PAUL (BO) BOLLINGER was elected to the board of directors for the Corporate Angel Network (CAN). Bollinger is president of the Air Traffic Control Association. Bollinger co-founded and directs the Greater Washington Aviation Open, a major fundraiser that has contributed more than $800,000 to CAN.
Sentient Jet, the private jet membership provider based in Norwell, Mass., formed a strategic alliance with international charter broker Air Partner. The alliance will expand Sentient's reach, allowing members to fly within Europe under the Air Partner program at fixed hourly rates with guaranteed availability. Air Partner will add features to its Jet Membership Program to make it nearly identical to the Sentient program. Air Partner customers will receive benefits in the U.S. through the Sentient program.
Embraer received a firm order from Ecuadorian airline TAME Aerea del Ecuador for two 76-seat Embraer 170 jets and one 104-seat Embraer 190. The deal, which includes options for up to four more aircraft from the Embraer 170/190 family, confirms a letter of intent TAME signed in November. Delivery of the firm orders will take place in 2005 and 2006.
General Dynamics Aviation Services was named an approved service provider for the General Electric CF34 engine. The approval covers all six GDAS service centers and includes engine inspections, overhauls, recurring maintenance, nonscheduled repairs and warranty work.
NASA, in cooperation with FAA and the National Consortium for Aviation Mobility (NCAM), has scheduled a demonstration of the culmination of technologies and concepts developed through the Small Aircraft Transportation System (SATS) program. The event, SATS: A Transformation of Air Travel, will be held June 5-7 in Danville, Va.
Bombardier Aerospace received an order from Northwest Airlines for 15 CRJ200 50-seat regional jets valued at about $386 million (U.S.). Deliveries of the order, which converts 15 options that Northwest holds for the CRJ, are slated to begin in the third quarter. The order will increase the number of Bombardier CRJs in the Northwest Airlink fleet to 154.
JERRY PROENZA joined Banyan Air Service in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. as avionics service manager. Proenza, a 20-year aviation veteran, most recently was the owner and chief pilot of World Continental, where he was a first officer for a Citation III and was involved in aircraft sales and flight school consultation. Before that he was general manager for Avion Jet Center.
The owners of Florida-based business jet operator Wingedfoot Services, LLC are hoping to capitalize on the emerging breed of very light jets to launch an on-demand service sold to known passengers on a per-seat basis. Ed Iacobucci, a former computer executive who formed his own business aviation services company in 1999, today (April 25) is slated to unveil his plans for a second company, DayJet Corporation, which will fly on-demand routes within defined regions using a fleet of hundreds of Eclipse very light jets (VLJs).
TAC AIR ACQUIRES KNOXVILLE FBO - Truman Arnold Companies (TAC) expanded its fixed-base operation chain to 11 facilities with the acquisition of Knoxville, Tenn.-based Knox Air. Based at McGhee Tyson Airfield for more than 30 years, the Knox Air facility includes three hangars and three rows of T-hangars. TAC moved Randall Honea, who has been general manager of the Amarillo, Texas TAC Air fixed-base operation, to manage the new Knoxville TAC Air location. Honea is a 17-year aviation industry veteran.
Gulfstream Aerospace and Israel Aircraft Industries completed ground engine runs and system checks on the Gulfstream G150 in preparation for first flight of the aircraft before the end of May. The Honeywell TFE731-40AR engines were operated through the full thrust spectrum and operating "well within the manufacturing test requirements," said Pres Henne, senior vice president, programs engineering and test for Gulfstream. "This is a significant milestone - one that is critical to ensuring successful first flight," he said.
Ballistic Recovery Systems was selected to provide its parachute recovery system as an option on the Symphony 160 two-place, high-wing aircraft under a strategic alliance agreement signed with Symphony Aircraft Industries. Under the agreement, BRS will work with Symphony to design an integration package that will make the Three Rivers, Quebec plane-maker the first to offer the parachute recovery system as a factory option on a high-wing aircraft.
BAE Systems Analytical Solutions, working through the Aerospace Innovation Center, has developed simulation software to train aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul workers in lean techniques to improve efficiency, product flow and quality. BAE Systems teamed with Macon State College and the Georgia Institute of Technology's School of Industrial Engineering on the project. The Aerospace Innovation Center, a coalition among government, academia and private institutions in Georgia, partnered with BAE on the effort.
