A majority of the airlines with long-term leases at Orlando International Airport have approved the construction of a fourth runway (17L/35R), located on the east side of the main terminal and parallel to the three existing north/south runways. Cost of the project is estimated at $202 million, and $87 million already has been spent, mainly on land. The FAA, the Florida DOT and locally issued bonds will provide the rest of the funding. The new runway will be 9,000 feet long, with a high-speed taxiway.
The New Piper Aircraft is positioning itself for a stock offering, and President Chuck Suma said the company will not develop a jet until the offering is successfully floated. Piper has done some preliminary work on an entry-level jet in the sub-$2.5 million price range, but Suma said the large non-recurring investment in a clean-sheet program is incompatible with an IPO. Instead, he said the company will focus on adding new technology to the Cherokee line and getting the Malibu Meridian into service.
Edited by Paul RichfieldBy Paul Richfield, in Tamiment, Pa.
Challenges facing helicopter operators in the New York City metropolitan area were a major focus of this year's Eastern Region Helicopter Council (ERHC) annual meeting, held in October at the Tamiment resort in Pennsylvania's Pocono Mountains. Still smarting over the recent closure of the East 60th Street heliport, many operators in attendance agreed that something must be done to preserve Manhattan's remaining heliports, as public antipathy for helicopters appears to gather momentum in the New York area.
Photograph: The ERJ-140 is aimed at the U.S. regional airline market. Embraer Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer will build a 44-seat derivative of its ERJ-135/145 regional jet, with first customer deliveries planned for early 2001. Development of the ERJ-140 is expected to cost around $45 million, and Embraer anticipates a per unit price of approximately $15.2 million. The only other 44-seat regional jet in development is Fairchild's 428JET, which is expected to reach customers in spring 2003.
Edited by Paul RichfieldBy David Rimmer, in Pontiac, Mich.
In an age when corporate mergers can lead to the downsizing, elimination or outsourcing of flight departments, DaimlerChrysler Aviation Inc. is expanding its facilities, fleet and staff. At the company's Pontiac, Mich., headquarters, construction has begun on a strengthened ramp, new kitchen, expanded parking and an enlarged hangar to accommodate a growing fleet.
Syracuse Executive Air Service, Inc. has doubled its charter fleet with the addition of three Raytheon King Air aircraft -- a C90, C100 and C300. The New York operator also plans to add a Cessna CitationJet CJ2 in January 2000.
Meanwhile, HPN users are concerned that the occupancy of Bell Faire, a new housing development located directly under the approach path of Runway 34, will lead to fresh noise complaints and flight restrictions. The Westchester Aviation Association (WAA) -- a local user group -- has sent letters to the Westchester County executive and Board of Legislators addressing the issue, but has yet to receive a response.
A 1983 Piper PA-31-350 Chieftain operated by Hawaiian operator Big Island Air crashed into the side of the Mauna Loa Volcano on September 25, killing the pilot and all nine passengers aboard. According to the NTSB, the wreckage was discovered at the 10,200-foot level on the northeast slope of the 13,677-foot volcano. The Chieftain (N411WL) was one of two operated by Big Island Air, a 14-year-old air tour business.
Pilot resistance to Land and Hold Short Operations (LAHSO) has diminished capacity and increased delays at the nation's most crowded airports, according to the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA), the largest controllers' union. Quoting a recent FAA study, the union says delays have increased 210 percent at Las Vegas' McCarran International Airport since the implementation of LAHSO restrictions, while the maximum arrival rate at Philadelphia International Airport has dropped from 70 to 52 operations per hour for the same reason.
BFGoodrich has introduced LandMark, a new Terrain Awareness and Warning System (TAWS) designed to be an ``affordable solution'' for FAR Part 91 and 135 operators. When linked with an ARINC 435 EFIS system, the unit can provide a bird's-eye view of terrain, aural and visual warnings of imminent ground contact, plus displays of obstacles and runways longer than 2,000 feet.
Aviall is offering a $250 check to the first 50 Allison 250 operators that provide EXTEX with a ``qualified engine repair quote'' that includes its parts as an option. To qualify, operators must send a copy of their quote with an identifying engine serial number and details of the work to be performed to EXTEX, 6001 S. Power Rd., Bldg. 15, Mesa, Ariz. 85206. The quote must be presented prior to any work being done, which must be valued at $15,000 or greater. Participants are under no obligation to buy EXTREX parts.
