INSIDE NEWSMAKERS: • Corporations close flight departments ...... Page 22 • Aircraft lenders feel the financial heat ...... Page 22 • Downturn swallows start-up operations ...... Page 24 • Striking workers halt production at OEMs ...... Page 24 • OEMs brace for lengthy downturn ...... Page 26 • Helicopter EMS suffers spate of fatal accidents in 2008 ...... Page 26 • Age-60 rule repealed ...... Page 26 • NPRM issued for large aircraft security ...... Page 28 • Industry turns attention to environmental concerns ...... Page 28 • General Dynamics adds Jet Aviation to its stable ...... Page 30 • Large-cabin Gulfstreams get synthetic-vision PFDs ...... Page 30 • First-delivered Hawker 4000 seized by U.S. Government ...... Page 30 • Guimbal delivers R22 competitor ...... Page 30 • Slot auctions delayed for N.Y.-area airports ...... Page 30 • Gama acquires PrivatAir U.S...... Page 30 • Final Flights ...... Page 32 FBOs feel the pinch as fuel prices decline The drop in oil prices that has shadowed the economy’s decline has taken pundits and the aviation industry by surprise. Airlines that were hoping to avoid ever-climbing prices have lost millions on fuel hedging contracts. One charter operator, Chantilly Air of Manassas, Va., advertised that it waived fuel surcharges during December. Jet-A prices that topped $8 per gallon at some major metropolitan airports have dropped by a dollar or more since oil prices peaked at $147 per barrel in July. And wholesale jet-A prices that topped $4 per gallon in July dropped to $1.95 in November (the latest month for which num- bers are available from the U.S. Energy Information Administration). Airport information service GlobalAir.com reported that Western Aviation Service at Puerto Rico’s Rafael Hernandez Airport offered Choosing one person as AIN’s Newsmaker of the remaining big, easily accessible oil reserves the lowest U.S. jet-A price in the GlobalAir Airport Resource Center The Year for 2008 swiftly proved to be an exercise lies beneath people who don’t like us. There now database last month, at $2.35 per gallon (full-serve). in fiddling while Rome burned. The economy seems to be reluctant consensus that elevated While no one (except perhaps people who live in major oil-pro- made news in 2008 like nothing and nobody else, greenhouse gas is bad for the climate as we know ducing countries) is complaining about lower fuel costs, the drop in whether the headline was in $, £, £ or bbls. it and that we need to get our house in order. oil prices is coincident with the current worldwide economic reces- The financial industry’s greed, exemplified by Aviation, however, is unique in that its fuel has to sion. And despite the dramatic drops in jet-A prices, reports from the its binge of lending to incapable mortgage bor- be carried into the sky for hours on end (in some field indicate that the slumping overall economy is overshadowing rowers, making piles of dubious money in the cases for the better part of an entire day and night, any benefit of lower fuel prices. process and then shifting the risk to all corners of so efficiently have airplanes evolved) and, despite One FBO company manager told AIN that his fuel supplier’s sales the globe, took a large measure of the blame, as continuing trials with veggie-based alternatives and have dropped 15 to 30 percent in the U.S. This FBO is seeing the did the regulators who had turned a blind eye, but supplements, nothing yet packs the practicality and economic situation affect its business and has laid off personnel. you can’t more than double the price of crude oil punch of kerosene pound for pound. We can only Local flight departments in this FBO’s area have already placed two in a matter of months without wreaking havoc on keep looking for equally powerful, sustainable alterna- jets on the market, and pilots worried about their jobs are increas- the costs of living and of doing business. In June tives and in the meantime hope that aircraft, and their ingly negotiating lower fuel prices, even as the price continues to 2007 the price was $65/bbl and it peaked at unique victory over gravity and distance, are seen as drop. The result, the manager said, is that the number of gallons his $147/bbl last July. The economists in the U.S. tell a special case deserving of a carbon allowance. company has pumped remains steady, but margins have dropped, us we’ve been living high on the hog on General aviation’s contribution to emis- leading to the layoffs and other cost-cutting measures such as reducing borrowed money for too long, and last