Flightsafety International added Learjet 35/35A and King Air 350 simulators to its learning center in Atlanta, Ga. The Learjet simulator is Level C approved and incorporates a VITAL VIII daylight visual system. FlightSafety's Atlanta center also houses Learjet Model 31A, 45 and 60 simulators. Other FlightSafety centers that provide Learjet training are based in Tucson, Ariz.; Wichita, Kan. and West Palm Beach, Fla. The King Air 350 simulator joins a King Air 200 trainer at FlightSafety's Atlanta base.
April 13-19 - Sun 'n' Fun Fly-In, Lakeland Linder Regional Airport (LAL), Lakeland, Fla., (863) 644-2431 April 15-17 - Latin American Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition (LABACE2004), Sao Paulo, Brazil, (202) 783-9000 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]
MERCURY AIR MOVES INTO NEWPORT NEWS - Mercury Air Centers recently assumed control of a fixed-base operation at the Newport News/Williamsburg, Va. International Airport (PHF), the 20th location in the Mercury Air Center chain.
STEPHEN WELCH opened a new western regional office for Environmental Interiors. Welch, who will be based in Huntington Beach, Calif., has been involved in interior construction management for the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. He also was a national sales manager of Ceilings Plus and directed Oved's interior contracting efforts in Southern California. In his new role, he will be involved in airport and transit construction programs in the West.
SBA ADVOCACY OFFICE CALLS ON FAA TO SHELVE AIR TOUR RULE - After meeting with a number of air tour representatives, the Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy sent a 10-page letter urging FAA Administrator Marion Blakey to shelve the agency's proposal to establish new safety standards for air tour operators and charity sightseeing flights. The SBA office recently met with several aviation groups who brought up concerns that the rule could have a devastating impact on charity sightseeing and air tour businesses.
API's SCHLESINGER TO JOIN NETJETS NEXT WEEK - G.E. (Jerry) Schlesinger, the president and chief executive officer of Aerospace Products International (API), resigned a week ago to accept the position of senior vice president and chief financial officer of fractional aircraft provider NetJets. Schlesinger, who will be based at NetJets operational headquarters in Columbus, Ohio, is scheduled to assume his new duties April 19.
PILATUS SALES REMAIN ON TARGET - Swiss plane-maker Pilatus Aircraft has nearly sold out the production for the year for its PC-12 single turboprop, joining other business aircraft manufacturers in a trend that many industry leaders attribute in part to bonus depreciation tax breaks. Pilatus said it has committed nearly all of the 70 PC-12s it plans to produce this year. Sales jumped 35 percent in 2003 and "continue to grow at an unprecedented rate," the company said. Commitments have come from both retail customers and the dealer network.
FlightSafety International added features to its web-based customer service MyFlightSafety (www.myflightsafety.com) that will assist customers with record keeping and training management. MyFlightSafety users will be able to view and print training records with electronic signatures and manage multiple accounts with a single log-in. Launched in 2003 by FlightSafety International, the Web site has drawn more than 3,000 FlightSafety customers.
EMBRAER Model EMB-135 and EMB-145 series airplanes (Docket No. 2003-NM-67-AD) - proposes to require an inspection of the base and support surfaces of the glide slope antenna and of certain electrical connectors of the navigation system; and applicable corrective actions if necessary. These actions are necessary to prevent the display of erroneous or misleading information to the flight crew in the cockpit due to degradation in the performance of the VOR/ILS/MB system. FAA estimates that 365 airplanes on the U.S.
GROB'S RANGER TAKES FLIGHT - Grob-Werke Aerospace Division's new Grob Ranger G160 turboprop completed its first flight late last month. The first prototype, Registration D-FTBG, took off March 29 from the airport at the company's plant in Tussenhausen-Mattsies, Germany.
BOMBARDIER Model CL-600-2B19 (Regional Jet Series 100 & 440) airplanes (Docket No. 2004-NM-20-AD; Amendment 39-13507; AD 2004-05-12) - requires repetitive inspections of the left and right engine throttle control gearboxes for wear, and corrective action if necessary. This action is necessary to prevent excessive wear of the gearboxes and subsequent movement or jamming of the engine throttle; movement of the throttle towards the idle position brings it close to the fuel shut-off switch, which could result in an in-flight engine shutdown.
Avbase Flight Services, LLC last month added two Gulfstream 200s to its charter and management fleet. One of the G200s will be based at Cleveland Hopkins Airport in Cleveland, Ohio and the other will be based at Addison Airport in Dallas, Texas. Both aircraft are configured to seat 10 passengers. Avbase manages aircraft at 20 locations throughout the country.
ATP'S DANIELS HIRES TECHNICAL, AVIATION VETERAN AS PRESIDENT - Carol Daniels, long-time president and chief executive of Aircraft Technical Publishers, hired Gerald Kosbab to handle the duties of president. Daniels will continue as CEO of the 30-year-old technical publishing firm that her father previously ran. Kosbab, who has more than 25 years of aviation and technical experience, joins Brisbane, Calif.-based ATP as it plans to launch the company's new regulatory software tool, ATP Navigator V.
SIKORSKY CHAIRMAN BORGMAN ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT - Sikorsky Aircraft Chairman Dean Borgman announced plans to retire July 1 following five decades of service in the helicopter industry. Borgman was named chairman of Sikorsky in 2003 and before that was president for five years. Before joining Sikorsky he was senior vice president overseeing Boeing's helicopter facility in Mesa, Ariz. He joined the Boeing unit as part of the merger with McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Company, where he had served as president. Borgman also served in the U.S. Army Aviation Command.
BAE SYSTEMS Model BAe 146 series airplanes (Docket No. 2001-NM-148-AD; Amendment 39-13506; AD 2004-05-11) - requires repetitive general visual inspections of the inside of the condenser regenerative air ducts, air cycle machine turbine outlet, and the jet pump ducts on each air conditioning pack to detect oil and/or oil breakdown products leaking from the engine(s) or auxiliary power unit (APU). This AD also requires further inspections and replacement of any affected engine, APU, or component with a serviceable part, if necessary.
ARINC Engineering Services this month successfully flight tested a new precision approach and landing system designed to withstand electronic jamming. The flight test, conducted at Holloman Air Force Base, N.M., is part of the Joint Precision Approach and Landing System (JPALS) program to develop the next-generation precision approach and landing system for the Department of Defense.
BAE SYSTEMS Model BAe 146 series airplanes (Docket No. 2001-NM-148-AD; Amendment 39-13506; AD 2004-05-11) - requires repetitive general visual inspections of the inside of the condenser regenerative air ducts, air cycle machine turbine outlet, and the jet pump ducts on each air conditioning pack to detect oil and/or oil breakdown products leaking from the engine(s) or auxiliary power unit (APU). This AD also requires further inspections and replacement of any affected engine, APU, or component with a serviceable part, if necessary.
Conklin & De Decker released the latest version of its Aircraft Cost Evaluator software package that provides information on direct costs, fixed costs and annual budgeting. The package also includes information on fractional ownership as well as pilot reports, aircraft interior and exterior diagrams, photos and histories. The edition includes more than 380 jets, turboprops, helicopters and piston aircraft.
RICK LARSEN was named vice president of marketing for the Experimental Aircraft Association. Larsen joins EAA from ATA Airlines, where he also served as vice president of marketing. A 25-year aviation industry veteran, Larsen also held various marketing duties with Midway Airlines.
