Industry News

Sept. 5, 2014

Briefings ...

GULFSTREAM AEROSPACE CORP. — renames the Gulfstream G250 business jet the G280, prompted by the company’s sensitivity to the varied cultures of its international customer base.                                                                

     • Gulfstream also receives Type Certificate Validation from Brazil’s National Civil Aviation Agency for the G150 in the country.

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS — decides to shut down its Institute of Aviation, a more than 50-year-old program. The Urbana-Champaign program has fewer students than any other program on campus.

VECTOR AEROSPACE CORP. — of Toronto announces a service agreement between Vector Aerospace Engine Services-Atlantic, Inc (Vector) and John Hopkinson & Associates Ltd., based in Calgary. Three-year agreement requires Vector to provide comprehensive fixed-wing engine repair and overhaul support for the P&WC JT15D and PT6A series engines.

PACIFIC STATES AVIATION — an FBO at Buchanan Field in Concord, CA, is under new ownership.

AMERICAN AIRLINES — plans to split an order for 460 jets between longtime supplier Boeing and Airbus, ordering 200 737-class jets from Boeing, and 260 A320 aircraft from Airbus. In five years it will provide AA the youngest domestic airline fleet.

ALASKAN AIRLINES — is expanding service between San Diego and Hawaii with a daily nonstop flight to Honolulu, beginning Nov. 17.

VOLARIS — adds two international flights at San Diego Int’l Airport with nonstop service between both Mexico City and Guadalajara and San Diego.

SCHUBACH AVIATION — relocates to a new 40,000-sq. ft. hangar and 5,000-sq. ft. corporate offices at Palomar Airport, in Carlsbad, CA — 100 yards west of its previous location.

BANYAN AIR SERVICE — expands at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport, acquiring hangars 65 and 66 with an additional 33,000 square feet of space.

HAWKER BEECHCRAFT — forms an alliance with AOPA’s Insurance Agency as the preferred insurance broker for its Beechcraft Baron and Bonanza aircraft.

     • Hawker Beechcraft Global Customer Support finalizes agreements with the Delaware River and Bay Authority (DRBA) and the Delaware Economic Development Office to open a Hawker Beechcraft Services (HBS) aircraft maintenance facility at New Castle Airport in Wilmington.

CESSNA AIRCRAFT CO. — in partnership with King Schools, develops a new instrument pilot course as the next element of its Cessna Flight Training System. The Web-based course will be available through Cessna Pilot Centers this summer. Also, Cessna adds five companies as Cessna Pilot Center: Indy Flight Training, Indianapolis; Light Sport Aviation, Riverside, CA; Freedom Aviation, Lynchburg, VA; Air Orlando Aviation, Orlando; and ProFlight Aviation Services, San Marcos, TX.

MARKETPLACE DEVELOPMENT — developer and manager of the Food & Shops at LaGuardia Airport’s Central Terminal, offers its “Summer Sales Incentive” program, offering general store managers a chance to win $10,000. Managers whose store sales increase by the largest percentage over a specified period will be awarded a $5,000 cash prize.

NBAA — National Business Aviation Assn. releases a new edition of the NBAA Aircraft Charter Consumer Guide, a tool for those seeking advice on choosing a Part 135 air charter operator or aircraft charter broker; www.nbaa.org.

AKRON-CANTON (OH) AIRPORT — records its business travel month in June, with 151,115 passengers traveling to/from CAK, the most in 64 years. monthly

VOLUSIA COUNTY (FL) — and the University of Central Florida Business Incubation Program formally open a 8,000-sq. ft. business incubation facility at the international terminal at the Daytona Beach Int’l Airport. It will house ultimately up to 20 start-up companies in a supportive environment designed to accelerate growth and create local employment opportunities.

ECLIPSE AEROSPACE, INC. — reports approval by FAA for all Eclipse Jets to return to a maximum certified service ceiling of 41,000 feet.

REDBIRD FLIGHT SIMULATIONS, INC. — of Austin, TX delivers two aircraft-specific Advanced Aviation Training Devices for Piper Meridian and Beechcraft King Air C90GTx models.

MSP — Minneapolis-St. Paul Int’l Airport (MSP) offers a 50-year display from 1921 to 1971 at Terminal 1-Lindbergh. “Views Across Time” is a joint effort of the Metropolitan Airports Commission, Minnesota Historical Society, the NWA History Centre, Inc., and the Airport Foundation MSP, a non-profit that administers the airport’s Arts and Culture and Travelers Assistance programs.

