UNIVERSAL WEATHER NAMES NEW PRESIDENT - Ralph Vasami, a veteran of more than two decades with Houston, Texas-based Universal Weather and Aviation, Inc., was named president of the company. Greg Evans will retain the post of chief executive officer, "increasing his focus on developing the future strategic direction for the organization in addition to maintaining his prominent role with customers and partners," according to a statement from the company. Vasami will focus on daily business operations.
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/Professional Aviation Maintenance Association GSE Aviation Services and Suppliers AS3 Supershow, March 8-10, Sands Expos & Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nev., (703) 845-9000
Tucson Airport Authority, Ariz., approved five proposals for charter and storage facilities at Tucson International Airport (TIA) under the Valencia general aviation development project. The proposals include an 81,892-square-foot facility for charter activity that will be used by Million Air Tucson (Hotton Enterprises), a 33,848-square-foot storage facility for ARM Aerospace and a 17,859-square-foot storage facility for Real Air, LLC.
Senate Commerce Committee this week is expected to consider another bill to tighten aviation security. While final details have not been completed on the Senate legislation, Washington lobbyists are tracking the progress of a potential amendment that would require aircraft manufacturers and charter companies to pre-clear the names of first-time customers. That amendment apparently has been scaled back - some senators wanted the industry to pre-clear the names of all aircraft and charter customers.
Cessna Aircraft won FAA certification for the T206H Turbo Stationair equipped with a Garmin G1000 cockpit. The G1000 integrates primary flight, navigation, communication, terrain, traffic, weather and engine sensor data on 10.4-inch glass displays. Cessna previously won certifications for the G1000-equipped 182T Skylane and T182T Turbo Skylane. Cessna expects FAA approval for its normally aspirated Stationair 206H this month.
FAA, ASSOCIATION VETERAN NAMED TO HEAD OPERATIONS AT NBAA - Steven J. Brown, a senior executive in FAA's Washington, D.C. headquarters, was selected to head operations for the National Business Aviation Association. Brown, 47, will succeed Bob Blouin as senior vice president-operations, effective Oct. 4. Blouin, who was in charge of operations at NBAA for the past seven years, resigned to pursue other professional challenges (BA, Aug. 30/94).
UltraJet LLC is offering an UltraJet Card that provides 25 hours of flight time in the UltraJet business jet fleet with a one-time pre-payment. UltraJet cards begin at $87,500 for use of a seven-seat light jet.
Aviation Points Exchange, the nationwide loyalty and rewards program tailored to aviation businesses, added Panorama Flight Service, based in White Plains, N.Y., to its network of fixed-base operations participating in the program. Panorama provides a range of line services, including Texaco fuels, as well as maintenance services. Panorama also provides charter, sales, management and Cessna flight training.
HOYER URGES GA AIRPORT FUNDING - While the House version of the fiscal 2005 transportation appropriations bill included no money to fund any of the $100 million authorized to compensate general aviation for losses incurred stemming from the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) last week continued to urge funding for at least the three small Maryland airports that lie within the no-fly zone over the Washington, D.C. area.
COMMUNICATIONS GLITCH GROUNDS FLIGHTS IN CALIFORNIA, SOUTHWEST - Hundreds of flights were delayed or diverted Tuesday because of a radio communication outage at FAA's Los Angeles Enroute Air Traffic Control Center. FAA issued a statement Wednesday that said the five-hour outage resulted from a failure to perform a standard maintenance check. The agency said the problem was "not the result of system reliability, but rather an event that should've been avoided had strict, FAA operating and maintenance procedures been followed.
ExcelAire added a Gulfstream V to its charter fleet, giving the Ronkonkoma, N.Y.-based operator a total of seven Gulfstreams. In addition to the GV, ExcelAire has four GIIIs, one GIISP and a GII-TT. The GV is based at Republic Airport in Farmingdale, N.Y.
DYNCORP International, LLC, Fort Worth, Texas, won a $7.9 million modification to a firm-fixed-price contract to upgrade five C-12D2 aircraft to the C-12U configuration. The work will be done in Fort Worth, Texas, and is expected to be completed by Feb. 17, 2006.
Hooters Air added a sixth aircraft, a Boeing 737-300, N390WL, to its fleet and will begin offering additional service between Atlanta, Ga. and Myrtle Beach, S.C. with fares beginning at $69 one-way.
Board of directors of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association does not appear in a rush to find a permanent replacement for Ed Bolen, who left GAMA to head the National Business Aviation Association (BA, Sept. 6/101). In fact, the board will probably wait until after the November election before spooling up a serious search for a successor. Ron Swanda, GAMA's senior vice president of operations and a 22-year veteran of the organization, continues to serve as interim president (BA, Aug. 9/59).
FAA REVISES PMA, TC PROCESSES - Federal Aviation Administration is requesting comments on proposed changes to the procedures to obtain parts manufacturer approval (PMA) and type certification (TC). In separate notices printed in the Aug. 25 Federal Register, FAA released proposed revisions to Order 8110.42, Parts Manufacturer Approval Procedures, and Order 8100.4, Type Certification.
Southwest Jet Aviation added a Westwind II to its charter fleet. The business jet will be based at Southwest Jet's headquarters in Scottsdale, Ariz. The mid-size aircraft has a range of more than 2,400 nautical miles and can seat seven passengers.
AVIATION GENERAL ENTERS AGREEMENT TO OBTAIN FINANCING - Aviation General, Inc. said it signed a stock purchase agreement with Pilot General Aviation LLC under which Pilot General will invest approximately $2.8 million in Aviation General in return for an 80 percent ownership interest in the company. The proceeds of the agreement will be used primarily to fund the court-confirmed Chapter 11 reorganization plan previously filed by Commander Aircraft Co., a wholly owned subsidiary of Aviation General.
The National Aeronautic Association named seven individuals Elder Statesmen of Aviation, including four who were recognized for their work in general aviation. The Elder Statesman awards are given annually to U.S. citizens who are at least 60 years of age and who have made "contributions of significant value to aeronautics." This year's winners are:
JEFF EVANS was promoted to assistant manager for the National Business Aviation Association GA Desk based at the FAA Systems Command Center in Herndon, Va. Evans joined NBAA in April 2002 as GA desk specialist, helping develop new products that support NBAA member subscribers to the GA Desk. In his new role, he also will act as primary interface for security issues, manage the GA Desk staff work and training schedule, attract new subscribers and continue to develop special projects.
