AIA FORECAST SEES STABILIZATION AND MODEST GROWTH THROUGH 2006 - Fueled largely by increased defense spending, the aerospace industry should stabilize and experience modest growth over the next three years, according to the latest annual forecast by the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA).
Alteon Training, a subsidiary of The Boeing Company, will offer flight training for the Boeing Business Jet at the Palma Training Center in Spain starting during the first quarter of 2004. Alteon will provide initial, recurrent, refresher and progressive training using the JAA Level D-certified Boeing 737-700/800 full flight simulator that is equipped with head-up display. Level D certification from the FAA is expected in January 2004. Alteon also provides BBJ training at its facilities in Atlanta, Long Island, Miami, Seattle and Gatwick/Burgess Hill in England.
BOMBARDIER OFFERS AIRCRAFT MANAGEMENT TO NEW LEAR OWNERS -In an effort to draw more customers in the Middle East, Bombardier introduced a new program that includes one year of free aircraft management with the purchase of a Learjet 40, 45 or 45XR.
Officials at the Newport News, Va./Williamsburg International Airport (PHF) voted last week to reissue a request for proposals for a fixed-base operator at the airport. The airport had issued an RFP in July with a Sept. 16 deadline, but the RFP was reissued Dec. 11 with a deadline of Jan. 15. The airport is currently served by two FBOs, Flight International and Rick Aviation.
GERMAN MANUFACTURER OMF FILES FOR BANKRUPTCY; CANADIAN ENTITY SEEKING FINANCING - The parent company of Canadian aircraft manufacturer OMF Aircraft filed for bankruptcy last week in Germany, but officials of OMF Aircraft of Three Rivers, Quebec said they hope to secure necessary financing and resume aircraft production by May.
GULFSTREAM WINS TYPE CERTIFICATE FOR G500 - Gulfstream received an FAA type certificate for its G500 aircraft, which was introduced a little more than a year ago at the 2002 National Business Aviation Association convention (BA, Sept. 16, 2002/126)
Washington insiders have been speculating for a couple of weeks that President Bush might sign the FAA reauthorization bill at this week's First Flight Centennial celebration in North Carolina, but Administration officials Friday were downplaying the likelihood of that happening at Kitty Hawk. Bush is still expected to sign the bill sometime in the near future.
SUMMARY: Pursuant to FAA's rulemaking provisions governing the application, processing, and disposition of petitions for exemption (14 CFR Part 11), this notice contains a summary of certain petitions seeking relief from specified requirements of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR Chapter I), dispositions of certain petitions previously received, and corrections. The purpose of this notice is to improve the public's awareness of, and participation in, this aspect of FAA's regulatory activities.
NATIONAL AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM UNVEILS HAZY CENTER TO PUBLIC - The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, the new 760,000-square-foot "annex" to the National Air and Space Museum, opens today on the southern grounds of Dulles International Airport, unveiling a collection of more than 80 aircraft that had been packed away in storage or that were too large to display anywhere else. The opening of the museum comes a little more than three years after groundbreaking, but some 20 years after the Smithsonian's Board of Regents first envisioned a new facility.
HOUSE APPROVES OMNIBUS BILL, SENATE DELAYS ACTION UNTIL JANUARY - Despite pressures from the Bush Administration to act quickly, the Senate postponed the vote on the $373 billion omnibus spending bill until Jan. 20. The House early last week approved the legislation, 242-176, but Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) decided against reconvening the Senate last week for a vote. The bill contains $88.9 billion for transportation, of which $14 billion is allotted to the Federal Aviation Administration.
PAUL J. MARTINS was named chief operating officer of Mercury Air Cargo. Most recently the director of UPS Air Cargo, Martins has more than 20 years of experience in the air freight industry. Mercury Air Cargo is a wholly owned subsidiary of Mercury Air Group. JENNIFER VAN WINKLE was named director of charter sales at Sun Air Jets of Camarillo, Calif. She will be responsible for charter sales and the acquisition of managed aircraft. Van Winkle was most recently charter sales manager at Petersen Aviation in Van Nuys, Calif.
