempting to resurrect the bankrupt firm by means of Chapter 11 reorganization and instead filed a motion to proceed directly to Chapter 7 liquidation of all assets.
FLEXJET is mulling entering joint ventures and partnerships to expand service to Mexico, Canada and Europe, according to President Fred Reid, but no final decisions have been made. “We also hope to finally set course on our fleet diversification,” he added.
ROLLS-ROYCE DEUTSCHLAND BR700-715A1-30, BR700-715B1-30 and BR700-715C1-30 engines [Docket No. FAA-2007-0169; Directorate Identifier 2007-NE-45-AD; Amendment 39-15819; AD 2009-04-13] – Amend the “Airworthiness Limitations” section of the “Time Limits Manual” by reducing the rating for the low-pressure compressor disc assembly from 33,000 to 25,000 flight cycles. Remove any compressor fan disc assembly from service if it has exceeded the new, lower approved-life limit.
SUPERSONIC TECHNOLOGY ADVANCES will be the subject of a panel discussion that is scheduled to take place on Sunday, March 1 in Palm Springs, Calif. During the symposium, FAA officials will discuss promising new research that indicates it may be possible to mitigate the effects of sonic booms caused by supersonic aircraft, thus opening the door for possible development of new supersonic aircraft that could be considered “environmentally acceptable” to operate over land.
MIDCOAST AVIATION has opened a new 18,000-square-foot technology center and a 7,200-square-foot green completions delivery center at its facilities at St. Louis Downtown Airport. The delivery center, housed within Midcoast’s new 145,000-square-foot hangar that was completed in October, includes a lounge, customer offices, briefing rooms and access to aircraft. The technology center will consolidate Midcoast’s engineering and certification staff of 140 under one roof. An affiliate of Jet Aviation, Midcoast employs more than 2,000 people at the St.
Ametek expanded its repair services portfolio with the acquisition of High Standard Aviation, which specializes in electrical/electromechanical, hydraulic and pneumatic repair services. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. Based in Miami, High Standard Aviation provides Ametek a gateway into the Latin American market as well as strengthens Ametek’s presence in the Southeast U.S.
THOMAS CARTER joined aerospace electronics manufacturer Elbit Systems of America as vice president, government relations. He has more than 20 years of government, government relations and congressional liaison experience, holding posts with the White House, U.S. Senate and Department of Defense. He formerly was deputy assistant secretary of defense, legislative affairs, and senior counselor to the Coalition Provisional Authority for Legislative Affairs, Baghdad, Iraq. Most recently he was the president of Commonwealth Consulting Corporation.
BARCO entered into an agreement with Honeywell to supply custom-built avionics displays as part of an upgrade program for Falcon 900 jets. Barco will supply DU-875 display technology for the Honeywell Primus 2000XP flight deck. The agreement marks the 80th reference platform for Barco displays. The displays will accommodate options such as XM graphical weather, Jeppesen charts, maps and video. Barco designs and develops visualization products for a variety of markets.
SAAB 340A and 340B airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2009-0134; Directorate Identifier 2008-NM-162-AD] – This proposed rule would require operators to replace certain hydraulic accumulators with a new, modified hydraulic accumulator, per the instructions of Saab Service Bulletin 340-29-023 (dated June 10, 2008). 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.
SABRELINER CORPORATION has provided more than 200 “tactical VIP kits” for Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk military helicopters since winning approval a year ago to provide the custom-designed seat cushions with memory foam and skirts, floor covers and stainless steel thresholds.
JetDirect Holdings, LLC last week signed an agreement to sell substantially all of the assets of JetDirect Aviation to a new entity, JDA Acquisition Corp., which is owned by a new investor group led by Brantley Partners of Beachwood, Ohio. The new owners intend to continue operating the company under its existing aviation service model, JetDirect said. The sale is expected to close in early March. JetDirect also is selling California-based Sunset and Florida-based Presidential Jets back to the original ownership groups.
