BBA Group, PLC, the British holding company that owns Signature Flight Support, completed its acquisiton of International Airmotive Holding Company, the parent corporation of Dallas Airmotive, Inc. (DAI) and International Turbine Service (ITS), both based in Dallas, Texas. The newly acquired companies will become part of BBA's aerospace division but "will retain their names and identities, their management teams will remain in place, and day-to-day operations will continue unabated," according to a statement from Dallas Airmotive.
SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE last week approved another temporary renewal of the aviation excise taxes as well as authorization for the Treasury Department to transfer $1.2 billion into the Airport and Airway Trust Fund. The transfer should correct the accounting error that surfaced late last month, which would have caused the trust fund to run out of money in March (BA, Feb. 3/45). Despite rhetoric from Finance Committee members about the need for a longer-term reinstatement of excise taxes, the committee only approved a renewal through Sept. 30.
U.S. general aviation manufacturers posted record billings of $3.1 billion in 1996, increased unit shipments to 1,132 new aircraft and the General Aviation Manufacturers Association outlined an optimistic forecast for continued growth for the next several years. GAMA President Ed Bolen, noting shipments were at their highest level since 1990 and billings at record levels, said, "In every respect, 1996 was a very good year for general aviation, and we think that 1997 will be outstanding." Manufacturers are hoping to exceed 2,000 deliveries in 1997, Bolen said.
Galaxy Aerospace, the joint effort of the Pritzker organization's Hyatt Corporation, Israel Aircraft Industries and former Learjet President Brian Barents, officially began operations this month following months of negotiations and completion of a series of agreements (BA, Nov. 25/244). The last of the required governmental approvals was received late last month and the transaction between the parties was concluded Jan. 31.
TEX A.T.C. PETER CHRISTIE was appointed technical director for TEX A.T.C. Christie has designed and marketed ATC rooms to customers in several countries.
The Bell Boeing tilt-rotor team reached the aircraft configuration freeze milestone for the Model 609 aircraft, and has begun making major tools, increasing staffing levels and signing agreements with component suppliers, the team announced at last week's Helicopter Association International convention in Anaheim, Calif. The development team unveiled a full-scale cabin mockup of the utility version of the 609, and officials said they are accepting deposits for deliveries beginning in 2001.
BRITISH AEROSPACE ASSET MANAGEMENT sold three Fokker 50s to the Frevag Group of the Netherlands. The aircraft, currently operating in Spain, will continue to fly for regional carrier Air Nostrum, which has been leasing the aircraft directly from British Aerospace. Frevag is the parent company of VLM of Antwerp, Belgium and it purchased the aircraft as an investment. VLM also operates four Fokker 50s linking London City Airport with Antwerp, Rotterdam and Dusseldorf.
NATIONAL AIRCRAFT RESALE ASSOCIATION said its members sold nearly $1 billion worth of jets and turboprops during 1966, capturing 17 percent of the used jet market and 12.5 percent of the used turboprop segment. NARA said sales by its members totaled $991 million last year, including 227 jets and 150 turboprops.
Commuter, air taxi and general aviation operators would be liable for nearly $2 billion in user fees as their share of FAA's annual budget, according to estimates in the draft of a study conducted for top FAA policy makers by Gellman Research Associates. Commercial users would pay $4.9 billion if FAA shifts to a system of user fees to finance its operations, while the military's share of FAA's budget was estimated at nearly $530 million.
REGIONAL AIRLINE ASSOCIATION is holding a seminar next week to help members form plans on assisting families of victims of aircraft accidents (BA, Jan. 27/35). The Aviation Disaster Family Assistance Act, passed by Congress last fall, requires scheduled airlines to develop formal plans by April 9 for assisting families of accident victims. The RAA seminar will be held Feb. 18 at the association's offices at 1200 19th.
Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association last month solicited congressional help to ward off an FAA proposal to assess international overflight fees on noncommercial and commercial aircraft. FAA was authorized to assess fees on international overflights under the Federal Aviation Authorization Act, but AOPA contended that the intent of the provision was to recover $75 million in costs for services provided to foreign air carriers.
Max Karant, 83, one of general aviation's most vociferous advocates and a key executive of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association for nearly 50 years, died Feb. 1 after a year-long battle with kidney disease. Karant joined AOPA's small post-war staff as assistant general manager in 1948 and "he soon became known throughout aviation as an indomitable fighter for the fair treatment of private aviation," AOPA said.
