Briefings
aaae — American Assn. of Airport Executives/Int’l Assn. of Airport Executives (IAAE) and the Abu Dhabi Airports Co. (ADAC) sign a memorandum of understanding to enhance aviation and training services, including the establishment of a regional training center in Abu Dhabi, for airport officials in the Middle East and Gulf regions.
• IAEE also names Bonnie Allin, president/CEO of the Tucson Airport Authority, as Chairman of the Board for the second year.
aci — Airports Council Int’l based in Geneva reports that global traffic in June 2009 was down by 5 percent compared to June 2008. However, this is an improvement over the 8 percent drop in May. Freight traffic was down worldwide by 13.5 percent.
alaska airlines — begins daily nonstop service between Austin Bergstrom Int’l Airport and Seattle.
american science & engineering, inc. — a supplier of innovative X-ray detection solutions based in Billerica, MA, introduces the Sentry Portal — a high-throughput, high-penetration, drive-through cargo inspection system designed to quickly and safely scan trucks, cargo containers, and tanker trucks for threatening materials, weapons, and contraband.
asheville regional airport — begins a $9.5 million construction project, funded in part by $7.6 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). The project includes parking lot and Terminal Drive rehabilitation, including toll plaza renovation, and improvements to the general aviation roadway.
asig — is awarded a contract by DHL to provide aircraft fueling services at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Int’l Airport (CVG), refueling 180 flights weekly for DHL, including subcontracted flights for Atlas Air, Polar Air Cargo, and Lufthansa Cargo. ASIG is also providing maintenance and operation for DHL’s fuel load racks and fuel hydrant pits.
• ASIG is awarded two separate aviation fuel service contracts at Washington Dulles Int’l Airport (IAD). ASIG is selected by a consortium of 32 airlines to provide operation and maintenance of the jet fuel facility, and a committee of 23 domestic, international, and air freight carriers chose ASIG as their provider for aircraft refueling services. ASIG expects to fuel approximately 10,500 flights monthly.
avfuel corp. — will be holding an October session of the Avfuel Quality Assurance and Fire Safety Seminar (14 CFR Part 139-approved) on Oct. 13-14 at Avflight Lansing in Lansing, MI at the Capital City Airport. Seminars are free of charge to Avfuel customers and require a reservation; www.avfuel.com.
Baa cleveland — the developer of the new AIRMALL at Cleveland Hopkins Int’l Airport, opens three new food and beverage concepts: Bananas Smoothies & Frozen Yogurt; Green Leaf’s…Beyond Great Salads; and McAlister’s Deli.
Business jet access — at Dallas Love Field adds a Falcon 900B to its FAR Part 135 Air Carrier Certificate.
cargo airport services usa, llc — is awarded the cargo warehouse and ramp handling contract with Japan Airlines (JAL) at JFK Int’l Airport.
cessna aircraft co. — hosts 113 international military students from 80 countries as part of a field study program in which students visit and view examples of U.S. economic and business interests, judicial systems, local, state, and federal government systems, and educational systems.
• Cessna delivers five new Cessna 172S Skyhawks to Northwestern Michigan College at the company’s customer center in Independence, KS.
• Cessna officially suspends its Citation Columbus, and Pratt & Whitney reports it will stop development of its PW810C engine designed to power the Columbus.
charles m. schulz/Sonoma County airport — in Santa Rosa, CA receives $1.685 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds to remodel and expand the passenger terminal.
chicago dept. of aviation — and Caterpillar Inc. demonstrate the new Cat D7E bulldozer, featuring diesel-electric hybrid technology, at O’Hare Int’l Airport.
conklin & de decker — releases its LIFE CYCLE COST 2009 Volume II, a comprehensive aircraft budget and financial analysis tool available for more than 375 jets, turboprops, helicopters, and piston aircraft; www.conklindd.com.
detroit metro airport — receives an additional $1.47 million in funding from FAA to support the ongoing reconstruction of the airport’s Runway 09L/27R.
dhs — Department of Homeland Security announces some $11 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding for the construction of a new in-line baggage handling system at Sacramento Int’l Airport to replace stand-alone screening units in Terminal B.
