Caribbean operator Winair is near to closing the purchase of two de Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter aircraft from the Canadian government. According to the St. Maarten Herald, the Windward Islands Bank has approved a $2.6 million loan to fund the acquisition, which will enable the St. Maarten-based carrier to increase frequencies to the islands of Saba, Statia, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Barths, Anguilla and Tortola.
Less than a year after the fatal crash of one of its Learjet 35s, carrying golfer Payne Stewart, two business associates and two crewmembers, Orlando-based SunJet Aviation has been sold to new investors. The company is now known as Orlando Jet Center and has most of the same staff and services as the former SunJet. In an interview with B/CA earlier this year, SunJet President Jim Watkins said an FBI raid and other government tactics directed at his company reminded him of the incidents at Waco and Ruby Ridge.
Five staff members have been named to serve as liaison between customers and the company's sales scheduling and training services department: Deborah Blackburn for Dassault and Westwind clients, Jennifer Jennings for Raytheon, Amy Lichtenberg for Cessna, Angela Miller for Gulfstream and Johnene Vardiman for Bombardier.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) tapped American Port Services Inc. (AMPORTS) to provide ``fee based'' airport management services at Teterboro Airport starting in September. Under the terms of the five-year, $25 million contract, PANYNJ will pay AMPORTS a management fee, but will retain all airport revenues. Port Authority Chairman Lewis Eisenberg says the new arrangement will help make the airport ``a better neighbor'' and will make more money available for renovation and refurbishment of airport facilities.
Chevron is now the sole avgas and jet fuel supplier for Mercury Air Group's 18 FBOs under a new agreement the two companies signed in July. John L. Enticknap, Mercury Air Centers' chief operating officer, said the agreement gives Mercury ``a competitively priced fueling program'' with ``unified fuel standards and availability.'' The agreement also entitles Mercury to joint marketing with Chevron at trade shows and other events, plus additional airport fire protection (FAR Part 139) training for Mercury's technicians.
Are you among the millions who are turning to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in addition to more conventional medical treatments? Surveys show the use of CAM in the general population is growing geometrically, and pilots -- always interested in health -- probably are well represented among the users. CAM strategies include herbal and mega-vitamin diet supplementation, acupuncture, spinal adjustments, therapeutic touch and chelation therapy.
FlightSafety International will add a UC-35 simulator at its Daleville Training center in Alabama in early 2002. The UC-35 is the U.S. Army's version of the Cessna Citation Excel. The company's West Palm Beach, Fla.-based Sikorsky S-76C+ simulator recently received Level D certification from the FAA.
Westfield State College in Massachusetts has inaugurated a summer program aimed to help minority children pursue aviation careers. For two weeks, 50 children will be introduced to different aspects of aviation including weather, principles of flight, airport management, air transportation and local flights at the school. The summer program is supplemented during the school year, and in the third year of the program, eligible students can start ground school. Funding for the program comes from the Irene E. and George A.
New entrant manufacturer Eclipse Aviation has altered the planned performance numbers and price of the Eclipse 500 business jet, now in the design phase. The aircraft's maximum speed has been reduced from 368 KIAS to 355 KIAS, NBAA IFR range was reduced from 1,450 nm to 1,300 nm, and the twinjet's useful load is now 2,000 pounds, a 50-pound reduction.
Matthew Beirne has been promoted to vice president, new aircraft programs and Michael Walling is now vice president, technical group. Christophe Chicandard joins the leasing and financing organization as vice president for airline marketing. Chicandard is a veteran of Airbus Industrie, ATR and Aerospatiale.
After years of double-digit premium reductions, corporate aircraft insurance rates are rising and are expected to continue to increase for the foreseeable future. ``We're undergoing a market correction,'' says Larry Colton, director of general aviation underwriting at Associated Aviation Underwriters (AAU), explaining that insurance companies are trying to reverse a 50- to 60-percent rate ``erosion'' since rate-cutting began more than five years ago.
South African Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) chief Trevor Abrahams faces fraud and corruption charges related to the alleged sale of airline transport pilot license (ATPL) written examination questions and pilot certificates to the public. The action follows the confession of one SA Airlink pilot, who said he had bought his ATPL from CAA officials. Also arrested were two other CAA employees and five other pilots.
New e-business entrant AviationX has abandoned plans to become a multi-level aviation exchange, and has shifted its focus toward providing software applications for the regional airlines. The change could be indicative of a larger trend among aviation e-business ventures: the uphill battle independents face when confronted with competing systems backed by industry giants with influence over hundreds of their own suppliers.
Kolwave's Airmaster provides welcome relief to summer's high heat and humidity. With sizes ranging from 10,000 BTUH to 65,000 BTUH, the units provide instant cooling in cockpits, passenger cabins and hangars. Airmaster is self-contained, portable and economical -- more effective than closing your window shades and pulling a curtain across the entry door -- and allows operators to keep the APU turned off until flight time. Price: $4,000 to $12,000 Koldwave 260 N. Elm St. Westfield, Mass. 01085 Phone: (413) 564-5520
Atlantic Aviation expanded its charter fleet operation with the addition of a Hawker 800A based in New Hampshire. The company's flight services division in Teterboro manages and operates 22 turbine-powered aircraft, said Frank Milian, senior vice president. The aircraft is configured with six leather captain's chairs, Airshow and a MagnaStar C-200 flight phone.
AEBA, Spain's air traffic service provider, has tapped ARINC to assess air safety in the Europe/South America Corridor. The assessment is a step toward introduction of reduced vertical separation minimums (RVSM) in the area in 2002. ARINC's Ed Lutz says the assessment is designed to show the level of risk in ``changing from the current air traffic structure'' to reduced levels of lateral and vertical separation. Most air traffic between Europe and South America already is subject to RVSM requirements in European airspace.
BAE Systems Regional Aircraft in Prestwick, Scotland hopes a gross weight increase and an optional freight conversion will make its veteran ATP turboprop attractive to regional operators. The company says the 64- to 72-seat ATP fits a ``natural capacity gap'' between smaller turboprop freighters such as the Fokker F27, BAe 748 and Convair 580, and narrowbody jet freighters in the DC-9/727 class. The first cargo-configured ATPs will be ready in around 18 months.
BFGoodrich is funding a research project with Dartmouth College to create a new aircraft deicing system. Based on patented technology by Dr. Victor Petrenko, a Dartmouth engineering professor, the system utilizes electrodes to break down ice and water on aircraft surfaces, shedding accumulated ice. BFGoodrich has acquired exclusive rights to the process for all aerospace applications. The company is funding the research through its BFGoodrich Breakthrough Innovation Thrust for Excellence (BRITE) program created to develop and bring to market new technologies.
Lawrence H. Brinker joins as vice president and general counsel. Brinker formerly was vice president of administration and general counsel at AirTran Airways. Jorge L. Mont joins as vice president of marketing and sales from AAR Engine Sales and Leasing.
Operators who face ``emergency'' revocation of their pilot and/or operating certificates may have the right to appeal to the NTSB if an interim rule is written into law. The change is an offshoot of the recently passed AIR-21 legislation, which redefines some aspects of the FAA/NTSB relationship. In the past, ``revocees'' retained the right to appeal for NTSB review of their cases, but not in instances of emergency revocation. The NTSB will accept comments on the issue until August 10.