MIDWAY INT’L AIRPORT — in Chicago makes available two public electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, in garages. Each will fully charge a vehicle in 3-8 hours. Users are expected to “top off” their charge as needed — with 1.5 hours of charging providing 20-25 percent of the full charge capability.

ACC — Airport Consultants Council selects TSA’s Doug Hofsass and FAA’s Aimee McCormick as recipients of the 2011 ACC Agency Best Practices Award, presented during the ACC/FAA/TSA Summer Workshop Series in July.

BRIGHAM CITY (UT) MUNICIPAL AIRPORT — completes a $25 million runway upgrade with a new 8,900x100-ft. runway.

TAC AIR — a division of Truman Arnold Companies, donates a portion of proceeds from August fuel sales (2 cents/gal.) at the chain’s Chattanooga facility to T.C. Thompson Children’s Hospital at Erlanger.

THUNDER BAY INT’L AIRPORT — in Canada marks the 10th year since it has cancelled collection of its Airport Improvement Fees. Since that time, the airport has posted record passenger volumes and profits; the opening of a 93-acre solar farm, continued growth in subsidiary companies; and a new tenant, Pilatus Centre Canada.

AIRMALL USA — reports AIRMALL at BWI welcomes Be Relax and Jamba Juice for travelers.

FEDEX — donates a Boeing B727-200 to the Miami-Dade Aviation Department that will also be used by George T. Baker Aviation School, The plane will be housed at MIA for use in FAA airport certification drills and maintenance and repair training.

INT’L PARKING INSTITUTE — awards its 2011 Awards of Excellence to the Rental Car Center at Hartsfield-Jackson Int’l Airport, in Atlanta, and for a center at Mineta San Jose Int’l Airport in San Jose.

INTERVISTAS CONSULTING INC. — is commissioned by Kelowna (B.C.) International Airport to conduct an economic impact study for Kelowna Int’l Airport’s (YLW) operations in 2010. The result: $120 million in GDP; $300 million in economic output; and $70 million in wages.

CLARION PARTNERS — and Trammell Crow Co. begin construction of the first building at the KCI Intermodal BusinessCentre. Blount International will occupy 349,440 square feet in LogisticsCentre I®, a LEED-Certified, Class A distribution center situated on 22.54 acres at Kansas City Int’l Airport. It will serve as Blount’s national distribution center for North American operations. completion in January 2012.

TUCSON AIRPORT AUTHORITY — seeks to commemorate the state of Arizona’s centennial on Feb. 14, 2012 and issues a Call to Artists, seeking an artist or team of artists to create a solar sculpture artwork (its first) for display at Tucson Int’l Airport.

TAMPA INT’L AIRPORT — reports Cuba authorizes flights between Cuba and Tampa after almost 50 years.

     • Tampa Int’l Airport continues with its $20 million terminal redesign, awarding the design/build contract for the Main Terminal Modernization project to Hardin Construction Co.

LANDMARK AVIATION — at LAX opens their a Customs and Border Patrol facility, allowing international customers to be processed on site.

TRUE BLUE POWER — a division of Mid-Continent Instruments in Wichita contracts with Eurocopter Deutschland, a subsidiary of EADS, to provide the True Blue Power MD835 Emergency Power Supply (EPS) for the EC135 and EC145 T2 next-generation civilian helicopters.

LOS ANGELES — Board of Airport Commissioners okays a $40 million reimbursement agreement via TSA with United Airlines for costs associated with an in-line Checked Baggage Inspection System (CBIS) Project in Terminals 7/8 at LAX.

PARAGON AVIATION GROUP — of Houston adds Columbus-based Lane Aviation to its network of FBOs.

CHICAGO CITY COUNCIL — votes to change the concessions manager at the international terminal in O’Hare Int’l Airport, awarding Baltimore-based Westfield Concession Management LLC a 20-year deal to oversee retail and food sales.

LOCKWOOD AVIATION — of Sebring, FL to becomes the first U.S. Service Center for Beringer Wheels & Brakes.

WAYNE COUNTY (MI) AIRPORT AUTHORITY — names Turkia Awada Mullin as its new chief executive officer. Mullin currently serves as assistant CEO/ chief development officer for Wayne County.

JERVIS B. WEBB CO. — contracts with Southwest Airlines to design, manufacture, and install a new baggage handling Ssstem at Dallas Love Field.

privatesky aviation — files suit alleging that the Lee County (FL) Port Authority is using its advantageous position as airport sponsor and governmental entity to discriminate economically in its position as FBO at Ft. Myers’ Page Field.