SWISSPORT SOLD TO SPANISH FIRM - Swissport, one of the world's largest airline handling companies, is being sold to the Spanish-based Ferrovial Group. Under the agreement, Ferrovial will pay 336 million euros for the shares of Swissport and assume all its debt, another 310 million euros. The acquisition, which is subject to regulatory approval, is expected to close this month. Swissport operates at more than 170 airports in 40 countries.
Raytheon Aircraft Company promoted two executives to key customer support roles. Steve Porte was named vice president, international support, and Dave Jacobson is now vice president, North American Service Center Programs. Based in Milan, Italy, Porte will manage authorized service centers (ASCs) and field service representatives outside of North America. Porte, who has been with RAC for 15 years, most recently was director of global support. Jacobson will be responsible for domestic customer service and support, including all ASCs in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
The letter followed a meeting between industry executives and FAA officials Tuesday to air their concerns. FAA officials appeared sympathetic and subsequently indicated that they plan "to issue an amendment limiting the applicability" for replacement requirements of the rule. The agency assembled a team to work with operators on replacement work and also hoped to release an inspectors' bulletin to ensure standardization and eliminate misunderstandings in interpreting the rule's requirements.
LEARJET Model 23, 24, 24A, 24B, 24B-A, 24C, 24D, 24D-A, 24E, 24F, 24F-A, 25, 25A, 25B, 25C, 25D, and 25F airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2005-22169; Directorate Identifier 2005-NM-094-AD] - proposes to require replacing the spherical accumulator for the main hydraulic system with a new cylindrical accumulator. For certain airplanes, this proposed AD also would require modification of the accumulator pressure gauge.
Air Methods shipped a third S-70A Firehawk aircraft to the Los Angeles County Fire Department. The Sikorsky helicopter, based on the UH-60L Black Hawk, is configured for missions that include airborne firefighting, search and rescue, emergency medical transport, fire crew transportation and cargo transport. The aircraft can deliver 1,000 gallons of water through a belly-mounted tank. Air Methods supplied the multi-mission interior system and upgraded the flight instruments.
TIGER AIRCRAFT Models AA-5, AA-5A, AA-5B, and AG-5B airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2005-20968; Directorate Identifier 94-CE-15-AD; Amendment 39-14222; AD 95-19-15 R1] - revises AD 95-19-15, which currently requires inspecting the wing attach shoulder bolts for fretting, scoring, wear, or enlarged or elongated mounting holes; replacing any damaged parts; repairing any damaged areas; inspecting the wing spar at the center spar clearance gap for excessive clearance; and shimming the spar if excessive clearance is found.
BRAD CHANDLER joined the aircraft sales team of Kansas City Aviation Center. Chandler will sell Pilatus PC-12s in Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Chandler has 16 years of sales and marketing experience, and owned an aviation sales and leasing company.
RAYTHEON Model 390 Premier 1 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2005-20712; Directorate Identifier 2005-CE-15-AD] - proposes to require (unless already done) replacing the plastic cover over the air conditioning motor module with a metallic cover and modifying the air conditioning compressor motor module electromagnetic interference-radio frequency interference (EMI-RFI) filter located under the cover and reidentifying the module part number.
Gulfstream shipped the first G200 to a customer in Canada. Partner Jet, a Toronto-based aviation management company, will manage the aircraft and arrange charter flights. Gulfstream has delivered 108 G200s, which have accumulated more than 112,000 flight hours and 70,000 landings.
GENERAL ELECTRIC CF34 series turbofan engines [Docket No. 2000-NE-42-AD] - proposes to supersede an existing AD that currently requires a one-time inspection, and, if necessary, replacing certain fan disks for electrical arc-out indications. That AD also reduces the life limit of certain fan disks. This proposed AD would require the same actions and adds one disk part number (P/N) and serial number (S/N) to the affected fan disks. This proposed AD results from an error in the first P/N and S/N listed in Table 1 of the original AD.
Piaggio completed production of its 100th Avanti and shipped the aircraft to the Stevens Aviation completion center in Greenville, S.C. The Avanti will be delivered later this year to a U.S. customer. The twin-turboprop Avanti pusherprop won type certification in October 1990. The aircraft can fly more than 1,700 nautical miles at up to 395 knots true airspeed and cruise as high as 41,000 feet.
DYLAN HAYNIE was named sales director for Bombardier Flexjet. Haynie will oversee sales in the south-central region, including Texas and Mexico. Haynie joined Flexjet in 1998 and formerly was director of contracts and legal services.
September 10-14 - 74th National Association of State Aviation Officials Annual Convention and Trade Show, Des Moines, Iowa, (301) 588-0587 September 15 - National Business Aviation Association Business Aviation Regional Forum, Centennial Airport, Denver, Colo., (202) 783-9000 September 15-16 - National Air Transportation Association Line Service Supervisor Training, Dayton, Ohio, (703) 845-9000
Industry officials were relieved late last week that the outlook for fuel supplies improved, at least in the short term, as the relief effort from Hurricane Katrina progressed. In the long term, however, the picture is more clouded, said National Air Transportation Association President James Coyne, as the oil industry investigates damage to off-shore drilling equipment. See article below.
CAE earned FAA certification for an Embraer 190 full-flight simulator installed at JetBlue University's support campus in Orlando, Fla. FAA granted interim Level C certification. Level D certification is expected to follow in 2006. The simulator is the first EMB 190 model to receive certification. CAE also has developed a simulator for the EMB 170 regional jet.
Finding a new site on short notice for a convention as large as the National Business Aviation Association's annual gathering was a major challenge in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, but the timing could have been even worse. This year's NBAA show was originally scheduled in New Orleans Oct. 11-13, which would have given planners and participants only about six weeks to make alternative plans. Last year the 2005 date was pushed to Nov. 15-17 at least in part to avoid a conflict with the Jewish celebration of Yom Kippur. See article below.
The National Business Aviation Association will hold its 58th annual meeting and convention Nov. 9-11 (Wednesday-Thursday-Friday) at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla., NBAA President Ed Bolen told BA late Friday afternoon. The Orlando site will have nearly one million square feet of exhibit space, and Bolen said the association will have a static aircraft display that can accommodate up to 150 aircraft. Further details will be announced later. See earlier article below.
INDUSTRY GROUPS COORDINATE RELIEF EFFORTS -- After receiving a host of calls from a cross-section of operators volunteering their services for Hurricane Katrina relief, general aviation organizations stepped up their efforts to link those operators with the proper agencies in need of help. Helicopter Association International has set up a help desk to act as a clearinghouse between operators and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The association said its members "have been working around-the-clock to help with rescue operations."
CESSNA Models 525, 525A, and 525B airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2005-21109; Directorate Identifier 2005-CE-21-AD; Amendment 39-14232; AD 2005-17-11] - requires installation of identification sleeves on the wiring for both engine fire extinguisher bottles. This AD results from reports of incorrectly connect wires to the engine fire extinguisher bottles. FAA is issuing this AD to prevent incorrect installation of the wires to the engine fire extinguisher bottles, which could result in failure of the engine fire extinguisher bottles to discharge when activated.
BOMBARDIER Model CL-600-2B19 (Regional Jet Series 100 & 440) airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2005-20353; Directorate Identifier 2004-NM-255-AD; Amendment 39-14224; AD 2005-17-03] - requires installing additional shielding of the hydraulic lines in the wing box area. This AD results from the determination that the additional hydraulic line shields will protect the lines from possible impact by tire debris if the tire tread fails.
