Having received two major orders, the Bombardier Q400's immediate future seems assured. Steve Ridolfi, Bombardier Regional Aircraft president, said a dearth of orders for the turboprop had resulted in a production halt from late November 2002 until February. However, the line came to life when FlyBe placed an order for 17 aircraft with options for 20 more. And Regional Airlines Holdings Inc. (Regco), a Toronto-based start-up, signed a letter of intent for 10 with 15 options.
Editor's Note: The following article is provided as a complement to ``FANS: Where Is it for Business Aviation?'' which appeared in our March 2003 issue.
Productivity is the essential quality for making a profit in the regional airline industry, and as one leading airline executive put it, ``You build from profitability, not to profitability.'' Productivity is derived from operating cost, block-to-block speed, runway field performance, passenger and freight capacity, and the versatility to operate profitably over widely ranging mission distances. B/CA's 2003 Regional Airliner charts measure productivity over three different stage lengths to see where each aircraft best fits in the marketplace.
How does El Al do it? How often since 9/11 have we heard that question when the subject of aviation security comes up? Often cited as the paragon of passenger, crew and aircraft protection, the Israeli flag carrier has earned a reputation for being almost impenetrable through both application of a layered approach to security and reliance on aggressive self-protection.
Craft professionals have found ways to identify, measure and acknowledge their skills since the days of the medieval guilds, and before. Today, most industries, be it filmmaking, winemaking, medicine, law, computers, pharmacology, cooking -- the list goes on and on -- have standards and programs that serve to recognize and differentiate the levels of competence of its practitioners. That's certainly true among pilots, since they can point to their licenses and ratings as clear evidence of their hard-earned knowledge and ability.
Mercury Air Centers is discounting Jet-A $1.00 a gallon -- once. The program involves the issuance of a special one-time, serialized certificate, applicable to a single aircraft tail number. Customers get the certificate by registering on Mercury's Web site, by fax or by e-mail. Mercury will issue a certificate for each aircraft registered; the discounts are good at any of their 18 locations. Requests must be made by June 15, and certificates used within 90 days of issue. Mercury's Web site is: www.MercuryAirCenters.com.
The two-year bear market for business aircraft continues to plunge, exacerbated by the continuing sluggishness of the U.S. and world economy, plus unknown long-term consequences of the U.S. war in Iraq. Practically all business aircraft manufacturers have announced substantial production cuts and large-scale layoffs. A near-record 17 percent of the active business aircraft fleet is on the resale market, thereby depressing purchase offer bids by as much as 30 to 40 percent.
Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.) wants anti-missile defenses for jetliners. The House Transportation Aviation Subcommittee chairman pledged to move as fast as possible after hearing ``sobering'' testimony in a closed hearing. Mica said, ``We can't afford not to act.'' Mica and ranking minority subcommittee member Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) agreed that the federal government should pick up the tab, which could run $6 billion to $10 billion to equip the entire U.S. commercial airline fleet.
The Dassault Falcon 2000EX received JAA and FAA certification on March 25. ``This occasion marks the successful culmination of an intensive flight-test program begun in October 2001,'' said Jean-Louis Cuvillier, 2000EX program manager. In the past year and a half, the test aircraft have flown 242 flights, totaling 568 hours.
Triumph Group, Inc., Wayne, Pa., has named Richard Reed president of its Frisby Aerospace, Inc. subsidiary. Reed joined Frisby in 2000 as director of aftermarket services. Prior to that, he was with Piedmont Aviation for more than 22 years.
The data pipes for corporate and charter aircraft are growing bigger, faster and more diversified as OEMs and operators try to keep up with the electronic requirements of modern business. And since the terrorist attacks of 2001, an increased awareness of security and privacy considerations has added a new dimension to the airborne office and infotainment marketplace.
LPS Laboratories has introduced its Electra-X 2003 contact cleaner, designed to remove oil, grease, dirt and other foreign materials from precision parts. Electra-X, available in 15-ounce. Aerosol cans, is nonflammable, nonconductive and does not leave a residue. The manufacturer claims that because of its fast wetting action, Electra-X penetrates into minute spaces for thorough and effective cleaning. An Inverta spray valve lets you apply the cleaner in an upright or inverted position Price: $4.99 LPS Laboratories P.O. Box 105052 4647 Hugh Howell Rd.
Turbomeca Engine Corp. has appointed Karl Poulsen vice president of field operations. He most recently served as vice president of aviation services at Rocky Mountain Holdings, LLC.
Sporty's claims that its Windshield Care Kit is the finest and safest available. The kit contains a 7-ounce can of anti-static/anti-fog cleaner and polish, a 7.5-ounce bottle of anti-atatic plastic scratch remover and 50 low-lint window wipes. An optional Cordura nylon bag also is available. Price: $21.95 (kit bag, $12.95) Sporty's Pilot Shop Clermont County/Sporty's Airport Batavia, OH 45103 Phone (513) 735-9100 Fax: (513) 735-9200; www.sportys.com
Sens. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) are still waiting for the TSA's answers to questions about a trip TSA contractors took to Telluride, Colo., in 2002 to interview screening applicants. The senators, who were outraged that contractors spent up to seven weeks in a luxury resort, sent the TSA a letter demanding an explanation. A spokeswoman for Wyden told The Weekly of Business Aviation the senator received ``a short reply'' saying the TSA acknowledged the request to study the issue.
Looking 20 years into the future, the Boeing Co. envisions a seamless worldwide air traffic control system that will allow controllers and operators to tap into a common information network to get aircraft tracking, operational and weather information at any given moment, anywhere. Such a system would be satellite based, using data link connections for communication, navigation and surveillance. The result? Significantly improved system capacity, safety and security.
The NBAA announced that it expanded coverage and services at the General Aviation (GA) Desk at the FAA Air Traffic Control System Command Center (ATCSCC) in Herndon, Va. The expansion of services will provide for two-shift and overlapping coverage as necessary of the GA Desk seven days a week and allow for contingency 24-hours-a-day coverage over extended durations as required.
Preventing contamination of aircraft hydraulic systems would seem to be a primary objective of system maintenance, but in fact, faulty maintenance procedures may actually cause contamination. Even when adding new hydraulic fluid, contamination is a concern. ``It's important to ensure that new fluid is clean, too,'' says Lana Robin of PdMA Corp. in Tampa, Fla. ``The proper precautions must be taken during maintenance procedures to ensure its quality.
While we're on the subject of avionics, it seems only appropriate to remind all our readers that full implementation of the domestic U.S. portion of RVSM is slated to become operational in December 2004. (See ``Domestic RVSM,'' B/CA, April 2002, page 82.) You can find more information on this at the FAA RVSM Web site, www.faa.gov/ats/ato/ rvsm1.htm.
