FAA TIGHTENS STADIUM AIRSPACE; WAIVERS RESCINDED INDEFINITELY - The FAA has published a Notice To Airmen (NOTAM) rescinding waivers that had permitted banner towers and other types of aircraft operators to fly in restricted zones over large crowds at stadiums and other public events (BA, Aug. 26/89). The restricted areas, instituted last year, cover three nautical miles up to a height of 3,000 feet. Waivers had previously been granted for planes carrying banners and blimps.
Pamela Scharlach was named regional vice president of charter services at Executive Jet Management, responsible for sales in the western U.S. She was most recently director of sales at FlightTime Corp., where she specialized in aviation charter sales to the entertainment industry.
Jodi Balestrieri was named regional vice president of charter services at Executive Jet Management. Based in St. Augustine, Fla., Balestrieri will be responsible for aircraft charter sales in the southeastern U.S. She was previously director of sales in the southeast region for FlightTime Corp.
The Federal Aviation Administration plans to start with a "blank sheet of paper" as it launches a sweeping rewrite of rules governing charter and other operations that could mean the elimination or significant alteration of Parts 135, 125, 119 and even portions of 91 of the FARs (BA, Aug. 26/89).
ECLIPSE DETAILS BACKLOG, BOLD PLANS FOR NEW PLANE - Officials of Eclipse Aviation ended months of secrecy about their order backlog last week, telling reporters at the NBAA convention in Orlando the company has commitments for more than 2,000 of its entry-level Eclipse 500s, including firm orders for 1,752 airplanes that translate into $65 million in non-refundable deposits.
Maureen P. Cragin was named vice president of communications for Boeing's Washington, D.C. operations. She was previously the assistant secretary for public and intergovernmental affairs in the Department of Veterans Affairs. Cragin also is a Commander in the U.S. Navy and performs reserve duty in the public affairs office of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
CESSNA announced its 1,000,000th customer during last week's convention. Juan Jose Bermudez, a Puerto Rico businessman who owns both a Cessna CJ1 and CJ2, signed a contract for Cessna's latest in the CitationJet series, a CJ3. The contract comes as Cessna celebrates its 75th anniversary this year. Over that time, Cessna has delivered 183,500 aircraft of 150 different models, which collectively have been flown 160 billion miles by one million owners, said Roger Whyte, senior vice president of marketing.
TSA WON'T MEET BAG SCREENING DEADLINE AT 10 PERCENT OF AIRPORTS - Fewer than 10 percent of U.S. airports won't meet the yearend deadline for 100 percent screening of checked baggage, acting Transportation Security Administration head Adm. James Loy told the Senate Commerce Committee last week.
ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY Model R22 helicopters [Docket No. 2001-SW-44-AD] - proposes to require inspecting the pitch control assembly for roughness or binding of the pitch control bearings by hand-rotating the pitch control bearing housing. If the housing does not rotate freely, the proposed AD would require replacing the unairworthy pitch control assembly with an airworthy unit. This proposal is prompted by reports of failure of the tail rotor assembly due to improperly lubricated bearings on the RHC Model R22 and R44 helicopters.
Two EMS helicopters were involved in fatal accidents in the past 10 days. A 1984 Bell 222U, N417MA, enroute to a traffic accident crashed six miles south of the Nevada state line in California Sept. 7, under unknown circumstances, killing all three persons on board. A 1979 Bell 206L-1, N400SL, crashed Sept. 10 near Aberdeen, S.D. while taking a patient to a hospital, killing all four aboard.
NEW PIPER President and CEO Chuck Suma last week appeared enthusiastic about Cessna's unveiling of a new small business jet priced in the $2 million range, saying the Wichita, Kan. plane-maker's announcement legitimizes that end of the market. New Piper for years has been considering its own jet product, but officials have kept those plans on hold as they brought the single-turboprop Meridian to market and looked at raising the necessary capital for a jet program.
