NAVTECH, INC., of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, won a contract to provide its worldwide managed NOTAMs service and weather system technology to ARINC for its new Direct service for corporate aviation. "ARINC Direct is an extremely important component of ARINC's corporate growth strategy," said Ed Montgomery, ARINC vice president for aviation and air traffic services. "These services to the business aviation community must be executed perfectly to be successful. We see Navtech as a critical partner and the best way to ensure that ARINC Direct becomes successful."
ELLIOTT DEVELOPS NOISE REDUCTION PACKAGE FOR KING AIR 200 - Elliott Aviation won FAA supplemental type certification for a new active noise and vibration control system that it developed with Ultra Electronics for Raytheon Beech King Air B200 aircraft. Raytheon Aircraft had the system installed in two of its demonstrator aircraft and will offer the noise reduction system as an option on the B200, Elliott said.
MIDCOAST AVIATION is trying to raise the profile of its Learjet program by adding new staff and technicians. The company hired Tony Koprivnik as Lear program manager and Dan Smith as Lear program chief inspector. Midcoast, setting a goal to be a "one-stop shop" for Lear operators, has completed 20 12,000-hour inspections on Lear 35s and has about 20 more scheduled for this year. "We want every Lear operator to know that we do Lear here," said Jack Vaughn, vice president of corporate aviation marketing for Midcoast's parent company Sabreliner Corp.
TSA ALSO RELEASED its proposed compliance program for charter operators of aircraft that weigh more than 95,000 pounds. That program could cause problems and force some operators, particularly those flying business jets like the Global Express, to seek alternative means of compliance, sources say. TSA apparently has not yet made a determination on whether it will raise the trigger weight for applicability to 100,000 pounds, which would get the Global Express below the new threshold for complying with the rule (BA, Aug. 19/79).
Canadian aerospace manufacturer Bombardier will begin permanent layoffs of nearly 2,000 employees in October and also plans temporary furloughs of another 2,100 workers in coming weeks as the company drastically reduces production of its line of business jets. Bombardier said 1,980 employees, "including 20 percent of management, will be laid off" at company facilities in Canada, the United Kingdom and the U.S. beginning in October.
DEADLINE for Part 135 operators to submit their comments on the Transportation Security Administration's proposed compliance program for the "Twelve-Five" security rule is today.Some operators were still receiving their programs for review as late as last week. Like the compliance program itself, the comments are kept confidential. But an industry official noted that although some administrative costs are involved, most companies should be able to meet the requirements of the proposed program without major disruptions to their operations.
VOUGHT AIRCRAFT selected Resource Management International, Inc. (RMI) to provide engineers and designers on contract to support several programs. RMI, a subsidiary of Trans Global Services, will provide technical personnel to Vought Aircraft through its Arlington, Texas office.
AVIATION GENERAL'S stock began trading on the Over-the-Counter Bulletin Board under the new ticker symbol AVGE.OB after the company recieved notification from Nasdaq that it would be de-listed from the SmallCap market.
Docket No.: FAA-2002-11888 Section of 14 CFR Affected: 14 CFR 121.463(c) Description of Relief Sought/Disposition: To permit Comair to allow its dispatchers to accomplish the required five hours of dispatcher operating familiarization time in the Canadair Regional Jet CL-65 aircraft. Grant, May 28, 2002, Exemption No. 7781
SIMCOM TRAINING CENTERS, in partnership with Pilatus Business Aircraft, is developing a second Pilatus PC-12 simulator. The new simulator will have actual aircraft parts in the interior and panel. It also will be equipped with a wrap-around visual motion cueing system, day/night/all-weather visuals and a range of flight profiles for the PC-12. The simulator will be installed at SimCom's facility in Scottsdale, Ariz. in early fall 2003. The two companies are also working to upgrade the first simulator, located at SimCom's Orlando center.
DOW CHEMICAL COMPANY raised prices for all dipropylene glycol products by three cents per pound for both direct and distributor sales in North America effective Oct. 1, citing increased demand and limited availability of products. "We've seen strong demand for dipropylene glycol products in the second half of 2002. In addition, a forecast for a mild winter suggests that PG production may be lower over the next several months," said Antulio Borneo, marketing executive -Americas PO/PG.
Elliott Aviation won FAA supplemental type certification for a new active noise and vibration control system that it developed with Ultra Electronics for Raytheon Beech King Air B200 aircraft. Raytheon Aircraft had the system installed in two of its demonstrator aircraft and will offer the noise reduction system as an option on the B200, Elliott said.
