TIME LINE compiled by Jane Campbell Newsmak ers 2007 2006 Dec. 12

citizens Mansour and Azziz Ojjeh. Airbus A380 receives FAA As a new year begins, AIN’s editors reflect on the past year and the people and events that shaped the industry and EASA certification. After a year-long After AMI certification The FAA’s action against AMI stems from concerns and filled these pages. Unlike previous years, when new-product announcements took center stage, last year in- raised by the Platinum Jet accident, specifically that some Dec. 25 debate, user-fee issue revocation, TAG sells charter operators weren’t maintaining “operational control” dustry issues–such as FAA funding, operational control of charter flights and the environment–garnered the lion’s Tornado rips through of their flights. Those concerns translated into the FAA’s be- Embry-Riddle’s Daytona, Fla. campus, destroying buildings share of attention and likely will continue to do so in the coming years. This year, President Bush, ATA president remains unresolved U.S. op to Sentient coming convinced that foreign-owned TAG Aviation USA and two-thirds of the college’s One flight that never made it off the ground–that of a Plat- was exercising operational control over AMI flights and training fleet. James May, former FAA Administrator Marion Blakey, NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen, AOPA president Phil When then-FAA Adminis- inum Jet Challenger 600 at Teterboro on Feb. 2, 2005– thus violating FAA regulations and causing a safety issue. 2007 NEWSMAKER trator Marion Blakey delivered Boyer and Natca share the title of Newsmaker of the Year, for their respective roles in advocating or opposing an caused a confluence of events that have roiled the charter in- In an interview with AIN, Mansour Ojjeh noted that the Bush Administration’s four- Jan. 4 OF THE YEAR dustry, launched FAA lawyers on detailed examinations of the FAA never said why it was investigating AMI. The year plan for FAA funding to Eclipse delivers first FAA funding system that relies on user fees. charter operators and caused serious financial harm to the Ojjehs tried to contact the agency to determine how to Congress on February 14, it contained no valentines customer Model 500. owners of at least one charter/management company. resolve the FAA’s concerns, but the agency refused for general aviation. Jan. 20 The FAA lawyers appear to be under the leadership to respond. By the time Blakey revealed the White House pro- of FAA eastern regional counsel Loretta Alkalay, al- After the revocation, TAG Aviation Holding agreed to Corporate Angel Network flies posal, the battle lines had long been drawn, with the though information about her is hard to confirm because pay a $10 million civil penalty–which includes no admis- 25,000th cancer patient. nation’s major airlines on one side and GA and corpo- the FAA has refused all interview requests. What is sion of wrongdoing–to the FAA to settle the matter and Jan. 23 rate aviation on the other. The FAA blueprint called for known about Alkalay is that hers is the name at the bot- announced that it was selling TAG Aviation USA and all of large increases in jet fuel and avgas taxes, along with Gulfstream acquires tom of two significant FAA documents released last year: its assets, including what was left of AMI, to Sentient Jet. Weco Aerospace. myriad new fees for FAA services that previously had the October 4 suspension order that halted charter oper- FAA lawyer Alkalay was a member of the FAA’s sus- been provided at no charge or for a nominal fee. Jan. 31 ations at AMI Jet Charter, then the October 12 revoca- pected unapproved parts task force, a key figure in some Jim May and his Air Transport Association had suc- Business cessfully lobbied to eliminate the passenger ticket tax tion notice that permanently grounded AMI’s fleet. AMI earlier airliner-related enforcement cases and the author of Aviation Association launches convention in . and cargo waybill tax and replace the loss in revenue was a U.S.-citizen-majority-owned company that was a new definition of known icing conditions last year that also partially owned by TAG Aviation USA, part of TAG ultimately caused the FAA to issue a letter of interpretation Late January with a user-fee system, including departure and en Mansour Ojjeh route fees as well as fees for use of congested airspace. Aviation Holding, the company owned by Swiss that reemphasized the existing definition. –M.T. Bombardier Challenger 605 But members of the House did not support the pro- enters service. posal, declaring the package dead on arrival on Capitol Hawker and special-mission aircraft, up from 95 Feb. 2 Hill. They then wrote and passed an FAA reauthoriza- Barrot urges in the same period the previous year. Aspen Avionics and tion package that modestly raised fuel taxes on GA air- More than 50 percent of the backlog is Eclipse settle patent dispute craft but made no changes in existing excise taxes such environmental Beechcraft from international customers. over the AT300 hazard awareness display. as the ticket tax and contained no new user fees. In addition to the challenges of The Senate followed much the same path, except it changes for builds identity meeting the strong demand reflected in Feb. 9 7 0 0 2 wanted to include a $25-per-flight fee on all jet aircraft When Raytheon sold its aircraft di- that backlog, Hawker Beechcraft has Honda Aircraft announces Y T I

N vision to GS Capital Partners in March, plans to build world head-

operations and most turboprops. But the Senate Com- aviation U also had to contend with a decrease in

M quarters and Honda Jet M one of the first moves that chairman merce Committee and the Finance Committee are at O cash flow because of delivery delays

C Manufacturing at Piedmont-

Jacques Barrot, vice president of

N and CEO James Schuster made was to

odds over whether the final bill should include the A due to problems with suppliers of parts Triad International Airport E the European Commission of the P acknowledge the company’s historical O in Greensboro, N.C. per-flight segment. R for the T-6A Texan II military

