TAT Technologies Ltd. of Gedera, Israel and the Dutch company Stork N.V. said they were unable to reach a final agreement with respect to the previously proposed joint venture in which Stork had planned to acquire substantial stakes in two U.S. aviation repair and maintenance firms.
Cessna Aircraft will build a new Citation business jet service center at the Williams Gateway Airport in Mesa, Ariz. The new facility will replace Cessna's existing Citation service center in Long Beach, Calif.
DAN FRAHM was named vice president of sales and marketing for Elliott Aviation. Frahm has served with Elliott for 26 years, beginning as a chief bench service technician in 1980. Most recently, he was director of business development. In his new role, Frahm will manage all sales and marketing for the business aviation services company.
NETJETS AVIATION is looking forward to smooth sailing with its labor unions after the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, which represents aircraft maintenance personnel, signed a new five-year agreement last Tuesday with the fractional operator. The new pact, amendable in January 2012, provides improved pay and benefits, increases the maintenance work force at NetJets' operational headquarters in Columbus, Ohio and "details a mutual commitment to a labor partnership that will support NetJets' service commitment to owners," the company said.
ARINC, based in Annapolis, Md., secured a patent for a process to improve access to operational data from electronic systems on aircraft, including selective monitoring, display of parameters in near real-time, data collection and storage and transmission of the data to the ground. The ARINC process connects three growing technologies - Electronic Flight Bags (EFBs), Quick Access Recorders (QARs) and integrated communications capabilities.
ANNABELLE VULTEE was appointed regional sales manager for South Florida for AirShares Elite. Vultee will be responsible for AirShares Elite's Cirrus shared ownership program in South Florida. She has a background of professional sales, marketing entrepreneurial experience, most recently as founder of Vultee Universal Investments, a hospitality industry consultancy. She also was product marketing manager at Burger King Brands and held a number of sales and marketing positions at the Coca Cola Company.
THE SENATE late Thursday passed an ethics bill that includes changes to the rules regarding compensation for private aircraft travel (BA, Jan. 15/25). Senators formerly could pay roughly the cost of a first-class plane ticket for travel on a private plane, but new rules require them to pay the equivalent of the cost of a charter. Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) originally objected to the measure because he believed it would hamper the ability of senators from rural states to travel, particularly with tight travel budgets.
KEITH MARKLEY was promoted to chief operating officer of Liberty Aerospace, with responsibility for most of the Melbourne, Fla. light aircraft manufacturer's domestic operations. Markley joined Liberty Aerospace in September 2005 as vice president of sales and marketing. Anthony Tiarks, CEO, said Markley "has a tremendous track record with both sales and production." Markley previously held senior executive posts with communications firms and also served two terms in the New Hampshire House of Representatives.
FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION officials were slated to meet with National Air Transportation Association officials late Friday to discuss lingering concerns about the new Operations Specification, OpSpec A008, on Part 135 operational control. The OpSpec generally has been well received within industry, but the final document raised a handful of issues, including those dealing with pilot compensation and employment (BA, Jan. 15/23).
BRAZILIAN AUTHORITIES continue to adopt contingency measures to keep the nation's troubled air traffic control system together. The government plans to recycle emergency ATC plans implemented over the Christmas and New Year's holidays to avoid cancellations and flight delays during the Carnival holiday next month. Carnival Week, Feb. 15-20, traditionally generates the heaviest air traffic of the year in Brazil.
Model CL-600-2B19 (Regional Jet Series 100 & 440) airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2005-22559; Directorate Identifier 2005-NM-076-AD; Amendment 39-14879; AD 2007-01-07] - Supersedes an existing AD that currently requires repetitive inspections for cracks, sealant damage, and corrosion of the main fittings of the main landing gear (MLG), and corrective actions if necessary. This new AD reduces the compliance times for inspecting certain low-utilization airplanes, and provides a terminating action for the repetitive inspections.
Model S-61L, N, R, and NM Helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2006-25824; Directorate Identifier 2004-SW-23-AD; Amendment 39-14876; AD 2007-01-05] -- Requires, within a specified time, creating a component history card or equivalent record. The AD also requires recording the hours time-in-service (TIS) and the external lift cycles for each main gearbox input left and right freewheel unit (IFWU) assembly. Also, the AD requires calculating a moving average of lift cycles per hour TIS at specified intervals on each IFWU assembly.
ASA HUTCHINSON, the former congressman from Arkansas who served as the first under secretary for Border and Transportation Security at the Department of Homeland Security, has rejoined the Washington law firm of Venable LLP.
