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.
The National Transportation Safety Board sent a team to investigate the crash of a PA-46 Malibu Mirage that apparently clipped a truck on approach to Concord Buchanan Field in California, killing the pilot and three passengers. The aircraft, N1AM, was operating on an instrument flight rules flight plan on a flight from San Diego to Buchanan Field Dec. 21. It was raining at the time of the accident, and visibility was 2.5 miles.
Aircraft Owners And Pilots Association launched an advertising campaign on The Weather Channel to help educate the public about how FAA is funded and the growing debate about what, if any, changes should be made in the funding formula. The AOPA campaign is just one of a number of initiatives the business and general aviation community is taking to fend off a push for user fees led by FAA and the large scheduled airlines.
Cessna Aircraft won certification last week for the company's new Citation Encore+ business jet, which features a number of improvements over the standard Encore.
Comlux, a charter operator based in Zurich, Switzerland, took delivery last month of the first of three Airbus A318 Elite aircraft it has ordered from the manufacturer. The aircraft will be outfitted with a VIP cabin seating up to 18 passengers by Lufthansa Technik in Hamburg, Germany. The completed aircraft is expected to be delivered in the spring. The A318 is powered by CFM International CFM56-5 engines.
Raytheon Company, which has been trying to sell its Raytheon Aircraft Company unit off and on for more than seven years, got an early Christmas present last week when Onex Corp. and investment banking firm Goldman Sachs agreed to buy the aircraft manufacturer for $3.3 billion (BA, Dec. 11/261).
Named vice president, Industry and Aerostructures business, for EADS Socata. Malleville joins EADS Socata from Matra Automobile, where he was director of the Alstrom-Traction factory in Tarbes, France. Before that he directed Matra's Romorantin production plant. He also had a 10-year career with Thomson.
Pratt & Whitney Canada is investing $1.5 billion in research and development over the next five years to develop the next generation of engine technologies, the company said. The company called the investment the "most important commitment made by P&WC in its history." The investment includes a royalty-based $350 million reimbursable contribution from the Canadian government. P&WC will focus on developing technologies to exceed international noise and emission standards.
Precision Conversions received Brazilian supplemental type certification for the company's 15-pallet-position 757-200PCF Freighter conversion. The STC covers 757-200 models with either Rolls-Royce or Pratt & Whitney engines. Precision Conversions received an order from VarigLog for seven conversions. Work on the conversions is under way at FlightStar Aircraft Services in Jacksonville, Fla. Precision Conversions also recently won European Aviation Safety Agency STC approval for the conversions.
Banyan Air Services is planning a grand opening/open house celebration March 2-3 for its new 26,000-square-foot fixed-base operation terminal, which opened for business last month at The Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport (FXE). The new two-story Key West style FBO offers a much larger ramp, a 2,800-squarefoot customer lobby featuring an 800-gallon saltwater aquarium, 30-foot palm trees, a waterfall and oversized windows for viewing incoming aircraft.
The aviation industry is gearing up for a momentous year on Capitol Hill in 2007 as work begins in earnest to renew FAA programs and the aviation excise taxes that support them. Those programs and taxes are authorized through the end of fiscal 2007, which ends Sept. 30, and the agency, the airlines and general aviation advocates have spent the past couple of years staking out their positions on how those programs should be modified.
Gulfstream's Savannah Service Center received approval from the Hong King Civil Aviation Department to maintain aircraft registered in Hong Kong. The HKAR-145 certificate authorizes the Savannah facility to provide maintenance for G200, G450 and G550 business jets registered in Hong Kong. Currently six Gulfstream business jets are based in Hong Kong.
Named head of improvement and performance, Center of Excellence Nose and Central Fuselage, for Airbus France. Cornille formerly was vice president, Industry and Aerostructures business, for EADS Socata. He served with EADS Socata for six years.