Jacques Barrot U

European Union, played a leading E roots by renaming it NBAA president Ed Bolen and AOPA president Phil trainer and the Premier IA. Feb. 19 role in the launch of the Atlantic In- stantial savings in fuel, CO and Hawker Beechcraft. Now, Boyer have been among the GA leaders who have spo- 2 Deliveries of the Premier re- teroperability Initiative to Reduce under Schuster’s leadership, Bombardier launches ken tirelessly against the airline-supported user fees. NOx emissions” at Stockholm’s Ar- Emissions (Aire), a voluntary pro- Hawker Beechcraft is con- sumed in October, according CRJ1000 regional jet. Even the National Air Traffic Controllers Association landa Airport, according to the EU. gram designed to reduce green- tinuing the transition to a to Hawker Beechcraft. (Natca) sided with corporate aviation to counter the air- “The future of the aviation in- manufacturing- and service- The company has also not house gas emissions. The goal of the dustry depends on its ability to lines’ contention that corporate aviation contributes to focused company, with the been able to deliver any joint initiative is to use best prac- combat climate change through in- the congestion surrounding New York’s three airports. recent sale of the com- Hawker 4000s; the airplane tices and new technologies to re- novation and greater efficiency, Natca president Pat Forrey told Congress that gen- pany’s charter division and received its FAA type certifi- duce aviation’s “carbon footprint.” and this initiative will enable us to Feb. 23 eral aviation or business jets have no impact on delay the announcement that the The EU and U.S. first will imple- James Schuster cate on Nov. 1, 2006. Ac- speed up the application of tech- Grob SPn prototype problems, blaming instead the airlines’ scheduling Hawker Beechcraft FBO cording to the FAA, Hawker ment trajectory-based ground oper- nologies and procedures having a returns to flight test. practices during peak hours, even in good weather. network is for sale. ations to manage the flow of traffic direct impact on greenhouse gas Beechcraft “requested and was granted Natca succeeded in getting the House to include a Schuster joined Raytheon Aircraft Feb. 25 on the ground, followed by emissions,” Barrot said. “Following an extension to May 2008 to continue provision in its FAA reauthorization bill that would in 2002, after two years at the helm of Eclipse ends relationship “oceanic trajectory optimization” the major success of our open skies production under the [type certificate] require the agency and the union to restart negotia- Raytheon’s Aircraft Integration Systems with Avidyne. to manage traffic flow across the agreement, this is further proof that authorization. As of this time the FAA tions on a collective bargaining agreement the FAA and previous positions at MagneTek, Atlantic. Finding the best route will the EU and the U.S. benefit from has not certified any Hawker 4000 air- Feb. 26 imposed in 2006. President Bush has threatened to AlliedSignal Aerospace and Westing- reduce both fuel burn and emis- working together in the aviation craft in the Standard Airworthiness Cate- veto a bill that includes that language. house Electric Naval Systems. Antonov An-148-100 sions. Operators within the U.S. sector. We both want a sky open to gory.” Hawker Beechcraft still needs to As the impasse in the Senate continued into early Since the transition to the new receives Russian and and EU will also be urged to use aircraft but not to emissions.” Hawker Beechcraft, the company’s obtain an FAA production certificate to Ukrainian approval. last month, some long-time observers were predicting “smooth” or “reduced-engine” Barrot has served as vice presi- backlog and deliveries have continued ramp up volume production of the the matter will not be settled until Congress recon- Feb. 27 landings at participating airports. dent of the European Commission to grow. In the third quarter of last year, Hawker 4000. –M.T. venes after the New Year. –P.L. The practice has resulted in “sub- since 2004. –J.H. deliveries reached 106 commercial Continues on next page Bell 429 first flight.

20aaAviation International News • January 2008 • www.ainonline.com www.ainonline.com • January 2008 • Aviation International Newsaa21 Newsmakers 2007 Newsmakers 2007 Continued from preceding page Continued from page 22 NetJets pilots advocate change UK investors hope to Harding has long been a fan of the SJ30 and since LABACE makes TIME TIME taking delivery of his jet has flown it all over the LINE LINE ramp up production world. Action Aviation is the SJ30 distributor for Eu- triumphant return The first quarter of last year was a critical period in the relationship between NetJets Europe and its flight crews. rope and the Middle East as well as for Aviation April 26 At the end of 2006, the fractional ownership provider had offered its core workforce a new contract in the hope of Mar. 1-3 Heli-Expo Technology Group’s Javelin personal jet. The Javelin of Sino Swearingen in 2007 BBA Aviation announces resolving two key issues: first, keeping pay and conditions in line with remuneration being offered by a booming Bell discontinues Model 417 program has been delayed, however, due to prob- agreement to acquire Execu- airline industry; and, second, allaying widespread concern about tax and benefits complications arising from the development; Robinson Members of the Sino Swearingen Aircraft team cel- lems obtaining funding needed to reach certification Rui Thomaz de Aquino tive Beechcraft; Eclipse company’s use of offshore employment contracts that effectively had excluded employees from European Union announces R66; Sikorsky un- ebrated at last year’s NBAA Convention when news and production. UK-based Action Aviation has faced what he described receives production certificate veils search-and-rescue S-92; for Model 500. employment rights. Pilots and flight attendants were offered raises ranging from 4.7 percent to 26.7 percent, as AgustaWestland announces broke that investors had agreed to buy a controlling placed nonrefundable deposits for 159 SJ30s. as one of the greatest chal- well as new roster arrangements that will limit maximum duty days to 50 days per quarter. upgrade to its AW119, now interest in the company from its Taiwan-based owners. Harding is the first customer to obtain an SJ30 lenges of his tenure as April 27

known as AW119Ke, for N Strong feelings over these issues had prompted the formation of the NetJets Europe Pilots Association, but The news coincided with the second delivery of a type rating. In November, he and pilot Paul Arram- president of the Associ- O

S receives I

Koala Enhanced. R

R FAA and EASA certification.

the momentum for this move to union representation soon seemed to dissipate as the majority of pilots accepted Sino Swearingen SJ30, to Action Aviation chairman bide flew a record-breaking 7,810-nm flight from ação Brasileira de Aviação A H

