AOPA, Frederick, Md., announced that Mark Baker is the new president of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. He replaces Craig Fuller, who has led the organization for the last five years.
Aspen Avionics, Albuquerque, N.M., announced the Perri Coyne has joined the company as director of Marketing Operations. Perri comes to Aspen from Beechcraft Corp. Prior to that, she worked at Honeywell Aerospace in a variety of marking and media relations posts. She began her aviation career at Signature Flight Support in a marketing role.
Cardiff Aviation, Cardiff, appointed Andrew Braley as commercial director. His appointment follows the recent arrival of Allan Dunne as head of Flight Training.
CIRCOR, Corona, Calif., promoted Daniel Godin to vice president of Operations, North America. In his expanded role, he will continue to provide leadership for the company's Lean Manufacturing and growth initiatives.
Gulfstream Aerospace, Savannah, Ga., named William Brown director of global security. He will manage activities to protect Gulfstream employees, assets and property. William Gibson was appointed director, Product Support Global Distribution. He previously spent 10 years at Honeywell, most recently as senior manager, customer operations for its Space and Defense segmant.
Beechcraft King Air 350, or Model B300, is the largest business turboprop yet built by the Wichita manufacturer and by far its most versatile performer. More than 600 first-generation aircraft built between 1990 and 2008 still are in service. In 2009, it was succeeded by the more luxurious King Air 350i.
Jet Aviation recently received CAMO certification authorizing the company to manage the maintenance of aircraft registered in Bermuda. For aircraft registered in Bermuda, a CAMO is a mandatory requirement that was implemented in 2010. “With this service expansion, we now have the ability to offer our services to over 700 Bermuda-registered aircraft,” said Don Haloburdo, vice president and general manager of Jet Aviation Flight Services.
Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) is seeking to potentially add one or two more fixed-base operations at Van Nuys Airport (VNY) in California. LAWA, which oversees VNY in addition to Los Angeles International (LAX) and Ontario (ONT), issued a request for qualifications (RFQ) for parties interested in operating an FBO at the airport. LAWA says it anticipates that two FBO areas will be made available — one on a lot that has been vacant for some time and the other on a site that Pentastar Aviation vacated last spring. Both involve parcels of up to 15 acres.
I was surprised by a letter titled “One Sided” in the September B&CA (page 12) by Steven Twist, a lawyer for Services Group of America . . . and more so, that you even printed it. I read the referenced article, “Command Presence” (Cause & Circumstance, June 2013, page 55), and went over the NTSB documents several times and can find nothing in Dick Aarons' reporting that is even closely one-sided. Instead, I found it to be factual, to the point, and exactly what I expected when I viewed the NTSB report.
Ac-U-Kwik has developed an airport and FBO iPad app. Data available in the “Corporate Pilot's Airport/FBO Directory for North America and International” includes complete information on FBOs and fuel services, selective maintenance, catering, ground transportation, airport diagrams, clearance procedures, weather forecasts and updates, distance calculator and geo-referenced mapping. You can bookmark airport and make notes. For more information, go to: acukwik.com/ipad
Rockwell Collins' $1.39 billion buy of Arinc from the Carlyle Group gives the avionics maker its own end-to-end ground-to-cockpit communications link, a connection that is fundamental to the FAA's NextGen air traffic management system. The deal, announced in August, was expected close quickly.
Also as part of its sale of Flexjet, Bombardier is selling its 49% stake in Flexjet partner Jet Solutions, which held the Part 135 certificate and contracted to provide charter flights for the Dallas-based fractional. The 51% stakeholders of Jet Solutions, including President Dennis Keith, are buying the remaining portion of their company, but will maintain their strategic relationship with Flexjet, says Flexjet President Deanna White.
Bell Helicopter has delivered a Model 407GX to Helidrive in Saint Petersburg, the first of the type for Russia. Helidrive, which represents Bell in northwest Russia, accepted the aircraft is early September. It plans to use the aircraft for private and charter flights. To date, more than 1,100 Bell 407s have been delivered globally. The 407GX has a Garmin G1000H flight deck, including a terrain avoidance warning system, synthetic vision and a traffic information system.
