FAA WARNS AIRCRAFT OWNERS TO UPDATE ADDRESSES - Federal Aviation Administration last week issued a warning that beginning June 1 it would increase its regulatory enforcement program for ensuring aircraft registrations contain current information. "Many U.S. aircraft owners risk having their aircraft registration canceled because the addresses they have on file with the FAA are out-of-date," the agency said in a statement last week.
TSA STRESSES AIRPORT-SPECIFIC SECURITY IN NEW GUIDELINES - The Transportation Security Administration's newly released general aviation security guidelines include an "Airport Characteristics Measurement Tool" designed to help general aviation airports assess risk and tailor appropriate security programs to that risk.
GROUPS BACK FUNDING FOR CONTRACT TOWER PROGRAM - While the fierce battle over contract air traffic control towers has quieted since last fall, several aviation groups this month urged key legislators to ensure the continuation of what has become a controversial program. State and airport officials, along with cargo, regional and business aircraft operators, asked House and Senate appropriators to fully fund the program, which allows FAA to contract out the operation of VFR control towers to private companies that use non-FAA personnel to staff them.
Gulfstream Aerospace expanded and extended its 60-day "Meet the Quote" spare parts price-matching program, which was launched in March. Originally limited to Gulfstream-built business jets, the program was broadened to add the G100, Astra and G200 aircraft that the company acquired through acquisition. The program will now continue through July 31. To participate in the program, a customer submits a current competitive quote on a specific exchange part.
SUMMARY: Pursuant to FAA's rulemaking provisions governing the application, processing, and disposition of petitions for exemption (14 CFR Part 11), this notice contains a summary of certain petitions seeking relief from specified requirements of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR Chapter I), dispositions of certain petitions previously received, and corrections. The purpose of this notice is to improve the public's awareness of, and participation in, this aspect of FAA's regulatory activities.
Regaining business aviation access at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport appears to be on a much slower track. Acting TSA Administrator James Stone told members of the General Aviation Coalition May 7 that it will be at least six months before his agency comes up with a security threat mitigation plan for reopening the airport to anyone but scheduled air carriers. Even if TSA sticks to the six-month schedule to develop such a plan, it still would have to be vetted by other members of the government security community before implementation could begin.
The buildings that house FAA's headquarters personnel in Washington have been named in honor of the Wright Brothers. The building at 800 Independence Avenue where Administrator Marion Blakey has her office is now the Orville Wright Federal Building, while a separate building on the other side of 7th St. is now the Wilbur Wright Federal Building. The name changes were included in legislation signed by President Bush April 30. In a message to FAA employees, Blakey said the renaming "is a fitting tribute for these two American icons.
AVCRAFT SIGNS 20-AIRCRAFT DEAL WITH HAINAN AIRLINES - AvCraft received a contract from Hainan Airlines for 20 328Jets, including the conversion of five previous options to firm orders. Delivery of the latest order, valued at more than $200 million, will begin this year and continue into 2007. Hainan currently operates 27 of the aircraft. "We are very pleased to be strengthening our ties with Hainan Airlines. This deal will eventually position HNA as one of the largest, if not the biggest, Dornier 328Jet operator in the world," said AvCraft CEO Ben Bartel.
General aviation advocates came a step closer to winning an extension of 50 percent bonus depreciation when the Senate Tuesday overwhelmingly passed the Jumpstart Our Business Strength (JOBS) Act, which includes a measure that would give purchasers of new business aircraft more time to qualify for the tax benefits. "With Senate passage, we have cleared another major hurdle to extending the benefits and positive effects of bonus depreciation for our industry," said Ed Bolen, president and CEO of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association.
Opponents of FAA's proposed new rule governing air tours told agency officials at a public hearing last Tuesday that their proposal was misdirected, overreaching and should be withdrawn. For the many and diverse critics of the notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM), it was a first opportunity to state their grievances face to face rather than in written comments or via Internet "chat" sessions (BA, April 26/185).
May 17-19 - Regional Air Cargo Carriers Association Spring Conference, Radisson Resort and Spa, Scottsdale, Ariz. Contact Stan Bernstein, (508) 747-1430 May 18-20 - AS 3/GSE Aviation Services and Suppliers Supershow, National Air Transportation Association/Professional Aviation Maintenance Association, Las Vegas, Nev. (703) 845-9000 May 25-27 - European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition (EBACE2004), Geneva, Switzerland, (202) 783-9000
AIR TRACTOR Models AT-401, AT-401B, AT-402, AT-402A, AT-402B, AT-501, AT-502, AT-502A, AT-502B, AT-503A, AT-602, AT-802, and AT-802A airplanes (Docket No. 2004-CE-05-AD) - proposes to supersede an AD that currently requires repetitively inspecting the upper longeron and upper diagonal tube on the left hand side of the aft fuselage structure for cracks and contacting the manufacturer for a repair scheme if cracks are found. This proposed AD is the result of reports of the same cracks recently found on AT-500 series airplanes.
STONE OFFERS LITTLE HOPE ON DCA ACCESS, PRESIDENTIAL TFRS - General aviation groups found TSA acting Administrator David Stone open to their concerns and well-versed on the issues in their first joint meeting with him this month, but also found that he offered little hope of progress on key security issues, such as presidential temporary flight restrictions (TFRs) and access to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
Political momentum is growing to get FAA to withdraw its controversial notice of proposed rulemaking tightening restrictions on sightseeing flights, air tours and charitable flights. Industry representatives blasted the NPRM at a public hearing in Washington last week where the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association noted that 14 members of Congress had written FAA to express their concerns. Also last week, Rep.
TIMKEN BUYS ARIZONA ENGINE REPAIR FACILITY - Bearing manufacturer Timken Company purchased the assets of Alcor Engine Company, Inc., and its affiliate Advance Repair Technologies, Inc. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
Conklin & De Decker is hosting its fifth annual Financial-Accounting-Cost-Tax Seminar for Business Aviation June 7-8 in Providence, R.I. The seminar will cover cost management, finance and leasing alternatives, insurance, financial planning, like-kind exchange, personal use, taxes and other topics. The seminar costs $995. For more information, contact Pam Wise at (817) 277-6403 or Nel Sanders-Stubbs at (480) 922-8110.
Mercury Air Centers dedicated a new hangar and tenant offices last week at the company's Charleston, S.C. Airport (CHS) fixed-base operation. The new 45,000-square-foot facility is adjacent to Mercury's 23,000-square-foot terminal. In a separate announcement, the Charles County Aviation Authority awarded Mercury a 10-year contract to operate the fixed-base facility at the Charleston Executive Airport (JZI) on Johns Island, S.C.
AvAero received certification for a new fuel burn reduction modification developed for Boeing 737-200 and -300 aircraft and is working toward supplemental type certification of the system on 737-400 and -500 aircraft. The FuelMizer system can provide an average fuel savings of at least four percent according to AvAero, which said the modification involves changing certain parts and repositioning certain wing controls. AvAero estimated that the modification can be installed in 200 to 250 man-hours.
Jet Source added a Learjet 40 to its charter operation based at McClellan-Palomar Airport in Carlsbad, Calif. In addition to the Learjet, Jet Source's fleet of managed aircraft includes a Citation II that was added earlier this year (BA, March 29/143), a G400, Falcon 50, Citation I and a King Air F-90.
Avions De Transport Regional is undertaking an aging structure program to extend the "design objective life" of its ATR 42 and 72 regional aircraft from 70,000 to 105,000 cycles. The extension would provide an average yearly utilization rate of 2,500 flight hours and an economic life of more than 40 years. ATR is hoping to achieve its fleet goals by 2005.
