Despite this month's announcement that the Department of Transportation plans to publish a rule by the end of May to allow general aviation back into Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), a lot of work remains to be done to establish the new security measures, the National Business Aviation Association said Monday (BA, May 13/221).
The Pace of pilot hiring by fractional aircraft operators is running ahead of most other types of large fleet operators, according to AIR, Inc. of Atlanta, Ga. Through April, fractionals had hired 447 pilots this year, compared with 1,038 for all of 2001. For the first third of 2002, the fractionals had hired more pilots than the 14 major carriers (264) and were right behind the 32 national carriers, who had added 503 new pilots through April.
Transportation Security Administration officials Thursday visited Westchester County Airport (HPN) in White Plains, N.Y. to get a first-hand look at how new security rules would apply to charter operations. The National Air Transportation Association led officials on a tour of three kinds of Part 135 certificate holders at HPN - one that is only a charter operator, one that is part of a full-service fixed-base operation and another that is actually a corporate flight department choosing to hold the certificate.
ANN HOLMES was named director, cabin safety and service, at TAG Aviation. She will be responsible for developing training programs, procedures and service standards. Holmes previously worked for Gulfstream and has worked as a commercial and business aviation flight attendant for 20 years.
Transportation Security Administration officials Thursday visited Westchester County Airport (HPN) in White Plains, N.Y. to get a first-hand look at how new security rules would apply to charter operations. The National Air Transportation Association led officials on a tour of three kinds of Part 135 certificate holders at HPN - one that is only a charter operator, one that is part of a full-service fixed-base operation and another that is actually a corporate flight department choosing to hold the certificate.
The pace of pilot hiring by fractional aircraft operators is running ahead of most other types of large fleet operators, according to AIR, Inc. of Atlanta, Ga. Through April, fractionals had hired 447 pilots this year, compared with 1,038 for all of 2001. For the first third of 2002, the fractionals had hired more pilots than the 14 major carriers (264) and were right behind the 32 national carriers, who had added 503 new pilots through April.
Gulfstream Aerospace executives claim to have markedly improved the quality of Gulfstream 200 (Galaxy) business jets since acquiring Galaxy Aerospace nearly a year ago (BA, June 11/271).In June 2001, the average number of squawks or "exceptions" at delivery was in excess of 100, officials said this month. The average had fallen to under 20 by March and to 10 with the most recent delivery.
HOUSE PANEL MOVES TO CANCEL REMAINING AIRLINE BAILOUT COMPENSATION - Proponents of the $5.5 billion general aviation relief bill received another setback last week after the House Appropriations Committee moved to rescind portions of the $15 billion airline bailout bill. The committee approved a provision that would rescind the remainder of $5 billion in direct compensation that has not already been handed out to air carriers under the Air Transportation Safety and System Stabilization Act.
Honeywell expects its AS907 turbofan, which will power the Bombardier Continental business jet, to win FAA certification next month, and officials are confident the new powerplant will enjoy a trouble-free service introduction based on an extensive test program.
Israel Aircraft Industries posted net profits of $15 million on revenues of $509 million in the first quarter. Profits fell 25 percent from the $20.1 million earned in the first quarter of 2001, while revenues rose about two percent.
Goodrich Corporation opened its relocated aircraft wheel and brake overhaul facility last week in Wichita, Kan. The new center, at 7016 Pueblo Drive, has 60 percent more space and will help Goodrich meet an increase in demand for business aircraft overhauls, the company said.
DAVE SCHIVER was named Learjet technical representative at Duncan Aviation in Lincoln, Neb. Schiver will provide technical information to Learjet operators on Duncan's Learjet airframe programs and act as a liaison between the company and Bombardier. He has more than 20 years of aviation experience and was most recently Learjet project supervisor and program manager at Bombardier.
The business jet market is currently saturated, but anticipated growth should create the potential for delivery of $100 billion worth of business jets over the next 10 years, Teal Group analysts predicted in their 12th Annual World Business Aircraft Production Forecast. Teal Group's forecast was considerably more conservative than Honeywell's, which recently revised its own outlook to predict a market for 8,200 business jets valued at $124 billion between 2002 and 2011 (BA, April 29/199).
