The National Air Traffic Controllers Association is calling for a clause in the FAA reauthorization bill to require an independent study of FAA's controller staffing standards, while Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.) has highlighted apparent discrepancies between traffic levels and controller staffing at some airports.
Model DHC-8-102, -103, -106, -201, -202, -301, -311 and -315 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2007-28371; Directorate Identifier 2007-NM-040-AD] - The proposed AD would require installing a spoiler-cable disconnect sensing device, correcting a potential spoiler-cable interference condition, and reworking the spoiler-cable disconnect sensing circuit. The proposal is designed to prevent a roll-spoiler cable failure, which could result in an unacceptable amount of roll-spoiler deflection and reduced controllability of the aircraft.
SENIOR MANAGEMENT of Aerion, the firm that wants to develop a supersonic business jet, will be in attendance at this week's Paris Air Show "to further discussions with potential OEM and other risk-sharing partners, as well as to hold discussions with potential fleet users, including fractional ownership companies and aircraft management firms," the company said. While discussions with potential partners are going on, a spokesman acknowledges that no announcements are expected this week.
Joined XOJET as vice president of Western region sales and will be based in Southern California. He has nearly 30 years of sales experience with companies including Cessna and Gulfstream and has managed sales teams responsible for the sales of more than 160 business jets. Most recently, Santiago was executive vice president and a partner at Guardian Jet, an aircraft acquisition, brokerage and consulting company. Before that, he was regional vice president at Swift Aviation Group, where he was responsible for Embraer business jet sales in the western U.S.
A warning from an Airport Movement Area Safety System with a recent software upgrade and quick reactions by an airline captain were instrumental in preventing a potential collision between two airline aircraft at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) late last month.
BOMBARDIER AEROSPACE said its Challenger Model 604 and 605 business jets won European Aviation Safety Agency and Transport Canada approval for steep approach and landing flights into London City Airport. The approval applies to aircraft registered in European Union member states and Canada. The manufacturer plans to issue an optional service bulletin later this year providing crew certification and cost details for Challenger 604/605 flights into the airport.
EXECUTIVE JET MANAGEMENT began a more aggressive charter management marketing program designed to bring in more aircraft owners in the rapidly expanding business jet management niche. Under the new program, EJM is waiving certain management and other fees for qualified owners. EJM also is guaranteeing a minimum number of charter hours per year for specific aircraft. "We made the strategic decision to alter our pricing structure in order to grow our aircraft management fleet," said Albert C. Pod, president and CEO of EJM.
Castle & Cook plans to open a new fixed-base operation at Honolulu, Hawaii International Airport (HNL). The company recently acquired the former Circle Rainbow building on Lagoon Drive and has begun renovating it and plans to construct new hangars for general aviation flight departments and charter customers. The renovated facility will have more than 20,000 square feet of hangar space and 60,000 square feet of office space.
FLIGHTSAFETY INTERNATIONAL broke ground on a 20,000-square-foot expansion of its Savannah, Ga.-based Gulfstream maintenance technician training facility. The facility is equipped with classrooms, advanced technology training devices and hands-on practical learning areas. FSI and Gulfstream have collaborated on a TTT Total Technical Training program for maintenance technicians who support Gulfstream business jets. FSI and Gulfstream instructors provide training at the center, which schooled more than 2,000 technicians last year.
COMP AIR AVIATION of Merritt Island, Fla. joined forces with Downing Aviation Associates of Phoenix, Ariz. to seek and secure funding, engineering and operational resources for Comp Air's planned 310-knot, single-engine Model 12 turboprop aircraft. A prototype of the Model 12 first flew in March and is currently in flight test.
NATIONAL BUSINESS AVIATION ASSOCIATION'S annual meeting and convention is No. 8 in the ranking of largest U.S. trade shows compiled by Tradeshow Week 200, based on NBAA's 2006 event in Orlando, Fla. NBAA said the ranking is based on the square footage occupied by exhibits. The 2005 NBAA convention was ranked in 37th place by Tradeshow Week 200, but that counted only the exhibit space in the convention hall. The publication agreed to include the space occupied by the aircraft static display during the 2006 event.
