NetJets awarded Raytheon Aircraft a 10-year agreement to provide maintenance for the fractional aircraft ownership provider's fleet of Hawker 1000, 800XP and 400XP business jets. The contract covers full maintenance for the Hawkers and includes options beyond 10 years. The Hawker Service Center in Little Rock, Ark., will provide Hawker 1000 and 800XP heavy maintenance, and Raytheon Aircraft Services in Tampa, Fla. will maintain NetJets' 400XP fleet.
FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION is trying to fill two key jobs in its Airports Division in the Chicago area. The agency is seeking candidates for the Manager and Assistant Manager slots in the Chicago Airports District Office. The manager's job has a salary range of $92,250-$142,993 annually, while the assistant manager's job pays $77,167 to $119,609. For more information, go to: http://jobs.faa.gov.
Eclipse Aviation Corp. named six more suppliers to provide electronic components that will build on its Avio "Total Aircraft Integration" initiative for the Eclipse 500 jet. Avio "delivers a level of integration and safety that previously had been available only in advanced military aircraft and commercial airliners," Eclipse said, noting that it achieves integration through integral, redundant computer systems that monitor and control all aspects of the aircraft.
CAE said US Airways selected it to provide Embraer 170 and Bombardier CRJ200 ground school training equipment that will become part of the airline's integrated training program. The CAE Simfinity integrated procedures trainers and visual simulators are valued at approximately $5 million (U.S.).
JACK WETZEL, a veteran aviation marketer, has formed Wetzel Aviation in Englewood, Colo. Wetzel, who has more than 30 years in the business and significant background in Piper Cheyennes, Beech King Airs and Learjets, is chairman and chief executive. Gene F. Langfeldt, president, has more than three decades of financial and executive management experience, the last 15 of which have been in business aviation.
CESSNA AIRCRAFT is developing service bulletins covering the installation of aircraft collision avoidance systems (ACAS) that will support European mandates for Mode S Elementary Surveillance and TCAS II collision avoidance systems. European regulations require installation of TCAS II systems by Jan. 1, 2005 on turbine aircraft that seat between 19 and 30 passengers or have a maximum takeoff weight of more than 12,500 pounds. Mode S systems must be installed by March 31, 2005.
Raytheon Aircraft Company reported a significant turnaround in operating income in 2003, and the Wichita, Kan.-based aircraft manufacturer is poised to deliver nearly 20 percent more aircraft in 2004. RAC reported revenues of $2.08 billion in the 12 months ended Dec. 31, fractionally above the 2002 total of $2.04 billion. More significantly, RAC reported $2 million in operating income for the year, compared with a loss of $39 million in 2002.
ATR WINS FOLLOW-ON ORDER FROM BINTER CANARIAS - ATR secured a follow-on order from Spanish carrier Binter Canarias for six ATR 72-500s. Binter Canarias already operates 13 of the regional turboprops. Delivery of the aircraft is slated to begin in May and continue through February 2005. Binter, which has operated ATR aircraft since 1991, operates the aircraft on the Canarian inter-island network.
BELL Model 222, 222B, 222U and 230 helicopters (Docket No. 2003-SW-23-AD) - proposes superseding an existing AD that currently requires a visual check of each main rotor grip and pitch horn assembly without disassembling the main rotor hub assembly, and a visual inspection at specified intervals of each affected grip and pitch horn assembly for a crack using a 10-power or higher magnifying glass. If a crack is found, the existing AD requires replacing each unairworthy grip or pitch horn with an airworthy part before further flight.
CESSNA PROMOTES DAVID BRANT TO KEY ENGINEERING POST - Cessna Aircraft named David Brant senior vice president of engineering, making him responsible for "new aircraft creation, development, design, interiors, flight test and certification, as well as product improvements for all aircraft in production and in service," according to a Cessna statement last week. In addition to his other responsibilities, he will serve as a member of Cessna's Senior Leadership Team.
The Bush Administration launched a "Next Generation Air Transportation System initiative" that will "harness technology in a way that triples the capacity of our aviation system over the next 15 to 20 years," Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta announced last week.
TRAJEN FLIGHT SUPPORT is slated to complete a new hangar and terminal next month at Tucson International Airport in Arizona. The hangar will add 12,000 square feet of space and the new terminal will include weather and flight planning services as well as broadband Internet access. Trajen Flight Support, an Air BP dealer since October, provides a range of fixed-base operation services, including maintenance.
MOONEY CONTINUES PRODUCTION RAMP-UP - Mooney Aircraft last year delivered 35 airplanes, a number that represents triple-digit growth from 2002 when the company went back into production and surpassed expectations for the year. The company boosted the production rate from one aircraft per month to about five, and Mooney Chairman Sam Rothman said the Kerrville, Texas plane-maker is "well positioned to increase production in 2004. We have proven that the company is back in business and ready to resume normal operations this year."
FALCON 20 DAMAGED IN LANDING ACCIDENT AT PUEBLO - A Falcon 20C was damaged in an unusual accident last month while the crew was attempting to complete a night landing under instrument meteorological conditions in Colorado.
GOODRICH CORP. named Bob Yancey president of its Des Moines, Iowa-based Turbine Fuel Technologies unit. Yancey will report to Jack Carmola, segment president, Engine Systems. Yancey previously was vice president/general manager, Operations and Test Systems, for Goodrich's Sensor Systems division. Before that, he was vice president/general manager for Sensor Systems' Propulsion and Space and Test Systems business. He also has spent 16 years with the Aircraft Wheels & Brakes division and held posts in Lighting Systems.
