RON SILVERMAN joined TAG Aviation USA, Inc. as director of client services. Silverman previously was president of International Aircraft Management, a corporate flight department based in Teterboro, N.J. He also has served with East Coast Airways, National Air Fleet Corp. and Summit Aviation Corp. In his new position, he will be responsible for eastern regional management clients and support marketing and sales efforts across the U.S.
THAT VIEW was reinforced by Bombardier President Robert Brown in response to a question about whether Delta will pay the same price for an RJ whether it is equipped with 40, 44 or 50 seats. "We have made some accommodation as it relates to each of the aircraft in a way that can be competitive in the segment that they're in," he said, but added that "it's not just straight dollars and cents...our aircraft offers a great deal of flexibility and there are huge commonality benefits as well that relate to having 40-, 44-, 50- and 70-seat aircraft in the fleet.
Claiming the "largest order ever in the regional aircraft industry," Bombardier Aerospace President Michael Graff said Wednesday the Canadian manufacturer reached an agreement with Delta Air Lines and two of its regional feeder carriers to supply up to 500 regional jet transports over 10 years. The agreement includes firm orders for 94 aircraft and options for another 406.
WOMEN IN AVIATION INTERNATIONAL'S 11th Annual Meeting and Convention last month in Memphis, Tenn. drew more than 3,000 attendees, a 20 percent increase from the 1999 convention in Orlando. The association's membership now exceeds 5,000. Women In Aviation will hold its next convention March 22-24, 2001, in Reno, Nev.
The Federal Aviation Administration issued two recent airworthiness directives affecting ALF 502 and LF 507 turbofan engines that could cost some BAe 146 and Avro RJ operators more than $125,000 per aircraft.
All U.S. turbine aircraft with six or more passenger seats must be equipped with an upgraded ground proximity warning system within five years, the Federal Aviation Administration dictated last week in a controversial rule that more than one industry official characterized as "probably the worst document of logic I've ever seen." The rule, proposed in August 1998 and published in Wednesday's Federal Register, is expected to cover at least 15,000 aircraft currently operated under Parts 135 and 91 at a cost of hundreds of millions.
An investment group purchased the assets of Executive Aircraft Corp. of Wichita and Newton, Kan. and plans to retain the existing work force and maintain current operations.
Innotech-Execaire was appointed an authorized service provider at its 200,000-square-foot service facility in Montreal for Bombardier's Global Express business jet. The agreement authorizes Innotech-Execaire to repair, maintain and support the aircraft and its systems. The approval also covers manufacturer warranty work and its Smart Parts program. Bombardier additionally extended its agreement for Innotech-Execaire to serve as an authorized service facility for Challenger aircraft. Innotech-Execaire has serviced Challenger and Learjet aircraft since the 1980s.
MERCURY AIR CENTER named Jeffrey Smith eastern regional director and Tina Muse as manager of sales and marketing. Smith will oversee management of Mercury's fixed-base operations at Peachtree-Dekalb and Hartsfield in Atlanta, Ga.; Bedford, Mass.; Jackson, Miss.; Tulsa, Okla.; Charleston and John's Island, S.C.; Nashville, Tenn.; and Corpus Christi and Dallas Addison, Texas. He will continue to serve as general manager of the Addison FBO, a position he has held since 1998. He also has served with Cutter Aviation, Jimsair Aviation and Signature Flight Support.
A NUMBER OF AVIATION GROUPS have written to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates the Teterboro, N.J. Airport (TEB), to express concern about a 100,000-pound gross weight limitation on aircraft using TEB. They point out that such a limitation would preclude operations of the Boeing Business Jet and Airbus A319C at the airport.
SENATE EFFORT to repeal the 4.3-cents-per-gallon fuel tax is causing increasing concern by aviation industry leaders, who fear that it could undermine the funding formulas in comprehensive aviation reauthorization legislation, AIR-21, that awaits President Clinton's signature. Henry Ogrodzinski, president of the National Association of State Aviation Officials, said the proposal would "cripple" this year's Airport Improvement Program and could "devastate" AIR-21.
THOMSON-CSF AVIONICS is the official name of the combined customer support business of Auxilec Inc. of Edison, N.J., and Thomson-CSF Sextant, Inc. of Miami, Fla. The newly named Thomson-CSF Avionics falls under the umbrella of the Business Group Avionics System (BGAV) unit of French defense giant Thomson-CSF. BGAV has 7,455 employees and sales of nearly $1.1 billion. The two companies began to integrate operations late last year and should complete the process by mid-2000. The new organization will be headquartered in two locations.
