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.commemorative airforce.org
SaferJett has partnered with Hillwood Development to move forward with its plans to build a "center of excellence" for Very Light Jet training at Alliance Airport in Fort Worth, Texas. The company has traditionally focused on crew resource management training for the cargo and corporate aircraft markets, but in 2004 began a transformation from a company that focuses on "soft skills" training to one also involved in full VLJ training, the company said.
Joined Shadin Avionics, St. Louis Park, Minn., as director of engineering. Jamieson has nearly 20 years of engineering experience, previously working for Medtronic and B.F. Goodrich. He will direct the activities of Shadin's engineering department in developing new technologies and products and provide engineering support to the rest of the company's departments.
MACHINISTS UNION MEMBERS at Cessna Aircraft in Wichita, Kan. were scheduled to vote Saturday on a new contract proposal from the company, and it was unclear last week what the outcome would be. Some union members had been outspoken in their opposition to proposed changes in health care coverage and rates, but negotiators reportedly made some changes to the original proposal to give workers more options. The existing contract was due to expire at 12:01 a.m. this morning (Sept. 17). It would require a two-thirds vote by union members to authorize a strike.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection last week released a notice of proposed rulemaking calling for Part 91 aircraft operators to transmit more detailed passenger manifests and other specific information electronically before entering or departing the U.S. (BA, Sept. 10/103). The proposal is part of a "phased approach" to implement increased security for international private aircraft operations, Department of Homeland Security officials said.
THE MALIBU AND MIRAGE will be outfitted with full authority digital engine control (FADEC) units under a retrofit program being conducted by Malibu Power & Propeller International, LLC. FAA recently issued special conditions for modification of the Piper PA-46-310P and PA-46-350P models and is seeking comments by October 12. For more information, contact the FAA's Peter L. Rouse, Aircraft Certification Service, 901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas City, Mo. 64106; phone (816) 329-4135; fax (816) 329-4090.
Promoted to general manager of Landmark Aviation's fixed-base operation in Wichita Falls, Texas. Schledewitz most recently was a customer service representative at the Wichita Falls FBO. Before joining Landmark, she served as a flight officer for DB Aviation and chief pilot for Waukegan Wings.
CF34-8C1/-8C5/-8C5B1/-8E5/-8E5A1 and CF34-10E series engines [Docket No. FAA-2007-29001; Directorate Identifier 2007-NE-36-AD] - This proposal would require a one-time test of the engine's fuel metering units for improperly connected (reversed polarity) input wires to the overspeed solenoid. The FAA issued this proposal to prevent the engine from failing to shutdown as commanded during an overspeed situation, a condition that could lead to uncontained engine failure. The FAA estimates that this proposed AD would affect 1,055 engines installed on airplanes on the U.S.
Clifford Development, the Kalamazoo, Mich., company that is retrofitting Citation II and S/II business jets with Williams International FJ44-3 engines, conducted the first flight of a re-engined Citation II on Sept. 9. During a 20-minute flight from Michigan's Three Rivers Airport, the aircraft reached a maximum airspeed of 170 knots. The initial mission - which was flown by Bill Bartell of Uvalde, Texas and Bob Jackson of Key West, Fla. - was designed to evaluate the operability of all aircraft systems interfaced with the new engines.
Joined the engineering department of Shadin Avionics as a mechanical design engineer. Leung previously was a mechanical engineer with General Dynamics. In his new role with Shadin, Leung will be responsible for designing new products, making improvements to existing products and evaluating products, parts and processes for cost efficiency and reliability.
Named marketing director for Aon Corp., where he is responsible for large aviation accounts placed in the worldwide insurance market, providing placement strategy, retention analysis and marketing support as well as new business production programs. Byers formerly spent nine years with Marsh's Aviation Practice, where he served as managing director.
