FIXED-BASE OPERATOR Business Jet Center, which began operations a decade ago in temporary quarters at Dallas Love Field, is celebrating its 10th anniversary at the airport after investing more than $20 million in a building and expansion program. The facility now covers 24 acres and includes more than 200,000 square feet of hangar, terminal and office space, 13 acres of concrete ramp and an underground fuel farm. BJC said it is pumping nearly 30 percent of the fuel sold at Love, where it is one of seven FBOs on the field.
Was promoted to executive vice president of finance and administration for the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. Formerly senior vice president, Myers is responsible for membership marketing in addition to serving as the chief financial officer for AOPA. Myers joined AOPA in 1982 in the Accounting Department. Before that, he served as an accountant with Fedders Corporation.
Was appointed chief operating officer for Avidyne Corp. Herguth joins Avidyne from Planar Systems, where he most recently was vice president and general manager of the Medical Business Unit. He also was general manager of the Laboratory and Medication Management Systems unit at GE Healthcare. While at GE he helped integrate recently acquired businesses within the healthcare information technology market.
THE U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PATROL sent a proposal to the Office of Management and Budget on Wednesday that would expand certain notification requirements for private aircraft arriving and departing the United States. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, who testified before the House Committee on Homeland Security the same day, said the CBP is hoping to release the proposal this month. "Currently we only receive very basic information from private aircraft entering the U.S.," Chertoff said in his written statement.
AMERICAN EUROCOPTER recently finalized a 15-year lease for more than 80,000 square feet of space at the Dallas/Ft. Worth International Airport's AirFreight & Logistics Centre. The helicopter manufacturer moved its distribution center from company facilities in Grand Prairie, Texas to the airport to provide quicker access to air carriers and other shippers and is beginning operations at the new site this month.
FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION officials are being urged by industry trade groups to take action on recommendations developed by the Part 135/125 Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC) - two years ago. The Regional Air Cargo Carriers Association and the National Air Transportation Association both sent letters to Nicholas Sabatini, the agency's associate administrator for aviation safety, asking him to get the rulemaking process rolling.
THE COMMUNICATIONS WORKSHOP is offering a new course on internal communications for operators. The course, Flight Ops: Improving Internal Communications, will discuss effective listening, the impact of bureaucracy, apathy among communicators and how to ensure that face-to-face time is best used. "Flight Ops is a team sport," said Steve Bassett, who will present the course. "Effective and efficient internal communications is critical to a smooth flight operation.
TFE731-2C, -3B, -3BR, -3C, -3CR, -3D, -3DR, -4R, -5AR, -5BR, -5R, -20R, -20AR, -20BR, -40, -40AR, -40R, and -60 engines [Docket No. FAA-2007-27891; Directorate Identifier 2007-NE-14-AD] - This proposed AD would require operators to remove from service certain high-pressure (HP) turbine rotor assemblies and return them to Honeywell for curvic root radius inspection.
DTN, which provides weather forecasting and display technology, expanded its partnership with Flight Explorer to integrate weather and flight operations information. DTN will combine its MxVision Aviation Sentry Online global weather analysis with Flight Explorer's flight operations management. DTN previously provided international weather data to Flight Explorer for use in its flight planning and analysis tools.
Was named regional sales executive for aircraft charter services and management in the Asia-Pacific region for Jet Aviation. Kwok, a 20-year veteran of the aviation industry who is based in Hong Kong, will be responsible for charter sales and aircraft management, as well as customer relations.
FAA is opting to bypass a comment period on new rule aimed at wiping out flap failures on Bombardier CRJs. The rulemaking follows Canada's safety agency telling the country's transport minister earlier this year that it was concerned about the growing number of flap failure instances and urged the government to take action. FAA's rule became effective Sept. 5, with the agency stating that "the risk to the flying public justifies waiving notice and comment prior to adoption of this rule."
AERO PRECISION REPAIR AND OVERHAUL (A-PRO) has added Piaggio P180 Avanti landing gear and accessories overhaul and repair capabilities. The Deerfield Beach, Fla. company is approved to provide the services by both Piaggio and Messier Dowty, the manufacturer of the landing gear. Established in 1989 as a joint venture between Dassault Falcon Jet and Messier, A-PRO has overhauled more than 2,200 landing gears and processed more than 40,000 components.
Arrius 2F turboshaft engines [Docket No. FAA-2007-28053; Directorate Identifier 2007-NE-18-AD] - This proposal would require replacement of engine module 02 with a module that incorporates Turbomeca Modification Tf 12A, in accordance with Turbomeca Mandatory Service Bulletin No. 319 72 4012, Update No. 1 (dated Sept. 19, 2006). This proposed AD, which results from an MCAI provided by the aviation authority of France, is intended to prevent an uncommanded in-flight engine shutdown.
