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Jersey European Airways, the United Kingdom's third largest regional carrier, has changed its name to British European. According to company CEO Barry Perrot, the old name did not reflect the airline's true size and scope, and ``restricted our sales prospects.'' Repainting JEA's 27-aircraft fleet is slated for completion by March 2001.
Ogee.'' ``Ogival.'' These are not exactly common words, and no matter how you pronounce them (hard or soft ``g''), they just do not roll off the tongue. But it is night and I am crossing the Atlantic to do a flight test on an airplane that has an ``ogival wing.'' During the trip, I review literature about the Concorde, and thumb some pictures of the aircraft -- so advanced, and yet aging now. It is not until after the flight when I check my triple volume dictionary that I learn what ``ogee'' and ``ogival'' mean. Ogee: a molding in the form of a letter
A new rule from the FAA bans smoking on all scheduled flights between the United States and foreign destinations. The rule specifically bans smoking in the cockpit, as well.
Fairchild Aerospace says it has changed its name to Fairchild Dornier Corp. in order to ``better reflect the rich heritages'' of the two companies. The change comes in the wake of Fairchild's acquisition by Clayton, Dubilier&Rice, a New York-based leveraged buyout firm. The transaction included the injection of $400 million in growth capital, plus nearly $800 million in debt financing from a consortium of German banks and institutional investors.
Alpha Flying of Nashua, N.H., plans to expand its PlaneSense fractional ownership business through a marketing pact with Epps Aviation, an Atlanta-based FBO and charter provider. Six Pilatus PC-12s now are part of the PlaneSense program, including N116AF, recently photographed at Martha's Vineyard airport in Massachusetts.
Is there any doubt? After four years of comparing the financial performance of the world's top companies, it is obvious that organizations which operate their own business aircraft -- be they turbofans, turboprops or helicopters -- do significantly better financially than those that don't.
Owners of older David Clark headsets can update their microphones with a new retrofit kit from the manufacturer. The M-7DC kit enables installation of a flex boom amplified electret microphone on veteran headsets like the H10-30 and H10-40. It's an excellent solution for pilots who want to combine the comfort of their existing equipment with the advanced technology of David Clark's improved microphone technology. Price: $89.75 David Clark Co. 360 Franklin St., Box 15054 Worcester, Mass. 01615-0054
Cirrus Design will move Cirrus SR20 fuselage fabrication to its Grand Forks, N.D., facility this summer. Wing construction will continue at the company's Duluth, Minn., plant.
C. Barrie Sampson joined the used aircraft dealer as director of international sales. Aircraft mechanic and engineer Charles Aufranc is named manager of technical sales support. Aufranc also continues as a designated airworthiness inspector with the Bermuda Department of Civil Aviation.
If this year's sell-off in the Nasdaq is any indication, fractional ownership may prove to be counter-cyclical. As tech stocks tumbled, NetJets saw interest in shares increase, particularly in Silicon Valley, according to Executive Jet Chairman and CEO Richard Santulli. ``We picked up quite a few people who decided that discretion was the better part of valor and canceled whole aircraft contracts to come with us,'' he said.
The FAA has deployed its 44th and final installation of the Air Route Surveillance Radar in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Known as ARSR-4, the new system is designed to provide three-dimensional aircraft position and weather information with more accuracy than the earlier generation long-range radar systems it is replacing. Other planned uses include providing weather data to the National Weather Service and aircraft position data to the U.S. Air Force, Navy and U.S. Customs service. The ARSR-4 radar is a joint FAA/Department of Defense initiative.
All new Galaxy business jets will feature sound-absorbent material between the fuselage skin and interior cabin panels and other changes designed to reduce cabin noise levels. Developed in conjunction with Flight Environments, the modification includes changes to the aircraft's environmental control system, and will be offered at no additional cost.
Three senior personnel changes have been announced: Kirk Rowe has been named vice president and general manager of the company's Montreal facility, Chris Heredia is now vice president and general manager in Vancouver and Ric Simpson is the newly named general manager of the Pacific Avionics and Instruments division.
Chalks Ocean Airways, one of the world's oldest continuously operated air carriers, has introduced a new Web site, www.chalksoceanairways.com. The site contains information regarding the company's history, a photo gallery, flight schedules and information about its five destinations: Miami and Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; Paradise Island/Nassau; Bimini; and Walkers Cay, Bahamas.
The Airline Dispatchers Federation (ADF) has called upon the FAA to require more stringent regulation of air charter, cargo and fractional operations. The group wants operators of passenger aircraft with 10 or more seats and cargo aircraft with maximum gross weights in excess of 20,000 pounds to operate under FAR Part 121, which, incidentally, requires the use of licensed aircraft dispatchers. According to the ADF, such a move would duplicate the ``Single Level of Safety'' standard, enacted in 1997, which required most regional carriers to comply with Part 121.
Superior Air Parts, Inc. named Don Decker as its sales representative for Latin America. Decker will be located at the regional distribution office in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., which also will serve as the headquarters for Latin American operations. Superior Air Parts, Inc. provides FAA/PMA-approved replacement parts for Lycoming and Continental aircraft engines.
Sporty's is now selling a line of fire protection ideal for aviation. The Halon extinguishers meet FAR Part 135 and 155 requirements and are effective on gasoline, wood/paper and electrical fires. Halon leaves no residue, won't damage avionics or electrical equipment, and is colorless and odorless. The extinguishers are compact, too, allowing for very efficient use of the limited space aboard aircraft. Price: $51.95 to $150.95 Sporty's Pilot Shop Clermont County Airport Batavia, Ohio 45103-9747
The U.S. government's National Technical Information Service has produced a CD-ROM containing a comprehensive database of FAA airworthiness directives, certification and other data. Purchasers can have instant access to ADs issued since 1940, type certificate data sheets, Parts Manufacturer Approvals (PMA) since 1992, Technical Standard Orders (TSO) and Supplemental Type Certificates (STC). The information, which covers all types of aircraft from airships to transports, is current through December 1999. Price: $125 plus $5 handling fee
The FAA is reviewing its newly crafted rules regarding fractional ownership operations, and expects to issue a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) before the end of the year. ``We've received the draft NPRM and it's quite a good product that represents a lot of consensus-building,'' said Margaret Gilligan, the FAA's deputy associate administrator for regulation and certification.
Users of small private and public airports, heliports and other facilities now can get instant, accurate weather information with the new DigiWX system from Belfort Instrument. Although not approved for FAR Part 135 operators and IFR conditions, the DigiWX offers a low-cost weather solution in other circumstances. Weather sensors mounted on an easy-to-install 15-foot tower provide wind, temperature, barometric pressure, dew point and other readings to DigiWX handheld units within a five- to 10-mile radius.
