EMS TECHNOLOGIES is partnering with Teledyne Controls to market high-speed data service and equipment for business aircraft. Under a new agreement, EMS will be the "sole design authority" for a new family of airborne data terminals which will support Inmarsat's high-speed data service for satellite communication on aircraft. Teledyne will be responsible for the marketing, sales, customer support and repair and servicing.
FAIRCHILD DORNIER appointed Doug Oliver director of customer relations. Based at the company's headquarters in Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany, Oliver will work with the customer business team to manage customer service. He has more than 15 years' experience in aerospace public and customer relations and was previously media relations director for the company.
BOB LEATHERS was named field service representative in Columbus, Ohio for Dassault Falcon Jet. He was most recently chief of aircraft maintenance at Wendy's International and managed a fleet of Falcon 10s and Citation VIIs. Leathers has more than 25 years' experience in maintenance.
THE DECISION to make the switch to Part 135 by Bombardier reflects the widespread concern among companies and individuals who operate under Part 91 about the possibility of another grounding of the GA fleet in the event of more terrorist activity in this country or the threat of more attacks. Given the attitude by government security agents that aircraft pose a major risk, many general aviation officials fear the GA fleet is "just one NOTAM away" from being parked again.
HIGHER PILOT costs and lower traffic are making major airlines more dependent than ever on their regional partners, which is a good incentive for majors to stick with terms in their regional contracts, contends ABN-Amro analyst Ray Neidl. Majors, tempted to cut regionals' margins during tough times, "may not want to upset current operations."
ROLLS-ROYCE 250-C20 series turboshaft and 250-B17 series turboprop engines (Docket No. 2001-NE-38-AD; Amendment 39-12529; AD 2001-24-12) - supersedes an emergency AD that was sent previously to all known U.S. owners and operators of Rolls-Royce Corp. (formerly Allison Engine Company) Models 250-C20, -C20B, -C20F, -C20R, -C20R/1, -C20R/2, -C20S, and -C20W turboshaft engines, and 250-B17, -B17C, -B17D, -B17E, -B17F, -B17F/1, and -B17F/2 turboprop engines by individual letters.
The Federal Aviation Administration designated the American Association of Airport Executives as the clearinghouse for criminal record checks of persons with access to the secured areas of airports who have not previously been checked. About 750,000 employees with airport access will have to undergo the checks. Under the public-private partnership, airlines and airports will submit employee fingerprints and a $31 per person fee to AAAE, which will forward them to the FBI for the criminal record checks.
FOKKER Model F.28 Mark 0100 series airplanes (Docket No. 2001-NM-327-AD; Amendment 39-12527; AD 2001-24-10) - requires repetitive inspections of certain main landing gear (MLG) main fittings to detect forging defects, and rework of the main fittings if necessary. This action is necessary to detect forging defects of the MLG main fittings, which could lead to cracking and result in significant structural damage to the airplane and possible injury to the occupants. The AD is effective Dec. 20, but FAA will accept comments for inclusion in the docket until Jan. 4.
PRATT&WHITNEY CANADA CORP. opened a new quick-turnaround, heavy maintenance (HEMA) line at its St. Hubert, Quebec service center. A second facility will open in January at the company's Bridgeport Service Center in West Virginia. The HEMA facilities are designed to reduce turn-times and reduce customers' operating costs. Each facility will be staffed with a team of 20 specialists.
FLIGHT ENVIRONMENTS is developing a new audio flight simulator. The acoustic and thermal insulation manufacturer will use the simulator to demonstrate how its products work to quiet corporate and VIP-configured aircraft. The simulator is part of a new interactive trade show booth built for the company by Omnigroup, Inc. of Houston.
BOMBARDIER Model DHC-8-100, -200, and -300 series airplanes (Docket No. 2001-NM-129-AD; Amendment 39-12522; AD 2001-24-06) - requires installation of a backup pressure regulating valve on the oil pump of the propeller control unit (PCU) on both engines. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent a build-up of oil pressure in the oil pump of the PCU should the existing valve fail.
