TAG Aviation USA, Inc. named three individuals to new positions, including one who is returning to the company. William Glodfelty returns to TAG as director, client services, with responsibility for customer accounts in the western U.S. A 35-year veteran of the industry, Glodfelty began his career as an aircraft sales representative for Beech Aircraft. He later was district sales manager and western regional vice president for Gates Learjet Corp.
Gulfstream last month installed its Enhanced Vision System on an in-service Air Force C-37A aircraft, the military designation for the Gulfstream V, and said the system performance has exceeded expectations. The Gulfstream EVS won FAA certification in September and the system will be standard equipment on the GV-SP. The system gives pilots a visual image of runway markings, taxiways, adjacent roads and surrounding landscape during night and reduced visibility conditions.
Gulfstream Aerospace named Jet Aviation Management AG an authorized Gulfstream service center and warranty repair facility for the Gulfstream 100 and Gulfstream 200 business jets. Under an agreement between the companies, Jet Aviation will maintain a European Spares Center in Dusseldorf, Germany with an initial provisioning of $1 million of spares and components for the two models. Jet Aviation facilities in Hannover, Germany and Singapore also were approved as service centers for the G100/G200, while the company's Geneva, Switzerland facility will support the G200.
Flight Explorer released the Personal Edition 4.0 of its Internet-based real-time flight tracking and information software. Based on aircraft situation display, the software allows access to track IFR flights in the U.S. and Canada through a personal computer. Based on Flight Explorer's Professional Edition, the Personal Edition software includes surface overlays, user defined view settings, aircraft filtering, map manipulation and a "Follow Me" function to track an individual flight from takeoff to landing.
DASSAULT FALCON JET officials say more than 300 people are working on the Joint Development Design Phase of the Falcon 7X7 business jet, with about half the team composed of Dassault Aviation design engineers, complemented by representatives of other disciplines within the company plus participants from the program's risk-sharing partners. "We're very pleased with the way the aircraft is coming together," said Yves Davaine, Dassault's program manager.
FORT LAUDERDALE Groups Favor Runway Plan - Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Airport recently received two important votes of support for its proposed runway extension, but more crucial decisions are expected to come later this year. The Fort Lauderdale City Commission voted to approve the runway project, and the city's Downtown Development Authority also expressed its support of the plan. The airport seeks to extend its 5,000-foot south runway to nearly 9,000 feet but has run into strenuous objections due to the project's environmental impact.
Federal Aviation Administration issued special certification conditions for an S-Tec modification of the Piper Mirage PA-46-350P airplane. The supplemental type certificate covers the installation of a singled-sided electronic flight instrument system, which includes a Meggitt "Magic" display. The special conditions are designed to ensure that the display can be adequately protected from the effects of high intensity radiated field.
ECLIPSE CEO Vern Raburn returned Friday from a sweep through Europe that he said proved much more fruitful than he expected."We were frankly blown away," Raburn said, adding that he found a "much higher level of interest than we were sensitized to." He called Europe a "perfect market" for the small Eclipse 500 jet because the aircraft can use the short and unimproved runways that are common in Europe. Even Geneva International Airport (GVA) has a grass strip for general aviation, he noted.
Raytheon Aircraft Company selected Airshow, Inc. to provide a total cabin management system for the Hawker Horizon aircraft. The system will include Airshow's line of DVD, CD and VCR entertainment components, LCD displays and the Airshow Network. Financial terms were not disclosed, but RAC will take delivery of the first equipment for production airplanes during the second half of 2003.
Raytheon Aircraft is seeking new markets for its Beech 1900D 19-passenger airliner as regional airlines continue to transition their fleets from turboprops to jets. RAC was displaying a German-registered Model 1900D Executive configuration that includes an air ambulance component at last week's European Business Aviation Conference and Exhibition (EBACE). Beechcraft Berlin Aviation GmbH completed the 16-passenger interior that includes a Spectrum Aeromed Systems air ambulance installation in the aft cabin adjacent to the aircraft's cargo door.
Cessna Aircraft's Citation European Service Center increased its hours of operation and added personnel to meet the needs of European-based Citation business jet operators. The facility, near Le Bourget Aviation in Paris, has completed modifications of 27 Citations to bring them into compliance with new Reduced Vertical Separation Minimums (RVSM) standards. It operates from 0700 to 2200 five days a week and provides 24/7 AOG response.
ALTHOUGH senior Transportation Security Administration officials hoped to release a security plan by the end of May that would allow general aviation back into Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), that plan still has not been released. TSA finished its work but had not received all the necessary clearances for its release before the end of the month, said Pete West, senior vice president of government and public affairs for the National Business Aviation Association.
