AvFab earned a supplemental type certificate and parts manufacturer approval for side-facing divans for the Citation 650. AvFab offers divan kits for divans ranging from one to four places. The kits include installation parts and components, installation directions, diagrams and applicable weight and balance information. Based in Clinton, Mo., AvFab provides custom aircraft seating with STC approvals and serves as a corporate aircraft inspection, repair and overhaul facility.
FAA'S ATO SAFETY CHIEF QUITS TO RETURN TO AIRLINE - James Schear, the veteran airline pilot and naval officer who had been recruited just six months ago to serve as vice president of safety for FAA's new Air Traffic Organization, abruptly resigned Thursday to return to USAirways.
Hundreds of Florida-based aircraft were flown out of the state last week as forecasters continued to predict that Hurricane Frances would smash into the east side of the state sometime over the weekend.
Raytheon Aircraft Services in San Antonio, Texas and Indianapolis, Ind. were named authorized Hawker service centers. RAS said both centers passed an audit to ensure compliance with Raytheon's maintenance standards for Hawker business jets. Nine of the 10 U.S. RAS facilities have received recognition as authorized Hawker service centers along with Hawker Aircraft Services in Little Rock, Ark. and Chester, United Kingdom.
Airbus won a contract from the state carrier Azerbaijan Hava Yollari (AZAL) for three Airbus 319s and one Airbus Corporate Jet. The ACJ will be operated for the Republic of Azerbaijan. The ACJ, which will be outfitted to carry 55 passengers, will be delivered at the end of 2005. The A319s will seat between 114 and 122 passengers and operate on a network between Baku to European capitals and destinations in Asia and the Middle East.
Mercury Air Centers has moved its fixed-base operation to a new location on Los Angeles International Airport. The new site is on the south side of the airport, which is accessible from both the I-105 Freeway and Sepulveda Boulevard, the company said, making it much for convenient for customers driving to the airport.
Gulfstream Aerospace rolled out the 100th Gulfstream G200 business jet last month. Originally known as the Galaxy, the first of the mid-size business jet models was produced in 1997 and certificated in December 1998. Gulfstream purchased Galaxy Aerospace in May 2001. The deal included a firm order from fractional aircraft provider NetJets for 50 G200s and options for another 50. Gulfstream said it has made a number of significant modifications in the past two years, including a newly designed interior and an overall weight reduction of more than 450 pounds.
Stanford Aerospace received FAA approval to operate a repair station based in Antigua. The repair station, slated to open for business by yearend, initially will provide maintenance for Caribbean Star Airlines and Caribbean Sun Airlines, both affiliates of Stanford Financial Group. Stanford expects the facility eventually to provide service for airline, corporate aircraft and other maintenance providers.
ARINC is hoping to build on the success of its SKYLink satellite broadband for business solution with a Commercial SKYLink system for airlines. ARINC unveiled the Ku-band satellite broadband for business jets in 2003, offering an avionics and antenna package. The coverage provides business jet operators two-way broadband connectivity. ARINC has begun discussions with potential airline customers for the commercial service, saying the package will be "smaller, cheaper, lighter and more capable than currently available broadband systems."
FAA PILOT PROGRAM TARGETS TROUBLED AIRPORTS - The Federal Aviation Administration's new pilot program to buy development rights at certain troubled private airports has "substantial potential" since 22 percent of the public-use airports are privately owned, the agency said in a letter outlining the details of the project.
CARLYLE GROUP COMPLETES GARRETT AVIATION PURCHASE - The Carlyle Group completed its acquisition of Garrett Aviation Services from General Electric Company Aug. 27. Frank Klaus, a veteran GE executive who had headed Garrett, was named president and chief executive officer of the newly created joint company of Garrett Aviation Services, Piedmont Hawthorne Aviation and Associated Air Center (BA, July 26/36).
BAE SYSTEMS Model Avro 146-RJ series airplanes (Docket No. 2003-NM-92-AD; Amendment 39-13762; AD 2004-16-06) - requires replacing the existing digital flight guidance computer(s) (DFGC) with a new or modified DFGC(s). This action is necessary to prevent a premature flare from occurring on approach due to erroneous data being provided to the DFGC(s); and also to prevent uncertainty about autopilot engagement status, which could cause the pilot to apply unneeded force to the control column and possibly result in a runaway condition of the autotrim.
September 19-21 - National Association of State Aviation Officials, 73rd Annual Convention and Trade Show, Radisson Riverfront Hotel, St. Paul, Minn., (301) 588-0587 October 10-11 - National Business Aviation Association 13th Annual Tax Conference, Las Vegas, Nev., (202) 783-9000 October 12-14 - National Business Aviation Association 57th Annual Meeting and Convention, Las Vegas, Nev., (202) 783-9000 October 21-23 - Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association Expo 2004, Long Beach, Calif., (301) 695-2000
This week Bolen takes over as president and chief executive officer of the National Business Aviation Association (BA, Aug. 9/59), with a couple of senior personnel vacancies to add to his new to-do list. Bob Blouin, senior vice president of operations for NBAA, resigned late last month (BA, Aug. 30/94) and last week Pete West, the association's senior vice president of government and public affairs, said he plans to leave Nov. 1. See article below.
Professional Aviation Maintenance Association, attempting to boost membership, has lowered the individual membership dues to $49 annually, a $21 reduction from the previous fee of $70 per year. The new rates apply to new memberships and renewals after Sept. 1.
Aircraft Owners And Pilots Association was fighting a pitched battle last week to help preserve a Labor Day tradition in Ohio, the Cleveland National Air Show. The annual show, which dates back to 1929, features a variety of demonstration flights by a mix of military and civilian aircraft, but this year's event - which was scheduled to begin Friday evening - is threatened by Public Law 108-7, which prohibits non air carrier operations within three miles and 3,000 feet of a major league baseball game or other major sporting events.
CHC Helicopter Corporation received two contract renewals with a combined value of about $14.5 million for support in the North Sea. PGS Production AS awarded CHC a two-year renewal with two one-year options for offshore crew change helicopter services using CHC's Super Puma fleet based in Stavanger, Norway. CHC also won a one-year renewal with two one-year options from Kerr-McGee for a dedicated Super Puma Mk2 aircraft based in Aberdeen, Scotland.
FAA Administrator Marion Blakey also has an unexpected vacancy in her organization. James P. Schear, who had joined the agency's new Air Traffic Organization as vice president for safety less than six months ago, abruptly resigned to return to US Airways. See article below. Announcement of his departure came just two days after he and Blakey acknowledged that FAA was not meeting its goals for reducing operational errors in the air traffic control system.
