ACJet, the new Atlantic Coast Airlines subsidiary that soon will begin operations as a Delta Connection carrier, has appointed Mike Davis as chief operating officer. For the past five years, Davis has been ACA's vice president of customer service, and he previously worked for Business Express and US Airways. ACJet's initial flights will serve New York's La Guardia Airport, but the venture is still awaiting its FAA operating certificate. Separately, Hawker Pacific has agreed to provide ACA/ACJet with 328JET brake maintenance in an $8.5 million deal.
Runways that lack Instrument Landing System (ILS) approaches could receive some glidepath information under a new FAA initiative designed to prevent Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) accidents. Margaret ``Peggy'' Gilligan, the FAA's deputy associate administrator for regulation and certification, said the new approaches might use some aspects of GPS technology, but not in the short term.
Assembly of the conforming prototype SJ30-2 airframes earmarked for the FAA certification program is underway at Sino Swearingen's San Antonio plant. The company says the SJ30-2 is on target for a first flight in the third quarter of this year, with first deliveries planned for late 2001. Production SJ30-2s will be built in Martinsburg, W.Va., though the company plans to keep its administrative, marketing and engineering operations in San Antonio.
Reliance Aviation has opened a full-service FBO at Florida's Fort Lauderdale/ Hollywood International Airport (FLL), on a site previously occupied by Maxy Aviation. The eight-acre facility, located at the airport's northeast corner off Runway 9L, provides maintenance, refurbishment, charter services, sales, management, fuel services and exterior painting.
Atlantic Coast Airlines is ``exploring alternatives'' to accelerate the retirement of its fleet of 28 leased British Aerospace Jetstream aircraft. The Dulles, Va.-based airline plans to retire at least six of the 19-seat turboprops this year, and the remainder in 2001. As of March 31, ACA's J-32 lease commitments ranged from less than one year to six years, with minimum lease payments of around $41 million. ACA has placed firm orders for 39 Bombardier CRJs and 23 Fairchild 328JETs.
Business aircraft come in many forms, running the gamut from small single-engine aircraft to the largest widebody jets. But the most distinctive -- and probably the most fun to fly -- has got to be Cessna's 208 Caravan on amphibious floats. Minneapolis-based Wipaire has the STC for CE-208 float conversions, and does around 20 a year. Though a few buyers have opted for straight floats, most choose the company's Model 8000 amphibious floats, which of course allow the flexibility of land or water operations.
The FAA has presented ICAO with a ``safety oversight template'' that could spur wider implementation of U.S. aviation regulations and standards around the world. On May 18 in Montreal, Tom McSweeny, head of the FAA's regulation and certification branch, presented ICAO with Version 1.5 of the Model Aviation Regulatory Document, which provides guidelines for government oversight of flight operations, aircraft certification and other safety-related functions.
Under the terms of a new agreement, Petroleum Helicopters' Aeromed-ical Services Division will supply pilots and maintenance technicians to the air medical program of St. Mary's Hospital in Grand Junc-tion, Colo. St. Mary's serves Western Colorado and Eastern Utah.
The General Accounting Office (GAO) has called Department of Defense justification of 391 support aircraft ``inadequate'' and recommended that the DOD reevaluate its requirements. The aircraft are intended to transport passengers and cargo in wartime when other commercial and military flights are unavailable. In peacetime, however, the aircraft -- most of them military versions of corporate aircraft -- are being used for non-critical missions such as crew training and passenger transport. Almost half the aircraft in question are military versions of the Beech King Air.
Edited By Paul RichfieldBy Paul Richfield, in Memphis
Northwest Airlink feeder Express Airlines I celebrated the arrival of its first Bombardier Canadair Regional Jet (CRJ) at its Memphis (MEM) base on May 16. The 50-seat jet is the first of 54 CRJs Northwest Airlines (NWA) ordered in 1999; the first 42 have been earmarked for Express I, while the remaining 12 could go to Express I or Mesaba Airlines, NWA's other regional partner.
Women in Aviation, International (WAI) is seeking nominees for the Pioneer Hall of Fame, honoring women who have made significant contributions to aviation. Current members include Olive Ann Beech, Moya Lear, Audrey Poberezny, Amelia Earhart and Patty Wagstaff. The deadline for submitting nominations is September 30. For further information, contact WAI at (973) 839-4647 or visit its Web site at www.wiai.org.
With growth of the NetJets fractional ownership program continuing at a pace of six to eight new airplanes and 35 to 50 new owners per month, Executive Jet Aviation (EJA) in mid-June dedicated its new 200,000-square-foot operations center at Port Columbus International Airport in Columbus, Ohio. EJA's old facility will be dedicated to training and houses a Citation V Ultra simulator, with Citation X and Citation Excel simulators expected over the next six months. Currently, EJA is hiring around 50 pilots per month.
Photograph: Business Jet Center's Dallas Love Field facility Business Jet Center The Business Jet Center (BJC) has opened for business at Dallas Love Field, after investing more than $15 million in a rebuilding program. The airport authority requested Business Jet Services to provide executive services and hangar leasing after Cirrus Air defaulted to the city in 1997. The plans included a 22,000-square-foot business center, underground fuel farm, 13 acres of ramp space, and seven corporate and private hangars.
High blood pressure is one of the greatest health and career threats. MD Systems' CardioGrip has shown promising results in reducing hypertension and it does so without drugs. The manufacturer says that, when used as directed, the unit can help lower blood pressure with just one 10-minute session per day. Previously, the CardioGrip was available only by prescription, but the FDA has ruled that the unit can now be purchased over-the-counter. At less than $500, it's inexpensive health and career insurance. Price: $499 MD Systems, Inc.
Atlantic Southeast Airlines has named Dan Waters as its new vice president -- flight operations. In this position, Waters will direct the daily operations of more than 1,000 ASA pilots and head the company's growing flight training program.
Raytheon Aircraft says FAA certification of its new Premier I business jet will occur some time this summer, upon completion of the remaining 25 percent of the test program. Company spokesman Kevin O'Hara says avionics certification of the $4.85 million jet is nearly complete, and a fourth aircraft -- now in the paint shop -- will undertake function and reliability and single-pilot certification testing over the coming weeks. The aircraft's document package and manuals are complete, and the simulator is operational but not yet FAA certified, he adds.
ERDA has introduced a new, fully powered seat designed for installation in business aircraft of virtually every size between the Learjet 45 and Boeing Business Jet. Dubbed the ``Command Chair,'' the seat features ergonomic design, full berthing, an automatically retractable footrest extension, and a full range of customized seating positions. Maintenance technicians will appreciate the ease of service, with all major components accessible either by removing two screws from the backshell or through the quick-release seatpan.
Business Aviation Services, located in Sioux Falls, S.D. (FSD), reduced fuel prices by $0.20 on 100LL avgas for all aircraft attending the Experimental Aircraft Association's AirVenture 2000 in Oshkosh, Wis., this month. Located 400 miles from Oshkosh, Business Aviation Services offers repairs and maintenance on engines, airframes, radios and instruments.
Bombardier says it has upgraded the Challenger 604 flight simulator at its Montreal Training Center with Rockwell Collins' Head-Up Guidance System (HGS) -- certified for Category II approaches -- and Safe Flight autothrottles. The manufacturer plans to open an additional training facility in Dallas this fall, which will feature Learjet 31A, 45 and 60 simulators.
