Million Air Teterboro and Meridian Air Charter are building a new 33,000-square-foot fixed-base facility, including a three-story, 21,000 square-foot terminal/office complex and a two-story, 12,000-square-foot maintenance building. The new facilities will include an exercise room, sleep room, game room, private shower facilities, a quiet room, a conference room, business center and cafe. The improvements are part of a two-phase plan.
The Transportation Security Administration last week clarified and provided a limited 60-day extension of certain flight training background check requirements in a move that drew a mixed reaction from industry officials pushing for the changes. Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association called the notice TSA released Tuesday "a start, but just that and only that," while the National Air Transportation Association said it welcomed the guidance.
BELL Model 222, 222B, 222U, and 230 helicopters (Docket No. 2004-SW-04-AD; Amendment 39-13812; AD 2004-20-07) - requires certain inspections of the main rotor yoke for a crack, fretting, or buffer deterioration. If a crack is found, the AD requires replacing the yoke with an airworthy yoke before further flight. If fretting or buffer deterioration are found, the AD requires further inspecting the main rotor hub assembly and repairing or replacing any unairworthy parts. Also, the AD requires a torque inspection of the flapping bearing retaining nuts at specified intervals.
CESSNA WINS CJ3 CERTIFICATION, UPDATES CJ1, CJ2 - Cessna Aircraft received full FAA type certification for its newest CitationJet, the Model 525B CJ3. FAA awarded the TC to Cessna Oct. 15, just days after Cessna unveiled new, enhanced versions of the company's earlier CJs, the CJ1+ and CJ2+.
MOONEY TAPS SOFTWARE, MANUFACTURING EXECUTIVE AS CEO - Mooney Airplane Company named Gretchen Jahn, a founder and chief executive officer of two separate firms, to head the Kerrville, Texas manufacturer. Jahn will have day-to-day operational responsibility for Mooney and work with a management team that includes Tom Gray, the managing director of the company. Gray came on board after Allen Holding Finance, Ltd. bought the airplane manufacturer from Mooney Aerospace Group (MAG) in June (BA, June 7/260). J.
FAA OUTLINES RESERVATION SYSTEM FOR O'HARE ARRIVALS - The Federal Aviation Administration last week detailed a reservation system that restricts the number of aircraft that can arrive at Chicago O'Hare International Airport between Nov. 1 and April 30. The reservation system followed an announcement in August that FAA and scheduled carriers had reached an agreement to temporarily limit the number of scheduled arrivals at O'Hare.
NBAA also has been working with concerned companies about a recently published DOT notice providing guidance on treatment of charter brokers (BA, Oct. 18/175). DOT released the notice to ensure that charter brokers are acting as agents of the customer or carrier, or that they have economic authority to conduct business. DOT is particularly concerned about brokers who can sell charter but aren't accountable for its delivery. The agency also is concerned about brokers who advertise aircraft fleets as their own when they don't have operational control over the aircraft.
Sentient Jet formed a partnership with TWC Aviation to jointly market a Guaranteed Revenue Program for jet owners under which TWC will provide aircraft management and maintenance and Sentient will provide guaranteed charter hours. Sentient, the Norwell, Mass.-based company that offers customers a private jet membership program, will guarantee at least 600 hours of flight time for certain light and mid-size jets. Based in Burbank, Calif., TWC Aviation will manage participating aircraft.
ARINC'S Aircraft Services organization in Colorado Springs, Colo. earned Designated Alteration Station (DAS) authorization from FAA. The authorization will cut the time required to design, certify and implement aircraft modifications, ARINC said, adding that it will provide the facility a number of opportunities. "ARINC plans to develop and approve a range of new modification kits for purchase by authorized repair stations, which will benefit the industry as a whole," said John May, ARINC's DAS administrator.
KATHY EBNER was appointed charter services manager for Executive Jet Management's Charter Services office at Teterboro Airport in Teterboro, N.J. Ebner has 12 years of corporate aviation experience, most recently as a charter sales representative for Jet Aviation Business Jets. She also has served with KC Aviation, Alfa Romeo and Ferrari North America.
