A FRIEND OF MINE in the car business will call periodically when he's got something new and interesting, and let me try it out. It's fun to cut loose in all-wheel drive, and to see the technologies evolve as keys give way to radio fobs, cruise control to radar tracking, speedometers to HUDs, and CDs to Howard unexpurgated Stern via satellite radio (a step backward for some) .
After studying in France, traveling through Europe and North Africa, and earning a bachelor's in French, Sheets put her language skills to work in Aerospatiale's Washington, D.C., office. Eleven years later, she became a regional administrator for Agence France Press. But in 1991, a group of men from the business aircraft resale market convinced her to head a new association created to promote standards and ethics within the industry. Since then she's helped grow NARA from 15 to more than 100 regular and associate members.
A new report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) says that the FAA has made progress in managing its troubled air traffic control acquisition programs, but challenges remain for the agency as it seeks to keep pace with projected demand. The FAA has spent $43.5 billion on airspace modernization since the early 1980s and plans to spend nearly another $10 billion through fiscal 2009. The effort has suffered from cost, schedule and performance problems and has been on the GAO's list of high-risk programs since 1995, the report says.
United Space Alliance, Houston, has named Meghan Allen as director of legislative affairs in Washington, D.C. Allen previously was director of congressional relations for GenCorp/Aerojet, where she oversaw activities involving Congress related to NASA and the Department of Defense.
Piaggio America turned five on July 5 and celebrated with a party at its West Palm Beach headquarters. The company, which completes, delivers and supports the Avanti aircraft in North America, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Piaggio Aero Industries of Italy.
David Wyss/Chief Economist, Standard & Poor's www.AviationNow.com/BCA
The July 7 terror attack in London again reminds us that the world is very uncertain. Our assumption is that the attacks will reduce consumer confidence somewhat, although not by much. However, the Federal Reserve may take account of this in its policy making. Fear of the impact of terrorism on the economy could still convince it to skip tightening the federal funds rate at the August 9 meeting.
The No. 4 Eclipse 500 test aircraft, N505EA, made a 43-minute first flight from the Albuquerque International Sunport on July 9. The airplane is fully equipped with mechanical systems including pressurization, climate control and ice protection, as well as with the Avio Total Aircraft Integration package.
The Santa Monica Airport Commission has scrapped its fees at SMO in favor of a new fee schedule that has initial approval from the FAA. The new fee schedule, to take effect Aug. 1, also is weight-based, but is the product of negotiations with the FAA to ensure that the fees are non-discriminatory and justifiable. The new schedule imposes a landing fee of $2.07 per 1,000 pounds maximum certificated gross landing weight of an aircraft, resulting in a maximum charge of $155.25 for a 75,000-pound aircraft.
Banyan Air Service, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., hired Jon Tonko as the company's line service manager. Tonko has over 13 years of aviation experience and most recently worked for ASI Jet in Minneapolis.
Embraer has started taking orders for its Very Light Jet and Light Jet aircraft through its sales offices in Sao Paulo , Paris, Singapore, Fort Lauderdale and Beijing. Embraer say that on receiving a deposit, buyers will be given an ``expected delivery date.'' The Brazilian manufacturer is planning to officially name both aircraft sometime this year. The VLJ will carry 6 to 8 people and cost approximately $2.75 million. First deliveries are slated for mid 2008. The Light Jet will hold 8-9 people, will cost $6.65 million, with deliveries due to commence mid 2009.
KPMG LLP, Tyson's Corner, Va., named Philip Duke managing director for the aerospace and defense (A&D) risk advisory practice. Duke has more than 35 years of combined consulting and industry experience. Previously, he served as a consultant for the high-tech and aerospace/defense industries with Accenture Corp. and as corporate executive vice president with Lockheed Martin Corp.
Executive Jet Management (EJM), Cincinnati has promoted Joe Tompkins to director of standards. Tompkins will head a recently reorganized Standards Department that will be handling the combined functions of international standards and charter vendor standards. Tompkins joined EJM in 1998, and most recently was director of internal standards. Earlier in his career, he was manager of the aviation department and chief pilot at Multimedia, Inc.
The NBAA and National Air Transportation Association worry that the FAA may end the Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) to save the remaining $400,000 in the program, administered through a contract with Booz Allen Hamilton. The groups wrote to the FAA that the ASRS ``is a tremendous safety benefit to all users of the aviation system.'' ASRS encourages voluntary disclosures of safety incidents to help the FAA and safety experts to identify trends.
