Airports would use six key tools - including behavioral recognition, targeted physical inspection and biometrics - as part of a new, risk-based approach to screen employees with access to secure areas under a measure unveiled by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), in partnership with industry associations.
David W. Ewald, the longtime publisher, founding spirit and energy source of Business & Commercial Aviation (B/CA) magazine for nearly four decades, died April 19 at his home in Greenwich, Conn. Ewald, 80, had been in declining health since undergoing cancer surgery in late November.
Named senior vice president and general manager of Jet Aviation Basel. Marx joined Jet Aviation Basel in July 2006 as vice president of completions and modifications and deputy general manager. Before that, he was president and chief executive of Lufthansa Technik Tulsa in Tulsa, Okla. He has nearly 30 years aviation experience with a background in VIP completions, aircraft overhaul and modifications and component maintenance. He has held various management positions with Lufthansa Technik in Germany and Ameco Beijing in China.
MESA AIR GROUP signed a 12-year agreement with Delta Airlines Technical Operations division (TechOps) under which TechOps will manage Mesa's entire CF34 engine fleet. TechOps will provide on-site program management at Mesa's headquarters in Phoenix, Ariz. The agreement, which is valued at about $300 million, covers engine maintenance, on-wing planning, engineering, reliability and engine shop planning. Delta TechOps generated more than $300 million in revenue in 2006.
Gary Richards, the founder and president of Ameriflight, Inc., has reacquired all of the company's outstanding stock. As a result, the company's name is changing slightly, to Ameriflight LLC. "This is a change in business entity and ownership only," Richards said. "We will continue operating with the same team of people, the same aircraft, policies, procedures, etc. I think it's an exciting move forward for all of us." Ameriflight is one of the nation's largest Part 135 small-package and financial instrument carriers.
The Nordam Group opened a new 120,000-square-foot cabinetry manufacturing plant in Wichita, Kan. The new facility almost triples NORDAM's existing space in Wichita and provides room to accommodate the company's new contract with Cessna to provide cabinetry for the CJ4. The contract will bring an estimated $100 million in business to NORDAM over the next 10 to 15 years. Cessna already has orders for 110 of the aircraft.
Macquarie Infrastructure moved forward with a deal valued at $427 million to buy the Mercury Air Centers group of fixed-base operations from Allied Capital Corporation in a move that will increase the Macquarie's FBO network to more than 60 facilities (BA, March 26/143). Macquarie, the parent company of Dallas-based Atlantic Aviation, "has been an active consolidator in the highly fragmented FBO industry," said Harris Williams & Co., which is advising Mercury Air Centers in the deal.
Robert N. Buck, a pilot who flew for more than 70 years and helped teach generations of pilots how to cope with challenging weather conditions through his writings, died recently in Vermont, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association said last week. Buck was 93. AOPA's Air Safety Foundation said Buck "laid the groundwork for much of what GA pilots know today about severe weather," pioneering research in the 1940s by flying through thunderstorms and severe icing conditions in B-17s and a modified P-61 Black Widow.
Standard Aero, a long-time independent provider of Honeywell auxiliary power unit services, signed a service center agreement with the manufacturer, the companies said Wednesday. The deal designates Standard Aero as an official repair and overhaul provider for Honeywell GTCP36-100/150s and RE220s. As part of the agreement, Winnipeg-based Standard Aero will stop using Parts Manufacturer Approval parts in the APU models covered and will share its reliability data with Honeywell in a joint effort to boost the APUs' performance.
Pilatus delivered its 700th PC-12 to David Fountain, a private investor who bought his first PC-12 in April 2001. Pilatus celebrated the milestone during a delivery ceremony at V. Kelner Pilatus Center in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. Fountain has ordered a third PC-12, which is slated for delivery in 2010.
Piper Aircraft has not announced an avionics provider for its PiperJet, but Garmin's chances are looking better (BA, April 2/153). Piper announced last week that Garmin International's G1000 avionics suite is now available as an option on the Saratoga II TC and Piper 6X models.
Model Mystere-Falcon 50 [Docket No. FAA-2007-27806; Directorate Identifier 2006-NM-287-AD] - Proposes to require disabling the galley's coffeemaker, inspecting for damaged wire sleeves, checking for proper clearance and if necessary, rerouting the wiring or taking other corrective actions. This proposed AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) from the European Aviation Safety Agency. The MCAI stems from the discovery of interference between the power wire supplying the galley's coffeemaker and the surrounding structure.
