Appointed avionics manager for Columbia Air Services, Inc. in Groton, Conn. Mitchell has 26 years of experience in avionics systems engineering, installation and service and repair in military, government and general aviation aircraft. Most recently, he served as avionics manager for Exec 1 Aviation at the Ankeny, Iowa Regional Airport. He also held avionics technician positions with Elliott Aviation, Woodland Aviation and IASCO, a professional flight crew training facility.
Bombardier delivered a Learjet 45 XR jet to the Barbedos Group in Kaduna, Nigeria. The aircraft is equipped with an executive interior, but also will be used for Medevac purposes. "This Learjet 45 XR jet becomes the cornerstone of our new fleet, with additional Learjet aircraft in our expansion plan, which includes a fixed-base operator facility under the Barbedos Group," said Barbedos President and CEO Alhaji Shettima. Barbedos is a conglomerate with interests in the aviation, automotive and oil and gas industries.
Arrius 2F turboshaft engines [Docket No. FAA-2005-22039; Directorate Identifier 2005-NE-33-AD; Amendment 39-14940; AD 2005-17-17R1] - Revises an existing AD that requires replacing certain O-rings on the check valve piston in the lubrication unit, at repetitive intervals. This AD requires the same actions except it reduces the applicability from all Turbomeca Arrius 2F turboshaft engines, to Turbomeca Arrius 2F turboshaft engines that have not incorporated modification Tf75. This AD results from Turbomeca S.A. introducing a check valve piston design requiring no O-ring.
Models HP.137 Jetstream Mk.1, Jetstream Series 200, Jetstream Series 3101, Jetstream Model 3201 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2007-27070; Directorate Identifier 2007-CE-003-AD] - Proposes life limits for critical landing gear components. This proposal stems from mandatory continuing airworthiness information from the European Aviation Safety Agency. The proposal is intended to maintain the structural integrity of the landing gear. FAA estimates the AD would affect 149 aircraft on the U.S. Registry at a cost of $23,840, or $160 per aircraft.
National Transportation Safety Board is hosting a one-day forum March 27 on airport runway incursions and accidents. NTSB notes the forum coincides with the 30th anniversary of the 1977 runway collision between two Boeing 747s at Los Rodeos Airport in Tenerife in the Canary Islands that killed 583 people. The forum is expected to cover the scope of the problem, how to avoid runway incursions, educational initiatives and new technologies.
STATE OWNERSHIP COULD ATTRACT CORPORATE OPERATORS TO BRIDGEPORT - Connecticut state legislators are slated to conduct a hearing in Hartford today (February 26) on proposed legislation that would transfer ownership of Sikorsky Memorial Airport (BDR) from the financially strapped municipality of Bridgeport to the state of Connecticut, a move that would pave the way for a series of improvements at the facility that would help attract more based corporate operators.
DASSAULT FALCON won Transport Canada approval for its Falcon 900EX EASy, Falcon 900DX and Falcon 2000 business jets. Dassault expect Canadian type certification for the new Falcon 7X to follow in 2008. "These type certificates allow us to continue our growth in Canada, which has progressed rapidly over the past three years," said John Rosanvallon, president and CEO of Dassault Falcon.
RAYTHEON AIRCRAFT COMPANY has begun offering electronic dimmable window shade systems for retrofit on King Air aircraft in service. The window shades permit passengers and flight crew to control the darkness of cabin windows by varying the tint. The shades come with a five-year warranty. RAC worked with InspecTech Aero Service on the certification. The companies are working on similar approval for other RAC aircraft, including the Beechjet, Premier and Hawker lines. RAC hopes to offer the shades on those models later this year.
Model AT-602 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2006-26775; Directorate Identifier 2007-CE-01-AD] - Proposes to require installing access holes to allow repetitive detailed visual inspections for cracks in the horizontal stabilizer brace tube assembly. If any cracks are found as a result of a visual inspection, the AD requires replacing the horizontal stabilizer brace tube assembly with a new design horizontal stabilizer brace tube assembly.
Was named chief executive officer of Eos Airlines, the all-premium class carrier whose corporate offices are in Purchase, N.Y. Williams assumes the CEO title from David Pottruck, who will continue as chairman of Eos. David Spurlock, the carrier's founder and chief strategic officer, also will maintain his current responsibilities. Williams has spent more than 30 years in the travel business working for American Airlines and Royal Caribbean Cruises.
Model CL-600-2B19 (Regional Jet Series 100 & 440) Airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2006-26046; Directorate Identifier 2006-NM-172-AD; Amendment 39-14922; AD 2007-03-11] - Requires inspecting for discrepancies of the activation mechanism of certain chemical oxygen generators, and corrective action if necessary.
Arriel 2B1 turboshaft engines [Docket No. FAA-2007-27009; Directorate Identifier 2007-NE-02-AD; Amendment 39-14925; AD 2007-03-14] - Requires replacing the hydro-mechanical metering unit (HMU) with a serviceable HMU before the HMU accumulates 2,000 hours-since-new, since-last-overhaul, or since-incorporation of Turbomeca Service Bulletin (SB) No. 292 73 2105.
