The Defense Department surprised many observers Friday, announcing that it had selected a team headed by Lockheed Martin to supply 23 helicopters for the VXX program, which will include Marine One, the helicopter used to carry the President and other top government officials. The Lockheed Martin team, which includes AgustaWestland and Bell Helicopter Textron, won with a version of the three-engine EH101 called the US101. A team led by Sikorsky was bidding a military version of Sikorsky's S-92 called the VH-92.
The yearend surge of orders came largely from Gulfstream's traditional customer base, the nation's Fortune 500 companies. That's not surprising, Chabraja said, when you consider the kind of earnings increases those companies are reporting. "Am I optimistic about Gulfstream?" Chabraja answered in response to a question from an analyst. "You bet I am." Textron reported similarly strong results for Cessna Aircraft. See articles below.
Aircraft Electronics Association said X Prize Foundation Chairman Peter Diamandis will be the keynote speaker during the opening ceremonies of AEA's 48th Annual Convention and Trade Show, scheduled April 27-30 in Dallas, Texas. The X Prize Foundation has been promoting the formation of a space tourism industry by awarding a $10 million prize for private space flight. Along with Diamandis, AEA said its convention will offer more than 55 hours of training and more than 150 exhibits.
February 6-8 - Helicopter Association International Heli-Expo 2005, Anaheim, Calif., (703) 683-4646 February 12-16 - 16th Annual National Business Aviation Association Schedulers & Dispatchers Conference, Reno, Nev., (202) 783-9000 March 8-10 - National Air Transportation Association/Professional Aviation Maintenance Association GSE Aviation Services and Suppliers AS3 Supershow, Sands Expos & Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nev., (703) 845-9000
Atlantic Aviation is now operating two fixed-base operations in California. Chief Executive Officer Lou Pepper said his company is now running the former Newport Jet Center at John Wayne Airport in Orange County and the former Million Air Palm Springs facility at Palm Springs International Airport. Craig Foster will serve as general manager of Atlantic Orange County and Karin Davidson will be general manager of Atlantic Palm Springs. "These are two well-known, great-run operations which will be welcome additions to our chain," Pepper said.
Cessna Aircraft received orders for four Super CargoMaster Caravans from a cargo carrier based in Madrid, Spain and for a Grand Caravan from a Russian company. The CargoMasters were sold through Cessna's authorized sales representative in Spain, MB Aviation. Cessna will deliver the aircraft in April 2005. The aircraft will transport cargo between Madrid and business financial centers in Spain. The Russia-bound Caravan was sold through Loyd's Investments, Cessna's authorized sales representative for Russia.
DOT SEEKS COMMENT ON OUTDATED, UNECESSARY RULES - The Department of Transportation hopes to clean up some outdated and cumbersome rules with a department-wide review of existing regulations. DOT said it "regularly makes a conscientious effort to review its rules" through a variety of means, including a 10-year plan to scrutinize existing regulations.
Raytheon Aircraft Services developed a Secure Start 1000 anti-terrorism security device for aircraft. The system, certified on King Air, Diamond, Beechjet and Cessna Caravan aircraft, disables the engine start circuits to prevent unauthorized use. The system is operated through a keyboard with a double access code. The keyboard unit indicates unauthorized tampering. The system can be installed during routine maintenance or an inspection. For more information, contact RAS at (800) 440-4824.
General Aviation Manufacturers Association hired Gregory Bowles as manager of engineering and maintenance, responsible for regulatory safety and continued airworthiness issues. Bowles joins GAMA from Keystone Helicopter Company, where he oversaw aircraft modification certification and validation program planning. He also held a number of positions with Cessna. Bowles earned a bachelor of science degree in aerospace engineering from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and a master of business administration degree from Webster University.
Pemco Aviation Group signed an agreement with Taikoo (Xiamen) Aircraft Engineering (TAECO) and Taikoo (Shandong) Aircraft Engineering Company (STAECO) this month that establishes a cargo conversion program for Boeing 737 passenger aircraft. The companies will jointly market freighter conversions and perform conversions at the TAECO/STAECO facilities in China.
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.
President Bush's decision to nominate Michael Jackson as deputy secretary of the Department of Homeland Security won quick praise from aviation interests. Jackson, who formerly served as deputy secretary at the Transportation Department, was seen as a supporter of efforts to reopen Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to business aircraft flights when he was at DOT. See article below.
