Kaman Corp. sold its electric motor and drive business to DRS Technologies of Parsippany, N.J. Kaman's Electromagnetics Development Center develops and builds electric motors, generators and drive electronics for defense and industrial applications.
February 2-5 - 14th Annual NBAA Schedulers & Dispatchers Conference, Anaheim, Calif., (202) 783-9000 February 9-11 - Helicopter Association International Heli-Expo 2003, Dallas, Texas, (703) 683-4646 February 17-19 - NBAA Leadership Conference, Colorado Springs, Colo., (202) 783-9000 March 13-15 -- The Associao Brasileira de Aviacao Geral (ABAG)/ NBAA Latin American Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition (LABACE2003), Sao Paulo, Brazil, (202) 783-9000
The Transportation Security Administration is working closely with Part 91 business jet operators at the Teterboro, N.J. Airport (TEB) to develop a security plan that would permit operators who meet specific training and operating standards to be exempt from certain security restrictions.
Elliott Aviation won FAA supplemental type certificate approval for a retrofit of a Proline 21 Continuum avionics package in a Hawker 700A. The installation includes new Collins Proline 21 Continuum FDS-2000 flat panel displays and dual AHC-3000 attitude heading and reference systems, along with WXR-850 Doppler radar, a TCAS-4000 airborne collision avoidance system and Mark VIII Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System.
Guy Hendrix was appointed marketing communications manager for BarcoView. He takes over for Ann Galland, who was promoted. Hendrix has 10 years of communications experience and has worked for Citibank, Microsoft and EAN International.
Bombardier received an order from Australian carrier Qantas Airways for three 50-seat Q300 Series turboprops. Qantas also bought a 36-seat Dash 8 Q200 aircraft that it had previously leased from the Canadian plane-maker. Delivery of the Q300 aircraft is slated for the second quarter of 2003. Qantas will operate the new aircraft in its QantasLink regional network, which will have 12 Q Series aircraft.
IBIS Aerospace appointed Rheinland Air Service (RAS) a distributor for its Ae270 turboprop throughout Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg. RAS, based in Monchengladbach, Germany, provides a range of services including sales, maintenance, avionics, factory direct parts sales and line services. Its facility includes a 10-acre apron. IBIS Aerospace said it has secured 73 orders and options for the Ae270, which continues to make progress toward certification.
CANADIAN FRACTIONAL ORDERS SIX PIAGGIO AIRCRAFT - Piaggio America sold six Avanti aircraft to Avia Aviation Ltd. of Calgary, Alberta, one of only three fractional operators in Canada.
Greg P. Goodwin was appointed vice president of charter operations at Private Business Jets. Based at the company's headquarters in Norwell, Mass, Goodwin will direct charter travel and related staff. He was previously director of charter operations at Sentient Jet, formerly known as eBizJets.
BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON Model 204B, 205A, 205A-1, 205B and 212 helicopters (Docket No. 2002-SW-14-AD; Amendment 39-13015; AD 2003-01-04) - requires conducting various inspections associated with the main rotor grip on BHTI model helicopters. If a crack is found, this AD requires replacing the grip before further flight. If delamination of the buffer pad on the grip tang inner surface is found, this AD requires inspecting the grip surface for corrosion or other damage and repairing or replacing the grip if corrosion or other damage is found.
Panama's Civil Aviation Department is striving to regain Category 1 status in the FAA's safety oversight program "by March or April," according to local officials. The country was downgraded from Category 1 to 2 last year following an ICAO operational safety audit on airworthiness, operations and personnel compliances - an audit supported by an FAA inspectors' evaluation. Panama is fully implementing ICAO's recommendations and 90 percent have been adopted, according to Humberto Chavarria, deputy director of aviation for the country.
General Aviation Manufacturers Association President Ed Bolen and Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association President Phil Boyer Friday hoped to educate Washington, D.C. insiders about general aviation security during a round-table discussion at the think-tank Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). The discussion is a follow-up to an exercise, Silent Vector, designed to simulate possible U.S. reaction to a credible threat of a terrorist attack. During that simulation, which took place last fall, former Sen.
Conklin & De Decker released the latest version of its MxManager maintenance management software, which expands maintenance forecasting functions. The updated software allows a maintenance director to forecast significant maintenance activities for individual aircraft or the entire fleet. The forecasting can be exported into an existing Excel spreadsheet. The new version, the third upgrade to MxManager within the last year, also allows maintenance departments to create logbook entries.
