TAG Aviation USA, Inc. and a charter affiliate added nearly two dozen aircraft to their fleets in 2003. TAG said it added 10 aircraft to its management program at nine different locations, while AMI Jet Charter, Inc. added 12 airplanes to its charter management program in 2003.
Hartzell Propeller's three-blade Top Prop conversion kits for the Cessna Caravan and Grand Caravan now include start locks as an option. The locks, which prevent the blades from entering a feathered condition after shutdown, were developed at the request of several operators that fly float-equipped versions of the single-engine turboprop.
Mode S Elementary Surveillance radar is currently being introduced within Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Switzerland -- Eurocontrol's most congested airspace. The transition period for Mode S Elementary introduction will apply until March 31, 2005, for all IFR and General Air Traffic (GAT) flights in defined airspace. France, Germany and the United Kingdom recently announced their decision to implement Mode S Enhanced in major TMAs and en route airspace.
Honeywell has introduced an enhanced digital audio equalizer for its Ovation integrated cabin system. The new unit balances music and movie audio to provide clear sound in high ambient noise environments. The equalizer has 10 factory-programmed presets and 10 user-programmable custom preset frequency-response curves that tailor sound to meet the specific desires of each passenger. It is compatible with any of Honeywell's passenger controls.
Hawker Pacific Pty Ltd, an Australian aircraft sales and support company, has appointed Peter Crook as sales manager, rotary wing, and John King as head of the company's MRO activities in Australia.
Under a newly formed relationship, users of ARINC Direct's Flight Support Services and Jeppesen's JetPlan flight planning system can now uplink flight plans directly to the cockpit -- both in flight and on the ground. With a seamless, real-time uplink process, pilots are relieved of inputting flight plans manually into the flight management computer and avoid the risk of entering erroneous data. Because the system is a two-way communications link, the receipt status of the flight plan can be communicated back to Jeppesen.
In many ways, the market for previously owned aircraft is at a crossroads. The health of the general economy, the most influential factor in aircraft sales, appears to be improving. Consequently, prices for many used aircraft are firming and sales activity is picking up. On the other hand, bonus depreciation, a key tax incentive for purchasing or upgrading aircraft, is scheduled to expire by year-end (see ``Bonus Depreciation: Is Time Running Out?'' page 78).
The U.S. economy, which continues to grow stronger, has been the catalyst for brisk sales of previously owned business aircraft during the first quarter of 2004, according to several leading industry newsletters, Aircraft Bluebook Price Digest's Marketline and Vref Aircraft Value Reference's Market Leader.
Initial spin from both Longmuir and Baldwin was relatively courteous, with a statement from Longmuir citing ``a difference in vision for leadership,'' and Baldwin characterizing the departures as a ``mutual decision.'' In fact, Baldwin denied that the staff resignations precipitated the board's decision to make a change at the top. Rather, he said the board of directors had known ``there were some developing issues'' that board members were ready to address, but that exchanges at the meeting signaled the moment had arrived to make a change in leadership.
At a two-day meeting with owners of Cessna 400 series twins in March, the FAA agreed to delay issuing two expensive ADs while the AOPA, Cessna owner groups and others in the industry collected additional information (B/CA, April, page 30). Now a special Web site (http://twincessna.org) has been created to collect fleet data and distribute relevant reference materials, which will be necessary to mitigate the effects of the proposals.
Raytheon Aircraft Charter and Management recently placed four more aircraft on its charter certificate. The aircraft and their home bases are: a Challenger 604 based in Cincinnati, a Gulfstream IV and Beechjet 400A in Houston and a Beechcraft King Air B200 in Van Nuys, Calif. The four aircraft are in addition to seven added to the company's charter certificate in 2003.
Dassault Falcon Jet President John Rosanvallon told a general aviation panel at the FAA Forecast Conference in Washington, D.C., that 2003 ``was really a tough year for business aviation,'' noting that his company delivered only 49 new business jets.
