AIRCRAFT ELECTRONICS ASSOCIATION scheduled a series of regulatory and technical training sessions in the fall. The sessions will cover regulatory updates from FAA headquarters and the field, repair station training program auditing, light sport aircraft maintenance, aviation technician training, and training on a number of systems from AirCell, Garmin, Chelton and other manufacturers. The sessions will take place during the AEA Regional Meetings Sept. 13-14 in St. Louis, Mo.; Oct. 25-26 in Irvine, Calif.; and Nov. 8-9 in Orlando, Fla.
LAWMAKERS on Capitol Hill have adopted their latest versions of internal ethics laws, and once again have highlighted the use of private aircraft for election campaigns. The Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007, S.1, requires that senators who fly on private aircraft reimburse the owner at a rate equivalent to the fair market value of a similar charter flight. Senators previously were required to pay at a rate that is equivalent to a first-class ticket.
A GULFSTREAM G150 set three new city-pair speed records on a trip between Los Angeles, Maui, Hawaii, Las Vegas and Savannah. Michael Jarrett, Gulfstream international demonstration captain, and Chip King, Gulfstream senior production test pilot, flew the aircraft between Los Angeles and Maui in 5 hours and 24 minutes, averaging a cruise speed of .79 Mach into headwinds of 50 knots during the 2,024-nm trip. The pilots then flew the aircraft 2,396 nm from Maui to Las Vegas in 5 hours and 26 minutes, averaging a speed of .79 Mach.
A Beechcraft King Air 90 on an air ambulance mission crashed in New Mexico Aug. 5, killing all five people aboard including a 15-month-old patient. The aircraft, N369CD, crashed into mountainous terrain shortly after taking off at about 10:40 p.m. from Ruidoso Airport in New Mexico. The aircraft was operated by Southwest Medevac, which provides medical flights in Southern New Mexico and Texas. Aboard the aircraft were the crew - Ricky Byers, Brian Miller and Deanna Palmer - the patient, Lilly Smith, and her mother, Tracy Smith.
Model TBM 700 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2007-28645; Directorate Identifier 2007-CE-059-AD] - This proposed AD would require checking for proper operation of the locking handle for the upper access door and modification of the adjacent window trim panel in accordance with instructions contained in EADS Socata's Mandatory Service Bulletin TBM Aircraft SB 70-150 (dated May 2007).
EMBRAER recently broke ground on a business jets service center that will be built at Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, Conn. The groundbreaking came three weeks after the Brazilian plane-maker held a groundbreaking ceremony for a facility at Williams Gateway Airport in Mesa, Ariz. (BA, July 9/14). The Windsor Locks facility, which will service the Phenom and Legacy business jet lines, will be completed in mid-2008. The 45,000-square-foot Embraer facility will include a hangar, workshops and office space. Embraer is planning a third facility at Ft.
Hawker Beechcraft Acquisition Co. LLC (HBC) posted a second-quarter loss and lower sales, but a strong surge in orders for new aircraft dramatically increased the company's backlog.
EAGLEPICHER TECHNOLOGIES, which produces batteries and other energy producing devices for commercial, defense and space industries, achieved AS9100 at its facilities in Joplin and Seneca, Mo., and Pittsburg, Kan. Established by the International Aerospace Quality Group, the standard recognizes achievement, quality and safety for suppliers in the aerospace industry.
RTI International Metals reported higher earnings and revenues for the quarter and first half of 2007, but said it took a $3.4 million charge for the quarter to establish a reserve in case the firm has to return import duty reimbursements it received earlier. Those reimbursements are the subject of an investigation by federal officials.
TRIUMPH GROUP plans to sell off two of its manufacturing units. Effective June 30, Triumph said it designated as discontinued operations Triumph Precision Castings and Triumph Precision, a build-to-specification manufacturer and supplier of high-precision machined components and assemblies. Triumph expects to complete the sale of those two units by the end of September. For the three months ended June 30, the discontinued operations posted a loss of $3.9 million.
Air Methods Corporation, the largest U.S. provider of air medical transport services for hospitals with a fleet of more than 200 fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters, plans to complete by Oct. 31 its acquisition of all the outstanding common stock of FSS Airholdings, Inc., the parent company of CJ Systems Aviation Group, Inc. CJ, headquartered near Pittsburgh, is one of the larger private U.S.
XL INSURANCE is offering a new pollution insurance program specifically designed to protect fixed-base operators. "General liability insurance offers businesses very limited, if any, protection against an environmental incident such as a fuel oil spill," said Richard Corbett, chief environmental underwriter for XL Insurance's Global Environmental unit. The company's pollution policy offers coverage for loss, remediation expense and legal defense at covered airport locations. XL Insurance is part of XL Capital Ltd. of Exton, Pa.
Cessna Aircraft's Citation XLS+ flight testing is continuing in Wichita, following the successful first flight of the business jet on Aug. 2 at Rockwell Collins' facility in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The first flight, which lasted one hour and 30 minutes, went as planned, with the aircraft "performing as expected," according to Cessna Citation XLS+ Program Manager Kevin Steinert.
