Raytheon Company sold its Raytheon Commercial Infrared (RCI) business to L-3 Communications. Terms were not disclosed. RCI, based in Dallas, designs and makes a wide range of uncooled thermal imaging products serving commercial markets that include security, transportation and public safety. Raytheon said it would continue to develop uncooled thermal imaging systems for its military customers.
February 6-8, 2005 - Helicopter Association International Heli-Expo 2005, Anaheim, Calif., (703) 683-4646 February 12-16, 2005 - 16th Annual National Business Aviation Association Schedulers & Dispatchers Conference, Reno, Nev., (202) 783-9000 March 8-10, 2005 - National Air Transportation Association/Professional Aviation Maintenance Association GSE Aviation Services and Suppliers AS3 Supershow, March 8-10, Sands Expos & Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nev., (703) 845-9000
GENERAL AVIATION MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION and the National Business Aviation Association are urging the Internal Revenue Service to provide guidance as soon as possible on the scope and ramifications of a provision included in the recently enacted American Jobs Creation Act of 2004, which essentially overturns the Sutherland Lumber court ruling on business deductions involving use of corporate aircraft for recreation, entertainment or amusement flights.
About 50 senior business aviation executives pressed key congressional and Administration officials late last week for better promotion of the U.S. aviation industry and better access to the national airspace and airports. The executives met with some of the more influential aviation decision-makers in Washington as part of an Aviation Business Roundtable that the National Air Transportation Association assembled in an effort to raise the visibility of the industry both in Congress and at the White House.
Stephen M. Lassetter, who has held executive posts with leading fixed-base operations in the U.S. and overseas, was named president and chief operating officer of Sun Air Jets of Camarillo, Calif. Lassetter will be responsible for "the overall strategic direction of the company, as well as day-to-day oversight of Sun Air's on-demand charter, line services and property management lines of business."
Eclipse Aviation is teaming with United Airlines to develop a comprehensive flight training program for pilots of the Eclipse 500 very light jet. The program will cover initial flight skills assessment as well as type rating transition training at the United Flight Training Center in Denver, Colo. The program will use full motion simulators and a curriculum that Eclipse and United are developing jointly.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) began border patrol flights using Northrop Grumman's Hunter unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) last week, according to an industry source. "They're using two RQ-5 Hunters, and they're just going to be using EO/IR [electro-optical/infrared] sensors, and they're going to make flights up and down the Arizona border near the area of Fort Huachuca," the source told BA affiliate Aerospace Daily and Defense Report.
EXECUTIVE JET MANAGEMENT recently added three aircraft to its charter fleet - a Gulfstream 200 based at Palwaukee Airport in Chicago, Ill., a Learjet 45XR at Bowling Green-Warren Airport in Bowling Green, Ky. and a Challenger 601 at Tweed-New Haven Airport in New Haven, Conn. EJM manages more than 100 aircraft based at more than 60 locations throughout the U.S. for charter and support of the NetJets fractional aircraft ownership program.
AIR BP added Flightline Services, Inc. (d/b/a Everett Jet Center) to its dealer network. Based at Paine Field in Everett, Wash., Everett Jet Center provides a range of fixed-base operation services, including fueling, transportation, cargo handling and catering.
AIR PARTNER is expanding with new offices in Venice, Italy and Minneapolis, Minn. The locations are two of 19 offices that Air Partner operates in 11 countries. The Venice office is managed by Sergio Macri, who has 30 years of aviation industry experience and has worked for six Italian airlines. The Minneapolis office provides a presence in the Midwest for Air Partner, which also is located in New York, Washington, D.C. and Fort Lauderdale. Richard Page will manage the office.
Raytheon unveiled an agreement with the Indian government to build a ground network for a satellite navigation system similar to the wide area augmentation system (WAAS) in the U.S. The contract covers the first phase of India's GPS and Geostationary Earth Orbit Augmented Navigation (GAGAN) system, Raytheon's Program Manager Bob Jackson told BA affiliate Aviation Daily. The contract value has not yet been revealed.
AIR ROUTING INTERNATIONAL enhanced its Flight Manager online business aviation trip-planning program. The enhancements enable the user to view arrival and departure times for each leg of a trip in UTC Time, Local Airport Time and Home Base Time. Air Routing improved the Airport Information section and added a Trip Daily View feature, which provides an hour-by-hour listing of all departures and arrivals for a specific day.
DELTA AIRELITE BUSINESS JETS added a Learjet 31A and Hawker 700A to its Part 135 operating certificate. The Learjet 31A is based at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport and the Hawker 700A is stationed at Lunken Airport in Cincinnati.
Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer reported sales of $936.5 million in the third quarter, an increase of 113.5 percent over the same period a year ago. Net income for the quarter was $113.7 million, which represents an increase of 487.6 percent over the same period in 2003. The company delivered 40 jet aircraft in the quarter, two business jets to the corporate market and 38 regional jets to airline customers, including 13 of the company's new Embraer 170 jets.
RAYTHEON AIRCRAFT Parts Inventory & Distribution (RAPID) signed a contract with PFSweb for fulfillment services in Grapevine, Texas. PFSweb will manage RAPID's inventory at the Grapevine warehouse facility. The agreement expands the relationship between RAPID and PFSweb, which also agreed to manage RAPID's new European facility in Liege, Belgium. The 205,000-square-foot Grapevine RAPID facility maintains some 100,000 shelf, flow rack and static bin locations. PFSweb will manage an inventory of more than 300,000 individual part numbers.
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.
