Raytheon Aircraft's Premier I is now certified in Denmark and Israel, bringing to eight the number of countries in which it is certified. The others are the United States, South Africa, Germany, Switzerland, Mexico and Bermuda. Raytheon expected to receive certifications from Ireland, Brazil and Italy before the end of 2002. This year, Raytheon anticipates additional certifications from Turkey, Spain, Guatemala, France, Venezuela, Japan, Argentina, the United Kingdom and China.
A Rainbow Jet Co. Bombardier Challenger 604 successfully completed route-proving operations into and out of Lhasa, Tibet's Gongga Airport on Nov. 28, 2002. Szechuan, China-based Rainbow is a member of the Bombardier charter network; and Lhasa is a key destination for Chinese and foreign travelers, Rainbow officials said. Gongga Airport's field elevation is 11,621 feet and its main runway length is 13,123 feet. Rainbow Captain Liu Yi flew the aircraft with copilot He Feng.
FlightSafety International, La Guardia Airport, N.Y., has named Ken Baggett as manager of the company's Toledo Learning Center. Baggett has been the center's assistant manager for the past five years, following four years as director of training.
They say that when everything looks good, you should look again. I relearned that lesson firsthand the other day. Everything looked good on the takeoff roll, and even better on the initial climb. Although the pitch attitude was normal, the airspeed was climbing faster than I expected, prompting me to quickly retract the gear. It was a cool fall day, I was alone in the airplane, and with a light fuel load I didn't think too much more about the great performance. Once I leveled off in cruise, the indicated airspeed was exactly as expected for the power setting.
Air Routing International has opened a satellite office at Teterboro Airport. Located at the Jet Aviation facility, it will serve primarily as a field marketing and client service office. Bill Berturelli, Air Routing's marketing director, said that in addition to the large number of corporate flight operations in the region, ``Seventy-five percent of our client base utilizes this airport [TEB].'' Lisa Sasse, a national accounts executive with Air Routing since 1996, will head the new office. The phone number for the new TEB office is (201) 288-8612.
Grounding a stationary aircraft is easy, but how about one that is moved? Lightning Eliminators and Consultants has developed a unique solution -- the Tow Bar Mounted Grounding Assembly (TBMGA). The device dissipates the bound charge and static discharge hazard by providing a direct ultra-low impedance path to earth of less than one ohm. The TBMGA is made of all stainless-steel components and clamps to any aircraft tow bar with U-bolts.
Bombardier Aerospace announced two additional European maintenance support sites for its business jets. Lufthansa Bombardier Aviation Services GmbH has recently begun providing factory service for Bombardier Learjet 60 and Challenger aircraft at a satellite location at Rhein-Main Airport in Frankfurt. In addition, Metro Business Aviation at Stansted Airport in the United Kingdom is now designated as a Bombardier Challenger Authorized Service Facility. Some 230 Bombardier business jets are currently based throughout Europe, the company said.
``I've never seen it in all the 26 years I have been testing water.'' Dr. Donald Hendrickson, Hossier Microbiology Laboratories, commenting on samplings of tap water from various airliners that were discovered to be contaminated with salmonella, aquatic insect eggs, and a bacterium carried by rodents, among other things. The Wall Street Journal ``It's just easier to get into your car and go.'' Doug Shifflet, whose agency conducts surveys of travel patterns, explaining why former short-distance air travelers are taking to the road.
The Fairchild Dornier saga continues. Earl Robinson, the former Fairchild Dornier executive who departed the manufacturer to form Alliance Aircraft, was in negotiations with German officials in December about acquiring the assets of the bankrupt manufacturer. Robinson, who worked for the company until 1998, claims to have found sufficient financing to buy Fairchild Dornier and complete development of the 728 regional jet. The German manufacturer's creditors committee was to make the final decision on bids for the company.
Jet Aviation International, Inc., West Palm Beach, Fla., has promoted Peggie Giles to director of U.S. FBO sales. She is based at Jet Aviation's Bedford, Mass., facility.
The Experimental Aircraft Association wants to remind you that if you plan to attend this summer's AirVenture at Oshkosh, Wis., the lodging-reservation season begins promptly on Jan. 2. As AirVenture time approaches, housing options shrink exponentially, according to the association. Find out more at www.eaa.org.
The NBAA's next Business Aviation Forum & Static Display is scheduled for March 27 at Long Beach (Calif.) Airport at AirFlite's FBO, hangar and ramp. In addition to a static display of aircraft and dozens of exhibits, this daylong event will feature seminars and briefings for NBAA members. For information, contact the NBAA's Benjamin Jones at [email protected] or Joe Ponte at [email protected].
GAMA, Washington, D.C., at its recent board of directors meeting presented Ray Siegfried II, chairman of the NORDAM Group, with the Distinguished Service Award for his contributions to the association as chairman of the board for 2002. Siegfried joined GAMA's board of directors in 1994.
