REGIONAL JETS account for about 20 percent of General Electronic Capital Aviation Services' (GECAS) portfolio -- 232 out of about 1,100 aircraft -- and the leasing giant likes it that way, said Ed Sun, GECAS senior vice president. "We feel more confident investing in small airplanes than an A380," Sun told a regional airline conference.
GAMA PRESIDENT ED BOLEN, selected to chair the Steering Committee for the Part 135/125 review (BA, May 12/213), expects there will be a "healthy tension" between the number of participants and FAA's desire to complete the regulatory review in two years. "We want to be inclusive," Bolen told BA, "but we want to get the work done," giving the impression that he plans to make sure that the group conforms to the FAA schedule.
AEROSPACE TECHNOLOGIES OF AUSTRALIA PTY LTD. Models N22B and N24A airplanes (Docket No. 2003-CE-04-AD) -- proposes to supersede AD 82-12-06, which applies to certain AeroSpace Technologies of Australia Pty Ltd. Models N22B and N24A airplanes, which currently requires repetitive visual inspections of all rudder control lever shaft assemblies for cracks and discrepancies. If cracks or discrepancies are found, it requires replacement with new or serviceable rudder control shafts, and a check of the fit of all rod end bearings in lever shafts.
GULFSTREAM won supplemental type certificates to install BAE System's AN/ALQ-204 Matador Infrared Countermeasure anti-missile system (IRCM) on the G550 and the G500 aircraft. The GV was approved for a retrofit of the system. "Designed to protect the lives of passengers and crews as well as valuable aircraft, IRCM is an invaluable asset to operators who are looking for the most reliable systems to counter missile launches from heat-seeking weapons," Gulfstream said.
BOLEN is pleased with House and Senate measures that would modify the process for checking the backgrounds of foreign student pilots who seek flight training and transfer the program from the Department of Justice to the Transportation Security Administration. Bolen observed that TSA has conducted background checks on more than one million people since the agency was formed about a year and one-half ago.
After two years of rocky and uncertain market conditions, the general aviation industry could get significant help from the House version of a comprehensive FAA funding bill and a new security bill that include measures such as a $100 million GA relief package, war risk insurance for manufacturers and provisional charter access to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA).
CAE won approval from the European Joint Aviation Authorities provide maintenance training in Europe. The Canadian company's Amsterdam facility signed maintenance training agreements with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Transaero of Moscow and Samco of the Netherlands.
JET AVIATION launched an on-line service that allows aircraft operators to notify the fixed-base operation chain of time of arrival and request aircraft services, hotel accommodations, ground transportation and catering. The pre-arrival on-line notification system can be used for Jet Aviation's FBO locations worldwide, including Geneva, Zurich, Dusseldorf, and London Biggin Hill in Europe; Singapore in Asia; Jeddah and Riyadh in the Middle East; and Bedford, Mass., Dallas, Teterboro, N.J. and West Palm Beach, Fla.
UND AEROSPACE signed an agreement with the U.S. Military Academy at West Point to train cadets to fly army helicopters. UND this summer will begin training West Point cadets. The training is funded through a $1.4 million grant in the fiscal 2003 defense appropriations bill that Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) secured for UND's Air Battle Captain helicopter training program.
STEVE BROUSSARD was appointed team representative for Mooney Aircraft in the central U.S. Previously a factory direct salesman, Broussard is the owner of Midwest Mooney, located at the New Century Airport near Kansas City. ROBERT BRUNING was named vice president of finance and administration at Bii of Los Alamitos, Calif. He was most recently chief financial officer at Skynetix, a high-tech start-up company.
JET AVIATION added four new aircraft to its aircraft management and charter fleets. A Gulfstream V, GIV-SP and Learjet 60 were added to Jet Aviation's European managed fleet. A Bombardier Global Express based in Washington, D.C. was added to the U.S. fleet. The Swiss business aviation services company also added a Falcon 900EX, based in Cologne, Germany, to its charter division.
