AVANTI WINS MAJOR CONTRACT FROM FRACTIONAL OPERATOR - Piaggio Aero Industries of Italy and its U.S. entity Piaggio America won a major aircraft contract last week from a U.S. fractional aircraft provider. The agreement, signed May 4 in Rome, calls for Piaggio to deliver a total of 29 Avanti P.180 turboprops to Avantair, in a deal valued at about $200 million, over the next few years. Piaggio said the deal "is the largest single order ever for either company."
MedAire was selected to provide its inflight medical support to three Mediterranean carriers. MedAire received agreements from Cyprus Airways, Eurocypria and Hellas Jets under which the aviation medical services company will provide immediate access to emergency physicians working at the MedLink Global Response Center. MedLink Physicians are available 24 hours a day to help manage inflight medical situations and provide preflight medical guidance. The center can be contacted through the aircraft's communications system.
EPA PLANS TO DELAY DEADLINE FOR NEW FUEL STORAGE RULES - In a move sought by the aviation and other industries, the Environmental Protection Agency has indicated it plans to delay again the implementation of changes to its Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) regulations governing fuel storage. The agency is expected to release a notice in the next few weeks extending the Aug. 17 compliance deadline, but EPA hasn't said when the notice will be released or for how long the deadline will be extended.
Bryan Burns, the veteran fixed-base operations manager, joined Jackson Hole Aviation (JHA) as vice president/general manager. Burns, who most recently was general manager at the Vail Valley Jet Center at Eagle County Regional Airport in Vail, Colo., will be responsible for all phases of the Jackson Hole FBO "with the emphasis on enhancing JHA's reputation for superior customer service," the company said. "We have a very dedicated staff and recently made several improvements to our overall facility," said Jeff Brown, president of JHA.
The Teal Group issued a generally optimistic forecast of business jet deliveries over the next decade, but cautioned that a drop in orders by fractional aircraft operators and a squeeze on profits could affect the outlook.
Lancair retained manufacturing consultant Technical Change Associates (TCA) to help it streamline manufacturing processes and accelerate production. "We'll soon be building two separate aircraft models on our line and that adds another layer of complexity to what we're doing," said Lancair Vice President Ron Wright. "TCA is working with us to enhance our overall manufacturing efficiency" to increase production while maintaining quality. Lancair currently produces a new Columbia every two days, but hopes to increase that rate to one aircraft per business day by 2005.
SEN. MURRAY BLASTS AIRBUS, WARNS OF U.S. AEROSPACE DECLINES - Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) last week expressed her concern that the U.S. continues to lose its competitive edge in the aerospace market, saying, "We are about to surrender our global aerospace leadership because we are sitting on our hands while Europe is doing everything it can to dismantle our aerospace industry." In a May 5 speech on the Senate floor, Murray said she hoped to educate others about the urgency of the issue.
The General Aviation Coalition met with acting Transportation Security Administrator David Stone Friday afternoon, seeking action/information on a number of issues.
ARBITRATOR CALLS ON MOONEY TO PAY $24 MILLION IN LEASE LIABILITY - Mooney Aerospace Group plans to turn to the courts in search of a favorable judgment after an arbitrator found the company liable for $24 million in damages for the termination of the lease of its Long Beach, Calif. facility. The arbitrator awarded AP Long Beach Airport LLC $23.9 million plus attorney fees for the termination of the lease on the facility, which Mooney inherited as part of the AASI acquisition of the Kerrville, Texas single-engine piston aircraft manufacturer.
Experimental Aircraft Association won Bronze Telly Finalist awards for two of its video programs. Telly Awards honor outstanding local, regional, and cable TV commercials and programs, as well as video and film productions. EAA won the awards for an hour-long AirVenture 2003 special, Oshkosh 2003: Centennial Edition and a final episode of the EAA-produced series Learning to Fly, which aired on the Discovery Wings Channel.
SHOULDER-FIRED MISSILE BILL MOVES FORWARD IN HOUSE - Legislation calling on the Bush Administration to increase efforts to protect commercial aviation in the U.S. against shoulder-fired missile attacks moved forward last week when the measure received unanimous approval from the House Transportation aviation subcommittee.
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
Elliott Aviation added a Citation Excel to its charter fleet at Flying Cloud Airport in the Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minn. metropolitan area. The Excel seats eight passengers and has a stand-up cabin, flat screen DVD monitors, flight phone and laptop ports.
The Metropolitan Airports Commission this week is expected to release a formal recommendation for assessing new general aviation fees at the six Minneapolis-area reliever airports operated by the MAC. The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association and other general aviation interests have been arguing against dramatic fee hikes, urging the MAC "not to undo a system that is a model of efficient capacity relief just because the largest tenant - Northwest Airlines - at Minneapolis-St.
McKinney Aerospace teamed with Wing Aviation to provide a greater range of services to their clients. McKinney, based in McKinney, Texas, provides avionics installation and repair, interior refurbishment and completions, airframe maintenance and exterior paint. Wing Aviation is a Conroe, Texas-based full service fixed-base operation and maintenance facility specializing in Gulfstream, Hawker and Learjet aircraft.
National Air Transportation Association received a contract to add its Safety 1st professional line-service training program to the list of safety offerings by The Medallion Foundation. The foundation, a non-profit aviation safety organization that supports Alaska operators, will incorporate the NATA training seminar into the Medallion Five Star Shield Program. Nearly 60 Alaska air carriers participate in the program, which requires operators to develop ground-service programs designed to protect customers and employees.
The Corporate Angel Network got some good news and some favorable publicity last week. The volunteer organization, which arranges free transportation on corporate aircraft for cancer patients traveling to and from treatment centers, was the recipient of a check for $111,000, the proceeds of the 16th Annual Greater Washington Aviation Open (GWAO) golf and tennis tournament May 3 at Indian Spring Country Club in Silver Spring, Md.
Atlantic Aviation's chain of 10 fixed-base operations is being sold to an Australian financial institution, the second purchase of a U.S. FBO chain in recent weeks - Allied Capital just completed its purchase of the Mercury Air Centers chain (BA, April 26/187). Asked whether the transactions represent the bow wave of a round of FBO acquisitions, Atlantic Aviation's Lou Pepper instead said he believes the Mercury and Atlantic sales were separate deals that came together for different reasons.
Raytheon Aircraft added a fourth Hawker Horizon to the certification flight test program. The aircraft will conduct FAA function and reliability testing and will be used for operational evaluation of customer satisfaction before deliveries begin at the end of the year. The aircraft, RC-4, was fitted with interior components, including sidewalls, headliners and lavatory and cabin doors.
Honeywell will provide its Primus Epic Rehost software to FlightSafety International for the training company's personal computer-based classroom devices that will train pilots and technicians on the Primus Epic integrated avionics system. With Primus Epic Rehost, pilots will train by using the aircraft software rather than special training software, reducing functional differences in the training devices.
University Of North Dakota's Flying Team took first place in the National Collegiate Flying Association's Safety and Flight Evaluation Conference held April 27-May 1 at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tenn. UND won the national collegiate flying contest out of a field of 32 competitors. Embry-Riddle Prescott came in second followed by Western Michigan University in third place. The competition comprises 11 events - four flying events and seven ground events - which test a variety of piloting skills.
National Business Aviation Association acting President Don Baldwin last week called for a "sustained, broad and sophisticated campaign involving contributions from hundreds of people" to change the political dynamic and attitudes on general aviation security.