LAST WEEK'S rescheduled NBAA convention drew 11,738 registered attendees, just about 40 percent of the 29,421 who attended the 2000 show in New Orleans. Before NBAA officials were forced to postpone this year's meeting in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks, they had commitments from more than 1,000 exhibitors for approximately one million square feet of exhibit space. Last week's event drew 678 exhibitors, but many of those downsized their booth space so the exhibit area covered about 350,000 square feet.
Chicago-based Indigo last week placed its first major fleet order with Embraer for up to 75 Legacy corporate shuttles, in a deal that could be worth $1.1 billion. Indigo and Embraer finalized the agreement Wednesday, including a firm order for 25 Legacy corporate shuttle aircraft with delivery to begin in August. Indigo will operate the aircraft initially on its route between Chicago Midway and Teterboro Airport in New Jersey. The Legacy is a version of Embraer's ERJ 145.
BAE 146 series airplanes and Model Avro 146-RJ series airplanes (Docket No. 2001-NM-186-AD) - proposes to require modifying the engine start circuit. This action is necessary to prevent overheating of the soft start resistor of the engine start circuit, which could result in smoke and fumes in the cabin and consequent injury to passengers and crew. FAA estimates that this proposed AD would affect 65 airplanes on the U.S.
American, United and Delta airlines backed out of plans to invest in Connexion, Boeing's high-speed airborne Internet service, due to financial losses since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. "The three airlines understand the value of in-flight connectivity but they need to focus near-term on their core businesses, in light of recent events," said Fernando Vivanco, Connexion spokesman. Boeing will continue with plans to install and test Connexion on jetliners operated by its European launch customer, Deutsche Lufthansa AG, in late 2002 or early 2003, Vivanco said.
GOODRICH avionics were selected as standard options for Piaggio Aero Industrie's P180 Avanti aircraft. The aircraft will be equipped with Goodrich's SkyWatch HP traffic advisory system and the Stormscope Model WX-1000E weather mapping system. P180 operators also will have the option of installing the Goodrich LandMark terrain awareness and warning systems.
ALL THREE PEOPLE aboard a PA-46 Piper Malibu were killed last week when the aircraft crashed while the pilot was attempting to make a night landing. The aircraft, N41003, had departed Dothan, Ala., and was en route to Raleigh, N.C., according to FAA investigators. After executing a missed approach, officials said the aircraft crashed into a house. The house was destroyed in the ensuing fire, but there were no injuries to people on the ground. The accident occurred just after midnight.
NETJETS relaunched its website, www.netjets.com. The site was redesigned to provide a wider range of information about ownership in NetJets, Executive Jet's fractional program, said NetJets. The website will also offer "The Buyer's Guide To Fractional Aircraft Ownership," an online publication about fractional ownership.
WING AVIATION started construction on a 54,000 square foot facility for its Gulfstream maintenance center at the Montgomery County Airport in Conroe, Texas, 45 miles north of Houston. The new facility is on schedule to open in April 2002.
SCOTT FAIRBEE was named a non-territorial field service representative based in Teterboro, N.J. for Dassault Falcon Jet. In his new position, Fairbee will respond to urgent customer field service requests from around the western hemisphere. Fairbee was most recently flight line control chief and supervisor at the U.S. Coast Guard Aviation Training Center in Alabama. He served for 20 years in the USCG.
JACK WALL, 79, who operated his own aircraft resale business for many years, died Dec. 13 in Memphis, Tenn. Wall was president of Jack Wall Aircraft Sales, a small family firm that did a lot of repeat business.
UAL Corporation's new business jet venture Avolar is officially "open for business" with a new round of orders for up to 82 Learjet and Beechjet aircraft valued at $782 million that will fill out its fractional ownership fleet.
THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION named James J. Ballough director and Louis C. Cusimano deputy director of the Flight Standards Service. Ballough will manage more than 4,500 safety inspectors and aviation professionals.
JET AVIATION WEST PALM BEACH was named an authorized service center for the Embraer Legacy by the manufacturer. Maintenance personnel from the facility will be sent to Brazil for maintenance training on the Legacy airframe and electrical systems before the aircraft are delivered.
