Cargo operator Key Lime, Inc. had two of its aircraft put out of commission simultaneously Dec. 3 when they collided at Denver International Airport. The pilot of N60U, a Swearingen SA226-TC, taxied into N340AE, an SA227-AC, while N60U was maneuvering for takeoff and the other aircraft was standing on Taxiway M waiting to take off on Runway 17R. The collision spun N340AE to the right, entangling its empennage with the empennage of the other aircraft.
IAI SALES, EARNINGS DOWN; COMPANY CONCERNED ABOUT GOVERNMENT POLICY - Israel Aircraft Industries reported lower sales and earnings for the nine months ended Sept. 30 and company officials expressed concerns about the effects of government policy on the company's financial outlook. Sales for the first nine months were down 11 percent, from $1.4 billion a year ago, to $1.3 billion in the most recent period. The manufacturer had a net profit of $11 million for the nine months, a 62 percent decline from the same period in 2002.
SAS Flight Academy signed a new flight training contract with flybe, a European regional airline. The new five-year contract provides for Bombardier Dash 8-Q400 and Dash 8-300 pilot training. flybe has been an SAS customer for three years. The airline has 14 Q400s on order and holds options on 20 more aircraft. The new Q400s will eventually replace the Dash 8-200/300 fleet. SAS Flight Academy offers training for 12 types of aircraft at two training centers in Stockholm, Sweden and Copenhagen, Denmark.
US101 SELECTS GE TO PROVIDE ENGINE FOR PRESIDENTIAL HELO CANDIDATE - The industry team behind the US101 helicopter has chosen General Electric Aircraft Engines to provide the engine for the team's candidate in the VXX presidential helicopter competition. Lockheed Martin, AgustaWestland and Bell Helicopter are jointly marketing the medium-lift US101 as a presidential helicopter replacement and for military missions such as combat search and rescue. Its competitor in the VXX competition is Sikorsky's S-92, which recently won the Collier Trophy.
GAMA ELECTS COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN - The board of directors of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association named a number of member representatives to new committee assignments. Clayton M. Jones, chairman, president and chief executive of Rockwell Collins, will continue serving as chairman of the GAMA board, and James E. Schuster, chairman and CEO of Raytheon Aircraft Company, will continue as vice chairman of the board and chairman of the Security Issues Committee.
Piedmont Hawthorne Aviation hired Steve Leidigh as the new general manager of its fixed-base operation in Ocala, Fla. He was most recently the general manager of Piedmont's facility in Winston-Salem, N.C. Leidigh started early in the business, working at his parents' FBO at the age of 14. He has more than 11 years of management experience at FBOs and has held positions such as operational manager and airline fuel manager.
Air Methods closed last week on a private equity financing by selling shares of common stock to institutional investors. Under the financing agreement Air Methods realized gross proceeds of $9.6 million by selling 1.2 million shares at $8 per share. Air Methods said it expects to use the net proceeds of the transaction for general corporate purposes.
Honeywell is participating in a sales and marketing effort to convince Cessna Caravan owners to re-engine their utility and cargo airplanes with a new version of the TPE331. See article below.
JET AVIATION TO BUILD NEW MAINTENANCE FACILITY IN DUBAI - Jet Aviation, which has catered to Middle East business jet operators for years, plans to expand its presence in the region by building a new maintenance center in Dubai. Jet Aviation, which is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, currently operates facilities in Riyadh and Jeddah in Saudi Arabia. Jet Aviation Dubai, a joint venture with the Almulla Business Group of Dubai, is expected to be fully operational in the second half of 2004.
NATA president said he also foresees significant growth over the next decade for professionally-flown, on-demand aircraft. The advent of affordable turbine-powered aircraft like the Eclipse, and similar entry-level models from other manufacturers, will help boost market interest for on-demand flights Coyne said.
The Association Of Flight Attendants (AFA) voted last week to merge with the Communications Workers of America (CWA). The 36,000 AFA members will join CWA's 700,000 members, effective Dec. 31.
Bombardier will deliver its 1,000th CRJ aircraft to Delta Connection's Comair on Dec. 9. The Canadian manufacturer will mark the event with a handover ceremony in Dorval, Quebec on Tuesday. The first CRJ was delivered in October of 1992. The CRJ is the first regional aircraft to reach 1,000 deliveries, Bombardier said.
