National Business Aviation Association is hoping to generate a grassroots campaign through its membership in support of a provision in Homeland Security appropriations legislation that sets a deadline for TSA to implement a plan for access to DCA.
The coalition for disadvantaged airports, a new group forming to address air service concerns at small communities, will hold its first organizational meeting July 13 in Washington, D.C. The coalition is expected to comprise organizations, trade associations, airports, communities, state aviation/chamber of commerce representatives, manufacturers and other individuals concerned about small community air service. For more information, contact Tulinda Larsen at (202) 783-5052 or e-mail [email protected].
The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association and the National Business Aviation Association criticized FAA last week for issuing new regulations that require pilots to immediately leave the Washington Air Defense Identification Zone if their aircraft experiences a transponder failure.
Dassault Falcon opened a new 46,000-square-foot paint facility in Little Rock, Ark. The new $8 million facility can accommodate three aircraft at once, and is designed to handle Dassault's new Falcon 7X aircraft, which has a wingspan of more than 82 feet. The facility also includes space for offices and storage. Dassault began construction a little more than a year ago.
House aviation subcommittee Chairman John Mica (R-Fla.) last week urged Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge to speed up the department's efforts to give control of the background check process for foreign students seeking flight training in the U.S. to the Transportation Security Administration. The Department of Justice originally was tasked with conducting the background checks, but in the Vision 100 FAA reauthorization legislation, Congress ordered the transfer of the responsibility from DOJ to TSA after the program experienced lengthy delays at DOJ.
DASSAULT WINS CERTIFICATION FOR 2000EX EASy - Dassault Falcon, upgrading its product line with new variations of existing models, won European and U.S. certification of its Falcon 2000EX EASy business jet this month. The new European Aviation Safety Agency granted certification to the aircraft first, followed last week by FAA. The government approvals mark the second successful application of the EASy flight deck, which made its debut late last year on the Falcon 900EX. The 2000EX EASy test aircraft flew 335 hours on 143 flights.
SOUTH KOREAN SURVEILLANCE PROGRAM DRAWS BOEING, GULFSTEAM BIDS - Two industry teams have announced they are competing to produce the South Korean air force's E-X surveillance and command-and-control aircraft.
Virginia Department Of Aviation Director Charles Macfarlane stepped down from his position Friday to return to the real estate business. Macfarlane had served as director since May 2002. Officials from the State of Virginia expect Virginia Gov. Mark Warner (D) to appoint a new director shortly.
ATR delivered the first of six ATR 72-500s to Spanish carrier Binter Canarias. The aircraft was configured with 72 seats and painted in the new Binter Canarias livery.
National Air Transportation Association officials last week appealed to Asa Hutchinson, DHS under secretary for border and transportation security, to take a more even-handed approach to issuing temporary flight restrictions and provide more adequate notice to pilots of upcoming restrictions. Hutchinson appeared sympathetic toward general aviation concerns and indicated he would try to ensure that the department provides better notice, the officials said.
Two persons aboard a Piper Cherokee were killed and a third severely injured Wednesday when the aircraft crashed into the roof of an auto repair shop in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Although nearly a dozen people were in the shop at the time of the crash, no one on the ground was injured.
If your travel plans include flying over Brazil, you should make sure your aircraft doesn't look like one that might be carrying illegal drugs. According to a June 24 article in The Washington Times, the U.S. and Brazil are working on the final details of an agreement that would authorize shooting down airplanes suspected of smuggling drugs.
FlightSafety International earned FAA Level D approval for a Citation XLS flight simulator stationed at the company's Cessna learning center in Wichita, Kan. The Cessna center is one of FlightSafety's largest training facilities and offers training on all current models of Cessna aircraft. FlightSafety also offers Cessna training at its facilities in Long Beach, Calif., Atlanta, Ga., Columbus, Ohio, Vero Beach, Fla., San Antonio, Texas, Toledo, Ohio, Orlando, Fla. and Paris/Le Bourget.
HERSMAN SWORN IN AS FIFTH NTSB MEMBER; GOGLIA JOINS PAMA - The National Transportation Safety Board has its full complement of members with the swearing in last week of Deborah Hersman to the board. Hersman joins NTSB from the Senate Commerce Committee, where she was a professional staff member for five years. On the committee, she had responsibility for the legislative agenda, as well as oversight and policy initiatives on surface transportation, including rail, truck, bus, pipeline and hazardous materials transportation safety.
Rep. Christopher Cox (R-Calif.), chairman of the Homeland Security Committee and the House Policy Committee, named Bailey Wood communications director. Wood will handle press operations for both Cox's personal office and the House Policy Committee. Wood previously held staff posts for a number of Republican legislators.
P&W UNIT ACQUIRES ROBOTICS SPECIALIST - Engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney acquired 100 percent of CTA, Inc. of Huntsville, Ala., a privately held firm that provides robotic systems integration for the aerospace and other industries. The company specializes in robotic systems for application of precision coatings and material handling.
National Business Aviation Association's Certified Aviation Manager Governing Board held an organizational meeting earlier this month, electing the first officers. The CAM Governing Board will manage NBAA's Certified Aviation Manager program, which is designed to prepare and recognize business aviation professionals for management roles.
The Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC) is making "slow progress" in its mission to rewrite Part 135 of the Federal Aviation Regulations, agreeing on draft language for some of the less contentious issues, according to one participant. But many of the tough issues remain to be worked out, including some significant differences between various interests. The next ARC sitdown is in August and FAA added another day (Aug. 23) at the front end to provide four days of face-to-face work.
Aerospace employment in the U.S. continues to weaken, the Aerospace Industries Association reported this month. According to recent Bureau of Labor Statistics figures, aerospace employment in March totaled 569,000, compared with 574,000 in December and 590,500 in March 2003. This decline continues a trend that began in mid-2001, AIA said.
