Boeing Business Jets received its first order for a BBJ from an operator in the People's Republic of China, the company said. The operator was not identified. "We are absolutely thrilled and confident that this order will be the first of many in the growing China market for VIP airplanes," said Steven Hill, BBJ president. "The order also brings us closer to our 100th sales order, which we hope to achieve before the end of the year." With the order from the Chinese customer, Boeing now has orders for 98 of the 737 variants.
GULFSTREAM G150 ON TRACK FOR FIRST QUARTER APPROVAL - Gulfstream Aerospace this month flew the second G150 business jet test aircraft slightly ahead of schedule, keeping the program on track for the model to win certification in the first quarter of 2006 and enter service in the third quarter of 2006.
BOMBARDIER Model CL-600-2B19 (Regional Jet Series 100 & 440) airplanes [Docket No. 2003-NM-163-AD; Amendment 39-14244; AD 2005-18-04] - requires inspecting the electrical harnesses of the spoiler and the brake pressure sensor unit on both sides of the wing root to detect any chafing or wire damage, and repairing or replacing any damaged or chafed harness or wire with a new harness, as applicable. This action also provides/requires a terminating modification for the one-time inspection.
Elliott Aviation is seeking FAA approval for a flat panel cockpit upgrade on the Citation Model 650 business jet. The project includes replacing electromechanical and CRT-based electronic flight instrument systems with the Universal 890R large-format instrument package.
GAMA HIRES STATE DEPARTMENT VETERAN TO SUCCEED VALENTINE - Edward T. Smith, a long-time veteran of the U.S. State Department, will join the General Aviation Manufacturers Association later this year as senior vice president of international affairs. Smith will assume responsibility for GAMA's international aviation policy and regulatory involvement with foreign authorities. He also is responsible for maintaining GAMA's relationships with the Commerce and State departments and with FAA's International Office.
KLAUS RETIRING FROM GARRETT/PIEDMONT HAWTHORNE, BRIAN ROWE TO STAND IN - Garrett/ Piedmont Hawthorne/Associated said Frank Klaus, chief executive officer and a member of the board of directors, will retire from the company Sept. 30 and will be replaced as CEO on an interim basis by Brian Rowe, the company's chairman and long-time veteran of the aviation industry. Klaus will be a consultant for a year to the company's leadership team and to the Carlyle Group, the private equity firm that controls Garrett/Piedmont Hawthorne/Associated.
Today (Sept. 19) is the deadline for submitting comments on the IFR on DCA access, which was released in July (BA, July 18/21). Only a few comments had flowed in by late last week. Along with Thompson, other commenters asked TSA to rethink the breadth of the restrictions. The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority urged TSA to consider adding Washington Dulles and Baltimore Washington International Airports to the list of gateway airports that operators must use to access DCA.
JOE MINIACE was appointed deputy assistant administrator for strategic labor management relations for the Federal Aviation Administration. Miniace most recently was president and chief executive officer of the Pacific Maritime Association. As head of PMA, Miniace helped implement a 10-year strategic plan "that revolutionized the West Coast shipping industry, which had been plagued by long-standing labor unrest, excessive work stoppages and productivity declines," FAA said.
CESSNA STICKS WITH FLIGHTSAFETY FOR MUSTANG TRAINING - Cessna Aircraft, which has been sending its business jet customers to FlightSafety International for training for decades, will stick with FSI to train pilots of the new Cessna Mustang.
Sikorsky Aircraft sold three S-92 helicopters to Brunei Shell Petroleum (BSP) for offshore oil service. BSP is the first oil company in Asia to operate a fleet of S-92s, and Sikorsky said the contract builds upon a relationship with BSP that spans nearly 40 years. BSP bought its first Sikorsky helicopter, a S-61N, in 1967 for offshore oil service. BSP's S-61N fleet has since accumulated more than 139,000 flight hours. The S-92, which entered service last year, is used for offshore oil support in the North Sea, the Gulf of Mexico and off Nova Scotia, Canada.
NEW PIPER PRESIDENT HAS BACKGROUND IN ELECTRONICS BUSINESS - James Bass, who took over as president and chief executive of New Piper Aircraft last Monday, has a background in engineering and experience managing businesses in the electronics industry.
Reducing the number of accidents involving helicopters providing emergency medical service (HEMS) will require a systemwide approach "that involves all elements that influence the conduct of flight operations," according to a recent "white paper" published by the Helicopter Association International.
