The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association reports FAA Administrator Michael Huerta has given it assurances that he will make the petition for an exemption from third-class medical requirements a priority. AOPA and the Experimental Aircraft Association jointly petitioned the agency seeking the ability to use the driver's license medical standard. In a letter to AOPA, Huerta wrote it was important to “ensure that such an unprecedented change will not result in any adverse impact that could lead to degradation in safety.”
Model 45 became only the second clean-sheet Learjet since the 1963 Learjet 23 when it was launched by launched in June 1990. It was built from 1998 to 2012. It was replaced by the higher performing Learjet 75 in November 2013.
Honda Aircraft's new customer service facility in Greensboro, N.C., has received FAR Part 145 certification. Opened in October 2013, the facility is initially cleared for component-level repairs, but Honda expects to expand the approvals to cover heavy aircraft maintenance and major services repairs this year. The facility is also the base for Honda's customer service organization and will provide warranty administration; service programs sales and administration; provide 24/7 technical support and training; and develop technical publications.
Elliott Aviation,. Moline, Ill, hired Scott Noack as regional sales manager for the South Central U.S., responsible for maintaining and building Elliott's customer relationships in that region
Zenith Aviation, a Fredericksburg, Va.-based marketer and distributor of Dornier 328 parts, has significantly increased its inventory with the purchase of Dornier 328 jet assets from Comtran and Jetran International. The assets include two Dornier 328-310 heavyweight jets, six Pratt & Whitney 306B engines, two sets of Dornier 328-310 heavyweight landing gear, a complete 12-seat executive interior, and more than 2,000 line items of rotable parts .
Although cleared, the driveway was snow crusted. So, I watched with keen interest as my daughter made her way up its steep incline, her all-season tires going slower and slower until just inches from the summit, they stopped. Not good. Hustling up, I told her to take a back seat. Daddy would get it over the top. A perfect Papa Berenstain Bear* moment: Don't be upset getting stuck on a hill, Driving cars through snow takes know-how and skill
Signature Flight Support won San Jose City Council approval for its planned $82 million fixed-base operation complex at Norm Mineta San Jose International Airport. The approval included a 50-year lease and operating agreement to build and operate the FBO on 29 acres on the west side of the airport. The city council in April formally approved Signature's bid to develop the project. Signature teamed with Blue City Holdings, a San Jose company representing the personal aircraft of the principals at Google, on the project.
Avflight has increas–ed its chain of FBOs with the acquisition of the assets of America Jet at Salina Regional Airport. Avflight will provide the serves out of the existing FBO facilities. An Avfuel-branded dealer, Avflight operates at eight other locations,including Detroit (DET), Flint (FNT), Lansing (LAN), Saginaw (MBS), and Ypsilanti, Mich. (YIP), along with Durango, Colo. (DRO), Harrisburg, Pa. (MDT) and Roswell, N.M. (ROW).
A Challenger 601-3R crashed Jan. 5 at Colorado's Aspen-Pitkin County Airport (KASE) during a second landing attempt in gusting conditions. The aircraft, N11WF, flipped on impact and burst into flames. Copilot Emilo Carranza Brabata, 54, died in the accident; pilots Miguel Henriqez and Moises Carranza, the only other people aboard, both suffered injuries. The flight had originated in Toluca, Mexico, and landed in Tucson, Ariz., before continuing on to KSAE where it flew a missed approach before making the second landing attempt shortly after noon.
In the early days of aviation, the fragile wood and fabric aircraft were simple to repair with some patches and glue, a handsaw and drill. As aircraft became more advanced, specialized tools and processes and the knowledge to employ them became necessary. Eventually, the equipment and systems became so complex, their repair became the exclusive purview of the manufacturers or authorized service centers, effectively putting a stranglehold on the operator for the long haul.
Former Flying magazine Publisher Dick Koenig, who has served on the board has been named to head the Corporate Angel Network (CAN), succeeding Peter Fleiss, who has retired after leading the charitable organization for 14 years. Koeing had been a member of the CAN board. Founded in 1981, CAN arranges free flights aboard empty seats of corporate jets for cancer patients traveling to or from treatment. More than 500 corporations participate, flying about 250 patient flights monthly. Since its founding, CAN has arranged nearly 45,000 flights.
During the National Business Aviation Association's (NBAA) most recent convention in Las Vegas, John Pistole, who heads the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), had welcome words for the business aviation community. He pledged to continue to work with industry on initiatives to improve access to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA).