. the new terms and conditions. Then in February, the company took further action to ensure the increased intake of Hamish Harding, who is also one of the investors who Sino Swearingen Aircraft’s headquarters in San Anto- Geral (ABAG) in providing J Y B R

Rui Thomaz de Aquino I

pilots that it requires for its ambitious fleet expansion in Europe by launching a part-sponsored ab initio pilot train- hopes to bring the SJ30 into full production. nio to Dubai. Flight time was 16 hours and 24 min- the leadership necessary K ing program run by the UK’s Oxford Aviation Training. The first series of 17-month courses started in the spring and Harding formed a joint venture with John Sabovich, utes and total trip time about 20 hours, beating the for the revival of the Latin American Business is intended to deliver 45 new first officers each year. –C.A. chairman of real estate investment firm ACQ Capital, record in the category of sub-20,000-pound aircraft Aviation Conference & Exhibition (LABACE). to buy the controlling interest in Sino Swearingen Air- flying that route within a 24-hour period. The show, somewhat adrift since the first third is from Pakistan. He also predicted that other new craft. While the deal was supposed to close by the end Will Harding and Sabovich achieve the challeng- event in 2003, appeared to have gone aground Late April Bob Johnson ExecuJet CEO expands markets such as Russia, and China will demand Mar. 4 of October, it was still pending as of early last month, ing task of ramping up production of the SJ30? “We’re for good when the association announced in supersonic transportation. according to a Sino Swearingen spokesman. not in it for the short term,” said Harding. –M.T. June 2006, barely two months before opening Cessna delivers first Citation Comair, ALPA ratify Encore +. company’s reach Meanwhile, Olver, 44, continues to lead the Grob tentative contract. day, that it was canceling LABACE 2006. To Dubai Aerospace SPn light jet toward certification later this year. He has several dozen revenue blame, said Aquino, was the decision by Con- May 1 Mar. 12 Niall Olver’s rising stature in the business aviation shown strong leadership in getting the program back DayJet president trips for a limited cus- gonhas International Airport to begin a major Aircraft registry opens in Enterprise forges industry hasn’t happened overnight, but it might seem on track after the second prototype crashed in late Pratt & Whitney Canada’s tomer base at its initial runway upgrade with work on taxiways and Isle of Man, a British Crown that way to some who have been focused on recent ac- November 2006. PW307A engine receives gets per-seat service five DayPorts– parking ramps that would make an aircraft dependency. EASA certification. an empire tivity by the two companies of which he is chief execu- The ExecuJet/Grob empire now spans five conti- Boca Raton, Gainesville, static display impossible. May 8 tive, ExecuJet Aviation and Grob Aerospace. His latest nents and covers aircraft manufacturing, operations Mar. 14 off the ground Lakeland, Pensacola and Then it was revealed that NBAA, which had Dermot Desmond, the major-

It might seem like an impossible task coup came in November when Aerion appointed Exe- (charter and management), support and sales. Execu- Tallahassee. R played a major role in the organization and

Esterline completes acquisi- E ity owner of Grob Aerospace, Ed Iacobucci and his wife, Nancy, decided that the T T to assemble the pieces for a global aero- cuJet the sales represen- Jet is handling worldwide sales for the SPn as well as tion of CMC Electronics. Last month, Iacobucci E management of previous LABACE events, acquires majority ownership V timing was ripe for a per-seat, on-demand air-taxi serv- T U of ExecuJet Aviation Group. space empire in the span of less than a tative for its proposed providing support facilities in Copenhagen, Dubai, announced that DayJet A would assume only a minor role in any future R T Mar. 16 ice using very light jets (VLJs), so in January 2002 they D year, but it certainly helps when you have supersonic business jet and . It is already Bombardier’s was expanding its per-seat Ed Iacobucci A shows, with ABAG taking the lead. May 22-24 EBACE H Sikorsky closes acquisition of cofounded Jetson Systems, named after the futuristic C $15 billion in startup capital and the outside the Americas. sales representative in more than 30 countries in Eu- service network to 28 “Nevertheless, we believed in our market,” Dassault unveils Falcon PZL Mielec. cartoon The Jetsons, where everyone had a flying car backing of the crown prince of Dubai. He promptly announced rope, the Middle East, southern and Australa- new destinations–called DayStops–across Alabama, said Aquino, “and we put together a team that 2000LX; BBA Aviation in the driveway. Jetson Systems was eventually re- Bob Johnson came out of retirement to the signing of several sia. In May 2007, Irish entrepreneur Dermot Mar. 22 Florida, Georgia and Mississippi, provided customers was able to make things begin happening in purchases Executive Beechcraft; Cessna Citation serve as the first CEO of the newly formed letters of intent for the Desmond acquired majority ownership of ExecuJet named DayJet, but its purpose, and Iacobucci’s vision, begin or end their travel at one of the five DayPorts. less than three months.” Embraer delivers 100th remained the same–offer a seat on a private jet for a Mustang gets EASA certifica- Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE), a $80 million aircraft. Two for an undisclosed amount and joined the board Legacy, to ABSJets. This is a shift in Iacobucci’s strategy, since DayStops But misfortune continued to plague organiz- tion; Hawker Beechcraft R

E small cost premium over first-class airline service. mega-conglomerate composed of six divi- B of those orders are from of the -based company as chairman. The were originally intended as whole-aircraft charter des- ers of LABACE 2007. On July 17, less than a announces Pro Line 21- R

U Mar. 26

H Over the years, Iacobucci and his team quietly equipped King Air C90GTi sions covering engineering; manufactur- T prospective Middle East- deal has provided fresh capital for ExecuJet’s tinations. month before the show was scheduled to open, T

