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.
Analysts at Cathay Financial apparently believe a lot of what FAA and Air Transport Association officials have been saying about the possible impact a new generation of Very Light Jets could have on the air traffic control system (BA, March 13/113).
Titanium supplier RTI International Metals, Inc. announced two facilities expansion programs last week and a new agreement with Airbus that could generate nearly $1 billion in revenue over the next 10 years.
Corporate operators last week received a reprieve from two measures in a comprehensive tax bill that would have dramatically increased the tax burden for use of aircraft for personal or recreational purposes. House and Senate negotiators agreed to strip out the two measures in the Tax Relief Act of 2005 that would have increased the tax liability of business executives who use company aircraft for personal reasons and limit the tax benefits companies receive when the aircraft are used for recreation (BA, Dec. 5/259).
Model CL-600-2B19 (Regional Jet Series 100 & 440) airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2006-24586; Directorate Identifier 2006-NM-100-AD; Amendment 39-14579; AD 2006-09-08] - Requires modifying the wiring on an alternating current (AC) service bus contactor located in the avionics bay. This AD results from incidents of short circuit failures of certain AC contactors located in the avionics bay. FAA is issuing this AD to prevent short circuit failures of certain AC contactors, which could result in arcing and consequent smoke or fire.
Rockwell Collins is seeking FAA approval for an upgrade on the Piaggio 180 liquid crystal displays (LCD) that will include the Pro Line 21 IDS Integrated Display System and AHS-3000 Attitude Heading Reference System (AHRS). Jet Works in Denton, Texas will perform the upgrade on the twin pusherprop aircraft. Certification of both the Pro Line 21 IDS and the AHS-3000 are expected by September 2006.
Model DHC-8-102, -103, -106, -201, -202, -301, -311, and -315 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2006-23820; Directorate Identifier 2005-NM-249-AD; Amendment 39-14578; AD 2004-03-15 R1] - Revises an existing AD that requires performing a one-time inspection to detect chafing of electrical wires in the cable trough below the cabin floor; repairing, if necessary; installing additional tie-mounts and tie-wraps; applying sealant to rivet heads; and modifying electrical wires in certain sections. FAA issued that AD to prevent chafing of electrical wires.
Seven months after the Transportation Security Administration began letting business aviation flights back into Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, the agency last week added three airports to the list of those from which such flights may originate. Added to the list of "gateway" airports were Dallas Love Field (DAL), Memphis International Airport (MEM) and Milwaukee's General Mitchell International Airport (MKE).
Air Security International, an intelligence and security specialist, developed a new risk-forecasting tool, Praeteus, that provides intelligence from around the world via the Web and mobile data devices. Version 1.0, released during the Energy Security Council Annual Conference this month in Houston, Texas, is the first in a series of tools ASI plans to bring to market this year. Praeteus subscribers can access a "morning risk" video forecast that covers business risk and corporate security issues, including the impact of worldwide events on global business operations.
Excelaire, the Ronkonkoma, N.Y.-based jet charter company, added a Bombardier Global Express business jet to its fleet. The company also operates Gulfstreams, Hawkers and Learjets, plus a fleet of helicopters.
Sikorsky Aircraft has launched a recruitment campaign to hire more than 300 engineers for its military and civil helicopter product lines and services. The Stratford, Conn. manufacturer is planning to hold job fairs in Connecticut, Florida, Maryland, Alabama and New York.
Triumph Group bolstered its aircraft refurbishment business with the acquisition of Air Excellence International. Air Excellence repairs and refurbishes aircraft interiors and is an FAA-PMA-approved manufacturer of aircraft interior components. The company, which employs 95, operates repair stations in Pittsburgh, Dallas, Portland and Shannon, Ireland. The company specializes in sidewalls, ceiling panels, overhead bins, lavatories and bin doors.
National Transportation Safety Board will hold a two-day hearing beginning June 20 as part of its continuing investigation of the Dec. 8 runway overrun accident involving a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 at Chicago Midway Airport. The accident occurred during a heavy snowstorm. The aircraft slid off the runway after landing, went through two fences and struck a car on an off-airport street. A child in the car was killed in the collision.
Boeing will spend $1.7 billion to acquire Aviall, the largest independent supplier of aviation parts in the industry. The deal, announced last week, is the first big acquisition by Boeing since James McNerney took over as CEO last June and one that will spread Boeing's reach significantly into the supply chain management business.
SR TECHNICS signed a memorandum of understanding with Israel Aircraft Industries to buy a controlling stake of IAI's Rome, N.Y. airframe maintenance subsidiary, Empire Aero Center. Under the MOU, SR Technics will acquire 60 percent of Empire and IAI will retain a 40 percent stake. The transaction will give SR Technics a presence in the U.S., and help SR Technics to expand its reach. SR Technics and Empire Aero already have begun collaborating on joint proposals for several U.S. customers. The agreement is expected to be made final in July.
Models PC-6, PC-6-H1, PC-6-H2, PC-6/350, PC-6/350-H1, PC-6/350-H2, PC-6/A, PC-6/A-H1, PC-6/A-H2, PC-6/B-H2, PC-6/B1-H2, PC-6/B2-H2, PC-6/B2-H4, PC-6/C-H2, and PC-6/C1-H2 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2006-24091; Directorate Identifier 2006-CE-17-AD] - Proposes to supersede AD 98-12-01, which applies to certain PC-6, PC-6/A, PC-6/B, and PC-6/C series airplanes equipped with turboprop engines. AD 98-12-01 currently requires modification of the fuel system to improve the venting between the collector tank, the main wing tanks, and the engine.
ASSOCIATED AIR CENTER completed its fifth Airbus Corporate Jetliner. The aircraft was completed in concert with Airbus and a head-of-state customer based in southwestern Asia. The interior was designed with seats and divans for eight passengers, a master bedroom with queen-sized bed, master lavatory with stand-up shower, first class ministers' area with seating for eight passengers, a guest staff area that seats 42, storage, and forward and aft galleys. Associated Air Center has signed completion contracts for 10 ACJs and currently has five in the completion process.
