STEVEN CHEALANDER was sworn in last week as a member of the National Transportation Safety Board. The Senate confirmed Chealander shortly before adjourning last month (BA, Jan.1/4). Chealander fills the final slot on the five-member board. He is taking the seat vacated by Ellen Engleman Connors, who resigned earlier in 2006. Chealander joins the board with a 33-year background in aviation.
OPERATORS of Socata TBM 700 turboprops could be looking at expensive landing gear repairs. FAA published an airworthiness directive that requires detailed inspections of the landing gear on TBM 700s that have made more than 1,750 landings, and "possible landing gear repair or replacement" if cracks are detected. FAA, which said the AD applies to more than 270 aircraft on the U.S. Registry, estimated the total cost of compliance could be more than $125,000 per aircraft or more than $34.5 million for the fleet. See additional information on Page 22.
Mooney Airplane Company secured certification from the Federal Aviation Administration for the Kerrville, Texas plane-maker's speediest aircraft yet, the M20 TN Acclaim. Unveiled during Sun 'n' Fun in April in Lakeland, Fla. (BA, April 17/176), the Acclaim will cruise at a true air speed (KTAS) of 237 knots at its service ceiling of 25,000 feet. Powered by a 280-horsepower Teledyne Continental TSIO-550-G, the aircraft will exceed 200 KTAS at 10,000 feet and is 20 percent faster than its predecessor, the Bravo.
Joined the Washington, D.C. office of Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott LLC as an associate specializing in aviation and aerospace. A 1992 Juris Doctorate graduate of the University of Illinois, Wadsworth received a master of laws degree in international and comparative law from Georgetown University Law Center in 2001. She most recently spent four years as an associate at another Washington law firm.
Dassault Falcon's Little Rock, Ark. completion center recently accepted its first Falcon 7X (Aircraft No. 5/F-WWUB) for interior completion and painting. Four large hangars totaling 99,000 square feet have been dedicated for 7X completion work in Little Rock, where all 7X completion will be done. The facility has 1,800 employees, making it Dassault's largest, and another 200 workers are expected to be hired in coming years as 7X deliveries/completions ramp up.
Model CL-600-1A11 (CL-600), CL-600-2A12 (CL-601), and CL-600-2B16 (CL-601-3A and CL-601-3R) airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2006-25645; Directorate Identifier 2005-NM-201-AD; Amendment 39-14857; AD 2006-25-16] - Requires implementing a corrosion prevention and control program (CPCP) either by accomplishing specific tasks or by revising the maintenance inspection program to include a CPCP. This AD results from the determination that, as airplanes age, they are more likely to exhibit indications of corrosion.
January 7-11, 2007 - American Association of Airport Executives, 21st Annual Aviation Issues Conference, Kauai, Hawaii. Contact AAAE at (703) 824-0500. January 25 - Coping With Crisis-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.
National Air Transportation Association President James Coyne believes 2007 will be a pivotal year for the charter industry with a number of different business models emerging to draw new customers into the market. He believes the charter market is in the middle of a decade of rapid growth that could result in a 10-fold increase in passengers. "I'm looking forward to a really big year for charter" in 2007, he said.
Wichita, Kan.-based aviation services company Yingling Aviation has launched a Joint Ownership Program to sell shares in refurbished Cessna Conquest twin turboprops and light jets. Yingling, which has been an authorized Cessna service center for 60 years, initially is offering joint ownership in Model 441 Conquest II and Model 425 Conquest I turboprops.
AmSafe Aviation, the Phoenix-based maker of restraint products, hopes to win certification in March of a safety belt with an integrated inflatable airbag for use in the Pilatus PC-12. The first application will be for a military customer, but the system is eventually expected to be offered to civilian operators of the single-engine turboprop as well.
The European Aviation Safety Agency is taking steps to develop and alter rules that govern building and use of replacement parts, or parts manufacturer approval parts. Various stakeholders have supplied EASA with information of PMA part use, the agency said, and how that use could affect EASA. That information, coupled with "the current state of negotiations" between the U.S. and the European Union regarding a future bilateral agreement, is driving the agency's review.
