Washington-based private equity powerhouse Carlyle Group is recouping some of its investment in Firth Rixson, a U.K.-based aerospace metals supplier, by selling a 36 percent stake in the company to Lehman Brothers-Investment Partners.
EMBRAER managed to add insult to Bombardier's RJ woes last week, announcing a major new order for its products less than an hour before Bombardier was set to begin a scheduled teleconference with financial analysts and reporters about the company's second quarter results. Top Bombardier officials learned of the Chinese order for 100 Embraer aircraft from an analyst participating in the teleconference. See article on Page 104.
CANADIAN MANUFACTURER Bombardier is leaning toward reducing production levels again for its line of regional jets due to continued sluggish demand from U.S. carriers, particularly for its 50-seat models. And, while orders for its business jet models are up, officials acknowledged they are not happy with the performance of their business jet completion program.
Despite a booming business-jet market, Canadian manufacturer Bombardier reported big drops in net income for the second quarter and first half of its fiscal year, weighed down by a sluggish market for its line of regional-jet products and continuing inefficiencies in delivery of its business-jet models.
TRANSPORTATION SECURITY ADMINISTRATION added Port Columbus, Ohio International Airport (CMH) to the list of gateway airports where authorized business aircraft can undergo screening before making nonstop flights to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Operators who want to fly to DCA must meet stringent security requirements, carry an armed law enforcement officer and pass through designated gateway airports to access DCA. TSA now has approved 16 gateway airports.
Model ST3400 Terrain Awareness Warning System/Radio Magnetic Indicator (TAWS/RMI) units approved Under Technical Standard Order(s) C113, C151a, or C151b [Docket No. FAA-2006-24101; Directorate Identifier 2005-NM-103-AD; Amendment 39-14718; AD 2006-16-18] - Requires installing a warning placard on the TAWS/RMI and revising the Limitations section of the Airplane Flight Manual (AFM). This AD also requires installing upgraded software in the TAWS/RMI.
ARINC DIRECT'S repair station in Scottsdale, Ariz. was named a factory authorized service center for the Piaggio P-180 Avanti and Avanti II. The Scottsdale facility, which plans to expand its hangar to 40,000 square feet later this year, provides heavy maintenance, 24-hour AOG services, oxygen and nitrogen services, structural repairs and modifications, avionics support and interior refurbishment.
PETE NILY was named assistant manager of FlightSafety International's Greater Philadelphia/Wilmington Learning Center. He joined the staff at FSI's Long Beach, Calif. Learning Center in 1999 and most recently served as director of standards at the Savannah, Ga. Learning Center. Before joining the training company Nily was an airport manager, airline pilot, flight instructor and general manager of a fixed-base operation. He also spent eight years in the U.S. Navy Reserve.
CESSNA AIRCRAFT delivered the 100th Citation CJ3 last week to real estate developer and repeat customer Jeffrey Mark. Mark, who learned to fly in a Cessna 172 Skyhawk, previously owned a CitationJet and a CJ2. Cessna earned FAA approval for the CJ3 in October 2004.
Model F.28 Mark 0070 and 0100 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2006-24959; Directorate Identifier 2005-NM-258-AD; Amendment 39-14737; AD 2006-17-16] - Requires a one-time detailed inspection to detect corrosion on the wing rear spar lower girder, and related investigative and applicable corrective actions if necessary. This AD results from reports of corrosion of the wing rear spar lower girder between wing station (STA) 8700 and wing STA 9200.
MARTI MONEY joined Truman Arnold Companies as marketing director. Money will manage marketing efforts for TAC's aviation services, wholesale petroleum, petroleum distribution and convenience stores. Money has seven years of marketing, communications and public relations experience, most recently as director of marketing/communications for United Way of Salt Lake.
GULFSTREAM AEROSPACE'S GV long-range business jet was selected as the test bed for the U.S. Air Force Air Combat Command C4ISR Operational Networks program. STG-MELE is the prime contractor on the program. MELE Associates of Rockville, Md. and subcontractor Magnus Aviation will provide the staff, equipment and material to integrate the necessary systems on the aircraft and evaluate the program.
EMBRAER received an order from Brazilian charter operator ABC Taxi Aereo for one Phenom 100 and one Phenom 300 jet, marking the first sale of the Phenom business jets to a Latin American charter company. ABC Taxi Aereo, a subsidiary of the Algar Group, has operated Embraer aircraft since 1978 and is an authorized service center for Embraer turboprop aircraft. The operator currently flies three Embraer Xingu twin-turboprop airplanes. Embraer will deliver the Phenoms in 2009 and 2010.
