Federal Aviation Administration issued a "Terrorism Intelligence Update" Friday morning warning of "possible use of small aircraft to conduct terrorist attacks.The FBI has received uncorroborated information indicating that terrorists may still be interested in the use of aircraft for suicide attacks in the United States." The FAA message said terrorists are reportedly interested in small aircraft, as opposed to large, commercial aircraft "due to post Sept.
A soft market for smaller business jets coupled with the three-week-long strike helped lead Bombardier to a nine percent drop in first quarter earnings and a slight decline in its Aerospace backlog in the first quarter. Bombardier last week reported net income for the three months ended April 30 of $219.2 million (all dollars are Canadian), compared with $241 million for the same period in 2001.
Docket No.: FAA-2002-12010 Petitioner: Taunton Airport Association, Inc. Section of 14 CFR Affected: 14 CFR 135.251, 135.255, and 135.353, and Appendixes I and J to Part 121 Description of Relief Sought/Disposition: To permit Taunton Airport Association to conduct local sightseeing flights at the Taunton Municipal Airport for its annual charity fundraising event on Oct. 26, 2002, for compensation or hire, without complying with certain anti-drug and alcohol misuse prevention requirements of Part 135.
BOMBARDIER NET INCOME DIPS IN WAKE OF THREE-WEEK STRIKE - A soft market for smaller business jets coupled with the three-week-long strike helped lead Bombardier to a nine percent drop in first quarter earnings and a slight decline in its Aerospace backlog in the first quarter. Bombardier last week reported net income for the three months ended April 30 of $219.2 million (all dollars are Canadian), compared with $241 million for the same period in 2001.
The Transportation Security Administration shut down Washington Executive Airport/Hyde Field (W32) this month after Federal Aviation Administration officials discovered "serious security breaches" during a site visit to the airport. The closure comes just three months after officials reopened the airport under tough new security measures outlined in Special Federal Air Regulation 94 (BA, Feb. 18/87).
The House early Friday morning passed its version of an emergency spending bill, but eliminated a controversial provision that would have rescinded the remaining portion of direct compensation that had not already been handed out to air carriers under the Air Transportation Safety and System Stabilization Act. The House Rules Committee called for the elimination of the provision, which drew strong objections from House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Don Young (R-Alaska) and House aviation subcommittee Chairman John Mica (R-Fla.).
Stevens Aviation added a 25,000-square-foot hangar to its facility in Denver, Colo. The hangar can accommodate large business jets such as the Gulfstream V and Global Express. With the addition Stevens has 35,000 square feet of hangar space in Denver. The fixed-base operator plans to hire 10 mechanics to accommodate the additional workload. In addition to Denver, Stevens has facilities in Nashville, Tenn., Dayton, Ohio, Lexington, Ky. and two in Greenville, S.C.
Air Canada Jazz introduced the Bombardier Regional Jet into its fleet this month. The airline scheduled three routes for the 50-seat CRJs: from Toronto's Pearson International Airport to Philadelphia, Pa., Indianapolis, Ind., and Baltimore, Md. Air Canada Jazz has ten CRJs on order. Two aircraft are in service and the remaining jets will enter service in the next several months.
REGAL AVIATION added a Gulfstream IIB and two Hawker 700s to its managed-aircraft fleet, bringing to 20 the number of aircraft it manages. The G-II and one of the Hawkers are based at Regal's headquarters at Dallas Love Field. The third aircraft will be operated out of Regal's facility at Houston Hobby Airport.
KIRK KINKEAD was named director of avionics at Executive Aircraft. He will be responsible for the avionics department. Kinkead was most recently an avionics sales representative at Duncan Aviation.
Aetna is closing its flight department and outsourcing its aviation needs, a company spokesman confirmed. Aetna operated three aircraft, a Falcon business jet and two S-76C helicopters, and employed 24 in its flight department. NetJets has won the Aetna business and will manage one of the S-76C helicopters for the insurance giant. Aetna plans to sell its other aircraft, the spokesman said. NetJets also has agreed to hire some of the S-76C pilots and maintenance personnel. Aetna expects the transition to be completed by the end of the month.
Molly Peebles, a pilot from Redmond, Wash., is organizing Flight Across America, an event to commemorate the first anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The event will begin Aug. 11 with aircraft taking off from Paine Field in Everett, Wash. Pilots can choose to fly a local flight, cross-country, across state lines or coast-to-coast and register on the event's website, http://www.flightacrossamerica.com, to track flight activity. Flights will go from west to east, ending in New York City on Sept. 11, 2002.
