Congressional hearings, government investigations, and high level meetings continued to probe deficiencies in Brazil's air traffic control system last week. While controllers had originally announced a new "slowdown" operation for Dec. 22-23, one of their labor leaders told a public hearing at the Federal Chamber of Representatives in Brasilia that no such tactic would be adopted at a time when heavy holiday traffic normally creates flight cancellations and delays.
A GULFSTREAM G550 business jet, Serial Number 5097, set four city-pair records in three weeks on trips between cities in Asia, North America and Europe, according to the aircraft manufacturer. The first trip involved a 4,494-nautical-mile flight between Edinburgh Airport in Scotland and China's Beijing Capital International Airport. The flight, which began Oct. 31, took 8 hours and 47 minutes, and averaged Mach 0.87. The aircraft took off from Beijing Nov. 2 on a 4,407-nm return flight to Edinburgh. That flight took 10 hours and 1 minute, averaging Mach 0.85. On Nov.
BUSINESS AVIATION LEADERS representing multiple organizations and companies gathered Thursday in Washington, D.C. to develop a cohesive plan for combating what they fear will be a significant user-fee battle in 2007. The strategy session, held in conjunction with a meeting of NBAA's board and associate council members, included the heads of other major GA groups. The participants agreed to maintain their unified opposition to user-fee proposals and discussed specific initiatives.
January 7-11, 2007 - American Association of Airport Executives, 21st Annual Aviation Issues Conference, Kauai, Hawaii. Contact AAAE at (703) 824-0500. 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.
EMBRAER has decided to offer the CMC PilotView Class II electronic flight bag (EFB) as an option on the company's E-Jets commercial aircraft and Legacy 600 and Lineage 1000 business jets. The compact system includes two display/processor units and can replace conventional flight bag contents such as checklist procedures and maps. The EFB also can include the Embraer Portable Operational Package that allows performance, weight and balance calculation and provides access to operational publications.
Discovery Air of London, Ontario said its Hicks & Lawrence Ltd. subsidiary signed an agreement to buy the turbine charter business of Walsten Air Services (1986) Ltd. Based in Kenora, Ontario, Walsten's assets include four Beech King Air turboprop aircraft and a hangar. The transaction is subject to regulatory approval and other conditions, but is expected to close before the end of February.
Regional Airline Association elected Paul Foley, president and chief executive of MAIR Holdings, as chairman of the association. Foley succeeds Jeff Pinneo, president of Horizon Air, who served as the 2006 RAA chairman. Also elected were Bryan Bedford, president and chief executive of Republic Airways Holdings, as vice chairman; Rick Leach, president and chief operating officer of Trans States Holdings, as treasurer; and Dan Wolf, president of Cape Air, as secretary.
CIT Group's Aerospace and Defense Finance division has structured an inventory financing transaction for The NORDAM Group, CIT Group said. The agreement will provide financing for a pool of rotable inventory components used to support NORDAM's growing repair and overhaul business.
Embraer sold an Embraer 170 jet to Sirte Oil Company, the first Embraer customer in Libya. Sirte is scheduled to take delivery of its new Embraer regional jet in March. The aircraft will be configured in a single-class 76-seat layout and used to transport company personnel from Sirte's main base in Marsa El Brega to Tripoli and other Sirte stations in Libya.
Doug Schwartz took over this month as manager of global aviation services for Conoco Phillips, overseeing worldwide aviation assets for the petroleum company. Schwartz, who had joined TAG Aviation USA this summer as vice president of flight operations and standards, said the job at TAG was a great fit and that he was sad to leave. But he said the opportunity at ConocoPhillips was too good to pass up. Schwartz spent 24 years with FlightSafety International, rising through the ranks to become corporate director of standards.
Appointed senior vice president, engineering and program management, for Englewood, Colo.-based Adam Aircraft. Bisges previously was senior vice president of engineering for Sino Swearingen Aircraft, where he led the SJ30-2 twin jet to certification. He also spent 12 years with Bombardier Aerospace, overseeing engineering for the Global Express, Challenger 604, RJ 200 Learjet 60 and Learjet 40. Bisges has 20 years of aviation engineering experience.
