AVIATION SECURITY AND THE ECONOMY will be among the highlights of the National Air Transportation Association’s 2008 Aviation Business Roundtable. The event, being held this week in Washington, D.C., will include Robert Rottman, deputy director of transportation and infrastructure for the Department of Homeland Security, discussing the Large Aircraft Security Program proposal, and Paul Volcker, an economic adviser to President-elect Barack Obama and former chairman of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, on the economy.
The European Union’s imminent adoption of a rule to extend the emissions trading scheme to airlines beginning in 2012 spurred renewed objections from the U.S. airline industry and FAA.
Hawker Beechcraft plans to lay off 5 percent of its work force as it cuts production rates in the face of reduced demand for business and general aviation aircraft, the manufacturer said last week. The manufacturer employs more than 9,700 people, the majority in Wichita, Kan. Hit by a four-week strike in August that slowed aircraft deliveries, the company saw third-quarter net sales decline 10 percent from a year earlier, to $783 million, and operating income drop 75 percent to just $15.3 million.
– Embraer expects certification of the Phenom 100 – its first purpose-designed business jet – within the next two weeks, President and CEO Federico Curado told analysts on Nov. 3. Deliveries of the very-light jet were originally planned to begin in mid-2008, but have been delayed by an issue with certification of flap control software and qualification of a replacement seat supplier.
EMBRAER opened a new executive jet service center at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International in Florida to support the company’s line of Phenom and Legacy aircraft. The 55,000-square foot center is the third executive jet service facility that the Brazilian plane maker has opened in two months. Embraer also recently opened facilities at Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, Conn. and Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport in Mesa, Ariz.
THE PORT AUTHORITY OF NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY, which took over operation of Stewart International Airport (SWF) in Newburgh, N.Y. a year ago, hired TransSystems of Alexandria, Va. to help it create a strategic, long-term plan for expanding air services at the Hudson Valley facility.
MARC HAVIS was appointed director, tax, for Gulfstream Aerospace. He reports to Bill Skinner, vice president and corporate controller. Havis is a certified public accountant. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Baylor University’s business school and a master’s degree in international taxation from Regent University School of Law in Virginia.
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HAWKER BEECHCRAFT CORP., continuing its surge of key executive hiring, named a United Technologies veteran to head financial operations beginning this month. Sidney E. Anderson was named chief financial officer at HBC, where he will be responsible for the management and direction of the company’s finance and accounting organization including financial analysis, accounting, information technology, controls, budgeting, planning and forecasting.
Responsible for performance of Mechanical Engineering Department, Interior Installation Business Units and Flightline. Fundamental role is to insure all department activity properly supports the timely delivery of the aircraft. Must have 15 years experience in aircraft production industry with a minimum of 5 years at the senior management level. Fax resume to 501-210-0469 or email to [email protected]
The Teterboro Airport Industry Working Group drew praise from general aviation advocates and airport critics alike for making progress in reducing noise and increasing safety at Teteboro Airport (TEB) in New Jersey, but advocates are hoping to increase participation in the working group’s programs. The working group in 2006 launched the “Pledge to the Community Program” to address increasing community concerns about noise, safety and security.
Cessna Aircraft was approved by FAA as an Organization Delegation Authority (ODA) last week, a designation that permits the Wichita, Kan. aircraft manufacturer to affirm that the aircraft it builds meet all applicable Federal Aviation Regulations. Gulfstream Aerospace was the first aircraft manufacturer to win ODA authority earlier this year (BA, March 31/141), but Cessna said it is the first original equipment manufacturer to have ODA status for both Part 23 and Part 25 aircraft.
Randy Nelson, who spent 28 years at Cessna Aircraft in a variety of product development roles before joining Raytheon Aircraft Company (RAC) two and one-half years ago, plans to retire Dec. 1.
– Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (D) visited Wichita last week to participate in groundbreaking ceremonies with Cessna officials and other state, local and business leaders for a new manufacturing facility for the Cessna Columbus business jet.
AIR METHODS CORP. received a contract valued at more than $17 million from Sikorsky Aircraft to provide multimission medevac interior systems for 48 HH-60M Black Hawk helicopters. Production has begun and is expected to continue through the third quarter of 2010. The HH-60M is the medical evacuation-configured version of the Black Hawks used by the U.S. Army. The medical systems include a Patient Loading System, an on-board oxygen generation system, medical suction, patient monitors and high intensity NVG compatible lighting.
Cirrus Design Corp. last week further scaled back production of its aircraft lines, eliminating 105 more positions and trimming the final assembly schedule from four 10-hour days a week to three days. The cutbacks follow an ongoing reorganization designed to incorporate lean manufacturing techniques. But the current global economic troubles have continued to slow sales, forcing Cirrus to reevaluate production.
Sensis Corp. won an important FAA contract competition to provide runway status lights, regarded as an important technology in the effort to reduce runway incursions.
AVIATION INDUSTRY NEWS was a study in contrasts during the past week. Cessna Aircraft broke ground for a huge new production facility in Wichita and Pratt & Whitney Canada said it will build a new engine assembly plant at Montreal’s Mirabel Airport. But Grob Aerospace, and AAI Acquisition – which is attempting to resuscitate the Adam A700 program – both announced they are laying off most workers because Grob can’t find a buyer and the Russian backers of the A700 have sharply curtailed their support. See articles on following pages.
DASSAULT FALCON opened a 20,000-square-foot spares distribution center in San Jose, Calif. through a joint business venture with UPS. The center is expected to house a parts inventory valued at more than $34 million by yearend. The San Jose facility will support Falcon customers based on the West Coast with same day, overnight or self-pickup parts. The facility also will allow Dassault to extend the ordering deadline for next-day delivery for East Coast operators and support outlying spares warehouses.
CHARLENE BRETT joined the charter customer service team at FirstFlight, Inc., headquartered in Elmira/Corning, N.Y. Brett has 17 years of charter experience, having worked in charter sales and services for several charter/management companies in the New York metro area. Most recently she was with PrivatAir in Bridgeport, Conn. as director of roadshow services. Prior to that she was with The Air Group and Atlantic Aviation.
AMERICAN EUROCOPTER recently celebrated its 2,500th U.S. helicopter delivery, an EC135 that will be operated by longtime customer PHI, Inc. for air medical purposes. American Eurocopter delivered its first helicopter, an SA.3130 Alouette, to PHI in 1957. PHI since has operated a variety of Eurocopter aircraft, and the fleet currently includes AS350B2/B3 AStars, EC135s and BK117s. The SA.3130 was the first civilian-certified turbine helicopter worldwide.
LESLIE FISCHER was named regional sales manager for the western U.S. for Avidyne Corp., the Lincoln, Mass. provider of integrated flight deck and safety systems for general aviation aircraft. Most recently Fischer was a pharmaceutical sales representatives for Pfizer, Inc. in Montobello, Calif. Before that she spent two years as a human factors specialist for The Boeing Company in Huntington Beach, Calif.
FLIGHTSAFETY INTERNATIONAL and the International Business Aviation Council jointly developed a four-hour, Web-based Safety Management Systems (SMS) course designed specifically for corporate flight departments. The course provides a framework that explains flight department personnel responsibilities to implement and maintain an SMS. The SMS course covers hazard identification, risk management and accident/incident prevention and reporting.
LINDA HERZOG was named a senior sales strategist with FirstFlight, Inc. Most recently Herzog was chief operating officer for Vita Luxury, a luxury destination club. Prior to that she was vice president of Jet Aviation/Jet Professionals, a corporate aviation staffing company where she led sales and operational teams.
