Jessica is Executive Editor of Business & Commercial Aviation magazine. She started as Editor of ShowNews Online, Aviation Week's on-site trade show daily published at the Paris Air Show, NBAA Annual Convention, Singapore Air Show and at other significant aerospace gatherings.
Jessica has worked in television production and management consulting. While not yet a licensed pilot, Ms. Salerno has received flight instruction and has soloed.
Swift Fuels LLC has opened their new aviation fuel blending facility in Lafayette, Ind., where it is also building a pilot plant. The company is investing $2.5 million in the facilities. The blending facility will store at least 50,000 gal. unleaded, high-octane aviation components for sales and shipment. The pilot plant will produce more than 10,000 gal. of 100SF avgas per month when it reaches full capacity. It can produce the fuel from petroleum or bio-sourced material.
Lufthansa Bombardier Aviation Services has opened an additional hangar at its home base in Berlin-Schoenefeld. The increase in capacity has also created 12 new jobs (10 of which are technicians), bringing the number of staff currently employed at LBAS to 183. Following the renovation of a hangar taken over from Lufthansa Tecnik, the MRO provider can handle one aircraft in the Bombardier Global series and up to four aircraft the size of a Challenger 850. Expansion includes a battery shop and a wheel reconditioning worshop.
The Federal Communications Commission is proposing to phase out 121.5 MHz emergency locator transmitters (ELTs) and transition to units transmitting on 406 MHz since only the latter's signals are processed by a network of search satellites. However, the Department of Transportation opposes the move citing expense — about $500 million to re-equip the civilian fleet — and the “unequivocal intent” of the Congress to permit use of the 121.5 units.