AMERICAN AIRLINES is developing what could be the ultimate frequent flyer program. The carrier's AAdvantage Department and AMR Investments Services are hosting a meeting this Wednesday in Dallas to outline a program under which mortgage borrowers would receive one AAdvantage mile for every dollar of mortgage interest paid. American said it has begun selecting participating mortgage lenders for the AAdvantage Program for Mortgages, which will commence late this year or early in 1996.
Veteran California Democrat Norm Mineta, a member of Congress for more than 20 years, will resign his House seat next month to become vice president of the transportation and services division of Lockheed Martin Corp. Mineta, 63, is the ranking Democrat on the House Transportation Committee and former chairman of both the House aviation subcommittee (from 1981 through 1988) and Public Works and Transportation Committee. He entered Congress in 1975 after serving as mayor of San Jose, Calif.
FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION is preparing a program Environmental Assessment (EA) and four site-specific EAs for the development of a nationwide system of hardware and software, and four antenna sites for the Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS). The WAAS will receive, process and correct data from Global Positioning System satellites and transmit data to communication satellites. Aircraft equipped with a WAAS receiver will navigate using the signals from the communication satellites.
Learjet officials held the formal rollout ceremony for the new Model 45 business jet Thursday night in Wichita, buoyed by an orderbook that includes nearly 100 sales. As a result, company executives are making plans to achieve maximum production rates quickly to reduce the interval between an order and delivery.
CORPORATE JETS, INC., Pittsburgh, Pa., named Thomas M. Ramirez president and chief operating officer of CJI and its parent company, FSS Airholdings, Inc. Ramirez, a 30-year veteran of the aviation industry, joined CJI in 1991 as vice president of corporate development. He left to become president of Crescent Airways, Inc., in 1994, but returned to CJI this year to assume the new positions. CJI provides a wide range of aviation services including fixed-base operations, municipal airport management and hospital air medical programs.
FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION has issued special conditions for Israel Aircraft Industries Astra SPX aircraft. FAA said the aircraft uses new avionics/electronic systems, including electronic displays and engine controls, that perform critical functions, but applicable regulations are not adequate to cover the protection of those systems from the effects of high-intensity radiated fields. The special conditions will provide the appropriate standards necessary for such protection, the agency added.
ANTHONY PELUSO was promoted to general manager of Parker Bertea Aerospace's United Aircraft Products Division in Forest, Ohio. Peluso, who has served in variety of positions with Parker Bertea since 1979, will oversee all operations of the United Aircraft Products Division.
COLLINS COMMERCIAL AVIONICS signed a licensing agreement to use Smiths Industries Aerospace's software in certain flight management system products. The agreement allows Collins to incorporate software into its AVSAT avionics systems, which is under development for use in the emerging "communications, navigation, surveillance, air traffic management" environment, Collins officials said. The agreement expands upon a strategic alliance Collins and Smiths Industries formed in 1993.
The first production-standard Lockheed C-130 Hercules was scheduled to retire from active U.S. Air Force service Sept. 10, more than 40 years after its April 7, 1955 first flight. Over its four-decade career the plane, named The First Lady, carried cargo, tracked rockets and snatched satellites returning to Earth by parachute - all before being converted during the Vietnam War into a gunship. As an AC-130, The First Lady logged more than 4,500 combat hours, mostly shooting trucks on the Ho Chi Minh Trail.
REGIONAL AIRLINE ASSOCIATION will retain Ogilvy, Adams&Rinehart to develop a public relations campaign to boost perceptions about traveling on regional airlines. Richard Mintz, former assistant to the secretary and director of public affairs with the Department of Transportation and who now heads Ogilvy, Adams and Rinehart's transportation office in Washington, D.C., will handle the account for RAA.
Sharply recovering operating profits at Hawker Siddeley Canada helped slow net losses for the first half of 1995, a performance that would have been even better if it weren't for new spending on Orenda's new aviation V- 8 engine program. Operating profits at HSCI were five times better than year-ago levels at $8.6 million on 14 percent stronger sales of $174.1 million.
The U.S. Army's Aviation and Troop Command, St. Louis, Mo., has exercised a contract option valued at $52.8 million for 14 Raytheon Aircraft C-12Rs. The order calls for delivery of the King Air B200C variants beginning in July 1996 and continuing through August 1997. The Army Aviation and Troop Command previously ordered 15 C-12s, which currently are being delivered. The U.S. Army Reserve units will operate the C-12Rs as utility aircraft for personnel and cargo transport.
SAAB AIRCRAFT tapped two executives from competitive manufacturers for its North American unit. Saab named John Sterne, former sales director for ATR Marketing, director of regional airline sales. In his new position, Sterne will oversee sales activities of the Saab 340 and 2000 with the major airlines and regional code-sharing partners in the U.S. Sterne's appointment followed that of Allan Smolinski, who directed marketing at Jetstream Aircraft, as vice president of marketing support.
