Jet Aviation, partnering with Kuwait-based United Projects Co., is planning to open a fixed-base operation at Kuwait International Airport next year. The new facility will provide aircraft handling services, line maintenance and hangar space for aircraft owners and operators. The facility will include a reception area, VIP customer lounge, conference rooms, prayer room, private offices and a restaurant. Jet Aviation also is planning for in-house immigration and customs clearance, security checks, baggage screening and metal detector capability.
NASA said the public-private partnership working to improve aviation and make air travel accessible to more people has scheduled a demonstration of new aviation capabilities and technologies June 5-7, 2005. NASA, FAA and the National Consortium for Aviation Mobility are planning a proof-of-concept demonstration at the Danville, Va. Regional Airport to display new technologies and procedures developed by the Small Aircraft Transportation System (SATS).
If you've ever logged time in a Beech 18, you might be interested in the latest literary offering from The Twin Beech Society, Beech 18: A Civil & Military History. The 567-page book, which includes 730 photos, offers an in-depth account of the 12 civil models and 50 military variants of the Beech 18, as well as the conversions completed by 70 modification companies. The book was written by Robert K. Parmerter, the historian of the Twin Beech Society, which is a special interest group of the Staggerwing Museum Foundation, Inc. of Tullahoma, Tenn.
JULIE GOODRIDGE was promoted to assistant manager at FlightSafety International's learning center in West Palm Beach, Fla. Goodridge fills a role temporarily vacated by Rick Bedard, who is on military duty overseas. Goodridge served as product marketing manager for FlightSafety's center in Wilmington, Del. for the past three years. She also has served as alumni director for Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
GULFSTREAM RECEIVES FAA TYPE APPROVAL FOR G450 - Gulfstream Aerospace last week earned a type certificate for the G450, less than a year after the Savannah, Ga.-based manufacturer unveiled the large-cabin business jet. Announced during the 2003 National Business Aviation Association Annual Meeting and Convention in October (BA, Oct. 13/164), the G450 fills the niche between Gulfstream's "mid-range" G350 and very-long-range G500 and G550 aircraft.
August 24 - National Business Aviation Association Business Aviation Regional Forum, Seattle, Wash., (202) 783-9000 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
SINO SWEARINGEN CONFIRMS SJ30-2 SPEED WITH HIGH-SPEED DIVE TESTS - Sino Swearingen Aircraft Corporation (SSAC) completed high-speed dive tests required to confirm a Mach .83 maximum operating speed for its SJ30-2 light business jet. The aircraft reached a required speed of Mach .90 to ensure aircraft handling qualities at higher speeds. The tests consumed more than 60 hours of flight time that involved testing at altitudes up to 45,000 feet and as low as 18,000 feet.
Cirrus Design Corp. President and co-founder Alan Klapmeier believes that the market for general aviation aircraft remains largely untapped and that it should return to the days when annual GA deliveries exceeded 10,000. "I don't see any reason why it couldn't be 12,000 right now," Klapmeier told BA, saying the industry needs to concentrate on attracting new people to GA rather than focusing on those already in the market. Klapmeier's optimism comes as the company prepares to boost production to 12 aircraft a week.
Business Jet Center completed a $5 million expansion of its facilities at Dallas Love Field, including a new hangar and adjoining office and ramp space. Business Jet Center increased its square footage by about 24 percent, from 178,000 square feet to 220,000 square feet. Ramp space has grown 65 percent, from 9.6 acres to 16 acres.
All Nippon Airways Co. Ltd. of Tokyo placed its fifth order for a Bombardier Q400 turboprop. ANA's latest order, for two airplanes, will bring the ANA Q400 fleet to 14 aircraft when deliveries are completed. ANA first ordered Q400s in October 2002. At the end of June, Bombardier said its Q400 order book stood at 112 aircraft, of which 82 had been delivered to 11 operators around the world.
The Federal Aviation Administration recognized a veteran Raytheon Aircraft employee by selecting him for one of the agency's most prestigious awards. Karl Stuhmer, an RAC field representative in the Rocky Mountain region, was presented with FAA's Charles Taylor Award, which was named for the man who served as the Wright Brothers' aircraft mechanic and designed and built the engine for their first successful aircraft. The award recognizes Stuhmer for his many contributions to the aviation community by helping and teaching both customers and fellow technicians.
Veteran Public Relations Executive Dave Franson formed The Franson Consulting Group to provide clients with advice and support in written and verbal communications, strategic planning, community and media relations and government affairs. Franson has more than 30 years of experience as a senior executive and company spokesman. "I've had the opportunity to identify and work with a variety of talented and creative professionals who offer outstanding products and services to their customers.
