Avtrak, and its technology partner Advanced Solutions, won a contract to provide their GlobalNet maintenance management technology for Gulfstream Aerospace's CMP.net web-based aircraft maintenance tracking program. The program replaces Gulftream's mainframe-based Computerized Maintenance Program with a web-accessible program, which will allow customers to access records at any time. Avtrak said Gulfstream owners will be able to manage their other aircraft through the same system.
Signature Flight Support expanded its fixed-base operation services to Hyeres Airport in Toulon, France. Signature is operating in the main terminal until a new 4,000-square-foot FBO facility is completed in the second quarter of this year. The new service at Toulon is Signature's fourth venture in Europe. Signature also operates two FBOs in the United Kingdom and one at Le Bourget International Airport in Paris.
BOMBARDIER HIRES FORMER BOEING EXECUTIVE TO HEAD NEW AIRPLANE STUDY - Canadian manufacturer Bombardier is more than a year away from deciding whether it will build a new generation commercial airliner, but the company has hired a senior executive who spent most of his career at Boeing to oversee the process.
TIGER BUYING MAJOR STAKE IN COMMANDER AIRCRAFT - Tiger Aircraft, LLC, has agreed to buy a controlling interest in Aviation General, Inc., the parent company of Commander Aircraft Co. Aviation General has been in bankruptcy since the end of 2002 when it sought protection from creditors (BA, Jan. 6, 2003/1). Commander said it "has recently secured a court-confirmed financial reorganization plan" under which Tiger "will acquire an 80 percent ownership interest in Aviation General, Inc., Commander's publicly traded holding company."
"Why Do We Want To Regulate You?" was among the most frequent questions FAA received in comments on the Part 91 sightseeing section of the air tour proposal, the agency said in the Internet meeting. FAA's response: "Because you look like an airline. A passenger decides to go on an airplane (why doesn't matter). The airplane operator wants money (donations are money)...What's different about you? Airline passengers and your passengers deserve certain standards." Airlines give to charity too, the agency stated.
March 2-3 - ASME International (American Society of Mechanical Engineers) Aero Engine Life Management Conference, Thistle Royal Horseguards Hotel, London, England, (404) 847-0072; [email protected] or www.asme.org.igti March 10 - National Business Aviation Association Business Aviation Regional Forum, West Palm Beach, Fla., (202) 783-9000 March 11-12 - National Business Aviation Association Maintenance Management Workshop, West Palm Beach, Fla., (202) 783-9000
Gulfstream Aerospace continues to expand its product line with the addition of the G350, a large-cabin business jet based on Gulfstream's new G450 but with less range. The company announced the G350 last week during Asian Aerospace 2004 in Singapore, saying it "offers exceptional value" and will particularly appeal to business jet customers "who previously may not have considered a Gulfstream in their business case."
CJ Systems Aviation Group will operate two new Bell 407 helicopters for Kansas City, Mo.-based air medical provider LifeFlight Eagle. CJ Systems has flown and maintained LifeFlight Eagle helicopters since 1996. CJ Systems, which has a fleet of more than 100 aircraft, also flies two BK117 helicopters for LifeFlight Eagle.
PRIST RIGHTS, MARKETING NOW IN HANDS OF CHEMICAL COMPANY - CSD, Inc., an Atlanta, Ga.-based supplier of military-specification chemicals for the military, is expanding marketing and support for customers of the PRIST line of anti-icing fuel additives.
FAA YANKS CERTIFICATION FOR EMBRAER 170 SIMULATOR - Differences in performance handling between the Embraer 170 aircraft and its training simulator prompted FAA to decertify the training device until the problems are resolved. Embraer developed the simulator jointly with CAE, and won interim Level C qualification for the simulator in October, which allowed airlines that had ordered the planes to start training cockpit crews.
