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.
Business jet operators are facing a 14-cents-per-gallon jump in jet fuel taxes under separate measures passed by the full House and the Senate Finance Committee, but the general aviation community lauded legislators in both chambers for pushing forward measures that would maintain the current system of fuel taxes instead of incorporating new user fees.
TAC AIR is expanding its hangar space at two of its fixed-base operations to meet the demand from the growing general aviation population. The company is adding a 25,000-square-foot hangar at its facility at Tyson-McGhee Airport (TYS) in Knoxville, Tenn. and a 35,000-squre-foot hangar at Centennial Airport (APA) near Denver, Colo. The TYS hangar is scheduled for completion by the end of the year. Construction on the APA hangar will begin soon and be completed in spring 2008.
TAC AIR is expanding its network of fixed-base operations with an agreement to purchase the assets of Southern Jet of Raleigh-Durham, N.C. (RDU). The deal is expected to close Oct. 1, bringing TAC Air its first FBO in North Carolina. The addition will increase the TAC Air chain to 12 FBOs.
Named program administrator for initial phase certification for the Gulfstream Designated Certification Office (GDCO) at Gulfstream Aerospace. She will be responsible for ensuring compliance with FAA guidelines for aircraft configuration changes made in the initial phase of manufacturing that affect the model's type certificate. The GDCO oversees all Organizational Designation Authorization (ODA), including efforts to obtain Production, Type and Supplemental Type Certificates from FAA.
Promoted to executive vice president, policy and external affairs, for Airports Council International - North America (ACI-NA). McElroy joined the airports trade association as senior vice president late last year after spending nearly 20 years with the Regional Airline Association, where she was president from 2000 until her resignation. At ACI-NA, McElroy oversees management of the organization's Government Affairs Department and the efforts of lobbying firm Van Scoyoc Associates, Inc. on behalf of ACI-NA.
ITT CORP., which just won the contract to develop the Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast system for the Next Generation air traffic control system, said last week it will buy EDO Corp., another aerospace and defense company, for $1.7 billion in stock purchases and debt. ITT said the acquisition will position it to play an important role in a number of key U.S. military programs.
The recently formed Sentient Flight Group promoted Steven Hankin to chief executive succeeding Greg Campbell, who will remain as chairman of the aviation services company. Hankin had served as president and chief operating officer of the company formed in April 2007 through the merger of JetDirect Aviation and Sentient Jet.
Honeywell is predicting that business jet manufacturers will deliver some 14,000 new aircraft valued at more than $233 billion from 2007 through 2017 as OEMs gear up to produce unprecedented numbers of high-value aircraft each year for the foreseeable future.
400, 400A and 400T airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2007-28308; Directorate Identifier 2007-NM-016-AD; Amendment 39-15195; AD 2007-19-05] - Modify the attachment fasteners on the engine cowling panels in accordance with Raytheon Service Bulletin SB 54-3788 (dated December 2006). The FAA issued this AD to prevent failure of the attachment fasteners on the engine cowling panels, which could result in separation of a panel from the airplane, injury to people or damage to property on the ground, or damage to airplane structure that could threaten safe flight.