Raytheon Aircraft Company selected Airshow, Inc. to provide a total cabin management system for the Hawker Horizon aircraft. The system will include Airshow's line of DVD, CD and VCR entertainment components, LCD displays and the Airshow Network. Financial terms were not disclosed, but RAC will take delivery of the first equipment for production airplanes during the second half of 2003.
ORGANIZERS were pleased with the results of the Second Annual European Business Aviation Conference&Exhibition (EBACE2002), which drew 4,824 attendees, up from the first EBACE attendance of 3,620. Some 219 exhibitors bought 533 three by three-meter booth spaces this year and 35 aircraft were on static display. National Business Aviation Association President John Olcott said the partnership between NBAA and the European Business Aviation Association has "formed a very effective means of communicating the good news of business aviation in the European marketplace.
Cessna Aircraft's Citation European Service Center increased its hours of operation and added personnel to meet the needs of European-based Citation business jet operators. The facility, near Le Bourget Aviation in Paris, has completed modifications of 27 Citations to bring them into compliance with new Reduced Vertical Separation Minimums (RVSM) standards. It operates from 0700 to 2200 five days a week and provides 24/7 AOG response.
Rolls-Royce appointed A.S. Novick to the newly created position of vice president-cost excellence. Novick will coordinate business units to improve product cost management and overall cost reduction. He will be based in Indianapolis and report to Rolls-Royce COO Dick Lewis. Novick previously served as vice president-supplier relationships and Alliance management. Novick has served with Rolls-Royce since it acquired Allison Engine Company in 1995.
TINA RULO was named vice president of human resources and administration for Eclipse Aviation Corp. Rulo has more than 20 years of human resources experience, serving as vice president of human resources for Western Multiplex, Hyperion Solutions and VLSI Technology Inc.
Jet Aviation, one of the world's largest operators of high-end business jets and aircraft maintenance facilities, is being shopped around to potential buyers, officials confirmed last week. The official word, from a Jet Aviation spokesman, was that the board of directors of Hirschmann Industrial Holding Ltd. Zug, the parent company of Jet Aviation, has retained the services of Goldman Sachs and is "currently evaluating strategic options, including, but not limited to a potential combination and/or cooperation of Jet Aviation with a strategic partner."
Rolls-Royce appointed A.S. Novick to the newly created position of vice president-cost excellence. Novick will coordinate business units to improve product cost management and overall cost reduction. He will be based in Indianapolis and report to Rolls-Royce COO Dick Lewis. Novick previously served as vice president-supplier relationships and Alliance management. Novick has served with Rolls-Royce since it acquired Allison Engine Company in 1995.
RAYTHEON'S HORIZON MOVING TOWARD CERTIFICATION NEXT YEAR - Raytheon Aircraft has added a second aircraft to the flight test program for the Hawker Horizon, and the company expects to wrap up FAA certification for its new super mid-size business jet in 2003, Raytheon Aircraft said last week. "The Hawker Horizon is exceeding our expectations in flight test," said Jim Schuster, chairman and chief executive of Raytheon Aircraft, who added that company executives have been pleased with its progress.
DASSAULT FALCON JET officials say more than 300 people are working on the Joint Development Design Phase of the Falcon 7X7 business jet, with about half the team composed of Dassault Aviation design engineers, complemented by representatives of other disciplines within the company plus participants from the program's risk-sharing partners. "We're very pleased with the way the aircraft is coming together," said Yves Davaine, Dassault's program manager.
ECLIPSE CEO Vern Raburn returned Friday from a sweep through Europe that he said proved much more fruitful than he expected. "We were frankly blown away," Raburn said, adding that he found a "much higher level of interest than we were sensitized to." He called Europe a "perfect market" for the small Eclipse 500 jet because the aircraft can use the short and unimproved runways that are common in Europe. Even Geneva International Airport (GVA) has a grass strip for general aviation, he noted.
GLOBAL EXPRESS WINS JAPANESE CERTIFICATION - Bombardier's long-range Global Express business jet won type certification approval from the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau, clearing the way for customers to register the 6,500-nautical-mile aircraft in Japan. The Canadian manufacturer won Transport Canada and U.S. FAA type approval for the Global Express in 1998 and it has now been certificated in 33 countries, including 24 in Europe. Since entering corporate service in 1999, Bombardier said 64 Global Express aircraft have been delivered to operators worldwide.
Jet Aviation Dusseldorf was named an authorized service center for Raytheon Premier I aircraft. The recognition allows the Dusseldorf, Germany, facility to perform heavy and scheduled airframe and engine maintenance on the business jet. Jet Aviation Dusseldorf also is a Raytheon authorized service center for the King Air 200 and 300, Beech 1900, Beech Baron and Beech Bonanza.
