WRONGFUL DEATH SETTLEMENT REACHED IN WELLSTONE CRASH - The families of the late Sen. Paul Wellstone (D-Minn.) and five other passengers who were killed in a Beech King Air 100 crash last October reached a $25 million wrongful death settlement with Aviation Charter Inc. of Eden Prairie, Minn., the company that operated the charter flight. Wellstone, his wife Sheila, daughter Marcia and three campaign staff members - Mary McEvoy, Thomas Lapic and William McLaughlin - were on their way to a funeral in northeast Minnesota on the morning of Oct.
SUSAN H. HANCOCK BUYS ST. THOMAS FBO; BOHLKE LAUNCHING FRACTIONAL PROGRAM - Susan Howard Hancock, a veteran of 20 years in the fixed-base operation business, has purchased the St. Thomas Virgin Islands FBO that was operated for many years as part of Bohlke International Airways (BIA).
Learjet 45 owners will have to wait a while longer to get their grounded airplanes back in the air. After consultations between FAA and Bombardier on Aug. 23, the parties agreed that some additional enhancement in components of the horizontal stabilizer actuator assembly (HSAA) will be required, a Learjet spokesman told BA Friday. FAA issued an AD grounding Model 45s because of concern about possible fracture of a screw and nut in the HSAA (BA, Aug. 18/70).
CJ SYSTEMS SIGNS DEAL TO ADD SEVEN NEW EC135 HELICOPTERS - CJ Systems Aviation Group, the Pittsburgh, Pa.-based operator of medical helicopter services, signed an agreement with American Eurocopter (AEC) to acquire seven new EC135 helicopters through April 2004. The multiple aircraft purchase will help modernize its fleet and improve allocation of backup helicopters, CJ Systems said.
TAG Aviation named Robert Reisman base manager of the company's Morristown, N.J. Municipal Airport (MMU) facility. He will be responsible for all operations at the facility, including aircraft charter and management services. He also will continue in his existing position as lead captain, overseeing G-IV and S-76 operations at MMU. Reisman, who began his corporate flying career in 1976, joined TAG in 2001.
Lockheed Martin deployed a new User Request Evaluation Tool (URET) system at FAA's Jacksonville Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC). The Jacksonville ARTCC is the first installation under the national deployment phase (the second phase) of the program. The URET system can detect potential conflicts with aircraft up to 20 minutes in advance and determine whether pilot-requested changes to a flight plan would conflict with other traffic.
Million Air added a new fixed base operation near Los Angeles, Calif. to its network. Million Air Oxnard in Ventura County features a 20,000-square-foot hangar and 5,000 square feet of office space, which includes a lounge, reception area, conference room and storage area.
Aircraft Electronics Association released its 22-page AEA Part 145 Manual Transition Guidance Workbook. The workbook will help guide Part 145 repair stations that must revise their Inspection Procedures Manual to meet the new requirements for a Repair Station Manual and Quality Control Manual. The requirements are included in the new Part 145 regulation slated to take effect Oct. 6. AEA is offering the workbook free to members and for $500 to non-members. For more information, contact AEA at (816) 373-6567 or www.aea.net.
BOMBARDIER SAYS RECAPITALIZATION PLAN NEARLY COMPLETE - Canadian conglomerate Bombardier, Inc., has reached agreement to sell its Recreational Products Division, one of the last big steps in a major rationalization and recapitalization of the company.
FAA released preliminary requirement documents for an FAA Data Display System, a next-generation system that would provide rapid retrieval and display of a range of weather, operational support and administrative data to air traffic controllers in ATC towers and terminal radar approach control facilities as well as in other facilities. The system will comprise commercial off-the-shelf and non-developmental hardware and software that would facilitate configuration control, maintenance, training and system upgrade by government personnel.
HONEYWELL INTEGRATES CABIN MANAGEMENT UNITS - Honeywell completed the integration of its Cabin Management, Systems and Services (CMSS) business in Sarasota, Fla. with its aircraft cabin services unit in Phoenix, Ariz. Honeywell acquired the Sarasota business, formerly Baker Electronics, in December, which expanded its line of electronics offerings and permitted the company to offer cabin management systems to both business jet original equipment manufacturers and operators (BA, Jan. 13/17).
GULFSTREAM V, G550 TO SHARE SAME TYPE RATING, FAA RULES - The Federal Aviation Administration and the Joint Aviation Authorities of Europe authorized the Gulfstream V and the forthcoming Gulfstream 550 to share the same type rating, requiring only that pilots participate in a "differences" course and receive 14 hours of additional training. The five-day G550 differences course, which will highlight the aircraft's PlaneView flight deck, will be offered to GV pilots who want to fly the G550.