The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is mulling recommendations of an international working group that would permit commercially operated, single-turbine aircraft in instrument meteorological conditions. It is expected to release a formal proposed rulemaking in the next several months. The action brings Europe the closest to permitting such operations, which have been sought by local operators for decades. It would also take a step toward operating regulations long in place in the U.S., which permits both single turbine and piston operations.
Priester Aviation, Wheeling, Ill., hired William (Bill) L. McNease as vice president and director of Flight Operations. Kevin Brink was named sales director, North American Sales responsible for sales in Alaska, Alberta, British Columbia, Hawaii, Nevada eastern Oregon, Saskatchewan and Washington. Scott Clarey joined the company as sales director, North American sales for Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico and Utrak. He is based in Tempe, Ariz.
William (Bill) Stine, the longtime director of international operations for the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), retired in January after nearly 35 years with the organization. Stine served as the staff liaison to the NBAA International Operators Committee and Schedulers and Dispatchers Committee. He was a founding officer of the International Business Aviation Council (IBAC) and had served as its corporate secretary. A U.S.
Keith Plumb, president and COO of regional fractional ownership provider Executive AirShare, added the title of CEO on Jan. 1. Plumb is succeeding Bob Taylor as part of a succession plan that began in early 2013. Taylor, who has been chairman and CEO, will become chairman emeritus, focused on various sales and business development projects. Taylor, who turns 67 shortly, jointly founded Executive AirShare with Plumb in 2000 in Wichita.
Sporty's says that your flight bag just got lighter — their FAR/AIM book is now available as an app for your iPhone or iPad. The new app has additional advanced features making it easier to find information. You can highlight and bookmark passages for quick retrieval or you can study content based on your current flight training. The app includes free updates and is available in the App Store.
David W. Naumann Chief Pilot , NHS Management, LLC (Tuscaloosa, Ala. )
Here I am in my easy chair all ready for the January 2014 edition of B&CA. As I read your “Viewpoint” column, I realized you need a copilot. Now we all know what copilots are for: someone to blame our mistakes on. In your case, substitute the words “proof reader” for copilot. I usually overlook grammatical errors in modern print material, what with spell-checker and grammar checker screwing things up so much. But to do it in the first two words of your piece, well. . .
Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association has scheduled a series of six regional AOPA Fly-Ins and an “ AOPA Homecoming ” in Frederick, Md. The fly-ins will include a town hall meeting with association President Mark Baker, who will discuss industry issues and association initiatives. The events will also include educational and safety seminars, aircraft displays and exhibits , flying activities and clinics. The events will include a return of AOPA 's annual Frederick Fly-In on Oct. 4 that will feature a celebration of the association's 75th anniversary.
Considering all their powered, moving parts, helicopters are by their very nature noisy conveyances. They are, however, in the process of getting quieter, much to the relief of those within and without. Noise reduction of rotary wing aircraft is obviously a major goal of the industry, and in view of the news reports regarding the quiet, special ops helicopters used in the assault against Osama Bin Laden, the technology is gaining.
WSI Corporation's Fusion Operations Management platform now supports flight tracking for Honeywell GDC Datalink customers. Using the Honeywell position reports, WSI Fusion is enabled with global contiguous flight tracking and monitoring of equipped flight departments. WSI has also announced the debut of WSI Business Aviation Solution, a platform to improve safety and efficiency of flight operations. The tool combines weather information, airspace constraints, flight information and operational data in a clear picture, according to WSI.
Call letters of the renamed John F. Kennedy International Airport changed from IDL to JFK. The cost, including navaid signals, air navigation charts and reservation computer codes, is estimated at $500,000. Then, there's all those little baggage tags. No matter how successful, an airplane sooner or later goes back to the drawing board to be taken from good to better. The twin-Baron recently emerged from a face lifting with a longer airframe, added baggage space, increased useful load and upped performance figures.
The FAA recently selected six operators to conduct civil unmanned aircraft system (UAS) research: The University of Alaska, the State of Nevada, New York's Griffiss International Airport, North Dakota Department of Commerce, Texas A&M University, and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. University of Alaska Fairbanks leads a multi-state team that includes Hawaii and Oregon with a total of 14 test ranges among them. Nevada's test resources include airfields and special-use airspace in sparsely populated areas.
AP On Air launched a range of fresh blended cocktails offering passengers exotic drinks at altitude. In partnership with London-based Pontoon Cocktails, a menu of seven mixes will be offered to flight attendants along with its regular food and beverage menus. The drinks incorporate hand-pressed juices, infusions and syrups and are delivered frozen to maintain freshness. They are individually packed and come with the appropriate garnish and serving instructions.