Embraer last week handed over the first Embraer 190 aircraft to U.S. launch customer JetBlue. Delivery follows certification, which was awarded earlier this month (BA, Sept. 12/116). JetBlue has firm orders for 101 of the 100-passenger airliners. The JetBlue aircraft are configured in a two-by-two seating arrangement with one class. The low-fare airline, which currently operates 81 Airbus A320s, is in the midst of an aggressive expansion program. It plans to add seven more 190s and three A320s before the end of 2005.
Eclipse Aviation officials say damage to the Eclipse 500 test aircraft that made a gear-up landing Sept. 4 is limited to just the belly of the fuselage (BA, Sept. 12/113). Engineers were completing their assessment last week of needed repairs, which workers are expected to begin making this week. The company continues to fly the other four test aircraft and a spokesman said each airplane is making three or four flights per day.
The Air Group added six aircraft so far this year, bringing the aircraft management company's fleet to 42 aircraft. The new additions include a Gulfstream GIV-SP based in Teterboro, N.J.; a GIV that alternates between the Van Nuys, Calif. Airport and Haneda Airport near Tokyo, Japan; a Hawker 800Pi based at Van Nuys; a Hawker 800 XP in Denver; a Falcon 900C based in San Jose, Calif.; and a Cessna Citation II that operates out of Honolulu, Hawaii.
GENERAL ELECTRIC CF34-1A, -3A, -3A1, -3A2, -3B, and -3B1 series turbofan engines [Docket No. FAA-2004-18648; Directorate Identifier 2004-NE-26-AD] - proposes to supersede an existing AD that was issued for CF34-3A1 and -3B1 series turbofan engines with certain part numbers (P/Ns) and serial numbers (S/Ns) of Stage 5 low-pressure turbine (LPT) disks and Stage 6 LPT disks. These engines are installed in Bombardier Canadair CL600-2B19 Regional Jet (RJ) airplanes. This proposed AD would add S/Ns to the affected disk population for RJ airplanes.
JEAN-MARIE POGU was appointed senior vice president of marketing and sales for Aerospace Products International. Pogu previously was director of sales and marketing for Honeywell's Hardware Products Group. He also has served as vice president of sales and marketing for Fairchild Fasteners and director of customer service for Turbomeca. In his new role, Pogu will manage sales and marketing activities for all customer segments in the U.S., including supply chain management services and distribution business.
TURBOMECA Arrius 2F turboshaft engines [Docket No. FAA-2005-21924; Directorate Identifier 2005-NE-30-AD; Amendment 39-14236; AD 2005-17-15] - requires a one-time removal and inspection of the fuel filter-holder assembly to determine that the fuel control unit (FCU) filter is dimensionally correct. The AD also requires updating the Engine Maintenance Manuals to include a dimensional check of the fuel filter-holder assembly every time the FCU filter element is removed from the fuel filter-holder assembly.
BOMBARDIER Model DHC-8-100, DHC-8-200, and DHC-8-300 series airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2005-20730; Directorate Identifier 2004-NM-68-AD; Amendment 39-14172; AD 2005-13-35] - supersedes an existing AD that requires installation of a placard on the instrument panel of the cockpit to advise the flightcrew that positioning of the power levers below the flight idle stop during flight is prohibited. Additionally, the existing AD requires eventual installation of an FAA-approved system that would prevent such positioning of the power levers during flight.
ATR sold three aircraft - one ATR 42-500 and two ATR 72-500s - to Air Caledonie, a Noumea, New Caledonia-based airline. The contract, valued at about $50 million, formalizes a letter of intent announced during the Paris Air Show in June. The aircraft are slated to be delivered between 2006 and 2007.
CIRRUS Models SR20 and SR22 Airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2004-19694; Directorate Identifier 2004-CE-41-AD; Amendment 39-14240; AD 2005-17-19] - requires measuring and adjusting the crew seat break-over bolts and replacing the crew seat recline locks on both crew seats. This AD results from CDC discovering that the crew seats, under emergency landing dynamic loads, may fold forward at less than the 26 g required by the regulations. FAA is issuing this AD to prevent the crew seats from folding forward during emergency landing dynamic loads with consequent occupant injury.
Is Bombardier going to find another of its top business aircraft sales executives working for a competitor? It's possible, following surprising news that Peter Edwards, the president of Bombardier Business Aircraft, had left the building, effective immediately. See article below.
BOMBARDIER OPENS CHICAGO CENTER FOR PARTS DISTRIBUTION - Bombardier last week formally opened a new 238,000-square-foot warehouse in Chicago to serve as a central distribution point for Bombardier aircraft parts. Based at Chicago O'Hare International Airport, the warehouse will be home to an inventory of more than 120,000 parts.
