Cessna Aircraft delivered the first Citation Excel business jet Thursday to a long-time customer, Swift Air of Phoenix, Ariz., one of more than 200 Excels ordered since the program was introduced at the 1994 NBAA convention (BA, Oct. 10, 1994/185).
BRENDON DOCHERTY was named director of worldwide sales for AVSCAT. Docherty most recently was manager of avionics sales for Garrett Aviation Services. Before that, he was director of sales and marketing and director of flight operations for Flight Visions.
SPECIALIZED TRANSPORT INTERNATIONAL completed an extensive restoration of a Bell 212 twin-engine helicopter for the Jamaica Defense Force. STI repaired, replaced or overhauled the helicopter's airframe, engines and rotable components. It replaced all wiring harness and avionics and modified the cockpit to make it compatible for night vision goggles and FLIR system installation. In addition, STI replaced all windows, windshields, tail and main rotor assemblies and skids on the helicopter, which had not flown for almost eight years.
CESSNA AIRCRAFT has taken a number of steps at its Independence, Kan. light aircraft assembly plant to improve training and inspection procedures in the wake of an airworthiness directive on control system problems with the new Model 172R.See article below.
A NARROW PROVISION in the House FAA reauthorization bill to allow certain airports to bar Part 380 charter operations has not drawn strong opposition, but the precedent it sets continues to raise concerns. Colorado Republican Joel Hefley tailored the provision to appease residents around Denver's Centennial Airport who want to prevent a Part 380 public charter from operating there (BA, June 29/284). Close followers of the situation note that the measure should not have wide-ranging ramifications because the airports and operators covered are limited.
EUROCOPTER FRANCE Model SA.315B helicopters (Docket No. 98-SW-02-AD; Amdt. 39-10575; AD 98-12-21) - requires initial and repetitive visual inspections of the horizontal stabilizer spar tube and modification, if necessary. This amendment is prompted by an in-service report of fatigue cracks that initiated from corrosion pits. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent fatigue failure of the spar tube, which could cause the horizontal stabilizer to separate and hit the main or tail rotor.
TITAN CORP. and PointCast Inc., which formed a partnership to build an intranet system for FAA's Air Traffic Service (ATS), said Phase One of the system is nearing completion. The Executive Information System will deliver a variety of time-sensitive data and information to agency executives through their desk-top computers.
SINO SWEARINGEN DEUTSCHLAND, the authorized Sino Swearingen distributor for Germany and The Netherlands, facilitated the sale of an SJ30-2 business jet to USA Global Link Deutschland GmbH. The aircraft is slated for delivery in the first quarter of 2000.
FOKKER Model F27 Mark 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600 and 700 series airplanes (Docket No. 98-NM-98-AD; Amdt. 39-10588; AD 98-12-35) - requires replacement of the main landing gear actuating ram bobbins and O-ring seals with new bobbins and improved O-ring seals. This amendment is prompted by issuance of mandatory continuing airworthiness information by a foreign civil airworthiness authority.
WINGLETS on the Boeing Business Jet are expected to improve the range of the BBJ in the neighborhood of five to seven percent, according to Aviation Partners, which is working with Boeing on the winglet project. Boeing officials said earlier that initial results of preliminary tests using a Boeing 737-800 indicated the winglets would improve the range of the BBJ by approximately four percent (BA, June 15/259).
GALAXY AEROSPACE contracted with Jana Inc. to develop an advanced CD-ROM- based maintenance manual for Astra aircraft. The new system, to be completed by the second quarter of 1999, will include a maintenance manual, illustrated parts catalog and wiring diagram manual.
K-C AVIATION delivered a Canadair Challenger aircraft equipped with AIRSHOW TV, a live television system transmitted via direct broadcast satellite. The installation included a special radome created by Montreal-based Siddhis for the Challenger. The radome, designed for Challenger 600, 601 and 604 aircraft, accommodates both television and SATCOM antennas.
FLIGHTSAFETY INTERNATIONAL received FAA Level C certification for a Learjet 55 flight simulator at its West Palm Beach, Fla. learning center and for a CitationJet simulator at its San Antonio, Texas facility. In addition to Learjet 55 training, the West Palm Beach center provides Learjet 35/36 training for pilots in the Southeast as well as in Latin America. With the latest certification, the San Antonio center is equipped with three Citation series full flight simulators, supporting operators in the Southwest, Mexico and Latin America.