VOSS NAMED TO HEAD ICAO AIR NAVIGATION BUREAU - Senior FAA official William Voss was named director of ICAO's Air Navigation Bureau. Voss, who is FAA's director-Terminal Business Service Unit, will take up his post with ICAO in January. "Aviation safety is one of this country's vital exports, and Bill's position with ICAO helps us fulfill one of our strategic objectives - to share the FAA's expertise internationally," an agency spokesman said.
ECLIPSE AWARDS SUPPLY CONTRACT TO HAMPSON - Eclipse Aviation signed a $380 million contract with Hampson Industries in the United Kingdom to manufacture the empennage assembly for the Eclipse 500.
National Transportation Safety Board Member John Goglia has resigned himself to the fact that he will not be nominated for a second term at NTSB, despite strong backing from many segments of the aviation community. Goglia may continue to serve at NTSB until a successor is nominated and confirmed, but he is expected to leave the agency early next year.
BAE SYSTEMS Model BAe 146-100A and -200A series airplanes (Docket No. 2001-NM-272-AD) - proposes to require an inspection to determine the part number of the inner links of the side stays for the main landing gear (MLG), and replacement of the inner links with new parts, if necessary. This action is necessary to prevent the failure of the MLG, which could result in damage to the airplane structure or injury to airplane occupants. FAA estimates that this proposed AD would affect 15 airplanes on the U.S. Registry at a cost of $975, or $65 per airplane.
Keystone Helicopter signed a five-year contract with Air Evac Lifetime to provide exclusive overhaul and repair services for the company's Rolls-Royce Model 250 engines. Headquartered in West Plains, Mo., Air Evac Lifetime operates 42 helicopters from 36 bases in the Midwest and South.
Cessna Chairman Russ Meyer plans to remain active in Cessna and industry affairs and one of his first objectives is trying to win congressional and Bush Administration support for an extension of the accelerated depreciation schedule for purchaser of capital goods like business aircraft. Meyer, who was in Washington, D.C. for last Friday's Wright Day dinner, said he plans to be back in Washington this week to work on the accelerated depreciation issue, citing the very important effect the tax provision has had on improving aircraft sales.
EMBRAER WORKS OUT NEW LABOR AGREEMENT - Embraer reached an agreement last week with the union that represents more than 10,000 of its workers, culminating two weeks of intense negotiation to avoid a strike. Embraer said that it expects the formal agreement to be signed soon.
The developers of a powerplant modification program for the Cessna Caravan are nearing completion of a lengthy supplemental type certification program and are optimistic that significant numbers of Caravan owners will opt to replace their existing Pratt & Whitney engines with more powerful Honeywell TPE331-12JR turboprops. Working with engine manufacturer Honeywell, two affiliated Alaska firms, Aero Twin Inc.
The National Air And Space Museum's new Udvar-Hazy Center at Dulles International Airport was formally dedicated Thursday and the new 760,000-square-foot facility will open to the public today (Dec. 15), two days before the official centenntial celebration of the Wright Brothers first powered flight in North Carolina. Guests at last week's dedication included Vice President Dick Cheney, Supreme Court Justice William Rehnquist, former astronauts Neil Armstrong and John Glenn, Brig. Gen. Paul W. Tibbets, the pilot of the Enola Gay and Steven F.
Air BP dealers near Houston, Tex. are gearing up for Super Bowl XXXVIII, which will take place in the city on Feb. 1, 2004. Wing Aviation, a fixed-base operator located at Lone Star Executive Airport (CXO), is planning a Super Bowl Golf Tournament on game day with the proceeds going to the Wing Aviation Scholarship Fund. For more information, contact Brian Wing or Frank Zimmerman at (936) 441-9555.
Gulfstream is claiming a new city-pair distance record with a G550 last week. The aircraft took off from Haneda Airport in Tokyo and landed at West Palm Beach International Airport in Florida in 12 hours and 32 minutes. Captain Sean Sheldon and two co-pilots, Neil Vernon and John MacKay, flew the aircraft with flight attendant Sally Greer and two passengers. The National Aeronautical Association officially recognized the flight as a world record for speed over a recognized course.
