Market demand for business jet and propjet aircraft in the first quarter was better than a year earlier in spite of a wobbly stock market and increased jobless claims in the United States.
Microvision's Nomad maintenance data display introduces the idea of augmented vision, using a proprietary technology called retinal scanning display (RSD). The RSD approach scans a beam of light directly onto the back of the user's retina in a raster pattern, thereby painting an image that is seen as a virtual image superimposed on his or her normal field of vision. Similar to a head-up display, the RSD system puts the information directly in front of the user's eye.
The NTSB says a series of pilot and controller errors may have led to an October 2000 midair involving a Raytheon King Air C90 and a Gulfstream III on final approach to Van Nuys Airport in California. The coincidental errors caused air traffic controllers to lose basic aircraft and altitude radar information on the King Air, which led to the smaller aircraft being struck by the Gulfstream's bottom left flap. While the collision caused substantial damage to the King Air, both aircraft landed safely without any injuries to those on board.
A surprising family rift was the topic of much discussion at this year's Regional Airline Association (RAA) convention, held April 29-May 3 in Tampa, Fla. More than 250 airline representatives attended the three-day event, but conspicuously absent was Mesa Airlines CEO Jonathan Ornstein. He canceled Mesa's RAA membership in April, alleging that the group's lobbying efforts were tilted toward the largest regionals and their major airline partners.
Several recent high-profile accidents involving business turbine aircraft have cast a shadow on the safety of modern business/executive transport operations. This month we shine some light on the subject with an overview of the safety results for 2000 and the first quarter of this year. The news is good -- much better than the talking heads of the 24-hour cable news outlets would suggest.
FAR Part 25 governs the certification of transport category aircraft. Within this regulation is specific guidance as to the design of thrust reverser systems.
Despite suggestions that a continued strike could lead to Comair folding, pilots in mid-May overwhelmingly defeated a proposed contract settlement. The National Mediation Board crafted the agreement, which was sent to the membership with Comair's approval but without the endorsement of ALPA leadership. The contract was defeated by a margin of 1,042 to 99. A war of words between the airline and its pilots continues, with Comair posting the entire 160-page contract proposal on its Web site along with an ``explanatory'' Facts of Feeder Airline Pay page.
Here are some guidelines from the VanAllen Group's Pete Agur to ensure that your charter providers meet your expectations. Select the crews to be people that you qualify. Within any operation there will be variety of people available. Choose the best, based on experience, qualifications, etc. If the charter provider wants to substitute crew members, you need to approve the substitution.
Q My FMS is certified to fly RNAV (GPS) approaches. Some holding patterns are in the FMS database and some aren't. What's the story? -- Citation X captain A Holding patterns associated with Instrument Approach Procedures are stored in the FMS database. These are either course-reversal holds or missed approach holding patterns. Other published holding patterns, such as those depicted on STARs and en route charts are not found in the database. Database Holds
Explosion Suppression Foam has been successfully used in military aircraft and is now being offered by Crest Industries for corporate aircraft. The SafeCrest reticulated polyure-thane foam is designed to suppress explosions and surges, and mitigates noise. The foam insert exhibits anti-static characteristics down to -25F, which prevents catastrophic explosions due to ignited vapor, electrical arcing and lightning strikes. SafeCrest contains no moving parts, making it maintenance free.
Despite a strong business jet performance, U.S. general aviation manufacturers reported the first decline in first quarter aircraft deliveries since 1993. According to GAMA, manufacturers delivered 568 general aviation aircraft in the first quarter, down from first quarter 2000 deliveries of 613. Piston-aircraft deliveries dropped 13.3 percent over the same period in 2000 and turboprop deliveries dipped 2.6 percent. Meanwhile, business jet deliveries jumped 7.4 percent, from 136 to 146 aircraft.
Close to the ground, we again get a rough ride when we tangle with mechanical turbulence, the effects of nearby thunderstorms and other convective elements. Low-Level Wind-Shear Alerting Systems (LLWAS) using Doppler sensing technology are currently installed at many major airports, and the data are readily available in the form or ASOS/AWOS, ATIS and direct ATC communications.
