FAA Administrator Marion Blakey and Russell Chew, the chief operating officer of the agency's Air Traffic Organization, warned last week that FAA faces a budget crunch that will necessitate a change in how the agency does business.
BE AWARE of individuals posing as pilots from other air carriers seeking a jump-seat lift, the Transportation Security Administration is warning. TSA has asked the National Air Transportation Association to alert its members that on more than one occasion, individuals have posed as pilots from various carriers in attempts to secure air passage on Part 135 carriers. While there has been no evidence that these individuals pose security threats - they may just be trying to bum a ride - TSA is urging carriers to remain on the alert for such attempts.
The Corporate Aircraft Finance division of Banc of America Leasing is making a major effort to expand its European business with the appointment of the director of international aircraft sales.
Cessna Aircraft and its corporate parent Textron, Inc. were strongly supportive of Jack Pelton, Cessna president and chief executive, last week following a report on CBS television that Pelton had received degrees in aeronautical engineering from a diploma mill in Wyoming. A Textron spokesman told BA that Pelton "will continue in his current role" with the Wichita, Kan. aircraft manufacturer.
JON DAVID AGEMA was named a pilot for Northern Jet Management. Agema joins Northern Jet after a career with the U.S. Air Force. He has some 1,700 hours of flight time, and is rated on the T-37B, T38C King Air 90 and Citation Bravo.
Sylvain Allard, a veteran of more than 20 years with CHC Helicopter and its subsidiaries, was named chief executive officer of the company last week. Craig L. Dobbin, chairman of CHC, announced that Allard, who has been president, will add the CEO title. Dobbin will fill a new role as executive chairman, where he plans to stay closely associated with the company's affairs.
CONGRESS is expected to return this week to begin a lame-duck session. Topping the agenda are a series of appropriations bills - including transportation - that have yet to be completed for fiscal 2005. Several legislators said they wanted to approve another continuing resolution to keep the government running through January, and then return in January to complete the series of bills. The White House, however, is pressing Congress to finish work on the bills as quickly as possible, which may keep legislators in Washington, D.C. longer this fall.
FAA Administrator Marion Blakey said agency employees will miss their maximum pay increase for the second consecutive year because FAA fell short on too many performance goals in the fiscal year that ended in October.
WILSON AIR CENTER will take over management of the fixed-base operation at Charlotte/Douglas International Airport (CLT) in the near future. The FBO at CLT had been operated by Signature Flight Support, but Wilson and the airport reached an agreement under which the airport will retain ownership of the FBO facilities, while Wilson Air Center will handle day-to-day operations and be responsible for short- and long-term management strategies. Wilson Air Center also operates an FBO at the Memphis, Tenn. airport.
NATIONAL AIR TRANSPORTATION ASSOCIATION hired Dan Kidder as manager of communications. Kidder most recently served as director of communications for retiring Rep. Mac Collins (R-Ga.). Before that Kidder was senior vice president of public relations and business promotion for Uptown Columbus, Inc., a non-profit economic development agency in Columbus, Ga. He also has filled communications roles with the National Association of Chain Drug Stores and the National Association of Home Builders.
LOCKHEED MARTIN was awarded a $29 million contract from the U.S. Air Force to modify one C-130J aircraft for the Pennsylvania Air National Guard, with options for two more planes. The work, to be done at Lockheed Martin's Greenville, S.C. facility, includes installing a more powerful generator for electrical power, an expanded internal communication system, a modified operator station and aerial refueling equipment. The plane will be delivered in the third quarter of 2006. The C-130J will be operated by the 193rd Special Operations Wing in Middletown, Pa.
NEW PIPER delivered a Warrior III equipped with the Avidyne FlightMax Entegra cockpit to Dowling College. Dowling is the first aviation program to use the Avidyne flat panel displays for flight training. Dowling, which operates a fleet of 11 Piper aircraft, ordered two Warriors.
GENERAL AVIATION COALITION today (Nov. 15) is scheduled to hold a meeting with Adm. James Loy, the deputy secretary of the Department of Homeland Security who formerly headed the Transportation Security Administration. Flight training background check requirements are expected to top the agenda. Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association continues to push for changes in the TSA interim final rule released in September, saying the rule is causing confusion among both pilots and flight instructors.
Part 135 cargo carriers would continue to operate under the "Twelve-Five" security regime under a comprehensive proposal the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) released last week to strengthen and codify cargo security. TSA released the notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) Wednesday, saying the agency was taking a "layered" approach to improving cargo security through a series of airport and operator requirements tailored to various segments of cargo operations.
HORST BERGMANN, former president and chief executive of Jeppesen, joined Englewood, Colo.-based Aviation Technology Group (ATG) as executive vice chairman. Bergmann will take an active leadership role on the ATG board and oversee marketing, sales, risk management, legal and human resources. Bergmann retired from Jeppesen in May 2003 after more than 40 years with the company. He joined the German-based Jeppesen & Co., GmbH in 1963 and took on positions of increasing responsibility. He was named president and CEO of Jeppesen in 1988 and relocated to Denver, Colo.
National Air Transportation last week issued an "Action Call" urging its members to contact their local legislators to oppose the Environmental Protection Agency's latest decision to include fuel trucks in the agency's enforcement of Spill, Prevention, Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) requirements. The association met with EPA to discuss how the agency enforces SPCC requirements after an aviation business received a letter from an EPA regional office calling for secondary containment of mobile refuelers that are parked at the end of the day.
JET AVIATION'S facilities in Zurich and Dusseldorf were named authorized service centers for the Cessna Citation Sovereign. The authorization includes heavy, scheduled line and base maintenance, modifications and engine repair on the Sovereign. Jet Aviation Zurich has been an authorized service center for Citation business jets since 1976. The Dusseldorf facility was first named a Citation authorized service center in 1981.
FAA last week determined that the minimum random drug testing requirements for 2005 will remain at 25 percent of covered aviation employees and the minimum random alcohol-testing rate will be 10 percent. FAA determines the annual testing rate requirements based on the previous year's rates of positive tests. The 2005 random test requirements stem from a 2003 positive drug test rate of 0.56 percent - well below the one percent threshold that would trigger a higher percentage of random testing.
MARION BLAKEY seems enthusiastic about continuing to head the Federal Aviation Administration during the second George W. Bush administration. Blakey has been mentioned as a possible successor to Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta if he were to leave the Cabinet, but his spokesmen say Mineta still enjoys the DOT job (BA, Nov. 8/205).