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel has nixed plans to lease Midway International Airport (MDW) to private investors. Rahm suddenly canceled the process in September when only one lease bidder remained. A spokeswoman for the mayor's office was quoted as saying, “We set a high bar,” but “the companies did not meet that bar and could not make an offer that would meet what taxpayers deserve.” The lease, which was expected to generate billions of dollars for the city, would have involved the first major metropolitan U.S. airport to go under private control.
AEROBridge, Washington, D.C., has been was warded the National Aeronautic Association's 2013 Public Benefit Flying Award for Outstand Achievement in Public Benefit Flying “for creating a nationwide network of volunteer aircraft owners, operators, FBOS and pilots will to donate their time, effort and funding for the alleviation of the suffering of those in need due to disaster or circumstance.”
Constant Aviation, Cleveland, Ohio, was selected as a 2013 NorthCoast 99 winner as on of the best workplaces in Northeast Ohio. This is two in a row for Constant Aviation.
Swift Fuels LLC has opened their new aviation fuel blending facility in Lafayette, Ind., where it is also building a pilot plant. The company is investing $2.5 million in the facilities. The blending facility will store at least 50,000 gal. unleaded, high-octane aviation components for sales and shipment. The pilot plant will produce more than 10,000 gal. of 100SF avgas per month when it reaches full capacity. It can produce the fuel from petroleum or bio-sourced material.
Lufthansa Bombardier Aviation Services has opened an additional hangar at its home base in Berlin-Schoenefeld. The increase in capacity has also created 12 new jobs (10 of which are technicians), bringing the number of staff currently employed at LBAS to 183. Following the renovation of a hangar taken over from Lufthansa Tecnik, the MRO provider can handle one aircraft in the Bombardier Global series and up to four aircraft the size of a Challenger 850. Expansion includes a battery shop and a wheel reconditioning worshop.
The Federal Communications Commission is proposing to phase out 121.5 MHz emergency locator transmitters (ELTs) and transition to units transmitting on 406 MHz since only the latter's signals are processed by a network of search satellites. However, the Department of Transportation opposes the move citing expense — about $500 million to re-equip the civilian fleet — and the “unequivocal intent” of the Congress to permit use of the 121.5 units.
While the final report on the loss of Aero Commander N690SM had not been released at this writing, it is certain to make mention of controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) accidents. These are incidents in which a properly functioning aircraft is flown under the control of a qualified pilot into terrain (water or obstacles) with inadequate awareness on the part of the pilot of the impending collision.
Duncan Aviation, Lincoln, Neb., appointed Joe Lacorte regional manger for the southeast region. Before joining Duncan, he served as a field representative for both GE Aircraft Engine Group and Pratt & Whitney Canada.
Garmin is developing aN STC to install the G5000 avionics suite in the Beechjet 400A/Hawker 400XP. The avionics manufacturer hopes to have the STC complete by 2015 and offer the upgrade through its dealer network. The retrofit system will feature three high-resolution 12-in. flight displays along with two touch-screen display/controllers. Pilots will be able to view maps, charts, checklists, TAWS, TCAS, flight plans, weather, and video input. It will be designed for the latest NextGen technologies, including PBN/RNP 0.3 with LPV/APV approach capability and ADS-B.
Directional Aviation Capital plans to operate Flexjet and Flight Options as two distinct entities. While the two fractional operations are competitors, Kenn Ricci, principal of Directional and Flight Options chairman, says the companies will serve different clientele with Flexjet promoted as the “premium brand,” maintaining a fleet of Bombardier aircraft. The company now operates some 88 aircraft, but more are on the way, anchored by an order for 25 Learjet 75s, 30 Learjet 85s, 20 Challenger 350s and 10 Challenger 605s valued at $1.8 billion.
