The U.S. aerospace industry is heading toward a labor shortage in the next decade as mounting layoffs, coupled with a dwindling interest among students, continues to shrink the work force, the Commission on the Future of the U.S. Aerospace Industry, warned last week. Chartered to assess the overall health of the U.S. aerospace industry, the commission Wednesday released its third interim report with a series of recommendations on boosting space infrastructure, the aerospace industrial base and the future work force.
The International Business Aviation Council has developed a new International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations (IS-BAO), codifying best practices of the industry. IS-BAO is the culmination of two years of development that included input from flight department representatives worldwide.
The Department of Transportation announced June 25 it awarded a multibillion-dollar contract to a team led by Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman to modernize the Coast Guard's ships, aircraft and communications systems. The $11 billion contract, which could be extended up to three decades, includes $5.91 billion for operation, maintenance and sustainment for a total cost of $16.95 billion.
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.
Fulfilling another mandate from the Aviation and Transportation Security Act, the U.S. Customs Service last week ordered air carriers to provide the agency with electronic access to passenger name record (PNR) information upon request. The interim final rule, published in the June 25 Federal Register, provides the Customs Data Center direct access to "the carrier's automated reservation system and/or departure control system that sets forth the identity and travel plans of any passenger(s) on flights in foreign air transportation either to or from the U.S."
Craig Bevington was named vice president-sales and marketing, new engine programs, at Superior Air Parts. He will be responsible for sales and marketing for sport aviation, new aircraft production and supplemental type certificate customers. Bevington has more than 15 years of experience in sales and marketing and was most recently marketing and sales manager at Teledyne Continental Motors.
Bombardier selected CaseBank Technologies to provide its SpotLight maintenance diagnostic software/system to CRJ regional jet and Q400 turboprop operators. Under the long-term agreement, SpotLight will collect and share diagnostic experiences among operators of the CRJ100, CRJ200, CRJ700, CRJ900 and Q400 aircraft. The service is provided on an annual subscription basis.
FAA's controller hiring plans are inadequate, and the widely publicized problem of controller retirements is going to be even worse than the agency predicts, the General Accounting Office concluded. Congressional aviation leaders and the National Air Traffic Controllers Association called for the FAA to take action to prevent controller shortages causing disruption to air traffic.
SEN. HERB KOHL (D-Wis.) last week stepped up his efforts to ensure that charter operators meet more stringent security requirements.Kohl sent letters to his colleagues in the Senate as well as to Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta urging them to support requiring pre-boarding screening of passengers and their luggage for charter flights involving aircraft that weigh 12,500 pounds or more. "I am stunned that we have managed to overlook the threat posed by large charter aircraft," Kohl told Senate colleagues.
Signature Flight Support, which already operates the only fixed-base operation at Boston's Logan International Airport, expanded its reach in the Boston-area market last week with the acquisition of Mercury Air Center's Bedford, Mass. facility at Hanscom Field (BED). Signature paid Mercury $15.5 million in cash, plus payment for certain inventories for the BED facility (BA, June 10/274), where it will compete against an FBO operated by Jet Aviation, an entity whose owners are seeking bids for the entire company.
Docket No.: FAA-2002-12349 Petitioner: Bombardier Aerospace Section of 14 CFR Affected: 14 CFR 25.815 Description of Relief Sought: To allow relief from the aisle width requirement at the forward inboard aft-facing seat on the BD-700-1A10 Global Express corporate airplane. A seat placard will state "not for use during taxi, takeoff, or landing."
Akridge Aircraft Interiors teamed with IFR Avionics to establish an IFR Avionics satellite facility at Akridge's Dallas Executive Airport site. Akridge and IFR Avionics will partner on a number of projects such as installation of an Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System, a SatCom and a cabin information and entertainment system on a Gulfstream IV undergoing an interior redesign. IFR Avionics also will offer complete avionics installation and upgrade services independently at the Dallas location.