AVFUEL CORPORATION added Havasu Air Center in Lake Havasu City, Ariz., to its branded dealer network. The family-owned and operated fixed-based operation includes a 5,500-square-foot terminal and 100,000-square-foot executive hangar. The FBO recently added a new weather awning and is equipped with a range of amenities such as a private pilot lounge, snooze rooms, conference room and a movie theater. The FBO is a certified Enterprise Rental Car location.
NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD Member Steven R. Chealander is resigning from the board Feb. 28 to join Miami-based Airbus-Americas on March 9 as vice president of technical training. More than 3,000 aircrew members from North and Latin America train at the 100,000-square-foot Miami facility. Chealander, who was appointed to the board in early 2007, has served as official NTSB on-site representative in major accident probes, including the Feb. 12 crash of Colgan Air Flight 3407 in Buffalo, N.Y. His term as a member expired on Dec.
NATIONAL BUSINESS AVIATION ASSOCIATION last week presented the first two Donald A. Baldwin Sr. Business Aviation Scholarships during the association’s Leadership Conference held in New Orleans, La. The scholarships will be awarded annually in coordination with the family of the late Donald A. Baldwin Sr. to individuals seeking to become NBAA Certified Aviation Managers. Baldwin had served on the board of directors from 1968 to 1971 and won NBAA’s John P. Jack Doswell Award in 1992 and the Flight Safety Foundation Business Aviation Meritorious Service Award in 1991.
SIKORSKY has a new five-year contract with Union Local 1150 of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, which represents 5,100 hourly employees at the company’s Stratford, Bridgeport and Shelton, Conn., and West Palm Beach, Fla., facilities. Laurie Havanec, Sikorsky’s vice president of human resources, said, “The long-term labor stability this five-year agreement provides will be beneficial for our employees and our customers in these challenging economic times.”
ROLLS-ROYCE AE 3007A1E and AE 1107C engines [Docket No. FAA-2008-0230; Directorate Identifier 2007-NE-24-AD; Amendment 39-15809; AD 2009-04-03] – Requires removing from service certain second-stage, third-stage and fourth-stage compressor wheels, compressor cone shaft assemblies and first-to-second-stage turbine spacers at new, reduced-life limits. This AD results from the manufacturer applying an updated service-life methodology to the affected parts.
Cutter Aviation this month accepted the final Beechcraft aircraft to be dealer sold, ending a 63-year relationship as a Beechcraft dealer. Hawker Beechcraft late last year decided to dissolve its dealer network and sell all new aircraft factory-direct.
ELLIOTT AVIATION secured supplemental type approval from the Brazilian aviation authority, Agencia Nacional de Aviacao Civil, for an RVSM upgrade on Beechcraft King Air B200, 300 and 350 series aircraft. Elliott previously had achieved STC approval for the King Air RVSM upgrade from FAA and the European Aviation Safety Agency.
AIRCRAFT OWNERS AND PILOTS ASSOCIATION promoted Bruce Landsberg to president of the AOPA Air Safety Foundation. Landsberg formerly served as executive director. AOPA said the promotion recognizes his 17 years with the foundation. “During his time at the Air Safety Foundation, Bruce has shown tremendous capability to develop industry-leading safety training programs and to raise the money necessary to provide those programs free of charge to all pilots,” said AOPA President Craig Fuller.
DELTA AIRELITE BUSINESS JETS has signed a deal with the new Four Seasons Residence Club Vail to market its Fleet Membership jet card program for purchase on an hourly basis to potential buyers. Club Vail will offer fractional ownership in private residences and is scheduled to open by the end of the year.
KANSAS CITY, MO. Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport (MKC) continued its redevelopment efforts with the groundbreaking for the construction of a new 91,000-square-foot Hangar 10 aviation services complex. Designed by Atlanta, Ga.-based Dye Aviation Facilities, Hangar 10 will be situated on 10 acres at the northwest end of the airfield. The project includes a reinforced ramp area to accommodate large transport-sized business aircraft such as the Boeing BBJ.
