Consolidation is reducing the number of major fractional ownership providers for corporate aircraft to four from five players. Raytheon Co.'s (RAC) Raytheon Travel Air, headquartered in Wichita, Kan., will merge with Cleveland-based Flight Options Inc. The transaction is expected to be finalized by Apr. 1.
Incoming Administrator Sean O'Keefe has won some early backup from the independent NASA Advisory Council on his approach to dealing with the International Space Station partners. Endorsing the recommendations of its task force on the station program's costs and management, the council urged NASA to ``seek clarification'' from the State Dept. on what to tell the partners.
Karl Savatiel has been appointed president/CEO of SkyBridge Inc., Bethesda, Md. He succeeds Pascale Sourisse, who will remain chairman of SkyBridge and chief operating officer of Alcatel Space. Savatiel was vice president-strategy and development for Lockheed Martin Global Telecommunications.
The Senate Finance Committee has completed consideration of a bill to restore presidential ``fast-track'' trade promotion authority, cleared in the House in early November by the narrowest of margins--a single vote. But owing to the holidays and the last-minute press of other legislative business, Senate floor consideration will have to wait until the second session of the 107th Congress convenes, slated for Jan. 23.
Kathy Misunas has been appointed to the board of directors of Travelocity.com Inc. of Fort Worth. She is a former CEO of the Reed Travel Group and Sabre Group. She succeeds Michael Buckman.
Beginning in January, Aviall will provide worldwide service for the Rolls-Royce T56/501-D series turboprop. The 10-year contract makes Dallas, Tex.-based Aviall responsible for all aftermarket sales of spare parts. The engine powers Lockheed C-130, P-3, Grumman E-2C and C2 aircraft. More than 8,000 T56 engines are in service.
In early 2002, NASA plans to lay the foundation for privatizing the space shuttle by 2004-06, a complex management, cost and safety challenge for the agency and its contractors.
Patricia Arnold has been appointed vice president-education of The Space Foundation of Colorado Springs. She was dean of the School for the Arts and Sciences at the University of Southern Colorado in Pueblo.
Santa Claus won't be delivering at least one item on the Air Transport Assn. wish list, if Rep. James L. Oberstar (D-Minn.) has anything to do with it. In a bid to play the Grinch, he circulated a press release Dec. 16 accusing the airline lobbying group of getting its toadies on the Hill to try to bury language in an appropriations bill to extend by a month the Jan. 18 deadline for carriers to begin screening all checked bags.
Lowell J. Hill has been appointed vice president-human resources of the Kaman Corp., Bloomfield, Conn. He held the same position at Mueller Industries, Memphis, Tenn.
Michael R. Williams has become senior vice president/treasurer of the Orbital Sciences Corp., Dulles, Va. He was a managing director in global corporate and investment banking for Bank of America.
Indigo, a Chicago-based charter carrier catering to frequent business travelers, has placed orders for up to 75 Embraer Legacy business jets. Initial deliveries are scheduled for August. Indigo's sister company, Air-Serv Inc., plans to operate the 18-seat, twin-engine aircraft on new routes. It currently offers service only between Chicago and Teterboro, N.J. Rolls-Royce AE 3007A1/3 engines, each rated at 7,200-lb. thrust, would power the Legacy fleet.
The U.S. Navy said it needs improved standoff and escort jamming aircraft as part of a more flexible tactical air arm that offers stealth aircraft and an array of standoff weapons that include the long-range Tomahawk and Jassm missiles.
Meyer J. Benzakein, general manager of advanced engineering programs at GE Aircraft Engines, Evendale, Ohio, has been awarded the Society Gold Medal by The Royal Aeronautical Society in recognition of his contribution to the advancement of jet propulsion technology.
Paul Tinney has become executive vice president-global alliances for Space Imaging of Denver. He was president/managing director of Terrapin Broadband.
Beginning in February, Southwest Airlines plans to expand service and accept delivery of two Boeing 737-700s and use the jets to also expand in the Baltimore-Washington-Long Island markets to cities in Florida and New Hampshire. Jim Parker, vice chairman and CEO, said the airline still is recovering from the effects of Sept. 11, but that the carrier's financial performance ``has been strong enough to add a handful of flights.'' Southwest had deferred delivery of 19 737s in the wake of terrorist attacks last September.
As the U.S. Transportation Dept. approaches a decision on the American Airlines-British Airways attempt to win antitrust immunity for their transatlantic alliance, the carriers face hurdles--some of them specific, some not, none expected--from the Justice Dept.
Given the extreme variables governing the airline industry's projected recovery, Airbus has several production strategies in place and is ready for any contingency, according to company executives.
CAE plans to purchase SimuFlite Training International Inc., the world's second largest provider of business aviation training, from GE Capital Commercial Equipment Financing. The Canadian company will pay $247 million (U.S.), $60 million of which will be financed by a sale and leaseback of certain long-term assets of SimuFlite. That's about a 20% premium over the book value of SimuFlite's assets because, as President and CEO Derek H. Burney put it, ``The strategic fit between our two companies is about as good as it gets.''
Airline computer reservation service Sabre Holdings reports airline bookings for the fourth quarter of 2001 decreased by nearly 20%--less than the 30% anticipated. According to the Dallas Morning News, company CEO William Hannigan expects bookings for 2002 will be down about 7% compared with 2001, and predicts the gradual improvement will continue this year.
A British-led peacekeeping force is poised to take up positions in the Kabul area as the major contribution of U.S. allies to the antiterrorist campaign in Afghanistan. British marines already are guarding the nearby Bagram air base (see photo). An initial contingent was expected to be deployed last weekend, pending approval of a mandate by the United Nations. The U.N. Security Council was expected on Friday to vote a resolution authorizing deployment of the peacekeeping force, as stipulated in the Afghan peace accords in Bonn earlier this month.
The U.S. Army has authorized Link Simulation and Training to build a third and fourth unit of the Aviation Combined Arms Tactical Trainer-Aviation Reconfigurable Manned Simulator (Avcatt-A) helicopter pilot training system. The two units are scheduled for delivery to the Army in the fourth quarter of 2002. Link already has built two Avcatt-A trainers, and these will be delivered in the second quarter to Ft. Hood, Tex., and Ft. Rucker, Ala. The Avcatt-A program features six reconfigurable simulators, a battle master control room and a theater to review training scenarios.