Southwest Jet Aviation of Scottsdale, Ariz., added two new aircraft to its charter fleet, bringing its aircraft total to 16. A 1999 Raytheon Hawker 800 XP will be based in Phoenix, Ariz. and a 1996 Learjet 60 in Santa Fe, N.M. Southwest Jet has been adding about four aircraft every year since new management took over operations in 1999. The company said it expects to close on more aircraft deals within ninety days of the new year.
After struggling for more than a week over how to split committee funds between Republicans and Democrats, Senate leaders last week took up consideration of an omnibus appropriations bill that would fund most federal government agencies for fiscal 2003. While the government is in the fourth month of fiscal 2003, it continues to operate under a "continuing resolution," which essentially freezes funding at 2002 levels and prevents the start up of new initiatives. This is causing heartburn among all of the affected aviation agencies - including DOT, TSA, FAA and NTSB.
HAMMERSCHMIDT DESIGNATED VICE CHAIRMAN OF NTSB - John A. Hammerschmidt, who has spent nearly two decades working for the National Transportation Safety Board, was designated by President Bush as vice chairman of the agency, effective Jan. 19. As vice chairman, Hammerschmidt will become acting chairman of the agency since a new chairman has not been named following the resignation of Marion Blakey, who left to become FAA Administrator. Hammerschmidt, a Republican, takes over as vice chairman/acting chairman from Carol Carmody, a Democrat.
Duncan Aviation, the Lincoln, Neb.-headquartered aircraft modification and repair facility, was listed for the third consecutive year among FORTUNE magazine's "100 Best Companies to Work For in America." Duncan was No. 25 on this year's list, which appeared in the Jan. 20 issue, up from No. 30 last year. The rankings are based heavily on random employee surveys. Noting that Duncan also receives high ratings and awards within the business aviation industry, President Aaron Hilkemann said he was "most proud" of Duncan's recognition by FORTUNE.
German carrier Lufthansa began offering free access to inflight broadband Internet connections last week on its flights between Frankfurt and Washington, D.C. The broadband access will be available free of charge aboard a specially equipped Boeing 747-400 for three months, providing passengers with unlimited access to the Internet, as well as their corporate networks. The promotion is part of the company's pilot project to conduct internal tests for "Lufthansa FlyNet," the working title for its on-board broadband access.
MIDAIR COLLISION AT CASINO AIR SHOW KILLS TWO - A Jan. 11 midair collision between a Cessna 182H and a Grumman F6F-5 during an Arizona air show resulted in the deaths of both persons on board the Cessna.
CAE Simuflite teamed with Summit Solutions to offer management, communications and leadership courses that are approved for the National Business Aviation Association's Professional Development Program (PDP). Under the new alliance, professional development consultant Summit Solutions will provide the courses at CAE SimuFlite's training facility in Dallas. Course participants will receive NBAA PDP certificates upon completion.
Aircraft Owners And Pilots Association reached an agreement with AIG Aviation under which it can offer qualified members a five percent discount on aircraft insurance. AOPA is offering the discounts through its AOPA Insurance Agency on policies issued since Jan. 1.
Summary: Pursuant to FAA's rulemaking provisions governing the application, processing, and disposition of petitions for exemption (14 CFR Part 11), this notice contains a summary of certain petitions seeking relief from specified requirements of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR Chapter I), dispositions of certain petitions previously received, and corrections. The purpose of this notice is to improve the public's awareness of, and participation in, this aspect of FAA's regulatory activities.
Triumph Group completed the acquisition of Boeing's Fabrication Operation facility in Spokane, Wash. this month after members of the International Association of Machinists agreed to a 15 percent pay cut to preserve their jobs. Triumph also signed an eight-year, single-source contract to supply Boeing with parts from the Spokane facility. The Spokane plant employs about 400 workers who produce composite and thermoplastic aircraft parts, such as floor panels, air control system ducts and non-structural composite flight deck components.
HELICOPTER CRASHES IN UTAH; KILLS TWO - Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board officials are investigating the crash of a medical helicopter in Salt Lake City, Utah that killed two and seriously injured a third passenger last week. The Augusta A109 K-2 helicopter, N601RX, owned by Life Flight, took off from Salt Lake City's LDS Hospital to respond to a car accident in Wendover, Utah, near the Nevada border. The helicopter crashed in an open pasture near Utah's Interstate 80 in dense fog.
Ann Galland was named director corporate marketing for BarcoView, a Belgian company that produces visual imaging products for air traffic control systems. Based in Belgium, Galland will coordinate the company's marketing initiatives to strengthen its brand recognition.