SCHWEIZER AIRCRAFT delivered a Model 300CB training helicopter to Hillsboro Helicopters, Airman's Proficiency Center in Hillsboro, Ore. The 300CB, which recently received FAA certification (BA, Aug. 14/68), is a derivative of the Model 300C helicopter that is powered by a Textron Lycoming HO-360- C1A engine rated at 180 horsepower at 2,700 rpm.
CESSNA appointed Arbrey Barrett vice president, aircraft completions. Barrett, who has been with Cessna for 30 years, will oversee the planning and direction of Cessna's aircraft completion center, production flight test, exterior finish and refurbishment, material, interiors engineering, and aircraft delivery operations. Barrett, who joined Cessna in April 1965 as a manufacturing supervisor, most recently served as director of aircraft completions.
FAA COMPLETED WORK weeks ago on new medical standards for pilots, but the final rule remains trapped in the Executive Branch bureaucracy. The original notice of proposed rulemaking evoked widespread criticism from pilots and attorneys (BA, Jan. 23/35), but FAA is believed to have made changes that addressed the most serious complaints. FAA Administrator David Hinson had hoped to unveil the final rule in July at the Experimental Aircraft Association convention in Oshkosh, Wis. In early August Hinson said that publication of the rule was imminent (BA, Aug. 7/55).
AOPA AIR SAFETY FOUNDATION (ASF) called 1994 a "banner year" in terms of individual donations. The foundation received more than $1.4 million from 30,000 individual donors in 1994. In addition, AOPA membership contributed more than $330,000 from a voluntary dues check-off. ASF officials added that 1995 donations may top 1994's total with a 25 percent increase during the first half of the year. "Support for the foundation's safety mission continues to grow throughout the aviation community," said ASF Executive Director Bruce Landsberg.
AN EMERGENCY LEGISLATIVE ACTION NOTICE was issued Friday urging members of the National Business Aircraft Association to contact congressional leaders in opposition to a proposed fee system included in the Senate version of the fiscal 1996 transportation appropriations bill. The Senate bill would allow FAA to collect up to $10 million in new user fees to help offset cuts in revenues for FAA (BA, Aug.
ALLIEDSIGNAL LTS101 series turboshaft and LTP101 series turboprop engines (Docket No. 94-ANE-64; Amdt. 39-9323; AD 95-16-04) - requires replacement of cast material axial compressor rotors with wrought material axial compressor rotors that have improved fatigue characteristics and material properties. This amendment is prompted by 36 reports of axial compressor blade failures on cast rotors. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent engine power loss and inflight engine shutdown.
JIM FOODY, senior vice president and chief marketing officer with Fairchild Aircraft, has resigned to pursue other opportunities, Fairchild officials said last week. Foody joined Fairchild in June 1992 as president of Fairchild Finance and assumed responsibility for the company's worldwide commercial marketing and customer support functions in September 1993.
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) and FlightSafety International have signed an agreement under which the school will build a simulator training center on its Daytona Beach, Fla. campus and FSI will provide and operate two state-of-the-art flight simulators. As reported earlier, FSI will provide a Boeing 737-300 and a Beech 1900D simulator, both of which will be certified to Level D standards (BA, July 17/21).
SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION sold its 51 percent interest in Advanced Power Technology, which it described as "a non-core product line of [its] aerospace business segment" as part of a leveraged buyout by a team of APT managers. Financial details were not disclosed, but Sundstrand said APT "will continue to supply Sundstrand with high-power semiconductors used in power conversion applications under a long-term contract." APT is based in Bend, Oregon and has a subsidiary, APT Europe, in Merignac, France. Total APT work force is approximately 200.
GEORGE F. BREWER, a veteran FAA executive, has joined FBO Resource Group in Denver, Colo. Brewer recently retired from FAA as manager of the Denver Airport Development Office and prior to that held a number of positions with the agency including five years as the agency's representative in London, England, manager of the FAA Administrator's office, and division manager of the Office of General Aviation. Before joining FAA, Brewer was director of marketing research for Cessna Aircraft and operated an airport consulting business in Denver.
RICHARD TEZA was appointed vice president of North American general aviation sales for Aviall Distribution Services. Teza formerly served as director of product repair services and regional airline sales.
FAIRCHILD SA226 and SA227 series airplanes that use a direct current generator (Docket No. 95-CE-13-AD; Amdt. 39-9339; AD 95-17-09) - requires relocation of the left-hand and right-hand essential bus current limiters to the battery bus. This action is prompted by a safety recommendation that FAA received detailing potential electrical failure problems. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent failures of the LH and RH essential bus when engine failure results in a blown generator current limiter.
