XL Insurance is offering new pollution insurance specifically designed to protect FBOs. "General liability insurance offers businesses very limited, if any, protection against an environmental incident such as a fuel oil spill," said Richard Corbett, chief environmental underwriter for XL Insurance's Global Environmental unit. The company's pollution policy offers coverage for loss, remediation expense and legal defense at covered airport locations. XL Insurance is part of XL Capital Ltd. of Exton, Pa. For more information, visit www.xlinsurance.com.
It's been one of those busy days flying multiple legs in the northeast corridor. Your last leg of the day, a flight from Teterboro, N.J., to Bedford, Mass., is departing behind schedule because you were an hour late arriving at TEB. After the hectic quick-turn on the ground you are finally cleared for takeoff on the infamous Teterboro-Five departure procedure.
One of my clients - AirSure - sent along a copy of your August Flight Log (page 72). Fascinating story you guys ran. Everything David Rimmer said is exactly right and some of the exact things we teach in our course.
Ciao, paisano. If the new Avanti II had rearview mirrors, its pilots could watch every other turboprop business aircraft disappear in its wake. That's nothing new for the Genoa jet-prop. The first-generation Avanti, dating back to 1990, also could speed by all prop-driven competitors. The Avanti II, equipped with more powerful engines, just widens the lead by at least 10 to 15 knots. Pilots can expect maximum cruise speeds of 400 KTAS at FL 310 at mid-weights assuming standard-day conditions, according to Piaggio Aero's latest cruise performance numbers.
Thanks for the input. As is always the case, I do not intend to dispute someone who may be smarter than me. Also, as the engineer says, either explanation will suffice. One needs to consider that the majority of pilots, myself included, are not aerodynamic engineers. The Air Force knew a course was needed that could be understood, and more importantly applied by people of my engineering caliber. "Aerodynamics for Pilots," even "dumbed down", was an attempt to give plausible, non-mathematical explanations for what occurs while flying, with the hopes of saving rear ends.
The National Aviation Hall of Fames's Class of 2007 is Walter J. Boyne, a former director of the Smithsonian's Air and Space Museum, aviation historian and best-selling author; Steve Fossett, a globetrotting adventurer who holds numerous world records in balloons, gliders and powered aircraft; Evelyn Byran John, a flight instructor who has logged more flight hours, trained more pilots and given more FAA checkrides than any other woman; Sally K. Ride, America's first woman in space aboard NSAS's STS-7 Shuttle mission; and Frederick W. Smith, a former U.S.
Aviation Research Group/U.S., Inc (ARG/US) now offers aviation safety training in addition to its aviation safety information services. The initial offering includes three safety courses -- Safety Manager Training, On-Scene Accident Investigation and an Aviation Auditing course. The course offerings follow the recent acquisition by ARG/US of United Airlines' Partners and Resources for Operational Safety (PROS), a Denver-based organization accredited by IATA for conducting safety audits of passenger and cargo airlines around the world.
Continuing international economic growth and new demand for business jets from emerging markets will likely dampen the effect of an anticipated downturn in corporate jet demand, according to a July report issued by the Global Equity Research department of J.P. Morgan Securities.
The beauty of competition is that it drives innovation and sharpens pencils. As we're getting closer to the rollout dates for more broadband services from satellite communications providers, the scene begins to resemble a chariot race as the competitors stiffen their resolve to lead the pack -- lots of jostling and no holds barred. And this is a race that really has no finish line, as the competitors will keep driving toward the next Great Thing.
I am a long-time subscriber to B&CA and a fan of William Garvey's columns, which I read and enjoy each month. I recently read his Viewpoint on the proposed Stage II noise ban ("Shhhhhhhh, Hear the Jet," July, page 7) and I was more than a little disappointed that he failed to even mention our Stage 3 hush-kit system for the Gulfstream II, II-B and III.
CAE will acquire Flightscape Inc., an Ottawa-based company specializing in flight data analysis and flight sciences, for approximately $18 million (Canadian). Flightscape's main product and service offerings are based on the gathering and analysis of aircraft flight data to deliver improved flight simulation fidelity. It offers a suite of aviation safety products and services related to flight operations quality assurance, flight data management, incident investigation and accident prevention.
Lawmakers on Capitol Hill have adopted their latest internal ethics laws, and once again have highlighted the use of private aircraft for election campaigns. The Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007, S.1, requires that senators who fly on private aircraft reimburse the owner at a rate equivalent to the fair market value of a similar charter flight. Senators previously were required to pay at a rate equivalent to a first-class ticket. House members, however, are prohibited from flying on private aircraft for campaign purposes unless they own the aircraft.