Models S2R series airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2007-28432; Directorate Identifier 2007-CE-051-AD] - This proposed AD would require repetitive visual inspections of the vertical and horizontal stabilizer attach fitting, attach fitting bolts, and the vertical fin aft spar for cracks or corrosion. It also would require immediate replacement of cracked or corroded parts and, as the terminating action for the repetitive inspections, eventual replacement, even if no cracks or corrosion were found.
WHEN ASKED about a possible dues hike and what the increased revenues might be used for, an NBAA spokesman noted that the association has not raised dues in five years. "New member services are being rolled out, and advocacy has been stepped up to confront the millions [of dollars] the airlines are spending to secure their legislative agenda, which would do permanent harm to business aviation," he said in a written response.
EMBRAER received an order for two Legacy 600 executive jets from China Sonangol International Holding Ltd., an oil business enterprise. The aircraft will be registered in China and used primarily for corporate travel.
Named sector vice president and general manager of Northrop Grumman Corporation Navigation Systems Division. Myers will be responsible for navigation systems business areas, programs and activities at company facilities in Woodland Hills, Calif.; Salt Lake City, Utah; Freiberg, Germany; and Pomezia, Italy. He joined the company in 1997 as vice president of the former TRW Space and Electronics unit.
Promoted to vice president, customer service, FKI Logistex North America, which provides material handling for airports, manufacturing operations, warehouse and distribution facilities. Roach will be responsible for North American parts sales, parts order fulfillment operations, and hotline technical support. Formerly director of the Parts Group for FKI Logistex Manufacturing Systems North America, Roach has 17 years of engineering and management experience.
FLIGHT SAFETY FOUNDATION issued a Call for Papers Invitation for presentation at the organization's 53rd annual Corporate Aviation Safety Seminar April 29-May 1, 2008, which will be held at The Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club in Palm Harbor, Fla. Persons interested in making a presentation at the seminar should submit a 200-word abstract and a one-page resume no later than Oct. 5. For more information, contact Millicent Wheeler at [email protected] or call (703) 739-6700, Ext. 109.
AIR METHODS CORP., Denver, Colo., was selected by American Eurocopter, LLC of Grand Prairie, Texas to provide medical interiors, avionics and airframe modifications and equipment for the helicopter manufacturer's single-engine emergency medical services customers. American Eurocopter builds the AS-350 and EC-130 helicopter models, which are used by a number of EMS providers. Air Methods Corp. said the average EMS modification of those model helicopters exceeds $500,000 per aircraft.
September 5-6 - 19th FAA/Air Transport Association International Symposium on Human Factors in Maintenance and Ramp Operations, Hyatt Regency Orlando, Fla., International Airport Hotel, www.airlines.org/2007hfsymposium September 11-14 - International Civil Aviation Organization's Introduction to Performance Based Navigation seminar, ICAO Asia and Pacific Regional Office, Bangkok, Thailand, (514) 954-8219 ext. 7117, fax: (514) 954-6759, www.icao.int/pbn
AVFUEL added Encore-Frederick, based at Frederick Municipal Airport in Maryland, to its network of branded dealers. Encore will offer Avfuel's Commercial Contract Fuel Program and the Avtrip incentive program. The fixed-base operation provides charter, management, maintenance, ground services, aircraft sales and avionics. The FBO also hosts events including a Celebration of Avionics seminar and an Aviation Education Expo that will allow high school and college students to explore career opportunities in the aviation industry.
HONEYWELL said its TPE331-12JR turboprop won FAA approval for installation in Cessna Caravan Model 208 utility aircraft. The engine manufacturer worked with Aero Twin of Anchorage, Alaska to win approval for the retrofit installation. Aero Twin plans to provide complete retrofit kits, installation and support services. Operators of float-equipped Caravans with the TPE331 powerplant will see a significant reduction in takeoff distance, said John Bolton, vice president of Business and General Aviation Aftermarket for Honeywell Aerospace.
CESSNA AIRCRAFT said it has taken orders for 720 of its new SkyCatcher light sport aircraft. Cessna, which valued those orders at more than $75 million, formally unveiled the SkyCatcher during the Experimental Aircraft Association AirVenture 2007 last month in Oshkosh, Wis. (BA, July 30/44). Launch of the SkyCatcher came one year after Cessna announced it was testing the market for a proof-of-concept LSA. The SkyCatcher will be powered by a 100-horspower Teledyne Continental O-200D engine and include a Garmin glass cockpit.
John D. Wolf took over as chairman and chief executive of Adam Aircraft last week after Rick Adam announced his decision to step down as chief executive from the company he founded in 1998. Adam, who invested $26 million of his own money to establish the company, will retain four seats on the board of directors. Adam did not specify his future plans, but has said in the past that he sees himself as an entrepreneur who likes to seek out new opportunities.
