Airline consolidation has left many small and medium airports without—or with significantly reduced—air service. However, new airline-business models have emerged to fill some of the vacuum.
NEW YORK JET CORPORATE FLIGHT CENTER is celebrating its 60th anniversary in the fixed-base operation business. Based at Long Island MacArthur Airport in Ronkonkoma, N.Y., the AvFuel-branded FBO recently remodeled its flight planning room and kitchen area and is renovating its reception area.
SENIOR FAA officials agreed to soften the agency's stance on mandating Part 125 certificates for large aircraft operators after meeting with more than a dozen operators and industry officials late last month to discuss a policy shift regarding blanket waivers for Part 125 (BA, April 17/173). Late last year FAA had released draft policy guidance on Part 125 waivers. Since then, some operators have been notified by their Flight Standards District Offices that their deviation authority was being canceled. Others were told they must obtain Part 125 certification.
BOMBARDIER won a contract from GE Commercial Aviation Services for five CRJ700 regional jets that will be leased to St. Louis, Mo.-based GoJet Airlines. Valued at about $154 million (U.S.), the agreement converts four conditional orders and includes one new order. The order will boost GoJet's CRJ700 fleet to 15 aircraft. GoJet will operate the aircraft for its United Express service.
GEORGE SUTTON was appointed chief executive for Opti-Fi Networks, the joint venture between ARINC Incorporated, Parsons Corporation and the founders of Airpath Wireless to provide managed, shared Wireless Fidelity access for airports. Sutton has 20 years of telecommunications management experience, previously serving as chief operating officer at MobileStar Network and executive vice president of In-Flight Phone.
ALTOUR, a travel company, teamed with private jet services company Whirlwind Jet to form a new charter brokerage, Altour Air. Altour Air will arrange domestic or international charter flights for individuals, businesses, and large groups. Altour Air also will facilitate ground transportation through Altour affiliate Altour Limousine.
THE AVIATION INDUSTRY would receive a temporary reprieve from a new jet fuel tax requirement under a bill introduced Thursday by Senate aviation subcommittee Chairman Conrad Burns (R-Mont.). The Burns bill would suspend until Sept. 30, 2007 requirements that call for jet fuel to be taxed at the higher rate assessed on highway diesel fuel. See article on Page 197.
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATION GROUP was selected by Bombardier Aerospace to provide ICG Iridium satellite communications systems as standard equipment on all new Challenger 605 business jets. The ICG package will include the ICS-200 dual-channel Iridium telephone system, which provides global voice and data services. The Challenger 605 is scheduled to enter service in the third quarter of 2007.
TWO KEY DEFENSE DEPARTMENT units are "looking at the possibility" of using Parts Manufacturer Approval (PMA) parts on jet engines, especially those powerplants that are derivatives of commercial aircraft engines, according to Bob Conner, executive director of the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center. Conner said officials are conducting "cost versus risk" studies of using PMA parts and "we hope to make a recommendation by the end of summer." The move would permit parts suppliers other than the engine manufacturer to furnish engine replacement parts.
LANDMARK AVIATION completed an upgrade of a M28 SkyTruck utility aircraft that included the installation of the Chelton Flight Systems FlightLogic synthetic vision electronic flight instrument system (EFIS). The system interfaces with the remote-mounted attitude heading reference system, air data computer, global positioning system and Wide Area Augmentation System receiver as well as existing VHF navigation equipment. The system also has a terrain awareness and warning system. Landmark's facility in Roanoke, Va., completed the work.
CHC HELICOPTER terminated discussions with two private equity firms that had been discussing the possible acquisition of the helicopter operator, which bills itself as "the world's largest provider of helicopter services to the global offshore oil and gas industry," with aircraft operating in more than 30 countries.
