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.
SAVANNAH AIR CENTER broke ground last month for a new hangar at its Savannah, Ga. modification and completion center. The 101,500-foot structure will be large enough to accommodate up to six large-cabin business jets such as the Global Express and the Gulfstream V. The new hangar will be used primarily for interior completions and maintenance. "The additional facility is critical to the continued growth of our business," said Jeff Zacharious, CEO. Savannah Air Center is an authorized completion center for Bombardier Global 5000 and Global Express XRS aircraft.
A CONSULTING FIRM retained by Piper Aircraft to assess relocation possibilities for the general aviation manufacturer expects to make a presentation to Piper officials within a few weeks.
Model DA 40 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2007-27348; Directorate Identifier 2007-CE-015-AD; Amendment 39-15078; AD 2007-11-21] - Requires repetitive inspections of the universal joint. The AD also calls for replacement of the complete joint assembly as a terminating action for the repetitive inspections. This AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued by the European Aviation Safety Agency.
Rockwell Collins and ARINC have joined forces to offer what they promise will be better broadband communications capability for business jet passengers. Rockwell Collins is reintroducing its eXchange (TM) broadband connectivity offering, with the ARINC SKYLink broadband network service. Under terms of the agreement, Rockwell Collins will supply airborne broadband hardware and after-sales support, while ARINC SKYLink will provide the Ku-band satellite service.
Was promoted to airport director of the Spirit of St. Louis Airport (SUS). He has spent nearly 13 years at SUS, serving as assistant director and later as deputy county director of aviation. As airport director, Bales replaces Dick Hrabko, who left SUS after 42 years to take over as director of Lambert-St. Louis International Airport (STL). Before joining SUS, Bales was an operations supervisor at Lambert and airport operations manager at Toledo Express Airport and Metcalf Field.
CLAUDE BOLTON has told the U.S. Army it may negotiate with Bell Helicopter Textron on a get-well plan for the Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter program, according to BA affiliate Aerospace Daily & Defense Report. Paul Bogosian, the Army's program executive officer for aviation, said he has until the end of June to report back to Bolton with a final restructuring proposal. He predicts an 18-month slip in the program, until April 2010, for the first unit to be equipped with the modified Bell 407 airframe.
The office responsible for planning the next-generation (NextGen) ATC system should be given more independence and greater program oversight, the Government Accountability Office tells House lawmakers. GAO believes the Joint Planning and Development Office (JPDO) should not be moved out of FAA, but does need to be more independent from FAA's Air Traffic Organization. GAO's latest comments about JPDO were provided in response to questions from the House subcommittee on space and aeronautics.
Model EMB-135BJ airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2007-27494; Directorate Identifier 2006-NM-269-AD; Amendment 39-15071; AD 2007-11-14] - Requires replacing the fuel Level Control Unit (LCU) 1 and LCU 2; reworking the LCU 1 and LCU 2 supports; and segregating, replacing, and reworking some harnesses. This AD stems from MCAI from the aviation authority of Brazil.
Aviation user fee opponents last week stepped up their protests as the airline community ran a series of editorials in their in-flight magazines depicting general aviation operations as the root of airline delays. The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association said it has anticipated "such stealthy maneuvers" and called the claims "a dramatic oversimplification." "If only it were that simple," said AOPA President Phil Boyer.
MEMBERS of the Teterboro Airport Industry Working Group are expected to meet Monday to review progress on a series of initiatives they developed to improve safety and community relations at the busy New Jersey general aviation airport. The initiatives, rolled out last fall in a press conference with frequent airport critic Rep. Steve Rothman (D-N.J.), include a voluntary nighttime curfew and a voluntary agreement to fly only Stage 3 or quieter aircraft.