Raytheon Aircraft donated a Beech Starship, NC-41, to the Kansas Aviation Museum. The aircraft formerly was based in Rockford, Ill. Raytheon Aircraft decided earlier this year to stop supporting the 50-Starship fleet because of sharply rising costs. The company plans to donate a limited number of the composite aircraft to museums, airframe and powerplant schools and research institutes.
NOAA, MILITARY, FAA DEVELOPING MORE DETAILED WEATHER FORECAST SYSTEM - The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is teaming up with the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Navy and the Federal Aviation Administration to develop a new, more accurate weather forecasting system that could have valuable aviation applications.
GEAR-UP LANDING DAMAGES EMBRAER 170 TEST AIRPLANE - One of Brazilian manufacturer Embraer's Model 170 test aircraft was damaged Aug. 17 in a gear-up landing at a test facility in Gaviao Peixoto. The company said the airplane is expected to be out of service for repairs for several weeks. Damage was primarily limited to the engine nacelles and the lower aft fuselage. None of the crewmembers was injured. The company said the incident, "caused most probably by operational factors," will not affect the 170's certification program.
The Boyd Group will hold its eighth annual Aviation Forecast Conference Oct. 5-7 at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel in Nashville, Tenn. In addition to speakers representing major air carriers, the Boyd Group will unveil four forecasts, covering Airline Trends & Emerging Strategies; Airport Traffic Forecasts; Aircraft Demand Forecasts; and Air Service Development Trends. The registration fee is $750 for the first delegate from a company or organization, with additional registrations available at $295.
Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) and Rep. James Oberstar (D-Minn.) have ordered FAA to report to Congress on any deals the agency has struck with congressional leaders to continue operating VFR towers in certain Congressional districts using federal employees. In a politically charged letter to DOT Secretary Norman Mineta last week, the congressmen expressed "grave concern" about FAA's recent conduct in lobbying Congress for ATC privatization authority.
Eastman Kodak is warning passengers to carry film in carry-on luggage to avoid damage from high-powered baggage screening equipment. "A growing number of airports are installing high-intensity X-ray scanners to inspect checked baggage for security reasons," said Matthias Freund, president of Kodak's Consumer Imaging products and services operations. "These newer systems will damage unprocessed film, which will not be seen until the pictures are developed.
Thales Air Traffic Management said its Area Control Center (ACC) equipment was commissioned on the island of Mauritius just off the coast of Africa. Thales ATM modernized equipment at five sites on Mauritius and neighboring islands - SSR International Airport, Bigara, Rodrigues Island, Agalega Island and St. Brandon Island. The system includes Thales ATM's Eurocat air traffic management system, telecommunications equipment, aeronautical information system, meteorological equipment, and satellite-based technologies.
AIR T SPINS OFF AIRCRAFT PARTS, SUPPORT BUSINESS - North Carolina-based freight hauler Air T completed the sale of its Mountain Aircraft Services (MAS) subsidiary to a management team for $1.85 million. MAS, based in Kinston, N.C., warehouses and brokers aircraft parts and provides overhaul, repair and logistical support. Mike Marsh, who had served as vice president and general manager of MAS since it was founded in 1993, will lead the new ownership team as president. Ward McConnell, a private investor, will be chairman of MAS.
Annual Pennsylvania Aviation Conference, sponsored by the Aviation Council of Pennsylvania, will be held Oct. 22-24 at the Holiday Inn in Johnstown, Pa. For more information, contact Joseph McKelvey, Conference Chairman, at (610) 797-6911; fax, (610) 797-8238.
CHC Helicopter Corporation's CHC Scotia Limited won a three-year contract to provide offshore helicopter support services for Apache North Sea Ltd. CHC will use Super Puma AS332L aircraft based at Aberdeen to provide crew transportation services for the Forties offshore oil and gas fields in the Central North Sea. The contract, which includes two one-year options, replaces a contract CHC formerly held with BP. BP sold its Forties assets to Apache in January.
Dallas Airmotive is hosting an open house Sept. 4 to celebrate the opening of its new Boynton Beach, Fla. Regional Turbine Center. Located just south of West Palm Beach, the new facility will support engine customers in the Southeast U.S., South America and the Caribbean. The new Florida operation joined other Dallas Airmotive facilities in Dallas, Texas, Minneapolis, Minn. and the recently acquired Premier Turbines core zone inspections and heavy maintenance service center in Neosho, Mo. that provide support for Garrett/Honeywell TFE731 engines