B-52Hs can now fly operationally with a 50-50 blend of JP-8 and a new synthetic kerosene fuel that was approved by U.S. Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne Aug. 8 following a 16-month testing and demonstration period.
Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE) completed the acquisition of Landmark Aviation and Standard Aero from The Carlyle Group on July 31. The transaction, worth $1.9 billion, brings Landmark and Standard Aero under the DAE Engineering subsidiary, led by Robert Mionis. As part of the acquisition, DAE will divest the Landmark Aviation Airport Services business, which includes 33 FBOs, making it the third largest chain in the United States. DAE named Shawn Vick, formerly president of Landmark Aviation, to CEO of Airport Services.
Attorney, Lynn, Mass. Among the most prominent and controversial defense attorneys of modern times, Bailey was an aviator before he was a litigator, earning his U.S. Navy wings in 1954 and then flying FJ-2 Furies for the Marines. His aviation credentials include past ownership of Enstrom Helicopters, consultant to Fairchild Aircraft, and stewardship of the Bailey Bullet, his much-upgraded Piper Twin Comanche. He has logged in excess of 20,000 hours.
Thank you so much for that most interesting background. You're right about the U.S. Air Forces's KC-135s, but as your countrymen at Airbus will tell you, the service is trying to replace those old birds with something newer and much more quiet.
Eastern General Aviation Corp. (EGAC) has taken delivery of a Sikorsky S-92 helicopter, making it the first operator of the big twin in China. It also took delivery of two S-76C++ helicopters. They will be used for offshore oil operations as part of EGAC's plans to expand its business with China National Offshore Oil Corp. (CNOOC) and ConocoPhillips China, Inc., a joint venture with CNOOC. The aircraft are upgrades for EGAC's current fleet of three S-76A++ aircraft.
You might describe Bill Shea's career in aviation as "checkered," because he's held so many jobs -- and all of them entailing a lot of responsibility. Then-governor Ronald Reagan named him chief of aeronautics for California, where he served in 1973 to 1974 and oversaw activities at 525 airports in the state. He's run aviation departments or airports for over half a dozen agencies, both state and local.
Mike Sullivan, Shawn Mack, Joe Beira and Raul Maldonado of Banyan Air Service were recently presented with Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport's annual Airport Operations Area (AOA) Safety Award. The award recognizes individuals who have operated ground vehicles and equipment on the airfield without causing a surface incident or runway incursion and is presented to employees who have maintained flawless safety records for five, 10 and 20 years.
The FAA plans to commission new ASDE-X airport surface detection systems at five airports in 2008 - Washington Dulles, Phoenix, Detroit, Los Angeles and Fort Lauderdale. The agency plans to have 16 airports equipped with ASDE-X by the end of 2008, and eventually plans to install it at 35 airports. The system -- manufactured by Sensis -- is expected to improve controllers' situational awareness in all weather conditions and help reduce the risk of runway incursions, combining surveillance data from several different sources.
Eagle Copters Ltd., the Canadian helicopter company based in Calgary, Alberta, has obtained a Transport Canada STC for its single-engine conversion of the Bell 212. According to company officials, the Eagle Single offers utility rotorcraft operators "increased payload capacity, easy accessibility to the engine and greater flexibility in mission configurations." The conversion also lowers the aircraft's empty weight and substantially increases its useful load.
ACR Electronics' new MicroFix, a one-button activated, emergency signaling device, is 35 percent smaller and 25 percent lighter than its predecessor, the AeroFix, according to the company. The unit transmits on 406 MHz (COSPAS-SARSAT) with the users registered, unique, digitally coded distress signal, and 121.5 MHz (SAR homing frequency). Accuracy is 100 meters when GPS coordinates are present. The AeroFix weighs just 10 ounces, so it can be easily carried in a flight jacket or worn on a belt.
If your aging airplane has become too old or expensive to operate and its resale value has plummeted, it might be time to contact the folks at TARMAC (Tarbes Advanced Recycling & Maintenance Aircraft Company) AEROSAVE, Europe's first industrial-structured firm for the dismantling of end-of-life aircraft. The new company, which was incorporated in June, is offering to dismantle all types of civil and military aircraft. In addition, the firm is offering ancillary services, including short-term aircraft storage.
