Canadian manufacturer Bombardier is offering a significant avionics upgrade on its Challenger 604 business jets, and the system also is available for retrofit on aircraft already in the fleet.
Raytheon Company won an $11 million contract to provide test equipment repair and calibration services in support of the agency's navigational aid inspection program. Under the five-year contract, which includes a one-year base period and four one-year options, Raytheon Technical Services Company will continue to provide planning, programming, administration and management of all requirements associated with FAA Logistics Center (FAALC) Depot test equipment repair and calibration in support of the National Airspace System.
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION is expected to issue regulations this week detailing how money from the Air Transportation Safety and Stabilization Act will be distributed to air taxi operators. The lion's share of the funds available under the act is earmarked for the large airlines and regional carriers who provide scheduled service, and much of that money already has been distributed.
TERRY GOODNIGHT was appointed vice president of human resources for Raytheon Aircraft Corp. Goodnight, who will report to Raytheon Aircraft Chairman and CEO Jim Schuster, joins the company from TMP Worldwide in Dallas. She also has served as director of human resources for Cessna Aircraft and spent 14 years with General Motors in personnel, labor relations and human resources positions. While at GM, she earned a master's of business administration from the University of Virginia's Darden School of Business Administration.
L-3 Communications, a New York-based supplier of high-technology products, agreed to buy Spar Aerospace, the Toronto, Ontario-based aircraft maintenance and modification company. About 75 percent of Spar's business comes from military customers, including the Canadian Department of National Defense, the U.S. Coast Guard, Mexican Air Force and other foreign military forces. The company provides avionics maintenance, repair and overhaul for the Sikorsky S-61/H-3 Sea King helicopter and is a full service provider for the Boeing 727 and 737.
NATIONAL AIR TRANSPORTATION ASSOCIATION is considering options to create a captive insurance company to help members cope with skyrocketing premiums for their insurance coverage. NATA needs to review loss data, traditionally held by insurers, and gather more information on the reinsurance market before going forward, but its members strongly support the move, said NATA President Jim Coyne. Aviation businesses have seen premiums for different insurance products jump by 20 - 300 percent, he said. And that doesn't include the problems involved with war risk insurance.
JET AVIATION TETERBORO will complete construction on a new FBO terminal in New Jersey this month. The new terminal will have an expanded customer lounge and a separate pilot's lounge. A 40,000-square-foot hangar is also being built for additional storage space and the taxiway will be relocated in front of the row of hangars to increase ramp space closer to the new terminal.
BOEING updated its e-business site, MyBoeingFleet.com, which provides maintenance, engineering and flight operations data for users online. Users can now access a list of service centers approved to perform specific repairs on Boeing avionics and components. They also can search Boeing's web-based spare parts ordering system to find kits specified in service bulletins.
GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS are seriously considering reopening Washington Reagan National Airport, but it was not clear Friday what requirements may be imposed on operators flying into DCA. Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta indicated a decision could come as early as Tuesday and White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer said President Bush "is keenly aware of the impact of leaving Ronald Reagan Airport closed.
EXECUTIVE JET CENTER opened a Million Air fixed-base operation at the Mobile, Ala. (MOB) Regional Airport. Million Air Mobile is a designated Phillips 66 Aviation Performance Center.
JAMES P. DONLAN was appointed president and CEO at Dallas Automotive. He has more than 22 years' experience in aviation. Donlan was most recently vice president, sales and support, of Business and General Aviation for Honeywell's commercial aerospace unit.
A NUMBER of the largest business aircraft manufacturers will not have aircraft on static display or a significant presence in the exhibit hall at the National Business Aviation Association's rescheduled convention in New Orleans Dec. 12-14. Most say their marketing and promotional budgets were severely depleted by travel and setup costs incurred before the Sept. 18-20 convention was postponed, some are laying off workers because of concerns about falling sales and most want to conserve cash during the fourth quarter.
MICHAEL A. BRAND was named president of the Sermatech Manufacturing Group. He will oversee the company's manufacturing business. Brand was most recently vice president of operations at Sermatech.
RICH DRAZEN joined CompletionAir, East Alton, Ill., as a regional sales representative, focusing on interior, avionics and maintenance sales for large and mid-size corporate jets. Drazen has been involved in the aviation industry for 35 years. He previously held posts with JetCorp, Sabreliner Corp. and Midcoast Aviation, where he was vice president of completions.
MERCURY AIR CENTERS, AVLOG and GE Capital Financial are launching a new, joint aviation purchasing card. The Mercury Easy Trip Mastercard, which will replace multiple charge cards, will be accepted in more than 22 million locations. The card can be used at any FBO for various services, including fuel, aircraft maintenance and catering.
Two legislators have introduced bills in the House to require background checks on current and future students enrolled in flight training. The bills, introduced by Ander Crenshaw (R-Fla.) and Michael Castle (R-Del.), call for students to pay for a background check that includes reviews by the Central Intelligence Agency and Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Castle bill, H.R.2957, would cap the costs of the background check at $100 per individual.
RTS SERVICES received ISO 9001 certification for its engine repair facility and parts supply operation in Fort Worth, Tex. ISO 9001 is a quality system model for service companies.
TERRY G. SCOTT was named president and CEO of International Turbine Service, Inc. Scott will be responsible for operations, sales and marketing activities. He was previously senior vice president of sales and marketing at Dallas Airmotive.
SOLOY CORPORATION is seeking certification for its Turbine Pac powerplant for Cessna's new 206H/T206H model aircraft. Soloy wants to be able to offer turbine conversion as an alternate to the new Lycoming IO/TIO-540 piston engine installation.
PRATT&WHITNEY CANADA delivered the first PW206B2-powered Eurocopter EC135 to ADAC Luftrettung, a German air rescue service. The PW206B2 is built from the PW207 power section along with the PW206B reduction gearbox. The engine has a 30-second One Engine Inoperative thermodynamic power rating of 816 shaft horsepower, which allows the EC135 to operate at higher Category A takeoff weights.
FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION Friday was believed to be readying another effort to convince National Security Council officials to reduce - from 25 miles to 18 miles - the no-fly zones around New York and Washington, D.C. and to reduce other restrictions involving Part 91 VFR flights in Class B airspace. Officials were hopeful some relaxation of restrictions could come as soon as this week.
GE CF34-3A1, -3B, and -3B1 turbofan engines (Docket No. 2001-NE-21-AD; Amendment 39-12441; AD 2001-19-02) - on certain engines with scavenge screens Part Numbers (PNs) 4047T95P01 and 5054T86G02 installed in the B-sump oil scavenge system, requires initial and repetitive visual inspections and cleaning of the B-sump scavenge screens. This amendment is prompted by five reports of B-sump oil scavenge system failure causing engine in-flight shutdowns.
BAE Model 4101 airplanes (Docket No. 2001-NM-151-AD) - proposes to require 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 that this proposed AD would affect 59 airplanes on the U.S.
Canadian plane-maker Bombardier received an order from REGA, Swiss Air-Ambulance Ltd., for three Challenger 604 aircraft. The aircraft will be configured for air ambulance use with two intensive care stations and life support equipment. The aircraft also will have two galleys and a crew rest area that can be converted into additional seating. Bombardier expects to deliver the first two 604s to Zurich, Switzerland-based REGA in June 2002 with the third in November 2002.
