AirFlite at Long Beach Airport in California will again be the ``official FBO'' of the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. The CART championship race takes place in the streets of Long Beach from April 14 through 16. AirFlite is a Toyota subsidiary. For more information about the race, contact Peggy Zaun at (562) 690-6200.
Peregrine Aviation (Hackensack, N.J.) -- Steve Dandeneau is now president of the company's International Peregrine division. Tim McCool joins as vice president of International Peregrine's San Juan, Puerto Rico hub.
The current furor over fractional ownership is not the first time the industry has found itself grappling with the prickly issues of operational control, the definition of commercial and non-commercial operations, and the tug between rules based on safety data and rules resting on economic concerns.
Air Methods (Denver) -- Maurice L. ``Marty'' Martin has resigned to become a Church pastor. Replacing him as vice president of the company's Air Medical Services Division is Neil Hughes, who also will continue as director of operations.
Regardless of how well-appointed an aircraft is, lengthy or frequent flights can test the patience and physiology of passengers and crewmembers. JB Research says that its new Relaxor massage seating will make flights more comfortable and leave travelers more relaxed and less fatigued.
Gulfstream Aerospace has a new Authorized Warranty Repair Facility in Australia. Sydney-based Australian Jet Center replaces Melbourne's Associated Airlines, which had provided factory service for the past 30 years. The selection of Australian Jet Center ``recognizes the strategic importance [of the Pacific Rim] as a growing center of business aviation,'' Gulfstream's Larry Flynn says.
The recommendation of the Fractional Ownership Advisory Committee (FOARC) now before the FAA proposes placing fractional ownership under a new Subpart K of FAR Part 91 that raises the safety bar -- in some cases beyond Part 135 standards -- for the operations while providing the FAA with a mechanism for compliance and enforcement.
It's no secret that business jets routinely depart places such as Aspen and Eagle, Colo., stuffed with passengers and enough fuel to make it to one or the other coasts, and absolutely no climb performance margin should a powerplant quit on departure.
Executive Jet Aviation (EJA) has ordered six additional Dassault Falcon 2000s for its NetJets fractional ownership program. The new aircraft were slated for delivery early this year and increase the operator's commitment to 60 of the large cabin, long-range jet. NetJets currently operates seven Falcon 2000s, which are assigned to its U.S., European and Middle East fractional ownership programs.
TAG Aviation will offer its Blue Light (AOG) maintenance support service at the Million Air facility in Farmingdale, N.Y. Blue Light has been operated out of Westchester County Airport (HPN) under the Wayfarer name for the past two years. For immediate service, contact Bill Zink at (800) 787-0997.
On February 29, the FAA and the aviation industry passed a major milestone in airspace modernization. The administration received the initial Aeronautical Telecommunications Network (ATN) software package needed to upgrade its ATC computers for Controller-to-Pilot Data Link Communi-cations (CPDLC). The ATN is sanctioned by ICAO and internationally accepted by all signatories. It's essentially an aviation Internet that will provide communications, navigation and surveillance functions by means of terrestrial- and satellite-based data links.
Embraer has chosen Honeywell's Primus 1000 avionics suite for installation on its proposed ERJ-140 regional airliner. The manufacturer had already chosen the system for ERJ-135 and -145 aircraft while the Primus Epic system is planned for the ERJ-170 and -190. Honeywell's Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System (EGPWS) and cockpit voice recorders have been selected for installation on Embraer ERJ-135, -140, -145, -170, -190-100 and -190-200 aircraft. Total value of the deal is estimated to be more than $180 million through 2013.
Operations at Westchester County Airport (HPN) are proceeding normally, despite concern that President Clinton's acquisition of a home in nearby Chappaqua, N.Y., would lead to restrictions on air traffic. According to HPN tower chief Doug Alter, the FAA has yet to receive any formal request for a prohibited area encompassing the house, and the only change has been to enact a temporary flight restriction (TFR) when the president is in residence.
The National Aviation Hall of Fame in Dayton, Ohio, will enshrine four new members at its annual gathering this summer. This year's inductees include Buzz Aldrin and Eugene Cernan -- the second and last astronauts, respectively, to walk on the moon; the late test pilot and combat veteran Lt. General Laurence C. Craigle; and Army Air Corps ace Thomas B. McGuire, who was killed in combat during World War II. The enshrinement is scheduled to take place July 15 at the Dayton Convention Center.
Cessna's Citation CJ1 received FAA certification in February and began customer deliveries in March. The CitationJet derivative features Rockwell Collins' Pro Line 21 avionics suite, which includes color weather radar, a GPS FMS, liquid crystal displays for the pilot and copilot, and center multi-function display. The manufacturer introduced the aircraft at the 1998 NBAA convention. Cessna also is anticipating spring certification of its Citation Encore. The first Encore rolled off the assembly line in March, although customer deliveries are not planned until the fall.
Sporty's new NTSB Investigator CD-ROM gives users access to the records of 31,000 accidents and incidents involving general aviation piston aircraft since 1983. Various database searches are available, including aircraft make/model, serial numbers, weather -- or any word in the accident description. Price: $59.00 Sporty's Pilot Shop Clermont County Airport Batavia, Ohio 45103-9747 Phone: (800) LIFTOFF Fax: (513) 735-9200 www.sportys.com trim: 8'' x 10.75'' RHP
With the advent of ultra-long-range business jets and an increase in intercontinental flights, the need for overwater safety equipment also has increased. Survival Products, manufacturers of life rafts, vests and slides, has introduced a new line of double tube rafts that are ideally suited to business aircraft. The TSOed equipment can accommodate from six to 15 passengers with a variety of survival equipment options to meet FAR Part 91, 121 or 135 requirements. Price: six-person raft, $2,970 to $4,220; 10-person raft, $3,517 to 4,995
Skyshares, TAG Aviation's fractional ownership operation, says it plans to double its fleet of Raytheon King Airs by the end of the year. The company operates a mixed fleet of King Air 90s and 200s and expects to add ``at least five more.'' While the program remains a regional one, aircraft are now available anywhere east of the Mississippi, the company says. Due to owner demand, two aircraft were based in Florida for the entire winter.
Dassault Falcon Jet (Teterboro) -- Senior Vice President for Customer Service Peter L. Ginocchio is retiring. Gerald A. Goguen, who had been Ginocchio's second-in-command, will succeed him. R. Patrick Reardon has been promoted to field service representative.
National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) President Mike McNally says his union is continuing to fight the ``piecemeal'' privatization of ATC facilities. He contends that privatization led to two recent Chicago-area accidents and will lead to further problems if budget pressures put ``the corporate bottom line ahead of safety.'' NATCA is lobbying members of Congress and the administration as well as encouraging a grassroots lobbying campaign to ``educate'' leaders about the risks of contracting out FAA installations.
Make It Fly Foundation (Dallas) -- Aviation veteran Ron Jackson is the Make It Fly program's new managing director. The foundation's goal is to attract more individuals to careers in aviation maintenance.
Epps Aviation at DeKalb-Peachtree Airport near Atlanta recently hosted the Georgia Aircraft Exposition, a gathering of aviation manufacturers and service providers. Conceived by Epps' Richard Randolf, the invitation-only event featured aircraft from Pilatus, Cessna, New Piper, Raytheon, Commander and Socata.
