Wing Aviation opened a new service center at Montgomery County Airport in Conroe, Texas, near Houston. The facility, which has 54,000 square feet of hangar space, will provide maintenance for most Gulfstream aircraft as well as services for other mid- and large-cabin corporate aircraft. The facility is equipped to provide interior refurbishment and upgrades, FBO line services, custom paint and detailing, avionics upgrades and repair and other maintenance services.
Marion Blakey's nomination to be FAA Administrator is pending before the Senate Commerce Committee following a hearing last week, and the Senate is under pressure to approve her appointment this week or face a vacancy in the federal government's top aviation post during the memorial services relating to the anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. See article below.
Boeing is creating a new business called On Demand Manufacturing (ODM) that will use the company's selective laser sintering technology "to perform rapid, low-cost fabrication of small lots of complex, hard-to-manufacture parts," Boeing said. ODM's first contract is to supply parts to Boeing for the environmental control system ducts of military aircraft. The new venture will be based in Camarillo, Calif.
Pat Zerbe, the veteran aviation industry communications executive, joined GE Aircraft Engines global communications team in the newly created position of manager, enterprise communication. She will be based in Evendale, Ohio and report to Karen Tripp, general manager of the engine unit's communications office. In her new post, Zerbe will be responsible for use of the GE Engines brand, image advertising, interface with the financial press and environmental communications. Zerbe began her public relations career with Raytheon Aircraft in Wichita, Kan.
Docket No.: FAA-2002-12484 Section of 14 CFR Affected: 14 CFR Sec. 137.53(c)(2) Description of Relief Sought/Disposition: To permit pilots employed by Dynamic to conduct aerial applications of insecticides or pheromones from aircraft not equipped with a load jettisoning system. Grant, July 1, 2002, Exemption No. 7827
Pilatus is boosting its customer support with two new maintenance options for PC-12 owners - PlaneTrax Electronic Maintenance and Flight Data Tracking and Diagnostix Propulsion Monitoring. Pilatus is offering the programs to customers free of charge during the first year of PC-12 ownership. Currently in final testing at Pilatus authorized service centers, PlaneTrax will forecast maintenance requirement as part of the aircraft's digital record. It will allow operators to log flight time and access real-time aircraft information.
Docket No.: FAA-2002-12485 Section of 14 CFR Affected: 14 CFR Secs. 121.311(b) and 135.128(a) Desription of Relief Sought/Disposition: To permit Castasus to travel in either an Ortho Kinetics Travel Chair Model 6332 or a Meru Travel Chair rather than in an individual seat with a seatbelt about him while traveling on an air carrier certificated under Part 119 for Part 121 or 135 service. Grant, July 2, 2002, Exemption No. 7831
Iridium Satellite signed a service partner agreement with Blue Sky Network, a satellite and communications specialist, to improve cockpit and cabin communications. Iridium delivers communication services through a constellation of 66 low-earth orbiting satellites operated by Boeing. Iridium said the partnership supports its strategy to develop and market products to aviation and other commercial customers. "Blue Sky and Iridium enable pilots and passengers on planes, large or small, to communicate to and from anywhere in the world," the company said.
Transportation Security Administration has gotten a lot of bad press during its first months of operation, but things should improve when TSA employees begin showing up for work next year in their spiffy new uniforms. The agency issued a request for information last week seeking input to help it develop "an acquisition strategy" for the new uniforms that will go into service in October 2003.
The Senate Commerce Committee wasted no time in offering its vote of confidence for FAA Administrator nominee Marion Blakey at her confirmation hearing last week, but senators provided detailed recommendations about the challenges facing FAA during Blakey's five-year term.
Department of Transportation is issuing its third and final installment of financial assistance to commercial operators, including Part 135 on-demand operators, who demonstrated losses directly stemming from the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The financial assistance was established under the Air Transportation Safety and System Stabilization Act adopted shortly after the Sept. 11 attacks.
The merger of Conoco, Inc. and Phillips Petroleum Co. into ConocoPhillips was completed Aug. 30, following clearance by the Federal Trade Commission. The merged entity bills itself as "the third-largest integrated U.S. energy company" and the "sixth-largest publicly held energy company based on hydrocarbon reserves and production." It also is the fifth-largest global refiner.
Number of employees at Cessna is about 12,800 now, following acceptance of a voluntary separation program by about 400 workers (BA, July 1/4). Employment will drop below the 12,000 mark next year as some production rates slow, but officials are confident hiring will rebound in 2004 as new aircraft models enter production.
SENATE APPROVES COCKPIT GUN PROGRAM - The Senate last week approved an amendment to the Homeland Security Department bill allowing pilots to carry guns in the cockpit and requiring self-defense training programs for flight attendants. The amendment passed 87-6 over objections from Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.). Senate Commerce Chairman Ernest Hollings (D-S.C.) also protested the amendment, but dropped his objections when the amendment was modified to require that the cockpit door remain closed throughout the flight, except for mechanical or "physiological" emergencies.
Edward C. Araujo was named general manager of retail operations for BAA Boston. He will oversee day-to-day operations and handle leases and marketing. Araujo has more than 10 years of experience in airport retail, hospitality and tourism. BAA Boston is the developer and manager of a new retail program in Terminals B, D/E at Logan International Airport.
Another production projection, from Forecast International/DMS, predicts a less bullish market for turboprops and pistons. In its study, The World Market for General Aviation/Utility Aircraft 2002-2011, Forecast International/DMS projects shipments at the lighter end of the market will peak at 2,100 units in 2006 and steadily decline after that. "The outlook would be brighter...were it not for the growing popularity of fractional ownership programs employing turbofan-powered corporate jets," said Forecast International aviation analyst Bill Dane.
Conklin & De Decker released the newest version of its maintenance management software, MxManager, which helps with maintenance tracking, purchasing, inventory, work orders and maintenance cost analysis. The latest version enables maintenance departments to create master bulletin lists, assign bulletins to aircraft or components, and establish limits based on required maintenance frequency.
DPI Labs has teamed with Airshow to develop a multi-region airborne TV system and cabin management operating system for a Jet Aviation project. The system includes Airshow's new Tailwind 550 multi-region airborne TV system that connects to DPI Lab's Smart-Link III (SL-III) cabin management operating system. The Tailwind 550 system is designed for multi-region satellite reception including the Middle East and can receive satellite programs over the entire Ku-band from 10.7 GHz to 12.75 GHz.
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.
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.
Richard Michaels was named vice president, sales at Flight Options. Michaels will lead a team of 10 sales representatives. Michaels, who has more than 20 years of aircraft sales experience, was previously Midwestern regional sales manager for Gulfstream.
Pilatus is boosting its customer support with two new maintenance options for PC-12 owners - PlaneTrax Electronic Maintenance and Flight Data Tracking and Diagnostix Propulsion Monitoring. Pilatus is offering the programs to customers free of charge during the first year of PC-12 ownership. Currently in final testing at Pilatus authorized service centers, PlaneTrax will forecast maintenance requirement as part of the aircraft's digital record. It will allow operators to log flight time and access real-time aircraft information.
Marion Blakey's nomination to be FAA Administrator is pending before the Senate Commerce Committee following a hearing last week, and the Senate is under pressure to approve her appointment this week or face a vacancy in the federal government's top aviation post during the memorial services relating to the anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks.See article below.
