The DOT's Office of the Inspector General says the FAA oversight of ``outsourced'' airline maintenance work is inadequate, in light of the increased percentage of maintenance work outsourced to both domestic and foreign repair stations. The OIG found that airlines outsourced 33 percent of their maintenance in 1990, but that percentage grew to about 48 percent in 2002. The report, dated July 7, stated, ``We found no indication that the FAA has taken action to adjust its surveillance activities to more closely monitor air carriers' use of these facilities.
MODERN BUSINESS AVIATION is some 60 years old. In the early days, the pioneers of our segment of the aviation industry were the veterans of World War II and Korea. Chief pilots of that era were respected for their flying skills as well as for the fact that they were ultimately responsible for the lives and well-being of the chairman of the corporation and often his family. These men -- and they were all men -- were also typically well known within the confines of the local airport for their ability to intimidate subordinates, both in and out of the cockpit.
Most brokers and dealers of previously owned business aircraft are understandably reticent to state that the market has reached bottom. After two abysmal years of bloated inventories and free-falling prices, it is proving difficult to reverse the negative market psychology.
The National Air Transportation Association says it has serious misgivings about the recently released FAR Part 145 Advisory Circular (AC), ``Guide for Developing and Evaluating Repair Station and Quality Control Manuals.'' ``The implementation date of October 6 is fast approaching. Yet this AC has still not been published in the Federal Register,'' NATA Vice President Joseph E. (Jeb) Burnside noted in July.
The new rules governing fractional aircraft operations have been reviewed by the Office of Management and Budget and returned to the FAA on July 1 for final approval for publication. FAA Administrator Marion Blakey must sign off on the rules before they are published in the Federal Register. This may take several weeks.
The National Air Transportation Association was granted the extension it requested of the comment period for the NPRM amending 14 CFR Parts 119, 121, 135, and 145 related to hazardous material (HAZMAT) regulations.
Duncan Aviation Services and Garrett Aviation have teamed up to develop and offer RVSM mod programs for Westwind I, Westwind II, Gulfstream II and Gulfstream IIBs. The companies said they believed that together they can offer more choices at lower cost to their customers. Since customers can now take their aircraft to any of the two companies' facilities, there should be a considerable advantage in customer convenience, they said.
The quick pace that defines the Western world -- our world -- is set in large part by the machines that move us and the stuff we make, need or want from Points A to Z and all the letters in between. Yet those machines are absolutely dependent upon a ready abundance of oil, a commodity that resides largely in places where the pace, priorities and perceptions are not Western at all. And that's problematic.
The U.S. Patent Office issued a patent to the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) for its internally designed interactive video employee training and training-tracking system currently used at 18 airports. The Interactive Employee Training (IET) system is used to provide customized employee training on subjects ranging from security access to driving on the airfield. It also records the training status of employees to ensure they are in compliance with local and federal training requirements.
The Rhinebeck Aerodrome Museum and its air shows now have free shuttle service to and from the Kingston-Ulster (N.Y.) Airport (20N) and the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome for pilots and passengers flying in to attend the Saturday and Sunday airshows through Oct. 12. The shuttle service begins at 10:00 a.m. and will depart Kingston every half hour up to 1:30 p.m. in time for the airshow's 2:00 p.m. start. Return trips to Kingston Airport will begin at 4:15 p.m.
Draeger Safety has introduced a series of X-plore masks and filter respirators offering the wearer comfort and protection from hazardous compounds. The lightweight masks use new materials and a new design that provides a more comfortable face-seal. The X-guided strap ensures an even distribution of the mask against the face; a two-point bayonet connection allows both filters to be attached to the mask consistently and quickly. Half masks and full masks are available. Call for pricing Draeger Safety, Inc. 101 Technology Dr.
Socata named Latin American Training Aviation SA (LAATSA) as its aircraft sales representative in Mexico; the company will be responsible for the marketing and sales of Socata GT and TBM 700 aircraft. LAATSA was incorporated in Cancun in April 2002 to represent aviation companies in Latin America and is actively promoting the creation of an airline pilot training center.
Australia's Hawker Pacific Pty. Ltd. is reopening its FBO facilities at Sydney Airport. Hawker Pacific's CEO, Alan Smith, said the company had decided to re-establish its FBO presence at Sydney Airport in response to the demand that followed the 2002 closure of Qantas' facilities and also as part of the company's broader strategic objectives. ``The exit of QF Exec removed a significant player from the sector and, not unnaturally, we received approaches from a range of customers asking whether we would be prepared to re-enter the market,'' he said.