T and King Air B200GT with A Niall Olver Raytheon completes sale of developed Astro (another reference to The Jetsons), ing; airport ownership and operation; M ern clients, while the expansion plans. –C.A. It’s hard to tell whether this strategy shift is due to an Airbus A320 crashed off the end of the main its aircraft subsidiary to more power. aircraft leasing; high-tech services; and a the complex software that allows DayJet to schedule weaker-than-expected demand (Iacobucci says de- runway at Congonhas International, killing all Hawker Beechcraft. May 31 university. The pace of growth at DAE has and keep track of its fleet, and ordered more than mand is higher than DayJet’s lowest projections) or 187 people aboard and seven more on the Mar. 31 surprised even many inside the company. their hearts and souls,” said Pogosyan during the air- 1,400 Eclipse 500s to provide the service. DayJet something that was planned for some time but not re- ground. The crash caused a temporary closure Bombardier introduces next-generation versions delivers three took delivery of its first three Eclipses in March and vealed to keep any competitors at bay. Nevertheless, Earlier this year DAE’s MRO unit bought Mikhail Pogosyan plane’s official rollout in Komsomolsk upon Amur in Oc- of the airport and resulted in a series of highly of its CRJ700, CRJ900 Eclipse 500s to DayJet. Landmark Aviation for $1.9 billion from tober. “It took us all six-and-a-half years to get here, now has 20 of the very light jets in its fleet. Iacobucci continues his per-seat, on-demand VLJ air- publicized protests. and CRJ1000. The Carlyle Group. Then at the Dubai Air- turns Superjet overcoming skepticism and finding our way in translation April 2 DayJet chose the Southeast–more specifically taxi experiment, which is still in its infancy. If it suc- There was talk that the show might again be June 1 show in November the company’s leasing of international rules of play to [the] Russian aerospace Florida–as its launch service area. On October 3, the ceeds, Iacobucci will long be remembered as the VLJ cancelled, but not at ABAG. Aquino said his asso- Dubai Aerospace Enterprise fi- division signed letters of intent with Air- dreams into reality industry and incorporating in it world industry standards.” company marked its official grand opening, though air-taxi pioneer, much as Richard Santulli is known as ciation never considered cancellation, and ABAG ExcelAire pilots Joseph Lep- nalizes deal to buy Landmark ore and Jan Paladino booked in the previous two weeks the air-taxi startup flew the father of the fractional aircraft industry. –C.T. bus and Boeing for 100 airplanes from In no small part a product of Pogosyan’s persistence, Aviation and Standard Aero; executives had no doubts that LABACE 2007 on criminal charges for their each manufacturer in deals that could be At one time an object of derision to those who the Superjet gradually has found a level of commercial Cessna CJ4 engine first flight. would go on as scheduled, and that it “would be alleged part in the Sept. 29, worth more than $27 billion. That money questioned Sukhoi general director Mikhail Pogosyan’s success as well. Along with Aeroflot’s commitment for the biggest and best show yet.” They were right. 2006, midair over Brazil. April 9 Dassault Falcon 7X trijet enters service is separate from the original funding used motives for promoting a civil aircraft program, the 30 airplanes, Sukhoi has collected firm orders for 43 LABACE 2007 opened on time, with 71 ven- June 4 First conforming to form DAE. Sukhoi Superjet has forced its critics to eat their words. Superjets from six other customers, including Italy’s In April, Dassault pulled off a bureaucratic triumph by accepting FAA and EASA certi- dor exhibitors and 35 aircraft in the static dis- A700 first flight. A Cessna Citation II, carrying Johnson was brought in as much for No longer worthy of the cynical moniker PRJ, or Public ItAli Airlines. –G.P. fication on the same day for the 7X, the latest addition to its Falcon line. The first delivery play. By the time the three-day show closed, a April 11 a transplant team from the his industry knowledge as his business Relations Jet, the program has overcome a famously sti- of the long-legged airplane followed in June, while the second example of the nearly record 6,041 visitors had passed through the University of Michigan Health and political connections. The former fling bureaucracy and gathered an international base of Jet Direct and Sentient 6,000-nm-range jet went to company patriarch Serge Dassault. The tri-jet features fly-by- gates, 1,070 more than had attended LABACE System, crashes into Lake Jet announce merger. Michigan, killing all six Honeywell Aerospace CEO was able to suppliers and partners the likes of which no Russian wire control–for the first time in a clean-sheet business jet design. 2005. And the total value of orders taken was on board. recruit a team of managers that has over- aircraft program has ever before seen. Of course, that April 14 According to the French airframer, under the leadership of Dassault Aviation chairman more than $200 million, $50 million more than June 7 seen a breakneck pace of airport acquisi- Pogosyan travels in some pretty rarified company Comp Air 12 first flight. and CEO Charles Edelstenne, the Falcon 7X is the first airplane ever designed and built in ABAG had forecast. tions, deals for parts and subsystems among Russia’s political and industrial hierarchy as an entirely virtual environment using product lifecycle management philosophy. This led Aquino and ABAG are working on LABACE April 17 Epic’s Elite VLJ first flight. R

manufacturing and even the formation of head of the country’s largest fighter jet manufacturer to a smooth developmental process for the new jet. “The time required to manufacture E 2008, which is scheduled for August 14 through T

P June 13

Epic Aircraft launches Epic A

an aviation university in Dubai. Johnson helped his cause domestically. But after convincing the and complete the first flight-test-ready 7X was reduced by as much as 50 percent com- F 16, in the same facilities at Congonhas Interna- Charles Edelstenne F

