Air Security International signed an agreement to provide Le Bas International charter clients access to its "Hot Spots" security information. ASI's Hot Spots service provides a daily snapshot of worldwide travel and security events that could affect travel plans. Charter broker Le Bas uses a database of more than 5,000 aircraft worldwide for its charter clients.
Air Pegasus, the owner and operator of the District of Columbia's only public-use heliport, said it plans to close the facility at the end of the month. The heliport, located one mile south of the Capitol on South Capitol Street, has been closed to all but Metropolitan Police Department helicopters and a few flights for which waivers were issued, since Sept. 11.
Cessna Aircraft is offering the Honeywell Bendix/King KDR 510 flight information system and Bendix/King KMH 880 multi-hazard awareness system as factory-installed options on the Caravan single-turboprop beginning in 2003. The KDR 510 flight information system provides text and graphic weather and can be integrated with KMH 880 data such as the pilot's flight plan and current weather picture.
GA DELIVERIES DROP IN SECOND QUARTER - General aviation shipments continued to slide in the second quarter of the year with manufacturers worldwide delivering 17 percent fewer airplanes than in the second quarter of 2001, the General Aviation Manufacturers Association reported. General aviation companies shipped 668 new airplanes in the second quarter of 2002, compared with 806 during the same period in 2001. Billings during the quarter dropped 14.6 percent, from $3.57 billion a year ago to $3.05 billion in the most recent quarter, GAMA said.
Air Pegasus, the owner and operator of the District of Columbia's only public-use heliport, said it plans to close the facility at the end of the month. The heliport, located one mile south of the Capitol on South Capitol Street, has been closed to all but Metropolitan Police Department helicopters and a few flights for which waivers were issued, since Sept. 11.
While most other manufacturers were scaling back production, Cirrus Design Corp. nearly doubled its output, delivering more aircraft so far this year than any other general aviation manufacturer except Cessna. The Duluth, Minn. maker of the single-engine SR20 and SR22 shipped 168 airplanes in the first half of the year. New Piper delivered 157 and Raytheon Aircraft 113. See article as well as BA's unit shipment chart below.
Garvey expects to take some time off after leaving FAA this coming weekend, some of which will be spent helping make arrangement for her daughter's upcoming wedding. But she told BA she expects to be back in Washington before long working in the transportation sector.
EUROCOPTER FRANCE Model AS332C, AS332L, AS332L1, SA330F, SA330G, and SA330J helicopters (Docket No. 2001-SW-35-AD) - proposes to require inspecting the tail rotor pitch change rod bearing and replacing the bearing if it does not meet the specified tolerance. Also, this proposal would require inspecting the bearing for spalling, friction, and grinding and removing any unairworthy bearing. This proposal is prompted by the seizure of a bearing on an ECF Model SA330 helicopter.
Textron's Aircraft Segment revenues rose $65 million in the quarter ended June 29, primarily due to the performance of Cessna Aircraft, the company said. Cessna's revenues rose $61 million "primarily due to higher volume and higher pricing, higher used aircraft sales and higher spare parts and service sales, partially offset by lower sales of single-engine piston aircraft that have been affected by the weak economy," Textron said.
Meggitt Avionics/S-TEC won FAA supplemental type certificate approval for its MAGIC 2100 digital flight control system (DFCS) on the Twin Commander. The DFCS is a three-axis, digital flight control system that provides guidance based on the Meggitt air data, attitude, heading reference system. The system includes an integrated altitude pre-selector and indicated airspeed hold function and displays active and armed modes for better situational awareness.
NEW LEARJET TO BE IN SERVICE IN 2004 - Bombardier officials unveiled the Learjet 40 last week, a shorter-fuselage version of the popular Model 45 at a lower price (BA, July 15/24).
CESSNA REVENUES UP SLIGHTLY, TEXTRON SAYS - Textron's Aircraft Segment revenues rose $65 million in the quarter ended June 29, primarily due to the performance of Cessna Aircraft, the company said. Cessna's revenues rose $61 million "primarily due to higher volume and higher pricing, higher used aircraft sales and higher spare parts and service sales, partially offset by lower sales of single-engine piston aircraft that have been affected by the weak economy," Textron said.
