CESSNA AIRCRAFT, which has a long tradition of developing new aircraft models in house rather than through acquisition, was believed to be in serious negotiations last week to acquire Columbia Aircraft Manufacturing Corp. Columbia produces eight different versions of two models, the Columbia 350, which is powered by a normally aspirated piston engine, and the Columbia 400 series, powered by intercooled, twin-turbocharged engines. Cessna's current single-engine models - the 172, 182 and 206 - are based on decades-old designs and technology.
ORGANIZERS of the Farnborough International Airshow claim exhibit sales for the 2008 event are up 35 percent, compared with the same time two years ago in advance of the 2006 show. At the current rate of bookings, organizers say exhibit space could be sold out in October. For more information, contact www.farnborough.com.
FIRSTFLIGHT, the Elmira, N.Y.-based aviation services company, relocated its Teterboro, N.J. sales office to the Atlantic Aviation facility at Teterboro Airport. The arrangement with Atlantic will include hangar space availability, negotiated fleet fuel pricing, and on-site maintenance capabilities. FirstFlight, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary, employs more than 100 people at its locations in Elmira/Corning, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Pa., Garden City, Kan. and Teterboro.
PIAGGIO is claiming a speed record for its P.180 Avanti II for a flight from Indianapolis to Atlanta. The aircraft, powered by upgraded Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) PT6-66B turboprops, flew 397 nautical miles from Indianapolis to DeKalb Peachtree Airport in one hour and nine minutes, averaging a ground speed of 345 knots, the manufacturer said. Piaggio said the Avanti and Avanti II collectively hold 18 speed records. The Atlanta trip was the first attempt at a speed record involving an Avanti II with upgraded engines, the manufacturer said.
Named vice president of sales for in-flight entertainment specialist digEcor. Christiansen has 18 years of international sales, marketing and business development experience in the computer industry. He served as vice president of global sales and marketing for Certiport and director of strategic alliances for SCO Group. Christiansen also spent seven years in product management and software development with WordPerfect and Novell.
UTILICRAFT AEROSPACE INDUSTRIES signed a contract with M7 Aerospace LP of San Antonio, Texas for the design and development of the pre-production prototype wing and powerplant installation for Utilicraft's new FF-1080 new freight feeder aircraft. The FF-1080-200 is a high-wing, twin-engine turboprop designed to carry eight fully loaded LD3 cargo containers up to 500 nautical miles, or lighter loads over ranges of up to 2,000 nautical miles. The aircraft will be powered by Pratt & Whitney Canada PW 127G engines.
Henry P. Krakowski, a veteran United Airlines pilot and operations executive, was named chief operating officer of FAA's Air Traffic Organization (ATO) Monday, ending a search that began nearly seven months ago when Russ Chew resigned from the COO job to take a senior executive post with JetBlue. FAA Deputy Administrator Bobby Sturgell will continue to serve as acting COO of the air traffic organization until Krakowski comes aboard next week.
MATT WEISMAN, who founded Executive Air Fleet in the 1970s and was a major player in the charter business for many years, is now president of a company selling a new aircraft paint protection system. Weisman co-founded Atlanta-based CareJet Services, which is promoting a new polymer paint protection system developed by Dow Corning and ProguardPlus. Weisman's partner in CareJet Services is Dassault Falcon veteran Jean-Claude Biget, who is president of CareJet Services SAS, which is based at Le Bourget Airport in Paris.
ACTING FAA ADMINISTRATOR Bobby Sturgell, local politicians and airport officials dedicated a new control tower at Dulles International Airport (IAD) last Monday. The new facility stands more than 10 stories tall, providing controllers a 360-degree view of the airfield and aircraft movement areas. Sturgell noted that the new tower is a key part of the airport's development, with a third parallel runway at IAD expected to come on line in late 2008 or early 2009.
Appointed director of North American Airline Sales for digEcor. He previously was director - commercial aviation sales and business development for VT Miltope Corp. Before that Kendrick was national accounts manager for Verizon Airfone and manager of sales and marketing for Panasonic Avionics (formerly Matsushita), where he managed Delta Airlines' on-board entertainment and telephone systems.
INNOTECH AVIATION has begun construction of a 41,000-square-foot, two-bay hangar that will house a state-of-the-art paint facility. The hangar, being built on Montreal's Pierre Trudeau International (Dorval) Aircraft, will be large enough to accept business jets as large as the Bombardier Global Express XRS. The new paint facility, expected to be operational by spring, "is uniquely designed to ventilate and spray with a nose-to-tail cross-draft," explained Rob Brooks, vice president and general manager.
JETALLIANCE, Cessna Aircraft's authorized sales representative for Russia and Eastern Europe, placed an order valued at $105 million for 10 Citation business jets. The order includes one CJ1+, two CJ2+, two CJ3, three XLS+ and two Sovereign business jets. JetAlliance, based in Vienna, Austria, ordered 25 Citations valued at $280 million this spring (BA, May 28/243). In addition to serving as Cessna's authorized representative, JetAlliance is the third largest charter operator Europe.
Promoted to environmental safety manager for Jet Source of Carlsbad, Calif. A pilot for 20 years, Scott also has worked in the aviation industry for more than 14 years focusing on aviation management, safety and security. He holds a number of industry certifications in safety procedures. In his new post, Scott will oversee issues associated with hazardous waste disposal and Occupational Safety and Health Administration work site safety requirements, as well as implementing "Safety in the Workplace" training for all Jet Source employees.
FlightSafety International (FSI) plans to open a new training center next year in Lafayette, La. to serve the large number of helicopters operating to oil and gas rigs within the Gulf of Mexico. FSI said the 70,000-square-foot center will be able to accommodate up to eight full-flight simulators. It also will feature advanced technology training devices, customer service areas and MATRIX equipped classrooms.
Falcon 50, Falcon 900, Falcon 900EX, Falcon 2000 and Falcon 2000EX airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2007-29175; Directorate Identifier 2007-NM-134-AD] - This proposed AD would require operators to verify the correct assembly of the flap rotating rods and associated retaining brackets installed in the left-hand and right-hand wing root compartment and in the left-hand and right-hand main landing gear compartment. It also would require inspections of the rods for damage, and if damage is found, replacement of any damaged rods prior to further flight.
SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT acquired fixed-base operations at Liege Airport (LGG) in Belgium and at Thessaloniki Airport in Greece, bringing the company's global FBO network to 82 locations in the U.S., Europe, Latin America, Africa and Asia.
Cessna Aircraft last week broke ground on a new building that will be part of a $24 million project to expand aircraft subassembly work at its Columbus, Ga. location. The 100,000-square-foot building, which is scheduled to be completed in August 2008, will be the third Cessna building in Columbus.
LOCKHEED MARTIN expanded its operations in Chantilly, Va. opening a new office to support the company's government customers. Lockheed expects to employ some 600 workers at the six-story, 145,000-square-foot building. The facility will house the company's Information Systems & Global Services business.
Production workers represented by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers at Cessna's Wichita, Kan. manufacturing facilities approved a new three-year labor contract, despite earlier rallies by union members opposed to the new agreement (BA, Sept. 17/115).
(FORMERLY EAGLE AIRCRAFT) Eagle 150B airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2007-28957; Directorate Identifier 2007-CE-069-AD] - Following the instructions contained in CTRM Aviation Mandatory Service Bulletin SB 1126 (dated July 19, 2007), this proposed AD would require operators to inspect the flap hinges and flap-hinge support brackets for corrosion. If corrosion is found, operators would need to take corrective action before further flight.
