FAA Notice 8400.83 indicated that in addition to those elements of operational control that relate to safety of flight under FAR Part 135, principal operations inspectors (POIs) would also be looking at charter operators' business practices. Consequently, Dennis Keith of Jet Solutions says, the Notice has caused ``some trepidation'' in the charter community.
The FAA has issued a Handbook Bulletin to help resolve conflicting enforcement issues regarding maintenance requirements under FAR Part 135.411. A key point is whether aircraft operated under Part 135 are certificated for nine or fewer passenger seats or for 10 or more. For many years, the FAA had permitted Part 135 operators who fly aircraft originally certificated for more than nine seats to operate them under less stringent maintenance requirements if the aircraft was configured with nine or fewer passenger seats.
NTSB member Richard Healing announced his retirement from the Safety Board, effective Aug. 1. On the board since March 2003, Healing was a strong advocate of enhanced safety for helicopters in air medical and offshore operations, corporate aviation, human factors, unmanned aircraft systems and aircraft rescue and fire fighting.
Elliott Aviation, the Midwestern business aircraft sales and support organization, is seeking an STC for a flat-panel upgrade of the Falcon 10 and 100 cockpits. The avionics modernization program will involve replacing aging electromechanical flight instruments with a Universal 890R large-format instrument suite that will incorporate an array of advanced capabilities to accommodate cur-rent and emerging navigation and safety technologies.
Airnet Systems, Inc., Columbus, Ohio, announced that Wynn D. Peterson has been promoted to senior vice president of Jetride Services, AirNet's passenger charter services business. Also, Ray L. Druseikis has been appointed vice president of finance and controller of AirNet Systems, Inc.
Elliott Aviation's Aircraft Charter Department has received the Flying Safety Award from the NBAA for excellence in commercial aircraft operations. This year marks the 19th consecutive year that Elliott has received the award, culminating in over 30,500 hours of accident- and incident-free aircraft operations.
It is a sad truism in aviation that certain accidents serve as watershed events, not only jarring the industry to sit up and take notice but often changing the way we do things.
Cornerstone Logic, Inc, of New Smyrna Beach, Fla., provider of FBO Manager software, announce a wireless fuel transaction management solution. Fuel trucks equipped with Veeder-Root fuel meters and EMR3 electronic sending unit, electronically captures fueling data and transmits to the FBO's computer system. Once the data is received, the FBO Manager software instantly retrieves the data and generates an invoice. The system eliminates pen and paper at the fuel truck and the possibility of mistakes by the driver.
For the second consecutive year the Aviation Research Group/U.S. (ARG/ US) Salary & Benefit database shows an increase in the average number of crewmembers per aircraft within the corporate flight department. This ratio, an indicator of flight department staffing levels, is up 2.4 percent at 2.08 vs. 2.03 in 2004. Also following the same trend as the previous year the average number of flight hours to crewmembers is showing a decrease of 7.28 percent at 220.99, down slightly from last year's 238.36.
The National Aircraft Resale Associa-tion (NARA) has established a $25,000 endowment plan with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Interest generated from the account will be used to provide scholarships to an incoming freshman at the Florida college, based on financial need and academic achievement. Association members who wish to contribute to the NARA Business Aviation Scholarship fund can contact: Diane Levine-Wilson AMSTAT Corporation 44 Apple St. Tinton Falls, N.J. 07724
AE Light, a subsidiary of Allsman Enterprises LLC, of Rogue River, Ore., introduces the Power Light, a powerful flashlight designed for border patrol, maritime interdiction, search and rescue, law enforcement and aviation. Using metal halide lamps, the beam produced from Power Light is brighter, (producing more lumens), on a per-watt basis than filament incandescent or halogen lights. It has no filament to break when dropped or jarred and the bulb has a life span of more than 2,000 hours. Protective rubber lens and end caps help with shock absorption.
Keystone Helicopter, West Chester, Pa., appointed Joe Tauber vice president of human resources and support services. Additionally, Cassandra Lam a structural engineer with the firm's Keytech division, received her FAA DER certification.
Klein Tools of Chicago, Ill., offer a line of insulated hand tools that comply with National Fire Protection Assoc. standard NFPA-70E to protect users against electrical shock. The tools also meet IEC 60900 and ASTM F1505 standards for insulated tools. Pliers are constructed from a flame retardant, impact-resistant outer coating, and a thick, high-dielectric inner coating that is bonded to the tool's forged steel handle. Screwdrivers and nut drivers feature the same dual layers of insulation on the shaft instead of the handles.
