Was appointed chief financial officer of Executive Jet Management. Smith previously was senior vice president, financial planning and analysis for NetJets. He has more than 22 years of finance and accounting experience, serving in the aviation, consumer products, retail and public accounting markets.
PRATT & WHITNEY completed assembly of a full-scale geared turbofan engine at the company's Engine Center in Middletown, Conn. and shipped it to P&W's Advanced Test Facility in West Palm Beach, Fla. The engine is expected to begin ground testing in Florida early this month. "This is an exciting time at Pratt & Whitney," said Bob Saia, vice president of the Next Generation Product Family.
NASA will release aviation incident data gleaned from a controversial pilot survey that the agency originally decided not to provide, NASA's top official told Congress Oct. 31, but the scrubbing process required by law could take up to two months. "The survey results that we can legally release will be released. Period," NASA Administrator Mike Griffin told the House Science and Technology Committee during a hearing into the two-year delay in making the $11 million survey's results public.
Model 525, 525A and 525B airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2007-28956; Directorate Identifier 2007-CE-068-AD] - This proposed AD would require operators to disable the cockpit-mounted pilot relief tube and inspect the lower wing skin structure, forward wing spar, lower fuselage skin, fairings and the external fairing frames for corrosion. If any corrosion damage were to be found, repairs would need to be made, including application of a corrosion inhibitive sealant to the fuselage fairings before reinstalling them.
ERJ 170 and ERJ 190 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2007-0082; Directorate Identifier 2007-NM-219-AD] - Remove the wiring connections from Pins 51 and 52 in the electrical connectors of both inertial reference units (IRUs) in accordance with the instructions contained in the applicable Embraer service bulletin (either 170-34-0019 or 190-34-0009, both of which are dated February 26, 2007). This proposed AD resulted from an MCAI originated by the ANAC, the aviation authority for Brazil.
JEAN-PIERRE MORTEUX, the president and CEO of CMC Electronics, Inc., was elected chairman of the Aerospace Industries Association of Canada (AIAC) at the organization's annual general meeting last month. The AIAC represents the interests of some 400 companies across Canada. With annual revenues of $22 billion, Canada's aerospace industry is the largest outside the U.S. and Europe, ranking fourth in output following the U.S., the United Kingdom and France. The aerospace industry employs more than 79,000 Canadians.
FAA's DECISION to issue an emergency revocation of AMI Jet Charter's Part 135 certificate has been widely criticized within the aviation community, but FAA isn't backing down. "This case sends a clear message that the FAA will act when it finds evidence that any air carrier is engaged in the franchising or rental of its air carrier certificate," said Nicholas Sabatini, FAA associate administrator for Aviation Safety, in an Oct. 31 press release issued by the agency.
EMBRAER created a new Environmental Strategies and Technologies Office designed to integrate and expand the company's environmental initiatives, the Brazilian plane maker said. Satoshi Yokota, Embraer executive vice president, strategic planning and technology, will head the new office and, Graciliano Campos has been named director, environmental strategies and technologies, reporting to Yokota. The office will develop strategies for reducing the environmental impact of its production processes and manufactured products.
Joined Schubach Aviation as general manager. Irwin will be responsible for day-to-day management and business development of the Carlsbad, Calif.-based charter operator. He has more than 30 years of aviation experience in sales, marketing, management and as a pilot. Most recently he was general manager of West Coast Charters in Orange County, Calif. and before that, director of sales and marketing at JetCorp in St. Louis, Mo.
EMB-135BJ, -135ER, -135KE, -135KL, -135LR, -145, -145ER, -145MR, -145LR, -145XR, -145MP and -145EP airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2007-0083; Directorate Identifier 2006-NM-266-AD] - Inspect the engine anti-icing system valves and tubes to detect damage and, if necessary, replace the valves. This proposed AD, which resulted from an MCAI originated by the ANAC, the aviation authority for Brazil, was prompted by several occurrences of engine anti-ice system valve failure in which the valve spring seat broke and obstructed the anti-ice system venturi tube.
ROBESON COMMUNITY COLLEGE and the UND Aerospace Foundation celebrated the opening Oct. 29 of a new 8,000-square-foot hangar at the Lumberton, N.C. Municipal Airport (LBT), which will house classrooms, offices and a state-of-the-art flight simulator. The two schools partnered last year to provide collegiate flight training to meet the growing demands for new pilots and other aviation professionals.
