Fleet Capital and Jet Support Services (JSSI) have teamed up to provide Fleet Encompass, a financing plan for JSSI's aircraft maintenance programs. Fleet will finance all JSSI programs, including JSSI Complete, Select, Unscheduled and Term.
Worldwide, there are 5,543 published GPS non-precision approaches, 84 percent of which are in the United States, according to Jeppesen. Today, such procedures aren't just overlays of existing procedures using ground-based navaids. Stand-alone GPS non-precision approaches number 2,477, accounting for 45 percent of the total. At some airports, a GPS-based procedure may be the only instrument approach available.
On December 6, 1999, a Miami jury found defunct maintenance contractor SabreTech guilty of nine of the 23 criminal charges stemming from the fatal May 1996 crash of ValuJet Flight 592. Two former SabreTech employees -- Director of Maintenance Daniel Gonzalez and mechanic Eugenio Florence -- were acquitted of all charges, including conspiracy and shipping hazardous materials. A third SabreTech employee charged in the case, Mauro Valenzuela, remains a fugitive.
Court Helicopters, a subsidiary of CHC Helicopter Corp., won a three-year contract to provide helicopter support for offshore oil exploration off the South African coast. The company will operate two Sikorsky 61N helicopters.
Raisbeck Engineering's Enhanced Performance System (EPS) for Raytheon King Air B200s equipped with Hartzell four-blade propellers has received FAA approval. The system is said to improve the aircraft's takeoff and climb performance, while also reducing noise levels and allowing heavier payloads. Elements of the modification include new wing leading edges, dual aft body strakes and high flotation gear doors, if applicable. The modification costs $44,850 for standard gear models, and $61,300 for those equipped with high flotation gear.
Colgan Air of Manassas, Va,. has placed a firm order for three Saab 340Bs, plus three options. The Saabs will fly routes under Colgan's new code-sharing agreement with US Airways. The first delivery is planned for early this year.
Atlantic Southeast Airlines has named five new vice presidents: Bryan LaBrecque -- senior vice president corporate services; Jeff Simmons -- vice president for finance and CFO; Donna Gertz -- vice president customer service support; Larry Beck -- vice president information technology and systems support; and Eva Holley, vice president for inflight services.
The FAA recently presented its Diamond Award to TAG Aviation, BFGoodrich Aerospace and Raytheon Aircraft Services in Houston and Tampa. The award is part of an FAA program recognizing aviation maintenance technicians (AMT) for participation in recurrent training. In addition to the corporate awards, approximately 800 Everett, Wash.-based BFGoodrich AMTs as well as technicians at TAG and Raytheon received individual awards.
Spatial zones encircle each plane. The smaller zone (in yellow) is called the ``protected zone.'' The protected zone of an aircraft can never meet the protected zone of another aircraft. The larger ``alert zone'' extends well beyond the protected zone and, upon contact with another aircraft's alert zone (shown in red), signals that action may be required by the air traffic controller and pilot.
Century Aerospace has hired Thomas C. Wykoff, an attorney specializing in mergers and acquisitions, as its new CEO, reporting to company founder and chairman Bill Northrup. Northrup, who relinquishes the CEO title, will focus on development of the CA-100 Century Jet, while Wykoff will oversee the company's day-to-day operations.
The first hangar in the Northeast built specifically to accommodate transport-category business aircraft is nearing completion at New York's Stewart International Airport. Owned by Rifton Aviation and built by Cincinnati-based contractor Bascon, Inc., the 117,000-square-foot building will be able to house up to four Boeing Business Jets or Airbus Corporate Jets at the same time. The hangar also will have 25,000 square feet of shop and office space, and a diesel generator for backup power. Construction began in August 1999 and completion is planned for the spring.
TAG Aviation selected FlightSafety International (FSI) for aviation training at TAG facilities worldwide. The four-year deal covers training for flight crews, maintenance technicians, flight attendants and dispatch personnel. TAG's operations staff also will receive FlightSafety Service Excellence customer service training. Geneva, Switzerland-based TAG, which recently increased its U.S. presence with the acquisition of Wayfarer Aviation, also owns Aviation Methods in San Francisco.
Sales of used turbine-powered aircraft apparently stalled as the year came to a close, due largely to the uncertainty surrounding the Year 2000 computer problem and its effect on the world's economy. Used business jet inventories have reached their highest levels in the past several quarters, with the largest price slippage among the Gulfstream IVs and Vs, Citation SIIs and Vs, and most older Learjets. According to the Aircraft Bluebook, the prices of Hawker 800s and DH-125s have slipped as well.
Europe's Joint Aviation Authority (JAA) has certified Bombardier's derivative de Havilland Dash 8-Q400, clearing the way for SAS Commuter to begin scheduled service with the aircraft. The 78-seat turboprop has an expected cruise speed of 350 knots, and ``cabin noise and vibration down to near-jet levels,'' due to a unique noise-canceling system, the manufacturer says. Denmark and Sweden certified the Q400 in December 1999, while Transport Canada certified the aircraft earlier in the year. FAA certification of the type is expected shortly; the U.S.
Teamsters President James P. Hoffa recently walked a picket line at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport with pilots of Horizon Air, as a gesture of solidarity during their ongoing labor dispute with Horizon's managers. Horizon pilots voted for Teamsters representation in 1999, and are seeking their first contract. Among an assortment of allegations, Horizon's pilot union leaders claim that company President George Bagley has hired an ``anti-labor'' law firm in order to maintain employee turnover, delay contract negotiations and keep wages low.
UPS Aviation Technologies, a division of United Parcel Service, re-ceived FAA approval to install a variety of navigation, communication and surveillance equipment in 21 aircraft including the Raytheon King Air C90, Cessna 402 and 208 Caravan. The aircraft and equipment are part of the Alaska Capstone program, which is designed to evaluate how technology can increase safety for aircraft flying in remote areas.
Aviall is the new North American distributor for Kaiser Electro-precision -- a manufacturer of aircraft fluid handling products. The company also has been named a preferred distributor for Garrett Aviation Services.
Jim Gregory joins the instrument manufacturer's customer service department in Van Nuys, Calif., while Larry Wyatt joins the company's customer service department in Wichita. Industry veteran Charles Shumate is now quality assurance manager.
US Airways Express carrier Chautauqua Airlines has ordered 10 Saab 340As from the manufacturer's leasing arm, with options for two more. The aircraft will help the carrier expand its route structure and replace British Aerospace Jetstream aircraft.
Pete Reynolds, Bombardier Aerospace's vice president of flight test, received the 1999 J.H. Doolittle Award from the Society of Experimental Test Pilots (SETP). Reynolds was instrumental in the flight test programs of a number of Bombardier aircraft, including the Global Express, Canadair Regional Jet, de Havilland Dash 8Q-400 and the Learjet 45. Reynolds performed the first flight of seven prototype aircraft, including the Learjet 28 -- the first jet equipped with winglets.