Eagle county regional airport — in Gypsum, CO prepares for its reopening on September 1, with the total number of seats reserved for fall travel in 2009 exceeding the number reserved in fall 2008 — up 6.2 percent. Airport has undergone a summer of improvements, including a runway extension to 9,000 feet.
gama — General Aviation Manu-facturers Assn. president and CEO of Jeppesen, Mark Van Tine, tells the House Subcommittee on Transportation Security and Infrastructure Protection that if the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), industry, and Congress work together on general aviation security issues, an effective security system can be put in place that does not inhibit the freedom people enjoy today to use general aviation aircraft. View the full testimony at http://www.gama.aero/node/9058.
• GAMA, in partnership with Dassault Falcon and Hawker Beechcraft Corp., host a forum on general aviation with Senator Mark Pryor, Senator Blanche Lincoln, and Governor Mike Beebe at Dassault Falcon’s facility at Little Rock National Airport, with a crowd of 500+ employees and more than 50 local community leaders.
hawker beechcraft corp. — based in Wichita appoints Shawn Vick as executive vice president responsible for leading the integration of marketing and sales, as well as further development of the company’s brand strategy and standard product definitions and offerings. Vick held previous leadership positions at British Aerospace, Gulfstream, Bombardier Aerospace, and Landmark Aviation.
hudson group — is awarded contracts to operate six newsstands in Terminal B and a new bookstore in Terminal A of Newark Int’l Airport in a joint venture partnership with Branded Works, Inc., a certified disadvantaged business enterprise.
icelandair — begins offering trans-Atlantic flights from Sea-Tac Int’l Airport.
jacksonville aviation authority — approves a 40-year ground lease of nine acres at Cecil Field to Florida Community College at Jacksonville (FCCJ)for development of an aircraft painting and educational facility.
• Jacksonville Int’l Airport dedicates a 500-sq. ft. quiet room to the United Service Organization (USO) as a space for troops to relax or sleep during layovers and overnight delays at the airport.
jfk int’l airport — welcomes two international carriers, Air Europa and XL Airways France, to its roster of more than 35 international and domestic airlines at Terminal 4.
lufthansa cargo — is offering new destinations in the U.S., utilizing an MD-11 for twice-weekly flights from Frankfurt to Seattle, routing through Los Angeles.
meridian air charter — at Teterboro, NJ adds a Falcon 2000EX to its fleet of charter aircraft.
metropolitan nashville airport authority — Board of Commissioners approves a contract for Hardaway Construction Corp. to perform construction involved with the second phase of the interior renovation of the passenger terminal and concourses at Nashville Int’l Airport. As part of the contract, the small, minority, and women-owned business enterprise (SMWBE) partners, Boulton Enterprises, Gipson Mechanical, Hermosa, Jarvis Signs, Modular Designs of Memphis, Sunago Builders, TG, Inc., and TN Coatings, will provide construction services for the MNAA. The SMWBE partners’ involvement represents 12.9 percent of the total contract. This entire project will create an estimated 125 jobs.
nata — National Air Transportation Association is conducting a survey of regulated aviation businesses affected by the lack of FAA standardization on regulatory interpretations, in response to the Government Accountability Office beginning a review of inconsistencies in how field inspectors interpret and apply requirements on regulated entities. Survey is available at www.nata.aero.
ntsb — National Transportation Safety Board member Kathryn (Kitty) O’Leary Higgins submits to President Obama her resignation from the Board, effective August 3.
• Mark V. Rosenker announces he will resign his position as acting NTSB chairman and member. Rosenker will delay his departure until a new chairman and an additional board member are confirmed to ensure a quorum.
raleigh-durham airport authority — gathers with construction workers, terminal architect Curt Fentress, and Archer Western Contractors to mark the topping out of Terminal 2 with a large crane hoisting the highest piece of structural steel into place atop what will be the terminal’s central atrium. Nearly ten months after the first phase of the $570 million terminal opened, the steel skeleton of the building’s south concourse is nearly complete.
