August 31-September 2 - The Cleveland National Air Show, 1501 North Marginal Road, Burke Lakefront Airport, Cleveland, Ohio. For more information call Kim Dell at (216) 781-0747 or visit www.clevelandairshow.com September 8 - National Aircraft Resale Association Fall Meeting, Peabody Hotel, Orlando, Fla. September 10-12 - National Business Aviation Association 55th Annual Meeting and Convention, Orlando, Fla., (202) 783-9000
Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta appointed Kip Hawley and Philip Brady to fill vacancies on the five-member Federal Aviation Administration Management Advisory Council Air Traffic Services Subcommittee. Congress established the subcommittee in the Wendell H. Ford Aviation Investment and Reform Act for the 21st Century (AIR-21) to provide direct oversight and approval of FAA air traffic contracts totaling more than $100,000.
Jet Centers selected advertising agency Ackerman McQueen of Dallas, Texas to oversee the launch of a new branding campaign. Jet Centers is a fixed-base operator that provides executive jet services. The company, which has facilities in Austin and Fort Worth, Texas, Tucson, Ariz., Greeley, Colo. and Casper, Wyo., plans to open additional facilities this year. The company recently went public with its stock.
Conklin&De Decker will hold its second annual Aircraft Acquisition Planning seminar in Scottsdale, Ariz., November 14-15, 2002. The seminar will covers topics such as how to determine the best aircraft for the mission, financing and leasing arrangements, ownership alternatives and depreciation.
The Commission on the Future of the United States Aerospace Industry convened its fourth public meeting last week, hearing testimony from industry leaders about the need for more air traffic controllers, expanded runways and prioritizing aviation programs.
Glenn MacDonald was named regional sales manager, northeast region at CAE SimuFlite, covering Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Vermont. He was formerly vice president at ExcelAire Service and holds a commercial helicopter pilot license.
Avfuel recently added two new fixed-base operators to its dealers network. Executive Air Center of Orlando, Fla. is an authorized Cessna Service Center. The company offers hangar space, maintenance and repair services and aircraft detailing. Avion Jet Center, located on the southwest side of Orlando, specializes in aircraft rental and sales, charter service, maintenance, line service and fueling. The FBO also houses the Avion Air Academy, which offers private pilot training, college credit courses and professional pilot programs.
Parker Hannifin Corporation's Nichols Airborne and Aircraft Wheel & Brake divisions introduced its fuel pump and wheel and brake conversion kit rebate program for its Airborne and Cleveland brands. The rebates apply to Hawker, Raytheon, Mitsubishi, Cessna and New Piper fleets and include a $200 savings on 24 different Airbone fuel pumps and a $400 savings on 10 Cleveland conversion kits. The rebates, which will be available through authorized Airborne and Cleveland distributors as well as on the Parker websites, are effective Sept. 1, 2002 through June 30, 2003.
CHC Helicopter Corporation's subsidiary CHC Scotia won a five-year contract renewal plus options for another five years from Centrica unit Hydrocarbon Resources Limited and BHP Billiton for the use of two AS365N Dauphin helicopters to support offshore East Irish Sea oil and gas operations. CHC Scotia valued the contract over the five years at $48 million (Canadian).
Neil Hocker was named senior certification engineer at Jet Aviation Engineering Services. Hocker, a certified FAA Designated Airworthiness Representative, will work to develop supplemental type certificates for the company. With 30 years of aviation experience, specifically in quality assurance and non-destructive testing, Hocker was previously manager of quality and engineering at West Star Aviation.
BROWARD COUNTY DELAYS DECISION ON FORT LAUDERDALE RUNWAY - Although FAA is pushing for a quick decision, the Broward County, Fla., Commission last week decided to defer any action on a proposed extension of the south runway at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Airport.
FAA GROUNDS AIRCRAFT WITH CERTAIN LYCOMING ENGINES - The Federal Aviation Administration issued an emergency airworthiness directive grounding aircraft powered by Textron Lycoming TIO-540 and LTIO-540 engines, requiring operators to inspect and replace crankshafts before further flight. "This emergency AD is prompted by reports of 17 crankshaft failures in LTIO-540 and TIO engines, rated at 300 horsepower or higher, that were assembled with certain crankshafts that were manufactured using a hammer-forged process," FAA said.