New Piper President and CEO Chuck Suma last week appeared enthusiastic about Cessna's unveiling of a new small business jet priced in the $2 million range, saying the Wichita, Kan. plane-maker's announcement legitimizes that end of the market. New Piper for years has been considering its own jet product, but officials have kept those plans on hold as they brought the single-turboprop Meridian to market and looked at raising the necessary capital for a jet program.
BOMBARDIER AEROSPACE, in an effort to streamline its jet offerings lineup, renamed the Continental the Challenger 300. "The Bombardier Continental was designed to embody all of the attributes that have become synonymous with Challenger aircraft over the last two decades," said Peter Edwards, president of Bombardier Business Aircraft. Introduced as the Bombardier Continental at the 1999 Paris Air Show, the Bombardier Challenger 300 had its first flight Aug. 14, 2001. The aircraft has since logged 925 flight test hours.
New Piper is launching a new insurance brokerage service for Piper aircraft owners and pilots. New Piper President and CEO Chuck Suma said the brokerage firm will allow the company to ensure that all possibilities are checked out and options are available to the customer. Suma noted that most businesses and individuals have gone through renewals and experienced the sharp rate increases that have developed over the past year.
UNIVAIR AIRCRAFT CORP. Models (ERCO) 415-C, (ERCO) 415-CD, (ERCO) 415-D, (ERCO) 415-E, (ERCO) 415-G, (Forney) F-1, and (Forney) F-1A airplanes [Docket No. 2000-CE-79-AD; Amendment 39-12843; AD 2002-16-04] - supersedes two different ADs that require inspecting the fuel line nipple for damage, replacing any suspect part, and replacing the elbow fitting on certain Univair Models (ERCO) 415-C, (ERCO) 415-CD, (ERCO) 415-D, (ERCO) 415-E, (ERCO) 415-G, (Forney) F-1, and (Forney) F-1A airplanes.
PIAGGIO's Avanti flew into the NBAA convention setting a new world speed record, pending National Aeronautic Association verification. The twin pusher-prop flew from Fort Worth's Meacham International Airport to Orlando Executive Airport in 2 hours and 25 minutes, reaching 361 knots at 29,000 feet. Piaggio's 50th Avanti set the record for Class C-1.E aircraft (6,614 pounds-13,228 pounds).
Matthew Betty was named regional vice president of charter services at Executive Jet Management. Based in Arlington, Texas, he will be responsible for aircraft charter sales in the central U.S. Betty was most recently regional sales manager, business jet services for FlightTime Corp.
Pamela Scharlach was named regional vice president of charter services at Executive Jet Management, responsible for sales in the western U.S. She was most recently director of sales at FlightTime Corp., where she specialized in aviation charter sales to the entertainment industry.
Matthew Betty was named regional vice president of charter services at Executive Jet Management. Based in Arlington, Texas, he will be responsible for aircraft charter sales in the central U.S. Betty was most recently regional sales manager, business jet services for FlightTime Corp.
Sino Swearingen reported last week that its SJ30 business jet has completed a third of its flight test program and is on track for FAA certification at the end of 2003. The company also added two new distributors to its network of 27. Business and Commuter Aircraft in Lyon, France and Sino Swearingen Mexico in Mexico City are the latest to join the network.
Delta Airelite Business Jets added two Gulfstream IV-SP business jets to its charter fleet through management agreements. One of the G IV-SPs is based in Grand Junction, Colo., and the other is based in Houston.
CESSNA AIRCRAFT, trying to generate some buyer interest and build the company's order backlog, has reduced the initial deposit to $75,000 for most Citation business jets ordered by the end of the year. Cessna Chairman Russ Meyer said the company also plans to hold prices for aircraft ordered by yearend that are delivered in 2002 and 2003.
CESSNA ADDING THIRD MEMBER TO CJ LINE - Cessna Aircraft, which has enjoyed great success in the entry-level end of the market with its CitationJet 1 and 2 aircraft, is launching a CitationJet 3 at this week's National Business Aviation Association convention, with Cessna officials hinting the new airplane has a substantial order backlog.
