INDUSTRY RENEWS CALL FOR MORE NASA AERONAUTICS FUNDING - Industry groups and representatives of academia renewed their calls for a "clear road map" for the future of NASA aeronautics research, including strong support for long-term funding and better intergovernmental coordination for the agency's programs. Those calls came during a recent hearing before the Senate Commerce Committee's science, technology and space subcommittee. Sen. George Allen (R-Va.), a member of the subcommittee, introduced legislation with Sen.
A PIPER PA-46-500TP, N522RF, was destroyed March 7 during an attempted landing at the Double Eagle II Airport in Albuquerque, N.M., resulting in the death of the pilot and both passengers. Witnesses said the aircraft was maneuvering into position for an approach to Runway 22 when it apparently struck electrical transmission wires and crashed. The accident occurred about 1918 local time in night visual meteorological conditions at the end of a flight from Scottsdale, Ariz.
AOPA URGES CHANGES IN WASHINGTON, D.C. AREA ADIZ - Saying that the air traffic system could not support general aviation operations under the new security regime in the Washington D.C. Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ), Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association President Phil Boyer last week asked senior FAA and Transportation Security Administration officials to make changes to the ADIZ requirements (BA, Feb. 17/79). "This past weekend's ideal weather conditions provided the first significant 'test' of the revised Washington, D.C.
NATA PETITIONS FAA TO REOPEN DCA TO CHARTER OPERATORS - National Air Transportation Association last week stepped up its efforts to reopen Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) to air taxi operators, petitioning FAA to create procedures to allow at least on-demand carriers back into the airport. At a press conference on Capitol Hill Thursday, NATA President James Coyne said the association is building a "WE CAN" (Working for Equitable Commercial Access to National) coalition to create a base of political support for its petition for rulemaking.
Augusta, Ga. Regional Airport Aviation Services opened a new hangar and office complex. The new 16,000-square-foot hangar doubles the fixed-base operator's hangar capacity to 32,000 square feet. The new hangar can accommodate aircraft the size of a Bombardier Challenger. The FBO provides fueling, line, tie-down and hangar services. It is an Avfuel dealer.
The BA609 civil tiltrotor flew for the first time March 7 in Arlington, Texas, according to joint developers Bell Helicopter and Agusta. During the 36-minute flight the nine-passenger helicopter hovered at an altitude of 50 feet, performed left and right pedal turns and forward and aft flight maneuvers. Developers are hoping to win FAA certification in 2007.
Honeywell won FAA technical standard order approval for its KI 825 electronic horizontal situation indicator (EHSI). "The KI 825 brings Honeywell's air transport and business aviation experience to general aviation pilots with a new EHSI that gives pilots critical flight information at a glance," said Dan Barks, director of Business, Regional and General Aviation marketing. The unit combines traditional heading and navigation functions with course line and waypoint data displayed in a three-inch Air Transport Indicator format.
Rockwell Collins received its first FAA approval for the company's high-speed SATCOM system, a supplemental type certificate for installation on the Falcon 50, 900 and 900EX. Pentastar Aviation in Waterford, Mich. completed the installation and STC. The Collins HTS-900 system facilitates passenger connections to e-mail and the Internet while in flight, providing 64 kilobits per second connectivity using Inmarsat's Swift64 service and the aircraft's existing SATCOM antenna and SAT-906 amplifier.
CAE and Emirates won agreements to train pilots for Kuwait Airways, Oman Air and Jet Aviation in the newly opened Emirates-CAE Flight Training facility in Dubai. Emirates-CAE Flight Training will train Jet Aviation's Boeing Business Jet flight crews. Oman Air pilots will use the Boeing 737-NG/BBJ full flight simulator and Kuwait Airways pilots are training on the Airbus A320 simulator.
CHARLES JOHNSON NOW IN CHARGE OF OPERATIONS AT CESSNA - Charles (Charlie) Johnson, a 20-year veteran of Cessna Aircraft, took on responsibility for all the company's operations last week as the Wichita manufacturer prepares for the departure of Chairman Russ Meyer at the end of the year. Johnson, 60, who logged more than 1,000 hours as an Air Force F-105 pilot during the Vietnam War, is president of Cessna and reports to Steve Loranger, executive vice president and chief operating officer of parent company Textron.
GLOBAL 5000 MOVES FROM FIRST FLIGHT TO WICHITA TEST CENTER - Bombardier's Global 5000, the latest entry in the company's line of business jets, made its first several flights in less than a week and is now being prepared for Block 2 testing at the company's flight test center in Wichita, Kan.