A software upgrade available on a widely used Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System might have prevented the pilots of Comair Flight 5191 from taking off on the wrong runway, Honeywell officials suggested last week. The Comair flight was taking off before dawn from Lexington, Ky. and had been cleared for departure on Runway 22, which is 7,003 feet long. The flightcrew, however, inadvertently turned onto 3,500-foot-long Runway 26 and the airplane ran off the end of the runway, crashed and burned, killing 49 of the 50 people on board.
September 25 - Greater Washington Business Aviation Association Golf Tournament, Herndon, Va., Centennial Golf Course, email: [email protected] October 17-19 - National Business Aviation Association 59th Annual Meeting & Convention, Orlando, Fla., (202) 783-9000 October 27 - 64th annual Wings Club Dinner-Dance honoring Al Ueltschi, Chairman FlightSafety International, Inc. with its Distinguished Achievement Award; Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, New York, 212-867-1770, email: [email protected].
A recent policy change is expected to ease the paperwork burden for small-aircraft repair stations that work on older aircraft. The Federal Aviation Administration released guidance that would permit repair stations to use FAA-approved data for major repairs on unpressurized areas of airplanes that weigh less than 12,500 pounds. The guidance essentially eliminates the requirement for repair stations to obtain field approvals for repair data on small aircraft that were type certificated before Jan. 1, 1980.
A MITSUBISHI MU-2 crashed near Daytona Beach, Fla. Aug. 26, killing both occupants of the twin-turboprop. The aircraft, N171MA, had departed from Bloomington, Ind. and was headed for the Bahamas when the pilot encountered thunderstorms over Florida. He told controllers he was unable to hold altitude shortly before the airplane disappeared from radar.
George Ferito, a veteran helicopter pilot with broad operational and training experience, was named to the newly created position of director, business development for Rotor Wing Aircraft by FlightSafety International. Ferito joined FSI in 2001 as director of training at the company's Dallas/Fort Worth learning center. He was promoted to assistant manager and most recently served as manager for both the Dallas/Fort Worth and Bell Helicopter learning centers. Ferito will continue as manager of the Bell Helicopter training center.
DANIEL MACLELLAN was promoted to center manager of FlightSafety International's Dallas/Fort Worth Learning Center. Since joining FSI in 1994, MacLellan has held several different job assignments, including sales director at FlightSafety Boeing, regional marketing director and most recently as assistant manager of the Greater Philadelphia/Wilmington Learning Center. He holds a bachelor's degree in marketing from Suffolk University and a commercial pilot's license.
MU-2B series airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2006-23883; Directorate Identifier 2006-CE-12-AD; Amendment 39-14722; AD 2006-17-01] - Requires incorporating power assurance charts into the Limitations Section of the Airplane Flight Manual (AFM), inspecting the engine torque indication system, and recalibrating the torque pressure transducers as required.
FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION last month issued a policy notice that it is eliminating duplicate mailings of emergency airworthiness directives (ADs) and is no longer mailing corrections to ADs or special airworthiness information bulletins (SAIBs). FAA further is limiting the mailing of engine ADs only to owners and operators who have registered the engine and is limiting the content of an AD mailing to just the text of the requirements. All ADs and SAIBs will be available via the Web.
THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION Friday issued an emergency airworthiness directive to owners of Raytheon Model 1900, 1900C and 1900D aircraft requiring a one-time visual inspection before further flight of the left- and right-wing rear spar lower caps for cracking or damage. The AD stems from reports of cracks found in the wings of two 1900D airplanes. One of the airplanes also was missing fasteners. The agency said such a condition could cause the wing to separate from the airplane.
Cessna Aircraft, which already has a small flock of different light jet models at the bottom end of its product line, plans to add another next month -- the CitationJet 4 -- during the National Business Aviation Association convention in Orlando, Fla.
CAE won a four-year contract extension valued at $30 million (U.S.) to provide pilot training for Flight Options through 2010. Flight Options will send its pilots to the CAE SimuFlite training center at Dallas/Fort Worth in Texas. The training will cover the entire Flight Options fleet, which includes the Beechjet 400A, Hawker 400XP, Hawker 800XP, Citation X and Legacy aircraft.
