The business jet market is currently saturated, but anticipated growth should create the potential for delivery of $100 billion worth of business jets over the next 10 years, Teal Group analysts predicted in their 12th Annual World Business Aircraft Production Forecast. Teal Group's forecast was considerably more conservative than Honeywell's, which recently revised its own outlook to predict a market for 8,200 business jets valued at $124 billion between 2002 and 2011 (BA, April 29/199).
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.
BOMBARDIER Model CL-600-2C10 Regional Jet Series 700 and 701 series airplanes (Docket No. 2002-NM-99-AD; Amendment 39-12731; AD 2002-08-19) - supersedes an existing AD that currently requires revising the Airplane Flight Manual to address uncommanded transfer of fuel between the wing fuel tanks and the center fuel tank; revising the Minimum Equipment List; limiting airplane operation; and increasing normal mission fuel requirements by 3,000 pounds.
Model CL-600-2B19 series airplanes (Docket No. 2001-NM-49-AD; Amendment 39-12738; AD 2002-09-05) - requires a one-time inspection of the fuel-level sensing wires in the center fuel tank for damage and for clearance from the adjacent structure; and corrective action, if necessary.
GAPS are often defined as troublesome spaces or breaks in continuity, but Gulfstream Aerospace says its new GAPS program is designed to improve support to its customers who operate aircraft under warranty. See article below.
PRATT&WHITNEY named Sherman Baldwin vice president of strategy, and said he will report to President Louis R. Chenevert. Baldwin, a former Navy pilot who later served as a special assistant to the Secretary of the Navy and as a planner for the strategic plans and policy division of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, had most recently been affiliated with the Redleaf Group, which provides capital and strategic services to technology companies.
Model EMB-135 and -145 series airplanes (Docket No. 2002-NM-111-AD; Amendment 39-12733; AD 2002-08-21) - supersedes an existing AD that currently requires a one-time inspection to determine if the bonding jumpers that connect the horizontal stabilizer to the vertical stabilizer are properly installed, a one-time inspection to determine if the supports that connect the bonding jumpers to the horizontal stabilizer are deformed, and corrective actions if necessary.
Bombardier Aerospace named Stephen McNally general manager of the company's Tucson, Ariz. Service Center. He will report to Bob Sundin, regional vice president. McNally, who has more than 20 years of aviation experience, was most recently director of the company's Dallas Service Center.
AUTOMOTIVE AIR CHARTER signed on with the CharterX on-line reservation system, which provides live price quotes for trips on AAC's 21 business jets. AAC represents the combination of the resources of General Motors Worldwide Travel Services and Pentastar Aviation. The combined fleet of those two operators includes five Gulfstream Vs; two Gulfstream IVs; three Gulfstream IIIs; two Challengers; five Citation Xs; two Hawkers; a Learjet 60; and a Citation VII.
BOMBARDIER EYES FAIRCHILD DORNIER PROGRAMS - Bombardier, which has become a major international aerospace manufacturer through the acquisition of companies that had fallen on tough times, has a team of engineers in Germany to assess insolvent regional aircraft maker Fairchild Dornier in what could be the beginning of a takeover of the 728/928 programs.
The pilot of a Mooney M-20, N2762W, managed to make a safe landing April 30 after an airborne encounter with a buzzard near Daytona Beach, Fla. FAA said the bird shattered the aircraft's windshield and a passenger sustained facial lacerations, but the pilot was able to land without further incident at Ormond Beach, Fla.
A new dues structure that the National Business Aviation Association will begin implementing in July is intended to generate more financial support from members and make the association less dependent on other sources of revenues, such as its annual convention and trade show. The association began notifying members several weeks ago about the dues restructuring, which will increase dues payments slightly for small flight departments, while in many cases capping the amount of dues paid by flight departments with a large number of aircraft.
JOSEPH K. (JOE) WALKER, senior vice president, sales and marketing, at Gulfstream Aerospace in Savannah, Ga., left the company last month after seven years to pursue other interests. Walker moved from Cessna Aircraft, where he had been vice president of worldwide sales, to Gulfstream in 1995 to become vice president of North American sales (BA, Oct. 13, 1997/162). He later served as senior vice president of international sales before moving up to the company's top sales post.