Western Aircraft Inc., Boise, Idaho, named Carl Coffelt as its Pilatus PC-12 technical representative. He has been working with the PC-12 program since 1997. B&CA
Brendon Docherty, who perhaps is best known for his involvement in the AlliedSignal TCAS development program, has established Docherty Aviation LLC to assist corporations and individuals with their business aircraft transactions and strategic planning. Docherty, who most recently worked for Flight Options, can provide air transportation needs analyses, turnkey transaction assistance, aircraft brokerage services and fractional share assistance from his Chicago area office.
ON A SUNNY SATURDAY afternoon in August 2001, I walked down the aisle in a church in Fredericksburg, Va., arm in arm with a beaming, beautiful Mary Frances Lewis. Muffy, as she is called, had asked me to come down from my perch in Ontario and give her away at her wedding. Why me?
Plantronics, Inc., of Santa Cruz, Calif., has introduced a portfolio of headsets for the commercial aviation industry. The Plantronics family of aviation headsets incorporates advanced sound technology, design and ergonomics to meet the unique needs of commercial pilots. Certified by the FAA to comply with TSO C57a and C58a specifications, the new headsets incorporate a lightweight cable that is flexible and durable. The new headset line includes Plantronics MS200, MS250 and MS260.
Embraer's 100-seat E-190 airliner has completed 5,000 flight cycles in its fatigue test program, an important step to the aircraft's certification as it is the minimum required to support the beginning of commercial aircraft operations. Structural certification campaign targets, including fatigue and static test goals, were achieved on schedule and guarantee full compliance with all applicable type certification requirements, says Embraer. The Brazilian airplane maker will ultimately provide simulation of 160,000 flight cycles, or double the E-190's economical lifetime.
Cerretani Aviation (Broomfield, Colo.) -- Rolf Smith has been named the Los Angeles-based regional director of aircraft sales and acquisitions for this jet and helicopter sales, brokerage and acquisitions company. Smith, who has been involved in business aviation for nearly 15 years, has extensive experience with large-cabin aircraft and international transactions. Previously, he worked for PrivatAir and Private Jet Services.
An outgrowth of one of one of the original Web-based charter reservation services, Sentient Jet Membership was formed in 2001 to offer charter card memberships in various denominations with a guaranteed reservation response time, a la, fractional ownership. One of the original ``super-brokerages,'' Sentient tends to dominate the charter-arranging business along with competitor Blue Star Jets, the company that booked the chartered Challenger 600 that overran a runway at Teterboro last February and crashed.
Strong customer demand and growth in regional charter service have prompted Columbia Air, of Groton, Conn., to add a second TBM 700 to its charter certificate and a second base in the Northeast this fall at the Beverly Airport (BVY) on Boston's north shore. Columbia is also expanding its avionics facilities at its Groton-New London Airport (GON) main base, including a dedicated 12,000-square-foot hangar and 3,000-square-foot office, shop and avionics demo center. The avionics demo center allows pilots to operate selected systems before purchase.
The HAI is seeking a chief staff executive ``with a documented track record as a skilled manager and team leader'' who is an ``articulate, organized self-starter, with excellent writing skills and considerable understanding of the political nature of association work.'' Experience as a civilian pilot, with helicopter time, is listed as ``desirable'' for potential candidates. Applicants should send a cover letter with resume and salary requirements to: Elizabeth Meade, Executive Vice President, HAI, 1635 Prince St., Alexandria, Va. 22314.
The spaciousness of the Hawker cabin, which has always been a key attribute of the medium jet, continues to draw buyers to the airplane, especially the newer models -- the 800 and 800XP -- according to brokers and dealers who have bought or sold Hawkers recently.
Honda was to stage the ``world debut'' of its twin-engine HondaJet at the Experimental Aircraft Association convention in Oshkosh in July. The Japanese manufacturer spent nearly two decades developing the aircraft, which began flying in late 2003. It is powered by two Honda HF-118 engines. ``Aviation has long been a dream for Honda, and the HondaJet is the embodiment of that dream,'' said Michimasa Fujino, HondaJet project leader and vice president of Honda R&D Americas.