Defense giant General Dynamics is returning to business aviation with a vengeance, adding Galaxy Aerospace to its burgeoning aeronautical family of companies. The addition of the Galaxy and Astra SPX jets to its product line places Gulfstream on a more equal footing with Canadian rival Bombardier, which offers an extensive family of business jets. France's Dassault now is the only business jet manufacturer without a small jet to offer customers.
Hamilton Standard and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) have approved a new contract that over its three-year life will increase the average hourly employee wage by 10 percent to $23. The new agreement affects approximately 1,300 hourly employees at the company's facility in Windsor Locks, Conn.
The mercury's rising, summer's promise is becoming a reality and you're looking forward to some relaxed flying in the lazy, hazy months. In anticipation of summer, flight crews brush up on an assortment of operating concerns, but often ignored is how the human body performs in our thermal environment. High ambient temperatures and other performance factors affect it in much the same manner as an aircraft.
Seventy-six percent of all business aircraft are equipped with telephones. Source: NBAA Brazil is home to 673 turbine-powered business aircraft, South Africa has 251 and Russia has nine. Source: AvData Wichita Operating a Dassault Falcon 900 into Nice, France, involves arrival and departure fees of $250 to $400, depending upon weather and ATC services required, and a parking fee of $110 per day. Fuel costs $2.20 per gallon. Source: Universal Weather&Aviation
The increase in air travel is being touted as one of the major factors driving up jet fuel prices, according to a report issued by the federal Energy Information Administration (EIA) and further verified by the American Petroleum Institute (API). ``Rising demands from air travel and tight supplies are expected to keep prices high,'' said an EIA spokesperson. She noted that U.S. crude oil and gasoline inventories are below normal levels and are expected to remain low into the fall.
Mesaba Airlines is the latest regional carrier to tap Pan Am International Flight Academy for flight training services. Under the terms of the exclusive, 10-year deal, the two will open a new center in Minneapolis for pilot training on the carrier's fleet of Saab 340 and Avro RJ85 aircraft. The facility will house Level D simulators, flight training devices and computer-based training programs and will be designed by Mesaba's flight operations, inflight services and training departments.
Elite Solutions' SafetyCell enables you to connect your cell phone to any standard headset to hear cell phone conversations and radio transmissions at the same time. Incoming and outgoing phone calls are heard and answered through the pilot's headset. When a pilot wants to make a call, he or she dials normally, but talks through the headset. Designed for easy installation and portability, the SafetyCell is an add on to the headset and weighs less than eight ounces.
Flight Services Group, which recently merged with Switzerland's PrivatAir, says it is in the final stages of qualifying for an FAR Part 121 operating certificate. Stratford, Conn.-based FSG says the certificate will enable it to operate charters from the United States with the company's three Boeing BBJs, 737-300 and 757. The aircraft charter and management outfit also plans to offer corporate shuttle service between the United States and the United Kingdom aboard the 46-seat 757.
Relatives of a patient killed in an air ambulance crash along with the injured flight nurse have filed suits against Turbomeca alleging the engine maker deliberately understated its insurance coverage during the first round of lawsuits resulting from the 1993 accident. The controversy centers around the crash of a helicopter transporting an auto accident victim to St. Luke's Hospital in Kansas City, Mo. Pilot James Barnett Jr. was killed in the crash, along with Sherry Letz, the injured motorist.
You know it already but too much sun increases the risk of skin cancer. The ultraviolet (UV) rays in sunlight are responsible for damaging your skin and eyes. At altitude there is less atmosphere to screen the UV rays and consequently pilots need to take extra precautions. The amount of skin damage is also dependent on your skin's pigmentation and tanning level. Individuals with fair skin need to exercise more caution. Be aware that certain drugs like tetracycline and Retin-A can make you more susceptible to damage from sun exposure.
Boeing has selected Chicago as the site of its new corporate headquarters. As many as 500 employees will be based in the Windy City, which won out over rival bids from Denver and the Dallas-Fort Worth area. There is no word, however, on where the manufacturer's corporate fleet will be based. Boeing operates a Boeing Business Jet and three Bombardier Challengers. Nearby Meigs Airport, slated to be closed in 2002 by Chicago Mayor Richard Daley cannot accommodate the aircraft and has been ruled out.
