The AOPA is claiming victory in a fight with the FAA over what constitutes a properly equipped training aircraft. Some FAA inspectors had interpreted sections of FAR Parts 91 and 61 to require all instructional and checkride aircraft to have dual controls -- including dual brakes. The problem with that interpretation, according to the AOPA, is that many aircraft -- including the Mooney M20, some Beech Barons and Piper Apaches -- don't have dual brakes. Now, the FAA has issued a flight standards bulletin stating that ``civil aircraft with a single set of brakes . . .
Southwest Jet Aviation has added a 1994 Beechjet 400A to its aircraft management program at Scottsdale, Ariz. The aircraft has a new Raytheon 2000 paint scheme and refurbished interior for six passengers. Southwest Jet Vice President Jeff Schlueter said the 400A is available for a retail rate of $1,750 per flight hour.
Edited by Paul RichfieldBy Paul Richfield, in Farnborough, England
Bombardier launched the 90-seat variant of the Canadair Regional Jet (CRJ) at the Farnborough 2000 air show, but the future of the BRJ-X 100-seat regional jet remains the subject of speculation. Driving the Canadian plane-maker's decision to build the CRJ900 is the perception that a market exists for at least 800 large regional jets over the next decade, principally in Europe.
NTSB investigators continue to examine the wreckage and interview witnesses to the August midair between a Piper Navajo and a Piper Seminole over central New Jersey. All 11 people aboard the two aircraft were killed. The Navajo, registered to California, Md.-based Tygress Air, was carrying civilian Navy employees on a scheduled shuttle flight from Lakehurst, N.J., to the Patuxent River Naval Air Station in Maryland.
Industry veteran Jim Robinson has joined engine giant Pratt&Whitney (P&W) in the newly created position of president, aftermarket services. In his new role, Robinson will head P&W's bid to provide complete, ``nose to tail'' aircraft services and thus carve out a significant chunk of the lucrative maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) market. Despite the change, P&W President Louis Chenevert said
Mercury Air Group's Maytag Division has been tapped to provide ground support services at the Youngstown Air Reserve Station in Ohio and the Willow Grove Naval Air Station in Pennsylvania.
Edited By Paul RichfieldPaul Richfield, in Farnborough, England
Farnborough International 2000 broke business and attendance records despite a move from the biennial trade show's traditional September slot to the last week in July. A total of $52 billion in new orders were announced at the show, double the figure reached at Farnborough 1998 ($26.7 billion), and more than four times the business revealed at the previous show in 1996.
While the Van Nuys battle builds, officials at nearby Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport are pursuing an FAR Part 161 study that could result in curfews on all aircraft. Citing nighttime aircraft noise as ``an overriding issue'' to area residents, authorities say the study will help build a legal case for adopting a curfew affecting all aircraft between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. Violators would be fined between $1,000 and $5,000, depending on the number of infractions. Repeat offenders also face termination of airport leases and possible prohibition from using the airport.
For two years, small groups of men and women -- rarely more than 20 or so at a time -- have made the trek to the deserted airport/factory complex at Calverton on the tip of Long Island to visit the reconstruction of TWA 800, the Boeing 747 that came to grief four years ago shortly after departing JFK for Paris.
BBA Aviation (Orlando) Bruce S. Van Allen was named as president of BBA Aviation North America, Elizabeth Haskins was promoted to CEO and president of Signature Flight Support, T. Peter Whitehead was promoted to chief executive for Europe, Mick Daw was named managing director and chief executive of Oxford Aviation and Roberto Quarta was named chief executive of BBA Group Plc.
In an effort to raise funds for ERJ 170/190 development, Embraer began trading on the New York Stock Exchange this summer. The Brazilian manufacturer sold almost 19 million American Depositary Shares (ADRs) -- each of which represents four preferred shares of non-voting stock. The stock price soared in mid-August after the company posted a 35-percent increase in net income and a 65-percent increase in aircraft deliveries for the second quarter. Embraer shares trade under the ticker symbol ``ERJ.''
Executive Jet Management (Cincinnati) -- Pete Pedicino has joined as vice president of business development for the West Coast, Roger Banaszak has accepted the new position of vice president of business development, Ginnell Schiller has joined as itsvice president of marketing and Walter Ernst was named senior vice president of operations.
Northern Executive Aviation (NEA) was appointed a Learjet Service Center with JAR 145 approval on the Learjet 31A, 35A, 45 and 60. Located in Manchester, England, NEA operates three Learjet 35s, a Falcon 900 and a Challenger 604 on charter and management contract. NEA also is an authorized Bendix/King and Garmin repair facility.
President Clinton has named attorney and former White House aide Francisco J. Sanchez as the assistant secretary for aviation and international affairs at the DOT. Until recently a special assistant to the president, Sanchez will be responsible for advising Transportation Secretary Rodney Slater on aviation and international transportation. His appointment is awaiting U.S. Senate hearings and approval. The DOT says it is ``greatly hindered in fulfilling its mission'' without an assistant secretary.
Greeley-Weld County Airport (GXY) in Greeley, Colo., opened its new 10,000-foot runway in August. The first aircraft to land on the runway was scheduled to be a Conagra Learjet 35 carrying local dignitaries. Runway 16/34 joins a recently opened 6,000-square-foot general aviation terminal as part of the airport's expansion plan.
GKN of the United Kingdom and Italy's Finmeccanica have merged their respective rotorcraft businesses after more than two years of talks, creating the world's largest helicopter manufacturer. Named AgustaWestland, the combined company has an interest in nearly every major European helicopter program -- including the EH101, NH90 and WAH-64 -- and an order backlog worth more than $8 billion.
Air Service of Macedonia plans to launch this summer with four leased BAE Systems Jetstream 32EPs. Based in the Macedonian capital of Skopje, the start-up carrier hopes to provide service throughout the Balkans, and regards NATO, the United Nations and other international groups as potential customers. Air Service also has signed up for MACRO, BAE's fixed-cost maintenance program.
SimCom International and Pan Am International Flight Academy (PAIFA) have broken ground on a 50,000-square-foot training center at Orlando International Airport. Slated to open in second quarter 2001, the training center will have simulators for Learjet 35/36, Citation II, Hawker 800, Falcon 20 and Beechjet 400 aircraft. Tracy Brannon, SimCom's managing director, said market demand will determine future simulator acquisitions. Privately held PAIFA bought SimCom earlier this year.
Bombardier (Toronto) James A. Dailly is named vice president of contracts, Walter Galloway is now vice president of sales for Asia/Pacific, Cameron Mountenay becomes vice president of business development and David Penhorwood is vice president of international development.