Boeing has launched a stretched version of its Boeing Business Jet (BBJ), to be based on the Boeing 737-800. BBJ President Borge Boeskov says customer requests for more space -- both in the cabin and cargo hold -- prompted the creation of what Boeing is calling the BBJ II. The base price of the BBJ II will be $43 million, compared to $35.8 million for a standard BBJ. Range of the BBJ II will be 5,900 nm, 300 miles less than the BBJ. It is ``only a matter of time'' before Boeing builds business aircraft larger than the 737, Boeskov says.
Aerodynamics Inc., a completion center for Gulfstreams, Falcons and other corporate jets, has nearly finished a 24,000-square-foot expansion of its refurbishment center. ADI, celebrating its 40th year at Oakland County International Airport, is a distributor of Raytheon products and services.
Signature Flight Support has sold the former AMR Combs FBOs at Bradley International Airport (BDL) in Connecticut and Centennial Airport (APA) in Colorado, to TAC Air, a unit of the Texas-based Truman Arnold Cos. ``We're now working with the state of Connecticut to get the lease [at BDL] transferred,'' says TAC Air Vice President Jim McPhaul. ``At Centennial, we have a `delayed closing situation,' where we won't finalize the deal until Signature finishes and moves into its third FBO at APA on or about April of next year.''
Highlights of the NBAA's 52nd Annual Meeting and Convention in Atlanta included: -- Warren Buffett predicts ``heavy demand'' for fractional ownership of supersonic business jets. -- Gulfstream Aerospace and partner Lockheed Martin promise a sonic-boom-free SBJ demonstrator before 2005 and production by 2010. -- First NBAA looks at the Boeing Business Jet, Raytheon Premier I and New Piper Malibu Meridian. -- FAA administrator promises a (relatively) quick decision on fractional ownership regulation.
The 1999-2000 Aviation Telephone Directory provides listings of FBOs, airports, products, services and special events that pilots might find interesting. White pages list firms alphabetically within the regions. Blue pages list airports and FBOs, arranged according to states within the region. Yellow Pages with approximately 1,300 headings feature classified ads representing all aviation products and services. A Special Features section lists NTSB regional safety offices and locations and telephone numbers for FAA regional offices.
Bell's most recent upgrade to its ubiquitous UH-1H ``Huey'' helicopter features the main rotor system, tail rotor, tail boom and drive train from its Model 212 civil helicopter. The ``Huey II'' also is equipped with the more powerful L-703 variant of the AlliedSignal T53 engine, commonly used on the Cobra attack helicopter.
Hawaiian Airlines has signed a letter of intent to purchase 13 Boeing 717-200 regional jets, with options for seven more. Delivery of the first BMW Rolls-Royce BR715-powered aircraft to the Honolulu-based carrier is planned for February 2001, with the 12 remaining aircraft slated to arrive before the end of that year. The 717-200s will replace the airline's aging fleet of 15 McDonnell Douglas
Gulfstream and Lockheed Martin have pledged to build a supersonic business jet demonstrator by 2005, with full production following by 2010 if new ``sonic boom-free'' technology is successful. Gulfstream President William Boisture says the aircraft's size and shape will be determined over the next two years. Billionaire Warren Buffett, head of Berkshire Hathaway, the company that owns both Executive Jet and FlightSafety International, says he sees a ``heavy demand'' for SSBJ fractional ownership.
Stenbock&Everson's Polaris GPS 990 Moving Map System for the cabin keeps passengers in the loop by displaying geographical features, towns, roads and streets, distance traveled, time-to-destination and fuel requirements. The aircraft route can be shown in either course-up or north-up map format. The Polaris 990 system is shipped with Windows 98, Polaris Skyshow software, a GPS antenna and a 12-28-VDC vehicle power adapter. Options include a touchscreen and Windows NT 4.0 system software and a full line of accessories.
New from Christie Electric is the CASP/2500 battery maintenance system with what the company calls a ``friendlier interface'' than that of the CASP/2000. The instrument features clearly marked front-panel function keys, a continuous scrolling display of the status of each channel and a help function. The CASP/2500 reconditions nickel-cadmium batteries and charges and analyzes all rechargeable batteries. Price: $4,495, including printer and six battery interface cables Christie Electric Corp. 18120 S. Broadway
A while back I was doing a King Air 200 refresher course at SimCom in Orlando and used one of my off evenings to experiment with the company's light-twin visual trainers. They had trainers for the Cessna 300/400 series, the Navajo-series and the turbocharged Baron.