Sacramento Country airport system — closes $480 million in tax-exempt revenue bonds to finance a significant portion of The Big Build Project, scheduled for completion in late 2011. Officials say the popularity of the bonds among retail buyers can be attributed to the fact that the bonds are exempt from the AMT penalty. Approximately $178 million in bonds will also be issued in 2010 to complete financing of The Big Build.
ranger aerospace — a private equity consolidator based in Greenville, SC that specializes in the aviation industry, re-enters the airfield services industry with the majority buyout of CAV International, Inc., a government outsourcing contractor for airfield services and logistics. Ranger’s newest investment platform is called Ranger Int’l Services Group, Inc., which plans follow-on investments and acquisitions.
san diego int’l airport — kicks off its The Green Build program which will include ten new gates at Terminal 2 West, expanded dining and shopping options, as well as terminal, roadway, parking, and airfield improvements. Initial construction projects include a new USO facility near Gate 19 in Terminal 2 and an on-site project management office. Construction will incorporate sustainable design principles to meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification. At peak construction, The Green Build is expected to provide nearly 1,000 construction-related jobs. It is estimated to be completed in late 2012/early 2013.
school of aviation technology — at Southern California Logistics Airport in Victorville, CA graduates its inaugural class. The 82-week vocational program located on-site at a working airport is certified by FAA and is the only school of its kind in the Western U.S.
southwest airlines — will launch nonstop service from Kansas City Int’l Airport to Milwaukee’s General Mitchell Int’l Airport beginning November 1.
standardaero — a Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE) Company, receives Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) Organization Designation Authorization (ODA) at its Springfield, IL location. Designation enables StandardAero to approve design data, tests, and analysis as well as make a finding of compliance to the regulations allowing it to sign an STC on behalf of FAA for aircraft alterations.
tennant co. — based in Minneapolis announces that its ec-H2O technology is selected by business magazine Sustainable Industries as one of its 2009 Top 10 Green Building Products winners. The ec-H2O technology uses 70 percent less water than traditional cleaning methods; www.tennantco.com.
united airlines — reports that its operations staff will move to the Willis Tower [formerly Sears Tower] in Chicago from the airline’s longtime home in Elk Grove Township, IL.
universal weather and aviation, inc. — of Houston finalizes a deal to become the majority owner of Brazilian flight support services provider Cavok Servicos Auxiliares de Transportes Aereos Ltda. (CAVOK).
usairport parking — at Denver Int’l Airport introduces Valet Parking to its parking lot at Tower Road and 81st Avenue – just north of Pena Boulevard.
vancouver int’l airport — becomes the first airport in Canada to offer a new online tool that allows members of the public to see real-time and historical flight and noise data collected by the airport authority’s aircraft noise monitoring and tracking system — WebTrak for YVR.
velocity jets — of Ft. Lauderdale contracts for the management of a 2009 Hawker 900XP, which will have a dual base in the Northeastern U.S. and South Florida.
west star aviation’s — East Alton, IL (ALN) facility contracts with Piaggio Aero to become an authorized service center for the Piaggio P-180 Avanti.
• West Star Aviation, Inc. also reports it is in the final stage of a planned service capabilities expansion and facilities consolidation at its Dallas Love Field location, with a renovated 50,000-sq. ft. facility.
wayne county airport authority — approves a sponsorship and beverage “pouring rights” agreement that makes The Pepsi Bottling Group the official beverage partner of Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW), becoming the official beverage provider at more than 70 restaurants and retail outlets.
Quonset State Airport Renovates
In 2008, the Rhode Island Airport Corporation (RIAC) initiated design and construction of a new 20,000-square foot hangar with an attached 6,000-square foot FBO/administration building at the Quonset State Airport (OQU) outside Providence. Additional site work included construction of a new parking lot, creation of a new aircraft apron, and landscaping. The new terminal building hosts Landmark Aviation operations, a fully furnished conference room, and leasable office space for aviation related activity. The new, heated hangar can accommodate several large corporate jets including a Global Express and Gulfstream V. OQU has a 7500-foot primary runway as well as an air traffic control tower operated by the National Guard.
EAA Attracts 578,000 at Oshkosh ‘09
The 57th annual EAA AirVenture fly-in convention at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, WI attracted more than 10,000 airplanes and a total attendance increase of 12 percent, to 578,000.
Several aviation organizations joined EAA and its National Association of Flight Instructors affiliate in announcing the inaugural “International Learn To Fly Day” scheduled for May 15, 2010. The day will focus on introducing the world of flight to others and building the pilot population, which has dwindled by 25 percent over the past quarter century.
This year’s event featured nearly $4 million of site improvements, the first of many planned in future years aimed at upgrading the grounds in a variety of areas to benefit attendees, exhibitors, and others, says EAA.