sions by the transportation sector is tiny: the number of free newspapers and other services. year the bill came due. Newsmaker according to AOPA, the EPA’s own inven- Jeff Ross, president and CEO of Ross Aviation, which owns 12 In the wake of the devastation and of the tory of greenhouse gases shows that gen- FBOs in the U.S., has noted the effects of the economy. “At most of economic shrinkage it had wrought, the eral aviation jets and pistons generated our FBOs,” he said, “the pleasing decline in fuel costs is over- price of oil quickly turned tail from the year only 5.54 percent of the total aviation whelmed by the economic downturn. Our fuel volumes are down sig- high of $147 a barrel last summer. As contribution and 0.74 percent of the over- nificantly and the decline shows no sign of abating.” this is written in mid-December, a barrel all transportation sector contribution. Of The high oil prices and economy seem to be affecting even large of oil has dropped by more than 70 percent and is that 0.74 percent, 0.61 came from jet-powered air- FBO chains such as Signature Flight Support, which has lowered fuel headed below $40 a barrel, and the boss of one craft and 0.13 percent from piston-powered aircraft. prices to competitive levels at many of its bases and also is now offering major U.S. producer is predicting it might be as This compares with 81.33 percent for on-road motor contract fueling through companies Avfuel and Avcard. –M.T. low as $20 early this year, bringing autogas back vehicles, 12.53 percent for commercial and military to a buck a gallon. aviation, 2.4 percent for locomotives and 2.26 per- Really cheap oil, however, will do more harm in cent for marine vessels. the long run because it will weaken our resolve to If the sorely needed advances in battery tech- find a better, cleaner, sustainable way to power nology can be achieved on a scale comparable Fuel prices have our world. Western economies have repeatedly with those of the microprocessor, there will be no dropped significantly shown recidivism with their addiction to oil. The excuse for a hydrocarbon diet for ground-bound since their summer easy oil has already been tapped in friendly terri- fuel users that return to home/base every evening–so high, but FBOs are still tory, and policy has to be different this time be- long as the electricity they store and consume is feeling the effects. cause of two other persistent headline topics in generated by clean, sustainable sources such as 2008: the environment (and particularly the public wind, geothermal, solar, wave, tide or fusion. perception of the damage aviation does to it) and That’s this observer’s $0.02-worth. We’d like to the geopolitically inconvenient truth that most of hear yours, sent to [email protected]. –N.M.

20aaAviation International News • January 2009 • www.ainonline.com Timeline of Events

2007

Senate votes to extend retirement age December 12 “People who would normally purchase a jet are now going into for Part 121 airline pilots to 65. Charter demand membership and fractional programs. And people who would typically buy memberships or fractionals are going to the Encore FBO and private-equity firm charter market,” said XOJet chief marketing officer Adam GTCR Golder Rauner announce agree- drops precipitously Komack. “People aren’t willing to make that higher level of December 13 ment to acquire Landmark Aviation’s commitment when in the past they might have been. That’s a FBOs from Dubai Aerospace Enterprise The economic recession appears to be taking its toll on the trend across all luxury goods right now.” Aviation Holdings. charter industry. Most operators reported a 20- to 40-percent So where does this leave fractional and jet card companies? 2008 drop in business over the summer, with only small gains follow- It’s difficult to say. Contrary to charter operators’ aspirations, Sentient Jet Holdings completes ing the traditionally slow period, and one operator told AIN that UBS indicated that fractional and jet card ownership demand January 4 bookings decreased by 75 percent over the last few months of is expected to increase. However, sales of shares among acquisition of The Air Group. the year. These reports are confirmed by market updates such as the fractionals have decreased year-over-year even though the Dassault launches super-midsize Falcon last month’s UBS Business Jet Update, which reported that overall fleet size increased. January 9 (codenamed SMS). business jet flight activity continues its “steep” decline, “driven The fractional companies