In terms of galley and cabinet coverings, according to Midcoast Aviation's modification sales director, Roger Renaud, ``It's three times as expensive to do hardwood veneer as it is to do a laminate, like Formica, which is less expensive and more durable. But it does take the `custom' out of it, though.''
Panorama Flight Service has signed a 30-year lease to build and operate a ``state-of-the-art'' general aviation facility at West-chester County Airport (HPN). The $4 million facility -- slated for completion by mid 2000 -- will include 32 T-hangars and 132 outside tiedown spaces, a main hangar and office space. ``The general aviation community has waited a long time for a facility like this,'' says Gene Condreras, Panorama's president.
VisionAire is seeking $150 million to fund production of its redesigned Vantage single-engine business jet. The Ames, Iowa-based company has enlisted the services of Tunstall Consulting, a Florida firm that specializes in raising capital for emerging businesses. The original Vantage prototype cost $60 million to develop, and company Chairman James O.
Brockbank Insurance Services (BIS) will expand its general aviation insurance business through an arrangement with underwriter W. Brown and Associates. BIS's current specialty is large airline and aviation product liability.
Era Aviation Center, the only full-service, 24-hour FBO in Alaska, has opened a new 40,000-square-foot hangar exclusively for use by business aviators at Anchorage International Airport ``This year, we're celebrating our FBO's 20th anniversary, and we're excited to add this new feature,'' said Chuck Johnson, the company's president.
Avcorp reported sales of C$75 million in its just-ended fiscal year, but expects to take a C$8 million write-down and show no profit due to costs associated with developing the tail section for Bombardier's new 70-seat CRJ Series 700. These results are said to have triggered a reshuffling of Avcorp's senior management: Michael Scholz is stepping down as chairman, and the executive chairman role will be assumed by John W. Sandford, who became interim president and CEO when Peter Jeffrey resigned in July.
Edited by Paul RichfieldBy Richard O. Reinhart, M.D.
Aviation Medical Examiners (AMEs) are now using the Internet to process pilots' medical certificate applications, in a bid to reduce paperwork and expedite the process. The new format includes several changes to the application itself, FAA Form 8500-8, which was last modified in 1992. These changes include: -- A space for indicating citizenship, in the same block as date of birth.
There's a lot of talk about professionalism around the corridors of the National Air Transportation Association these days as the FBO support group transforms itself from being principally a Washington-based lobby to a more business-oriented organization offering a broad range of educational services to its members under the guidance of Chairman (and former congressman) James Coyne and President Charles Priester.
Boeing has selected Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) to develop and deliver an aircraft technician training program at Al Salam Aircraft, Co., a Saudi Arabian aircraft maintenance provider that Boeing partially owns. ERAU says the course will give 25 Saudis ``most of the training required for the FAA's airframe mechanic certificate.'' The goal is to create a Saudi-operated training program that will eliminate the need for Saudis to leave their country to receive aviation maintenance training.
As the debate over fractional ownership (FO) raged over the past 16 months, it became apparent that FO represents vastly different things to different industry segments. Here's a brief rundown of some of the major players, and where they're coming from.
Avfuel dealer Austin Aero Jet Center has completed construction of its FBO and three of five planned hangars at the new Austin Bergstrom International Airport (ABIA). ``While other FBOs were skeptical about making the move, let alone the investment, we took the plunge and it has paid off big for us,'' says Thomas Mathew, the center's president. ``We have all of our hangar space fully leased, and have gained well over 80 percent of the FBO market share in Austin.'' ABIA was formerly Bergstrom Air Force Base.
Given faithful periodic inspections, corrosion control, aging aircraft repairs, and an uninterrupted supply of critical parts, airframes can go on flying almost indefinitely. Many, like the Douglas DC-8-60 series, Lockheed JetStar, BAe Hawker 600 and Dassault Falcon 20, achieve entire second lives through engine retrofit programs, which exchange old-technology powerplants for modern fuel-efficient turbofans.
British Telecom (BT) plans to provide high-speed Internet access to passengers aboard business and commercial flights. Using Inmarsat's digital 64 kb/s service (a form of satellite communications) as the link, passengers will be able to plug-in laptop computers and surf the Web with the same speed and reliability as ground-based service using traditional telephone lines, BT says. EMS Technologies will develop the airborne satcom hardware, which will be compatible with BT's Skyphone system.