Model 206A, B, L, L-1, L-3, and L-4 helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2005-22696; Directorate Identifier 2005-SW-22-AD; Amendment 39-14877; AD 2007-01-06] - Supersedes an existing AD that currently requires certain inspections and checks of the tail rotor blade for a deformation, a crack, and a bent or deformed tail rotor weight. Also, that AD requires, before further flight, replacing each blade with an airworthy blade if a deformation, a crack, or a bent or deformed weight is found.
RAYTHEON AIRCRAFT delivered the 500th Hawker 400XP/Beechjet 400A to Slam Lavori Aerei S.r.l., an Italian charter operator. Based in Naples, Slam Lavori Aerei owns two Beechjet 400As and a Diamond. More than 800 Diamond/Beechjet/Hawker 400XPs have been produced. Operating in 29 countries, the models collectively have amassed 3 million flight hours.
RAYTHEON AIRCRAFT COMPANY, in celebration of 2007 as the 75th anniversary of Beechcraft and the 60th anniversary of the Beechcraft Bonanza, announced price cuts for 2007 models of the single-engine Bonanza and the twin-engine Beech Baron. The company said the price reductions are possible because of "strategic sourcing plans and gains in production efficiency," and said those savings are being passed on to customers. The Wichita manufacturer said the 2006 Bonanza G36 suggested selling price (SSP) was $667,000 while the 2007 SSP will be $574,000.
ARINC, based in Annapolis, Md., secured a patent for a process to improve access to operational data from electronic systems on aircraft, including selective monitoring, display of parameters in near real-time, data collection and storage and transmission of the data to the ground. The ARINC process connects three growing technologies - Electronic Flight Bags (EFBs), Quick Access Recorders (QARs) and integrated communications capabilities.
FLORIDA'S Kissimmee Gateway Airport (ISM) reported a record number of corporate-jet visits (4,421) in 2006, a 21 percent jump from the 3,514 jets that used the airport in 2005. Total aircraft operations at ISM were up slightly more than two percent last year to 153,992. Fuel sales were up nine percent to 2.3 million gallons. Airport officials attributed the rises in traffic and fuel sales to increased numbers of convention and business visitors coming to southwest Florida and Osceola County.
A FATAL CESSNA CITATION 560 crash nearly two years ago in Pueblo, Colo. will be the subject of a public meeting before the members of the National Transportation Safety Board tomorrow (Jan. 23). The Feb. 16, 2005 crash claimed both pilots and all six passengers. The aircraft was one of two Citations owned by Circuit City Stores that were attempting to land in Pueblo for fuel. The pilots of the second Citation, which landed safely, reported light to moderate icing in the area (BA, Feb. 21, 2005/86).
BRETT FORRESTER was promoted to sales manager for General Aviation Services, L.L.C. Forrester, who joined GAS in 1994 as a market researcher, most recently headed the aircraft acquisitions department.
THE GENERAL AVIATION MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION retained APCO Worldwide, an international communications consultancy, to provide analytical, information and strategic services in Europe. Paul Feldman, a director in APCO's Brussels office, will serve as the primary representative for GAMA and provide information and strategic advice on general aviation regulatory and policy issues. Feldman joined APCO with a background in international regulatory agency experience. He was formerly FAA's regional director for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, where he led U.S.
RAYTHEON AIRCRAFT COMPANY, in celebration of 2007 as the 75th anniversary of Beechcraft and the 60th anniversary of the Beechcraft Bonanza, announced price cuts for 2007 models of the single-engine Bonanza and the twin-engine Beech Baron. The company said the price reductions are possible because of "strategic sourcing plans and gains in production efficiency," and said those savings are being passed on to customers. The Wichita manufacturer said the 2006 Bonanza G36 suggested selling price (SSP) was $667,000 while the 2007 SSP will be $574,000.
Fractional operator NetJets, which already operates the world's largest fleet of Raytheon Aircraft Company (RAC) Hawker business jets with 119, has doubled the size of an existing order for the new Hawker 750 and 900XL.
HELICOPTER ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONAL named Bell Helicopter's Scott Baxter to receive the Joe Mashman Safety Award. Baxter is being recognized for his role in promoting the use of night vision goggles in the civil helicopter industry. An instructor at Bell Helicopter Training Academy, he developed and introduced the first Part 141-approved training course on night vision goggles, a course he worked on for more than three years.
January 25 - Coping With Crisis 101 - Managing an Aviation Disaster, Alexis Park Resort, Las Vegas, Nev. Register at www.thecommunicationsworkshop.com February 6-7 - NBAA: Asian Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition (ABACE) 2007, Hong Kong. Contact Linda Peters at (202) 783-9000, email: [email protected], www.abace.aero. February 15-17 - Women in Aviation International Conference, Orlando, Fla. Contact Connie Lawrence, WAI, (937) 839-4647.