Premier Turbines is stepping up its work on Honeywell's TFE731 engine test cell at its Neosho, Mo. facility. The company recently added a third shift, invested in new equipment and hired a new supervisor. Premier built a new engine preparation area with a new stationary prep stand to replace the hoist-and-crane system to allow technicians more room around the engine. Additionally, Steven R. York, a licensed airframe and powerplant mechanic, was brought on as a test cell supervisor.
SENATE PANEL OKs MORE RESTRICTIVE FLIGHT TRAINING BACKGROUND CHECKS - The Senate Commerce Committee Thursday approved a bill that would broaden background check requirements to include foreign students seeking training in even small aircraft, regardless of weight. Foreign students seeking training on aircraft weighing 12,500 pounds or more currently must undergo up to a 45-day background review before training at a U.S. facility. Last week's measure, sponsored by Sen.
PETER CHRISTMAN was named vice president and general manager of Pratt & Whitney Power Systems. He joined Pratt & Whitney through the acquisition of Energy Services, Inc. in July 2001. Christman was most recently president of ESI and general manager for Power Systems' large engine business.
Presidential Air Corporation signed a letter of intent to acquire Air Ambulance International (AAI) based in San Diego, Calif. AAI provides subscription-based domestic and international transportation programs to transport stabilized patients from hospital to hospital. "This acquisition will offer Presidential Air numerous operations expansion opportunities," said Paul Harbison, Presidential Air chief financial officer.
General aviation facilities are next on TSA's list for scrutiny. TSA plans to send out federal security directors within the next few weeks to visit with and look at the security of small airports. Security at GA airports "varies considerably," TSA Administrator Adm. James Loy said. "Some are doing an excellent job, and [at] some you cannot see a fence or lock in sight." He added that keeping small airports secure must be a public/private partnership since there is the potential for "mischief."
REP. SAXTON WANTS TO BAR U.S. MILITARY'S PARTICIPATION IN PARIS AIR SHOW - A New Jersey congressman who previously was urging U.S. firms and U.S. armed forces not to attend this year's Paris Air Show because of French opposition to the use of force to unseat Iraqi President Saddam Hussein has introduced legislation that would prohibit U.S. military forces from participating in the event.
BEI Technologies' Systron Donner Inertial Division signed a multi-year, $10.5 million agreement to provide its MEM Quartz Digital Inertial Measurement units to Rockwell Collins. Using Digital Quartz Gyro technology, inertial sensors are a component in Rockwell Collins' Pro Line 21 avionics system.
IBIS FLIES CONFORMING PROTOTYPE - Czech plane-maker Ibis Aerospace flew the first production conforming prototype of its Ae270 single turboprop, a milestone the company says confirms the aircraft's schedule for certification by yearend. The conforming prototype is the fifth aircraft to be produced but differs from earlier prototypes in that it sports the PT6A-66A engine that will power production models. The prototype also incorporates enhancements over earlier models, including a Chelton Systems pilot-side electronic flight instrument system.
Canadian conglomerate Bombardier lowered its earnings forecast last week and said it plans to lay off another 3,000 aerospace workers over the next 12 months. Separately, workers represented by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers at Bombardier's Learjet facility in Wichita, Kan. approved a number of contract concessions in return for the company's promise to keep the Wichita plant operating at least through 2006.
House Aviation Subcommittee Chairman John Mica (R-Fla.) and a number of other representatives will visit both Cessna and Raytheon Aircraft in Wichita later this week as part of the subcommittee's planned travels around the country to get a first-hand look at the aviation industry before it drafts a comprehensive aviation reauthorization bill (BA, Feb. 17/71). San Francisco and Seattle follow on the subcommittee's travel itinerary, which also will include Cincinnati, Detroit and Portland.
Indigo's return to the New Jersey market after a year's absence did not go unnoticed by politicians who have long opposed the Chicago-based carrier's service to Teterboro Airport. Congressional representatives accused the Part 380 public charter operator of providing scheduled rather than "regular and frequent" service into Teterboro, which does not permit scheduled service. This prompted New Jersey Gov. James McGreevey to announce he would take all necessary legal action to block Indigo from defying the scheduled service ban.
EXECUTIVE JET MANAGEMENT ANTICIPATES MAJOR FLEET EXPANSION THIS YEAR - Despite sharply lower new aircraft sales and a glut of used business jets on the market, Executive Jet Management says its business is booming, with plans to sharply increase its fleet this year.
Air Charter Guide unveiled its new CharterXtra online booking system for corporate travel managers. The system provides access to Air Charter Guide's database of charter operators and aircraft, and enables users to compare price and convenience between airline, corporate flight, and charter options. The system will be sold on an annual license basis to corporate travel management companies, corporate travel departments and online travel agencies. It is slated to go live in mid-April.