Aircraft Owners And Pilots Association and the sports community have been working with FAA and TSA to tighten up the language of a temporary flight restriction put in place Sept. 20 prohibiting flights within a three-nautical-mile radius or 3,000 feet over "any major professional or collegiate sporting event or any other major open air assembly unless authorized by ATC." The TFR effectively quashed the 2001 fall football season for banner towers, but they have been receiving waivers for this season.
Honeywell signed an agreement to team with Lockheed Martin Air Traffic Management of Rockville, Md. to provide FAA with Local Area Augmentation System (LAAS) hardware and support. FAA expects to award a contract in September for the initial production units and installation at six airports, with options for another 15-40 per year over five years. LAAS is an airport-based ground system that uses Global Positioning System satellites to provide aircraft with exact local navigational data to permit them to execute precision approaches.
Jet Centers selected advertising agency Ackerman McQueen of Dallas, Texas to oversee the launch of a new branding campaign. Jet Centers is a fixed-base operator that provides executive jet services. The company, which has facilities in Austin and Fort Worth, Texas, Tucson, Ariz., Greeley, Colo. and Casper, Wyo., plans to open additional facilities this year. The company recently went public with its stock.
FAA TO STUDY CONTRACTING OUT FLIGHT SERVICE STATIONS - The Federal Aviation Administration is studying the possibility of contracting out flight service station (FSS) services in a move that has raised the concerns of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. FAA is conducting the 18-month study under the provisions of Office of Management and Budget Circular A-76, which directs government agencies to evaluate whether some functions could be outsourced. The study is expected to focus on 58 of the 61 FSS units, excluding Alaskan services.
Arnoni Aviation Inc. of Houston, Texas and Raytheon Aircraft Parts Inventory&Distribution Co. (RAPID) signed an agreement under which AAI will sell Raytheon Aircraft's excess and inactive inventory of parts for Hawker business jets, which includes some 21,000 line items. The inventory for sale, which includes structural components, hardware, consumables, rotables and kits, are listed on AAI's web site at www.125parts.com. For more information, contact AAI at (281) 590-1431.
Gary Freeman was named regional sales manager-maintenance at CAE SimuFlite, covering the Dallas-Fort Worth area and states west of the Mississippi River. He was most recently a regional sales manager at Gulfstream. A certified A&P, Freeman has experience in sales, technical services and as a maintenance technician.
The Federal Aviation Administration issued an emergency airworthiness directive grounding aircraft powered by Textron Lycoming TIO-540 and LTIO-540 engines, requiring operators to inspect and replace crankshafts before further flight. "This emergency AD is prompted by reports of 17 crankshaft failures in LTIO-540 and TIO engines, rated at 300 horsepower or higher, that were assembled with certain crankshafts that were manufactured using a hammer-forged process," FAA said.
PILATUS AIRCRAFT Model PC-6 airplanes (Docket No. 2002-CE-08-AD) - proposes to require inspection of the aileron assembly for correct configuration and modify as necessary. This proposed AD is the result of mandatory continuing airworthiness information issued by Switzerland. The actions specified by this proposed AD are intended to correct improper aileron assembly configuration, which could result in failure of the aileron mass balance weight. The proposed AD would affect an estimated 35 aircraft on the U.S.
MANAGEMENT CHANGES AT MOONEY IN WAKE OF ROY NORRIS' DEPARTURE - Roy Norris, who took over as top executive of Advanced Aerodynamics & Structures, Inc. last year, wrote off that company's signature Jetcruzer 500 aircraft because of design shortcomings and engineered the acquisition of Mooney Aircraft early this year, left the company this month.
Eclipse Aviation rolled out its first Eclipse 500 six weeks ago amid expectations that a first flight would follow shortly (BA, July 15/21), but the entry-level jet had not made it into the air by the end of last week. A spokeswoman said test pilots have conducted low- and medium-speed taxi tests, and officials still anticipate a first flight this summer. She emphasized, however, that officials do not want to do anything to jeopardize the program by rushing a first flight before they are sure the aircraft is completely ready.
National Business Aviation Association officials, buoyed by the success of a similar gathering in the Chicago area early this summer, have scheduled a Business Aviation Forum and Static Display in November in Fort Worth, Texas (BA, July 1/7).
Garmin Co-CEO Gary Burrell retired last week on his 65th birthday, but is remaining co-chairman and a director of the company. Min Kao, also co-chairman and co-CEO, is continuing as co-chairman and became the sole CEO. Burrell and Kao founded Garmin in 1989 and have jointly led the company since. Garmin designs, manufactures and markets navigation, communications and information devices for the aviation, marine, general recreation, automotive and wireless markets.
