Steven Weinert was named division maintenance manager at Keystone Helicopter. He will be responsible for maintenance, repair, refurbishment and overhaul for the 30 twin-engine air medical helicopters under the management of Keystone flight services division. Weinert was most recently president of Flite Tech Consulting Group in Vancouver, Wash.
Maytag Aircraft Corporation, a Mercury Air Group subsidiary, received a six-month extension on a contract from the U.S. government to provide air terminal and ground handling services at Al Mubarek Air Base at Kuwait City International Airport in Kuwait. The contract covers aircraft loading and unloading, cargo screening, passenger processing, baggage handling, security screening and handling of classified information. Maytag has provided the services since August 2000.
Raytheon Aircraft is offering steep discounts on some $80 million in excess parts inventory the company is trying to sell. Raytheon Aircraft Parts Inventory&Distribution Company (RAPID) is conducting the sale of Beechcraft, Hawker and aftermarket spare parts through Dec. 31 and offering discounts of up to 90 percent on some items. Customers can log onto the company's website, www.raytheonaircraftparts.com, to search through 46,000 part and kit numbers available for both current and out-of-production aircraft.
Calling the past 18 months a "downturn" in the commercial aviation industry is like calling the Grand Canyon a "hole in the ground," said Robert D. Johnson, president and CEO of Honeywell Aerospace, in a speech to the Society of Automotive Engineers World Aviation Congress last week in Phoenix, Ariz. Citing figures from the Aerospace Industries Association, Johnson told the SAE audience that U.S. aerospace company profits will be down about $6 billion in 2002 and another $7 billion in 2003.
Models Z-143L and Z-242L airplanes (Docket No. 99-CE-71-AD; Amendment 39-12925; AD 2002-22-01) - requires modification of the engine secondary vent line. The AD is the result of mandatory continuing airworthiness information issued by the airworthiness authority for the Czech Republic. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent the engine crankcase ventilation lines from freezing during flight in cold weather conditions, which could result in oil leaking from the engine. Such a condition could lead to engine failure.
Canadian Simulator Manufacturer CAE continued to expand its business base, announcing last week it formed a joint venture with China Southern Airlines to provide aviation training for a number of Asian carriers. The new joint venture is expected to generate initial annual revenues of $12 million (U.S.). The new enterprise, Zhubai Xiang Yi Aviation Technology Co. Ltd., will be 51 percent owned by China Southern and 49 percent by CAE. It will operate from the airline's existing training facility at its Zhuhai flight base in Guandong beginning in January.
All three people aboard an Aero Commander 500B twin-engine airline were killed Nov. 1 near Rayville, La. when the aircraft crashed after the pilot apparently lost control while demonstrating power-off stalls at low altitudes.
CSI Aviation Services, Albuquerque, N.M., recently took delivery of two additional MD82 aircraft on lease from AirFinance to support a CSI contract with the Department of Justice.
Mark Malkosky was named senior manager, technical training, at CAE SimuFlite. He will oversee maintenance training at the company. Malkosy was most recently manager, technical training at Bombardier Aerospace where he worked on the Learjet maintenance training programs.
Former National Transportation Safety Board Vice Chairman Robert Francis anticipates changes at FAA under the leadership of its new administrator, Marion Blakey, judging from comments he made this month. "As administrator of an organization, she is going to be focusing on running FAA in a way it needs to be run," he said, and "in a way it hasn't been run in a while." Francis was speaking at a George Washington University aviation security seminar, where he called on government and industry officials to reassess their approach to security.
The Commission on the Future of the U.S. Aerospace Industry unanimously approved the commission's final report late last month, clearing the way for its release to the public next Monday (Nov. 18). Instead of being simply a compilation of the commission's interim report findings, the final report will be broader in scope and will include new material on government reform, as well as more detail on workforce and research and development issues, according to Chairman Robert Walker.
Sabreliner has developed a package that would bring Sabreliner Model 65 aircraft into compliance with equipment requirements for operation in RVSM airspace. The package, developed in cooperation with Rockwell Collins Avionics, includes an ADC-80K air data computer, ALI altimeter, ASI-80 airspace indicators and an upgrade of existing ADC-80K units. Sabreliner is pricing that package at $128,200 through December. It also has a package priced at $166,500 that includes two ADC-87 air data computers, an ALI-80 altimeter and ASI-80 airspeed indicators.
FAA last week released draft guidance on compliance with new repair station rules and gave industry 15 days to comment. Release of the draft advisory circular comes barely two weeks after four industry groups petitioned the agency to delay implementation of the rules because the industry had not had an opportunity to review and comment upon the guidance (BA, Oct. 28/198). The draft AC last week immediately raised concerns.
