Early noise tests of the Eclipse 500 show that the very light jet is not only achieving Stage 4 aircraft noise limits, but is "multiple orders of magnitude" better than the government standards require, Eclipse said last week. The company committed to ensure that the Eclipse 500 met Stage 4 noise standards, which would require operation at a maximum noise level of 88 decibels (dB) on approach. Initial testing of the Eclipse 500 is showing an average maximum noise range of 68 dB on approach.
RAYTHEON AIRCRAFT appointed Aero-Dienst Gmbh & Co. KG as a Hawker sales representative in Germany and Austria. Aero-Dienst will sell used Beechcraft and Hawker aircraft along with new Hawker 4000s, 850XPs and 400XPs. Aero-Dienst also is an authorized service center for Beechcraft King Airs and Hawkers.
Republican lawmakers Thursday urged House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) to schedule a vote on a bill that would force the Federal Aviation Administration to return to the bargaining table with the National Air Traffic Controllers Association. In a letter signed by 49 Republicans, including several on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, the legislators said the bill, H.R.4755, has 232 co-sponsors, including 59 Republicans.
Having enjoyed significant success selling executive-configured regional jets to corporate aviation users, Brazilian manufacturer Embraer is now adding a full-size airliner model to its growing family of corporate jets.
AIRCRAFT ELECTRONICS ASSOCIATION attracted 1,650 attendees to its 49th annual international convention and trade show last month in Palms Springs, Calif. The three-day show drew more than 140 exhibitors and included 75 hours of training sessions. The association will host its 50th convention and trade show March 28-31, 2007 in Reno, Nev. Future dates and places are: April 23-26, 2008 in Washington, D.C.; April 1-4, 2009 in Dallas, Texas; April 7-10, 2010 in Orlando, Fla.; and March 30-April 2, 2011 in Reno.
Model SD3 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2005-23173; Directorate Identifier 2005-NM-190-AD] - Revises an earlier proposal that would have required installing additional fuel tank bonding jumpers, performing an in-place resistance check of the float switches, inspecting certain internal components of the fuel tanks, and performing related corrective actions if necessary.
JetBird, a startup air taxi company to be based in Switzerland, announced ambitious plans last week to provide on-demand service across Europe - at prices significantly lower than those charged by existing operators - using a mixed fleet of Phenom 100 and 300 business jets built by Brazilian manufacturer Embraer.
The National Transportation Safety Board wants passengers on Part 135 air taxi flights to have complete information on who is operating the airplane and who owns it.
FAA ADMINISTRATOR MARION BLAKEY last week remained resolute in pushing through a new contract agreement that holds the line on air traffic controller compensation. "We are at an impasse with [the National Air Traffic Controllers Association]," she told the Senate transportation appropriations subcommittee. "Since 1998, the first year of the current NATCA contract, the increasing imbalance in compensation between NATCA and the rest of the agency has cost the taxpayer a total of $1.8 billion.
BLAKEY ALSO continued her push for an overhaul of the FAA funding system, telling the Senate transportation appropriations subcommittee that the Airport and Airway Trust Fund is vulnerable because of its heavy reliance on the ticket tax. She also noted that the trust fund's uncommitted balance is expected to draw down to $1.7 billion by the end of the fiscal year. But she added, "Our belief in the need for funding reform for the FAA is not fundamentally about generating more money for FAA. It is about creating a stable and predictable funding system."
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-2006-24262 Petitioner: Experimental Aircraft Association Section of 14 CFR Affected: Part 61.415(b)
Arizona's Williams Gateway Airport Authority is reviewing a proposal that would add the city of Phoenix to its membership group. Under the proposed plan, Phoenix would become the fifth member in the airport authority, joining the municipalities of Mesa, Gilbert, Queen Creek and the Gila River Indian Community. Each member government has a single board seat and vote.
Helicopter Association International is alarmed that a State Department proposal could exacerbate the shortage of helicopter instructors and financially damage helicopter flight-training providers. The Exchange Visitor Program-Training and Internship Programs proposal, released last month, would limit the amount of time a foreign student could remain in the country for flight training. Currently, foreign students are able to train in the U.S. under a two-year visa.
MIDCOAST AVIATION and Bombardier Aerospace signed an "agreement in principle" that secures positions at Midcoast for the completion of 41 business jets over the next three years. The agreement provides for Midcoast to do interior completions of 15 Global 5000 and Global Express XRS aircraft, 18 Challenger 605s and eight Challenger 850 series aircraft. "This agreement marks the dawn of an exciting new era at Midcoast Aviation," said President Kurt F. Sutterer.