KEYSTONE HELICOPTER CORPORATION'S Engine Services Division was named a TurboSupport center by Turbomeca. Keystone has supported Turbomeca engines since 1992 and is approved to work on both Arriel and Arrius engines. As a TurboSupport Center, Keystone will perform line and heavy maintenance, engine removal and installation, borescope inspections and designated parts replacement.
The Federal Aviation Administration is calling on air carriers and repair stations to strengthen their hazardous materials handling training and documentation under a proposal the agency released this month. The proposal, printed in the May 8 Federal Register, would cover Part 135, 119 and 121 carriers as well as Part 145 repair stations.
GULFSTREAM AEROSPACE moved its Northern/Southern European sales office from Farnborough Airport in the United Kingdom to London Luton Airport, where the aircraft manufacturer has a new aircraft service center. "Good product support and service go hand in hand with business jet aircraft sales," said Larry Flynn, president of Product Support for Gulfstream.
Senior executives of major business jet manufacturers offered a range of scenarios last week as to when the industry will begin to show signs of economic recovery, but none expects to see significant improvement any time soon.
Senator Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), co-sponsor of a bill with Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) to equip commercial aircraft with anti-missile defense systems, believes that the legislation is gaining support and moving forward.
The Illinois legislature is considering legislation that would both bolster Chicago Mayor Richard Daley's (D) power to expand Chicago O'Hare International Airport and could force the reopening of Meigs Field. Daley surprised state officials and the aviation industry in late March when he ordered the small lakefront airport's only runway destroyed. But state Rep.
BOMBARDIER SKYJET, the Canadian conglomerate's charter reservation business, formed an alliance with Air Canada Jetz, Air Canada's specialty charter business, to jointly market their combined range of charter services. "This strategic alliance builds on each company's unique strengths," said Bombardier Skyjet General Manager Nicholas Houseman.
CAE SIMUFLITE won FAA Level D approval for its S-76 simulator based at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. The simulator will be used for initial and recurrent pilot training programs as well as technical training programs. The trainer's cockpit is equipped with a Honeywell SPZ-7600 digital autoflight control system, Universal UNS-1D flight management systems with global positioning navigation, Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System, Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System(TCAS II) and a moving map display.
BOMBARDIER PUTS MCQUAY AT HELM OF FLEXJET - Bombardier Aerospace named Michael McQuay to replace Clifford Dickman as president of its Flexjet fractional ownership enterprise. Dickman left Bombardier to pursue other opportunities, a spokesman said. McQuay joined Bombardier in March 2001 as vice president and general manager of Flexjet North America. A 22-year industry veteran, he formerly was managing director and chief executive officer of Air Pacific Ltd.
Eclipse Aviation has begun the certification process for its Eclipse 500 jet with the European Joint Aviation Authorities. Certification, under JAR-23, is expected in 2003. "From the beginning, we have enjoyed tremendous interest and strong sales in Europe, so formally initiating the JAA certification process is the next logical step," said Eclipse President and CEO Vern Raburn. In addition, Eclipse announced last week that it is including RVSM capability and autothrottle to its guaranteed standard equipment list for the entry-level jet.
Raytheon Company's Integrated Terminal Weather System (ITWS) was commissioned last month at Kansas City International Airport. The system is the first production unit to be commissioned. FAA plans to install 34 ITWS systems that will provide coverage to 45 major airports that experience severe weather. The system provides real-time terminal airspace weather information and predictions of weather for 20 minutes into the future.
The Senate last week approved a measure that would provide much sought-after changes to the foreign student pilot flight training background check process, including transferring the program from the Department of Justice to the Transportation Security Administration. Industry groups pushed for the change because they say the DOJ process has proved cumbersome and unreliable (BA, May 5/207).
ARINC is offering a new VHF voice radio network in Mexico, MEXNET, which supports en route communication for operators throughout Mexican airspace. Fourteen VHF air/ground voice stations were deployed at larger airports throughout Mexico to support MEXNET, and ARINC completed the system-wide upgrade of its GLOBALink VHF data link facilities at 23 locations. ARINC moved forward with MEXNET at the request of major U.S. airlines flying to Mexico, including American, Delta, Continental, Northwest, Frontier and America West.