GOODRICH "FASTprop" propeller de-icers [Docket No. FAA-2005-20847; Directorate Identifier 2004-NE-35-AD] - proposes, for "FASTprop" propeller de-icers, Part Numbers P4E1188 series, P4E1601 series, P4E2200 series, P4E2271-10, P4E2575-7, P4E2575-10, P4E2598-10, P5855BSW, P6199SW, P6592SW, P6662SW, and P6975-11, installed, to require inspection, repair, or replacement of those "FASTprop" propeller de-icers that fail visual checks before the first flight each day.
TONY KOPRIVNIK was appointed a Learjet sales and service manager for Midcoast Aviation. Formerly a Learjet product manager for Midcoast, Koprivnik will oversee all service, sales and other customer matters for the Learjet operators.
GROB-WERKE Model G120A airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2005-20590; Directorate Identifier 2005-CE-13-AD] - proposes to require replacing the main landing gear front and rear spherical bearings with improved spherical bearings. This proposed AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information issued by the airworthiness authority for Germany. FAA is issuing this proposed AD to replace front and rear main landing gear bearings that are exposed to high axial loads, which could result in failure of the landing gear bearing.
Summary: This notice contains a summary of certain petitions seeking relief from specified requirements of 14 CFR, dispositions of certain petitions previously received, and corrections. The purpose of this notice is to improve the public's awareness of, and participation in, this aspect of FAA's regulatory activities.
GULFSTREAM RESULTS HELP BUOY GD REVENUES, EARNINGS - General Dynamics credited an "absolutely superb quarter" by Gulfstream with helping the company post increases in revenues and earnings for the first quarter of 2005. General Dynamics reported first quarter 2005 revenues of $4.8 billion and earnings of $336 million compared with revenues of $4.6 billion and earnings of $269 million in 2004.
Alteon Training, a Boeing unit, is adding a training center on a 2.5-acre site near Singapore's Changi International Airport. The center is slated to open for training early next year and will be capable of training more than 6,000 pilots and flight attendant students annually. The facility will house six full flight simulators and other training devices. Initial plans call for the installation of a 777-200/300 and A320 full flight simulators.
Duncan Aviation installed a Max-Viz EVS-1000 enhanced vision system in a Gulfstream G-IVSP. An authorized Max-Viz dealer, Duncan worked with the Max-Viz certification team to develop the supplemental type certificate for the installation. The EVS-1000 uses uncooled, long-wave infrared sensors to gather data about runways, terrain and potential obstacles and displays images on a video-capable display system in the cockpit. It helps pilots operate in conditions such as haze, smoke, snow and rain.
CSSI, the Washington, D.C. transportation and engineering services firm, won a contract valued at up to $35 million over five years from the Federal Aviation Administration to provide research, engineering, analysis and policy support. The contract calls for CSSI to support FAA's Office of Operations Planning System Engineering, Office of Environment and Energy and Airports Community and Environmental Needs Division.
CESSNA, BELL GAINS LEAD TEXTRON TO 19 PERCENT JUMP IN REVENUE - Double-digit gains at both Cessna Aircraft and Bell Helicopter helped boost Textron's overall revenue by more than 19 percent in the first quarter and more than triple net income. Textron reported revenues of $2.8 billion and net income of $126 million in the first quarter. "Overall first quarter results were solid with excellent revenue growth and strong order intake at most of our businesses," said Textron Chairman, President and CEO Lewis Campbell.
Sen. Conrad Burns (R-Mont.), who was named the chair of the Senate aviation subcommittee earlier this year, also doesn't believe FAA should get more general fund revenues. Asked during an interview with Aviation Week Group editors last week whether the general fund should help pay for FAA needs, Burns said "not right now.
Liberty Aerospace signed a memorandum of understanding with the Melbourne, Fla. Airport Authority to lease more than 52,000 square feet on the southeast quadrant of the airport that will become the company's new manufacturing center. The company also will move its headquarters to the new site. The manufacturing center is slated to open this summer, and the headquarters move should be completed by this fall. Liberty said the new facilities will accommodate the production of up to six aircraft per week.
Jet Aviation Palm Beach received FAA approval to maintain and provide avionics services for the Bombardier Global Express Model BD-700. The Palm Beach center also has FAA approval to maintain the entire fleet of Bombardier Learjets. The center covers 1.2 million square feet of hangar, office, workshop, fixed-base operation and ramp space, and houses a paint facility and completion department. Jet Aviation Palm Beach can maintain a number of aircraft types including Gulfstream, Falcon, Bombardier Challenger/Learjet/Global Express, Cessna Citation, and Embraer Legacy.
