AVIATION EXCISE TAXES on fuel, passenger tickets and freight waybills are due to expire today (Oct. 1) absent last-minute congressional action. The House last week approved a three-month extension of the aviation taxes while Congress continues negotiations on a comprehensive aviation reauthorization/tax bill. The Senate, however, had not acted on the bill as of late Friday afternoon.
FOKKER SERVICES recently delivered an executive conversion of a Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet. The makeover entailed removing the entire airline interior and installing a three-cabin executive suite with 21 seats, new sidewall and ceiling panels, soundproofing materials, a SATCOM unit and in-flight entertainment and cabin management systems. Fokker Services designed the executive interior, and the conversion was performed at the company's completion center at Woensdrecht in the south of the Netherlands.
CHINA WILL TAKE THREE AVANTI II aircraft under a $21 million contract signed recently between Piaggio Aero Industries and Sino Europe Aircraft Limited, the first Chinese customer for Piaggio Aero. Sino Europe Aircraft, through its association with Beijing PanAm International Aviation Academy, will promote, operate and service Piaggio P.180s in the region. The first Avanti II, to be delivered in the second quarter of 2008, will be used in government search and rescue operations. The other two Avanti IIs will be delivered in 2009 to Beijing PanAm Aviation Academy.
SF340A and 340B airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2007-29248; Directorate Identifier 2007-NM-155-AD] - This proposed AD would require operators to revise the "Airworthiness Limitations" section of the "Instructions for Continued Airworthiness" to incorporate new limitations on the fuel tank system. This proposed AD results from an MCAI originated by the European Aviation Safety Agency. The FAA estimates that this proposal would affect 144 aircraft on the U.S. Registry and cost U.S. operators a total of $11,520, or $80 per airplane.
October 4-6 - AOPA Expo Convention and Trade Show, Hartford Convention Center, Hartford, Conn., www.aopa.org/expo October 6-7 - Commemorative Air Force Wings Over Houston Airshow, Houston, Texas. Contact Kay Crites at (432) 563-1000, Ext. 2231 or www.commemorative airforce.org October 8-11 - CAE International Flight Simulator Engineering &Maintenance Conference, Hilton Montreal Bonaventure, Montreal, Quebec (410) 266-2008 or [email protected]
AIRCELL partnered with Thrane & Thrane to develop a product that will bring Inmarsat's Swiftbroadband service to the business aviation product. The product, which is slated to reach the market by the end of 2008, will be based on the Thrane & Thrane Aero SB Lite unit and will be marketed through the Air Cell dealer network. The unit, which will be compatible with the AirCell Axxess system, will provide inflight voice and data connections at up to 432 kbps per channel.
A RE-ENGINED KING AIR B200 is to be delivered next month by Blackhawk Modifications. The first B200 Super XPR, which was developed in conjunction with Raisbeck Engineering, incorporates factory-new Pratt & Whitney PT6A-61 engines and Raisbeck's EPIC performance package. The modified aircraft features improved takeoff, climb and cruise performance, including cruise speeds of up to 305 knots.
Named to the newly created position of vice president-strategic projects for FirstFlight. Lee will focus on business development and expansion opportunities for FirstFlight's charter, aircraft management, and maintenance services in the Washington, D.C. area. He formerly was responsible for Washington-area operations and business development for SportsFlight Air. Before that, Lee held senior program manager positions for Twenty Four Seven Solutions, Inc. and Computer Sciences Corporation/DynCorp.
SUPPORT FOR PIAGGIO P-180S will be enhanced thanks to recent agreements between Piaggio Aero and two key suppliers. An Avanti II simulator is to be installed at FlightSafety International's West Palm Beach, Fla. Learning Center in 2008. Separately, Landmark Aviation of Greensboro, N.C. has been designated an authorized service center for the Avanti II.
UPCOMING EVENTS September 25-27 -- National Business Aviation Association 60th Annual Meeting & Convention, Atlanta, Ga., (202) 783-9000 October 4-6 -- AOPA Expo Convention and Trade Show, Hartford Convention Center, Hartford, Conn., www.aopa.org/expo October 6-7 -- Commemorative Air Force Wings Over Houston Airshow, Houston, Texas. Contact Kay Crites at (432) 563-1000, Ext. 2231 or www.commemorativeairforce.org
PENTASTAR AVIATION'S newest fixed-base operation at Van Nuys Airport in California has joined the Avfuel dealer network and will offer the AVTRIP pilot incentive program. Waterford, Mich.-based Pentastar announced late last year that it was adding a new base at Van Nuys. The company has been renovating an existing facility situated on a 13-acre tract at the airport. In the interim Pentastar will provide full FBO services from a temporary facility that is equipped with conference rooms, offices, flight planning tools and other customer amenities.