EMBRAER Model EMB-120 series airplanes (Docket No. 2003-NM-81-AD; Amendment 39-13733; AD 2004-14-24) - supersedes an existing AD that requires measuring the gap between the bellcrank and the body of the rotary variable inductive transducers (RVITs) of the aileron and elevator, performing corrective action if necessary, and torquing the bolt that attaches the bellcrank to the RVIT shaft. This amendment requires replacing the aileron and elevator RVIT bellcranks with new, improved bellcranks.
Aircraft Owners And Pilots Association credited NBC for accurately reporting the events but said it hoped the events gave NBC - "and the other media who make a living by generating unnecessary fear - ample reason to stop making GA a security scapegoat." National Air Transportation Association President James Coyne said the owners of the charter, "and rightfully so," were properly upset by the attempted security breach, and Coyne planned to make that message known.
SIGNATURE EXPANDS EUROPEAN PRESENCE WITH EXECAIR DEAL - Signature Flight Support reached an agreement with Menzies Aviation to buy the Execair fixed-base operation in a deal that will provide Signature Flight Support a major presence in Europe, the companies announced last week. Signature agreed to pay 11.75 million pounds (about $21.7 million U.S.) in cash for Execair, and in turn will receive operations at 10 airports in the United Kingdom, Ireland and Belgium.
CAE REPORTS JUMP IN FIRST QUARTER REVENUES, EARNINGS - Canadian simulation training specialist CAE reported nearly an 84 percent jump in earnings on an eight percent increase in revenues for the first quarter ended June 30, 2004. Earnings for the first quarter were $24.3 million (all dollars are Canadian) on revenues of $262.6 million, compared with earnings of $13.2 million and revenues of $242.9 million in the first quarter ended June 30, 2003.
Aerospace stakeholders met last week in the Washington, D.C. area to discuss strategies for getting both the Bush and Kerry presidential campaigns to focus on aerospace issues. The stakeholders are developing a handful of key issues that they would like each campaign to address. Thursday's meeting came a day after President Bush made a campaign stop at Eclipse Aviation's facilities in Albuquerque, N.M. Bush joked that he and Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), who also attended last week's event, would fly the first Eclipse business jet.
LATEST TERROR ALERTS TRIGGER RENEWED GA CAUTIONS - Federal authorities this month increased surveillance of New York helicopter tour operators and renewed their warnings that the general aviation community remain on guard, after the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI released another round of alerts about potential terrorist threats.
Signature Flight Support is poised to become a dominant fixed-base operator in Europe - on top of a strong U.S. presence - by acquiring Execair's facilities at 10 sites in the United Kingdom, Ireland and continental Europe. With the acquisition, Signature will grow its European network to 14 bases. See article below.
Thales ATM won a contract from the DFS Deutsche Flugsicherung GmbH to provide an air traffic system upgrade, TECOS (Terminal Coordination System), for Hannover and Bremen airport towers. The TECOS installations are part of Germany's Tower Flight Data Processing System modernization. TECOS is an electronic flight strip module.
Federal Aviation Administration has released information on flight restrictions in the New York City vicinity during the Republican National Convention Aug. 30 through Sept. 3. The restrictions will include a "no-fly zone" within a seven-nautical-mile radius from Madison Square Garden up to 18,000 feet. Exceptions include scheduled passenger and cargo flights to and from LaGuardia, Newark and Kennedy airports, private flights at Teterboro and helicopter flights out of the three Manhattan heliports.
AOPA OFFERS HELP FOR 80-OCTANE GAS CONSUMERS - Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association confirmed that the last known refinery of 80-octane aviation gasoline, Kern Oil, has stopped producing the fuel, but said 22 airports still have a supply of the avgas. The association said its online airport directory will give pilots information on where to obtain 80-octane. AOPA also lists holders of supplemental type certificates that can convert aircraft engines to run on 100LL gas.
FlightSafety International's facility in San Antonio received recognition for compliance with ISO-9001-2000 international standards. The center provides Cessna and Fairchild SA-226/227/C-26 training. The San Antonio center is the sixth FlightSafety facility to be registered by the British Standards Institute for compliance with ISO-9001-2000 standards.
Environmental Protection Agency last week formally extended by 18 months the deadlines for complying with new spill prevention control and countermeasure requirements. The agency in June proposed a 12-month extension but opted for an 18-month extension after receiving comments that the affected industries would need more time. Under the new deadlines, affected parties must implement their plans by Aug. 18, 2006.