ATR, the French-Italian regional aircraft consortium, won an order from the Corporation de la Aviation Cubana S.A. (CACSA) for four ATR 42-300 aircraft. The aircraft will be delivered to Aerocaribbean and Aerogaviota Airlines this year.
NATIONAL AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS ASSOCIATION members contributed an "astounding average" of $31.48 per member to political campaigns between 1995 and 1996 election cycles, the union said. That compares with the Teamsters' average of $1.86, United Transport Union's $9.60, Air Line Pilots Association's $17.96 and the average flight attendant's $4.76.
THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY is inviting papers, workshops or posters for the Tenth Annual Symposium on Aviation Psychology. The symposium, scheduled May 2-6, 1999 at the Hyatt Regency in Columbus, Ohio, is co-sponsored by the OSU Aviation Program, the Association of Aviation Psychologists and The International Journal of Aviation Psychology. One-page, 300-word abstracts should be sent by Aug. 30 to Richard Jensen, OSU Aviation, Room 300, Aviation Building, 164 W. 19th Ave., Columbus, Ohio 43210-1110 or e-mail to [email protected].
The Internal Revenue Service last week issued temporary regulations that provide a reprieve for Jet A fuel from a 24.4-cent highway tax on kerosene (BA, June 29/283). The notice, published in the July 1 Federal Register, allows the sale of Jet A fuel free from the tax if the purchaser - including fixed-base operators, wholesalers and airlines - certifies that the fuel will be used for aviation purposes. The IRS last week also issued a proposal to make the temporary regulations permanent.
WAYFARER AVIATION is adding a Model 55 Learjet based at Farmingdale, N.Y. to its charter fleet. The aircraft is expected to be available for charter July 15.
RUNWAY 01L at Dulles International Airport was out of service for nearly five hours Tuesday after a Model 60 Learjet, N216FX, went off the right side of the runway after the aircraft was observed to have a "hot brake" while preparing for departure. Emergency crews extinguished a small fire in the landing gear and damage to the aircraft was described as minor. An FAA spokesman said the disruption of airport operations was minimal.
CESSNA AIRCRAFT received Transport Canada type certification for the Citation X and delivered the first of the high-speed business jets to a Canadian customer. Innotech-Execaire, the exclusive authorized sales and service representative for the Cessna Citation in Canada, is working with Cessna to provide approved service for the Citation X at its facilities in Toronto. The facility will supplement Innotech-Execaire's Citation Service Centers in Montreal and Vancouver.
FAA and the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) settled a long-standing dispute involving several labor-related issues and agreed on a new labor agreement. In announcing the pact, which still must be approved by NATCA members, DOT Secretary Rodney Slater said the new agreement is designed to make the ATC system more of a "performance- based organization," part of the mantra designed to buttress the Clinton Administration's proposals for new aviation user fees (BA, Feb. 9/57).
FLIGHTSAFETY BOEING TRAINING INTERNATIONAL named T. Wakelee (Wake) Smith president of the Seattle-based joint venture company. Smith, who had consulted with FlightSafety on the formation of FlightSafety Boeing while he was a vice president of the Simat, Helliesen&Eichner consulting firm, joined the new training enterprise in April. As president he succeeds David Smukowski, who is returning to Boeing.
SOUTH FLORIDA WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT requests proposals until 2:30 p.m. July 17 for aircraft maintenance services and an office/hangar lease, for three years, at Palm Beach International Airport. The district may separate the services into various components and award more than one contract. To obtain a copy of RFP C-9363, call (561) 687-6391 or (800) 472-5290.
DAVID RAMSAY was named vice president of human resources for Rolls-Royce North America. Ramsay has 30 years of human resources experience, most recently serving as vice president, human resources for Rohr.
European Union competition authorities approved Snecma's takeover of Messier Dowty and its acquisition of the landing gear overhaul business of Messier Dowty's owner, Britain's IT Group. The EU said the French state- owned engine company's purchase of Messier, authorized June 19, poses no threat to competitive conditions in Europe's landing gear industry since airlines have significant buying power in the sector. Messier Dowty has a 35 percent share of the world market for landing gear.