Hill Aircraft & Leasing Corp., the 52-year-old fixed-base operation at Atlanta's Fulton County Airport (FTY), announced new roles for members of its executive team. Guy Hill, Jr. was serving as president of the company, but now he is chairman of the board and chief executive officer. Larry Westbrook, a Georgia native who has spent his entire career at Hill since joining the company in 1981, was named president. Mark Fields, who has an extensive background in accounting, finance and business management, was promoted to vice president.
The House last week called for expanding drug and alcohol testing requirements to aviation maintenance personnel employed by foreign repair stations that work on U.S. air carrier aircraft. The measure, sponsored by Rep. Ted Poe (R-Texas), was one of eight amendments adopted by the House Thursday during consideration of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2007, H.R.2881.
ECLIPSE AVIATION, which won type certification for the Eclipse 500 Very Light Jet a year ago (BA, Oct. 9/160), is still struggling to achieve sustainable, high-rate production of the VLJ. By mid-September, Eclipse had delivered only about 50 airplanes, far below early projections. At the beginning of the year, Eclipse President Vern Raburn said the company would deliver about 100 aircraft through April and a total of 500 by the end of 2007 (BA, Jan. 8/16).
THE FAA REAUTHORIZATION BILL passed by the House last week would overturn a controversial two-year-old tax law designed to guard against fuel tax fraud. The existing law requires that jet fuel - currently taxed at 21.8 cents per gallon - be taxed at the highway diesel fuel rate - 24.3 cents per gallon - to keep truckers from attempting to avoid the higher tax on diesel by using aviation-grade kerosene in their rigs. Approved aviation fuel vendors who are able to demonstrate the fuel actually was used for aviation purposes can apply for a refund of the difference.
THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD signed on as a partner in Bombardier's Safety Standdown 2007 scheduled for Oct. 22-25 in Wichita, Kan. Bombardier also has partnered with the National Business Aviation Association and the Federal Aviation Administration to host the event, which is now in its 11th year. The Safety Standdown will provide a series of workshops and training sessions covering a number of areas, such as maintenance management, CPR/AED training, crew member medical emergencies, ditching and water egress, and international procedures.
SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT opened a renovated facility at Le Bourget Airport in Paris. The facility, newly renamed Signature Le Terminal, incorporates a number of upgrades including new passenger lounges that provide panoramic views of the airport, work and rest areas for the crew, a private bar, dedicated concierge service and a car park. The five-story complex also includes almost 26,000 square feet of hangar space.
Arriel 2B1 engines [Docket No. FAA-2007-27009; Directorate Identifier 2007-NE-02-AD; Amendment 39-15200; AD 2007-19-09] - This AD requires initial and repetitive replacement of the HMU with a serviceable one every 1,500 hours of time in service. The directive, which supersedes AD 2007-03-14 (dated February 2, 2007), is designed to prevent rupture of the delta pressure valve diaphragms, which could cause a forced autorotation landing or an accident. This AD becomes effective October 3.
Recently rejoined Gulfstream Aerospace as sales director, new business, Northeast, and will oversee sales of all six Gulfstream business jet models to customers in that region of the country. Guerin has more than 20 years of sales experience, seven of which involved selling aviation products and services. He was a Gulfstream sales director in 2003-2004 and also held sales posts with fractional operators Flight Options in Cleveland, Ohio and Flexjet in Dallas, Texas.
SKY CONNECT was selected to provide its Iridium-based voice and tracking communication equipment on Air Methods aircraft. Sky Connect will supply its TRACKER system, which will allow helicopter dispatchers to follow aircraft in real time. The system provides position, altitude, airspeed and heading data along with other selected operational status reports. Air Methods provides air medical services in 42 states.
NetJets, Inc., the world's largest fractional aircraft operator, is launching a "multifaceted initiative to address the environmental impact of the company's flights and other operations" and strengthen its response "to climate change and other environmental challenges."
SPOKANE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT dedicated a new 20,000-square-foot facility Thursday that will house Absolute Aviation Services and Empire Airlines, a major FedEx subcontractor that operates a fleet of 54 turboprops, including 34 Cessna Caravans and 14 ATR42/72 transports.