A NEW SURFACE OVERLAY designed to reduce weather-related crashes on roads and bridges was to be installed for the first time at an airport in the Lower 48 states beginning last week. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is testing the overlay on a service ramp and bridge used to transport baggage at Newark Liberty International Airport. Called SafeLane, the overlay acts like a rigid sponge, storing an anti-icing chemical applied during storms. SafeLane automatically releases the chemical as snow and ice develop, thereby helping prevent frost or ice from forming.
Model 172R and 172S airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2007-29138; Directorate Identifier 2007-CE-073-AD] - This proposed AD would require operators to inspect the fuel return line assembly for chafing; replace the assembly if chafing is found; and inspect the clearance between the assembly and the right steering tube assembly and the airplane structure, adjusting the fuel return line as necessary.
China's Civil Aviation Administration (CAAC) has selected Sensis Corp. for an important satellite navigation pilot project at two Chinese airports, which could be a precursor to nationwide deployment of an automatic dependent surveillance - broadcast (ADS-B) system.
Bombardier Aerospace will build a new Learjet model for the midsize business jet market, the company announced last week, but officials provided few details about the new airplane.
BRISTOW GROUP, which provides helicopter services to the offshore energy industry, signed a definitive agreement to sell its Grasso Production Management (GPM) business to Production Services Network Limited to $22.5 million. GPM is a contract operator of oil and gas productions facilities in the Gulf of Mexico. Bristow said the sale of GPM would make the company "a pure play in helicopter services."
FIRSTFLIGHT expanded its charter fleet in Florida with the addition of a Hawker 800 based in Stuart. The aircraft is configured to seat eight passengers and is equipped with Airshow, CD player, a warming oven and additional baggage space. FirstFlight is based at Elmira/Corning Regional Airport in New York with charter sales offices in Teterboro. "We have targeted the Florida market for expansion," said FirstFlight President John Dow, "and the Hawker meets the needs of a broad range of travelers in the area."
ALONG WITH Chertoff, the NATA Roundtable will include sessions with a number of senior government officials including Transportation Secretary Mary Peters, FAA acting Administrator Robert Sturgell and two members of the National Transportation Safety Board - Vice Chairman Robert Sumwalt and Deborah Hersman - among others, although Sumwalt was dispatched Friday to Mississippi to oversee the investigation of a gas pipeline explosion.
SOUTHWEST JET AVIATION added an Astra business jet to its charter fleet. The 2,700-nautical-mile Astra will be based at Southwest Jet Aviation's corporate offices at Scottsdale Municipal Airport in Arizona. The latest addition brings Southwest Jet Aviation's charter fleet to 10 aircraft. The aircraft interior was reconfigured to match those being installed in Gulfstream G150 business jets, a wider-body successor to the Astra. Southwest Jet Aviation's new addition can seat seven passengers, and includes a four-place club seating area, galley area and private lavatory.
HAWKER BEECHCRAFT CORP. said late Friday it is exploring the possible sale of its U.S. fuel and line service operations and has retained Harris Williams to serve as its financial advisor and assist in the process. HBC recently sold its aircraft management and charter unit to Sentient Flight Group (BA, Oct. 29/191). HBC said it does plan to retain its Hawker Beechcraft Services maintenance and customer support facilities at the seven locations where the fueling operations may be sold.
Was named Six Sigma principal and safety coordinator for The NORDAM Group. Gardner will implement Six Sigma and Lean business initiatives at NORDAM's Transparency Division. He also will serve as safety coordinator for the unit. Gardner previously was operations manager for NORDAM Transparency Europe Ltd. in Manchester, United Kingdom. He joined NORDAM in 2004 as a production supervisor within the Interiors and Structures Division.
HAWKER BEECHCRAFT CORP. is still waiting for an FAA Production Certificate for the Hawker 4000, nearly a year after the Wichita, Kan. manufacturer won FAA type certification for its top-of-the-line, composite-fuselage aircraft (BA, Nov. 27/241). HBC needs the PC to enable it to ramp up production of the Hawker 4000, which was introduced at the NBAA convention in 1996. A spokesman for the manufacturer told BA last week the company hopes to receive the PC before the end of the year.