are also reporting that their use of mainly by reduced charter activity.” charter for supplementary lift is down. NetJets reported that DayJet adds DayPorts of Naples, Fla.; However, the figures must be considered in the context of outside charter needs are a “tiny percentage,” while Bombardier and Savannah, Ga.; and adds 12 new January 10 2007’s record-high charter activity. NATA president Jim Coyne Flexjet reported about 3 percent and CitationShares reported DayStops in Alabama, Georgia and said the decrease is an opportunity for the charter industry to less than 3 percent. In fact, TWC president Andrew Richmond South Carolina. “[catch] its breath after years of dramatic growth” and noted that blamed these low figures for charter’s decline. “That’s why DayJet marks 100th day of the closure of corporate flight departments would boost charter charter is down 20 percent,” he said, “because the fractionals January 12 VLJ air-taxi service. activity. Indeed, Ford CEO Alan Mulally and chairman Bill Ford aren’t flying as much.” both indicated they will turn to charter for their travel needs after Richmond also said jet card use has increased. “Jet cards are Etirc Aviation invests more than January 14 Ford announced that it was eliminating its flight department. easy entry,” he said. “It’s not a long-term commitment. I think $100 million in Eclipse Aviation. Some operators also expressed hope that fractional and jet the fractional model may be maturing to where there’s less card owners would cancel their contracts and turn to charter. demand for it and more for jet cards.” –J.H. Adam Aircraft revises production, January 17 spending plans; EADS Socata unveils upgraded TBM 850 turboprop single.

New administration tasked HAND OFFS Bombardier partners with January 22 PAMA: Grob on Learjet 85. with addressing user fees Brian Finnegan to John Casker Cessna formally launches Citation Colum- After two years of wrangling committees. It did include a modest The Professional Aviation Maintenance bus; Bell Helicopter announces production January 24 over how to pay for the FAA’s opera- increase on jet fuel but not on avgas. Association (PAMA) began the year by announcing end for 206B JetRanger, 210, 427 and tions and modernization of the ATC When the House passed its reau- John Casker had been appointed to the 430 models. system, Congress punted the ques- thorization legislation, it sent a position of president. Casker replaced eight-year tion to the new 111th Congress and resounding “no” to the airlines and Quest Aircraft delivers first Kodiak turbo- veteran Brian Finnegan, who assumed the newly January 25 President-elect Barack Obama. the White House. Both the Air prop single to launch customer Spirit Air. created position of SAE Institute director of profes- On September 30, President Bush Transport Association (ATA), which sional certification. Casker is a longtime SAE em- signed a bill extending FAA taxes lobbies for the nation’s airlines, and Hawker Beechcraft King Air C90GTi ployee with expertise in society management, trade January 28 and programs for six months, placing the Bush Administration advocate receives FAA certification. shows, sponsorship programs and membership FAA reauthorization squarely user fees, particularly development. The move marks the PAMA board’s Sentient Flight Group completes acquisi- in the laps of the new Presi- for business aviation. shift in philosophy from a president with industry tion of assets of TAG Aviation USA from dent and the new Congress. Throughout last expertise to one with professional organizational Switzerland-based TAG Aviation Holding The extension allows the summer, the ATA and forms Sentient aircraft management management experience. –D.A.L. January 31 FAA to continue to spend blamed bottlenecks division; Gulfstream’s SVS/ EVS II money for programs and throughout the Na- second-generation enhanced-vision collect the taxes that fi- tional Airspace System Bombardier Aerospace: Pierre Beaudoin to Guy Hachey system receives FAA certification; Jet nance the Airport and Air- on a surge in corpo- Aviation acquires Savannah Air Center. way Trust Fund–from which rate jet and small gen- There was a leadership shift at Bombardier Silver State Helicopters training school the agency receives most eral aviation traffic. Aerospace in April with the appointment of Guy February 3 ceases operations. of its money–through Upon the signing of the Hachey as the company’s new president and COO, March 31. Bush signed the FAA extension to March effective May 12. Following a transition