90XX and 92XX passenger seats [Docket No. FAA-2007-27346; Directorate Identifier 2007-NE-07-AD] - Proposes to require for Sicma 90 and 92 seats found primarily on ATR 42 and 72 aircraft, repetitive visual inspections of central spreaders (P/N 92-000100-200-1 or P/N 92-000101-200-1) and repair, if necessary. The proposal also would require installation of doublers on the central spreaders of the seats. This proposed AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued by the French aviation authority.
CF34-1A, -3A, -3A1, -3A2, -3B, and -3B1 turbofan engines [Docket No. FAA-2007-27687; Directorate Identifier 2000-NE-42-AD; Amendment 39-15012; AD 2007-07-07] - Supersedes an existing AD that requires a one-time inspection of certain fan disks for electrical arc-out indications, replacing fan disks with electrical arc-out indications, and reducing the life limit of certain fan disks.
DeCrane Aircraft Holdings changed its name to DeCrane Aerospace last week, a move the company said symbolizes its commitment to provide "seamless, integrated solutions, giving customers easier access" to all its products and services. "We have aggressively begun a process to restructure our operations designed solely to provide more fully integrated services," said Dick Kaplan, CEO of DeCrane. The company, founded in 1989 by Jack DeCrane, grew rapidly through a series of acquisitions in the early and mid-1990s of small, specialty aviation manufacturers.
DayJet is expected to begin taking reservations in the next few weeks as the air taxi startup prepares to launch operations in June, according to Ed Iacobucci, founder, president and chief executive. Iacobucci has laid the groundwork for a new on-demand service sold on a per-seat basis to "subscribers" who will travel on a fleet of Eclipse 500 Very Light Jets.
Chinese government officials are apparently getting serious about opening up that nation's airspace to private aircraft. The China Daily newspaper reported Friday that the General Administration of Civil Aviation (CAAC) has set 2010 as the year it will categorize its airspace according to international standards. The article quoted an unnamed official who said the country's airspace will be segregated into categories, such as low and high altitude, and control and management rules will be instituted.
Helicopter Association International is hosting a new "On the Road" series, which combines courses in the association's Professional Education Series. The first session will be held May 2-3 in Lafeyette, La. Courses offered will include Coping With Crisis 101 - Managing an Aviation Disaster, Defining Direct Operating Costs, and HAI's Safety Management Course. Other future locations include Alexandria, Va.; San Diego, Calif.; Malverne, Pa.; Portland, Ore.; and Houston, Texas.
Michelin Aircraft Tire Company launched an "Upgrade to Michelin" rebate program this month through its authorized service centers under which customers will receive rebates for switching from their current tires to Michelin products. Buyers who convert all main landing gear tires on their aircraft from a competitive brand to Michelin will receive a 20 percent rebate, while those who convert both main and nose landing gear tires will receive a 25 percent instant rebate off the total amount of the purchase.
Appointed sales and technical support manager for The Hammonds Companies ODV Division, which produces the Omni Directional Vehicle aviation ground support vehicle. Hammonds, who has served with the company for 17 years, previously managed the Hammonds Additive Injector System.
Appointed director of materials and systems for Dallas Airmotive. Burgess formerly was director of information technology for the company. He began his career in 1978 at the Millville, N.J. operation and has held a number of positions, including engine shop mechanic, supervisor and engineer. In 1998, Burgess was named director of operations, responsible for materials, quality, engineering and production. He is a certified Six Sigma Black Belt.
Avidyne Corporation, working with Southern Star Avionics, developed an Envision integrated flight deck for retrofit on Cessna 300 and 400 series aircraft and Cirrus SR20 and SR22 single-engine aircraft built after 2001. Avidyne and Southern Star secured the supplemental type certificate for the Cessna 300/400 series with an installation aboard a 1982 Cessna 414A aircraft. It was the third twin-engine retrofit platform for the Envision package. Other applications include the King Air 200 and King Air 90 developed with S-TEC.
Model ERJ 170 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2007-27753; Directorate Identifier 2007-NM-022-AD] - Proposes to require inspection of the fuel quantity probe harnesses and correct reassembly, if necessary. This proposal results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) from the aviation authority of Brazil. The MCAI cites reports that the fuel quantity probe harnesses installed in the left- and right-wing stub tanks on some Embraer ERJ-170 aircraft models may not be protected in accordance with Brazilian and U.S.
Named director of quality for The NORDAM Group's repair operations in Tulsa, Okla., Wales, United Kingdom and Singapore. Spencer previously served as a quality management system (QMS) administrator specialist and quality performance manager for NORDAM. Most recently, she led the QMS Peer Team working to design, develop, and implement systematic quality processes in conjunction with NORDAM's SAP business management software implementation.