ARINC ACTIVATES COLLABORATIVE DECISION MAKING FOR BUSINESS JETS - Transportation communications specialist ARINC has activated a flight information sharing service that is new to business jet operators but has been available to scheduled airlines for some time. ARINC is participating in the FAA/industry Collaborative Decision Making (CDM) program that links operators and FAA controllers to provide simultaneous, real-time access to information about air traffic volume, possible delays, equipment problems, restrictions or other system constraints.
The search committee seeking a new president for the General Aviation Manufacturers Association is "close to making an offer" to a candidate, a source familiar with the process told BA last week. If that offer is accepted, the association could announce its new president at GAMA's Industry Review and 2005 Market Outlook Briefing, which is scheduled for Feb. 14 in Washington, D.C.
Erickson Air-Crane is scheduled to display the second S-64F Aircrane it built for the Italian State Forestry Corps at next week's Helicopter Association International convention in Anaheim, Calif. The Italian government previously signed a contract for four of the forest fire-fighting helicopters and took an option on two more. The first entered service in October.
Julie Goodridge was promoted to assistant manager of FlightSafety International's facility in West Palm Beach, Fla. Goodridge has been acting assistant manager for the past six months, and before that, she was product marketing manager at FSI's Wilmington, Del. center. Goodridge also has served as alumni director for Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, where she received two bachelor's degrees and a master of aeronautical science degree with specializations in operations and safety
What's not to like about Gulfstream's financial performance last year? Not much, according to Nick Chabraja, chairman of Gulfstream parent General Dynamics. Gulfstream's operating earnings soared 80 percent for the year and its operating margin nearly doubled, to 13 percent. Chabraja told analysts the Savannah, Ga. aircraft manufacturer logged net orders for 95 new aircraft last year, including a surge of 43 orders in the fourth quarter alone.
RAYTHEON Model HS.125 Series 700A airplanes, Model BAe.125 Series 800A airplanes, and Model Hawker 800 and Hawker 800XP airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2005-20111; Directorate Identifier 2004-NM-154-AD] - proposes to require an inspection to determine the current rating of the circuit breakers of certain cockpit ventilation and avionics cooling system blowers; and replacing the circuit breakers and modifying the blower wiring, as applicable. This proposed AD is prompted by a report indicating that a blower motor seized up and gave off smoke.
Aerospace Industries Association named Robert D. Johnson, chairman of Honeywell Aerospace, chairman of AIA's Board of Governors for 2005. Honeywell announced this month that Johnson plans to retire from the company in January 2006, when he will be succeeded by Robert J. Gillette, who was named president and CEO of the Aerospace unit (BA, Jan. 10/15).
Honeywell Aerospace reported higher revenues and operating profits for the year ended Dec. 31. The unit had sales of $9.74 billion for the year, up 10.6 percent from 2003's $8.8 billion. Operating profit was $1.48 billion, up 21.1 percent from the prior year.
The Department of Transportation is soliciting applications from small communities for grants to help attract or improve air service. DOT can distribute up to 40 grants totaling $20 million to qualified small communities. The grant program was established in 2000 under FAA reauthorization legislation (AIR-21). DOT said the program already has helped improve air service to participating communities. Applications are due April 22 and the request for proposals can be accessed on the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov, docket number OST-2005-20127.
One major source of savings for FAA should be a new way of operating its Flight Service Stations. FAA this week is set to announce the award of a new contract to overhaul and operate the FSS network (BA, Jan. 10/17). FAA received five bids, including one from the employee-based team that is calling itself the "Most Efficient Organization," to take over the FSS functions.
NTSB LOOKING AT POSSIBLE WAKE VORTEX UPSET IN EUROCOPTER CRASH - Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board are trying to determine if the fatal crash of an Air Methods Eurocopter EC135 P2 into the Potomac River south of Washington, D.C. might have been caused by an encounter with wake vortex from a 70-seat regional jet airliner.
Aircraft Owners And Pilots Association is fighting a proposal to swap land near Leesburg Executive Airport in Virginia to developers wanting to build 4,000 homes on the tract. The land is designated as parkland, but developers are proposing to exchange the land for property elsewhere.
R. Fraser Elliott, 83, former chairman of CAE who had been a director of the company since 1951, died Jan. 26 in Toronto, Ontario. Elliott was a graduate of Queen's University, Osgoode Hall Law School, and Harvard University. He was a founding partner of the law firm Stikeman Elliott and remained a senior partner there until his death. CAE President and CEO Robert Brown said Elliott's "knowledge of the industry and of CAE as well as his strategic vision will be greatly missed."
