448 Alliance LLC 2800 W. Mockingbird Lane Dallas, TX 75235-5805 Registered owner of N370V Darby Aviation dba AlphaJet International 1 Avalon Ave. N.W. Muscle Shoals, AL 35661 Holds Air Carrier Certificate and lists N370V in its fleet Platinum Jet Management 1715 N.W. 51st Place Hangar 70 Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309 Allegedly provided the crew and operated the last flight of N370V
Dassault staged a high-tech, high-concept debut for the new Falcon 7X in the Charles A. Lindbergh Memorial Hangar at Dassault's Merignac, France, facility on Feb. 15.
GAMA, Washington, D.C., hired Gregory J. Bowles as manager of engineering and maintenance. Bowles assumes responsibility for activities related to regulatory safety standards and continued airworthiness.
New Jersey-based EVASWorldwide received an STC for the installation of its emergency vision assistance system (EVAS) in Gulfstream 550 business jets. In case of a cockpit fire, EVAS provides a clear space of air through which a pilot can see flight instruments and out the front windshield in order to execute a safe landing.
Keystone Helicopter, West Chester, Pa., appointed Jim Munda vice president of engineering and Darrell Jones vice president of completions. Munda will be responsible for the company's designated alteration station (DAS) activity, business development and FAR compliance for all modifications. Jones will be responsible for green completions and the company's S-92 program.
Honeywell's seventh Turbine-Powered Civil Helicopter Purchase Outlook released at February's Heli-Expo, like its Rolls-Royce counterpart, shows that last year's projections have been met with this year's deliveries and that civil turbine helicopter deliveries during the five-year period of 2005 to 2009 are forecast to be 10 percent greater than the five-year period of 2000-2004. The study forecasts deliveries of 2,400 turbine helicopters from 2005 to 2009, and 5,550 in the 11-year period of 2005 to 2015, with an annual growth rate of 1 to 2 percent.
Bell Helicopter completed moving its Commercial Business Unit into more than 160,000 square feet of hangar and warehouse space at the Alliance, Texas, Airport. Bell's Customer Center and Customer Training Academy are based at the Alliance site, and the company employs about 300 people there. In addition to two hangars and warehouse space, the Alliance site includes office space for customers, and showrooms for helicopter design and configuration discussions.
CharterX now offers Version 5 of its charter search engine Industry XChange that will enable charter customers to have access to more than 1,000 business jets with availability data updated weekly by the operator. The system processes more than 1,500 full-flight searches each day. Users log into the system and search for flights, much like popular Internet travel search engines. There is no charge for the searches. Price: No charge -- users must register CharterX Corp. 4035 N.E. Sandy Blvd., Ste. 209 Portland, OR 97212
The FAA published its requirements for periodic inspections and record reviews for 4,000 to 5,000 older aircraft used in scheduled operations in the Feb. 2 Federal Register. The final rules dropped some of the potentially costly damage tolerance mandates for FAR Part 135 operators. The rule essentially requires detailed periodic inspections of multiengine aircraft that are 14 years or older and are operated in scheduled operations under Part 135, 121 or 129.
Millions of innocent and often sentimental and valuable articles are forfeited at TSA screening points with no hope of retrieval. Now the TSA is deploying automated mailing kiosks (AMKs) by ReturnKey Systems in major international airports to offer the traveling public an alternative to forfeiture while affording the TSA a viable alternative to confiscation. The AMKs also return U.S. Postal Service to terminals serviced by the kiosks. USPS depositories disappeared from terminals in the wake of 9/11. ``We worked with and through Homeland Security, the TSA, the U.S.
Aviation Week Group's Web portal, located at www.aviationnow.com, increased the number of articles available from its publications to provide a larger view of the latest developments in the world of aviation, aerospace and defense. This new level of expanded editorial coverage is available for $4.95 per article, $8.95 per month or $69 annually. ``The expanded coverage in Aviationnow.com gives a great snapshot of news in aviation, aerospace and defense with a large sampling of articles selected from our entire portfolio of products,'' said Kenneth E.
AvCard has achieved ISO 9001:2000 certification for both its Hunt Valley, Md., and London, England, operations. Linda Kropp developed the concept and started the business at PHH Group while that company was entering the aviation industry. When PHH divested its aviation businesses, Kropp acquired AvCard and set about growing it. Today, AvCard, a division of Kropp Holdings, is a leading provider of aviation services and contract fuel to over 12,000 corporate, governmental and military cardholders worldwide.
