Engenuity Technologies released the next generation of its VAPS software, the VAPS XT, which enables development of visualization and simulation products, including avionics displays. Engenuity developed VAPS XT in concert with Rockwell Collins, DaimlerChrysler and automotive electronics supplier Valeo. VAPS XT simplifies flight display development.
Million Air Interlink added Pentastar Aviation in Pontiac, Mich., to its chain of fixed-base operations, increasing its network to 33 members. Pentastar will retain its corporate identity in all its business units, but the FBO will be branded as Million Air. Pentastar provides aircraft management, aircraft charter, maintenance, avionics design/installation/repair and brokerage. The FBO is an ExxonMobil Avitat dealer.
Gulfstream President Bryan Moss has been meeting with FAA Administrator Marion Blakey and legislators on Capitol Hill to stress the importance of maintaining FAA's aircraft certification services. FAA earlier this year began to set priorities among its services, saying budget constraints were forcing the agency to slow certification activities. FAA is now looking at assessing fees for its certification services, a move that the General Aviation Manufacturers Association adamantly opposes (BA, Nov. 7/207).
SHORT BROTHERS Model SD3 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2005-21344; Directorate Identifier 2004-NM-190-AD; Amendment 39-14283; AD 2005-19-18] - supersedes an existing AD, which applies to all Short Brothers Model SD3-30 and SD3-60 airplanes equipped with certain fire extinguishers.
DASSAULT PREPARES FOR FIRST 900DX DELIVERY - Dassault expects to begin delivery of its first Falcon 900DX with recent certifications from both the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and the European Aviation Safety Agency. Introduced in May 2004 during the European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition, the Falcon 900DX incorporates the same Honeywell TFE731-60 engines, cockpit and cabin equipment as the Falcon 900EX EASy but with a redesigned fuel system and the front fuselage of the Falcon 2000EX.
Air Routing Group renamed its AirFuel International unit Air Routing Fuel. Richard Wilkens, president of the fuel unit, said the move is designed to more closely link the company with Air Routing International and reduce name confusion. Air Routing Fuel manages jet fuel procurement for 2,500 corporate aircraft worldwide as well as for a number of commercial aircraft. "Air Routing Fuel continues to grow both in association with Air Routing International and independently, both domestically and internationally," Wilkens said.
Boeing Business Jets named Jet Aviation Singapore an authorized service center. Jet Aviation is the first authorized center for BBJs in the Asia-Pacific region. The authorization covers warranty work, maintenance, repair and overhaul services. Boeing Business Jets has seven authorized centers in all, including three in Europe, two in the U.S. and one in the Middle East. The latest designation comes as Boeing recently received its first order from a customer in Hong Kong.
Duncan Aviation named Tom Burt chief operating officer of the company's Battle Creek, Mich. facility. A 26-year industry veteran who joined Duncan in 1979, Burt has been based at Battle Creek for the past 18 months as executive vice president of customer services and sales. "Our strategic plans for Duncan Aviation include significant growth over the next five years," said Aaron Hilkemann, president of Duncan.
North America has traditionally accounted for about 75 percent of all business jets sold, but overseas sales are starting to account for a bigger share of new orders. Dassault Falcon Jet expects international orders to exceed U.S. orders this year for the first time in many years, according to President John Rosanvallon. Cessna and Raytheon Aircraft also report strong demand from overseas customers.
CIRRUS LOOKING AT SINGLE-ENGINE JET UNDER $1 MILLION - Cirrus Design Corp., which has enjoyed remarkable success building a line of single-engine piston-powered personal aircraft, is looking at a potential new product - a personal airplane powered by a single jet engine.
CAE is moving a Sikorsky S-76 and Gulfstream IV simulator from its CAE SimuFlite Dallas, Texas facility to the company's new training center in Morristown, N.J. The new center also will house simulators for the Falcon 7X, Falcon 900 EX/EASy and 2000 EX/EASy. CAE broke ground on the center earlier this fall and will begin moving simulators into the facility by summer 2006. The facility initially will incorporate six simulator bays but will be designed to accommodate future expansion.
December 1-2 - National Air Transportation Association Line Service Supervisor Training, Albuquerque, N.M., (703) 845-9000 January 8-12, 2006 - American Association of Airport Executives Aviation Issues Conference, Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel, Kona, Hawaii, (703) 824-0504, www.airportnet.org January 25-27, 2006 - National Business Aviation Association Schedulers & Dispatchers Conference, San Antonio, Texas, (202) 783-9000
Jet-Care International won a contract from the U.S. Coast Guard to provide oil and debris analysis for Turbomeca Arriel 2C2CG engines that power the service's re-engined HH-65C Dolphin helicopters. Jet-Care will provide analysis for more than 200 engines.
National Business Aviation Association elected three new directors last week during the association's annual meeting and convention: Ronald Duncan, president, CEO and co-founder of Alaska-based General Communication, Inc.; Michael Herman, chairman, North American Communications; and Monte J.M. Koch, chairman, mergers and acquisitions-Americas, Deutsche Bank. "These three new directors are a good fit in our effort to make the board more diverse in its perspective than it has ever been," said NBAA Board Chairman Ken Emerick.
CESSNA WINS MULTI-JET ORDER FROM AUSTRIAN OPERATOR - Cessna Aircraft won an order for 20 business jets valued at more than $200 million from Jetalliance of Vienna, Austria. The order comprises two Citation X, seven Sovereign, four XLS, five CJ2+ and two CJ3 aircraft, all of which are to be part of Jetalliance's expansion into eastern Europe. Deliveries are scheduled to begin next year.
JEFF RIANS was promoted to maintenance sales representative for Mayo Aviation. Rians has experience in aircraft parts and modification sales. In his new role, he will be responsible for expanding Mayo's King Air and Learjet maintenance business.
ATR last week received a contract from Karachi, Pakistan-based carrier PIA for seven new ATR 42-500 aircraft. The contract, valued at US$100 million, calls for the aircraft to be delivered beginning in May 2006 and continuing into 2007. The aircraft will replace PIA's aging F-27 fleet. The order is the latest in a series of sales that the Franco-Italian consortium has secured this year. Since January, ATR has sold 70 new aircraft and boosted the overall ATR orderbook to 758 (398 ATR 42s and 360 ATR 72s).
Corporate Angel Network (CAN) arranged 253 patient flights last month, a record for the charity that works with corporate and fractional operators to provide free air transportation for cancer patients traveling for treatment. CAN's previous one-month record of 244 patient flights was set last year. CAN also passed another milestone in October, arranging the 22,000th cancer patient flight. The passenger aboard the flight, Kathy Minor, was a bone marrow transplant patient at the Mayo Clinic.
NAVY GETS FIRST PRESIDENTIAL FLEET TEST HELICOPTER - The U.S. Navy received its first VH-71A presidential helicopter Nov. 2 in ceremonies at the Naval Air Station Patuxent River. The aircraft, also known as Test Vehicle No. 1 (TV-1), was flown in from Oswego, N.Y. where preliminary training was conducted for pilots and maintenance personnel. Oswego will be the manufacturing site for the program. TV-1 is essentially an Agusta Westland EH101 multi-mission helicopter. The No.
S-TEC donated a 55X autopilot for a solo around-the-world flight planned by 21-year-old pilot Barrington Irving. Irving is hoping to become the first African-American and the youngest pilot, to fly solo around the world, S-TEC said, adding that the flight is intended "to inspire minorities and youth in general to pursue achievements in aerospace and aviation." Flying a Columbia 400, Irving will depart May 4, 2006 from Miami Opa-Locka Airport and take an East-to-West path that will return to Opa-Locka June 2.