Avionics Innovations is marketing a Sirius Satellite Radio (SSR) receiver for installation on aircraft. Sirius broadcasts cover the United States with 100 digital channels of continuous information and entertainment. In small aircraft installations, it interfaces with the audio panel. In cabin installations, it can interface with the IFE system. The SSR, which operates on 14 to 28 VDC, features up/down seek tuning, preset memory mode, scrolling text display, screen saver and adjustable contrast. A subscription to the Sirius service costs $12.95 per month.
Tradeoffs are a reality of aircraft design, although engineers attempt to optimize the blend of capabilities, performance and passenger comfort. B/CA compares the subject aircraft, in this case the Falcon 2000EX, to the composite characteristics of others in its class, computing the percentage differences for various parameters in order to portray the aircraft's relative strengths and weaknesses. We also include the absolute value of each parameter, along with the relative ranking, for the subject aircraft within the composite group.
If you operate an FAR Part 91 aircraft with six or more passenger seats or operate under Part 135, your deadline for Terrain Awareness and Warning System (TAWS) compliance is March 29, 2005. For many, that distant date will arrive sooner than they expect. All Part 121 aircraft and Part 135 aircraft with 10 or more passengers must be equipped with a Class A TAWS; all Part 91 aircraft can be fitted with a Class B system.
Bombardier Aerospace has signed a five-year contract with Air Wisconsin to provide heavy maintenance on the airline's fleet of Bombardier CRJ200 regional jets. The work will be performed at the Bombardier-owned West Virginia Air Center in Bridgeport, W.Va., and will include ``C'' checks every 4,000 aircraft flying hours as well as structural inspections every two years. Renewals could extend the contract period to eight years.
SEAT (Servicios de Apoyo Terrestre), one of the largest ground handlers in Mexico, has added Roberto Castillo as operations director; Alfredo Riva Palacio has been appointed vice president, operations and maintenance; and Manuel Nava has been promoted to sales and marketing manager. SEAT is located at 45 airports throughout Mexico.
Sporty's Pilot Shop has released ``Flying the North Atlantic . . . Safely!'' on DVD. The two-hour DVD, presented by North Atlantic crossing expert Ed Carlson, covers topics such as requirements for the airplane and pilot, what to take, where to stay, and how to get accurate weather information along the way. Sporty's also offers a planning chart and workbook for North Atlantic crossings. Price: $89.95, DVD; $39.95; workbook Sporty's Pilot Shop Clemont County/Sporty's Airport Batavia, OH 45103 Phone: (800) LIFTOFF Fax: (800) 359-7794 www.sportys.com
The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) signed a $94.9 million deal in November 2002 to lease seven Raytheon Super King Air 350 turboprop aircraft for the next 10 years. The new aircraft will replace an aging mix of HS748 and King Air B200 aircraft currently used to support navigator training for the RAAF's 32 Squadron and the School of Air Navigation at RAAF Base East Sale. The RAAF awarded the lease contract to Hawker Pacific, a subsidiary of Germany-based aviation services company Lufthansa Technik.
Embraer has officially undertaken its first industrial initiative outside Brazil, forming a joint venture with two component companies of China Aviation Industry Corp. II (AVIC II). The joint venture, the Harbin Embraer Aircraft Industry Co., will manufacture under license all versions of the ERJ regional jets, including the ERJ-135, -140 and -145. Harbin Embraer will be headquartered in Harbin, the capital of Heilongjiang province. The aircraft it produces are to be marketed throughout all regions of China.
Don Wylie President and Chief Pilot, Aviation Safety Training, Houston, Texas After retiring from the U.S. Air Force as a B-52 and F-4 Phantom pilot, Don Wylie joined an executive search firm and used his own Saratoga to visit clients. Preferring flying to headhunting, he opened his pilot training company in 1992. It was from that hands-on experience that he developed an Advanced Maneuvering Program, which he now teaches both in aircraft and in simulators.
Keystone Helicopter Corp. has been named an Organizational Designated Airworthiness Representative (ODAR) by the FAA. This allows Keystone to issue export airworthiness approvals for Class I (aircraft, engines and propellers), Class II (major components of Class I) and Class III (parts) products.
Raytheon Aircraft, Wichita, has appointed key employees to the following positions: Tom Sarama is named vice president, strategic programs; David Riemer has assumed the position of vice president, product development and engineering; Sherry Grady will replace Riemer as vice president, government business; Bob Feazell has been named director, Hawker and Horizon Certification Program; and Glenn Oka is appointed director II, product assurance.
Mountain Aviation, Inc., Broomfield, Colo., has promoted Rich Bjelkevig to president/director of operations; Gary Emmerson to vice president; and Wallace Nestingen to secretary/treasurer and director of maintenance. Mountain Aviation manages and owns a charter fleet of 10 aircraft.
