Dassault Falcon Regional Sales Manager Bob Dalin and his wife, Linda, were killed on Jan. 12 in a motorcycle accident in Sarasota, Fla. Dalin, who had worked with Dassault since 1986, was responsible for sales in the Eastern United States and sold more than $800 million worth of Falcons over the course of his career. He was 58 years old.
The Helicopter Association International presented Francisco Orlaineta, chief pilot for Evergreen Helicopters, with its 2002 Pilot of the Year award on Feb. 12 at the Heli-Expo in Dallas.
AC -- Alternating current Amp (Ampere) -- Basic unit measurement of electrical current (flow) Amp-Hour -- The amount of electrical power represented by one amp of current flowing for one hour APU (Auxiliary Power Unit) -- Installed device that provides electrical power for ground ops, engine start and emergency operations Bus Tie -- A switch or relay that disconnects one bus from another, or reroutes power in the event of a fault Current Limiter -- A non-resettable device that operates like a slow blow fuse to limit excessive current DC -- Direct current Diode -- A
Metro Business Aviation's London-Stansted business aircraft engineering operation has been awarded ``Challenger Authorized Service Facility'' status by Bombardier Aerospace.
Metro Business Aviation is moving its engine shop from London-Luton Airport to the TAG owned and operated Farnborough Airport in Hampshire. ``The move to larger premises is ideal for expansion into the TFE731 engine series where we have recently been approved to conduct line maintenance,'' said Metro's technical director, Mick Adams. Metro is a Honeywell TFE731 and APU, GTCP30-32, 36-100 and 36-150 major service center.
WE TEND TO THINK OF spatial disorientation as something that happens to low-time recreational pilots who stray into IMC and spiral in. Yet spatial disorientation can overtake experienced, high-time pilots as well and can lead to complete loss of control if not remedied immediately. Such was the case on Jan. 27, 2001, when a King Air 200 (N81PF) spiraled out of control and crashed into rolling terrain near Strasburg, Colo., killing both pilots and eight members of the Oklahoma State University basketball team.
Pilots and crews of Austin-Travis County STAR Flight were awarded the Helicopter Association International's Eurocopter Golden Hour Award on Feb. 11 at Heli-Expo 2003 in Dallas. STAR Flight is a public safety helicopter program operated by the city of Austin and Travis County, Texas. It serves 19 counties around Austin. The program has expanded from EMS transportation to a broad set of services, including search and rescue, law enforcement and aerial firefighting. STAR Flight was credited with saving 24 lives during storms and flooding in November 2001.
General Dynamics reported its Aerospace unit had lower operating earnings in 2002, but said its Gulfstream Aerospace still managed to outperform its competition. In its year-end financial statement, GD said Aerospace sales fell from $950 million in fourth quarter 2001 to $907 million in the same quarter in 2002. For the year, Aerospace sales increased slightly, from $3.265 billion in 2001 to $3.289 billion in the year just ended.
3M Aerospace is offering its High Intensity Fiber-Optic Flashlight System to aid in the inspection of aircraft structures, fuel tanks and insulation. The flashlight was designed to direct bright, high intensity light into cramped spaces, and around tight corners and obstructions without producing a glare or shadow. The fiber-optic flexible wand comes in 7.0- and 12.0-inch lengths and is constructed from high-strength polymers. Price: TBD 3M Aerospace 3M Center, Building 220-8E-05 St. Paul, MN 55144 www.mmm.com
Enstrom President Steven P. Daniels predicted that public service operators will play an increasingly important role in his company's growth. ``Our core business has been, and always will be, the private individual who wants a helicopter for business or personal use,'' Daniels said. This year, 75 percent of the company's sales will fall into that. The remainder of sales will be to public service agencies. However, by 2004, Daniels expects the public service segment to grow to nearly 50 percent of all Enstrom sales.
Author Dennis Newton speaks pilot-to-pilot in this guide on how not to fly into severe weather. In addition, Severe Weather Flying covers the fundamentals of weather, atmosphere, and air stability and then goes further into the aspects of severe conditions, such as thunderstorms, downbursts, lightning, icing and wind shear. Price: $19.95 Aviation Supplies & Academics 7005 132nd Pl. S.E. Newcastle, WA 98059 Phone: (425) 235-1500 Fax: (425) 235-0128 www.asa2fly.com
THE MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL area is a beautiful place (at least during the warmer months of the year) that is blessed with a system of reliever airports most metropolitan areas would relish. In fact, most cities would be happy to have a couple of decent relievers, but Minneapolis-St. Paul has six: Airlake (LVN), Anoka County-Blaine (ANE), Crystal (MIC), Flying Cloud (FCM), Lake Elmo (21D) and St. Paul Downtown (STP). Those six facilities handle a combined total of nearly 800,000 operations per year.