SIKORSKY AIRCRAFT CORP. Model S-76A helicopters (Docket No. 2000-SW-46-AD; Amendment 39-12674; AD 2002-05-06) - corrects an effective date in AD 2002-05-06. That AD applies to Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation Model S-76A helico pters and was published in the Federal Register March 18, 2002 (67 FR 11893). The effective date as stated in paragraph (g) of the AD is incorrect; it should be April 22, 2002. In all other respects, the original document remains the same.
MERCURY AIR GROUP THIRD QUARTER EARNINGS PLUMMET - Mercury Air Group Inc. posted a third-quarter profit of $6,000, nearly 98 percent below the level of the same period last year, with business still suffering from the downturn following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The Los Angeles-based company earned $87.9 million in revenues during the third quarter ending March 31. A year ago, third quarter revenues totaled $113.9 million with $299,000 in net income.
Gulfstream Aerospace appointed nine employees to senior posts, reorganizing and consolidating the company's leadership to "prepare for future growth," Gulfstream said. "Consolidation of our leadership team provides an added focus on our strategic objectives," said Gulfstream President Bill Boisture. "Gulfstream is recognizing key individuals for their past contributions and aligning the organization to permit them to continue to contribute to the company's on-going success and growth."
THE U.S. ARMY'S Aviation and Missile Command, Redstone Arsenal in Alabama awarded GE Engine Services three T700 repair and overhaul contracts, each for four years. The contracts have a combined value of $205 million. The first agreement covers overhaul and repair of up to 300 T700-700 engines and up to 200 power turbine modules (PTMs) for the Army's UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter. The second agreement covers up to 200 T-700-701 engines and 35 T-700-701 PTMs used in the AH-64 Apache helicopter.
Honeywell is bullish about the long-term prospects for the company's AS907, but does not expect to sign up another original equipment manufacturer as a customer for the engine for at least a year, and possibly longer. See article below.
Anderson Communications Group was named lead creative agency for Bombardier Business Aircraft. Anderson will provide a range of strategic, creative and production services, including marketing efforts to support Bombardier Business Aircraft Service and Bombardier Pre-Owned Aircraft. Anderson is a Hilton Head Island, S.C.-based advertising, marketing and public relations firm.
DAVE SCHIVER was named Learjet technical representative at Duncan Aviation in Lincoln, Neb. Schiver will provide technical information to Learjet operators on Duncan's Learjet airframe programs and act as a liaison between the company and Bombardier. He has more than 20 years of aviation experience and was most recently Learjet project supervisor and program manager at Bombardier.
Air Canada Jazz introduced the Bombardier Regional Jet into its fleet this month. The airline scheduled three routes for the 50-seat CRJs: from Toronto's Pearson International Airport to Philadelphia, Pa., Indianapolis, Ind., and Baltimore, Md. Air Canada Jazz has ten CRJs on order. Two aircraft are in service and the remaining jets will enter service in the next several months.
KIRK KINKEAD was named director of avionics at Executive Aircraft. He will be responsible for the avionics department. Kinkead was most recently an avionics sales representative at Duncan Aviation.
Anderson Communications Group was named lead creative agency for Bombardier Business Aircraft. Anderson will provide a range of strategic, creative and production services, including marketing efforts to support Bombardier Business Aircraft Service and Bombardier Pre-Owned Aircraft. Anderson is a Hilton Head Island, S.C.-based advertising, marketing and public relations firm.
Docket No.: FAA-2002-11565 Section of 14 CFR Affected: 14 CFR Secs. 61.65(a)(1) and 61.153(d)(1) Description of Relief Sought: To permit Franklin Toups to take a single check ride to obtain his ATP and instrument rating.
MOLLY PEEBLES, a pilot from Redmond, Wash., is organizing Flight Across America, an event to commemorate the first anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The event will begin Aug. 11 with aircraft taking off from Paine Field in Everett, Wash. Pilots can choose to fly a local flight, cross-country, across state lines or coast-to-coast and register on the event's website, http://www.flightacrossamerica.com, to track flight activity. Flights will go from west to east, ending in New York City on Sept. 11, 2002.
CESSNA Model 441 airplanes (Docket No. 2002-CE-17-AD; Amendment 39-12746; AD 2002-09-13) - requires a one-time inspection of the fuel boost pump wiring inside and outside the boost pump reservoir, and repair or replacement of the wiring as necessary. This AD is the result of several reports of chafing and/or arcing of the fuel boost pump wiring inside and outside the fuel pump reservoir. The actions specified by this AD are intended to detect and correct chafing and/or arcing boost pump wiring, which could result in arcing within the wing fuel storage system.