UNIVERSAL BUYS OUT PARTNER IN SHANNON-BASED HANDLING FIRM - Universal Weather and Aviation, Inc. has purchased the remaining shares in a joint venture flight planning operation known as Ocean Bridge Handling.
National Air Transportation Association hired Deborah Highsmith as manager of education and training, with responsibility for the association's Professional Line Service Training program, educational seminars, the National Air Transportation Foundation and NATA scholarships.
GD 'GUARDEDLY OPTIMISTIC' ABOUT GULFSTREAM OUTLOOK - Operating earnings at Gulfstream Aerospace more than doubled in the third quarter, and the chairman of parent company General Dynamics said he is "guardedly optimistic" the financial picture will continue to improve at Gulfstream.
FORMER NBAA OFFICIAL FRED MCINTOSH DIES - Frederick B. (Fred) McIntosh, 86, a decorated combat veteran of World War II and a retired staff member of the National Business Aircraft Association, died Oct. 15 in Leesburg, Va. after a brief illness.
National Business Aviation Association elected five directors to three-year terms. New to the NBAA board are Douglas Schwartz, aviation director for AT&T, and Randy Hudon, president of corporate aviation and travel services for BellSouth. Re-elected to the board are immediate past Chairman George Saling, who is vice president of aviation and travel services for Altria Corporate Services; NBAA Treasurer Jeffrey Lee, who is director of flight operations for IBM Corp.; and John Ratcliff, aviation director and chief pilot for the Ford Motor Company.
TAG OPENS TETERBORO OFFICE - San Francisco, Calif.-based TAG Aviation USA is expanding its reach into the East Coast, opening a new regional office at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey. The office will provide corporate aviation services to clients in the Greater New York and Northern New Jersey area. The Teterboro base will work in tandem with TAG's East Coast operations base at Westchester County Airport and will play "a significant role in our long-term growth strategies," said TAG Aviation USA President Jake Cartwright. "Our continued growth in the Northeastern U.S.
Honeywell earned FAA approval for use of the company's carbon friction material on Embraer ERJ 145 aircraft brakes. "Our customers in regional aviation told us they wanted a high-quality, cost-effective braking product for their aircraft, so we developed this 'heat sink' that will help them reduce their cost of operation," said Peg Billson, vice president and general manager of Honeywell Aircraft Landing Systems. Billson estimated the new carbon brake material increases brake life by 20 percent.
Rockwell Collins secured FAA approval for paperless flight operations on a Challenger 601 equipped with the Rockwell Collins dual Integrated Flight Information Systems (IFIS). The FIS system, integrated with the Pro Line 21 avionics retrofit, provides electronic charting, graphical weather and enhanced map overlay. The system makes it easier to use a variety of weather services that provide real-time data link weather images.
IAI TEAMS WITH ATG ON ADVANCED JET TRAINER - Israel Aircraft Industries signed a strategic cooperative agreement with Englewood, Colo.-based Aviation Technology Group (ATG) to develop a military-targeted Advanced Jet Trainer based on ATG's design for a two-seat Javelin jet. The agreement calls for a joint development process covering marketing, engineering and co-production. IAI will infuse cash into the program and provide its expertise in commercial and military certification. The aircraft will be assembled in both New Mexico and Israel.
Rockwell Collins was selected to supply its Airshow 21 cabin electronics system for Raytheon Aircraft's Hawker 800XP aircraft and Gulfstream's G350 mid-range and G450 long-range business jets. The Airshow 21 system integrates cabin amenities, ranging from information and entertainment to cabin lights and environmental controls. Airshow features include a 15-inch bulkhead monitor to provide access to a variety of options such as moving maps and Airshow Network programming. Other options include digital DVD and CD programming.
BOMBARDIER LAUNCHES ENHANCED LEARJET 40 PROGRAM - Less than a year after the Learjet 40 entered service, Bombardier has developed a follow-on to the light business jet that will have upgraded engines providing better performance.
Clay Lacy Aviation, a Van Nuys, Calif.-based charter operator, added a Gulfstream G550 and G400 as well as a Hawker 800XP to its fleet. The operator also increased its Seattle, Wash. fleet, adding a Gulfstream IV and Falcon 900EX. Clay Lacy plans to bring a Boeing Business Jet into its fleet in November.