Woodland, Calif. -- Woodland Aviation's turbine and piston maintenance facilities have received the FAA's Diamond Award. In addition, the company's flight department manager and director of operations, Jay Arcemont, has become one of the first 25 NBAA certified aviation managers worldwide.
Sporty's Instrument Proficiency Check (IPC) DVD provides the material instrument pilots need to be safer and more proficient. Developed by the instrument instructors at Sporty's Academy, it's derived from Sporty's award-winning Complete Instrument Rating Course, the IPC includes topics such as attitude instrument flight, preflight and aircraft systems, navigation, holding, approaches, emergencies and weather reports and forecasts. Instrument Proficiency Check DVD [D551A] is available for $39.95.
Sporty's Pilot Shop is offering FAA approach charts on DVD through its ChartViewer software. The DVD includes every current FAA terminal procedure publication including approaches, departures, arrivals and airport diagrams for the U.S., Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands. Pilots can load the charts directly onto computers or view them on DVD. Price: $9.95 each; also available by subscription Sporty's Pilot Shop Claremont County Airport Batavia, OH 45103 Phone: (513) 735-9100 www.sportys.com
ER-Link, a new airborne medical assistance provider, offers the usual medical support along with its own compact vital sign monitoring and communication hardware package. The latter plugs into an aircraft's data link or a portable satellite phone such as a Motorola 9505. Because of the kit's compact size and independence from aircraft wiring, the company says it's suitable for the smallest business aircraft. ER-Link includes the onboard kit in its program price, which can be treated as an expense by the operator.
Raytheon Aircraft Services of Chester, Hawarden, United Kingdom, plans to open a satellite service center at Oxford to more easily service its London-based Hawker and Beechcraft operators.
A growing number of local governments and residents around embattled business aviation airports are calling on the FAA to ban operations of Stage 2 aircraft throughout the United States.
A700 AdamJet Evolved from the tractor/pusher A500 piston twin, the Adam Aircraft twinjet's body is about 30 inches longer to compensate for the adaptation of the two Williams FJ33 fanjets, each rated at 1,200 pounds of thrust. The A700 features the Avidyne Entegra flight deck, a cabin that accommodates six passengers and a full-width lavatory. Service ceiling will be 41,000 feet and a top speed of 340 knots is anticipated. Range will be approximately 1400 nm.
The FAA has exercised a contract option to purchase a CAE Simfinity Boeing 737-800 integrated procedures trainer (IPT), a virtual simulator (VSIM) and other hardware for research use at the Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center in Oklahoma City. The option was part of a contract with CAE that included a full-flight B737-800 simulator. The latest contract, valued at $3 million (Canadian) also covers daily maintenance. The IPT and VSIM will be operational in the fall.
Dassault Falcon Jet has appointed Jean-Michel Jacob vice president of international sales for the Western Hemisphere and Far East. He has marketed Falcon business jets for more than 16 years, first as a sales manager in southern Europe and more recently as director of sales in South America. Prior to joining Dassault in 1987, Jacob was a sales engineer with the helicopter division of Aerospatiale. Jacob replaces Jeff Habib, who has been named vice president of the Western Division for Dassault Falcon Jet.
At that point Baldwin returned fire with an April 16 letter to the membership withdrawing his, and the Board's, ``generous'' comments regarding the separation and asserting that Warren's letter contained, ``wholesale misrepresentations of role, facts and emphasis.'' He stated, ``Ms. Longmuir and Mr. Warren failed to follow through on a whole host of issues they [themselves] raised, despite receiving the Board's complete approval and repeated urging to implement approved changes over many months. Their failure to act eventually reached an unacceptable level.
Lufthansa Technik (LHT) has expanded its range of maintenance services to include Embraer regional jets. An LHT senior spokesman said that his company is currently talking to Embraer to further extend its MRO services to the whole Embraer regional jet family, including the new-generation Embraer 170/190. LHT is offering European ERJ operators a broad array of services, including a package that allows customers to select the services that best meet their maintenance, engineering and rotable needs.