Newburgh, N.Y.-based FBO Rifton Aviation Services has teamed up with Sikorsky's Associated Aircraft Group (AAG) to offer helicopter connections to arriving business aircraft. AAG has repositioned a Sikorsky S-76B from its Poughkeepsie base to nearby Stewart International Airport for the new service, which is primarily intended to transport passengers to locations within New York City.
The third Raytheon Premier I business jet flew for the first time on September 17, and has joined the first two aircraft in the type's flight test program. Test pilot Dave Newton and flight test engineer Corey Eckhart completed a variety of maneuvers during the two-hour sortie, testing the aircraft's various systems and overall handling qualities while reaching 16,500 feet and 320 KCAS.
Rifton Aviation Services is building a 100,000-square-foot Boeing Business Jet dedicated hangar. It also is adding a Citation Excel to its charter fleet, and soon will be offering a daily shuttle service to New York City using Sikorsky S-76 helicopters.
The STT20 Fuel Flow Transducer Simulator from Sandia Aerospace is an aircraft mechanic's tool that helps to isolate fuel-flow indication problems in fuel computer systems. For most fuel computers, ``K'' factor settings can be determined without removing the computer from the panel. The STT20 is housed in a four-by-one-inch red anodized aluminum extrusion. The fuel computer being tested provides power and ground via two of the unit's three color-coded wires. Price: $150 Sandia Aerospace 5445 Edith Blvd. N.E., Ste. 1
An apparent revitalization of AlliedSignal's Bendix/King product line will include a number of items designed to provide flight crews with real-time data-link weather, terrain and collision avoidance, wind-shear and turbulence information. Multi-function displays (MFDs) will be the primary hardware, with room for software upgrades as the technology evolves. ``We intend to recapture our leadership position,'' said Frank Daly, AlliedSignal's president of Avionics&Lighting, at the NBAA Convention in Atlanta.
Four recent aviation school graduates have received Cessna Citation V type ratings funded by a SimuFlite Training International scholarship program: from left, Patrick L. Denney, 25, a flight instructor at Western Michigan University; Elisabeth A. France, 22, a pilot for Ohio University; Ryan R. Johnson, 23, a flight instructor at Kansas State University; Jennifer L. Shultze, 26, a flight instructor for Wright Aero of St. Cloud, Minn.
The South African government has placed a firm order for 30 Agusta A109 helicopters, with options for 10 more. Denel Aviation -- a major South African contractor -- is likely to produce the aircraft under license from Finmeccanica, and could build civil versions as well. The Agusta order is part of a complex offset arrangement with several Italian companies, ``spanning a variety of industrial sectors,'' the company says.
Garrett Aviation has dropped, at least for now, plans to develop an engine retrofit program for Gulfstream IIs and IIIs. Garrett had done preliminary design work for refitting the older Gulfstreams with General Electric CF-34s, offering Stage III performance and improved SFCs. However, company officials said they would not go forward unless Gulfstream joined the program, which it has opted not to do. Garrett has been very successful with re-engining programs and recently completed its 114th TFE731 Falcon 20B retrofit.
Bombardier delivered the 2,000th Learjet -- a Model 45 -- to Parkin Hannifin Corp. at October's NBAA Convention. On hand for the ceremony was Moya Lear, 84, widow of Learjet creator William P. Lear. Also in Atlanta, Cessna delivered its 3,000th Citation business jet. Russ Meyer made his last NBAA appearance as Cessna's CEO; he is due to step down at the end of the year after 25 years with the company, 24 as CEO.
North American Jet, an Air BP fuel dealer, plans to open an FBO location at Chicago's Palwaukee Airport with 22,000 square feet of hangar space and 60,000 square feet of ramp space with tiedowns. Services to be offered include aircraft positioning, cleaning and catering. Flight crew hospitality will include flight planning and weather terminals, access to crew showers, sleeping quarters and a private lounge. For passengers, there will be a luxury lounge area, conference room, private phone kiosks and rental car access with cars and a rental agent on site.
