OIG SAYS FAA'S ESTIMATES OF CLOSE CALLS IS TOO LOW - DOT's Office of Inspector General (IG) questions FAA's ranking system of operational errors (OEs) - failure of air traffic controllers to maintain separation standards between aircraft - and runway incursions, saying it doesn't accurately reflect the severity of those incidents and understates the number of close calls. OIG's skepticism was part of a report it released reviewing FAA's progress in reducing OEs and runway incursions.
Midcoast Aviation won supplemental type certificate approval from FAA for a composite wing fairing for the Falcon 20 and 200 model business jets. Midcoast said the original aluminum fairings on the 460 Falcon 20/200s still in service are subject to the recurring inspection requirements of AD 98-13-15. Installation of the composite fairing "completely negates the AD's inspection requirement, which means reduced cost and downtime for operators," said J.P. Michenon, vice president of operations support.
FRED ROBINSON NAMED CHIEF PILOT AT EJM - Executive Jet Management, one of the world's largest providers of aircraft management and charter services, named Frederick Robinson chief pilot. Robinson, who has 39 years of experience as a pilot and supervisor, will be responsible for supervising more than 300 pilots employed by EJM.
TBM 700 CRASHES DURING LANDING ATTEMPT - The pilot of a Socata TBM 700 was killed and the aircraft was destroyed when it crashed into a telephone pole during an approach to the Mobile, Ala. Downtown Airport (BFM) April 24.
The European deliberations are disheartening to some U.S. officials, who hope FAA will adopt an Aviation Rulemaking Committee recommendation for a 180-minute threshold for business jet operators unless the aircraft obtain type design approval to go beyond that limit. FAA is expected to issue its ETOPS proposal this year - perhaps as early as this summer - with plans to try to harmonize the standards with European officials. A change in European policy could make such harmonization difficult.
RIFTON TAPS BURKE FOR PRESIDENT, CEO - New York-based Rifton Aviation promoted William (Rick) Burke to president and chief executive officer. Burke joined the FBO in 2001 as vice president of client relations in September 2001. He formerly was vice president of sales and marketing for Community Products LLC, where he oversaw sales, services, support and marketing and implemented a customer relationship management system for the company's locations in the U.S. and United Kingdom.
The crew of a Grand Aire Express Falcon 20 that ditched in the Mississippi River last month expressed concern about having enough fuel on board shortly before the accident.
BOMBARDIER SIGNS LOI WITH CANADIAN CARRIER FOR Q400 - Bombardier Aerospace landed another potential order for its Q400 regional turboprop with a letter of intent from Regional Airlines Holdings of Toronto for 10 of the 68- to 78-passenger aircraft and options for up to 15 more. The agreement follows a firm order last month from United Kingdom-based FlyBE for 17 Q400s and options for an additional 20 (BA, April 28/192). The LOI establishes details of a general contract and precedes a formal purchase agreement.
GULFSTREAM NAMES SOUTH AFRICAN SERVICE CENTER - Gulfstream designated Anglo American of South Africa as an authorized line service center for the manufacturer's aircraft. Anglo American, based at Johannesburg International Airport, is the first line service facility in Africa that Gulfstream has authorized to maintain and service its aircraft. Anglo American started in 1936 and performs inspections, maintenance and warranty service on fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters.
May 7-9 - European Business Aviation Association/NBAA 3rd Annual European Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition (EBACE2003), Geneva, Switzerland, (202) 783-9000 May 13-15 - AS 3/GSE Aviation Services and Suppliers Supershow, National Air Transportation Association/Professional Aviation Maintenance Association, Las Vegas, Nev., (703) 845-9000 or (202) 730-0260 May 17-21 - NBAA Maintenance Management Conference, Charlotte, N.C., (202) 783-9000
SENATE COMMERCE CLEARS SWEEPING FAA FUNDING PACKAGE - The Senate Commerce Committee last week approved a comprehensive aviation bill that would provide the Federal Aviation Administration nearly $45 billion over the next three years and address issues ranging from air traffic oversight to the future of the aerospace industry and the effectiveness of aviation security. The Commerce Committee approval Thursday is the first step for the FAA reauthorization bill, which may see full Senate action as early as this week.