Docket No.: 29119 Section of 14 CFR Affected: 14 CFR 121.643(a)(2) and (3) Description of Relief Sought/Disposition: To permit ERA to operate its DHC-6 aircraft under the fuel supply requirements of 14 CFR Part 135 in lieu of the fuel supply requirements of Part 121 supplemental operations. Denial, May 7, 2002, Exemption No. 7765
ALTHOUGH INDUSTRY analysts believe the business jet market will weather the economic downturn, manufacturers continue to feel the impact. Canadian manufacturer Bombardier last week announced its latest cost-cutting initiatives, including layoffs and program stoppages. Swiss manufacturer Pilatus also has taken steps to reduce costs, sending 300 of its 1,300 employees into part-time work. The Pilatus cutback is expected to last until the spring. See article on Page 148.
Docket No.: FAA-2002-12456 Section of 14 CFR Affected: 14 CFR 145.45(f) Description of Relief Sought/Disposition: To permit Unison to give copies of its IPM to key individuals and make the manual available electronically to all other employees, rather than give a paper copy of the IPM to each of its supervisory and inspection personnel. Grant, July 10, 2002, Exemption No. 7833
BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON Model 212 helicopters (Docket No. 2002-SW-28-AD; Amendment 39-12885; AD 2002-19-05) - supersedes an existing AD that currently requires, at specified intervals, inspecting for a cracked tail boom and replacing any cracked tail boom. That AD also requires modifying the tail fin and tail boom within 100 hours time-in-service. This amendment requires modifying and visually inspecting certain vertical fin left-hand spar caps for cracking, loose fasteners, corrosion, or disbonding.
Oct 24-26 - Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association Expo 2002, Palm Springs, Calif., (301) 695-2000 November 3-7 - Air Traffic Control Association 47th International Technical Program and Exhibits, Marriott Wardman Park Hotel, Washington, (703) 522-5717, fax (703) 527-7251, e-mail [email protected] November 4-7 - Flight Safety Foundation/International Federation of Airworthiness/International Air Transport Association 55th Annual International Air Safety Seminar, City West Hotel and Conference Center, Dublin, Ireland, (703) 739-6700
Model 369D, 369E, 369F, and 369FF helicopters (Docket No. 2001-SW-40-AD) - proposes to revise an existing AD that currently requires identifying the part number of the bolts that attach the tail rotor gearbox to the tailboom and replacing any bolt of inadequate grip length with an airworthy bolt. The AD also requires an additional washer if more than four threads protrude from the nutplate.
BOMBARDIER appointed ExecuJet South Africa an authorized service facility for the Bombardier Global Express, bringing the total number of designated facilities to seven. Based at Lanseria International Airport near Johannesburg, the 65,000-square-foot Execujet can accommodate up to six Global Express aircraft. The facility also is authorized to provide maintenance for Bombardier's Learjet and Challenger families of aircraft.
SCOTT SPILLER was named vice president of new business development for the Western region at Aero Insurance. Spiller, who has more than 20 years of experience as a professional pilot and insurance broker, will be based in Carlsbad, Calif. He previously worked as a manager at Willis Global Aerospace.
ALL WEATHER INC. (AWI) of Hunt Valley, Md., delivered its new integrated display system program to the Aeronautics Division of Tennessee's Department of Transportation. The new software/display program - StormFront - will be used by the state to provide pilots with real-time access to some 37 Automated Weather Observation Systems (AWOS) throughout the state.
NEW FAA ADMINISTRATOR Marion Blakey told agency employees last week that she has "great respect for the people here who deliver the goods each and every day to assure the safety and efficiency of the world's largest aviation system." Blakey told her new troops that she puts "a great deal of emphasis on teamwork" and "a unified approach with everyone pulling together" to achieve objectives.
EMBRY-RIDDLE AERONAUTICAL UNIVERSITY launched a new air traffic control simulator-training program. Developed by Adacel, Inc., the 180-degree simulator will provide a three-dimensional view of an airport, modeling custom-set weather conditions, visibility, fleet mix, aircraft flight dynamics and aircraft traffic loads. The simulator also can test future runway/taxiway configurations, runway incursion analysis and mitigation, and pilot/controller studies.
ANDY TOY, a former executive at Flight Options and Miller Aviation, is launching Andy Toy Aircraft Sales, Inc. The newly formed company, based in Mentor, Ohio, will focus on the sale of used corporate jet and turboprop aircraft and provide aircraft acquisition, consulting and pilot services. Drawing from more than 22 years of aircraft sales and acquisition experience, Toy's new company will specialize in selling Cessna Citation and Conquest aircraft.
BRIAN OLDS was named president and general manager at AAR Aircraft Sales&Leasing. He was executive vice president and chief operating officer of Midway Airlines. Olds began his aviation career in 1990 at AAR and was named general manager in 1996.
