CESSNA SELLS MUSTANGS TO SPANISH CARRIER - Cessna Aircraft won an order from Spanish carrier Mac Aviation s.a. for five Citation Mustangs. MAC Aviation CEO Octavio Perez called the Mustang "the kind of plane that perfectly fits the average light jet flight in Europe. We anticipate our typical mission to be two persons and 1.5 flight hours."
Raytheon Aircraft secured FAA Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum approval for the Beechcraft Premier I. The company has developed RVSM field kits for Premier I aircraft currently in service and will deliver RVSM-compliant aircraft beginning with Serial Number 70.
Cessna, meanwhile, is nearing completion of the assembly line for another program well under way, the Citation Sovereign. The assembly line will comprise 17 stations, 13 of which are fully operational. Sovereign serial numbers 003 through 012 are in assembly. Cessna expects to complete certification for the Sovereign in the fourth quarter of 2003. Three conforming aircraft have accumulated more than 1,200 hours in 600 flights.
BOEING EXPANDS BUSINESS JET OFFERINGS WITH 717 BUSINESS EXPRESS - Boeing Aircraft is hoping to reach a broader market base by adding a third dedicated model to its business jet portfolio, the 717 Business Express. Based on the Boeing 717-200 airliner, the Business Express will be priced in the "high $20 millions" green and targeted towards corporations that have high-volume business travel, the company said last week.
Air Methods' Rocky Mountain Holdings subsidiary expanded its services in southeastern Arizona with the acquisition of another medical service provider. With the acquisition, Rocky Mountain operates from four bases in the area. Terms of the acquisition, which closed May 1, were not disclosed.
Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta last week told the House transportation appropriations subcommittee that the agency is exploring whether to buy the three Maryland airports - Hyde Field, Potomac Airfield and College Park - that remain off-limits to all but based aircraft. Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) questioned why the GA ban continued despite the lowered terrorist threat, saying all three airports have experienced "devastating economic losses." He asked Mineta whether any financial assistance package was being considered.
Gulfstream sold two G300 aircraft to United Arab Emirates business jet operator Royal Jet. The G300s will be configured as multi-purpose aircraft with interiors that can convert between VIP/executive charter and medical transport. Based at Abu Dhabi International Airport, Royal Jet is the first customer to order the G300, Gulfstream's new mid-range, less expensive variant of the former G IV-SP.
FAA awarded Honeywell a $16.7 million contract to develop and manufacture the Local Area Augmentation System (LAAS), a satellite-based precision approach and landing system. Honeywell's Defense & Space Electronic Systems division in Minneapolis, Minn. will manufacture LAAS, and the first system is scheduled to be operational by late 2006. The total value of the contract, which also includes airport installation, training and support, could exceed $350 million, if options are exercised.
Federal Aviation Administration named David B. (Bruce) Johnson director of the Air Traffic Service and Linda M. Schuessler deputy director last week. Johnson has worked at FAA since 1974 and was most recently air traffic division manager in the agency's Northwest Mountain region. He succeeds Bill Peacock, who retired from FAA after 30 years. Schuessler joined FAA in 1974 as a controller and was most recently the head of Air Traffic Evaluations and Investigations. Johnson and Schuessler will report to Steven J. Brown, FAA associate administrator for Air Traffic Services.
UAL TRIMMING 2,000-PLUS MAINTENANCE WORKERS IN OAKLAND, INDIANAPOLIS - Hundreds of trained mechanics and technicians will be out of work in the near future because of United Airlines' plans to close two maintenance bases. The carrier, struggling to cut costs while under bankruptcy protection, is closing major maintenance bases in Oakland and Indianapolis and terminating more than 2,000 employees.
National Business Aviation Association has narrowed a list of nearly 100 candidates interested in succeeding Jack Olcott as president of the organization to a final handful. NBAA's board of directors interviewed the finalists at the end of April, and a spokesman told BA Friday, "We're getting there." The board is hopeful it will be able to make a final selection yet this month and bring the new president aboard in June.
International Lease Finance Corp. (ILFC) plans to cut its 2004 delivery schedule by at least 10 aircraft as the company tries to deal with a flood of requests from airlines around the world to provide some type of relief during the current industry slump.