Regal Aviation added a Gulfstream IIB and two Hawker 700s to its managed-aircraft fleet, bringing to 20 the number of aircraft it manages. The G-II and one of the Hawkers are based at Regal's headquarters at Dallas Love Field. The third aircraft will be operated out of Regal's facility at Houston Hobby Airport.
BOMBARDIER Model CL-600-2C10 Regional Jet Series 700 and 701 series airplanes (Docket No. 2002-NM-99-AD; Amendment 39-12731; AD 2002-08-19) - supersedes an existing AD that currently requires revising the Airplane Flight Manual to address uncommanded transfer of fuel between the wing fuel tanks and the center fuel tank; revising the Minimum Equipment List; limiting airplane operation; and increasing normal mission fuel requirements by 3,000 pounds.
Model CL-600-2B19 series airplanes (Docket No. 2001-NM-49-AD; Amendment 39-12738; AD 2002-09-05) - requires a one-time inspection of the fuel-level sensing wires in the center fuel tank for damage and for clearance from the adjacent structure; and corrective action, if necessary.
GAPS are often defined as troublesome spaces or breaks in continuity, but Gulfstream Aerospace says its new GAPS program is designed to improve support to its customers who operate aircraft under warranty. See article below.
PRATT&WHITNEY named Sherman Baldwin vice president of strategy, and said he will report to President Louis R. Chenevert. Baldwin, a former Navy pilot who later served as a special assistant to the Secretary of the Navy and as a planner for the strategic plans and policy division of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, had most recently been affiliated with the Redleaf Group, which provides capital and strategic services to technology companies.
Model EMB-135 and -145 series airplanes (Docket No. 2002-NM-111-AD; Amendment 39-12733; AD 2002-08-21) - supersedes an existing AD that currently requires a one-time inspection to determine if the bonding jumpers that connect the horizontal stabilizer to the vertical stabilizer are properly installed, a one-time inspection to determine if the supports that connect the bonding jumpers to the horizontal stabilizer are deformed, and corrective actions if necessary.
Bombardier Aerospace named Stephen McNally general manager of the company's Tucson, Ariz. Service Center. He will report to Bob Sundin, regional vice president. McNally, who has more than 20 years of aviation experience, was most recently director of the company's Dallas Service Center.
AUTOMOTIVE AIR CHARTER signed on with the CharterX on-line reservation system, which provides live price quotes for trips on AAC's 21 business jets. AAC represents the combination of the resources of General Motors Worldwide Travel Services and Pentastar Aviation. The combined fleet of those two operators includes five Gulfstream Vs; two Gulfstream IVs; three Gulfstream IIIs; two Challengers; five Citation Xs; two Hawkers; a Learjet 60; and a Citation VII.
BOMBARDIER EYES FAIRCHILD DORNIER PROGRAMS - Bombardier, which has become a major international aerospace manufacturer through the acquisition of companies that had fallen on tough times, has a team of engineers in Germany to assess insolvent regional aircraft maker Fairchild Dornier in what could be the beginning of a takeover of the 728/928 programs.
The pilot of a Mooney M-20, N2762W, managed to make a safe landing April 30 after an airborne encounter with a buzzard near Daytona Beach, Fla. FAA said the bird shattered the aircraft's windshield and a passenger sustained facial lacerations, but the pilot was able to land without further incident at Ormond Beach, Fla.
A new dues structure that the National Business Aviation Association will begin implementing in July is intended to generate more financial support from members and make the association less dependent on other sources of revenues, such as its annual convention and trade show. The association began notifying members several weeks ago about the dues restructuring, which will increase dues payments slightly for small flight departments, while in many cases capping the amount of dues paid by flight departments with a large number of aircraft.
JOSEPH K. (JOE) WALKER, senior vice president, sales and marketing, at Gulfstream Aerospace in Savannah, Ga., left the company last month after seven years to pursue other interests. Walker moved from Cessna Aircraft, where he had been vice president of worldwide sales, to Gulfstream in 1995 to become vice president of North American sales (BA, Oct. 13, 1997/162). He later served as senior vice president of international sales before moving up to the company's top sales post.
