Piaggio Aero received an order for the Piaggio Avanti II from Robert (Bob) Pond, the owner of the first production Piaggio P.180 Avanti. The Avanti II will replace the original Avanti, and Pond plans to add the older aircraft to his public collection of more than 25 aircraft. A Navy World War II veteran and military aircraft collector, Pond opened the The Palm Springs Air Museum in 1996 after retiring as chief executive of industrial floor cleaning machines producer Advance Machine Company.
Model AS-365N2, AS 365 N3, EC 155B, EC155B1, SA-365N, N1, and SA-366G1 helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2004-18850; Directorate Identifier 2004-SW-19-AD] - Proposes to revise an existing AD that currently requires inspecting the main gearbox (MGB) base plate for a crack and replacing the MGB if a crack is found. This action would increase the time intervals for inspecting the MGB base plate. This action also would include minor editorial changes throughout the AD.
Models AT-602, AT-802, and AT-802A airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2006-24228; Directorate Identifier 2006-CE-22-AD] - Proposes to require repetitive inspections of the engine mount for any cracks, repairing or replacing any cracked engine mount, and reporting any cracks found to the FAA. FAA is proposing this AD to detect and correct cracks in the engine mount, which could lead to failure of the engine mount. Such failure could lead to separation of the engine from the airplane. The proposed AD would affect an estimated 368 airplanes on the U.S.
ARINC DIRECT received a contract from Air Charter Scotland for flight planning and support. ARINC DIRECT services will include a full-featured runway analysis capability, the latest weather data and NOTAMs, and Aircraft Situational Display.
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport will hold a ceremony Tuesday to commission Runway 10-28. The 9,000-foot runway has been "in the making for 20 years," the airport said. When 10-28 becomes operational later this month it "is expected to reduce departure delays...by half, saving airlines...millions of dollars per week, and reducing on-board dwell time for passengers connecting to other flights." The $1.28 billion runway project is the centerpiece of a $6.2 billion development program at the airport.
Appointed president and chief operating officer of Aspen Executive Air d/b/a aexjet. Before joining aexjet, Gallaher was president and chief financial officer of Sunset Aviation, Novato, Calif., where he was responsible for all of the company's operations, which included more than 30 managed aircraft, most of which were on Sunset's Part 135 certificate. aexjet is a private jet card membership and aircraft management operator headquartered in Aspen, Colo. with flight operations in Chicago.
May 17-19 - National Aircraft Finance Association 35th Annual Conference, St. Regis Resort, Laguna Niguel, Calif., (410) 571-1740 May 22-25 - Regional Airline Association Annual Convention, Wyndham Anatole Hotel, Dallas, Texas, (202) 367-1170 June 3 - Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association Fly-In and Open House, Frederick Municipal Airport, Frederick, Md., (301) 695-2000, www.aopa.org/fly-in June 5-7 - Regional Air Cargo Carriers Association, 2006 Spring Conference, Wichita, Kan., Hyatt Regency Hotel, www.raccaonline.org
Appointed vice president-commercial operations for Bombardier Regional Aircraft. He will be responsible for support functions related to sales and asset management. Reporting to Williams are Anne Woodyatt, vice president-contracts; Trung Ngo, vice president-marketing and communications; Rod Sheridan, vice president-asset management; and Barry MacKinnon, vice president-markets and airline analysis.
General Dynamics' Network Systems unit won a contract to provide engineering services at FAA's William J. Hughes Technical Center Office of Integrated Engineering Services in Atlantic City, N.J. The company said the seven-year contract has a potential value of $3 million in labor costs if all options are exercised. GD will provide both on-site and off-site engineering services, including daily operations management, system and network administration, software installation, Web administration and related tasks.
Model 600N helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2006-24518; Directorate Identifier 2006-SW-10-AD; Amendment 39-14569; AD 2006-08-12] - Supersedes an existing AD that currently requires inspecting both upper tailboom attachment fittings, nut plates and both angles for a crack or thread damage, and repairing or replacing any cracked or damaged part. That AD also requires replacing the upper right tailboom attachment bolt with a new attachment bolt, and if the upper right attachment bolt is broken, replacing the three remaining attachment bolts with airworthy bolts.
Sponsors and participants in last week's Greater Washington Aviation Open golf and tennis tournament at the Golf Club at Lansdowne in Ashburn, Va. helped raise $125,000 for the Corporate Angel Network (CAN). Over the past 18 years, the GWAO has raised more than $1 million for CAN, which offers free transportation on corporate aircraft for cancer patients traveling to and from treatment centers.