Relatively few aircraft have used Boston Logan's controversial new 5,000-foot runway since it officially opened on Thanksgiving Day, but Massport officials expect the shortest of the airport's six landing strips to be used more during the coming months, when winter weather arrives.
Pogo Jets is back on track to launch its point-to-point "air limo" service as early as June 2008 and expects to turn a profit by early 2010 as it works to ramp up its fleet of Very Light Jets. And Pogo CEO Robert Crandall says the Eclipse 500 VLJ just might suit Pogo's business model.
Rolls-Royce recognized its long-standing relationship with Gulfstream Aerospace in a ceremony last month marking the delivery of 3,000 engines to the business-jet maker. No other civil aerospace customer has received more engines from Rolls-Royce than Gulfstream.
Greteman Group, the Wichita, Kan.-based design and branding company, acquired another Wichita firm, UpDesign Bureau. Formed in 1989, Greteman provides creative and branding services for companies such as FlightSafety International, Bombardier Flexjet, Signature Flight Support, and others. Founded five years ago, UpDesign Bureau has done work for Big Dog Motorcycle, Vespa, Purifan and HOC, among others. UpDesign Bureau owners Chris Parks and Chaney Kimball joined the Greteman Group. Parks will serve as senior art director and Kimball as interactive designer.
FBO Air, Inc. promoted John Dow to president and chief executive officer. Dow formerly was president of FBO Air's FirstFlight operating division. In addition, FBO Air changed its corporate name to FirstFlight. Dow founded FirstFlight in 1987 as Airborne, Inc., an aircraft charter management company. Airborne began operating as FirstFlight Management in 1998, and FBO Air bought the company in 2005. "The corporate name change to FirstFlight was a logical extension of our decision to brand all of our industry operations under the name," Dow said.
Dean Harton, vice chairman of the board of Landmark Aviation, announced plans to step down from his operational role and return to his investment and management company, Hawthorne Corp., this month. "Dean has been a visionary leader for Landmark, helping to guide this organization through the integration of three aviation services businesses," said CEO Roger Wolfe.
Sino Swearingen Aircraft Corp. received FAA Approved Production Inspection System (APIS) approval, clearing the San Antonio, Texas plane-maker to inspect its own products. Company executives said the clearance "enhances our ability to mass produce SJ30s." The company claims orders for more than 300.
FedEx Corp. acquired ANC Holdings Ltd., a United Kingdom domestic express transportation company, for 120 million pounds, or about $216 million. Completion of the transaction will allow FedEx Express, an operating unit of FedEx Corp., "to directly serve the entire U.K. domestic market, providing a broader range of shipping options and enhanced service," FedEx said. ANC offers a range of distribution and logistics services with an established pickup and delivery network across the U.K. Founded in 1981, ANC has annual revenues of approximately 145 million pounds.
The Flying Heritage Collection of rare World War II and Cold War-era aircraft is moving from the Arlington, Wash. Municipal Airport to a new location at the Snohomish County Airport (Paine Field) in Everett, Wash. The collection signed a lease with the Snohomish County Airport to locate its aircraft and related artifacts in a 51,000-square-foot hangar on the southeast side of the airport. That hangar is being renovated and is expected to be ready for its new tenants by this summer. Aircraft in the collection were acquired by investor and philanthropist Paul G. Allen.
Promoted to manager of FlightSafety International's Cessna Aircraft Maintenance Learning Center in Wichita, Kan. Houk succeeds John Hansen, who is retiring after 20 years of service with the company. Houk joined FlightSafety in 1993 as a maintenance training instructor and supervisor and has since held positions of increasing responsibility. Most recently, he was training and communications manager, FlightSafety Courseware Support.
Brazilian Manufacturer Embraer filed a registration Dec. 19 with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission "pursuant to which common shares, including American Depositary Shares...representing common shares, may be offered from time to time, in one or more offerings" by the company or other large shareholders.
Model DHC-8-400 series airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2006-25723; Directorate Identifier 2006-NM-007-AD; Amendment 39-14858; AD 2006-25-17] - Requires repetitive cleaning/inspecting of the drain hole of each pitot static probe and repetitive cleaning of the pitot lines in the pitot static system. This AD results from reports of incidents of airspeed mismatch between the pilot, co-pilot, and standby airspeed indications caused by contamination in the pitot static system.