Honeywell Aerospace has partnered with Sensis Corp. to demonstrate technology that would warn pilots and controllers simultaneously of a potential runway incursion. The partners equipped two Honeywell test aircraft to show how warnings can be data-linked to the cockpit when the Sensis ground-based Airport Surface Detection Equipment Model X (ASDE-X) system detects a runway incursion incident developing, BA affiliate Aviation Week & Space Technology reported in the Sept. 3 edition. ASDE-X is designed to warn controllers of such a conflict.
Northrop Grumman wrapped up final details and completed its acquisition of Burt Rutan's Scaled Composites, LLC last week, increasing its share of the Mojave, Calif. company from approximately 40 percent to 100 percent. The financial terms have not been disclosed. Officials said the acquisition by Northrop Grumman is not expected to affect the Mojave firm's joint venture with Virgin Group President Richard Branson to offer space tourism rides on derivatives of the company's SpaceShipOne commercial spacecraft.
NORTHWEST AIRCRAFT, the EADS Socata distributor and service center for the states of Washington, Oregon, Montana, Wyoming and Idaho, moved into new facilities at the Aurora State Airport (UAO) in Aurora, Ore. The new building includes 18,000 square feet of maintenance space and 1,000 square feet of office space. Northwest Aircraft also is a Piper Aircraft distributor and service center for the states of Oregon, Washington and Alaska.
Textron has hired a Lockheed Martin veteran with strong ties to China's aviation regulators and the business community, a move designed to help boost the company's prospects in one of the world's fastest growing economies.
Appointed director of new product development and manufacturing operations for Gulfstream Aerospace. In his new position, Collett will direct all activities for the company's new manufacturing facility, which is currently under construction at Gulfstream headquarters in Savannah, Ga. Most recently, Collett had been director of final phase manufacturing in Savannah, overseeing the completion of Gulfstream's family of large business jets, the G350, G450, G500 and G550.
Model EMB-135BJ airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2007-28158; Directorate Identifier 2007-NM-018-AD; Amendment 39-15168; AD 2007-17-10] - Replace the water and waste system drain masts with newly designed ones. This AD, which resulted from an MCAI originated by the Brazilian aviation authority, is designed to prevent a possible fuel tank explosion, which could occur if fuel leaks or fuel vapors that are released near the masts ignite. The FAA estimates that this AD will affect 41 aircraft on the U.S. Registry and cost U.S. operators a total of $460,553, or $11,233 per airplane.
The Federal Aviation Administration awarded a contact valued at more than $1.8 billion Thursday to a team headed by ITT Corp. to develop a nationwide Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) system, the first major step in transitioning the country to a Next Generation (NextGen) air traffic control system.
CF34-1A, -3A, -3A1, -3A2, -3B and -3B1 turbofan engines [Docket No. FAA-2007-27687; Directorate Identifier 2000-NE-42-AD; Amendment 39-15179; AD 2007-07-07R1] - This revision of AD 2007-07-07 requires, within 500 hours, on-wing inspections of fan disks installed on regional jets in order to detect possible electrical arc-out defects. The new directive also mandates additional inspections of all affected fan disks for cracks and electrical arc-out defects. The new AD also includes reduced life limits for certain fan disks.
ST. LUCIE COUNTY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT in Fort Pierce, Fla. said flight training operations will be restricted to prescribed hours under voluntary noise abatement procedures recently modified by the St. Lucie County Board of County Commissioners. The changes follow a series of workshops involving county staff, residents who live near the airport and representatives of three local flight schools. The flight schools will now limit landings of training flights to the hours of 0800-2200 Monday through Friday and 0900-2200 on Saturday.
CORRECTION: Jens Hennig was promoted to vice president, operations for the General Aviation Manufacturers Association. In his new role, Hennig will be responsible for flight operations, safety and training issues, including GAMA policy related to the modernization of the nation's air traffic control system. Hennig joined GAMA in 2003 as manager of operations and is a graduate of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, where he received bachelor's and master's degrees. Hennig's name was spelled incorrectly in an earlier article about his promotion (BA, Aug. 27/89).
Named vice president of repair station operations for Yingling Aviation. Formerly director of avionics for Yingling, Gallop will oversee avionics, maintenance, interior/completions, quality assurance and other Yingling operations. Before joining Yingling in 2003, he served with Cheyenne Airmotive.