The National Transportation Safety Board faulted the captain for not following approved procedures during the Aug. 13, 2004 flight of an Air Tahoma Convair 580 that crashed on approach to Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. The aircraft, N586P, on a Part 121 cargo flight for DHL Express, was destroyed, the first officer killed and the captain injured as a result of the accident.
AirCell is seeking European certification for its Axxess next-generation Satcom system. The unit won FAA certification earlier, and EASA approval is expected this summer. AirCell has lined up a number of installation facilities in Europe, including: Transairco SA in Geneva, Switzerland, for installation aboard a Falcon 50; EISA in Paris, France, also for installation aboard a Falcon 50, and Ruag Aerospace Services in Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany, for a Citation III.
Jet Aviation is launching a new cooperative program, Skylliance, to create a network of charter service operators in Europe. Jet Aviation will manage the program, providing marketing and sales support for the network. Jet Aviation also will audit each operator to ensure it meets both operational and safety standards before being allowed to join Skylliance. "We wanted to set another industry benchmark," said Martin Bernegger, senior vice president and general manager of Jet Aviation's EMEA charter division.
Named senior vice president-sales for Bombardier Regional Aircraft, where he will be responsible for all regional aircraft sales worldwide. Reporting to Dailly are: Ric Allison, vice president-Americas sales; Steve Crowley, vice president-Asia-Pacific sales; and Kevin Smith, vice president-international sales, with responsibility for Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
Named vice president of Triumph Group, Wayne, Pa., where she will continue to be responsible for the company's tax and investor relations functions. Spagnolo joined Triumph in 1994 as director of taxes. She assumed the additional responsibility of director of investor relations in July 2003. A certified public accountant with a bachelor's degree in accounting and a master's degree in taxation, Spagnolo previously held tax or accounting positions with Alco Standard Corp. and PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.
Address: Comments may be submitted via the Web: http://dms.dot.gov; by fax: (202) 493-2251; or by mail: Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of Transportation, 400 Seventh Street S.W., Nassif Building, Room PL-401, Washington, D.C. 20590-001. Identify docket number. Petitions for Exemption Docket No.: FAA-2006-24302 Petitioner: AAI Corporation Section of 14 CFR Affected: 91.9(b)(2) and 92.203(a) and (b)
NetJets named a new president, company veteran Bill Noe, who now has day-to-day responsibility for the operations and administrative functions of the fractional aircraft provider. Noe replaces Bill Boisture, who resigned in January (BA, Jan. 9/13). A flight operations veteran, Noe joined NetJets in 1993 as a Citation S/II co-pilot. He soon moved to the Hawker 1000 program, where he became a company check airman and FAA-designated examiner, before being named chief pilot for the Hawker 1000 program.
Bombardier sold a Challenger 605 business jet to Swiss charter carrier Comlux Aviation. Comlux, the launch customer for the 605 in Switzerland, will take delivery of the aircraft in the fourth quarter of 2007. Comlux also operates two Challenger 604 business jets. The 605, announced during the NBAA annual meeting and convention in November, completed its first flight in January and has accumulated more than 100 flight hours.
United States Aviation Underwriters promoted David McKay to president and chief operating officer. He succeeds Michael Sweeney, who took over as chairman and chief executive last month (BA, May 8/213). Previously chief underwriter, McKay has held positions in safety engineering, accident investigation services and general aviation, airline and manufacturing underwriting during his 28-year career with USAU.
Models SR20 and SR22 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2006-24254; Directorate Identifier 2006-CE-24-AD] - Proposes to supersede AD 2005-17-19, which currently requires measuring and adjusting the crew seat break-over bolts and replacing the crew seat recline locks on both crew seats. Since AD 2005-17-19 was issued, CDC developed new crew seat break-over pins to replace the old crew seat break-over bolts.
TAG Aviation reported significant growth in its aircraft management business in both the U.S. and European markets during 2005, a trend that is continuing so far this year. TAG Aviation's European aircraft management fleet doubled last year, the company said, and now exceeds 40 aircraft operating from nine locations on the continent. That fleet growth is driving TAG's growth in the charter market, where the company is expected to fly more than 15,000 charter hours this year.
Business aviation users dodged a bullet last week when House negotiators prevailed over their Senate counterparts and killed a couple of provisions in a tax bill that would have sharply increased tax liability for both executives who use company aircraft for personal trips and the companies that own those aircraft. See article below.