The Senate Commerce Committee's reauthorization legislation didn't provide specific relief for the general aviation segment (BA, May 5/206), but Sen. Trent Lott (R-Miss.), chairman of the aviation subcommittee, said that issue would be revisited as the bill makes its way through Congress. "I think the House bill is obviously better at general aviation than our bill and we're going to be taking a look at that," Lott told McGraw-Hill aviation editors last week.
Honeywell delivered its first AS907 Integrated Propulsion System to Bombardier last week. The integrated system includes a 7,000-pound-thrust class turbofan engine, nacelle, engine accessories and thrust reverser. Honeywell has accumulated more than 26,000 hours on the engine, which will enter service on the Challenger 300 later this year. The AS907 won FAA certification on June 25, 2002.
Avfuel continued to expand its nationwide fixed-base operation customer network with the additions of Tango One Aviation of Mesa, Ariz., Aurora Jet Center of Aurora, Ore., and Yellowstone Jet Center of Bozeman, Mont. Tango One renewed a relationship with Avfuel after purchasing the assets of long-time Avfuel customer Royal Aviation. Aurora Jet Center and Yellowstone Jet Center are new to the network, which includes more than 700 branded dealers and 2,500 other aviation customers nationwide.
Swissport and PrivatAir founded a joint company, PrivatPort, at Geneva Airport to provide business jet ground handling. The venture recently opened a new private passenger terminal and will provide flight planning and rostering, airport handling, limousine services, catering, safety and security measures and VIP services.
KAMAN Model K-1200 helicopters (Docket No. 2000-SW-50-AD; Amendment 39-13123; AD 2001-13-03 R1) - revises an existing AD that currently requires reducing the life limit of the rotor shaft and teeter pin assembly and establishing a life limit for the flap clevis. This amendment retains those requirements but removes a flap clevis part number from the applicability and, as a result of a comment, changes the application of the life limit from the flap clevis to the flap clevis assembly.
The House Aviation Subcommittee this week is expected to consider a measure to provide up to $100 million in relief to certain general aviation businesses and operators that were financially damaged by the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Aviation subcommittee Chairman John Mica (R-Fla.) has expressed a strong interest in assisting the general aviation community and has stated that a relief package would be included in a comprehensive FAA reauthorization bill. The subcommittee is scheduled to vote on the reauthorization legislation Wednesday.
International Council of Aircraft Owners and Pilots Associations added a 57th affiliate when a group of pilots from Chile banded together to join the council. "Our organization came about because general aviation aircraft owners and pilots feel they had little, if any role in developing aviation rules," said Gonzalo Pico Dominguez. "Our purpose is to cooperate with authorities, improve flight safety and promote GA among the general public." The Chilean group formed with 37 founding members.
The Cessna Citation CJ2 won steep approach certification. The CJ2 is the latest of six Citation models to meet steep approach requirements. Introduced in 1998, more than 155 CJ2s are in service.
DALLAS AIRMOTIVE BUYS PREMIER TURBINES - Sabreliner sold its Premier Turbines business to engine overhaul specialist Dallas Airmotive in a move that executives say will allow Sabreliner and its Midcoast unit to concentrate growth in the company's "longstanding areas of expertise," including airframe maintenance, modifications and completions. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. "We are proud to have created an engine company that was sought after," Chairman and CEO F. Homes Lamoreux said.
Honeywell unveiled a new APEX/R avionics retrofit for turboprop and light-turbine aircraft. The avionics suite will include major line replaceable units, including primary attitude, heading and air data displays, dual digital navigation, communications systems, dual global positioning systems with Wide Area Augmentation System capability, dual air data and attitude heading reference systems, autopilot, terrain, traffic and weather information.
Ed Bolen, the president of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association, was named by FAA to chair the Steering Committee for the agency's Part 135/125 review, which is scheduled to get under way early next month. Bolen, who gained Capitol Hill experience as a top aide to former Sen. Nancy Kassebaum (R-Kan.), has drawn praise for his leadership of GAMA, which he joined in mid-1995. Bolen also serves as chairman of the Management Advisory Council that advises FAA Administrator Marion Blakey and is a member of the Commission on the Future of U.S. Aerospace Industry.
FSI TO BUILD BUSINESS JET SIMULATOR TRAINING CENTER AT FARNBOROUGH - FlightSafety International plans to build a major business aviation simulator training facility at Farnborough Airport outside London, the latest step in a long-range plan by TAG Aviation to turn the airport into a key European business aviation center.