period, Pierre P&WC launches PW800 10,000-pound- bill on September 30, the 31, ATA president and February 6 Beaudoin stepped down on June 4 to assume the thrust engine. day the previous extension CEO James May said, position of president and CEO of Bombardier, Inc. was set to expire. The FAA “We need to move Before joining Bombardier, Hachey held combined Hawker 750 receives FAA certification; had been operating on a se- wisely toward a bill positions as v-p of Delphi Corp., president of Delphi February 8 Stage III Technologies (hush kits for Spey- ries of short-term extensions that modernizes the Powertrain Systems and president of Delphi Europe, powered Gulfstreams) halts operations. since Sept. 30, 2007. ATC system, reduces Middle East and Africa. He is a graduate of McGill Uni- In September 2007 the delays and ends the February 11 Adam Aircraft ceases operations. versity in Montreal and holds a master’s degree in busi- House of Representatives subsidy passengers ness administration from Concordia University. –K.J.H. A Chicago probate court declares Steve passed an FAA reauthoriza- are providing to pri- February 15 Fossett dead more than five months tion bill, which contained no vate business jets.” after he disappeared. new user fees and gave no Over the course of United Technologies: concessions to the airlines, the summer, GA leaders and others George David to Louis Chenevert as CEO February 24 Eurocopter unveils EC 175. although it did modestly increase expressed varying degrees of disap- United Technologies announced a leadership shift February 25 Adam Aircraft declared bankrupt. the taxes on jet-A and avgas. pointment with the Senate delays in April, adding the title of CEO to company president First Bombardier Challenger 890 enters Meanwhile, action moved to the and urged the body to continue to February 27 Louis Chenevert and announcing that former CEO service with Calgary-based Suncor Energy. Senate, where its version of FAA work toward agreement. Now, both George David would continue his role as chairman reauthorization originally contained a the House and Senate will have of the board. Chenevert served from 1999 through Gama Holdings purchases PrivatAir Inc., February 29 $25-per-flight fee on jets and most to start drafting new legislation to 2006 as president of Pratt & Whitney. He joined UTC the U.S. division of PrivatAir Group. turboprops when it was introduced determine how the FAA will be in 1993 at Pratt & Whitney Canada. David has been in May 2007. That was later removed funded and what its budget will be. Gulfstream unveils new wide-cabin UTC board chairman since 1997. He joined the com- March 13 during negotiations between the Still unknown is Obama’s position pany in 1975 at UTC’s Otis Elevator subsidiary. –S.P. flagship, the G650. Senate Transportation and Finance on user fees. –P.L. Newsmakers continues on next page u

www.ainonline.com • January 2009 • Aviation International Newsaa21 Timeline of Events

the termination of 32 pilots, mechanics and department 2008 personnel. “We’ve eliminated our corporate aviation group as Pilatus PC-12NG receives FAA and EASA part of our continuous improvement effort to reduce corporate March 28 certification; Embraer launches Legacy overhead,” Sonia Choi, director of business communication for 450 and Legacy 500. the company, told AIN. As of press time none of the aircraft Garmin introduces Continued from preceding page had been sold. April 7 u Ailing financial giant Citigroup has put its two Falcon synthetic-vision system. 900EXs–worth approximately $30 million each–on the sales Comp Air unveils CA-9 and CA-11 Corporations close block, while reports say that Lucent Technologies is trying to April 9 turboprop singles; Garmin launches sell its two G450s, one of which was delivered late last year G950 avionics suite. and the other scheduled to be delivered early this year. flight departments Brunswick, parent company of Mercury Marine, consolidated Russian backers AAI Acquisition its flight department, eliminating one of two Hawker 800XPs April 15 purchase assets of Adam Aircraft; By fall, with the economy tumbling, talk of flight depart- based in Waukegan, Ill.; pharmaceutical company Pfizer laid off Embraer rolls out Phenom 300. ments’ closing was intensifying, but facts were more difficult 27 employees and closed down its shuttle service based in Kala- April 29 Embraer Phenom 300 first flight. to find. NBAA senior vice president of communications Dan mazoo, Mich., divesting itself of its two EMB 135s. Hubbard said in early September the