Garvey expects to take some time off after leaving FAA this coming weekend, some of which will be spent helping make arrangements for her daughter's upcoming wedding. But she told BA she expects to be back in Washington before long working in the transportation sector.
P&WC EYES RUSSIAN RJ AS POSSIBLE PW800 LAUNCH - Pratt & Whitney Canada is pursuing an agreement with Russian officials for use of the engine manufacturer's new 10,000-pound-plus thrust powerplant to launch the new PW800 program on a new line of regional jets.
FAA BLOCKS ISSUANCE OF PRIVATE PILOT CERTIFICATES TO FOREIGN PILOTS - The Federal Aviation Administration is temporarily barring the issuance of private pilot certificates based on a foreign pilot's license under FAR 61.75. FAA directed Flight Standards division managers this month to immediately stop issuing the private pilot certificates. AOPA estimated that about 2,800 foreign pilots earn U.S. certificates under 61.75 each year.
The House last week approved a bill that would ensure the continued operation of Chicago's Meigs Field at least for the next several years. The bill, cleared by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee late last month (BA, July 1/6), essentially cements a deal struck between Chicago Mayor Richard Daley (D) and Illinois Gov. George Ryan (R) that lays out a plan to significantly expand Chicago O'Hare International Airport and explore a new airport in Peotone, Ill. (BA, Dec. 10/267).
Federal Aviation Administration selected five sites for its latest round of awards in the Military Airport Program, which provides funds to facilities that have converted or plan to covert from military to civilian or joint airport use. The airports are: Guam International; San Bernardino International, Calif.; Sawyer Airport, Marquette, Mich.; Mid-America Airport, Belleville, Ill.; and Plattsburgh International, Plattsburgh, N.Y. All but Plattsburgh are already in the program and are being re-designated to continue. A dozen other airports also are in the MAP.
Meggitt Avionics/S-TEC won FAA supplemental type certificate approval for its MAGIC 2100 digital flight control system (DFCS) on the Twin Commander. The DFCS is a three-axis, digital flight control system that provides guidance based on the Meggitt air data, attitude, heading reference system. The system includes an integrated altitude pre-selector and indicated airspeed hold function and displays active and armed modes for better situational awareness.
Business aviation advocates in Washington, aggravated by the continuing failure of government officials to warn them before implementing Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs), fear that the industry will have to cope with "hundreds" more TFRs down the road. Not only do TFRs make it difficult or impossible to fly to certain locations, the lack of notice prior to implementation results in aircraft being "trapped" in a TFR and unable to fly anywhere.
In a parting speech Wednesday before the Aero Club of Washington, FAA Administrator Jane Garvey stressed the collaborative effort between government and industry during her tenure at the helm of FAA. Garvey's last day as administrator is Aug. 4. Below are excerpts from that speech, which she said was her "state of aviation" address.
Congress last week passed a supplemental spending bill that would provide an additional $3.85 billion for the Transportation Security Administration - $550 million less than the Bush Administration sought. Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta told separate House and Senate panels that the funding shortage threatened key security deadlines. "The Administration's emergency supplemental request was the amount we needed to do the job. No more, no less," Mineta said. "Congress has given us a strict and inflexible mandate, and insufficient funds to meet it."
Cutter Aviation expanded to its fifth location with the opening of a new $3 million fixed-base operation at Dallas Executive Airpark, formerly Redbird Airport. The facility will provide aircraft sales, maintenance, charter and parts and avionics service. The Dallas FBO is a branded Phillips 66 dealer as are Cutter's other facilities in Albuquerque, N.M., El Paso, Texas, and Phoenix and Deer Valley, Ariz. The Dallas terminal includes a reception area, pilot's lounges, weather briefing area and office space.
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
HOUSE PASSES BILL PRESERVING MEIGS FIELD - The House last week approved a bill that would ensure the continued operation of Chicago's Meigs Field at least for the next several years. The bill, cleared by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee late last month (BA, July 1/6), essentially cements a deal struck between Chicago Mayor Richard Daley (D) and Illinois Gov. George Ryan (R) that lays out a plan to significantly expand Chicago O'Hare International Airport and explore a new airport in Peotone, Ill. (BA, Dec. 10/267).