(Type Certificate No. A48EU previously held by APEX Aircraft and AVIONS PIERRE ROBIN) Model R2160 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2006-26494; Directorate Identifier 2006-CE-79-AD] - Proposes to require inspecting the visible parts of the spar web, the front face of the spar, and the upper and lower boom angle for corrosion and repair, if necessary. This proposed AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information issued by the aviation authority of New Zealand. The proposed AD affects an estimated 10 aircraft on the U.S. Registry.
THE AIR GROUP added a Gulfstream G550, a Legacy 600 and Falcon 50 to its charter and managed fleet. The Gulfstream and Legacy are based at The Air Group's headquarters in Van Nuys, Calif. and the Falcon 50 is based in Reno, Nev. The latest aircraft follow a Challenger and Citation SII that joined The Air Group's fleet late last year.
FAA ADMINISTRATOR Marion Blakey will address The Royal Aeronautical Society Capital Branch Feb. 20 in Arlington, Va. The event will be held in the auditorium of The Boeing Company, 1200 Wilson Blvd., beginning with a reception at 6 p.m. and Blakey's speech at 7 p.m. For more information, contact Stuart Matthews, (703) 739-6700, Ext. 108 or Alan Hickling, (703) 693-1678.
Model 208 and 208B airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2006-26498; Directorate Identifier 2006-CE-83-AD] - Proposes to supersede AD 2006-06-06, which requires incorporating information into the applicable section of the Airplane Flight Manual (AFM) and Pilot's Operating Handbook (POH) and requires installation of placards. Since FAA issued AD 2006-06-06, Cessna issued further revisions to the AFM Supplement S1 Known Icing Equipment'' and developed a low airspeed awareness system.
CHARTER BROKER OneSky Jets of Manchester, N.H. acquired Charter Jet Broker, LLC of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. David Lovely, founder of the Florida firm, was named vice president, marketing and business development, for OneSky, according to Greg Johnson, CEO and co-founder of OneSky. The acquiring company will maintain the Ft. Lauderdale offices of Charter Jet Broker as its Florida location. Lovely previously founded Performance Media Group, which operated ModernAgent.com, a large travel agent website.
Adam Aircraft selected industry veteran Duncan B. Koerbel as its new president as the Englewood, Colo. manufacturer attempts to wrap up certification of the A700 business jet. Koerbel will take over the duties of former President Joe Walker, who is stepping down to deal with a family illness (BA, Feb. 12/77).
PIPER AIRCRAFT has received orders for approximately 180 of its new single-engine PiperJet aircraft, a figure that includes both end customers and dealer commitments. Piper drew a lot of attention at last fall's NBAA convention in Orlando with a mockup of the new airplane, which will be powered by a single Williams turbofan engine mounted in the vertical tail structure. Officials are lining up vendors for the program and are still working their way toward selection of a principal avionics supplier. The announced price for the PiperJet is $2.199 million (BA, Oct.
Dassault Aviation received 158 firm orders for Falcon business jets in 2006, a record for the French plane-maker that boosted backlog to more than 300 aircraft. The sales included a $1.1 billion order from NetJets Europe for 24 Falcon 7X jets. To keep up with the expanding order book, Dassault plans to deliver 80 aircraft this year, compared with 61 in 2006, and said delivery rates will increase further in 2008 Dassault Aviation 2006 sales totaled 3.3 billion Euros, of which the Falcon business jet family accounted for 62 percent.
FAA ADMINISTRATOR Marion Blakey finally laid out the details of her long-anticipated financing plan for the agency last week, a collection of huge hikes in fuel taxes and a dizzying collection of user charges. The FAA plan is an attempt to shift more of the burden of supporting FAA programs from airline passengers to business and general aviation operators. See article below and on Page 87.
FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION plans to hire 1,300-1,400 air traffic controllers in the fiscal year that ends Sept. 30, about 200 more than the number of expected controller retirements, according to Russ Chew, who is stepping down as chief operating officer of FAA's Air Traffic Organization (BA, Feb. 12/74).
KANSAS CITY AVIATION CENTER achieved record revenues and profits for the third consecutive year in 2006, and the company said revenues and profits had more than doubled during that three-year period. The fixed-base operation, which is located at Johnson County Executive Airport in Olathe, Kan., has been in business for more than 40 years. The FBO is a wholly owned subsidiary of Peterson Manufacturing Company of Grandview, Mo.
Was hired as vice president of aircraft sales and acquisitions by PrivatAir. Working out of the company's U.S. corporate offices in Stratford, Conn., Ashton will be responsible for development of new aircraft sales and acquisition opportunities throughout the U.S. Ashton is a commercial pilot who holds master's degrees in business administration and engineering. His aviation background includes previous jobs with General Electric Capital, Goodrich Corp. and Pogo, the startup Very Light Jet air taxi company.
