EXECUTIVE JET MANAGEMENT said it wants to "immediately hire" 15 pilots for its growing aircraft management, charter management and charter businesses. EJM currently employs 79 pilots and in addition to expanding its pilot roster, plans to add 20 managed aircraft this year. EJM said it requires pilots to have an air transport pilot certificate with a minimum of 2,500 hours of total time, including 500 hours of multi-engine time. Interested pilots should fax a resume to Hal Raber at (513) 871-7310.
Ronson Corp., whose holdings include the fixed-base operation at Trenton-Mercer, N.J. Airport, reported a major improvement in the company's financial performance last year. Ronson, based in Somerset, N.J., had net earnings of $783,000 last year, compared with a net loss of $855,000 in 1996. The net loss in 1996 included an accrual of $1.2 million established for estimated costs associated with the environmental cleanup of Prometcor, Inc. (Ronson Metals Corp.), a discontinued operation of the company.
Lewis B. Campbell, president and chief operating officer of Textron, Inc., will become chief executive officer on July 1, replacing James F. Hardymon. While he is turning the CEO post over to Campbell, Hardymon will remain chairman of the board until his retirement at the end of 1999 at age 65.
GALAXY AEROSPACE is offering a guaranteed cost-of-operations program for its Galaxy business jet. The program guarantees that operating costs over a five-year period (or 2,000 hours of operation) will average below $850 per hour or Galaxy will rebate the additional costs. "While these programs are not uncommon for business jets already in service, it is unprecedented for a business jet still undergoing certification," said Roger Sperry, Galaxy executive vice president, sales and marketing.
The prototype of the Galaxy mid-size, long-range business jet has logged a dozen flights in Israel and test pilots are continuing to check additional systems and expand the aircraft's operating envelope. The most recent flight, which occurred this month, was the longest to date, lasting four hours, 30 minutes. Pilots have flown the aircraft up to 35,000 feet and Mach 0.7. Engine air starts were conducted successfully at 35,000 feet and crews also have tested the air conditioning and pressurization systems and have evaluated the autopilot and yaw damper.
The House/Senate Joint Tax Committee cast doubt on the viability of aviation user fees as a means to fund the Federal Aviation Administration, warning this month that FAA's imprecise accounting procedures and possible court challenges to the fees could cause funding problems for the agency.
Jerry C. Atkin, chairman, president and chief executive of SkyWest Airlines, Inc., was severely injured Thursday in San Diego when the motorcycle he was driving was involved in a collision with another vehicle. A spokeswoman for the St. George, Utah-based airline said Atkin, 48, remained hospitalized Friday in critical condition. She said he had suffered seven compound fractures, plus numerous other injuries. The other vehicle struck Atkin on the left side, causing severe injuries to his left leg.
PROTOTYPE of the Galaxy business jet has logged a dozen flights and crews are busily expanding the flight test envelope and checking additional systems and flight parameters. The program remains on track for certification at the end of the year. See article below.
HONEYWELL/RACAL SATCOM team introduced an enhanced satellite communications system, the MCS-7000, for business jets and commercial aircraft. The system, developed in conjunction with Inmarsat Ground Earth Station and other SATCOM advances, will offer up to seven channels of voice-data communications. The system comprises two units - a satellite data unit and high-power amplifier. The Honeywell/Racal team also is nearing certification of its new Aero-I SATCOM system coupled with the Canadian Marconi CMA-2200 antenna.
CESSNA Model 172R airplanes (Docket No. 98-CE-06-AD; Amdt. 39-10306; AD 98-02-05) - publishes an AD previously sent to all known U.S. owners and operators of the affected airplanes. The AD requires deactivating the cabin heating system until the engine exhaust muffler can be replaced and fabricating and installing a placard within the pilot's clear view noting "CABIN HEATER INOPERATIVE." This AD is prompted by inadequate or failed weldments that are leaking exhaust gas (including carbon monoxide) from the muffler into the airplane's cabin and cockpit area.
PILATUS Model PC-7 airplanes (Docket No. 97-CE-130-AD) - proposes to require inspecting the elevator and rudder attachment brackets for cracks and/or corrosion and repairing or replacing any cracked or corrosion-
STATE OF ARIZONA intends to issue a draft request for proposals for the lease, operation and continued development of Grand Canyon National Park Airport. The proposer must be a qualified Arizona non-profit corporation experienced in the air transportation industry. To obtain a copy of the draft RFP, mail a request, along with a $50 check payable to ADOT/Aeronautics Division, to Arizona DOT, Aeronautics Division, 1833 W. Buchanan St., Second Floor, Phoenix, Ariz. 85007; Attention: Gary Adams or Doris Mecham.