Victory program. E also deserves a huge amount of credit for likes of Finmeccanica, Thales and Snecma of the pared to previous Falcons,” the company said. “The certification and entry into service of J tional as the 2007 show. He and the association Dassault Falcon 7X enters service. heading off the type of political opposi- Superjet’s credibility, he can truly claim a place of April 19 the Falcon 7X will surely be remembered as an event that brought the design, manufacturing and efficiency of are looking forward to the biggest show to date, tion that doomed a plan by Dubai Ports influence within the global aerospace community. Allied Capital announces intent business aircraft to a new level,” said Edelstenne. “My heartfelt thanks is extended to every one of our engineers, with a larger aircraft static display parking ramp June16 Mikhail Pogosyan World in 2006 to take over operation of a “[The] Superjet 100 is a child of thousands of people to sell its majority equity inter- partners and especially all of our customers who made the program possible.” and an expansion of the exhibit area into a sec- Embraer rolls out first Continues on page 24 est in Mercury Air Centers to number of U.S. port facilities. –S.P. around the globe, committed to the project success with The 7X carries a price tag of $41 million with a standard interior. More than 170 are on order. –C.E. ond hangar. –K.J.H. Phenom 100. Macquarie Infrastructure. Continues on page 26

22aaAviation International News • January 2008 • www.ainonline.com 24aaAviation International News • January 2008 • www.ainonline.com Newsmakers 2007 Newsmakers 2007 Continued from page 24 Continued from page 26 Aug. 9 lasted only about two years. Last March Latin American Business Köhli announced he had resigned “ TIME RETIREMENTS TIME Aviation Convention & effective immediately” with management LINE LINEExhibition returns to Brazil. HANDOFFS citing “differences over the company’s future strategy.” Aug. 16 June 18-24 Paris Air Show July 26 FAA: Marion Blakey to Bobby Sturgell come president emeritus, a new position Carl Hirschmann Jr., son of the founder BBJ test pilot Mike Hewett Dassault test pilot “Bill” Kerhervé Hindustan Aeronautics created for him. of Jet Aviation and the only member of the Marion Blakey stepped down as FAA AgustaWestland AW110Ke Phenom 100 flies; Dhruv makes first flight family to have a stake in the company and Under Moss’s leadership, the com- receives EASA certification; Boeing Business Jets chief pilot Yves “Bill” Kerhervé, Dassault’s chief test pilot, announced Gulfstream G150 receives with Turbomeca Administrator on September 13, turning the a seat on the board, succeeded Köhli on an pany’s business aviation segment consis- Dassault picks Rolls-Royce to Mike Hewett, whose BBJ flight to his retirement from the company following the Paris Air Show, EASA certification. Ardiden/Shakti engines. reins over to Bobby Sturgell, her longtime tently increased. In 2006, Gulfstream interim basis. He held the position for two power its projected super- EBACE in May saw him pass the where he demonstrated the agility of the company’s civilian flag- number one. Even before she ended her months, after which Peter Edwards took midsize business jet. delivered 113 green jets, up 27 percent Mauricio Botelho and 12,800 flying-hour mark, retired fol- ship, the fly-by-wire Falcon 7X. Aug. 17 five-year term at the helm of the FAA, it was over as group CEO at Jet Aviation. Frederico Fleury Curado over the previous year. The company had June 19 lowing the convention. He has pilot- Kerhervé was also at the controls of the airplane’s first flight at announced that she would become presi- Edwards, formerly president of Bom- North American Jet flies the delivered 103 jets in the first three quarters in-command time on 24 types Dassault’s facility in Bordeaux Mérignac, , in May 2005. first revenue passenger flight dent and CEO of the Aerospace Industries bardier’s Business Aircraft Division, of last year. rado, 45, who joined the company in 1984, Dassault Falcon (including all Boeing jetliners except The maiden flight lasted an hour and thirty-six minutes, and Ker- in an . Association on November 12. She was the joined the company with more than 28 has spent his entire career at Embraer in a 2000LX first flight. years’ experience, including senior posi- the original Model 707), and was au- hervé said the airplane “performed beautifully.” He added, “First second FAA Administrator to complete a full variety of positions, from management to July 27 Aug. 21 tions at AiResearch and Gulfstream. He June 27 thorized to fly North American F-86 results of the maiden flight five-year term, following Jane Garvey. production to planning and organizational has also served on the boards of both Sabre and Northrop T-38 Talon flight- test program… confirmed Television newscopters col- Hurricane Dean closes Sturgell, who first worked with Blakey development. Before taking on his new role, Honda breaks ground for new GAMA and NBAA. –D.A.L. test chase aircraft. Dassault’s predictions: the lide over Phoenix, killing four. airports. when she was chairman of the NTSB, be- he had overseen the service entry of the world headquarters at Pied- Hewett joined the Boeing flight- came acting FAA Administrator upon her E170/190 series as the company expanded mont Triad International Air- aircraft is incredibly stable Aug. 23 Adam Aircraft: Rick Adam to July 31 departure, and then in October President its airliner product line. He is a graduate of port in Greensboro, N.C. test program in 1982, and by 1986 and the fly-by-wire controls Duncan Koerbel and John Wolf Hawker Beechcraft Hawker Bush nominated him to run the agency for Brazil’s Aeronautics Technological Institute he had become the 737-400 senior are extremely precise…Das- Air Methods announces June 28 750 first flight. the next five years. But there is doubt that Adam Aircraft, founded by Rick Adam, with a degree in mechanical and aeronauti- engineering test pilot. Three years sault’s engineers created a plans to purchase FSS Bryan Moss Joe Lombardo Airholdings, parent company the Democratic-controlled Senate will con- has the funding to make it through FAA cer- cal engineering. He earned a postgraduate Cirrus unveils mock-up later he was promoted to 737 pro- near perfect model of the Fal- Aug. 24 of medical helicopter firm a White House appointee who would tification of the A700 and is degree in foreign trade from the same of The Jet. gram chief engineering test pilot. con 7X, and it is paying off.” In his new position Moss is tasked with provider CJ Systems. Hawker Beechcraft Hawker be in charge of the FAA long after Bush poised to begin volume production of the school, followed by an international MBA He also was assigned to 777 flight Kerhervé, 63, is a former focusing on domestic and international from São Paulo University. Botelho, credited 900XP receives certification; leaves office. –P.L. jet later this year. The A500 piston twin, testing for a year of severe environ- French Navy pilot. He is Aug. 2 customer relations and assisting with Gulf- with the revival of Embraer and its mercurial Northrop Grumman finalizes mental testing, polar navigation and known for his role in testing acquisition of Scaled stream’s strategic planning and business- emergence over the past decade as an inter- Cessna Citation XLS+ wing-load stress testing before join- a number of military aircraft Composites. development activities. national player in aircraft manufacturing, will first flight. ing Boeing Business Jets in 1998. and helping to develop the Joseph Lombardo, 58, succeeded Moss remain the company’s chairman for another Aug. 27 Hewett told AIN that his only regret Aug. 8 as Gulfstream Aerospace’s president and two years before retiring. –K.J.H. Rafale fighter and several Deadline for ExcelAire pilots executive v-p of General Dynamic’s aero- was missing the “cut” after making Falcons. He has logged FAA approves Alaskan to testify in Brazilian midair. space business group. Lombardo has been Dassault executive takes the U.S. Navy shortlist to fly the 8,000 hours, including June 30 ADS-B service. They did not testify. the reins at EGAMA space shuttle –J.H. Mike Hewett 5,000 as a test pilot. –J.H. Yves “Bill” Kerhervé E with the company since 1996 and held

