Inspired by the summer 1999 thunderstorm-induced gridlock, President Clinton has announced a new strategy to improve air traffic movement during severe weather. The program calls for increased use of lower-level and military airspace, better ATC coordination in the New York-Chicago air corridor, more frequent weather forecasts and improved communication between the FAA and operators. The FAA also is setting up a Web site to inform users of the current status of national airspace.
Yingling Aircraft of Wichita has returned to local ownership. Lynn Nichols, cofounder of IKON Office Solutions, has acquired the FBO from Jerry Vanier of Scottsdale, Ariz., who owned the facility for the past 18 years. Founded by Vic Yingling in 1947, the company is one of the largest Cessna parts distributors, as well as an authorized repair station for McCauley and Hartzell propellers.
This spring, Garrett Aviation plans to open an avionics sales and service operation at Florida Jet Center's facility in Fort Lauderdale. The venture will be called Garrett Aviation Avionics and operate as a satellite of Garrett Aviation in Augusta, Ga. Garrett says the new business also will give operators access to its airframe, interior and engine services, and hopes to appeal to a growing number of South American customers. Garrett is a General Electric subsidiary.
We tried to create a recipe for an effective crew briefing, one that only utilizes a fill-in-the-blanks format to ensure formation of a highly effective crew. We submitted a format with comments to Dr. Robert Ginnett, a senior fellow at the Center for Creative Leadership in Colorado Springs, for a grade, a critique of what was right and what was not right. We wanted to use it as an example of what to do or what not to do. We found out it is just not that simple.
Edited by Paul RichfieldBy Paul Richfield Ayres Loadmaster Back On Track
Fred Ayres says development of the Ayres LM200 Loadmaster is proceeding on track for first customer delivery to Federal Express (FedEx) in December 2001, a year later than planned. The wings and empennage for the first aircraft have arrived from the company's LET unit in the Czech Republic, he says, and construction of the fuselage at Ayres' Albany, Ga., plant is nearly complete.
Jet Aviation Basel in Switzerland is outfitting its first Airbus A319 Corporate Jetliner and recently finished its exterior paint. The facility also is completing a larger A320 as a business aircraft, with a 13-seat VIP area in the forward section and 35 seats in the back. In February, the company completed its second Boeing Business Jet.
HPSD, a United Arab Emirates-based management company, has purchased a minority interest in Britten-Norman and will create a new joint venture with the British aircraft manufacturer. The two companies are forming Britten-Norman Middle East to help market Britten-Norman products and support services throughout the region. In 1999, the manufacturer delivered two new aircraft and expects to deliver six aircraft this year. In addition to new aircraft sales, the company provides maintenance for existing aircraft and contract component manufacturing.
Operators of light jets and turboprops can enhance situational awareness in the cockpit with Avidyne's new FlightMax 850. The FlightMax 850 interfaces with several Collins and Bendix radar systems, as well as Honeywell's Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning Systems (EGPWS), BFGoodrich's WX-500 Stormscope and Skywatch TAS and TCAS I to provide a new class of airplanes with the benefits of glass cockpits. Price: $17,995; $5,995 for optional EGPWS interface Avidyne 55 Old Bedford Rd. Lincoln, Mass. 01773
One-hundred employees in the FAA's financial services division and controllers at private ATC towers in Melbourne, Fla., and Capital City, Pa., voted for representation by the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA). NATCA now represents approximately 15,000 FAA air traffic controllers, 600 other FAA staffers and employees of 22 contract towers.
SkyWest Airlines has added Robert G. Sarver, 38, to its board of directors. Sarver is chairman and CEO of California Bank and Trust, and founder of the National Bank of Arizona. SkyWest's net profits jumped 60 percent to $13.6 million in its third quarter.
Van Nuys, Calif.-based Peterson Aviation added a Gulfstream III and a Raytheon Hawker 800XP to it managed fleet. The company also added an owned Westwind II.
Battle Creek, Mich.-based Duncan Aviation has received an STC for installation of the Honeywell Aero-I MCS 3000i satcom system on Cessna Citation X aircraft. Duncan completed the first installation with a fuselage-mounted antenna in January.
Flying through icing conditions is no time to learn about the warning signs and dangers of icing. NASA's new 37-minute video, ``Icing for Regional&Corporate Pilots,'' is designed to help pilots of high performance aircraft understand the warning signs and dangers of icing along with suggested responses to ice-related upsets. Sporty's founder, Hal Shevers, calls it a ``must for all serious pilots.'' Price: $5.00 Sporty's Pilot Shop Clermont County Airport Batavia, Ohio 45103 Phone: (800) LIFTOFF;
A detailed analysis of approach and landing accidents and serious incidents occurring during 1984-1997 determined that CFIT, landing overruns, loss of control, runway excursion and nonstabilized approaches accounted for 76 percent of all occurrences. Indeed, the nonstabilized approach was probability the initiating event in most runway incidents.
Niagara Falls International Airport (IAG) is the fourth airport to take advantage of the FAA's airport privatization program, which allows general aviation facilities to be leased or sold outright. Operators of the upstate New York facility hope that privatizing IAG will help increase traffic. Spain's CINTRAS will operate the airport and hopes to attract a scheduled carrier and more charter activity to help increase annual enplanements from the current 50,000 to 250,000.
Edited by Paul RichfieldBy Jim Proulx, in Washington, D.C.
Several new contenders have joined the battle to become the lead Internet site for aviation parts trading, an industry that could be worth as much as $150 billion by 2005. These new entrants include aviationX. com, skyfish.com, TradeAir.com and established parts distributor AAR, which unveiled its aerospan.com partnership with SITA, a European airline telecommunications consortium.
Western Airways, a Houston-based charter operator, is consolidating its operations at Sugar Land Municipal Airport (SGR). The move will see more than 20 aircraft relocated to SGR from other Houston-area airports and the construction of a 27,000-square-foot hangar and office complex on the east side of the field. Phillip W. Savko, SGR's aviation director, said Western Airways' $1.2 million project is ``consistent with other large operations on the airfield, and follows the airport's business plan adopted last year.''
Aeroshell is now selling its entire line of aviation lubricants on the Internet. Although the company says it is focusing on private pilots who work on their own aircraft, products available on the Web site also include turbine engine oil and hydraulic fluid. Visitors to www.aeroshell.com also can find the locations of Aeroshell distributors and ask questions about engine performance and maintenance.
Jet Support Services, Inc.'s (JSSI) Tip-to-Tail hourly cost maintenance program is now available for Learjet 35 and 36 series aircraft as well as Dassault Falcon 20-731s. Chicago-based JSSI covers virtually all aircraft maintenance requirements, with the exception of exterior paint and cosmetic interior items. Texaco recently signed with JSSI, enrolling two Gulfstream IVSPs in the program, the company says.
Jacksonville's Cecil Field has been chosen for the FAA's Military Airport Program (MAP), which provides funds for the conversion of military airfields to civilian or joint-use facilities. Cecil Field, which has a 12,500-foot runway as well as three others, was decommissioned as a naval air station in September 1999 and now is being operated by the city of Jacksonville's Aviation Division. The city is promoting the facility as an ``effective base of operations for corporate and general aviation aircraft.'' The FAA now has 12 airports in the MAP.