association had “no quan- The most publicized event, however, came in November, May 5 Cessna Citation CJ4 first flight. titative data to address the issue at this time.” He did say fuel when the heads of the big three Detroit auto manufacturers DayJet scales back after May 6 providers and charter companies were reporting jet-A sales headed to Washington seeking billions of taxpayer dollars to failed capital infusion. down 10 to 20 percent and activity at general aviation airports keep their companies afloat. During the hearing, the CEOs down “significantly.” That corresponds with a recent UBS were pilloried by members of Congress over their use of sepa- Embraer announces plans to open May 13 report that showed October’s business jet flight cycles were 19 rate corporate jets to carry them to the capital. In response, the Phenom plant in Melbourne, Fla. percent lower than the previous year’s, after a September that companies took swift and drastic action. In early December, Crossair executives Moritz Suter was 13 percent below the previous year. Ford announced it was shutting down its flight department, and Andre Dose acquitted of homicide Those statistics have led to harsh realities for some corpo- and terminating the 49 employees who operated two GVs, a May 16 in connection with crash of Avro RJ100 rate flight departments. Bristol-Myers Squibb put its two Gulf- pair of Fokker 70s and a Falcon 2000. on approach to Zurich Airport on stream Vs and two Sikorsky S-76Cs on the block, resulting in GM also decided it would shutter its flight department, Nov. 24, 2001. which included 32 pilots and 40 additional personnel, as of January 1. According to Sukhoi Superjet 100 first flight; Hawker NBAA, the company operated a pair of GVs May 19 Beechcraft launches Premier II; Dassault and five G350s. “The American automobile launches Falcon 900LX. manufacturers are in a unique situation in that Aviation Technology Group May 23 they are requesting federal funding to address (Javelin VLJ) files for bankruptcy. their acute liquidity crisis,” said NBAA presi- dent Ed Bolen. “The fact that they are selling Eclipse Aviation officially launches May 30 strategic assets, including airplanes, appears Eclipse 400 jet single. directly related to their particular liquidity Cessna Citation XLS+ receives challenge.” June 2 Many in the industry believe it isn’t just the FAA certification. large companies that will be cutting back Dubai-based Emivest Investment & flight operations as owner-operators and small Development (Emivest) obtains U.S. business aircraft partnerships are also feeling approval to acquire 80-percent stake in S E the pinch. AIN contributor Bryan Comstock, June 4 Sino Swearingen Aircraft; Gulfstream G A M I founding partner and managing director of rolls out 200th Gulfstream G200; Pierre Y T

T Long Beach, Calif.-based aircraft brokerage Beaudoin takes over as president and E G Jet Effect, said, “Probably the hardest-hit CEO of Bombardier Aerospace. L to r: GM chairman and CEO Richard Wagoner, UAW president Ron Gettelfinger, Ford president groups are real estate developers and home and CEO Alan Mulally and Chrysler chairman and CEO Robert Nardelli testified before the Senate Hawker 4000 gets FAA approval; Jet Finance Committee about a proposed federal bailout for the auto industry. The leaders of the Big builders; the one-aircraft owner-operators. Three drew fire for flying corporate jets to the hearing, and GM and Ford later announced they They’re getting out of aircraft ownership for June 11 Support Services (JSSI) acquired by would be closing their flight departments. economic reasons.” –C.E., D.A.L. R. H. Book and 1848 Capital Partners. Hawker Beechcraft delivers June 18 first Hawker 4000. Aircraft lenders feel the financial heat June 26 Cirrus Design rolls out SJX personal jet. ICAO mandates that private and com- Anyone searching for overt changes happening because of the number of to finance his aircraft, but consolida- mercial aircraft operating internationally July 1 in the business aviation industry over players and because of the easy access tion had reduced that number to little carry at least one 406-MHz emergency the past year needn’t look beyond the to capital that was present, and that more than a handful of active lenders locator transmitter. aircraft-financing sector. The prevailing was making it too easy and making by year-end. Those firms still in the sentiment early last year was that if a terms and conditions too flexible,” said aircraft marketplace were taking a July 2 VistaJet buys Skyjet