Business aviation advocates hailed the interim plan to reopen DCA to general aviation as a good first step but are hoping the restrictions the TSA wants to place on general aviation access will ease. The lifting of the 44-month-old ban on business and charter operations at DCA, announced July 13, followed years of pressure from Congress as well as intense lobbying from business aviation, and comes despite continued reservations on the part of some Department of Homeland Security officials.
A July 13 Washington speech by Chertoff on the review drew delighted applause when he announced the elimination of the requirement that airline passengers remain seated for the first 30 minutes after departure from and the last 30 minutes prior to arrival at DCA.
E.J. Brooks Co. of Livingston, N.J., introduces its tamper-indicating padlocks. Unlike traditional padlocks that can be opened and re-closed without any evidence of tampering, Brooks Indicative Padlocks feature a bored hole that passes through the body and shackle. Applying a uniquely numbered, Brooks-indicative seal through this cavity prevents the padlock from being opened without first having to remove and destroy the seal. Brooks offers a complete line of solid brass tumbler pin locks.
With certification flight testing of its Quiet MD-80 system now complete, Aviation Fleet Solutions (AFS) expects to receive FAA and European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) approval of the Pratt & Whitney developed noise-reduction package later this summer. Initial deliveries of the hush kit for the JT8D-200-powered Boeing aircraft could begin by year-end.
Chelton Flight Systems has received an STC for installation of its FlightLogic EFIS in Bell 204 and 205 helicopters. Hillsboro Aviation of Hillsboro, Ore. completed the initial Bell 205 installation for the STC.
Quest Aircraft now has 12 customer deposits for its new Kodiak, a 10-place utility single PT-6-powered turboprop. Designed to be float capable, the Kodiak had by July logged close to 200 hours toward FAA certification. It made its first public appearance in May at the Alaska State Aviation Trade Show, where the company began accepting deposits. Base price for the aircraft is $1,111,000. The airplane is designed to combine STOL performance and high useful load operating off unimproved surfaces.
Avcraft Aerospace GmbH in-solvency administrator Martin Prager said the company will be forced to lay off more workers, as it continues its search for new investors. The company plans to cut its staff by another 40 employees to a total of 144, down from more than 340. Avcraft had to file for bankruptcy earlier this year, as efforts to restart its Dornier final assembly line proved unsuccessful. Prager said he was talking with potential investors for the company but offered no details.
Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) has successfully pushed through an amendment on the Senate floor that specifically would allow the Department of Homeland Security to deploy unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) along the southwestern border of the United States. An original version of McCain's amendment to the DHS spending bill said UAVs ``shall be deployed,'' but McCain modified his proposal to instead read UAVs ``may be deployed,'' which was agreed to by unanimous consent late July 13.
Published annually by Robert E. Breiling Associates of Boca Raton, Fla., 2004 Turbine Aircraft Accident Review has become the industry's annual guide to aviation safety, containing over 500 pages of detailed narrative accounts of over 380 fixed- and rotary-wing turbine aircraft accidents and incidents reported worldwide in 2004. A summary of each accident is included identifying model, operator type, phase of operation, conditions and a factual description of all reported circumstances.
I always enjoy your ongoing series of articles about fractional ownership. My clients are mostly in the NetJets program. I have not seen any indications that NetJets has slowed its cruise speeds. But it would not surprise me if this strategy were in use by some providers. Many providers have an entitlement mentality: Their owners owe them a profitable existence.
The Instant IFR Training Glasses are designed to simulate actual IFR conditions for instrument training. The precision frosting and wrap-around design helps prevent cheating. The glasses have adjustable hinges to match the pilot's headset, telescoping temples for a customized fit and low-profile temples for maximum comfort. The curved-frame design of the Instant IFR Training Glasses rests on regular eyeglasses or sunglasses for extra support. Their small size won't obstruct the safety pilot's view like most cumbersome hoods.
The FAA wants to make greater use of a secondary runway at Fort Lauderdale International (FLL) to help ease chronic delays at the Florida airport, and stresses it can do this without violating the existing runway use agreement. The FAA will meet with local officials to discuss the controversial plan and other options. Use of the shorter, secondary runway and a crosswind runway is controversial because of local noise complaints, but this past spring FLL topped national delay lists. The existing runway agreement calls for the main runway to be used whenever possible.
