NATIONAL AIRCRAFT RESALE ASSOCIATION added three companies to its membership: Aerospace Concepts, Universal Weather and Garrett Aviation Services. NARA represents 75 organizations involved in aircraft resale that abide by a 12-point Code of Ethics.
ELLIOTT AVIATION received an FAA supplemental type certificate for Universal Flat Panel Integrated Displays in the King Air 200/300/350 series aircraft. The certification will allow for the replacement of the standard King Air electromechanical or electronic flight information system ADI and HSI flight instruments with Universal EFI-550 five-inch flat panel integrated displays.
ELLIOTT AVIATION received an FAA supplemental type certificate for Universal Flat Panel Integrated Displays in the King Air 200/300/350 series aircraft. The certification will allow for the replacement of the standard King Air electromechanical or electronic flight information system ADI and HSI flight instruments with Universal EFI-550 five-inch flat panel integrated displays.
GENERAL DYNAMICS CANADA won a contract valued at $128 million (U.S.) from the Canadian Department of National Defense to provide and integrate a new data management system for the CP-140 Aurora, a long-range maritime patrol aircraft. GD will supply a new mission computer, integrate upgraded sensors, and provide ground facilities and logistics support. The data management system will support the Aurora's surface and undersea surveillance roles. GD will complete the work in Ottawa and Halifax.
NATIONAL AIRCRAFT RESALE ASSOCIATION added three companies to its membership: Aerospace Concepts, Universal Weather and Garrett Aviation Services. NARA represents 75 organizations involved in aircraft resale
Rep. Robin Hayes (R-N.C.) has been named vice chairman of the 46-member House aviation subcommittee, chaired by Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.). Hayes has been a licensed pilot for more than 30 years and is a member of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. "Aviation impacts my top two priorities for this session of Congress -- economic security and national security," Hayes said. He replaces John Cooksey (R-La.), who resigned from the Transportation Committee.
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).
ACM AVIATION added a Gulfstream V to its charter fleet. ACM operates a fleet of nearly 30 corporate jets from its base at San Jose, Calif., International Airport and other airports in California, Grand Junction, Colo., and Reno, Nev.
STAN ALLMON was named director of avionics at the JetCorp fixed based operation, located at the Spirit of St. Louis Airport. He will oversee JetCorp's avionics department and manage sales and the maintenance and installation of avionics packages. Allmon has worked at JetCorp for the past 10 years in various positions including avionics repair manager, avionics supervisor and avionics technician.
MIDWEST EXPRESS will change its name in January to Midwest Airlines, an effort to recapture an estimated $10 million in lost booking annually because some passengers selected other carriers because they assumed Midwest Express was a regional airline and possibly a turboprop operator. Skyway, a feeder carrier for Midwest Express, also will change its name to Midwest Connect, to more closely link it to the larger carrier.
ISABEL VALIENTE was named vice president-supply management at Piaggio America. She will be responsible for ordering parts and components for the Piaggio Personal Touch Service program. Valiente was most recently procurement manager for Sino Swearingen and also has worked for McDonnell Douglas and Piper Aircraft.
TRANSCONTINENTAL AVIONICS CORPORATION will move its recently acquired Houston Gulf Avionics from Houston Gulf Airport in League City, Texas to Scholes International Airport in Galveston. TCA will build new facilities for Houston Gulf, south of the terminal at Scholes. The facilities, which will be a prototype for future TCA facilities, will include a hangar, avionics shop, office suites and a retail showroom. Houston Gulf will operate from temporary office and hangar spaces at the airport until the new hangar is finished in the first quarter of 2003.
THE U.S. CUSTOMS SERVICE in Kentucky moved to its new offices at the newly renovated Delta Airlines terminal at Louisville International Airport. The customs service previously was located in downtown Louisville, and the relocation will allow customs inspectors to process international passengers and cargo flights more efficiently.
HONEYWELL and Stratos Aeronautical launched Mobile Connect, a new satellite telephone service "that provides each business jet traveler an unchanging, personal phone and fax number." Callers can use the same number to reach a traveler on any corporate jet. "The Mobile Connect service may be particularly attractive to fractional aircraft owners who fly on a number of different aircraft," said David Gilbert, OneLink business manager at Honeywell Aviation Information Services.
