Are you among the millions who are turning to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in addition to more conventional medical treatments? Surveys show the use of CAM in the general population is growing geometrically, and pilots -- always interested in health -- probably are well represented among the users. CAM strategies include herbal and mega-vitamin diet supplementation, acupuncture, spinal adjustments, therapeutic touch and chelation therapy.
Transport Canada will now publicize the names of operators found guilty of violating the country's Aeronautics Act and the Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs). The new policy is intended to make air carriers ``more accountable to the Canadian public,'' Transport Minister David Collenette said. Offenders' names, offenses and penalties can be found at the ministry's Web site at www.tc.gc.ca/aviation/index_e. The information previously was available only by specific request under Canada's Access to Information Act.
Edited By Paul RichfieldBy Perry Bradley, in Cincinnati
Executive Jet Management, the charter and management arm of NetJets parent company Executive Jet Aviation, is experiencing rapid growth as a result of the success of EJA's fractional ownership program. The Cincinnati-based charter and management arm of EJA is expanding its fleet at the rate of two aircraft per month, and expects to have some 68 aircraft in operation by the end of this year.
CommutAir, a Plattsburgh, N.Y.-based regional carrier, has ordered 26 new Raytheon Beech 1900Ds with options for an additional 26 aircraft. The order, valued at more than $125 million, is the largest for the 19-passenger turboprop since 1995. The new aircraft replace 26 older 1900Ds in the airline's existing fleet of 31 aircraft. Raytheon has delivered 11 aircraft, with the remaining 15 scheduled for delivery by the end of the year. With these deliveries, Raytheon will mark the 400th 1900D manufactured.
China's Civil Aviation Authority (CAAC) has banned all Yunshu and Tupolev aircraft from scheduled passenger service, effective June 1, 2001. The action follows the fatal June 22 crash of a Wuhan Airlines Xian Yunshu Y-7-100C, a Chinese-built variant of the Antonov An-24 turboprop. According to Aviation Week&Space Technology, the ban includes the Harbin Y-11/12 series of 17/19-seat turboprops, and Russian-built Antonov and Ilyushin aircraft.
Piedmont Hawthorne Aviation plans to open a regional airline maintenance facility in Harrisburg, Pa. A portion of the office and ramp is used as an FBO with 62,000 square feet for both operations. Additionally, Saab Aircraft of America, Inc. has selected Piedmont as a Saab 340 Aircraft Center, said Rick Reed, vice president of aviation services. The agreement will cover both the Winston-Salem maintenance center and the Harrisburg facility.
The FAA will alter its rules regarding Land and Hold Operations (LAHSO), after agreeing to incorporate changes recommended by pilot groups. As a result, the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) has rescinded its July 17 recommendation that pilots not accept LAHSO clearances, an action that threatened to slow operations at hub airports. Captain Paul McCarthy, ALPA's executive air safety chairman, said: ``Our members did the right thing for the right reasons, and now, we'll have the right conditions for using LAHSO.''
Aerostar Jet, which is planning a turbofan-powered version of the Piper Aerostar piston twin, is re-forming itself as a limited liability corporation to make itself ``more attractive to investors.'' The restructuring will result in a six-month delay in the planned certification of the proposed FJ-100. First flight of the Williams FJ-33-1-powered aircraft is now planned for March 2002, with certification and first deliveries now expected in mid-2003.
Embraer has decided to fit winglets to its proposed ERJ-170 regional airliner, saying the modification improves fuel economy and climb performance while enhancing the aircraft's range/payload profile. The action was triggered, Embraer says, by performance gains winglets provided an EMB-145 equipped for the military airborne early warning role. Embraer says the change will not affect the ERJ-170 development schedule or time to market, and could lead to the installation of winglets on other Embraer regional jets.
The American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) and Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA) have created a joint legislative affairs department to lobby Congress. Todd Hauplti will lead the effort, which is intended to help the groups ``amplify the airport presence on Capitol Hill,'' says AAAE President Charles Barclay.
BBA Aviation promoted Bruce S. Van Allen to president and CEO of BBA Aviation North America, Elizabeth Haskins as president and CEO of Signature Flight Support and T. Peter Whitehead as chief executive of BBA Aviation Europe. BBA Aviation serves business aviation, regional airline, helicopter and commercial aviation markets through its primary operating companies, Dallas Airmotive, Signature Flight Services, International Turbine services and the APPH Group.
FlightSafety International will add a UC-35 simulator at its Daleville Training center in Alabama in early 2002. The UC-35 is the U.S. Army's version of the Cessna Citation Excel. The company's West Palm Beach, Fla.-based Sikorsky S-76C+ simulator recently received Level D certification from the FAA.
The National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE) has awarded its 2000 New Product Award to Raytheon Aircraft for development of the Premier I. The annual awards are meant to recognize ``the benefits that come from the research and engineering of new products,'' according to the NPSE. Raytheon's engineers were cited for developing automated technology to build the Premier I's composite fuselage in only a week with four employees per shift. Certification of the Premier I, originally expected in the spring, is now anticipated to occur this summer, Raytheon says.
Business aviation is only as effective as its access to structured airspace, and for that reason, the ongoing (and Byzantine) process of aviation rulemaking and harmonization among the 27-member European Joint Airworthiness Authorities (JAA) bears close watching, business aviation advocates argue.
Several changes have been made at the Phoenix facility: Longtime staff member Rod Cash has been promoted to the newly created position of vice president for product support; former line department technician Rick Robot is now parts manager; and Lynn Hogan has been named outside parts salesperson. James Acuna has been named line manager at Cutter Aviation Deer Valley.