Superior Air Parts, Inc., Coppell, Texas, signed a new $10 million financing agreement with PNC Business Credit, a member of the PNC Financial Services Group. The three-year facility is in the form of a revolving credit line secured primarily by working capital. It replaces a similar agreement with General Electric Capital Corp.
Akridge Aircraft Interiors teamed with IFR Avionics to establish an IFR Avionics satellite facility at Akridge's Dallas Executive Airport site. Akridge and IFR Avionics will partner on a number of projects such as installation of an Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System, a SatCom and a cabin information and entertainment system on a Gulfstream IV undergoing an interior redesign. IFR Avionics also will offer complete avionics installation and upgrade services independently at the Dallas location.
Former Learjet demonstration pilot Susan C. Anderson recently launched a web site that specializes in posting resumes of corporate pilots and flight attendants seeking both contract jobs and full-time employment. Check the site at pilots4rent.com or contact Anderson at Factory Pilots Plus, Inc., 6542 Hypoluxo Road, Suite 285, Lake Worth, Fla. 33467; telephone, (561) 704-2885; or fax, (413) 403-8219.
Docket No.: FAA-2002-12350 Petitioner: Bombardier Aerospace Section of 14 CFR Affected: 14 CFR 25.813(e) Description of Relief Sought: To permit installation of a hinged door between passenger compartments on the BD-700-1A10 Global Express corporate airplane.
Federal Aviation Administration agreed to extend through June 14, 2003, the authority of Designated Airworthiness Representatives (DARs) to sign 8130-3 tags. The tags provide domestic airworthiness approvals for parts held by accredited distributors. The Aviation Suppliers Association appealed to FAA to extend the DAR authority, arguing that if the authority expires, "distributors will be left with billions of dollars worth of inventory they cannot sell" (BA, June 10/275).
Docket No.: FAA-2002-11868 Petitioner: The Boeing Company Section of 14 CFR Affected: 14 CFR 25.365(e) Description of Relief Sought: To permit a time-limited exemption for a period not to exceed three years to allow continued delivery of Model 767 airplanes, both in production and retrofit, which incorporate enhanced security flight deck doors meeting the requirements of 14 CFR 25.795(a)(1) and (2).
After 44 months of development and testing, Honeywell won Federal Aviation Administration certification for its AS907 turbofan engine, the company's first "clean sheet" engine since 1972. FAA presented the type and production certificates simultaneously to Honeywell officials in Phoenix last week.
FAA's controller hiring plans are inadequate, and the widely publicized problem of controller retirements is going to be even worse than the agency predicts, the General Accounting Office concluded. Congressional aviation leaders and the National Air Traffic Controllers Association called for the FAA to take action to prevent controller shortages causing disruption to air traffic.
National Business Aviation Association promoted a number of employees in the association's Membership Department. Dan Burkhart was named director of regional programs with day-to-day responsibilities and supervision of the Regional Representative program. He will continue to report to Joe Ponte, vice president of membership, marketing and regional programs. Sue Kaplan was appointed senior manager, membership records and services, with responsibility for managing member records and coordinating regional events such as REACHBACs and forums.
With FAA Administrator Jane Garvey's departure only a month away, the U.S. Commission on the Future of the U.S. Aerospace Industry called on President Bush last week to move quickly to appoint a new management team at FAA. The commission noted that FAA's senior leadership team is in transition during a "time of severe air transportation challenges." Not only is FAA Administrator Jane Garvey set to leave in August but acting Deputy Administrator Monte Belger plans to retire at the end of this month (BA, May 13/225).
Richard A. (Dick) Henson, 92, a pioneer in the commuter airline business, died June 12 at his home in Salisbury, Md. Henson, who spent more than 30 years as a test pilot with Fairchild Aircraft, began operating commuter airline service in 1962 between his home town of Hagerstown, Md. and Washington, D.C. His operation later became the first member of the Allegheny Commuter network.