Aircraft Owners And Pilots Association and the Regional Air Cargo Carriers Association (RACCA) are upset with FAA about what they say is a significant and unwarranted policy change regarding flight into known icing. Regional Air Cargo Carriers Association representatives were meeting with FAA late last week in Washington in an attempt to persuade agency officials to overturn a recent ruling by an FAA attorney. RACCA says the new interpretation significantly expands the definition of "known icing conditions." See article below.
Two newly elected senators, Claire McCaskill of Missouri and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, will join the Senate Commerce Committee in January, when Democrats take control of Congress. McCaskill and Klobuchar are among 10 newly elected senators - eight Democrats, one Republican and one independent - who will be sworn in next year as members of the 110th Congress. Incoming Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.)announced committee membership and the incoming committee chairs.
Westchester County Airport (HPN) in White Plains, N.Y. recently presented its 12th annual "Spirit of Noise Abatement Awards" to based corporate operators that had achieved 100 percent compliance with the airport's voluntary noise-abatement programs during 2005. The New York City-area corporate airport has a voluntary nighttime curfew in effect from midnight until 6:30 a.m., as well as a high-range noise event limit of 93 dBA.
Landmark Aviation added a Gulfstream G450 and G200 to its management fleet. Landmark has 40 aircraft under management, 31 of which are available for charter. The latest additions will be based in the eastern U.S.
December 15 - Aero Club of Washington, 2006 Wright Memorial Dinner, honoring Norman Mineta, former Member of Congress and Transportation Secretary. Contact Nancy Hackett, Executive Director, Aero Club of Washington, (703) 327-7082. January 7-11, 2007 - American Association of Airport Executives, 21st Annual Aviation Issues Conference, Kauai, Hawaii. Contact AAAE at (703) 824-0500.
Federal Aviation Administration recently sent a revised funding proposal to the Office of Management of Budget for review that is said to contain a host of new fees on aviation users as well as substantial increases in taxes. The proposal is believed to call for more than tripling the jet fuel and aviation gasoline taxes as well as establishing new fees for operating in large hub terminal airspace. FAA further is believed to be seeking peak-hour pricing ability for fees in the hub terminal airspace.
Propellers and McCAULEY controllable propellers [Docket No. FAA-2005-20141; Directorate Identifier 2005-NE-01-AD; Amendment 39-14836; AD 2006-24-07] - Requires, for certain Hartzell Propeller Inc. HC, BHC, and PHC series propellers, and McCauley Propeller Systems controllable propellers serviced by Oxford Aviation Services Limited, doing business as CSE Aviation, in the United Kingdom between September 1998 and October 2003, inspecting the propeller blades and other critical propeller parts for wear and mechanical damage.
Brazilian manufacturer Embraer is in the final stages of producing the assembly rigs in preparation to begin manufacturing the Phenom 100 Very Light Jet early next year. Embraer said both the 100 and the larger Phenom 300 "have advanced significantly, making steady progress toward first flight, certification, production and entry into service." The company has released more than 50 percent of the total drawings for the Phenom 100, covering spars, ribs, frames, skin, systems installation and other areas.
ASI Group, a provider of global risk management services, formally inaugurated a new suite of offices in its Houston, Texas headquarters building Tuesday. The 10,000-square-foot facility will house the company's 24/7 Intelligence and Operations Center, along with all administrative, accounting and sales divisions. ASI Group remains in the same building at 2925 Briarpark Dr., but now is on the 11th floor.
Arriel 1 series turboshaft engines [Docket No. FAA-2006-26091; Directorate Identifier 2006-NE-28-AD] - Proposes to require, within 90 days after the effective date of this AD, unless already done: (1) Checking the condition of the three fuel unions and the ignition solenoid valve/start drain valve assembly, and checking for their proper assembly; (2) Correcting the installations if necessary; (3) Using Turbomeca Alert Service Bulletin No. A292 73 0251, Update No. 2, dated Feb. 5, 2001, to do the checks and corrections.
Brazilian authorities finally permitted ExcelAire pilots Joseph Lepore and Jan Paladino to leave Brazil Friday, but not before federal police officials charged the two men with endangering air safety because of the Sept. 29 midair collision between their Embraer Legacy and a Gol Airlines 737.
BBA Group plc, the British holding company that owns the Signature Flight Support chain of fixed-base operations and engine overhauler Dallas Airmotive, has disposed of the last of its non-aviation holdings, changed its name and says it is now completely focused on the aviation business.