TEST FLIGHT CLAIMS SINO SWEARINGEN TEST PILOT - Carroll Beeler, 59, a retired Naval aviator and veteran test pilot, was killed April 26 when the experimental SJ30-2 business jet he was piloting crashed during a test flight. Beeler was the only person on board the aircraft, which had been conducting a series of flutter tests, according to one published report. The accident happened about 1510 local time near Del Rio, Texas, about 150 miles west of the company's headquarters in San Antonio, Texas.
The Fort Lauderdale Jet Center entered into a long-term lease agreement to build and operate a second fixed-base operation at the Jacksonville, Fla. International Airport (JAX). The Jet Center plans to build an executive terminal, along with two storage hangars and a fuel storage facility on a 36-acre parcel of land. At JAX, The Jet Center will be competing with Signature Flight Support, which took over the former AirKaman facility last July.
Conklin & De Decker was recognized by the National Business Aviation Association as an approved Professional Development Program provider. Conklin & de Decker's Aircraft Acquisition Planning Seminar meets the PDP objectives, providing information on analyzing company travel requirements, studying aircraft direct and indirect operating costs, studying tax implications, understanding total asset management for a flight department and understanding principles of sunk costs, operating costs, appraisals and benchmarking.
SAFIRE CHANGES FUSELAGE, PICKS AVIDYNE AVIONICS FOR ENTRY-LEVEL JET - Florida-based Safire Aircraft is making major changes to its entry-level jet program, scrapping original plans for the S-26 and changing the fuselage material from composite to aluminum. The company's February decision to go with Williams' FJ33-4 engines to power the Safire Jet, as the aircraft has now been renamed, compelled the Florida-based manufacturer to adjust the aircraft design (BA, Feb. 24/87).
A memorial service for J. Sheldon (Torch) Lewis will be held May 17 at 11 a.m. at St. Mark's Church in New Canaan, Conn., where he had been a member of the congregation since 1967. Lewis, the popular "Greenhouse Patter" columnist for Business & Commercial Aviation magazine for nearly 40 years, died last month after a four-month battle with liver cancer (BA, April 28/191). His final column appears in this month's Purchase Planning Handbook issue of B/CA.
HONEYWELL PREDICTS INDUSTRY RECOVERY IN LATE 2004 - Despite the dismal first quarter results from many OEMs, Honeywell Aerospace President Bob Johnson suggested that the worst of the industry downturn has passed and predicted a recovery in late 2004 into early 2005.
Lancair named aviation veteran Tom Bowen vice president of strategic products. Bowen has 20 years of general aviation experience acquired at several aviation firms as chief operating officer, president, vice president, director, manager and senior engineer. Most recently he was vice president of engineering at Mooney. He has played a role in 15 certification programs for companies including Learfan, OMAC, Swearingen, Sierra Industries and Mooney.
Aviation organizations were perplexed and perturbed Friday about a Department of Homeland Security Advisory that warned of "THE CONTINUING THREAT TO AVIATION" posed by terrorists connected to Al-Qaida.
GULFSTREAM TO FURLOUGH 1,000-PLUS EMPLOYEES IN JULY - Gulfstream Aerospace plans to furlough some 1,000 production workers during July as the company tries to bring manufacturing levels into balance with customer demand for its products.
JEFF CROPPER, senior vice president of charter services for Executive Jet Management, is assuming responsibility for client services in addition to his charter services duties. ROBERT GARRYMORE, senior vice president of client services for Executive Jet Management, will oversee client relations and sales staff, the aircraft management and charter company said. SHAWN JAMES was appointed vice president of business development for BAE Systems North America's Technology Solutions Sector. James joined BAE Systems in 2000 as director, future programs.
European officials still are pondering ways to restrict extended-range twin-engine operations (ETOPS) beyond the 120-minute limit for commercial business jet operations. After a long-fought battle, the European Joint Aviation Authorities settled on a 120-minute threshold that would be expandable to 180 minutes for operators that follow best industry practices, including having a minimum level of equipment on board the airplane (BA, Nov. 20, 2000/231).
FAA Administrator Marion Blakey will be the keynote speaker at the European Business Aviation Conference and Exposition Opening General Session this week at the Geneva Palexpo Conference Center in Geneva, Switzerland. Hosted jointly by the European Business Aviation Association and the National Business Aviation Association, EBACE2003 also will cover updates on the Joint Aviation Authorities, European Aviation Safety Authority and European Commission air transport activities. Issues discussed will include the operating environment, security, capacity and access.