International. customer was looking to finance an Doug Reinarz, senior vice presi- more measured approach to Cirrus SJ50 Vision first flight; GE aircraft, the money would find him. By dent at Chase Business Aircraft business aviation lending. July 3 finalizes Walter Engines acquisition. year-end, however, a potential aircraft Finance, and president of the “Many of the lenders that buyer had to do his homework to find National Aircraft Finance As- were in aircraft financing or Phil Boyer announces retirement July 6 acceptable loan terms. sociation. “There will be sto- offering aircraft financing have from presidency of AOPA. In the Wall Street meltdown, vener- ries written later about folks either withdrawn or changed able money houses Lehman Brothers, who acquired airplanes that, their approach to aircraft lend- Gregory Campbell takes over as CEO of Sentient Jet, replacing Steven Hankin, Bear Stearns, Wachovia and National frankly, shouldn’t have.” That over- ing,” said Greg Renna, senior July 9 City faltered and have been either arching drive to close the deal, which vice president of Webster Bank sub- who was moved into an advisory role broken up or engulfed outright by took hold in 2005, shared some similari- sidiary Center Capital’s general avia- at the company. their more stable brethren. ties with sub-prime mortgage lending. tion division. Lenders that might have July 16 Start-up Stratos launches Model 714 VLJ. When the industry is booming, air- Competition drove down aircraft loan in- previously offered the full gamut of craft financing is attractive to lenders terest rates to the point that frequently financing options such as loans, July 17 Bombardier launches C-series. because the customers generally have the transactions were barely profitable leases and the types of aircraft they Kenn Ricci becomes Flight Options July 21 good credit ratings and aircraft are a for the lending institutions. will work with are changing their chairman. stable asset. “Clearly a year ago you A year ago a potential customer plans. “Everyone just seemed to pull it had some aggressive liberal things might have had more than 20 choices back in a bit,” said Renna. –C.E. Newsmakers continues on page 24 u

22aaAviation International News • January 2009 • www.ainonline.com Timeline of Events

2008

Eclipse Aviation founder and CEO Vern Raburn steps down amid persistent DayJet Eclipses July 23 financial problems and Eclipse chairman Roel Pieper becomes acting CEO.

Piper Aircraft PiperJet first flight; Cirrus Design’s Vision makes public debut uContinued from page 22 July 30 at Oshkosh; Rolls-Royce unveils RR500 turboprop engine; GE launches Downturn swallows M601H-80 turboprop. Hawker 800A charter flight operated by East Coast Jets crashes at Owatonna July 31 start-up operations Degner Regional Airport in Minnesota, killing all eight aboard. For the aircraft manufacturing industry, last year featured Grob SPn First A380 commercial flight to U.S lands record-breaking deliveries of business jets and multiple new jet August 1 program launches but attrition in the ranks of new-entrant man- at New York JFK. ufacturers. Despite large backlogs, this year is going to be even FirstFlight closes on purchase more challenging, and no one in the industry will be surprised August 4 of New World Jet. to see additional manufacturers either shutting down or delay- ing programs under way. Russian forces bomb runways at Tbilisi The first new manufacturer to make its financial problems August 9 Aircraft Manufacturing, imprisoning official was Adam Aircraft Industries, which filed for Chapter 7 Epic Elite jet prototype. (liquidation) bankruptcy on February 16. Adam’s bankruptcy Sentient Jet Holdings announces it is highlighted the risk taken by early adopters who place deposits splitting into two companies and the FAA August 12 on unproven programs, most of whom lost every dollar they formed his own composites development firm. issues subpoenas to Sentient Jet Hold- deposited on an A700 jet. Adam Aircraft was rescued by Russ- Aviation Technology Group’s sleek Javelin twinjet offered a ings seeking undisclosed documents. ian investors, who formed AAI Acquisition to buy the com- dose of excitement to the very light jet competition, but the pany’s assets for $10 million and planned to continue the A700 military-style two-seater never made it beyond the prototype Vern Raburn severs all ties with Eclipse August 14 certification program. After ramping up to 209 people and stage and, after suspending operations in December 2007, the Aviation investor