AOPA RALLIES MEMBERS, CONGRESS AGAINST PROPOSED SIGHTSEEING RULE - Two members of Congress joined the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association in lobbying the Federal Aviation Administration to reconsider its proposed rule for charity fundraising flights and sightseeing flights. AOPA is calling for FAA to hold a meeting with pilots who would be adversely affected by the rule, emphasizing that the rule could put hundreds of small sightseeing operations out of business (BA, Nov. 17/219).
LOCKHEED MARTIN PICKS PRATT & WHITNEY ENGINE FOR NAVY AIRCRAFT - Lockheed Martin chose the Pratt & Whitney 150A turboprop engine to power the multi-mission maritime aircraft (MMA), which Lockheed is proposing to replace the U.S. Navy's fleet of P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft.
Armor Holdings, a leading manufacturer of security products and vehicle armor systems, completed the acquisition of Simula, Inc. for $110.5 million in cash. Armor acquired all the outstanding stock of Simula and retired a majority of Simula's debt.
The Regional Air Cargo Carriers Association (RACCA) elected a new board of directors at a meeting in Scottsdale, Ariz. last month. RACCA said that the new board "better reflects the broad spectrum of the air cargo industry." The new members include RACCA President Stan Bernstein; Gary Richards of Ameriflight, Inc., chairman; David Corey of AirNow, vice chairman; W.
Raytheon Aircraft delivered two Beech King Air B200s to the Royal Air Force Cranwell Military Air Academy in the United Kingdom. The deliveries are part of the Multi-Activity Contract and Multi-Engine Pilot Training Interim Solution, managed by Serco Defence and Aerospace. A total of seven Beech aircraft, which are to be used for pilot training, will be delivered by March 2004. Serco is a defense and aerospace contractor for the U.K. Ministry of Defence, civil aviation and related industries in the U.K. and Europe.
BALDWIN FINDS NEW POST, WILL CONTINUE AS NBAA CHAIRMAN - Donald E. Baldwin, the chairman of the National Business Aviation Association's board of directors who had been facing the prospect of having to step down from that post, will be able to continue serving as chairman, the association said.
BUSH SIGNS FAA REAUTHORIZATION BILL INTO LAW - A day before speaking at the First Flight Centennial celebration in North Carolina last week, President Bush held a formal signing ceremony in the Oval Office for the FAA reauthorization bill.
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.
COURTLAND GRAY was appointed director of marketing and business development at FDC/Aerofilter. He was previously the senior vice president of business development and sales at Turbomeca. A former pilot in the U.S. Marine Corps, Gray has more than 20 years of experience in military and civil aviation. Based in Novato, Calif., FDC/Aerofilter produces turbine engine inlet barrier filtration systems for helicopters.
AIR CANADA SPLITS 90 AIRCRAFT ORDER BETWEEN BOMBARDIER, EMBRAER - Amid aggressive restructuring plans to re-emerge from bankruptcy, Air Canada reached an agreement in principle last week to buy 45 Bombardier and 45 Embraer aircraft.
AIA FORECAST SEES STABILIZATION AND MODEST GROWTH THROUGH 2006 - Fueled largely by increased defense spending, the aerospace industry should stabilize and experience modest growth over the next three years, according to the latest annual forecast by the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA).
Alteon Training, a subsidiary of The Boeing Company, will offer flight training for the Boeing Business Jet at the Palma Training Center in Spain starting during the first quarter of 2004. Alteon will provide initial, recurrent, refresher and progressive training using the JAA Level D-certified Boeing 737-700/800 full flight simulator that is equipped with head-up display. Level D certification from the FAA is expected in January 2004. Alteon also provides BBJ training at its facilities in Atlanta, Long Island, Miami, Seattle and Gatwick/Burgess Hill in England.
BOMBARDIER OFFERS AIRCRAFT MANAGEMENT TO NEW LEAR OWNERS -In an effort to draw more customers in the Middle East, Bombardier introduced a new program that includes one year of free aircraft management with the purchase of a Learjet 40, 45 or 45XR.
Officials at the Newport News, Va./Williamsburg International Airport (PHF) voted last week to reissue a request for proposals for a fixed-base operator at the airport. The airport had issued an RFP in July with a Sept. 16 deadline, but the RFP was reissued Dec. 11 with a deadline of Jan. 15. The airport is currently served by two FBOs, Flight International and Rick Aviation.
GERMAN MANUFACTURER OMF FILES FOR BANKRUPTCY; CANADIAN ENTITY SEEKING FINANCING - The parent company of Canadian aircraft manufacturer OMF Aircraft filed for bankruptcy last week in Germany, but officials of OMF Aircraft of Three Rivers, Quebec said they hope to secure necessary financing and resume aircraft production by May.
GULFSTREAM WINS TYPE CERTIFICATE FOR G500 - Gulfstream received an FAA type certificate for its G500 aircraft, which was introduced a little more than a year ago at the 2002 National Business Aviation Association convention (BA, Sept. 16, 2002/126)
Washington insiders have been speculating for a couple of weeks that President Bush might sign the FAA reauthorization bill at this week's First Flight Centennial celebration in North Carolina, but Administration officials Friday were downplaying the likelihood of that happening at Kitty Hawk. Bush is still expected to sign the bill sometime in the near future.
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.
NATIONAL AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM UNVEILS HAZY CENTER TO PUBLIC - The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, the new 760,000-square-foot "annex" to the National Air and Space Museum, opens today on the southern grounds of Dulles International Airport, unveiling a collection of more than 80 aircraft that had been packed away in storage or that were too large to display anywhere else. The opening of the museum comes a little more than three years after groundbreaking, but some 20 years after the Smithsonian's Board of Regents first envisioned a new facility.
HOUSE APPROVES OMNIBUS BILL, SENATE DELAYS ACTION UNTIL JANUARY - Despite pressures from the Bush Administration to act quickly, the Senate postponed the vote on the $373 billion omnibus spending bill until Jan. 20. The House early last week approved the legislation, 242-176, but Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) decided against reconvening the Senate last week for a vote. The bill contains $88.9 billion for transportation, of which $14 billion is allotted to the Federal Aviation Administration.