The Outdoor Channel (TOC) will debut a new aviation series this summer, ``Wings to Adventure,'' which will take an in-depth look at general aviation. Cirrus Design Corp. has signed on as a sponsor for the series, which will include profiles of airplanes, flying destinations, aviation personalities, industry history, tips and equipment reviews.
GAMA and manufacturers have been working with the FAA to finalize a policy for test and experimental flights in RVSM airspace. One manufacturer had been advised to shut down its flight-testing program until such guidance was released, but then got an OK to continue the program. Wichita OEMs, which could collectively generate 60 test and experimental flights on any given day, were working directly with the Kansas City Center on procedures for handling the test flights.
When Honeywell's SPZ-8000 made its debut in the mid-1980s, it set new standards for performance, capabilities and display technology. In keeping with the GV's evolutionary design, Gulfstream chose a low-risk derivative of the GIV-SP's SPZ-8400 for the cockpit of its newest long-range business jet. The race was on to beat the Global Express to the market and Gulfstream wanted no unexpected twists en route to the winner's circle.
Joint venture Bell/Agusta Aerospace Co. is relocating its headquarters from Fort Worth, Texas, to Reston, Va. Company officials said the move ``is consistent with our goal to enhance the company's visibility across the aviation industry and especially our global customer base, including the U.S. government.''
Ron Zilberbrand, who founded Jet Support Services in 1989, recently celebrated the six-month anniversary of his latest venture, the Zilberbrand Group, LLC. Zilberbrand and his son Jason formed the international aircraft sales and acquisitions company in June 2004. The Chicago-based firm is using agents in nine countries to identify aircraft that might be suitable for sale and was expecting to close several deals early this year.
Republic Airways Holdings has ordered another 16 Embraer 170s and holds options for 34, putting its total order at 39 firm and 61 options. Value of the firm order is claimed to be $400 million with deliveries from June of this year to mid-2006. The aircraft will be operated for Delta Connection. A previous order covered aircraft used on behalf of United Express. To date Republic has taken delivery of 13 E-170s.
Everyone based or employed at Concord, Calif.'s Buchanan Field has a stake in the outcome of the redevelopment proposal currently being considered for the airport. EMS operator Calstar (California Shock/Trauma Air Rescue), which fields a fleet of helicopters out of CCR, is no exception.
There was considerable hoopla a few years ago about the evolving Communications, Navigation and Surveillance systems for Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM). Those were to be the follow-on group of technologies for the Future Air Navigation System - 1 (FANS-1) proposed by Boeing and FANS-A proposed by Airbus. FANS-X was to be CNS/ATM tailored for business jets.
CAE Group President of Civil Simulation and Training Jeff Roberts announced at the Falcon 7X debut that CAE will build its new Northeast United States business aviation training center in Morris County, N.J. In July 2004, CAE was awarded an exclusive contract by Dassault to provide entitlement training for pilots, maintenance personnel and cabin crew for the Falcon 7X aircraft. CAE will also provide training for the Falcon 900 EX/EASy and 2000 EX/EASy at the center.
LJSC, a Wichita-based engineering consulting company, received an STC for its RVSM package for the Learjet 24 and 25. The kit, which features two Rosemount pitot-static probes and twin Innovative Solutions & Support air-data computers, takes between eight and 12 weeks to deliver to an installation center and approximately two weeks to install. The installed price for the LJSC RVSM Learjet solutions range from $145,000 to $158,000.
GAMA announced that shipments of piston-powered airplanes increased by 155 units to 2,051, a 20-year high. Turboprop shipments increased from 272 airplanes in 2003 to 321 in 2004. Shipments of general aviation business jets also increased, up 14.1 percent from 518 units in 2003 to 591 in 2004.
The FAA has issued a new rule for FAR Part 91 operators carrying candidates for political office that eliminates compensation restrictions for transporting state and local candidates that did not apply to candidates for federal office. The rule change allows operators who do not hold either a Part 121 or 135 certificate to receive payments for carrying local or state candidates if the state and local election laws require such payment. Part 91 operators already were permitted to receive payment for carrying candidates seeking federal offices.
The February ``Fast Five'' (page 26) belongs in an April Fool's edition of your magazine. Why would a credible magazine waste two-thirds of a page on this hoax? It makes me wonder about you and B&CA. The Moller Skycar is about as viable as Dr. Langley's full-scale steam-powered airplane. Why not stick with real aviation products that have at least a chance of becoming a reality.
