Union members at Bombardier's Learjet manufacturing facility in Wichita, Kan. are scheduled to vote today (March 3) on a package of contract concessions as part of an agreement with the company to keep the Wichita plant in operation.
SENATE WEIGHS AIRPORT FUNDING IN REAUTHORIZATION - Smaller airports get proportionally less funding than larger ones and will face more of a financial gap for planned capital improvements in the coming years, the GAO told the Senate aviation subcommittee last week.
Cirrus Design named a former Rolls-Royce automobile salesman to oversee sales of its SR 20 and SR 22 single-engine aircraft. John M. Bingham, a vice president of Rolls-Royce and Bentley Motor Cars for 17 years, joined Cirrus as vice president of sales. "John brings valuable experience to Cirrus," said CEO Alan Klapmeier. "Many of the customers John is used to dealing with also have interest in high-performance aircraft such as the Cirrus.
FAA WARNS PILOTS ON NUCLEAR PLANT AIRSPACE - Federal Aviation Administration last week released a new Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) warning pilots to avoid airspace "above or in proximity" to all nuclear power plants. The NOTAM adds that pilots should avoid circling or loitering while in the vicinity of such facilities.
New rules governing fractional ownership providers appear to have gotten stuck at DOT. Former FAA acting Administrator Monte Belger signed the rules shortly before retiring in September and shipped them to DOT for review (BA, Sept. 23/135). The fractional rules, which would create a new Subpart K within Part 91, were a high priority for both Belger and former Administrator Jane Garvey. However, neither is around to continue shepherding the rule through the bureaucratic process.
ExpressJet Airlines is pushing 27 Embraer ERJ-145XR deliveries during the next two years into 2005 and 2006, the carrier said. Partner Continental Airlines proposed the changes because of the economic downturn and industry over-capacity. The new schedule calls for 26 aircraft this year - a 12-aircraft cut - and 21 aircraft in 2004, instead of 36. But 2005 deliveries would rise from two to 21, and the eight remaining deferred aircraft would be delivered in 2006. Continental also extended ExpressJet's regional jet contract by one year to Jan. 1, 2007.
Max-Viz, Inc. recently released a report of a test of its Enhanced Vision System during "brown-out" conditions, which occur when a heavy helicopter begins to land in dusty or sandy areas. During a brownout, the rotor stirs up dust to a point that the pilot can lose outside visibility and situational awareness. The test involved a Max-Viz EVS-1000 installed on a Bell Huey helicopter that landed in the Mojave Desert.
Business Aircraft use jumped 52 percent at Washington Dulles International Airport during the 12 months ending November 2002, the Washington Airports Task Force (WATF) reported. Nearly as many business travelers at Dulles used corporate aircraft as purchased first and business class tickets on the airlines, WATF said. WATF cited decisions of senior executives to "migrate to corporate aircraft to save time" for the jump in corporate travel.
Rolls-Royce delivered its 500th AE 2100D turboprop engine to Lockheed Martin. The engine powers the Lockheed Martin C-130J and Lockheed/Alenia C-27J tactical airlifters. The AE 2100D is a turboprop derivative of the AE 1107 turboshaft engine and was developed for high-speed regional aircraft, military transports and long-range maritime patrol aircraft. The engine is used for aircraft in the U.S. Air Force, Royal Air Force, Royal Australian Air Force, Italian Air Force, U.S. Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve Command and the U.S. Marine Corps.
L.A. OKs PURCHASE OF PALMDALE MAINTENANCE FACILITY - The Los Angeles Board of Airport Commissioners approved in concept the purchase of a large aircraft maintenance and modification facility at the Palmdale, Calif. Regional Airport (PMD). The facility, formerly operated as SR Technics America, Inc., was owned by Swiss Air, which declared bankruptcy.
Hooters Air will make its inaugural flight March 6. Hooters Air One, with the "Hootie" owl on its tail, will leave at 3:20 p.m from Atlanta, flying to Myrtle Beach, S.C. The airline's Boeing 737 will feature 112 midsize leather seats. Service from Newark, N.J. is scheduled to start March 20.
Duncan Aviation won a supplemental type certificate for the installation of Honeywell's Mark VII Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System on a Cessna 650. The installation meets FAA's Class A TAWS Mandate.