June 11-15 - Bombardier Aerospace CRJ World Wide Operators' Conference & Trade Show, Montreal. Contact Laurence Villion at (416) 375-4208, [email protected] June 18-24 - Paris Air Show, Le Bourget Airport, Paris, http://www.paris-air-show.com/en/ July 10-12 - Canadian Business Aviation Association 46th Annual Convention, Trade Show & Static Display, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, (613) 236-5611
AIR LOGISTICS has signed a contract for the installation of Iridium-based satellite communications and automatic flight following satellite systems on the company's fleet of 125 aircraft. Iridium value-added manufacturer and reseller Sky Connect will install its Mission Management Unit (MMU) on Air Logistics helicopters that support the offshore oil industry in the Gulf of Mexico and Alaska. MMU provides voice, tracking and text messages via the Iridium satellite constellation.
The Federal Aviation Administration addressed some remaining concerns over its Part 135 Operational Specification A008 with new guidance released late last month discussing pilot payment and other issues. FAA released the OpSpec A008 late last year to tighten and standardize its requirements for Part 135 operational control (BA, Jan. 8/13).
HOUSE AVIATION leaders are expected to release their version of an FAA funding bill this week. The bill is expected to be a "bare-bones" package that reauthorizes FAA's programs and maintains the current aviation funding system. House aviation leaders also are drafting a "managers' amendment" to the bill that will address some of the thornier issues, such as FAA's labor woes. Those sorts of issues likely will be considered when the bill is brought up for a vote by the House aviation subcommittee, possibly later this month.
AIR PARTNER, the Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based charter broker, launched an Operator Services Program designed to help U.S. air charter operators arrange overseas business jet and commercial-sized aircraft charters for their clients. Air Partner said the service will leverage the expertise at its 20 offices worldwide as well as its in-house flight operations team to provide country-specific planning services and help clients who may not be versed in a country's language, currency or regulatory environment.
YULISTA AVIATION officially opened its FAA-certified Part 145 Repair Station at Madison County Executive Airport in Meridianville, Ala., which is authorized to provide all type of general aviation maintenance on both fixed-wing airplanes and helicopters. Yulista is a separate operating unit of Yulista Management Services, Inc., of Huntsville, Ala., which is a subsidiary of Calista Corp. Calista's Huntsville unit has approximately 300 employees who provide flight operations support for the U.S. Army.
EMBRAER moved its China office to new quarters in the China Central Place Office Building, located in the newly established Central Business District east of downtown Beijing. The move to new quarters coincides with the seventh anniversary of Embraer's operations in China. The Brazilian aircraft manufacturer said those seven years have been productive, resulting in firm orders from Chinese customers for 123 jets -- 71 ERJ145s, 50 Embraer 190s and two executive jets. Embraer previously established a joint venture with Harbin Aviation Industry Co. Ltd.
REP. ANTHONY WEINER (D-N.Y.) last week introduced a bill designed to ban helicopter flights over Manhattan and increase security for helicopter flights. Weiner said the bill calls for the Department of Homeland Security to designate "high threat" helicopter flight areas and to create special rules for helicopter flights in these areas. Those rules would include passenger and baggage screening, require operators to remain in contact with FAA, and force helicopter flights to remain over water except on final approach and during takeoff from the heliport.
THE SEATTLE AREA is home to Jim Bede's latest aircraft venture. Exosphere Aircraft Company, Inc. has begun to occupy a manufacturing facility at Harvey Field (S43), a public use reliever airport in Snohomish, Wash. Bede, who is now in the Light Sport Aircraft segment of the aviation business, said the facility will be used for assembly and certification testing of the BD-22S and BD-22 aircraft. Exosphere Aircraft Co.
EMBRY-RIDDLE AERONAUTICAL UNIVERSITY partnered with New Zealand-based Aviation English Services (AES) to provide aviation English training programs that meet the International Civil Aviation Organization's new requirements that recognize English as the official language of aviation. ICAO developed a set of English language proficiency standards and recommended practices for pilots and air traffic controllers to adopt by March 2008. The Embry-Riddle/AES programs use a combination of Web-based self-study with classroom seminars, learning aids and progress training.
SEN. TED STEVENS (R-Alaska), who cast the deciding vote last month to keep a $25 user fee in the Senate version of the FAA reauthorization bill (BA, May 21/227), is trying to make sure that Alaskan pilots do not have to pay that fee. Stevens said he was surprised by reaction in his state against the fee.
Aircraft management and charter provider JetDirect Aviation Holdings continued its feverish expansion-by-acquisition effort last week, adding northern California's Sunset Aviation to its stable of holdings and boosting its combined fleet to more than 130 aircraft under management. And, a top official of the company told BA last week that rapidly increasing customer demand will probably drive additional acquisitions to grow JetDirect's fleet of aircraft available for charter.