Joins The NORDAM Group as director, supply chain services. Thomas will be responsible for inventory control, shipping and receiving, and purchasing at the Tulsa, Okla., repair facility. He previously was vice president-supply chain at Garrett Aviation Service and held management positions with AlliedSignal Aerospace and GE.
FIRSTFLIGHT added a Challenger 601 and Learjet 55 to its Part 135 certificate. The aircraft, which will be based in White Plains, N.Y., increase FirstFlight's charter fleet to 16 aircraft. A wholly owned subsidiary of FBO Air, FirstFlight Management was established in 1987 and provides aircraft charter, management, sales, acquisition and maintenance services. The company is headquartered at Elmira Corning Regional Airport in New York.
Models AT-400; AT-401, AT-401B, AT-402, AT-402A, and AT-402B airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2006-23646; Directorate Identifier 2006-CE-05-AD; Amendment 39-14563; AD 2006-08-08] - Requires lowering the safe life for the wing lower spar cap for certain Models AT-402A and AT-402B airplanes and those that incorporate or have incorporated Marburger Enterprises winglets. For Models AT-400, AT-401, AT-401B, AT-402, and certain AT-402A, airplanes, this AD requires repetitively inspecting the wing lower spar cap in order to reach the safe life.
Models PC-12 and PC-12/45 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2004-19220; Directorate Identifier 2004-CE-27-AD; Amendment 39-14568; AD 2006-08-11] - Requires, for all Pilatus Models PC-12 and PC-12/45 airplanes equipped with certain crew seat bucket assemblies with and without a backrest recline system, replacing the backrest tubes on these crew seat bucket assemblies at a specified time and adds a life limit for these backrest tubes. This AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information issued by the airworthiness authority for Switzerland.
EXECUTIVE JET MANAGEMENT (EJM) added four aircraft to its management fleet: a Gulfstream IV-SP based at Manassas Regional Airport in Virginia; a Hawker 800XP at Lunken Airport in Cincinnati, Ohio; a Citation Sovereign at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey; and a Challenger 601 at Honolulu International Airport in Hawaii. EJM manages aircraft at more than 60 locations throughout the U.S.
May 9-11 - Flight Safety Foundation/National Business Aviation Association Corporate Aviation Safety Seminar, Phoenix, Ariz., (202) 783-9000 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
MICHAEL L. SWEENEY was named chairman and chief executive officer of United States Aviation Underwriters, Inc. (USAU). Sweeney had been president and chief operating officer. He succeeds Harold J. Clark, who retired late last month after 34 years with the company. Sweeney, a former Air Force pilot, joined the company in 1974 as an aviation underwriter. He was named president and COO in 2001. USUA is the aviation underwriting subsidiary of General Re Corp., which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, Inc.
AMSAFE AVIATION was selected to supply its inflatable restraints for new Diamond DA40 Diamond Star and DA42 Twin Star aircraft. The AmSafe Aviation Inflatable Restraints (AAIR) will be standard equipment for pilot and co-pilot seats and optional equipment for rear seats. Designed and certified exclusively for aviation applications, the AAIR system is standard on 75 percent of new single-engine aircraft, AmSafe said.
Michael Farge bought the assets of the former Dornier 328 program from bankruptcy receivers in Germany earlier this year and is now supporting other 328JET operators and using some of those aircraft in his own flight operations.
WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT is hosting the 26th annual Pennsylvania Aviation Conference Sept 13-15 at the Woodlands Inn & Resort in Wilkes-Barre. The event will include seminars, exhibits, networking opportunities and seminars and will open with a golf tournament at noon on Sept. 13 at the Wilkes-Barre Golf Club. Sponsored by the Aviation Council of Pennsylvania and the PENNDOT Bureau of Aviation, the meeting is expected to draw airport, fixed-base operation and corporate operators from across Pennsylvania.
CIT GROUP created an Aerospace and Defense Finance Group to provide a range of financial products, including balance sheet recapitalization, leasing and project financing, growth capital and acquisition financing. Patrick Henry Dowling will oversee the new unit as managing director and general manager. Dowling formerly was managing director and industry leader, Aerospace and Defense, for GE Commercial and Industrial Finance as well as a director in the Aerospace and Defense Group at Wachovia Securities.
