FAA released a new technical standard order last month that establishes the minimum operational performance standards that terrain awareness and warning systems must meet to qualify for Class A or B designations. The TSO also adds requirements for a Class C designation, which is intended for voluntary installations on aircraft not covered by TAWS requirements in Parts 91, 135 and 121. For more information, contact Bobbie Smith, program support specialist in FAA's Aircraft Certification Service at (202) 267-9546.
The Office Of Management And Budget completed its review of Justice Department rules for conducting background checks on foreign flight training candidates, but it was unclear how soon the regulations would be published. The aviation training community has long awaited release of the rules, because they are expected to create a process under which flight schools can once again begin training foreign student applicants who are seeking their first type ratings in aircraft weighing at least 12,500 pounds.
Bill Delaney was named vice president of sales and marketing at Renegade Venture Corporation of Tucson, Ariz., a subsidiary of Hamilton Aerospace Technologies. An FAA-certified airframe and powerplant mechanic, Delaney has experience in quality control and operations and materials management. He previously was vice president of operations for a large transport category aircraft maintenance facility.
FAA proposed a $52,500 civil penalty against Honeywell in Phoenix, Ariz., for alleged violations of hazardous materials regulations. FAA alleged that Honeywell improperly gave a fiberboard box containing a fuel pump holding residual fuel on Sept. 10, 2000 to the United Parcel Service for air transportation. UPS ground handling employees in Louisville noticed the shipment was leaking and emitting a fuel odor.
NASAO CREATES GA SECURITY GUIDELINES - The National Association of State Aviation Officials is hoping to present this month a new set of general aviation security recommendations to the Transportation Security Administration. The recommendations, which include securing unattended aircraft, developing security plans for each airport, monitoring airport property and users and prohibiting unauthorized access to the airport, were put together by a NASAO committee consisting of nine state government aviation directors.
Duncan Aviation was named an authorized Electromech Technologies Service Center. The agreement will allow Duncan Aviation to sell, repair, exchange and overhaul components in the Electromech product line. Electromech components are found on most of the Learjet and Raytheon/Beechcraft aircraft that Duncan Aviation services, the company said.
David P. Morris was promoted to vice president, aerospace at PPG Industries. He was previously global general manager of sales and marketing for PPG's aerospace unit. Morris replaces Dennis A. Kovalsky, who was named vice president of the company's automotive coatings business.
BOMBARDIER FLEXJET WINS WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM BID - Bombardier Flexjet Europe is hoping to expand its network with a recent agreement to serve as the official business jet provider for the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting Jan. 23-28 in Davos, Switzerland. Bombardier won the endorsement after the World Economic Forum approached potential charter and fractional ownership providers for expressions of interest in transporting annual meeting attendees, said Dan Maiden, managing director of Bombardier Flexjet Europe.
Experimental Aircraft Association picked Carter Ryley Thomas public relations and marketing counsel as its agency of record for the Countdown to Kitty Hawk centennial celebration of the Wright Brothers' first powered flight. Sponsored by Ford Motor Company, Microsoft Flight Simulator and Eclipse, Countdown to Kitty Hawk will involve a yearlong series of events celebrating the first flight, including an interactive touring pavilion and a re-enactment of the flight. Carter Ryley Thomas, which also is the agency of record for the U.S.
Aircraft Owners And Pilots Association and the General Aviation Manufacturers Association sent angry letters to TIME magazine last week complaining about an "irresponsible ad" in the publication's Dec. 23 issue implying that general aviation is a threat to power plants. The ad in question shows two small aircraft tied down with nuclear plant cooling towers in the background captioned, "Remember when only environmentalists would have been alarmed by this photo?
National Business Aviation Association published a new book, NBAA Works: Spirit & Achievement of the National Business Aviation Association, which recognizes the thousands of volunteers who have supported the association over its 55-year history. The 136-page book provides a history of the association, including its achievements since its founding as the Corporate Aircraft Owners Association in 1947 with 19 members. It covers the challenges the association has faced and highlights the contributions of the NBAA board and committee volunteers over the years.
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries won a contract to supply center-wing supports for Boeing B747 jumbo jets. The contract is the first large-scale order Mitsubishi has received from Boeing since the two formed a collaborative relationship in 2000, Mitsubishi said. Shipments of the center-wing supports are slated to begin by the end of March 2005. In addition to Boeing, Mitsubishi supplies center-wing supports for Bombardier business jets.
Sen. Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) emerged Friday as a leading candidate to succeed Sen. Trent Lott (R-Miss.) as Majority Leader of the Senate in the 108th Congress that convenes next month. Frist, 50, a practicing surgeon from 1978-1994 who specialized in heart and lung transplants, is an experienced pilot. He started the Vanderbilt Transplant Center and frequently used his personal aircraft to pick up donor organs and fly them back to Nashville to perform transplant surgery on patients waiting for new organs.
Ralph E. "Chip" Parker was named executive vice president of Charter Services. Based in Albuquerque, N.M., Parker will manage the marketing, sales, operations and special contracts divisions. Parker, a pilot with more than 3,000 hours of flight time, recently retired from the U.S. Marine Corps as a brigadier general, where his last assignment was commanding general of Marine Corps bases in Hawaii.
Bombardier Flexjet Europe has found that reducing the required minimum purchase of flying hours from 50 to 25 is helping to jump-start its Jet Membership program. Dan Maiden, managing director of Bombardier Flexjet, said the company lowered the minimum hours to generate interest from small entrepreneurs and others who are not already involved in business aviation (BA, Dec. 16/279). Maiden added that in response, "we've signed several new deals in the last few weeks."
Richard Ashooh was named vice president of legislative affairs at BAE Systems North America. He will provide policy direction, management and oversight. Ashooh was most recently vice president for public affairs at BAE Systems' information and electronic warfare systems business in Nashua, N.H.
Mercury Air Centers broke ground Thursday for a new hangar and tenant office facility at its Charleston, S.C. fixed-base operation. The 45,000-square-foot building, which will be constructed next to the existing Mercury Air Center terminal, will incorporate a 23,000-square-foot hangar with doors 28 feet tall - high enough to accommodate Gulfstream V and Global Express aircraft.
SIKORSKY WINS CERTIFICATION FOR S-92 HELICOPTER - FAA granted type approval Thursday for Sikorsky's S-92 medium-size commercial helicopter, marking the company's first new FAA aircraft certification since it launched the S-76 in November 1978, Sikorsky said. "Today represents a culmination of almost a decade of work by the best team in the helicopter industry," said Sikorsky President Dean Borgman.
Because of the holiday schedule, The Weekly of BUSINESS AVIATION will not publish a Dec. 30 issue. The next issue will be dated Jan. 6. The deadline for receipt of advertising materials for the Jan. 6 issue is noon EST Jan. 2. Please accept our best wishes for a happy holiday season and a prosperous New Year.
A Cessna Caravan Model 208 crashed Dec. 18 while attempting to land in pre-dawn darkness in Rockford, Ill., killing the pilot. FAA said the aircraft, N277PM, had been cleared to land before controllers lost radio contact.
TSA/NBAA TO TEST SECURITY PROTOCOL AT TETERBORO - The Transportation Security Administration early next year plans to implement a voluntary "proof of concept" security program for Part 91 operators based at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey that will be based on the National Business Aviation Association's security protocol. NBAA's Security Council and TSA are reviewing the protocol, which the association hopes will form the foundation for business aircraft operators to get waivers from certain restricted airspace.