THE U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION proposal to increase the passenger manifest requirements for private aircraft entering the U.S., and add similar requirements for departing aircraft, is the first of two proposals that the Department of Homeland Security has been working on involving general aviation. Work has been ongoing on a second proposal that is expected to cover aircraft weighing more than 12,500 pounds.
The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association says that the U.S. Coast Guard needs to deal with several technical and policy issues before deciding whether or not to decommission or modernize the service's Long Range Aids to Navigation (LORAN) system, a network of low-frequency navaids that has been operated by the service since World War II.
Hawker Beechcraft Corp. (HBC) recently received orders for 16 new Hawker business jets from operators in the Asia Pacific market. The orders came as the company is increasing its presence in Asia with new sales offices and representatives.
ATR received an order from Indonesian low-cost carrier Batavia Air for 10 new ATR 72-500s and options for up to 10 more. The 74-seat aircraft will be equipped with ATR's "Elegance" cabin, LED lighting, Electronic Flight Bag and other new passenger comfort, communications and navigation equipment. One of the aircraft will be equipped with a Quick Change VIP kit. Deliveries will continue through 2010. ATR has secured orders for 77 new aircraft since the beginning of the year, boosting total sales for ATR aircraft to 914.
DayJet secured Federal Aviation Administration approval to add the Eclipse 500 to its Part 135 certificate, clearing the final regulatory hurdle for the air taxi start-up to begin operations with its growing fleet of Very Light Jets (BA, Aug. 20/71). "This milestone is the culmination of more than five years of dedicated work to develop the world's first fully automated fleet operations system," said Ed Iacobucci, DayJet president and CEO.
A MEMBER of the GEICO Skytypers precision flying unit was killed when his aircraft crashed Friday afternoon near Virginia Beach, Va. while the team was conducting a final rehearsal for an air show at the Oceana Naval Air Station that was set to begin Friday evening. The aircraft burst into flames and it took firefighters about 30 minutes to extinguish the blaze. Officials did not immediately release the identity of the pilot who died. The GEICO Skytypers team performs its routines with six vintage World War SNJ-2 trainers that fly in formation.
There has never been a better chance than now to reform the U.S. export regime, U.S. and foreign officials and experts said Sept. 5. But any change is racing the 2008 elections clock and already faces European and industrial fatigue.
The National Transportation Safety Board last week urged the Federal Aviation Administration to mandate the installation of upgraded emergency locator transmitters as soon as possible. The recommendation stems from the concern that some 180,000 general aviation aircraft use ELTs designed to transmit the analog 121.5 MHz signal to the COSPAS-SARSAT satellite system network. COSPAS-SARSAT, however, will stop processing the 121.5 MHz signals beginning Feb. 1, 2009.
OPPONENTS OF NEW USER FEES are upset that senior FAA officials, including at least some of the agency's regional administrators, have been contacting Members of Congress (MoC) and various airport constituencies warning that failure to enact new FAA reauthorization legislation by the end of the month will result in a rapid shutdown in the flow of grant money for Airport Improvement Program (AIP) projects. Those warnings are being tailored to emphasize the potentially adverse effects on particular projects planned or under way in an MoC's district.
Models 17-30, 17-31, 17-30A, 17-31A and 17-31ATC airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2007-28431; Directorate Identifier 2007-CE-050-AD] - This proposal, which would supersede AD 76-23-03-R1, would reduce the exhaust system inspection interval; require a more detailed inspection of the muffler; and require replacement, reconditioning or repair of the exhaust system if cracks or defects are found. This proposed AD also would require rerouting of the magneto "P" leads.
OCEAN AIRE, based at R.J. Miller Airpark near the New Jersey Coast, completed a new 20,000-square-foot hangar and is offering space for tenants. An Avfuel-branded dealer, Ocean Aire is located between New York City and Philadelphia in Tom's River, N.J. The fixed-base operation provides maintenance, repair and modification and avionics services and operates a flight school. The airport, which has a 6,000-foot runway and full ILS, is planning to complete a new terminal in 2008.