LARRY DEAN was appointed regional director of aircraft sales at Jet Aviation's Teterboro, N.J. aircraft sales division. He will be responsible for assisting East Coast customers to acquire and sell aircraft. Dean has 10 years of business aviation sales and marketing experience and was most recently vice president, sales and marketing at Atlantic Aviation.
NBAA DUES RESTRUCTURING AIMED AT BROADENING FINANCIAL BASE - A new dues structure that the National Business Aviation Association will begin implementing in July is intended to generate more financial support from members and make the association less dependent on other sources of revenues, such as its annual convention and trade show.
While the Transportation Department moves to reopen Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to general aviation, agency officials still are deciding when to allow transient operations to resume at three small Maryland airports just outside Washington, D.C. The government allowed based aircraft to begin operating at College Park Airport, Potomac Airfield and Washington Executive/Hyde Field in February after a five-month shutdown (BA, Feb.18/87).
COLLINS AVIONICS said a U.S. Army C-12 (King Air 200) upgraded with a new Collins avionics suite, won FAA certification. Collins said the certification permits the Army to modify 21 of the C-12s to meet Communications, Navigation, Surveillance/Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) requirements. The new avionics installation includes satellite-based navigation and flight display overlay capabilities and expanded data link capabilities.
Model AS332L2 helicopters (Docket No. 2002-SW-04-AD; Amendment 39-12736; AD 2002-09-03) - requires, before further flight, verifying that the air vent is installed on the inflation cylinder of each life raft assembly. If the air vent is missing, this AD also requires replacing the cylinder head with an airworthy part before further flight. This amendment is prompted by the discovery that an inflation cylinder in the life raft did not have an air vent installed.
Used retail jet and turboprop deliveries inside and outside North America for March 2002 Used Retail Deliveries MARCH '99 MARCH '00 MARCH '01 MARCH '02 L M H L M H L M H L M H Jet North 50 29 15 49 26 13 66 47 24 59 23 11 America Jet Outside 11 8 5 4 2 4 8 2 4 11 7 4 N. America
BOMBARDIER AEROSPACE named Stephen McNally general manager of the company's Tucson, Ariz. Service Center. He will report to Bob Sundin, regional vice president. McNally, who has more than 20 years of aviation experience, was most recently director of the company's Dallas Service Center.
The Corporate Angel Network, which arranges free travel on corporate aircraft for cancer patients traveling to and from treatment centers, will receive a check for $101,000, the proceeds of last week's Greater Washington Aviation Open (GWAO) golf and tennis tournament. The May 6 event, held at the Indian Spring Country Club in Silver Spring, Md., was the 14th GWAO. Honorary chairman of last week's event was Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska), chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.
Honeywell Executives have been talking about making some acquisitions since Larry Bossidy returned from retirement and took over as chairman last year, but the company may finally be close to doing something besides talking. Steve Loranger, president and CEO of Honeywell's Engines, Systems and Services unit, told BA Wednesday "we are working on several" possible deals, adding that officials hope to be able to make some announcements within the next quarter or two.
Gulfstream Aerospace formally launched a new element in its product support program last week, saying it will use a dedicated Astra SPX to fly critical parts and/or technicians to help resolve Aircraft On Ground (AOG) situations for its warranty customers. Larry Flynn, senior vice president of Gulfstream and president of General Dynamics Aviation Services, said officials are always looking for ways to improve their product support program and became concerned about delays in moving parts and technical personnel because of reduced airline service to many points.
Model 650-15 and 651-54 turbofan engines (Docket No. 2001-NE-36-AD; Amendment 39-12735; AD 2002-09-02) - requires revisions to the Airworthiness Limitations Section of the Instructions for Continued Airworthiness in the Time Limits Section of the Engine Manual for Rolls-Royce Model 650-15 and 651-54 series turbofan engines to include required enhanced inspection of selected critical life-limited parts at each piece-part exposure.
The Federal Aviation Administration received more than 2,000 comments in response to its light-sport aircraft proposal - a majority of which expressed support - but maintenance experts remained concerned about the possibility of relaxed safety standards in the proposed rule.