W Citation 500 crashes into O

L Gulfstream’s COO spot since 2001. He In an effort to stave off the threat posed

L house in Conway, Ark., U

A Marion Blakey Bobby Sturgell by a barrage of new EU regulations, Euro- P served as a key member of the inner man- killing the pilot and a resident agement team. –D.A.L. pean manufacturers have formed EGAMA, of the house. AIA: John Douglass to Marion Blakey the European General Aviation Manufac- turers Association. EGAMA’s founding July 2 For nine years, John Douglass has Jet Aviation: Heinz Köhli to members named Dassault senior vice pres- been the face of the American aerospace Carl Hirschmann Jr. to Peter Edwards Rick Adam Eclipse Concept Jet first flight. ident for civil aircraft Olivier Villa the industry on the worldwide stage. Last Heinz Köhli took over as interim CEO group’s first chairman and Piaggio Aero July 3 spring, he announced that he would retire of Jet Aviation in 2003 when Thomas CEO Jose Di Mase as vice chairman. at the end of the year as the Aerospace In- Hirschmann, the company’s president AgustaWestland VH-71 presi- At the European Business Aviation Con- dustries Association president and CEO, and CEO, and son of founder Carl dential helicopter test aircraft vention & Exhibition in Geneva last May, the to be replaced by outgoing FAA Adminis- Hirschmann Sr., resigned from the family- first flight. trator Marion Blakey. She assumed the owned business. July 5 post on November 12. Köhli, a protégé of the senior Hirschmann, moved up from the position of The Carlyle Group announces plans to buy Arinc. president and COO of Jet Aviation Europe, Duncan Koerbel John Wolf the Middle and Far East. He had been with July 6 the company since 1977 and was moved which has received both FAA type and

into the position to be a stabilizing influ- R Epic Victory Jet first flight;

production certificates, has already started U E

ence during a tumultuous period. O Dassault Falcon 2000DX C

rolling off the retooled production line. Hav- E

Köhli remained at the helm even after T first flight. O E ing achieved the difficult task of building a C W / R O Jet Aviation was acquired by European pri- L E new aircraft manufacturing company, in Au- I July 8 L R U vate equity company Permira Funds in V A Marion Blakey and John Douglass gust Rick Adam stepped down from the role É P F

.

mid-2005. As CEO he continued to A Boeing publicly reveals

of chairman but remains an investor and , N

AIA doubled its regular membership oversee accelerated O 787 Dreamliner. I

board member. Aircraft manufacturing vet- T A I

from 52 to 103 under Douglass’s direction growth, including a V erans Duncan Koerbel (president) and John A

T July 13 while expanding the Supplier Management successful bid to L U

Wolf (chairman and CEO) joined Adam Air- A S

Council from 24 to 172 members. A former run the new execu- S Gulfstream G150 earns craft last February and have been working A Olivier Villa assistant Navy secretary and Air Force tive terminal at Ger- D since then on implementing a new produc- EASA certification. brigadier general, he is a nationally recog- many’s Dusseldorf tion program. By the time the A700 is certi- European general aviation industry created nized expert in systems acquisition. Airport and the July 17 fied this year, the production line will be the association, a counterpart of the U.S. Douglass, 66, counts among his suc- acquisition of Mid- ready for high-volume manufacturing of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association. Quest Aircraft’s Kodiak cesses at AIA the push for the Commission coast Aviation, but jet. “We look forward to help finishing what EGAMA focuses its attention on issues receives FAA certification. on the Future of the U.S. Aerospace Indus- the honeymoon Peter Edwards Rick started and delivering a thousand related to aircraft manufacturing, said Villa. try, on which he served, and which led to Adam airplanes over the next five to seven The association will seek to highlight the dif- July 20 creation of the Joint Planning and Devel- years,” Koerbel said. –M.T. ferences between GA and commercial avia- opment Office. That office is overseeing tion and explain why GA sometimes needs Second Diamond D-Jet rolls out; Signature parent BBA the NextGen ATC system. –P.L. different rules. The group also will lobby for Embraer: Mauricio Botelho Aviation sells Oxford Airport safety and security against onerous European to Frederico Fleury Curado to OA Acquisitions. Gulfstream: Bryan Moss Aviation Safety Agency rules, he added. In June 2007, Brazilian aircraft manufac- to Joe Lombardo EGAMA is based in Brussels as part of July 23 turer Embraer began a new chapter in the the Aerospace and Defense Industries Asso- Last April, after three years of success- company’s long history when company in- ciation of Europe. –P.L. Eclipse unveils Eclipse ful leadership as Gulfstream’s president, sider Frederico Fleury Curado replaced Concept Jet at Oshkosh. Bryan Moss, 66, changed offices to be- Heinz Köhli Mauricio Botelho as president and CEO. Cu- Continues on page 28