Jet Aviation Basel completed and delivered its first Boeing BBJ 2. The head-of-state aircraft seats up to 31 passengers and eight crewmembers, the company announced. The Basel facility performed the exterior and interior completion project, supported by its Jet Aviation Engineering Services organization in San Antonio. Jet has completed six BBJs and has two more in progress.
Airliner missile defense is now a political issue. Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), is a cosponsor of a bill with Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) to equip airline aircraft with anti-missile defense systems. Boxer said she has met with Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge, who is ``very interested in moving this forward. He agrees it's a priority.'' She said Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), chair of the Senate Commerce Committee, wants to work with her on the bill. Rep. Steve Israel (D-N.Y.) introduced a companion bill in the House in February.
During a gala dinner and awards ceremony held June 14 at the Inter-Continental Le Grand Hotel in Paris, four B/CA writers were honored as recipients of Aerospace Journalist of the Year Awards 2003. Organized by London-based World Leadership Forum, in conjunction with the Royal Aeronautical Society, the competition involved more than 500 submissions across 16 categories, including Best Breaking News, Best Space and Best Defense submissions. B/CA writers won in four separate categories, the most of any publication.
Pacific Sky Air Charter unveiled its new luxury-configured 737-500 VIP aircraft at the Canadian Business Aviation Association meeting in Calgary, Alberta. The airplane seats 23 passengers and has a stateroom with its own lavatory including a shower. It has 4,455 pounds of cargo capacity and a company-claimed range of 4,500 nm. Pacific Air Charter Services is based in Victoria, British Columbia. The Web address is www.pacificsky.ca.
THE INITIAL REPORTS were hearsay. Supposedly some customs officials in France had impounded an American business jet for violating the arcane regulations of cabotage. An unbelievable story had it not been for all the work Contributing Editor David Esler had already accomplished on that very subject. Civilian aviation throughout Europe is undergoing fundamental and pervasive change in its organizational structure. Understanding how the evolving regulations impact operators is of keen importance.
In ``Flying Route 66,'' aviation writer and photographer Russell Munson takes you on a tour of the entire path of Route 66 from Chicago to Santa Monica in his Piper Super Cub on this DVD (running time: 40 minutes). Munson also wrote and photographed the book Skyward: Why Flyers Fly, and made all of the photographs for Richard Bach's classic book Jonathan Livingston Seagull. He is a commercial pilot with multiengine and instrument ratings, and has a DC-3 type rating.
The Qualichek 200 is a highly sensitive trace gas leak detector that displays leak rate or concentration in a wide variety of applications. The unit features a simple user calibration and audible alarm, carrying case, power supply, small cylinder of compressed argon gas and main display panel. A second display on the hand-held detector probe enables the user to monitor measurements even when working in difficult locations. The unit has an RS232 serial printer interface and can store up to 100 results and built-in fault diagnosis. Call for pricing Uson LP 8640 N.
Delta's Comair subsidiary celebrated the 10th anniversary of the introduction of its first regional jet on July 16. The first North American airline to operate the aircraft, Comair took delivery of 10 CRJ-100s in 1993, according to AirClaims, and now operates about 140.
The seven operators at Teterboro participating in the initial TSA Access Certificate (TSAAC) program have all passed TSA inspection with flying colors. The TSAAC program is based on the NBAA Security Protocol. Subsequently, the NBAA has been informed that the TSA has granted permission to FAR Part 91 operators based at Westchester County Airport (HPN) in White Plains, N.Y., and Morristown Municipal Airport (MMU) in Morristown, N.J., to begin training for TSAACs. TSAAC holders are granted international access without the need for a waiver.
With fewer new aircraft being sold and older aircraft coming off warranty, maintenance repair and overhaul is quickly becoming the growth industry in business aviation. Repair stations report increases in flight department outsourced maintenance and aircraft equipment upgrades. That's both good news and bad news. ``Our work has picked up enough that we have placed ads for A&Ps, but so far, we have not found anyone qualified to fill the jobs,'' said John Ackerman, a maintenance executive with Atlantic Aero, Greensboro, N.C.
AOPA regional representative John P. Luce died on July 1 of an apparent heart attack. He was 68. Luce was the AOPA's Eastern regional representative for nearly a decade, covering Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia. He was an electrical engineer by training and had worked for NASA. His flying career began in the 1950s at Philadelphia's Wings Field, where the AOPA was founded.
