BE A PILOT, the nationwide program designed to introduce prospective students to flying, this week is kicking off a nearly $1 million television advertising campaign offering a free introductory flight certificate and a $49 first flying lesson that is valid at more than 2,000 participating flight schools in the U.S. and Canada. The advertising campaign will emphasize flying testimonials and target the baby boomer generation.
Raytheon Aircraft received export approval for its Hawker 800XP equipped with Collins Pro Line 21 avionics from the Centro Tecnico Aeroespacial of Brazil and expects follow-up certification shortly. Raytheon Aircraft delivered the aircraft to a customer in Sao Paulo in December.
NBAA TAPS DOUBRAVA TO ENHANCE SECURITY EFFORTS - National Business Aviation Association, in an effort to expand airspace and airport access for its members, hired aviation security veteran Richard Doubrava to fill the newly created role of director of security. Doubrava will serve as a point person for the association's Secure Access program developed to demonstrate business aviation security and increase access to restricted airspace.
Federal Aviation Administration last week agreed to hold two regional public hearings on its National Air Tour Safety Standards proposal, which has drawn as much criticism as any rulemaking in recent years. The agency, which announced the public hearings in the April 20 Federal Register, reversed its position on the regional hearings after facing a barrage of criticism. FAA already had held a two-week Internet-based public "hearing," but many people felt disenfranchised from the electronic forum and complained that it prevented an honest, open dialogue.
The National Business Aviation Association's board of directors and former President John W. Olcott issued statements taking strong exception to characterizations of the association contained in a letter by a recently departed NBAA senior executive.
Veteran aviation marketer John Gauch left Diamond Aircraft to join Cirrus Design Corp. as national fleet sales manager. At Cirrus he will focus on sales to major flight training institutions. Before joining Diamond, Gauch spent many years with Sporty's in a variety of management posts.
TSA SOLICITS CARGO SECURITY ADVICE - The Transportation Security Administration this month released a Request for Information (RFI) pre-solicitation notice seeking advice on enhancing air cargo security. TSA noted that the government is contemplating how to further develop air cargo security and would like to receive input from the aviation industry and related industry sectors. Companies submitting their ideas may be invited to a forum in the future, TSA said.
A pitch rate three times higher than recommended and a fuel system that allowed fuel to slosh unrestricted from one tank to another set the stage for the Oct. 10, 2000 crash of an experimental Challenger 604 during takeoff from Bombardier's Flight Test Center (BFTC) in Wichita, Kan., according to a National Transportation Safety Board report this month (BA, April 19/173). Two of the three crewmembers were killed in the crash and resulting fire. The third was severely injured and died 36 days after the accident.
JOHN ENTICKNAP TO REMAIN AT HELM OF MERCURY AIR CENTERS - Allied Capital Corp., which completed its acquisition of 19 Mercury Air Center fixed-base operations this month, plans to retain MAC's existing management team, including President John Enticknap and Carl Vanderlinden, vice president of finance and CFO. While the existing management team runs the FBO businesses, an Allied Capital official said the new parent company will concentrate on providing the resources MAC needs and looking for acquisitions to grow the FBO network.
Boeing plans to slash its corporate flight department and consolidate its in-house flight operations in Gary, Ind., near company headquarters in Chicago, Ill. A spokeswoman said the airliner manufacturing company plans to sell a Boeing Business Jet, two Challengers, two Learjets and two helicopters. It will retain one BBJ and five Challengers. Flight bases in Seattle, Wash., St. Louis, Mo. and Long Beach, Calif. will be closed.
Bombardier is offering an "introductory package" for Learjet 40 customers in Latin America that includes 25 hours for free air travel aboard a Learjet 45 through the Bombardier Flexjet fractional ownership program and 60 months of the company's Smart Parts Plus component coverage. The package, valued at more than $350,000 (U.S.), is available to customers in South America, Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean who order a Learjet 40 before Oct. 31.
NBAA and other industry associations are regrouping in light of the latest reports to come from TSA on access to Washington's close-in airport. NBAA is stepping up political pressure with association members contacting their elected officials for help. NBAA, meanwhile, continues to refine its "Secure Access" plan, unveiled at a hearing on DCA last month (BA, March 22/125).
Federal Aviation Administration received authority from the Office of Personnel Management to offer early-out retirement packages to its workers. The move could open the way for the departure of thousands of employees in the agency's Air Traffic Organization, which is in the midst of being restructured. The OPM approval is not expected to generate a sudden exodus of employees, however, since "receiving that authority and actually implementing that authority are two different things," according to a message sent to agency employees last week.
AVCRAFT MOVES DORNIER 328JET WING WORK TO GERMANY - AvCraft is bringing Dornier 328Jet wing production in-house at its Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany facility with all new tooling, saying "there was insufficient life left" in the former tooling in San Antonio, Texas, to make wing production there practical. The former FairchildDornier aircraft was built in both Oberpfaffenhofen and San Antonio, but AvCraft opted to buy new tooling and retain former Dornier aircraft engineers in Germany rather than use the San Antonio assets.
Sun Air Jets added a Hawker 800XP to its Southern California-based charter operation. The Hawker will be based at Sun Air Jets' fixed-base operation in Camarillo, Calif. The aircraft also will fly trips from Sun Air's satellite facility at Van Nuys Airport. In addition to the Hawker 800XP, Sun Air Jets operates a Hawker 700 and a Gulfstream III from Camarillo.
NATA NOMINATES THREE FOR BOARD SEATS - The National Air Transportation Association nominated three veterans of the fixed-base industry for seats on the association's board of directors. Those nominated are Dean Harton, president and CEO of Piedmont Hawthorne Holdings; Jim Spinder, president and COO of Atlantic Aero; and Bill Koch, COO of SevenBar Enterprises.
April 20-22 - Society of Automotive Engineers, SAE 2004 General Aviation Technology Conference and Exhibition, Century II Convention Center, Wichita, Kan., (724) 772-7131 or [email protected] April 27-29 - Flight Safety Foundation/National Business Aviation Association Corporate Aviation Safety Seminar, Tucson, Ariz., (202) 783-9000 May 17-19 - Regional Air Cargo Carriers Association Spring Conference, Radisson Resort and Spa, Scottsdale, Ariz. Contact Stan Bernstein, (508) 747-1430
Aircraft Belts, Inc. (ABI) teamed with automotive safety supplier Autoliv to further develop and enhance its safety restraint technologies. Under the agreement ABI will conduct design and development research as well as component and system testing at Autoliv's testing and research facility in Auburn Hills, Mich. "We are excited to support ABI with their focus on improving safety for occupants of aircraft," said Patrick Jarboe, director of corporate communications for Autoliv.
FIRST AVIATION SERVICES NAMES FANELLI TO HEAD API - Aerospace Products International, Inc. (API) and its parent company First Aviation Services elected Paul Fanelli president and chief executive of API. Fanelli had been senior vice president and chief operating officer of API since February.
Excelaire, Ronkonkoma, N.Y., added another Gulfstream III to its charter fleet, which now totals six Gulfstream business jets -- four G-IIIs, one G-IISP and one G-II-TT.