26aaAviation International News • January 2008 • www.ainonline.com 28aaAviation International News • January 2008 • www.ainonline.com Newsmakers 2007 Continued from preceding page FINAL FLIGHTS TIME FINAL FLIGHTS TIME LINE LINE Peter Wright Sr. Bill Piper Jr. Sept. 25-27 NBAA Keystone Helicopter founder Peter Aug. 28 Former Piper Aircraft president Bill Piper Jr. died August 24 at the Wright Sr. died June 1. He was 90. A for- Second Bell 429 joins age of 96. Son of cofounder William Piper, the younger Piper joined Embraer announces flight-test program. mer Naval aviator, in 1942 he joined the company in 1934 after he graduated from Harvard. He became midsize jet and midlight American Export Airlines, flying Sikorsky president in 1968 and in 1970 was named chairman of the board, a jet; Rockwell Collins VS-44s. He founded Keystone Helicopter position he held until 1973, when the company was sold. Piper’s launches Pro Line Fusion cockpit; Action Aviation in 1953 and served as president until contributions to the industry extend beyond airplane manufacturing. Investors announces plans 1985, when he became chairman. He helped organize the General Aviation Manufacturers Association; to buy a controlling interest Wright founded the American Helicopter he also served as director of the Aircraft Industries Association and in Sino Swearingen; Adam aircraft unveils new interior; Museum in West Chester, Pa., in 1993 director of that association’s Utility Aircraft Council. Piper was also NBAA marks 60th anniver- and served as director of the Helicopter Aug 30 active in the Lock Haven community, supporting numerous educa- sary; Cessna marks Association of America. During his long tional, recreational and cultural projects. He also helped establish 80th anniversary. FAA awards ADS-B contract career, he received a number of awards to ITT. the Piper Aviation Museum in Lock Haven, Pa. –A.Y. for his work and dedication to the heli- Sept. 3 copter industry. –A.Y. Peter Wright Sr. Paul Tibbets Steve Fossett is reported Paul Tibbets, pilot of the Enola Gay, the Roy Resavage missing after taking off from B-29 that dropped the first atomic bomb on the Flying M Ranch in Nevada Roy Resavage, 62, former Helicopter Association International Japan, died November 1 at the age of 92. in a Decathlon. (HAI) president, died February 19 after a long illness. Resavage Years before the August 1945 mission, Tib- served in that role for seven years (from March 1998 through Octo- Sept. 5 bets was assigned to test the combat capabil- Oct. 3 ber 2005), leading the association ity of the Boeing B-29. He was then tasked First European customer Day Jet inaugurates air-taxi through difficult financial times. He is takes delivery of a with determining whether the airplane could service; Dassault Falcon credited with improving its operational Citation Mustang. be modified to deliver atomic weapons, su- 2000DX receives FAA approval. efficiency and financial health as well as pervising the modifications and organizing Oct. 4 Sept. 13 boosting attendance at Heli-Expo, the as- Paul Tibbets and training a unit to deliver the weapons in FAA suspends AMI Jet Char- sociation’s annual gathering. Before his FAA Administrator Marion combat. He retired from the Air Force in Blakey leaves the agency at ter’s Part 135 certificate. death, the association awarded him life- 1966 as a brigadier general. Four years later, he joined Columbus-based the end of her five-year term; Oct. 5 time honorary membership. Resavage Robert Sturgell becomes Executive Jet Aviation (precursor of NetJets), and rose to the position of served 27 years in the U.S. Navy before interim FAA Administrator. president and chairman before his 1985 retirement. He was enshrined in AEXJet temporarily joining HAI. He retired as a captain in the National Aviation Hall of Fame in 1996. –A.Y. ceases operations. Sept. 14 1995. During his Navy career, he served Oct. 12 as the executive officer of the aircraft car- Diamond’s second D-Jet Robert Cooper first flight. rier USS John F. Kennedy and as com- Former Gulfstream executive v-p of mar- FAA revokes AMI Jet Charter’s Part 135 certificate. manding officer of the Naval Air Station Sept. 15 keting and sales Robert Cooper died March Roy Resavage in Jacksonville, Fla. –A.Y. 17. He was 81. Cooper was affiliated with Oct. 15 Cessna and machinists agree Gulfstream from its 1978 inception, having to three-year contract; British Raytheon sells Flight Options Bruce Kennedy racecar driver Colin McCrae joined American Jet Industries, the company to HIG Capital. Bruce Kennedy, 68, former CEO of Alaska Airlines and chairman dies in crash of Eurocopter that bought the Savannah airframer from AS 355 Twin Squirrel of the board of trustees of Quest Aircraft, was killed June 28 when the Grumman, in 1974. He retired from Gulf- Oct. 17 he was flying. Cessna 182 he was flying crashed near Cashmere Airport in Wash- stream in 2001. During his years with Gulf- Excel Jet sues FAA over 2006 ington. According to the FAA report, the airplane hit a tree on final Sept. 17 stream he sold more than 250 new and Sport-Jet VLJ crash. approach and was destroyed on impact. He joined the board of di- pre-owned jets. He remained active in the in- Bombardier 60XR en- Oct. 19 rectors of Alaska Airlines in 1972 and served as chairman, president ters service in Bombardier’s dustry after his retirement, serving on the and CEO from 1978 through 1991. He remained on the board after fractional jet fleet. board of directors of Supersonic Aerospace Eclipse cuts workforce by 100. he retired to devote his time to humanitarian and missionary work. International and The Air Group. –A.Y. Bob Cooper Sept. 19 Oct. 22 That work led him to serve as chairman of Quest Aircraft, which was founded in 2001 to develop and certify the Kodiak, a 10-seat turbo- Falcon 2000DX receives Brian Rowe Sentient Flight Group agrees EASA certification. to buy TAG Aviation USA; prop for missionary work in remote parts of the world. –A.Y. Brian Rowe, the former GE Aviation chairman credited with es- Inmarsat’s SwiftBroadband Sept. 21 tablishing the company’s position in the jet engine business, died makes commercial debut. February 22 after surgery. He was 75. Rowe joined GE in 1957 and Oct. 23 U.S. Air Force suspends eventually led the CF6 engine program. deliveries of the Hawker Hawker Beechcraft sells its In 1979 he was named the division’s Beechcraft T-6A charter business to Sentient Texan II single-engine president and CEO, a post he held until Flight Group; President Bush turboprop trainer. 1993, when he became chairman. He nominates Bobby Sturgell to retired from that position two years be FAA Administrator. Sept. 24 later but remained active with the com- Oct . 26 Cessna signs letter of intent to pany as chairman emeritus. Rowe was Embraer Lineage 1000 first purchase Columbia Aircraft. also involved in the development of flight; Bell locks in Bell 429 design. Sept 26 CFM International, the joint venture between GE and Snecma. In 1985 he Oct. 29 Cessna Citation X makes was awarded the Chevalier of the Le- Bombardier Learjet 60XR maiden flight with elliptical gion of Honor, France’s highest civilian receives EASA certification; winglets; second Embraer Bruce Kennedy Brian Rowe third Grob SPn prototype Phenom 100 takes flight. honor, for his work with CFM. –A.Y. makes first flight. Continues on next page Continues on page 32

