Editor’s note: Last month’s Viewpoint, “Without Apology,” focused on the fallout from the appearance of the CEOs of the “Big Three” carmakers before Congress in December 2008. That column generated much commentary because it dealt with such a signal event for the business aviation community.
Cessna will lay off 2,000 more employees than the 665 it previously planned, company spokesmen Doug Oliver and Bob Stangerone told reporters Jan. 13. The cuts will affect both salaried and hourly employees across the entire company and are expected to be completed in March. As we go to press more details are not forthcoming. In a letter sent to company employees earlier in January, Jack Pelton, Cessna’s chairman, president and CEO, wrote the first half of 2008 was “full of promise,” with orders being signed according to projections.
— About 1445 CST, a Bombardier CL-600-2B16, N573BA, operated by the Boeing Co., sustained substantial damage during a hard landing on Runway 12 (7,003 feet by 150 feet, asphalt) at the Gary/Chicago International Airport (GYY), Gary, Ind. The FAR Part 91 positioning flight departed Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) at 1435 with GYY as the intended destination. During the landing at GYY, the nosewheel of the airplane hit the runway hard and the airplane bounced.
— At about 1530 EST, a Beech C23 (N2109W) lost engine power and collided with a tree near Linden Airport (LDJ), Linden, N.Y. The airplane was owned and operated by a private individual and was being operated under VFR as a personal flight. The airplane was substantially damaged and the pilot and passenger were seriously injured. The pilot stated that he covered the wings of the airplane to prevent a buildup of snow and ice that was forecasted. He said that he arrived at the airport on the afternoon Dec.
Lake Aircraft’s parent is offering to sell the company’s assets including the type certificate, intellectual property, drawings, marketing rights and all the tooling necessary to manufacture the familiar amphibian. More than 1,300 Lake amphibians have been delivered since production began. “It’s time to do more fishing,” Armand Rivard, head of Lake’s owner, Revo Corp., said Jan. 8 in explaining his decision to divest the Lake assets.
Aero Law Group, Bellevue, Wash., has announced the addition of Cheryl Kringle to its staff. She will be responsible for representing clients sales, leasing and the exchange of business and commercial aircraft.
Embraer’s new UPS-operated parts distribution center, in Louisville, Ky., was certified by the Brazilian Civil Aviation Agency (Agência Nacional de Aviação Civil — ANAC) just before year-end. ANAC certification is recognized by the FAA. For customers, certification means the logistics site can receive and generate airworthiness tags (Form 8130-3) for Embraer spares, saving customers time and expense.
2009 Feb. 18-19: NBAA Leadership Conference, Doubletree Hotel, New Orleans. www.nbaa.org Feb. 26-28: Women in Aviation International (WAI) 20th Annual Conference, Hyatt Regency, Atlanta, Ga. www.wai.org Mar. 3-4: 2009 Air Charter Safety Foundation Symposium, NTSB Training Center, 45065 Riverside Pkwy., Ashburn, Va. www.acsf.aero/symposium March 6-7: PAMA 2009 Aviation Maintenance & Management Symposium, American Airlines Training and Conference Center, Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas. www.pama.org
Embraer announced Jan. 7 that its Lineage 1000, derived from the EMB 190 airliner, simultaneously received its FAA Type Certificate along with an STC for its sophisticated modular interior designed, fabricated and installed by De Crane Aerospace subsidiary PATS Interior Completions of Georgetown, Del. The executive jet received its ANAC (Brazilian) and EASA (European) certifications just prior to the end of 2008.
Eckert Seamans Cherin and Mellott, LLC, Washington, D.C., announced that Shelley A. Hession has joined the firm as an associate in the Business Division, practicing in the Aviation Group.
Due to two great strokes of fortune, the Hill Aerospace Museum in Idaho has ended up with an absolutely gorgeous, newly repainted Air Force One C-140B/JetStar, fully restored, including a vintage 1970 interior. (For the full story, see Business & Commercial Aviation, July 2008, page 124.)
A science, engineering and technology workforce shortage is posing a serious challenge for the aerospace industry, according to a new survey by the Aerospace Industries Association. The study, “Launching the 21st Century American Workshop,” noted that the shortage of skilled workers is threatening the dominance of the U.S. aerospace industry.
Textron cut its fourth quarter 2008 earnings estimate by more than half amid a slumping economy, but says its Bell Helicopter unit should partially offset weaknesses in its Cessna Aircraft and industrial businesses.
FlightSafety International, La Guardia Airport, N.Y., named Eric P. Hinson executive vice president. Prior to joining FSI, Hinson was president and CEO of Piaggio America. He has held positions at Honeywell Aerospace and Gulfstream Aerospace.
Your reference to my flying BCA editors during the 1958 NBAA convention (“Business Aviation 50 Years Ago,” October 2008, page 38) took me back. It was during that time that I had my most exciting flying experience and by then I’d had my share. I flew torpedo bombers for the Marines in World War II, and fighters in Korea. After that, I worked as a test pilot — for General Motors.
AOPA Airport Support Network volunteer John F. Betsill Jr. testified at the Jan 8 LASP meeting in Atlanta. According to the TSA, the LASP would initially affect 270 FAA-designated reliever airports and another 42 airports that serve general aviation aircraft with MTOWs of 12,500 pounds or greater.
The NBAA has given Sharon Forbes of DuPont Aviation the first Schedulers & Dispatchers Outstanding Achievement & Leadership Award. Created in 2008, this award recognizes individuals who have shared their outstanding business aviation industry expertise, provided extraordinary service, exhibited leadership and made significant contributions to the scheduling and dispatching function. Forbes is the supervisor of scheduling operations and facility manager of DuPont’s flight department headquartered in Wilmington, Del.
Brent Wouters becomes CEO of Cirrus Design Corp. in addition to president and chief operating officer effective Feb. 1. Alan Klapmeier, who founded the company in Duluth, Minn. in 1984 with his brother Dae, will continue as chairman of the board of directors with Dale as vice chairman. Wouters joined Cirrus in early 2002 as executive vice president and chief financial officer, and was promoted to president and COO in March 2008.
On Jan. 12, Cirrus announced new features, upgrades and option packages for its aircraft lineup including “Known Ice Protection” on SR22 and Turbo models; an all-new “X-Edition” premium interior; paint upgrades across the model line; and CMX, a branded “assurance by the 100-hour” pre-purchased maintenance and service program. Cirrus Chairman Alan Klapmeier said the line now ranges from an SR20 S starting at $269,900 to a Turbo GTS with known ice protection for $598,500.
Dallas Airmotive, BBA Aviation engine repair and overhaul subsidiary, has relocated its Phoenix area Regional Turbine Center from Scottsdale Airpark to a new, larger facility adjacent to Deer Valley Airport in North Phoenix. At 7,500 square feet, the new facility has twice the space of the old one. The Phoenix facility performs OEM-authorized repairs including hot section inspections on Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A and JT15D turbines and repairs and overhauls on Rolls-Royce Model 250 turboshaft engines.
Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) introduced a bill to exempt airport bonds and other private activity bonds from the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) penalty, a move the airport industry has long supported. The bill, S. 139, is co-sponsored by Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) and Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.). The bill would repeal the AMT from interest earned on more than 60 percent of airport bonds.