Alteon Training, a wholly owned Boeing subsidiary, is offering a cabin safety and service training program for business jet flight attendants. The five-day course includes training in: evacuation, firefighting, first aid, ditching, as well as aviation operations subjects such as security, hazardous materials and crew resource management. Flight attendants also receive training in food handling and services. The course is FAR Part 142 approved. For more information, contact: [email protected]www.alteontraining.com
AEROSPATIALE Model ATR 72 series airplanes (Docket No. 2001-NM-376-AD) - proposes to supersede an existing AD that currently requires initial and repetitive inspections to detect fatigue cracking in certain areas of the fuselage, and corrective actions if necessary. For certain airplanes, this action would require a new inspection for oversized fastener holes and cracking, and repair if necessary.
CURTISS-WRIGHT ACQUIRES THREE AEROSPACE SUPPLIERS - Curtiss-Wright Corp., Roseland, N.J., has acquired Systran Corp. of Dayton, Ohio for approximately $18 million; Dy 4 Systems Inc. of Ottawa, Canada, Leesburg, Va. and the U.K. for approximately $110 million; and Novatronics Inc. of Stratford, Ontario, and Plainview, N.Y., for about $13.5 million. All three operations will become business units of Curtiss-Wright Controls, Inc.
FAA PROPOSES NEW STAGE 4 NOISE STANDARD FOR AIRCRAFT - The Federal Aviation Administration, following on earlier action by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), has proposed establishment of a new maximum noise standard for subsonic jet airplanes and subsonic transport category large aircraft. The new standard, which was published in the Dec. 1 Federal Register, would apply to any application for a new airplane type design on or after Jan. 1, 2006.
BETH VAN EMBURGH joined the National Air Transportation Association as manager of government and industry affairs. She will focus on airport, security and environmental issues and serve as the staff liaison for the association's Airport Committee. For the past year Van Emburgh worked in the civil aviation department at the Aerospace Industries Association and before that she spent three years in the regulatory affairs department at the American Association of Airport Executives.
BAE Systems won a $4.3 million contract from the Department of Transportation to provide drug and alcohol and services to DOT and other federal government agencies. BAE, along with its partners, Examination Management Services and National Safety Alliance, will provide program management, quality assurance, scheduling, reporting, collection, alcohol testing and medical review services to DOT and the Transportation Security Administration. The contract could reach a value of $37.4 million if all options are exercised over the five-year contract term.
BELOW MINIMUMS APPROACH CLAIMS MERLIN PILOT - The pilot of a Swearingen SA-26-AT turboprop, N698X, was killed last month when he made a below-minimums approach and crashed short of a fog-shrouded runway in Florida. Investigators said the Merlin IIB had departed Beaumont, Texas at 0400 CST Nov. 27 with four passengers and the pilot aboard. The aircraft was being operated as a private flight under Part 91 of the FARs and the commercial-rated pilot had filed an instrument flight rules flight plan.
CHC HELICOPTERS SET TO ACQUIRE SCHREINER AVIATION - Canadian helicopter company CHC Helicopters will acquire Schreiner Aviation Group of Hoofddorp, The Netherlands for a cash payment of 83 million euros (US$100.3 million). "This is a perfect fit for CHC," said CHC Chairman and CEO Craig L. Dobbin, who boasted that the acquisition will make CHC "the undisputed world leader in offshore oil and gas helicopter support services" and increase the international diversity of operations.
January 11-15, 2004 - AAAE Aviation Issues Conference; Hyatt Regency Kauai Resort, Kauai, Hawaii, (703) 820-1395 March 2-3, 2004 - 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 15-17, 2004 - Helicopter Association International Heli-Expo 2004, Las Vegas, Nev., (703) 683-4646
National Business Aviation Association is alerting its members flying into popular ski destinations to check Notices to Airmen for Special Traffic Management Programs (STMPs). The association said that when anticipated weather conditions or traffic volumes dictate, the FAA will activate STMPs at the following Colorado airports: Aspen-Pitkin County/Sardy Field Airport (ASE); Rifle/Garfield County Field Airport (RIL); Telluride Regional Airport (TEX); Montrose Regional Airport (MTJ); and Eagle County Regional Airport (EGE).
ConocoPhillips added a new engine oil to its line of Phillips 66 piston-engine oils. The new formulation, Phillips 66 Type A 100AW, includes the Lycoming LW-16702 anti-wear additive and has an ashless dispersant package for cleanliness, ConocoPhillips said. The oil is available in quarts and 55-gallon drums.
HONEYWELL TURBOPROPS OFFERED FOR CARAVAN RETROFITS - Honeywell has joined forces with Aero Twin of Anchorage, Alaska to offer retrofits of existing Cessna Caravan utility aircraft with TPE331-12JR engines, a modification Honeywell said will result in significant performance improvements for operators.