An FAA announcement that it would revoke the airman certificate of anyone found to be a ``security threat'' by the TSA caught many by surprise and stirred up a hornet's nest in Washington. The rule applies to any pilot, mechanic or dispatcher who is identified by the TSA. The process involves the TSA issuing an ``Initial Notification'' to individuals believed to be a threat, and then notifying the FAA as well.
Gold Air International of Biggin Hill, Kent, England, has ordered five Learjet 45XRs, valued at $55 million, to add to its current charter fleet of five Learjet 45s. Founded in 1997, Gold Air claims to be the United Kingdom's largest executive jet operator, with a current annual turnover in excess of $16.5 million. ``We've seen our sales increase by 40 percent year on year against a downturn within the airline industry. Security concerns and the inconvenience of airport delays have fueled our growth,'' said Will Curtis, Gold Air's managing director.
If you need a mobile workspace, then the Helilodge may be for you. Designed to be transported effectively by a helicopter, this portable lodge has a modular layout that can be combined in different configurations. You can either use a single Insidelodge unit as working space inside a production plant or you can get an additional conference room with a view when you put a Helilodge on your unused roof space. It can also be used as a research center or a Helimotel in remote areas, or more units can be combined with a rooftop helipad to secure the link to the outside world.
In one form or another, CNS/ATM services can currently be accessed in more than 50 percent of the world's airspace. Various components of the system are operating in the South Pacific and on the northern Pacific Organized Track System (PACOTS), the latter controlled by Tokyo and Anchorage Centers. While Tokyo offers both CPDLC and ADS, only the data link is available in Anchorage airspace.
Legislation requiring airliners be equipped with anti-missile defense systems may be introduced soon. Rep. Steve Israel (D-N.Y.) said he planned to introduce a bill that would require the DOT to certify a missile-defense system for all U.S. jet aircraft in commercial service. Israel said his bill would cover about 6,800 airplanes and cost the government about $10 billion. Industry officials said they feel the legislation is not likely to go anywhere.
Dassault Falcon Jet, Teterboro, N.J., has named T.J. Reeves director of operations at its Wilmington, Del., service center. He will be responsible for aircraft maintenance and modifications including paint, cabinets, upholstery and avionics.
NMC-Wollard has introduced the multipurpose Model 140 Tow Tractor with low-profile design and a low center of gravity for handling corporate and regional jets. Power options for the tug include a Ford gasoline engine, and Cummins, Deutz and Perkins diesels. The drive axle of the tractor is a double-reduction outboard planetary design with dual wheel drive to aid in pushbacks and heavy cargo hauls. The tug is rated for loads from 8,000 to 14,000 pounds. Price: Call for pricing NMC-Wollard 2021 Truax Blvd.
Diamond Aircraft Industries GmbH of Austria has announced its intention to build a five-seat, single- turbofan, executive jet named the D-JET. The company says that the aircraft is aimed at the personal jet and advanced training market. Current price tag is ``under $1 million'' with first deliveries in 2006. Diamond is saying that the largely composite structure aircraft will be certificated to 4,700 pounds MTOW, carry five people up to 25,000 feet with a cabin altitude of 8,000 feet and travel 315 knots.
Tom Barclay, air traffic manager at the FAA's Oakland Center, describes the procedural tracking system oceanic controllers have used for half a century to keep aircraft separated as ``paperwork-intensive.'' A controller may have to juggle up to five pieces of paper per flight, he told B/CA, ``so a substantial portion of the workload involves marking the strips: a mundane, repetitive task.'' All this is expected to change when the FAA's new CNS/ATM-compatible Advanced Technology Oceanic Procedures System (ATOPS) comes online at Oakland Center later this year.
Wing Aviation, Houston, has added David Perez as exterior refinishing manager. In addition to supervising all painting processes and services provided at the facility, Perez will handle all material, inventory, recruitment and HAZMAT control issues.
Jet Aviation, West Palm Beach, Fla., has appointed Andreas Pluss vice president and general manager of Jet Aviation Saudi Arabia in Jeddah. In addition, Wolfgang Dillbaum has been appointed director of material management and distribution at Jet Aviation's Saarbrucken, Germany, location.
Twenty minutes after the business jet departed Denver's Centennial Airport, it leveled off in a comfortable cruise in IMC at FL 390. That's when trouble began in earnest. Both EFIS units failed, and both altimeters began ``spinning in an uncontrollable manner.'' As the pilot recounted in his ASRS report, ``The autopilot kicked off, and the aircraft began a left climbing turn.
