Safire Aircraft says it has ordered 1,000 turbofan engines from Agilis, a Florida-based engineering company, for its proposed six-passenger SA-26 aircraft. Safire's marketing chief Dean Rotchin says the manufacturer had been in negotiations with Pratt&Whitney Canada and Williams. Although the seven-year-old Agilis has never before certified an engine, Rotchin says the company has ``designed engines that have been certified by the major engine manufacturers.'' The new engine is planned to weigh under 100 pounds and produce 800 pounds of thrust.
Non-scheduled air taxi operators and general aviation recorded lower accident rates in 1999, while the rate for FAR Part 121 and 135 scheduled airlines increased, according to statistics compiled by the NTSB. With 1,908 accidents resulting in a total of 623 fatalities, the general aviation accident rate was 7.05 accidents per 100,000 flight hours. Based on FAA estimates, 1999 also was general aviation's busiest year in almost a decade. The accident rate for air taxi operators was 2.71 per 100,000 flight hours and 38 fatalities.
TAG Aviation will offer its Blue Light (AOG) maintenance support service at the Million Air facility in Farmingdale, N.Y. Blue Light has been operated out of Westchester County Airport (HPN) under the Wayfarer name for the past two years. For immediate service, contact Bill Zink at (800) 787-0997.
FAA efforts to modernize the U.S. air traffic control system have achieved only ``limited success,'' the U.S. General Accounting Office (GAO) recently testified before the Senate Budget Committee. Cost overruns, delays and performance problems have caused modernization programs to fall short of expectations, a situation made worse by overly ambitious schedules, inadequate planning and lack of effective oversight, the GAO said.
Superior Air Parts (Dallas) -- Robert Williams has been named director of engine programs and Ted Faircloth is director of information technology. Dan J. O'Neill joins the parts manufacturer as director of marketing.
We tried to create a recipe for an effective crew briefing, one that only utilizes a fill-in-the-blanks format to ensure formation of a highly effective crew. We submitted a format with comments to Dr. Robert Ginnett, a senior fellow at the Center for Creative Leadership in Colorado Springs, for a grade, a critique of what was right and what was not right. We wanted to use it as an example of what to do or what not to do. We found out it is just not that simple.
Sino Swearingen (San Antonio) -- Roy C. McGraw joins the manufacturer as vice president of procurement. McGraw had been director of procurement for Gulfstream.
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) is targeting 12- to 18-year-old aviation and space buffs with its annual Summer Academy program. The one- to eight-week sessions take place at ERAU's Daytona Beach, Fla., campus and offer students the opportunity to learn about aviation careers, visit area aerospace facilities and take basic flight instruction. Options for more-ambitious and better-heeled campers include programs leading to the first solo, private pilot license and instrument rating.
Skyshares, TAG Aviation's fractional ownership operation, says it plans to double its fleet of Raytheon King Airs by the end of the year. The company operates a mixed fleet of King Air 90s and 200s and expects to add ``at least five more.'' While the program remains a regional one, aircraft are now available anywhere east of the Mississippi, the company says. Due to owner demand, two aircraft were based in Florida for the entire winter.
Assessing how a flight department contributes to its company's bottom line can be a tough, often intangible concept for some managers . . . especially if they lack some of the skills necessary to understand the myriad issues involved in developing a comprehensive evaluation. At best, some managers may feel confused. At worst, measuring a department's value may engender feelings of apprehension or fear.
Citing a growing shortage of active helicopter pilots, Oakland-based Sierra Academy of Aeronautics is establishing a Professional Helicopter Pilot Qualification Program, designed to take pilots from ``zero-time'' to ATP in two years. Sierra's Barry Lloyd says the school's Bay-area location produces ``well-rounded professionals'' with actual mountain and overwater flying experience in congested airspace. The helicopter training is patterned on Sierra's Airline Pilot Qualification Program, which guarantees interviews with Continental Express and American Eagle.
GE Engine Services has authorized Garrett Aviation Services to perform overhaul and hot section work on CJ610 and CF700 engines. There are more than 3,000 of the engines in service, primarily on early Learjets and Dassault Falcon 20s, according to Garrett program manager Craig Winterrowd. He added that Garrett also provides factory-authorized airframe service on both aircraft, so airframe and engine work now can be performed simultaneously.
KaiserAir of Oakland recently hosted more than 40 private jets during the NBAA All-Star 2000 festivities at the nearby Network Associates Colisseum. Founded in 1946, KaiserAir manages 14 business jets for San Francisco Bay-area corporations and private owners. Additional information is available at www.kaiserair.com.
Harrisburg Jet Center in Pennsylvania reports substantial growth in charter activity at Capital City Airport (CXY), and plans to improve its hangar and pilot facilities. The local airport authority says it is considering the addition of up to 18 new T-hangars. A ``local entrepreneur'' built 16 T-hangars at CXY in 1999, the group says.
The FAA has proposed a $1 million fine against AAR Airframe and Accessories for hazmat violations. It is the largest hazmat penalty against a single company since the FAA levied a $2.25 million fine against SabreTech in connection with the 1996 crash of a ValuJet DC-9 in the Florida Everglades. AAR CEO David P. Storch countered that his company has ``acted appropriately'' and promised to ``vigorously defend our position'' regarding the FAA allegation and proposed fine.
New entrant carrier Pro Air says the FAA certification process is delaying the launch of its Pro Air Express regional aircraft division. Pro Air announced in August 1999 that it would operate three Saab 2000s owned by General Motors to feed traffic through its Detroit hub. General Motors removed the aircraft from FAR Part 91 employee shuttle service and offered them to Pro Air under undisclosed terms. The carrier says certification is taking longer than anticipated largely because no Saab 2000s have ever operated under Part 121 in the United States.
Military aviation has a long history of requiring briefings prior to each sortie. This requirement is standard regardless of aircraft. This policy also has been adopted by most airlines, albeit somewhat modified to include a crew briefing, a departure briefing, a pre-takeoff briefing and an approach briefing. It can be argued that the single, most important briefing is the crew briefing since it may set the tone for the entire flight. However, this assertion is not universally accepted.
On February 29, the FAA and the aviation industry passed a major milestone in airspace modernization. The administration received the initial Aeronautical Telecommunications Network (ATN) software package needed to upgrade its ATC computers for Controller-to-Pilot Data Link Communi-cations (CPDLC). The ATN is sanctioned by ICAO and internationally accepted by all signatories. It's essentially an aviation Internet that will provide communications, navigation and surveillance functions by means of terrestrial- and satellite-based data links.
Edited by Paul RichfieldBy Paul Richfield Ayres Loadmaster Back On Track
Fred Ayres says development of the Ayres LM200 Loadmaster is proceeding on track for first customer delivery to Federal Express (FedEx) in December 2001, a year later than planned. The wings and empennage for the first aircraft have arrived from the company's LET unit in the Czech Republic, he says, and construction of the fuselage at Ayres' Albany, Ga., plant is nearly complete.