Piaggio's Avanti twin-engine pusher-prop received Transport Canada clearance to operate in reduced vertical separation minimum (RVSM) airspace. "This opens the skies for Avanti operators in Canada and allows them to take full advantage of the aircraft's jet-like performance," said Jim Holcombe, Piaggio America executive vice president of sales and marketing. Piaggio is seeking similar approval from the FAA for U.S. RVSM operations.
HONEYWELL EXECUTIVE TOUTS VALUE OF INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS - Warning that inefficiencies in the national air transportation system cost billions of dollars annually, a senior Honeywell executive called for continued infrastructure improvements and new thinking to make the aerospace industry more efficient.
November 14 - National Business Aviation Association, Business Aviation Forum and Static Display, Meacham International Airport, Ft. Worth, Texas. For more information, contact Benjamin Jones at (202) 783-9266. February 9-11, 2003 - Helicopter Association International Heli-Expo 2003, Dallas, Texas, (703) 683-4646 April 23-27, 2003 - National Aircraft Resale Association Annual Meeting, Westin Regina Resort, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Canadian Simulator Manufacturer CAE continued to expand its business base, announcing last week it formed a joint venture with China Southern Airlines to provide aviation training for a number of Asian carriers. The new joint venture is expected to generate initial annual revenues of $12 million (U.S.). The new enterprise, Zhubai Xiang Yi Aviation Technology Co. Ltd., will be 51 percent owned by China Southern and 49 percent by CAE. It will operate from the airline's existing training facility at its Zhuhai flight base in Guandong beginning in January.
TSA last week delayed until Feb. 1 the compliance deadline for operators of aircraft weighing 12,500 pounds or more to implement approved security programs. TSA in August released a notice calling for a Dec. 1 implementation deadline, but said in a notice published in Friday's Federal Register that many of the 850 operators subject to the mandate were having "a great deal of difficulty" complying with the fingerprint-based criminal history record check requirements. National Air Transportation Association said it was pleased with the extension.
Sabreliner has developed a package that would bring Sabreliner Model 65 aircraft into compliance with equipment requirements for operation in RVSM airspace. The package, developed in cooperation with Rockwell Collins Avionics, includes an ADC-80K air data computer, ALI altimeter, ASI-80 airspace indicators and an upgrade of existing ADC-80K units. Sabreliner is pricing that package at $128,200 through December. It also has a package priced at $166,500 that includes two ADC-87 air data computers, an ALI-80 altimeter and ASI-80 airspeed indicators.
Ken Sowa was named corporate aircraft sales representative at Piedmont Hawthorne. He will be working with the aircraft sales and management teams. Sowa, who has worked for Flight Services Group, Canadair and Learjet, was most recently northeast director of aircraft sales for Jack Prewitt and Associates.
Several aviation leaders on Capitol Hill won re-election last week and are returning to the new Congress, but a shift in the balance of power in the Senate means a change in leadership during a year when Congress will have to address some looming aviation funding and security issues. With Republicans narrowly taking control of the Senate, some familiar faces will reclaim the chairs of key committees, including Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) as chairman of the Commerce Committee and Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) back in charge of Appropriations.
The Federal Aviation Administration released guidance that will allow pilots to use the Internet as an officially recognized source for aviation weather reports and notices to airmen. The guidance, Internet Communications of Aviation Weather and Notams (Advisory Circular 00-62), establishes a process for organizations to become a "Qualified Internet Communications Provider" (QICP) and provide aviation weather and Notams on the Internet. FAA's Aerospace Weather Standards Division will display a list of QICPs on a designated web page for public use.
Honeywell was selected to supply its Primus Epic integrated avionics system for the PlaneView cockpit in the Gulfstream G500 and its SPZ-8400 avionics for the G300. The two aircraft were part of an expanded and renamed line of aircraft that Gulfstream unveiled during the National Business Aviation Association convention in September in Orlando, Fla. (BA, Sept. 16/126). The G500 is a 5,800-nautical-mile version of the GV-SP that is designed to compete against the Falcon 7X and Bombardier Global 5000.
Former FAA and TSA executive Adm. Paul Busick (ret.) joined Battelle, a consulting company based in Columbus, Ohio. As part of Battelle's transportation market sector, Busick will focus on security and technical support that the company provides to TSA and the U.S. Coast Guard. Busick, 57, retired from active duty in the Coast Guard in 1998 and was most recently the associate administrator for civil aviation security at FAA.