BOMBARDIER said its second Global Express, S/N 9002, made a successful first flight Feb. 3. The aircraft, flown by Ron Haughton and Bruce Robinson, was aloft for just over three hours. S/N 9002 will conduct test flights in the Toronto area for about three weeks before joining S/N 9001 at Bombardier's Learjet flight test center in Wichita, Kan.
The Federal Aviation Administration's proposal to allow the use of single-engine aircraft in commercial Part 135 operations under instrument flight rules was lauded by operators and the National Transportation Safety Board as a positive safety initiative, but drew mixed reaction from manufacturers. At the urging of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association and the European Joint Aviation Authority, FAA last week extended the comment period on the proposal until March 3.
PORTUGALIA AIRLINES of Lisbon, Portugal ordered four EMB-145 regional jets from Embraer and took options for two additional aircraft in a deal worth an estimated $90 million. The aircraft are scheduled for delivery in May, June, October and November, with options in 1998. Embraer said Portugalia is the second European company to acquire the aircraft, which has won 67 firm orders and 219 options worldwide. U.S.
TRACOR FLIGHT SYSTEMS, INC. named David L. Lawrence president of its Austin, Texas-based Tracor subsidiary, replacing Don L. Fagan, who recently retired after more than 40 years in management. In addition to headquarters in Austin, Lawrence now is responsible for operations in Mojave, Calif., and Fort Walton Beach, Fla., including flight testing, aircraft modification, crew training and special services. Lawrence has more than 25 years of engineering and flight testing experience.
MCDONNELL DOUGLAS promoted James R. Phillips to vice president-general manager of the MD-95 program at the Douglas Aircraft division, succeeding John Wolf, who will retire March 28 after 33 years with the company. Phillips, 53, has been with the company since 1968 and was named vice president-deputy general manager of the MD-95 last year. The first of the 100-seat, twin-turbofan airliners is scheduled for delivery to launch customer ValuJet in the summer of 1999.
TELFORD AVIATION President Telford M. Allen III took delivery of the 850th Cessna Caravan off the Cessna production line last month, which will join seven others the Waterville, Maine, scheduled cargo operator has been flying for the past 10 years. "They're tremendous aircraft, especially the Grand Caravans, which are the best airplanes in the world for our missions. They can carry a ton of cargo, and they're the most dependable aircraft we've ever operated.
TEX A.T.C. IAN CHAPMAN was appointed technical director for TEX A.T.C., a subsidiary of TEX Holdings, plc that designs and installs air traffic control rooms. Chapman has several years experience in design and marketing of air traffic control rooms.
FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION last week extended the comment period until March 3 on its proposal to permit passenger carrying commercial operations in single-engine aircraft under instrument flight rules. The General Aviation Manufacturers Association was among the parties requesting the extension, but it may not make a submission to the docket. The association received such "disparate" comments from its members on the issue, that it has decided, at least for now, to let the manufacturers comment for themselves. See related article below.
COUNTRY MUSIC FANS should be pleased to learn that direct air service to Branson, Mo., is in the works. Country Tours, Inc. broke ground last month for a 13,600-square-foot terminal building at M. Graham Clark Airport at College of the Ozarks, located just two miles from Branson, which boasts more live performance country music shows than Nashville, Tenn., and more theater seats than Broadway.
ELLIOTT AVIATION received FAA supplemental type certificate approval for installation of AlliedSignal's CAS66A traffic alert and collision avoidance system (TCAS I) in Model 550, 551 and 560 Cessna Citations.
FAIRCHILD SA26, SA226 and SA227 series airplanes (Docket No. 96-CE-64- AD; Amdt. 39-9886; AD 97-02-02) - requires applying torque to the control pitch bearing attaching nuts, inspecting for any looseness or movement of the bearing assembly, and inspecting the elevator control rod end bearing retainer/dust seals for creasing. If either of these problems is evident, this action requires replacing these parts, as well as installing a new bolt and washer to the elevator control rod end bearing assembly at the walking beam connection.
The Clinton Administration wants to collect $400 million in additional fees from users of the aviation system and plans to use those funds to help offset the general fund's share of FAA's budget, according to budget documents submitted to Congress last week.
BOMBARDIER'S new 70-passenger CRJ-X - officially launched last month and now designated the CRJ-700 - will offer substantial reductions in direct operating costs compared with the 50-seat CRJ. The General Electric CF34- 8C1 engines will provide specific fuel consumption that is eight percent lower than that of the CRJ's CF34-3A1. The lower costs, coupled with the additional 20 seats over which to spread them, is expected to make the aircraft's direct operating costs attractive to potential operators.
