National Air Service (NAS) of Saudi Arabia signed a $170 million deal at the recent Dubai Air Show to acquire 14 Raytheon Hawker 800XP business jets. The aircraft will be operated under the NetJets Middle East fractional ownership program, a subsidiary of New Jersey-based Executive Jet. The Hawkers will operate alongside 12 ordered Falcon 2000s and Gulfstream IVSPs in the NAS fleet.
St. Louis-based Trans States Airlines broadened its asset management deal with TRW Aeronautical Systems (Lucas Aerospace) to include the carrier's nine ordered Embraer 145 regional jets. Trans States retains options on 18 additional ERJ-145s.
Gulfstream Aerospace delivered a G-V to Kuwait Airways for use by senior Kuwaiti government officials. Two additional G-Vs are on order. Gulfstream also announced that its international sales headquarters has moved to larger offices in Farnborough, England.
With its acquisition of Jet East at Dallas' Love Field complete, Jet Aviation is planning a further expansion to Van Nuys or Burbank, Calif., within a year and to the Chicago area within the next 18 months. Jet Aviation, whose corporate roots are in Basel, Switzerland, now operates four full-service U.S. facilities, including Teterboro; Bedford, Mass.; West Palm Beach, Fla. and Dallas.
The FAA recently made its first change since 1976 to the General Handbook for A&P Mechanics. ASA is providing the eight-page pamphlet with all newly purchased editions of the Handbook, but is also making the changes available, free of charge, on its Web site. The Handbook and revision provide the required material for the FAA Knowledge Exam, and is a useful reference guide. Price: Free Web site download Aviation Supplies and Academics, Inc. 7005 132nd Pl. S.E. Newcastle, Wash. 98059-3153
Photograph: Revelers enjoy the merger festivities. The AlliedSignal-Honeywell Aerospace marriage had quite a wedding party at the Phoenix-Sky Harbor Honeywell (nee AlliedSignal) flight operations facility on December 2, 1999, the first day of the new ly combined company. Upbeat music blared and clouds of red and chrome confetti blew over a crowd of more than 300 people, as Robert D. Johnson, president of Honeywell International's aerospace business, unveiled a 75-foot-long ``Honeywell'' banner to the cheers of employees, officially announcing the merger.
An Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) initiative designed to decrease the number of work-related injuries could have an impact on the aviation industry. Proposed rules would mandate employee education programs, ways for employees to report injuries, prompt access to health care and other details. The National Air Transportation Association (NATA) is against the so-called ``ergonomics standard'' proposal, saying it will raise costs, lower employee productivity and ``pit employees against employers.'' Public hearings on the issue begin in late February.
Comair Holdings says it will continue to operate charters and manage aircraft through its Comair Jet Express and Comair Aviation subsidiaries after its acquisition by Delta Air Lines. Comair Aviation is an FBO at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport.
Offshore operator Tex-Air Helicopters ordered two Eurocopter AS350B2 AStars. With the AStar purchase and an existing order for four EC120 helicopters, the company will operate a total of 32 aircraft.
Photograph: The Kilkeary family breaks ground on a new headquarters building for L.J. Aviation, which the family owns and operates. From left is Edward Kilkeary, Jr.; Kristin (Kilkeary) Rullo; Edward M. Kilkeary, Sr. (with shovel); his wife, Mary Ann; and Kellie Ann, Dan and Brad Kilkeary. L.J. Aviation has broken ground for its new corporate headquarters expansion at the Arnold Palmer Regional Airport in Latrobe, Pa., and a recently completed hangar is now open for business.
Photograph: Don Ingham, Nav Canada vice president Paul Richfield Three years ago, Canada privatized its national airspace infrastructure and began charging for its use. Since then, many in the United States -- including the chiefs of several of the largest U.S. major airlines -- have said that the United States should follow Canada's example, replace the FAA with a private contractor and switch to a structure funded by user fees. This position is understandable for two reasons. The first, that the U.S.
Ongoing concern over the loss of cowling access doors from Eurocopter BK 117 helicopters in flight has prompted the NTSB to propose an airworthiness directive requiring operators to install hook-type latches on the doors. Five inflight door separations have been documented since the manufacturer's 1989 service bulletin first addressed the problem, most recently the 1998 non-fatal emergency landing and rollover of a St. Louis Helicopters BK 117 in Topeka, Kan.
A new, lightweight emergency locator transmitter (ELT) for helicopters is available from Artex Aircraft. Powered by a four-year lithium battery, the ELT-200HM weighs only 1.91 pounds. In addition to being a lifesaver, the unit also is a space saver, measuring 2.5 by 2.75 by 6.25 inches. The device received FAA certification in summer 1999 and is available for delivery from Artex or one of its dealers throughout the United States. Price: $1,095 Artex Aircraft 10714 S. Township Rd. Canby, Ore. 97013
The National Air Transportation Association (NATA) is offering group health coverage to employees of its member companies. The plan will enable small companies to offer employee health coverage at rates usually available only to large employers. The plan is a federal ERISA plan that offers a year-end cashback bonus to participants who ``stay healthy,'' the Washington, D.C.-based trade group says.
Declaring, ``our intention is to create a new category of air service,'' Indigo Air President and CEO Matt Andersson announced plans to operate regular flights aboard Dassault Falcon 20s between Teterboro Airport in New Jersey and Chicago's Midway Airport. Indigo says service will commence sometime this quarter, with three leased aircraft operating four to five daily roundtrips. The weekday-only flights will operate as public charters under FAR Part 135, although Anderson did say the ultimate plan is to become a Part 121 carrier.
Canada's 400 government pilots have ratified a new contract that includes a pay hike averaging 16 percent over 27 months. Affected are Civil Aviation Inspectors flying for Transport Canada, pilots for the Transportation Safety Board, Coast Guard helicopter pilots and engineering test pilots. Wayne Foy, a spokesman for the pilots' labor union, said that even with the agreement, pay for Canada's government pilots remains ``between 30 and 50 percent behind the aviation industry and other international bodies.''
Piedmont Hawthorne recently assumed operational control of the Shell Aerocenter at Canada's Calgary Inter-national Airport. The move marks the last step in Piedmont's acquisition of three FBOs from Shell Canada Products, Ltd.; the other two are in Vancouver and Toronto. All three locations now operate as Piedmont Hawthorne, but will remain branded as Shell Aerocenter fuel dealers.
January 6 marks the one-year anniversary of the introduction of Rep. Bud Shuster's (R-Pa.) legislation to provide for long-term reauthorization of FAA programs and ensure that aviation user taxes are spent only for aviation projects. Shuster's bill, known as AIR-21, was enthusiastically supported by every segment of the aviation community.
Dallas Airmotive says it sold 24 Stage III Technologies Hush Kits in the past three months, including seven to Tyler Jet at NBAA. The hush kits are designed for Gulfstream II and III aircraft.
The United States Drug Enforcement Administration accepted delivery of a new Pilatus PC-12 as part of an ongoing plan to update the agency's fleet. With seating for 10 passengers, the aircraft will be used to transport agency personnel.
The power and capability of electronic commerce over the Internet is exploding. One can purchase virtually anything -- books, music, antiques, groceries, vacations, prescription drugs, cars -- online. You can even reduce the fine on a speeding ticket by attending an online driving school.
