NATIONAL BUSINESS AVIATION ASSOCIATION, a victim of the success of its annual convention and trade show, now finds itself with only three cities able to accommodate the show's requirements for convention space, hotel rooms and an airport that can handle the growing aircraft static display. See article below. The association also has rejected the idea of stretching the annual event beyond the traditional three-day format.
CHARLOTTE IVEY was named sales representative for the Learjet division of Professional Aviation Associates. Ivey previously spent 22 years with AAR Distribution as branch manager, outside sales and as a sales representative.
BBA GROUP PLC completed the acquisition and alliance agreements announced earlier with Gulfstream Aerospace for $43 million paid in cash by BBA (BA, Jan. 22/39).
MARSA HIGHTOWER BOUNDS was named corporate director of quality assurance for Dallas Airmotive. Bounds formerly was senior manager of quality assurance, helping the company achieve ISO 9002 certification in 1998.
TAG AVIATION opened a fifth aircraft acquisition and sales office and named a veteran Bombardier executive to head the new operation in Southern California. James S. Ross was named regional vice president of TAG's Aircraft Acquisitions and Sales Division, where he will assist the company's aircraft management clients in acquiring and selling aircraft, providing acquisition and sales services for outside clients and assisting with the inventory and resale of aircraft.
The Federal Aviation Administration awarded more than $400 million to a California contractor to do architectural and engineering work at a number of FAA facilities nationwide. Jacobs Engineering Group of Pasadena, Calif. will receive $404 million to provide architectural and engineering (A&E) design and design-build services nationwide for air route traffic control centers, terminal radar approach control facilities and airport traffic control towers as well as other FAA facilities.
BOMBARDIER is introducing an electronic trouble-shooting system on its new Continental business jets. The Canadian manufacturer said the "SmartFix" system will accelerate fault isolation routines and reduce aircraft downtime and spare parts requirements. SmartFix is powered by ClickFix, a diagnostic and problem resolution tool from Click Software, a provider of service chain optimization solutions for service organizations.
The ban on Stage 2 aircraft at Naples, Fla. Municipal Airport is unreasonable and the Naples Airport Authority is in violation of certain grant assurance agreements, FAA said in a strongly worded letter to NAA Chairman Eric West. The Feb. 16 letter was the second such notification issued to the authority in recent months.
Aviation General, Inc., reported its "best" financial results ever for the year ended Dec. 31, 2000. Revenues for the Bethany, Okla. manufacturer were up 23 percent, from $13.6 million a year ago to $16.8 million in the most recent period. The company had net income of $450,033, compared with a net loss of $384,818 in 1999, representing a turnaround of more than $830,000.
National Business Aviation Association, facing growing demand from exhibitors who want to show their wares at the group's annual convention and a limited number of sites able to accommodate the annual show, is now restricted to holding the convention in just three cities - New Orleans, Orlando and Las Vegas - over the next eight years.
TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY Norman Mineta will be the speaker at the March 22 joint luncheon of the Aero Club of Washington and the International Aviation Club. For more information, contact the Aero Club at (703) 327-7082.
THE NORDAM GROUP was selected to provide its NORTRAK interior liner system for two Airbus Corporate Jets that the French government will operate. Nordam will design the interior shell and parts of the cabinetry for the aircraft and ship the components to Toulouse, France for installation. Nordam affiliate World Aviation Associates in Toulouse will provide technical support during the installation. The first Airbus ACJ VIP interior is slated for delivery June 1 with the second scheduled Aug. 1.
General aviation groups last week expressed frustration that a national think tank reopened the air traffic control funding debate with another recommendation to cordon off the nation's ATC system into a non-profit organization and fund it with user fees. The Reason Public Policy Institute, flanked by past FAA Administrators, unveiled its latest report on How to Commercialize Air Traffic Control, providing a blueprint of user fees that could almost double the tax burden of some business jet operators.
MICHAEL PRICE was appointed chief operating officer for Associated Aviation Underwriters. Price formerly was chief underwriting officer of Underwriters Reinsurance Company and Swiss Re.
A FALCON 200 sustained minor damage Thursday when the crew lost directional steering after landing at the Shreveport, La. Airport. FAA said the 1985 model aircraft ran off the left side of Runway 32.
KAISER AIR, INC., Oakland, Calif., added two Gulfstream G-IIIs and a Citation Bravo to its charter fleet. The Gulfstreams replace older Gulfstream models, while the 2000 model year Bravo is a new aircraft type in the Kaiser Air fleet. The Okland firm also operates a Gulfstream IV-SP, a Gulfstream IIIB, a Hawker 700, a Citation V and a Citation II.
Model A109E helicopters (Docket No. 2000-SW-65-AD; Amendment 39-12106; AD 2000-25-54) - publishes AD 2000-25-54, which was sent previously to all known U.S. owners and operators of Agusta Model A109E helicopters by individual letters. This AD requires, before each start of the engines, visually checking both sides of each tail rotor blade for a crack and, at specified intervals, inspecting each blade for a crack using a five-power or higher magnifying glass. Dye-penetrant inspection of each blade for a crack also is required at specified time intervals.
Model 206A, B, L, L1, and L3 helicopters (Docket No. 2000-SW-34-AD; Amendment 39-12087; AD 2001-02-03) - requires inspecting the collective lever assembly for a raised forging boss, inspecting the assembly for adequate clearance between the collective lever and the swashplate outer ring, and modifying any assembly with a raised forging boss and inadequate clearance before further flight. This AD is prompted by the discovery that a raised forging boss could result in control system interference.
Industry representatives this week plan to stress the importance of maintaining the field approval process - with a few modifications - as the Federal Aviation Administration continues its review of field approvals at a public meeting in Washington, D.C. FAA has studied its field approval procedures over the past couple of years and plans to receive public input at a day-long meeting Wednesday at its headquarters.
Model BR700-715A1-30, BR700-715B1-30, and BR700-715C1-30 Turbofan Engines (Docket No. 2000-NE-54-AD; Amendment 39-12098; AD 2000-25-51) - publishes an AD that was sent previously to all known U.S. owners and operators of the affected engines. This action requires that certain high pressure turbine (HPT) Stage 1 disks, Part Numbers BRH20009, BRH20010, BRH12167, BRH12168, BRH12466, and BRH12467; and Stage 2 disks, P/Ns BRH19349 and BRH19350, be removed before exceeding the new reduced cyclic limit, and replaced with a serviceable disk.
SEVERAL AVIATION ASSOCIATIONS hope to convince Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta to issue the Part 145 rewrite as a supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking rather than a final rule. The rewrite of the repair station regulations was sent to the Office of Management and Budget last month for review, but was held up by the Bush Administration's temporary freeze on all pending rulemaking activities.
Bell Helicopter Textron and Honeywell have formed a strategic alliance to provide repair and overhaul, upgrades and general aftermarket support for the world's operating fleets of more than 3,700 UH-1 "Huey" and AH-1 "Cobra" helicopters.
THE U.S. COAST GUARD plans to ask for $350 million in fiscal 2002 to begin initial contract awards for its Deepwater Project, a 20-year, $10 billion program to replace or modernize its fleet of 92 deepwater ships and 209 aircraft (BA, Feb. 21, 2000/86).