Cessna Aircraft has orders from A&P Light Aircraft Service Co. (China) Ltd. for two Turbo Stationairs equipped with Garmin G1000 all-glass integrated avionics systems. The aircraft are slated for delivery in November, following certification of the G1000. A Cessna single-engine sales team authorized representative, A&P Light Aircraft Service is a joint venture between Anyang Aviation Sports School and PTE. Cessna recently delivered the first T206 Turbo Stationair to a company in China.
Timken Aerospace is becoming the sole supplier of bearings for the Rolls-Royce Model 250 line of aircraft engines. More than 15,000 Model 250s are in service worldwide, primarily powering helicopters. Timken has supplied 27 bearing part numbers for the engines for a number of years. Under a new three-year agreement, it will add 11 more bearing part numbers. The transition to sole supplier will be completed by the end of the first quarter 2004. All Model 250 engine bearings are produced at Timken's Lebanon, N.H. facility.
Aeronautical Repair Station Association urged the Transportation Security Administration to secure the proceedings of a hearing held Friday on foreign repair station security, saying that they did not want the discussions to "become a handbook for terrorists." ARSA questioned whether repair station security actually poses risks and said, "Were the FAA to stop issuing new certificates to foreign repair stations, it would have immediate economic consequences." TSA held the hearing as part of its effort to comply with a congressional mandate for FAA, in concert with TSA, to
ATR won a five-year global maintenance agreement from Italian carrier Alitalia Express for its fleet of 10 ATR 72s. Under the agreement, ATR will provide repair and overhaul services on a power-by-the-hour basis.
Gulfstream Aerospace's maintenance center at London Luton Airport was approved by Honeywell as an authorized service center for the TFE-series engine line, from the TFE731-2 through the TFE731-60. Gulfstream acquired the Luton facility nine months ago, its only company-owned maintenance operation outside the U.S.
AIR CRUISERS emergency evacuation slide/raft system (Docket No. 99-NE-31-AD; Amendment 39-13445; AD 2004-03-01) - supersedes an existing AD that requires a one-time unpacking and subsequent repacking of the slide/raft systems, identified by basic part number (P/N) with dash numbers and serial numbers (S/Ns) listed in the AD, and mandates repacking of all other slide/raft systems of the same design at the next required normal maintenance schedule of the slide/raft system.
NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD last week was investigating the crash of a Beech B90 aircraft that killed three employees of EagleMed, an air ambulance service that operates in Hays, Dodge City, Garden City and Wichita, Kan. The aircraft had departed Wichita about 0810 Feb. 17 on an IFR flight to Dodge City. The aircraft crashed at 0858 in the backyard of a home in a rural area northwest of Dodge City. The aircraft was destroyed, but the circumstances of the crash were unknown late last week.
Trego/Dugan Aviation, Inc., the fixed-base operator in North Platte, Neb., acquired most of the assets of Avionics Systems, Inc., d/b/a Grand Island Aviation. Trego/Dugan Aviation, originally known as Trego Aviation, was started at the North Platte Regional Airport in 1970 by Gary Trego. For years the facility was managed by Trego and his wife, Terry. The name was changed in 1994 when Gary's daughter, Traci, and son-in-law, Vince Dugan, joined the operation.
National Air Transportation Association is hosting a one-day Tax Seminar for Air Charter Operators that will discuss some of the most common tax issues facing the Part 135 industry. The seminar will be held May 17 at the Las Vegas Hilton just prior to NATA's annual convention in Las Vegas. The seminar will cover application of federal excise taxes, state tax issues, international user fees, common tax errors, IRS forms, fuel tax credits, aircraft management agreements, personal use tax implications, and compliance with rules for carriage of elected officials.
Cessna rolled out the first Citation CJ3 built on the production line at its facility in Wichita, Kan. Unveiled at that National Business Aviation Association annual meeting and convention in 2002, the CJ3 is on schedule for type certification by mid-year. The certification flight-test program has accrued nearly 600 hours in 345 flights. Cessna recently completed induced icing testing and is now flying the aircraft in natural icing conditions. The CJ3 static test article has completed more than 200 certified test conditions, including the ultimate load test.