MOMENTUM appears to be growing for the National Business Aviation Association/European Business Aviation Association annual European Business Aviation Conference and Exhibition (EBACE). One major original equipment manufacturer chose to display at EBACE instead of the Farnborough Air Show in July, NBAA
Returning to a concept pursued by the Clinton administration, President Bush Thursday signed an executive order calling for the establishment of a performance-based air traffic organization (ATO) that will be run by a chief operating officer. The executive order was first signed by President Clinton on Dec. 7.
Model EC135 helicopters (Docket No. 2001-SW-69-AD; Amendment 39-12762; AD 2002-11-01) - requires modifying the engine electrical control unit (FADEC) software and the collective linear transducer (LVDT). This amendment is prompted by a parameter discrepancy within the engine fuel main metering unit that is transmitted to the FADEC. This condition, if not corrected, could result in deactivation of the engine main fuel-metering valve, loss of automatic control of the affected engine, and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.
SIKORSKY AIRCRAFT teamed with Raytheon to develop an Unmanned Combat Armed Rotorcraft (UCAR) concept under a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) contract. The contract covers the conceptual design, including effectiveness and cost projections, and a plan for the UCAR program. Sikorsky will draw upon its low observable combat rotorcraft design and integration experience from the Comanche and Raytheon will provide advanced sensors, advanced weapon development, unmanned aerial vehicle command and control, and C4ISR integration.
Mercury Air Centers is finalizing the sale of one its fixed-based operations and buying another FBO, yielding a pretax book gain of about $9 million for the Los Angeles-based company. Mercury signed a letter of intent with an international aviation service company to sell its FBO* in Bedford, Mass. for $15.5 million in cash and in return, buy one of its FBOs for $2 million in cash.
Eclipse Aviation's plans to build a new entry-level business jet took a step forward with a key FAA approval and the first flight of the EJ22 turbofan engine that will power the Eclipse 500 jet.
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF AIRPORT EXECUTIVES elected Gerald (Jerry) Olson, manager of Cheyenne, Wyo., Airport, as chairman during its 74th Annual Conference and Exposition in Dallas. Serving with Olson is Bonnie Allin, chief executive of the Tucson, Ariz., Airport Authority, as vice chair; Bill Barkhauer, director of Morristown, N.J., Municipal Airport, as second vice chair, and Lowell Pratte, deputy general manager for the Regional Airport Authority of Louisville, Ky., and Jefferson County, as secretary/treasurer.
Canadian regional aircraft-maker Bombardier Aerospace appears to be moving closer to buying Fairchild Dornier's 728 program. On the sidelines of the company's annual meeting last week, Bombardier CEO Robert Brown said, "There is a basis for commercial analysis" of the program. "In the short term, the chances are positive, but there is much work to do and we are far from a decision," he added. Brown also stressed that the commercial analysis was not a due diligence process. A final decision would be made "later this summer," he was quoted as saying.
HARTZELL PROPELLER signed Pilatus Aircraft to an exclusive purchasing contract covering all existing business with the Swiss manufacturer. Under the agreement, valued at $16 million, Hartzell will install propellers on Pilatus PC-6, PC-7, PC-9 and PC-12 single-engine turboprop aircraft through 2010. Hartzell and Pilatus also will collaborate on development programs such as the PC-21 Advanced Trainer, which was rolled out in May.
CESSNA approved Banyan Air Service as a factory authorized service and parts distribution center for Conquest, Caravan and piston-engine aircraft. Banyan, located at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport, fills a regional need in South Florida for parts and service work, Cessna said. The FBO has more than 80 technicians working in heavy maintenance, avionics, turbine engine work and propeller overhaul as well as eight people in parts distribution.
THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE'S rule requiring background checks of certain foreign nationals seeking flight training in the U.S. has received Office of Management and Budget approval and is expected to be released shortly. The rule, however, is expected to incorporate a number of changes that have been made since an industry briefing in April (BA, April 29/197).