AIR, Inc. is hosting an Airline Pilot Job Fair May 20 in Atlanta, Ga. AIR, Inc. expects 400 prospective pilots will meet with more than 75 recruiters from major, national, regional, fractional and crew-leasing airlines. Fractional providers participating include Avantair, CitationShares, and FlexJet. CAE Simuflite also plans to participate. AIR Inc. is forecasting 10,500 new airline pilot jobs for 2006 - with major airlines seeking 2,500 pilots. For more information, contact AIR, Inc. at www.jet-jobs.com/seminar or call (800) JET-JOBS (538-5627).
STANLEY HILLER, JR., who began flying as a small boy and developed several helicopter models, died April 20 of complications from Alzheimer's Disease, according to the Helicopter Association International. Born in 1924, Hiller learned to fly an airplane at age 10 by sitting on his father's lap. He later founded his own company, United Helicopters, which subsequently became Hiller Aircraft Corp. The company was soon producing the first battlefield evacuation helicopters for the French Indochina War and later for U.S. forces in Korea in the 1950s.
AN A700 AdamJet flew to 41,000 feet and achieved a true airspeed of 340 knots during an April 20 test flight, the company said Friday. The two aircraft in the A700 test program have logged more than 500 flight hours.
FAA GRANTS AMERIFLIGHT PETITION FOR INCREASED CARGO WEIGHT - The Federal Aviation Administration late last month granted a petition to allow Burbank, Calif. cargo carrier Ameriflight to operate its Embraer Brasilia fleet under Part 135 with a freight payload that exceeds the 7,500-pound limit (BA, March 27/141). The approval, some six years in the works, was limited to Ameriflight's EMB-120ER freighters and included a number of conditions designed to ensure the operations meet a safety level equivalent to Part 121.
FIELD AVIATION won Supplemental Type Certificate approval from Transport Canada for a unique modification that allows the rear cargo door on the Bombardier Dash 8 twin-turboprop to be opened during flight. The manually operated, inward-opening, plug-type door can be raised at all altitudes and speeds up to normal operating speed, with the optimum drop speed calculated at 105 knots. The Dash 8 cabin is large enough to carry up to 30 paratroopers or smoke jumpers, several life rafts or 8,000 pounds of emergency equipment.
PRIVATAIR added seven aircraft to its U.S. charter and managed fleet. The latest additions are a Global 5000 and a Learjet 55, based in West Palm Beach, Fla.; two Gulfstream Vs in Miami, Fla.; an Embraer Legacy in Hillsboro, Ore.; and two Beech 1900s in Binghamton, N.Y. and Hickory, N.C.
AVJET CORP. won a contract from a long-standing private charter client to manage a Boeing Business Jet. Avjet was the consultant on the acquisition and is overseeing the interior completion process. The interior will be arranged in corporate configuration with two private staterooms. The BBJ is slated to be delivered to the customer in the third quarter of this year and will operate out of Bob Hope Airport in Burbank, Calif.
ROBERT FROST was promoted to vice president of aircraft management sales for PrivatAir. Frost will be responsible for developing new aircraft management business throughout the U.S. Frost previously was operations manager for PrivatAir and its predecessor company, Flight Services Group. He also has been a manager of flight operations for a corporate flight department in Toronto, Canada and worked as a business consultant.
FAA raised the safety rating for Venezuela to Category 1. The new safety rating follows two audits by the International Civil Aviation Organization that showed safety improvements. FAA assessed the civil aviation authority of Venezuela and found it in accordance with ICAO aviation safety standards. FAA previously rated Venezuela a Category 2 in 1995.
ELLIOTT AVIATION received FAA supplemental type certificate approval on an Elite Series cockpit upgrade for the Citation 501/551 series aircraft. Elliott has applied for similar approval for Model 550/S550/560 Citations. The Elite Series upgrade replaces aging electromechanical and CRT-based instruments with a Universal 890R large-format package.
REVENUES INCREASE AT RAYTHEON, BUT PROFITS STILL SLIM -- Raytheon Aircraft Company reported a jump in sales for the first quarter, but the Wichita manufacturer's profits continue to lag behind those of other business jet builders.