www.ainonline.com • January 2008 • Aviation International Newsaa29 30aaAviation International News • January 2008 • www.ainonline.com Newsmakers 2007 Continued from preceding page TIME FINAL FLIGHTS LINE

Steve Fossett Oct. 30 The man who was quoted last year as Bombardier launches Learjet saying, “I plan to be setting and breaking NXT clean-sheet design. records indefinitely,” might have had his last adventure. Steve Fossett, who was the first person to circumnavigate the world solo in a balloon and the first person to fly solo nonstop around the world without refueling, has been missing since Septem- ber 3, when he took off alone in a single- engine Citabria Super Decathlon from Nov. 1 N Flying M Ranch in Nevada. As of press I A B

R Port Authority of New York and

time, there was no trace of him or the air- E G

O Steve Fossett New Jersey takes over opera- plane. In November, a lawyer for his wife R tion of Stewart International filed a petition to have the adventurer declared legally dead. Never Airport in Newburgh, N.Y. one to miss out on a challenge, Fossett is credited with 115 world records and world firsts. –J.C. Nov. 2 Hawker Beechcraft explores Robert (Bob) Petersen divestiture of fuel and line Robert Petersen’s career spans the service operations. diverse fields of aviation, automo- Nov. 4 biles, sports, the great outdoors, am- munition manufacturing and wine. Learjet 35 crashes on takeoff from Campo do Marte Best known for founding Hot Rod Airport in Brazil, killing at magazine, publishing Motor Trend least eight people. Robert (Bob) Petersen magazine and more than two dozen Nov. 8 other automotive, sports and outdoor publications, Petersen also owned Petersen Aviation, one of six FBOs at Van Nuys Airport. He TAG Aviation USA and parent TAG Aviation Holding agree to died on March 23 in Santa Monica, Calif., at age 80. –J.C. pay a $10 million civil penalty to the FAA to settle “all matters” Barbara Cesar regarding the company’s involvement in AMI Jet Charter. It is always too soon, but the passing of Barbara Nov. 11 Cesar, president and CEO Hawker Beechcraft receives of Syncro Aviation, was certification for the King Air especially unexpected and 350ER. sudden. The 56-year-old entrepreneur, pilot, com-

munity volunteer and Barbara Cesar businesswoman died on November 9 in Burbank, Calif., of complications following minor sur- Nov. 12 gery. She and husband Ed Cesar launched their interior completion Former FAA Administrator and refurbishment business in 1978 with $200 in cash and a used Marion Blakey joins the Aero- sewing machine, doing upholstery refurbishment for owners of single- space Industries Association engine piston aircraft. Today, Syncro Aviation is a major business and as president and CEO, replac- ing John Douglass. private aircraft cabin completion and refurbishment shop at Van Nuys Airport and has done interiors for the likes of actor John Travolta and Week of Nov. 12 Hollywood powerhouse Michael Ovitz. Ed Cesar died in May 2002. Garmin G1000 STC’d for King Barbara never remarried. In her will, Barbara Cesar appointed long- Air C90 series. time Syncro executive Pierre-Louis Moroni as president and CEO. Disposition of the company awaits final probate of the will. –K.J.H. Nov. 13 100th anniversary of the first Dave Ewald manned helicopter flight. David Ewald, one of the founders and Nov. 26 longtime publisher of Business & Com- mercial Aviation (B/CA), died on April 19. Sen. Trent Lott (R-Miss.) announces his resignation; Ewald, 80, also served as an associate defense firm Cobham publisher of Flying magazine and was an announces agreement to pur- investor in and president of Specialized chase autopilot maker S-Tec from Meggitt for $38 million. Publications Co. B/CA was launched in O N R

E Dec. 4

1958 under the Conover-Mast Publica- L A S

tions umbrella. He was named publisher A C I

S Cessna purchases Columbia S

of B/CA after it was purchased by Ziff- E J

/ Aircraft for $26.4 million. A

Davis Publishing. –J.C. C Dave Ewald B

32aaAviation International News • January 2008 • www.ainonline.com