EMBRAER relied almost entirely on internal growth to transform itself from a tiny government-supported company 36 years ago to a major international airframe manufacturer today, but that may be about to change. The company was privatized in recent years, and in March the holders of every type of Embraer shares approved a capital restructuring proposal giving all shareholders voting rights and allowing the company to be listed on the Sao Paulo Stock Exchange.
CESSNA AIRCRAFT was expecting some 237 Cessna Citation business jets to transport 1,800 athletes participating in the Special Olympics U.S. National Games July 2-7 in Ames, Iowa. Calling the event "one of the largest peacetime airlifts in history," Cessna said a Citation business jet would land or take off every 60 to 90 seconds for 12 hours at Des Moines International Airport July 1 and then again July 8. Airplanes were slated to depart from 28 states across the nation.
Model CL-600-2B19 (Regional Jet Series 100 & 440) airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2006-25192; Directorate Identifier 2006-NM-004-AD] - Proposes to supersede an existing AD that requires repetitive detailed and eddy current inspections of the main fittings of the main landing gears (MLG) to detect discrepancies, and related investigative/corrective actions if necessary.
Named an OEM sales manager for Avidyne Corporation. Hess has 26 years of aviation industry experience, and most recently managed key OEM activities for L-3 Communications. He was a communications and navigation systems avionics specialist with the Ohio Air National Guard. He also is an instrument-rated commercial pilot.
Joseph G. Seward, a veteran helicopter pilot and businessman who helped found the organization that became Helicopter Association International, died June 15 after a long battle with cancer, HAI announced last week.
BOMBARDIER has scheduled its next Bombardier Learjet Safety Standdown Oct. 2-5 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Wichita. The event will include participation by Nick Sabatini, FAA associate administrator for aviation safety, and NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen. FACTS Training/AirCare International will hold medical and emergency training seminars, McKenzie and Co. will present an Advanced Psychology Behavior Modification workshop and Donna Murdoch of Human Systems Solutions will provide high-altitude physiology training.
A general aviation group recently asked the International Civil Aviation Association (ICAO) to set strict standards for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) before their use in the civilian sector becomes more widespread.
Joins GA Capital Solutions, Corporate Aircraft, as vice president-strategic marketing, corporate aircraft, reporting to Dave Labrozzi, president of Corporate Aircraft, and Rich Wargo, chief marketing officer. Kioussis will lead marketing initiatives and be responsible for identifying growth opportunities. He was most recently vice president of aircraft acquisitions & sales for Jet Aviation Holdings USA Inc. Beginning his career with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Kioussis later worked for Eastern Airlines, British Aerospace and Jet Support Services.
The Federal Aviation Administration last week proposed to ban the transfer of national park air tour rights, saying air tour operating authority is not intended to be a valuable right that one operator can sell to another. The proposed ban was published in Wednesday's Federal Register as a notice of proposed opinion.
Major U.S. industry associations are praising an amendment to the Senate's fiscal 2007 defense authorization bill that would exempt some so-called commercial items technology hardware, including specialty metals from foreign suppliers, from the longstanding Berry Amendment restriction - a move that nonetheless sets up a congressional showdown.
ECLIPSE AIRCRAFT OFFICIALS are through predicting the date they expect FAA to grant type certification of the Eclipse 500 Very Light Jet. The company had hoped to win FAA approval by the end of June, but says vendor delays made that impossible. Certification is still anticipated this summer, possibly this month.
SUPPORTERS of expanding business jet access to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) warn it's not a done deal yet, but they are cautiously optimistic the Department of Homeland Security may soon designate Washington Dulles International (IAD) as the 16th gateway airport non-airline flights can pass through before flying into DCA. Adding Dulles to the list almost certainly will boost the number of participating business jet operators because of the operational flexibility provided by IAD's proximity to DCA, supporters say (BA, June 26/283).
AEROSPACE PRODUCTS INTERNATIONAL will open a new distribution and logistics center in Shanghai, China this month. The center will enable the company to expand its market in both China and the Asia Pacific region. API established a presence in the region in 2000 with a base in the Philippines. API now serves more than 400 customers in 34 countries in the region. The new facility in Pudong (Shanghai) is based in the WaiGaoQuao Free Trade Zone.
PEASE DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY board of directors will hold a public hearing July 12 on proposed standards for aircraft fractional ownership management companies operating at the airport. The standards are available on the Pease Web site at www.peasedev.org. The hearing will be held at 10 a.m. in the board room of the Pease Development Authority's offices in Portsmouth, N.H. Comments can be sent to K. William Hopper, Airport Manager, Portsmouth International at Pease, 36 Airline Ave., Portsmouth, N.H. 03801.
Raytheon Aircraft Company, which recently had to seek an extension of the deadline for achieving FAA certification of its long-delayed Hawker 4000 business jet, subsequently asked the agency for a temporary exemption from a section of FAR Part 25 standards that addresses hydraulic system tests. If that exemption is not granted, company officials told FAA that hopes of completing certification of the airplane this year could be jeopardized.
ATR delivered an ATR 42-500 to Air Caledonie as part of a contract signed in September for one ATR 42-500 and two ATR 72-500s. The contract was valued at $50 million (U.S.). The new aircraft will replace three ATR 42-320s in Air Caledonie's fleet. The ATR 72-500s will be delivered at the end of 2006 and in 2007.
MERCURY AIR CENTER opened a new corporate terminal last week at Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport. The fixed-base operator provides fuel and related services to commercial, business and government customers. Mercury also provides flight training, maintenance, avionics repair, charter and hangar space. The new terminal, equipped with Wi-Fi Internet service, includes a pilot lounge, passenger lounge, pilot's weather room and concierge.
The second quarter came to a close with a series of accidents involving turbine-powered aircraft, including a Pilatus PC-12 turboprop crash that killed a former senior executive at Microsoft Corp.
Firefly Aviation Helicopter Services, California Department of Forestry, Garlick Helicopters, Global Helicopter Technology, Hagglund Helicopters, International Helicopters, Precision Helicopters, Robinson Air Crane, San Joaquin Helicopters, S.M.&T.
MOONEY CEO GRETCHEN JAHN and teammate Carol Foy won the 2006 Air Race Classic, flying a 2,400-mile course from Mesa, Ariz. to Menominee, Mich. on June 20-22 in a Mooney M20 R Ovation2 GX. The Jahn/Foy team averaged more than 21 knots faster than its handicapped speed of 174.23 knots, beating the nearest competitors by 1.51 knots. Thirty-seven aircraft competed in the race. Jahn has flown in 14 Air Race Classics, but this was her first victory. She has finished in the top 10 six times, and she finished second in both 1994 and 1995 with teammate Chris Bentley.
MIKE FANFALONE, one of the founders and former president of the Professional Airways Systems Specialists, died June 27 after a long battle with Crohn's disease. Fanfalone joined the Federal Aviation Administration in 1975 as a radar specialist in Saginaw, Mich., and subsequently became a radar display technician at John F. Kennedy International Airport. He later became a radar specialist at Baltimore/Washington International Airport's control tower.
Model 206L series helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2006-25084; Directorate Identifier 2005-SW-38-AD] - Proposes to require inspecting the fuel low-level detector switch unit to determine if it is a certain serial-numbered switch unit that may fail to indicate a low fuel condition. If the serial number is missing or unreadable, the mounting flange of the switch unit is not colored red or the purchase date is within a certain range or cannot be determined, this proposal would require an operational test.