FAA selected Raytheon and a Lockheed Martin/Northrop Grumman team to demonstrate and test a new civilian secondary radar system as part of the agency's Air Traffic Control Beacon Interrogator competition. The teams will demonstrate their systems at the FAA's William J. Hughes Technical Center, Atlantic City, N.J., beginning this month. This operational capabilities testing phase of the competition will run through June or July. At the same time, FAA will ask both bidders to submit technical specifications and costs.
DAVID SPEER, a veteran aviation industry advertising and public relations executive, has left the Wichita advertising firm of Sullivan Higdon&Sink (SH&S). Speer was one of the principals in The Avion Group of Lenexa, Kan., which was acquired by SH&S last year (BA, June 30/289). Tom Bertels, the other principal in The Avion Group, will continue with SH&S, a company official said last week.
DAVID GLASSNER was named international finance manager for Cessna Finance Corporation. Glassner will oversee the company's worldwide financing activities.
BRIG. GEN. JAMES C. BOBICK was named acting commander of the Air Force Auxiliary by the Civil Air Patrol's National Board. Bobick succeeds Brig. Gen. Paul M. Bergman, who resigned CAP's top post for personal reasons. Bobick joined the Civil Air Patrol in 1953, when he became a cadet in the CAP's National Capital Wing. He remained active in the organization while pursing a 27-year career in the Air Force, from which he retired in 1987.
Aviation Sales Co. of Miami, Fla., completed a merger with Caribe Aviation, Inc., and Caribe's wholly owned subsidiary, Aircraft Interiors, Inc. The latter two companies had combined fiscal 1997 revenues of approximately $27 million. Aviation Sales said the purchase price was approximately $25 million, consisting of $5 million in cash; $5 million in promissory notes payable over two years; the issuance of 177,000 shares of authorized but unissued Aviation Sales stock; and, the repayment of approximately $7.5 million in debt Caribe owes to a financial institution.
REP. FRANK WOLF (R-Va.), last week said he has had "a growing feeling" that the FAA should be an independent agency. Wolf, chairman of the House transportation appropriations subcommittee, told FAA Administrator Jane Garvey that "maybe it would be better to have a strong administrator, like yourself, with an eight- to 10-year term," than have the agency answer to the Department of Transportation.
RAYTHEON Model 1900D airplanes (Docket No. 97-CE-86-AD) - proposes to require modifying the airplane by incorporating Raytheon Kit No. P129-5200-1 (Ground Fine Switch Installation Kit). The proposed AD is the result of design analysis during certification of 5.5 degree approach landings of the Model 1900D airplanes. The actions specified by the proposed AD are intended to prevent very hard landings, which could result in structural damage to the airplane and possible passenger injury.
DAVID LEDGERWOOD was appointed general manager for Eastman Kodak Company's Aerial Systems unit. Ledgerwood also will retain his responsibilities as director, commercial and international markets, for the company's Commercial&Government Systems division.
Rep. Joel Hefley's (R-Colo.) proposed amendment to provide reliever airport sponsors the option of denying public charter access would set a "dangerous precedent" that would undermine airport grant assurances, National Air Transportation Association last week told House and Senate aviation leaders (BA, March 9/105).
EMBRY-RIDDLE AERONAUTICAL UNIVERSITY named Charles Allen Parlier chief operating officer of its Prescott, Ariz. campus. The newly created position replaces the former chancellorship at the campus. Parlier, who also will serve as vice president of the university, formerly was chief information officer for Raytheon Aircraft. He retired from the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve as a lieutenant colonel in 1995 after 25 years of service as a Marine.
FOKKER Model F28 Mark 0100 and Mark 0070 series airplanes (Docket No. 95-NM-94-AD; Amdt. 39-10285; AD 98-02-03) - requires modification of the hook and latch engagement assemblies of the engine cowl doors, measurement of the aerodynamic mismatch between the fixed cowl and lower cowl door and repair, if necessary. This amendment is prompted by reports indicating that an aerodynamic mismatch may exist between the fixed engine cowl and the lower cowl door and may be the result of one or more hooks of the engagement assemblies not engaging adequately.