A NEW YORK CONGRESSMAN would ban supersonic aircraft that do not meet Stage 3 noise standards, including the Concorde. Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.) introduced a bill (H.R.4092) that would direct the Secretary of Transportation to prohibit the commercial operation of supersonic transport category aircraft that do not comply with Stage 3 noise levels. Complaining about the "excrutiatingly loud takeoffs and landings" that have "plagued the people of New York" for too long, Weiner said, "British Airways and Air France cannot continue to torment New Yorkers."
150, 152, 172, 177, 180, 182, 185, 188, 206, 207, 210, and 337 series airplanes (Docket No. 97-CE-114-AD; Amdt. 39-11641; AD 2000-06-01) - requires measuring the visible length of standpipe (tube) in the top assembly of the fuel strainer assembly for the correct length, and replacing any fuel strainer assembly that does not have the correct length of standpipe. This AD is the result of reports that the fuel strainer assemblies on the affected airplanes were manufactured with the fuel standpipes incorrectly installed in the assembly housing top.
PROPOSED FEDERAL REGULATIONS can sometimes languish for months during review by the White House Office of Management and Budget, but that wasn't the case with proposed rules restricting air tour flights over Grand Canyon National Park. OMB received the rules March 15, reviewed them and released them within nine days - near record time for such a rulemaking.
Model F27 Mark 050, 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, and 700 series airplanes; and Model F28 Mark 0070, 0100, 1000, 2000, 3000, and 4000 series airplanes (Docket No. 2000-NM-06-AD) - proposes to require a one-time functional test to verify correct installation of the shoulder harnesses of the pilot's and co-pilot's seats and, if necessary, replacement of the shoulder harness assembly. This proposal is prompted by issuance of mandatory continuing airworthiness information by a foreign civil airworthiness authority.
JAMES HERBERT was promoted to director of customer service for Wood Group Turbopower. Herbert is responsible for the PT6 customer service department. He also works with the national and international PT6 sales force. Herbert joined Wood Group Turbopower in 1998 after spending five years with UNC Airwork.
AVFUEL CORPORATION added the International Corporate and Cargo Services (ICCS) chain of fixed-base operations to its network of branded fuel suppliers. Founded in 1994, ICCS provides full-service ground handling services for air charter, executive, cargo and air ambulance aircraft in Mexico, Central America, South America and the Caribbean. Headquartered in Mexico City, ICCS also has bases in Cuernavaca, Chihuahua, Morelia and Monterrey. The agreement opens the Mexican and Latin American markets for Avfuel.
ALTHOUGH FAA last August shelved its proposal governing certification of aircraft mechanics, the agency still hopes to develop an acceptable regulation. FAA officials have indicated that they hope to have another draft of the new Part 66 regulation ready by October.
AEROSPACE PRODUCTS INTERNATIONAL was appointed a distributor for Marathon Power Technologies Company. API will sell Marathon's complete line of battery products, including its vented nickel-cadmium batteries, worldwide. Marathon's Micro Maintenance Battery (M3) has received parts manufacturing approval for installation in the Beech King Air and 1900, Cessna Citation, Embraer EMB 135/145 and Saab 340.
AIRBUS INDUSTRIE received an order from Mouawad National Company, a jewelry and retail conglomerate based in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, for an Airbus Corporate Jetliner (ACJ). Airbus will deliver the aircraft, the long-range corporate variant of the A319, to Mouawad in August. Airbus has delivered three ACJs to date and will deliver a total of six this year.
Models SA226-T, SA226-AT, SA226-T(B), SA226-TC, SA227-AT, SA-227-TT, and SA-227-AC airplanes (Docket No. 99-CE-62-AD) - proposes to supersede AD 92-01-02, which requires modification of the parking brake system and repetitive inspection of certain landing gear brake assemblies. That AD resulted from wheel brake system malfunctions on several of the affected airplanes on which regular brake system maintenance had been performed.
KEITH MARKANO was named airport operations assistant for Waukesha County, Wis. Airport. Markano will help oversee day-to-day operations at the airport and ensure compliance with federal regulations and guidelines. He formerly served as airport operations supervisor at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey.
Federal Aviation Administration Tuesday will publish two rulemakings further restricting air tour operations over Grand Canyon National Park, President Clinton and Transportation Secretary Rodney Slater jointly announced last week. "There may be no place on Earth more stunning than the Grand Canyon," Clinton said in a prepared statement.
TITANIUM METALS CORP. sued Boeing Company for more than $600 million in damages for what it said was the breach of a long-term contract to buy titanium from TIMET. "We would strongly have preferred not to file this lawsuit," said Landis Martin, president and chief executive of TIMET. "It is a last resort - we have made every attempt to work with Boeing to resolve our problems," TIMET said. The company said Boeing decided in 1997 to pick one prime titanium supplier through a competitive bid process.
