THE TRANSPORTATION SECURITY ADMINISTRATION is seeking a full-time, permanent Director of General Aviation Security, who would be based in Washington, D.C. The job posting number is TSA-02-119. The estimated pay range is $104,800 to $150,000, but TSA said it wants responses by this Friday (June 20).
Aviation General appointed Matthew J. Goodman president and chief operating officer of Commander Aircraft Company. Goodman has worked for the manufacturer since its founding in 1988 and was most recently senior vice president, marketing and sales. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin, Goodman is a private pilot with commercial, instrument, multi-engine, seaplane and aerobatic ratings and has more than 11,000 flight hours. Commander Aircraft is a wholly owned subsidiary of Aviation General.
HAY'S DEPARTURE MAY PRESAGE MAJOR CHANGES AT CESSNA -- Gary Hay, a career-long Cessna Aircraft employee who became chief executive of the Wichita manufacturer just two and one-half years ago, will retire from the company at the end of the month because of significant differences with officials of Textron, Inc., Cessna's parent company.
MINETA: BUSH ADMINISTRATION NOT LOOKING AT PRIVATIZATION -- In an attempt to allay fears of air traffic controllers and the general aviation community, the Bush Administration last week emphasized that it had no plans to propose privatizing the air traffic control system even though it deleted a phrase in a Clinton Administration executive order that calls air traffic services "an inherently government function." President Bush raised concerns over the potential of privatization when he removed that phrase and then re-signed a Dec.
CHARTER SERVICES (CSI), a New Mexico-based charter carrier, was selected by the National Interagency Fire Center to work with Falcon Air Express, Spirit Airlines and other carriers to transport firefighters dispatched to combat wildland fires this summer in the U.S. CSI last summer carried more than 100 firefighters from South Dakota to Oregon and transported other crews to sites in Washington and North Carolina.
EUROCOPTER Model SA330F, SA330G, SA330J, AS332C, AS332L, and AS332L1 helicopters (Docket No. 2001-SW-66-AD) - proposes to require inspecting each tail rotor blade de-icing rotating collector) for radial play and rotation torque at specified intervals. If the play or torque exceeds the specified standard, this proposal would require replacing the collector with an airworthy part. This proposal is prompted by excessive play measured on the collector of an ECF Model AS332 helicopter.
BILL GARDNER was named vice president, Asia at FlightSafety Boeing Training International. Based in Seoul, South Korea, Gardner will be responsible for training operations in Korea and China as well as developing and expanding FSB's training services in Asia. Gardner was previously director of business and simulator operations for FSB. Before joining FSB in 1999, he spent 10 years at Boeing, working in customer services and training.
A new shared aircraft ownership company, ShAirForce, unveiled its aircraft sales and marketing program by launching its web site, www.shairforce.com, last week. The launch follows on the heels of an agreement between the company and Piedmont Aviation Services to operate ShAirForce's fleet of new Boeing Business Jets on Piedmont's Pace Airlines' FAA Part 121 certificate.
HONEYWELL said its new Flight Management Simulation system will enable pilots to be trained on the same Honeywell flight code used in aircraft, so the displays they see in training are the same they will see when flying aircraft. "Vendors using Honeywell's FMS Simulation System in their training products will no longer need to use reverse-engineered displays," said Mads Brandt, Honeywell's training solutions manager.
GA CAUTIOUS OVER BUSH HOMELAND SECURITY PROPOSAL -- General aviation industry leaders are hoping that President Bush's proposal to create an all-encompassing cabinet-level Homeland Security Department will create a more efficient approach to handling aviation security, but express concern about moving aviation security further away from transportation expertise.
In an attempt to allay fears of air traffic controllers and the general aviation community, the Bush Administration last week emphasized that it had no plans to propose privatizing the air traffic control system even though it deleted a phrase in a Clinton Administration executive order that calls air traffic services "an inherently government function." President Bush raised concerns over the potential of privatization when he removed that phrase and then re-signed a Dec.
Gary Hay, a career-long Cessna Aircraft employee who became chief executive of the Wichita manufacturer just two and one-half years ago, will retire from the company at the end of the month because of significant differences with officials of Textron, Inc., Cessna's parent company.
ANOTHER AIRLINE has acknowledged that business jets are claiming a bigger share of its high-yield, first-class passengers. Swiss International Air Lines, formed from the ashes of Swissair's post-9/11 demise, is logging 80 percent load factors on long-haul flights after just three months of operations. But officials say the numbers would be better if not for the reluctance of some former first-class passengers to fly on commercial carriers.
