Honeywell plans to redouble its commitment to general aviation around the Bendix/King brand, which it says will become a ``product and services machine.'' New products include the traffic information service, or TIS, which depicts uplinked traffic data on an airborne MFD; the integrated hazard avoidance system (IHAS), which will display weather, terrain, traffic, position and other flight information; and ``Wingman'' -- a new subscription service that will provide GA pilots with a comprehensive weather and communications package.
Elliott Aviation (Moline, Ill.) -- Jay Anderson joins as the company's Minneapolis service manager. Terje J. Peterson is now flight department manager in Moline.
The FAA is teaming up with the American Society for Quality to conduct the Conference on Quality in Commercial Aviation. The conference is scheduled for March 25 to 28, 2001 in Dallas. More information is available from Helen Schneider at (254) 776-3550.
NTSB Air Safety Investigator Bob Hancock is working on two unusual business aircraft accidents -- one involves a King Air pilot who attempted to fly an out-of-service approach procedure, and the other an experienced Baron pilot who seems to have been overwhelmed by the complexities of a New York Metroplex arrival. Both deserve your contemplation in that each represents situations that all business pilots face from time to time. Clearance for a Non-Approach
SunJet President James Watkins says that although he was ``quite surprised'' by the day-long FBI raid, he added ``when you have things like Waco and Ruby Ridge, why should this surprise us? At least they didn't set fire to us or shoot anybody.'' Watkins adamantly denies any criminal wrongdoing or cover-up in the Learjet 35 crash and investigation, and brands any suggestion to the contrary ``the most ridiculous assumption in the world.'' According to Watkins, FBI agents ``rounded-up'' SunJet employees and prevented them from making or receiving calls.
Beginning June 1, Cessna Service Centers in the United States will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Cessna also has instituted an ``EJA Weekend Shift'' program for Citation 560 Ultra service at its San Antonio and Orlando centers using dedicated maintenance personnel. Both initiatives will help ensure that Citation operators have access to factory service when and where needed.
Jet Aviation (West Palm Beach, Fla.) -- Business aviation veteran Bruce McNeely joins as vice president and general manager of the operator's U.S. aircraft management division. McNeely replaces Jerry Keating, who has been named vice president of operations and special projects with responsibility for Jet Aviation's West Coast operations.
Flight Options, the Cleveland-based fractional operator, says all 35 Raytheon Beechjets and Cessna Citation IIs in its fleet have gone paperless and it will convert all remaining aircraft in its fleet by the end of the summer. Using Jeppesen's JeppView Electronic Flight Guides, the new system incorporates electronic airway manuals, flight planning software, terminal charts and checklists in a pen-based computer system. The operator says that JeppView will save the time and baggage space previously required for maintaining updated paper charts and manuals.
The FAA will require all U.S.-registered turbine aircraft with six passenger seats or more to be equipped with an upgraded Terrain Awareness and Warning System (TAWS) within five years. The controversial ruling affects more than 15,000 aircraft operating under FAR Parts 91, 135 and 121, at a cumulative cost to operators that is expected to climb well into the hundreds of millions of dollars.
The results are in. Air Security International (ASI) has identified 10 of what it calls ``the most dangerous locations for foreign travelers and businessmen throughout the year.'' Houston-based ASI excluded those locations where the primary threat is from medium- to high-intensity armed conflicts. In alphabetical order, the 10 most-dangerous places for 1999 were:
Edited by Paul RichfieldBy David Esler, in New Orleans International Operators Face Challenges
Lack of consistency in local regulations -- especially among European nations -- and changing technology requirements top the list of concerns among business aircraft users engaged in international operations. Issues faced by international operators run the gamut from Byzantine customs, overflight and visitation rules to significant financial expenditures for avionics upgrades and approvals mandated by airspace restructuring.
After three months of unsuccessful contract negotiations, the Canadian Federal Mediation and Conciliation Services has approved Bearskin Airlines pilots' request for mediation. ``We believe that a neutral third party can be a catalyst for our negotiations,'' said Dan Parnham, head of the Air Line Pilots Association, International's Bearskin unit. The pilots claim they requested mediation to ensure that an agreement is reached before the peak summer season. Bearskin operates a mixed fleet including Fairchild Metroliners, Beech 99s, King Airs and Pilatus PC-12s.
The FAA issued an advisory circular suggesting standards and procedures for the acquisition, use and storage of flares intended for use in aircraft emergencies. The advisory circular was issued because many operators had been using devices such as ``railroad or highway'' flares in aircraft, the agency said. FAR Parts 91, 121, 125 and 135 require the carriage of at least one flare for each life raft during extended overwater flights. Only U.S. Coast Guard approval number 160 series flares are authorized for use. For more information regarding flares, consult the U.S.
Airsys ATM will produce as many as 105 Category I ILS systems for the FAA under the terms of a new $22 million contract. The first five systems are scheduled for installation at McCarren International (LAS) and North Las Vegas (VGT) in Nevada; Zanesville (ZZV), Ohio; Stennis International (HSA) in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi; and Burlington Alamance (BUY) in North Carolina. The new systems will be the first ILSes at all but McCarren. The FAA will purchase up to 15 systems in the first year and as many as 45 in each of two option years.
Photograph: Eurocopter EC 120 Colibri Paul Brou Helicopters Manufacturers continue to hold the line on price and add new utility, offering operators a better value proposition; but operating challenges remain. The helicopter market continues to face significant challenges like erosion of infrastructure and limitations on access due to noise. At the same time, however, the industry continues to display remarkable resilience and tenacity.
Manufacturer, Model and Type Designation In some cases, the airplane manufacturer's name is abbreviated, but the company's full name and address can be found in the ``Airframe Suppliers Directory'' in the Handbook. The model name and the type designation also are included in this group. B/CA Equipped Price
Aircraft emissions represent a growing threat to the environment and are a major source of ``greenhouse gases'' that produce global warming, according to a recent report from the U.S. General Accounting Office (GAO). While the emission issue is the subject of much talk in Europe -- as evidenced by the ongoing debate over the importation of aging aircraft -- the GAO's interest could be a harbinger of fresh U.S. emphasis that could lead to new standards and restrictions.
Protec has launched a new Web site with information about protecting mothballed aircraft from corrosion. The new site can be viewed at www.protec-inc.com.
The European Business Aviation Association in 2001 will host its annual convention in association with the NBAA. The new show, dubbed European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition, or EBACE, is slated for April 18-20, 2001, in Geneva, Switzerland. The show includes an expanded exhibit area, an aircraft static display and a conference program. The EBAA's sixth annual convention was held in April outside Brussels, Belgium. (See story on page 34.)
Edited by Paul RichfieldBy David Esler, in New Orleans Customs Check
Customs may not be the most glamorous or interesting aspect of international operations, but it behooves flight crews to be conversant with customs regulations not only of the countries to which they're flying but those of the United States, as well. Your handling service, if you use one, or the embassies or consulates of the countries you fly to can provide guidelines on local customs and immigration regulations. For U.S. Customs policy, you'll want to consult two publications available to corporate and general aviation operators:
Photograph: BAE Systems' Avro RJ 85 soon may give way to the derivative RJX, launched in March. BAE Systems Regional Airliners Turboprops fight for survival as the regional jet onslaught grows. Political, economic and operational issues associated with regional jet proliferation are expected to dominate regional airline thinking over the coming year, as use of the type gathers momentum around the world. The evidence is plain -- just watch the action at any hub airport.
