FLOYD RONEY has joined Becker Avionics as a sales account manager. Roney will be responsible for expanding Becker’s business in the fixed-wing market, as well as strengthening existing relationships. He has more than 30 years of aviation experience, most recently as channel sales manager for EMS Aviation. He also has served with EDMO Distributors and Kannad Aviation.
A corporate turnaround specialist appointed to the top job at Hawker Beechcraft says his top priority is to revive – not sell – the struggling manufacturer of business jets, general aviation turboprops and military trainers. Robert S. “Steve” Miller was appointed CEO on Feb. 7, replacing longtime chief executive Bill Boisture, who will remain as chairman of the company’s operating subsidiary. Miller, the chairman of AIG, has more than three decades of experience as a senior executive at Chrysler, Ford, Delphi, Bethlehem Steel and Waste Management.
BELL Model 427 helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2012-0084; Directorate Identifier 2010-SW-089-AD] – proposes to require, within 150 hr. time-in-service (TIS) or 90 days, removal of the left upper bolt, washers and nut and installation of new parts. The proposal further would require checks of the torque of each nut until torque stabilizes at each attachment location.
PTC was selected as a strategic partner for developing a reliability and maintainability management program for Mitsubishi Aircraft’s Mitsubishi Regional Jet (MRJ) aircraft program. PTC will furnish its Windchill Quality Solutions (formerly called Relex) and Arbortext Service Information Solutions to centrally manage product improvements and enhancements (including a detailed product history), gather and analyze field data, and communicate necessary improvements to internal organizations and external partners.
Landmark Aviation recently added three aircraft to its managed charter fleet: a Hawker 800XP based at Landmark’s Washington-Dulles location, an Embraer Phenom 100 based in Scottsdale, Ariz., and a King Air C90 based in Sioux Falls, S.D. Landmark has a combined managed fleet of 71 aircraft throughout its network. Headquartered in Houston, Landmark operates a chain of fixed-base operations and provides charter, management and maintenance, repair and overhaul services.
Marie Epstein (see photo) has been promoted to VP-sales for the Americas from regional sales manager at Virgin Atlantic Cargo in New York. She was director of strategic accounts at Delta Air Lines/Northwest Airlines Cargo.
The majority of the 161 unclassified milsats forecast for production in the next decade will go into service in the near term with production tapering in the outyears.
Mike Leinback has become director of human spaceflight operations at Denver-based United Launch Alliance. He was launch team leader for all NASA space shuttle missions launched since 2000.
Michael Stofferahn has been appointed VP-North American sales for the Kaydon Bearings Div., Muskegon, Mich. He was VP and general manager of Rexnord Product Services.
Deliveries from Bell Helicopter Canada's facility here crept up last year on the strength of new product offerings, but Bell is no exception to the rotorcraft industry's struggle with a soft commercial market and uncertainties in defense spending. Home to assembly of all of Bell's commercial rotorcraft, Mirabel is being asked to play an increasingly important role for the company as it becomes “more engaged in commercial operations,” says President Barry Kohler.
From diesel-powered helicopters with dramatically lower fuel consumption to composite airframes that can be recycled at the end of their lives, Europe's largest rotorcraft research program is moving from technology studies into hardware design. Part of the €1.6 billion ($2.1 billion) Clean Sky joint technology initiative, the Green Rotorcraft (GRC) program is advancing on a wide front to mature technologies for ground and flight demonstrations in 2014-16 that will enable European manufacturers to introduce cleaner and greener civil rotorcraft in 2020-25.
Greg Diognardi has been appointed Falcon 900 technical sales manager at StandardAero Business Aviation, Tempe, Ariz. He was regional sales manager for Landmark Aviation.
Philip King (see photo) has been appointed president of San Jose, Calif.-based Vision Systems International, succeeding Drew Brugal. King has held leadership positions at McDonnell Douglas and Boeing.
Hannele Malin has been appointed VP-internal auditing at Finnair, succeeding Erkki Lehtinen, who will retire. Malin was manager for government, risk and compliance services at Deloitte & Touche.
Gen. Jean-Paul Palomeros (see photo), chief of staff of the French air force, has become director of the European Air Group, based at RAF Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England, for a two-year term. He succeeds Lt. Gen. Aarne Kreuzinger-Janik, commander of the German air force.
Bill Gerstenmaier (see photo), NASA associate administrator for the Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate, has received the Von Karman Lectureship in Astronautics award, given by the Washington-based American Institute for Aeronautics and Astronautics. He was recognized for his leadership in human spaceflight, culminating in the space shuttle and International Space Station programs.
Bernd Munzenmayer has become senior sales adviser for Pro Star Aviation, Londonderry, N.H., supporting new Sales Director Clark Gordon. Munzenmayer is a founder of Pro Star. Julie Weber has been promoted to VP from senior director of people for Southwest Airlines.
