The first gasoline-powered vehicle appeared in 1865, and by the late 1880s car manufacturers were selling their noisy, smoke-spewing and pricey contraptions throughout Western Europe. Charles Stewart Rolls, the well-heeled son of a British lord, became one of his country's first "automobilists," and in 1902, at the age of 25, established a business selling, servicing and repairing automobiles. He also made a name for himself as a driver on Europe's racing circuit and held a number of world speed records, all of which was good publicity for his operation back home.
Adam Aircraft signed a letter of intent to form a strategic partnership with Singapore Technologies Engineering Ltd. ST Aerospace will provide engineering, logistics, maintenance, repair and overhaul support for both Adam's A500 twin-piston and A700 twin jet. The agreement also includes options for ST Aerospace to invest up to $50 million in the startup aircraft maker, which is headquartered at Centennial Airport (APA) in Englewood, Colo. The option is exercisable within seven years.
B&CA: What is NATCA's position on the Next Generation Air Transportation System? Do you think it's a sound concept, and if not, why not? Church: We are not involved in either the JPDO or NGATS. The FAA has eliminated collaboration of any kind with controllers. They sent all of our technical experts home to their control facilities, including the one who was our JPDO liaison. This is the FAA's choice for us not to be involved in the JPDO. B&CA: What is your position on automation in general?
Imagine having an entire fleet of airplanes, ranging from a Cessna 206 to an Otter on floats to a Beech 99, available for you to fly on any given day. Now imagine that flying takes place in the spectacular backcountry of Idaho and Montana. Oh, and one more thing, imagine being paid very well to do it.
WHAT DOES PETE TOWNSEND think about the age 60 rule? (He just turned 61.) If your response was "Who?" you are not of "my generation," but if you adjusted your reading glasses for a moment and then exclaimed "The Who!" read on, old friend.
According to statistics provided to the National Aircraft Resale Association (NARA) by AMSTAT, the New Jersey-based aircraft market research firm, retail sales of previously owned jets and turboprops rose 11 and 14 percent, respectively, in 2005. More robust sales, coupled with declining inventories of used jets and turboprops, have led to rising prices for most previously owned turbine-powered business aircraft.
Dassault Falcon's Jack Young has been honored with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society Hope Award, which is presented in recognition of outstanding corporate leadership in the community. Young is the senior vice president of finance and administration for Dassault Falcon Jet and president of Dassault Aircraft Services.
Fluorescent lights work by heating a source of electrons that zoom through the tube and collide with atoms of mercury vapor. Quantum physics describes what happens next: The collision causes some electrons in the mercury atoms to jump to higher orbits, as if one of the moons of Jupiter were suddenly catapulted outward but still circling the planet. Now the atoms are unstable, and the electrons jump back down, in the process emitting photons of ultraviolet light. The UV light rays hit a whitish chemical phosphor that coats the inside of the tube, and the phosphor glows.
Agusta Aerospace said Skyline Helicopters signed a contract to buy an A119 Koala at the Helicopter Association International's recent Heli-Expo convention in Dallas. Skyline will use the aircraft for geo-seismic assessment, research and heli-skiing. Skyline is a charter operator based in British Columbia, Canada. Agusta Aerospace is an AgustaWestland company.
As the result of a TSO granted recently by the FAA, Rockwell Collins' Pro Line 21 Integrated Display System (IDS) now can be installed on older aircraft equipped with Rockwell Collins AP-105 and APS-65 autopilots.
As an aircraft mechanic of 29 years I have seen a lot of ignorance from some people about what our job is and it is very clear to me your publication has no clue about what a mechanic is. I would like to call your attention to "The Flying Maintenance Technician" (February 2006, page 64). Mechanics as flight attendants? What an insult. Do you and your staff have any idea what we go through to get our qualifications? I think not, or you never would have published an insult to a group of professionals such as you did with this piece of garbage.
The Cape Town Convention, which became effective March 1, will have a positive effect on aircraft-backed debt and leases in the long term but won't change ratings in the short term, Standard & Poor's said. So far, the United States and eight smaller nations have ratified the agreement, which creates an international electronic registry of interests and lien-holders on aircraft, and provides remedies for lessors or creditors in the event of default or insolvency.
Landmark Aviation named Jim Hopkins as its vice president, FBO operations. Hopkins will be responsible for strategy and leadership of the company's 34 airport facilities. Brian Watkins has been named vice president of technology. Mark Larsen has been named vice president of large fleets and government contracts.
While abstaining from recommending future FAA air traffic management policy during his speech at the Wings Club, Pelton responded positively when asked about Australia's tests of Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) operations and its determination that the economics of ADS-B were superior to either installing or maintaining radar ground stations. Pelton said he had taken note of the Australian experience, as well as the results of the Alaskan Capstone tests, and that ADS-B was worth a careful look as part of a future U.S.
Leaders of key business aviation organizations are seeking common ground with airline executives though the auspices of respected veterans on both sides such as former American Airlines CEO Bob Crandall, Cessna Chairman Emeritus Russ Meyer and Ed Stimpson, the long-time head of GAMA and now chairman of the Flight Safety Foundation. The issue is user fees. Airlines are aggrieved, insisting that they pay -- but more precisely, their passengers pay -- a disproportional share of the operational costs of the ATC system vs.
I have some experience in flying the Mitsubishi MU-2. I first flew it in 1967 and have flown every model, with the exception of the "A" and "C". By way of qualifications, I have an ATP, Multi, CFI, CFII and am typed in the Gulfstream II and III. In flying the MU-2 alone, I have accumulated 15,000 plus hours of safe operation.
Rolls-Royce and Helijet International have signed an exclusive agreement on the supply of Model 250 engine service parts and support. Under the arrangement, Rolls-Royce will provide a custom package of parts and services designed to lower Helijet's DOCs. Helijet, based at Vancouver International Airport in British Columbia, Canada, will also benefit from its exclusive use of the Rolls-Royce Model 250 FIRST (Full-service Integrated Rolls-Royce Support Team) network of repair and overhaul providers.
Flight Safety Foundation, Alexandria, Va., announced that Jay Donoghue will join the staff as director of publications. Most recently, Donogue served as editorial director of Air Transport World magazine.
On Jan. 30, Pratt & Whitney Canada marked a major milestone in its 77-year history with the production of its 60,000th engine. A special ceremony was held in its Mississauga, Ontario, plant to commemorate the event. Of those engines, more than 40,000 are still in operation with close to 9,000 operators worldwide. In the last decade alone, the company has certified more than 50 engines. These include new engines among its current engine series - the PT6, PW100, PW200, PW300, PW500, JT15D and PW900.
Grumman dominated the large-cabin business jet aircraft market after introducing the Gulfstream II in 1967. When the Canadians later announced they would challenge with their new CL600, Grumman elected to develop a G1159 derivative that would have an eight-hour, 3,750 mile-range, with basic reserves and feature a modified airfoil and winglets. Most GII systems were retained, along with its twin 11,400-pound-thrust Rolls-Royce Spey 511-8 engines. But Grumman never proceeded with it.