Stevens Aviation of Greenville, S.C. unveiled its new web site, www.stevensaviation.com, which was redesigned to add an online quote feature for Stevens' avionics, interior, maintenance, modifications and paint services. Users also can access the customer service survey, sign to receive the company newsletter and visit the media center for news and information.
The Air Line Pilots Association criticized part of the TSA's preliminary Federal Flight Deck Officer (FFDO) program recommendations, which would require pilots to carry pistols in a lock box when they are out of the cockpit.
European Business Aviation Association and the National Business Aviation Association will hold a two-day Flight Operations Manual Workshop May 10 and 11 in Geneva in conjunction with EBACE 2003. The workshop will provide information on developing a flight operations manual using the International Business Aviation Council International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations. The session will cover safety management systems, standard operating procedures, flight operations, training, administration/organization, maintenance and international operations.
CESSNA, MIAMI EXECUTIVE REACH SPONSORSHIP AGREEMENT WITH PGA - Cessna Aircraft and Miami Executive Aviation signed a sponsorship agreement with the PGA Tour under which they will display a Cessna Citation CJ1 at the 2003 Ford Championship at Doral Country Club in Miami, Fla. The two companies will transport the aircraft through the streets of Miami to the 15th hole of the Doral Blue Monster course for display during the March 3-9 event.
March 13-15 -- The Associao Brasileira de Aviacao Geral (ABAG)/ NBAA Latin American Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition (LABACE2003), Sao Paulo, Brazil, (202) 783-9000 March 16-20 - NBAA 30th Annual International Operators Conference, Colorado Springs, Colo., (202) 783-9000 March 20-22 -- 14th Annual International Women in Aviation Conference, Cincinnati, Ohio, (386) 226-7996
TSA RELEASES FINGERPRINTING GUIDANCE FOR PART 135 OPERATORS - The Transportation Security Administration last week released its guidance for how Part 135 operators are to comply with fingerprint-based criminal history record checks (CHRC) required under the Twelve-Five security rule. The lack of guidance has been a stumbling block for operators trying to implement Twelve-Five security programs. TSA last month extended the compliance deadline for the program until April 1 (BA, Feb. 10/62).
Dassault Falcon is on target with April deliveries of the new Falcon 2000EX as the aircraft continues in its final stages of certification. "Our goals for this airplane, to meet or beat the aircraft's original 3,800-nautical-mile performance guarantee and deliver it to our customers on time, are nearing fruition," said John Rosanvallon, president of Dassault Falcon. Aircraft Serial Numbers three, four and five are at the Dassault Falcon Completion Center in Little Rock, Ark.
FlightSafety Boeing Training International, which will be renamed Alteon, chose Atlanta as the site of its new $60 million aviation training center. The 52,000-square-foot facility will house six full flight simulators and train up to 7,000 pilots annually. Operations are expected to begin in January 2004.
The National Air Transportation Association will host a Line Service Supervisor Training Seminar March 13-14 at the New England Air Museum, Windsor Locks, Conn. The seminar will focus on technical and managerial issues including fuel production and distribution, fuel quality, filtration, fuel delivery systems and additives. Attendance at the seminar and completion of the FAA Verification Form satisfy the requirements of FAR Part 139.321 for fire safety training. For more information, call NATA at (703) 845-9000.
Southwest Jet Aviation, Scottsdale, Ariz., added two aircraft to its charter fleet, bringing its total to 16. A 1999 Raytheon Hawker 800 XP is based in Phoenix, Ariz., and a 1996 Bombardier Learjet 60 is based in Santa Fe, N.M. The company has added about four aircraft every year since new management took over in 1999.
Gulfstream Aerospace has built a backlog of 36 orders for its Enhanced Vision System and has asked component manufacturers to boost production to meet demand. "This enhanced safety feature is generating a lot of interest," said Bill Boisture, president of Gulfstream.
Northrop Grumman Corp. said Ronald D. Sugar, 54, the company's president and chief operating officer, will take over as chief executive officer April 1, succeeding Kent Kresa, Northrop Grumman's chairman and CEO. Kresa plans to retire after reaching the mandatory retirement age of 65. He will continue as non-employee chairman until Oct. 1. Sugar is a 35-year veteran of the defense industry who joined Northrop Grumman after its acquisition of Litton Industries.
