Cessna's Citation CJ1 received FAA certification in February and began customer deliveries in March. The CitationJet derivative features Rockwell Collins' Pro Line 21 avionics suite, which includes color weather radar, a GPS FMS, liquid crystal displays for the pilot and copilot, and center multi-function display. The manufacturer introduced the aircraft at the 1998 NBAA convention. Cessna also is anticipating spring certification of its Citation Encore. The first Encore rolled off the assembly line in March, although customer deliveries are not planned until the fall.
Air Midwest was awarded the FAA's Diamond Award in recognition of its maintenance training program. Wichita-based Air Midwest recently extended its mechanics' labor contract by an additional 15 months; the current agreement was not scheduled for re-negotiation until December. The airline is a Mesa Air Group subsidiary, and operates as a US Airways Express feeder.
Experimental three-blade Hartzell ``scimitar'' propellers installed on a Britten-Norman BN2B Islander have yielded noise reductions of up to 7 dBA, surpassing expectations. Britten-Norman attributes the result to improved airfoil efficiency, which allows the same power transfer at reduced engine rpm, with consequential lower tip speed and further noise reduction provided by the scimitar planform. The manufacturer began testing
Continental Express will exercise 75 existing options for the purchase of 25 new Embraer ERJ-135 and 50 ERJ-145 regional jets, in addition to 25 undisclosed options for ERJ-145 aircraft exercised in December 1999. The latest order is worth nearly $500 million to engine-maker Rolls-Royce, whose AE3007 turbofan powers both aircraft types, as well as the derivative ERJ-140, a 44-seat variant of the ERJ-135/145.
Farmingdale, N.Y.-based SAGE Parts has formed Sage Parts Plus, which comprises the assets of both SAGE Parts and Parts Plus Logistics. The companies all supply replacement parts for aircraft ground support equipment.
McKinney Aerospace (McKinney, Texas) -- The company has named Don Rose as general manager of production, Karen Cooper as director of design and Kim Toland as director of human resources.
Rolls-Royce has signed engine sales and maintenance deals with Continental Express worth as much as $1.19 billion over the next 10 years. Under the terms of one agreement, Rolls-Royce will supply engines to the carrier for 75 Embraer RJ-145s and 25 Embraer RJ-135s. Continental Express also has tapped the engine manufacturer to provide fixed-fee maintenance for the carrier's 200 ERJ-135 and ERJ-145 aircraft currently in operation and on order. Rolls-Royce also will supply an unspecified number of spare engines under the maintenance contract.
The Italian Air Force has received the first of two ordered Airbus Corporate Jets (ACJ), the third of the type to be delivered and the first in government service. The aircraft is configured for 40 passengers, with seats designed by Avio Interiors -- an Italian company. Engine choice was the CFM56-5B7, the same powerplant selected for Alitalia's fleet of 25 A320-family aircraft. The Italian government plans to use the aircraft to transport government officials, support staff and press.
We can't claim credit for the recommendations developed by the Fractional Ownership Rulemaking Advisory Committee (FOARC) about how the FAA should regulate fractional aircraft programs. But it was gratifying to see that many of the ideas advocated in this space (November 1999, page 98) were included in the package that FOARC delivered to FAA Administrator Jane Garvey in late February.
Inspired by the summer 1999 thunderstorm-induced gridlock, President Clinton has announced a new strategy to improve air traffic movement during severe weather. The program calls for increased use of lower-level and military airspace, better ATC coordination in the New York-Chicago air corridor, more frequent weather forecasts and improved communication between the FAA and operators. The FAA also is setting up a Web site to inform users of the current status of national airspace.
DaimlerChrysler Capital Services (Norwalk, Conn.) -- Noreen Greenhalgh has been promoted to unit leader of credit risk management and Helen Parker is now unit leader of operations at the financing company.