KEYSTONE HELICOPTER signed a five-year agreement to provide flight management services for the MetroHealth System's Metro Life program in Cleveland, Ohio. Keystone will provide 25 pilots and nine aircraft maintenance technicians to support the hospital's four Sikorsky S-76 helicopters.
CMC TO ACQUIRE FLIGHT VISIONS -- Montreal-based CMC Electronics signed an agreement to buy Flight Visions, Inc. of Sugar Grove, Ill. Flight Visions designs and manufactures a range of cockpit systems and products that includes head-up displays, mission computers and control panels for fighter and trainer aircraft, and helicopters. The Sugar Grove plant has about 100 employees.
General aviation industry leaders are hoping that President Bush's proposal to create an all-encompassing cabinet-level Homeland Security Department will create a more efficient approach to handling aviation security, but express concern about moving aviation security further away from transportation expertise. Bush's plan calls for consolidating government-wide security offices, which means that the Department of Transportation's newly formed Transportation Security Administration, as well as the Coast Guard, will move to the Homeland Security Department.
AIR TRANSPORT ASSOCIATION has launched a search for a new president. The organization, which represents the large scheduled airlines, said Carol Hallett plans to step down as president and chief executive April 30, 2003. She joined ATA in 1995. Hallett, who has been active in Republican Party activities, previously served as U.S. Customs Commissioner under the senior President Bush and as the U.S. ambassador to The Bahamas.
KEN SCHNURBUSCH was named manager of avionics planning at JetCorp in St. Louis. He will be responsible for preplanning for all major avionics installations and acquiring new technology. He also will provide sales support and act as a contact between production and customers. Schnurbusch was most recently JetCorp's avionics sales manager and has more than 25 years of avionics experience.
KEN SCHNURBUSCH was named manager of avionics planning at JetCorp in St. Louis. He will be responsible for preplanning for all major avionics installations and acquiring new technology. He also will provide sales support and act as a contact between production and customers. Schnurbusch was most recently JetCorp's avionics sales manager and has more than 25 years of avionics experience.
ROCKWELL COLLINS said its avionics communications router (ACR) will be used to support datalink capabilities on the Airbus A380. The ACR is an onboard system that connects aircraft and ground-based systems and both manages and supports data traffic through various communications tools, including the airborne communications addressing and reporting system.
Faulty coordination between the pilots and the continuation of an unstabilized approach past the missed approach point, were cited by the National Transportation Safety Board as critical factors in the March 29, 2001 crash of a Gulfstream III at Aspen-Pitkin County Airport Sardy Field (ASE) in Aspen, Colo. (BA, April 2, 2001/156).
BOEING is establishing a new service center in Wichita, Kan., to repair and overhaul aircraft nacelles and composite structures. The Boeing Wichita Service Center increases Boeing's worldwide network of service centers to nine. "Traditionally Boeing Wichita has designed and built aircraft assemblies and components," said Jeff Turner, Boeing Wichita vice president-general manager. "The establishment of this new service center, however, gives us an opportunity to expand into new business endeavors and utilize the expertise of our great workforce."
CHUCK TAYLOR was named director of corporate communications at DynCorp. He was most recently senior vice president at Edelman Public Relations Worldwide. Taylor worked for 11 years at PRC, Inc., formerly Northr. Grumman, as the company spokesperson, and has more than 20 years of public relations experience.
BAE Systems Limited Model 4101 airplanes (Docket No. 2001-NM-151-AD; Amendment 39-12773; AD 2002-12-01) - requires a functional test of the shortening mechanism of the nose landing gear for free movement of the capsule in the upper and lower bearings, and corrective action, if necessary. This action is necessary to prevent damage to the capsule, which could result in inability to extend the nose landing gear in normal or emergency situations, and consequent injury to passengers and flight crew. FAA estimates this AD will affect 59 Model 4101 airplanes on the U.S.
AOPA also is combating the view that small aircraft pose a threat to nuclear power plants. It released a report that concludes that GA aircraft could not penetrate concrete containment vessels at nuclear plants and that even an "explosive-laden" GA aircraft would not likely cause the release of radiation. As AOPA released its report, Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) was trying to generate support for a bill he introduced to require criminal background checks on all foreign applicants to U.S. flight schools, regardless of what size aircraft applicants would be flying.