Gulfstream Aerospace has a new Authorized Warranty Repair Facility in Australia. Sydney-based Australian Jet Center replaces Melbourne's Associated Airlines, which had provided factory service for the past 30 years. The selection of Australian Jet Center ``recognizes the strategic importance [of the Pacific Rim] as a growing center of business aviation,'' Gulfstream's Larry Flynn says.
The National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO) has released its annual Directory of State Aviation Officials. The directory includes contact names and numbers for all U.S. state government aviation officials, as well as NASAO officials and committee members, FAA headquarters and regional officials, and aviation associations. Cost of the directory is $40 for a bound copy or $80 for a directory including updates throughout the year. Order forms are available at www.nasao.org/publications.
Honeywell says FAA certification of a predictive wind-shear radar for regional jets and larger business aircraft is imminent. The system is based on Honeywell's RDR-4B radar system, using a new terrain-based auto-tilt system and an optional 24-inch antenna. Operating in conjunction with the company's Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System (EGPWS), the auto-tilt radar is angled based on aircraft altitude and the height of surrounding terrain, while also maintaining optimum angle for weather detection, the manufacturer says.
San Juan, Puerto Rico-based Servicios Aereos Profesionales is leasing a Raytheon Beech 1900C from the manufacturer for freight operations. The carrier currently operates four Beech 1900D and two 1900C aircraft.
United Airlines has removed its fleet of nine British Aerospace ATPs from service and is selling them through BAE Systems. The aircraft formerly operated flights under the United Feeder Services (UFS) banner for United Express.
Sporty's new NTSB Investigator CD-ROM gives users access to the records of 31,000 accidents and incidents involving general aviation piston aircraft since 1983. Various database searches are available, including aircraft make/model, serial numbers, weather -- or any word in the accident description. Price: $59.00 Sporty's Pilot Shop Clermont County Airport Batavia, Ohio 45103-9747 Phone: (800) LIFTOFF Fax: (513) 735-9200 www.sportys.com trim: 8'' x 10.75'' RHP
Mercury Air Group says it will record a pretax charge of around $2.7 million in its fiscal third quarter, due to Tower Air's February 29 bankruptcy filing. Mercury plans to continue to supply the New York-based carrier, but only on a prepaid basis. Jet fuel prices have risen steadily over the past year, increasing airlines' operating expenses.
Brazilian manufacturer Embraer has revealed plans to configure two of its regional jet designs as business aircraft. The first will be the ECJ-135, based on the 37-seat ERJ-135 regional jet; the second will be the ECJ-170, based on the proposed 70-seat ERJ-170. The ECJ-135 is available now, Embraer says, with the ECJ-170 following in third quarter 2002.
Edited by Paul RichfieldBy David Esler, in Burbank, Calif.
In a vote of confidence for California's noise-sensitive Glendale-Burbank Pasa-dena Airport (BUR), Mercury Air Group opened its $10 million Mercury Air Center FBO on March 10. Distinguished by a glassed-in, elevated lobby, the facility was built to cater primarily to the entertain-ment industry, which frequently makes use of business aviation at BUR, the former Lockheed Air Terminal.
Flight Center at Seattle's Boeing Field (BFI) has named Jeff Stilwell to be its new general manager. Stilwell most recently was chief pilot and flight department manager for Ranier Aviation, and was chief pilot for GTE Corp. Flight Center recently expanded its business to include aircraft charter and management.
Nav Canada and Air Canada have completed early tests of a Controller Pilot Data Link Communications (CPDLC) system over the North Atlantic. CPDLC is designed to replace certain voice communications between pilots and air traffic controllers with digital messaging. Nav Canada says benefits of the system include reduced pilot and controller workload, as well as an improvement over unreliable HF radio communication systems currently in use over the North Atlantic.
B/CA is soliciting information on pay and benefits for flight department management, flight crews, maintenance departments, flight attendants, and schedulers and dispatchers for our annual salary survey. Your input is highly valued, and will make our end-product -- a core component of our August Operations Planning Guide -- a more useful management tool for the industry. A postage-paid reply card for the B/CA flight department salary survey is inserted in this issue after page 48.