Etirc. restarting flight testing, AAI suddenly laid off all but 32 work- company filed Chapter 7 bankruptcy on May 23. Grob Aerospace files for insolvency ers, halted the certification program and is now offering its Possibly the most surprising casualty among manufacturers August 18 expertise in composite development to other companies. was Grob Aerospace’s November 1 insolvency filing, which in Germany. Today, AAI is competing with Adam Aircraft founder Rick takes the Grob SPn utility jet out of the picture. The investors General Dynamics agrees to buy Jet Avia- August 19 Adam, who left his company before it went bankrupt and behind Grob shut off the flow of money required to achieve tion from Permira Funds for $2.25 billion. certification, and even though the company had a number of SPn orders, that wasn’t enough to keep the program going. August 27 Sikorsky X2 first flight. The final chapter is not yet written on Eclipse Aviation, Macquarie Global Opportunities com- Striking workers halt which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on November 25. Major pletes acquisition of the jet membership, investors in Eclipse Aviation have joined to provide debtor-in- retail charter and fuel management busi- production at OEMs possession financing to keep the company afloat until Eclipse’s ness units previously owned by Sentient September 2 assets are sold at auction this month. The investors hope to win Jet Holdings; unionized aircraft assembly Organized labor in the aviation industry showed its the bidding and resurrect the company, which filing papers workers return to work at Hawker strength last year, with assembly workers striking at air- show spent more than $1 billion and still owes more than $700 Beechcraft plants in Wichita and Salina, craft manufacturers Hawker Beechcraft and Boeing and million to creditors. The Eclipse bankruptcy underscores the Kan., after a four-week strike. more peaceful actions at fractional providers NetJets’ challenges faced by Eclipse operators such as air-taxi company Eclipse reorganizes company into two and Flight Options’ unionized pilot groups. At Hawker DayJet, which lasted barely a year before ceasing operations on divisions: manufacturing and customers; Beechcraft, assembly workers in Wichita and Salina, September 19, and Pogo, which had planned to fly Eclipse 500s $6 million settlement reached in 1996 September 3 Kan., staged a 24-day strike in August before approving but cancelled its IPO in March. Meanwhile, the single-engine Gulfstream IV accident at Palwaukee a three-year contract that the union said contained “sub- Eclipse 400, launched May 30, is on indefinite hold as Eclipse Municipal Airport; Bombardier CRJ1000 stantial” improvements over the original offer. tackles its financial problems. –M.T. first flight. Four days after Hawker Beechcraft’s union employ- September 6 Boeing machinists go on strike. ees returned to work on September 2, Boeing’s assem- ATG bly workers walked off the job after they voted down Javelin Eclipse 500 cleared in FAA special certifi- the company’s contract proposal. The Boeing strike September 12 cation review; Farnborough Aircraft files lasted two months, ending when the aircraft manufac- for bankruptcy. turer conceded to many of the union’s demands. The Bombardier drops Grob from September 18 work stoppage caused delays in Boeing’s 787 Dream- Learjet 85 program. liner and 747-8 programs, and severely curbed aircraft DayJet ceases operations and lays off shipments during the third quarter. September 19 At Flight Options the unionized pilots continued to most of its 150 employees. hammer out an initial contract with the Cleveland-based Congress extends FAA funding (and company. The pilots voted in a union in March 2006 September 22 thereby defers action on user fees) and have yet to secure their first contract, though signif- until March 31. icant progress with negotiations occurred in the second Adam Aircraft A700 October 1 Viking Air Twin Otter Series 400 first flight. half of last year after company founder Kenn Ricci returned to Flight Options as chairman. Diamond D-Jet S/N 003 first flight with Meanwhile, NetJets pilots in late June overwhelm- October 5 upgraded Williams International FJ33-5A ingly voted to switch union representation from the engine. International Brotherhood of Teamsters to the NetJets Gulfstream launches super-midsize G250; Association of Shared Aircraft Pilots (NJASAP), an Hawker Beechcraft announces Hawker in-house group. At press time, the unionized NetJets NBAA 450XP and King Air 350i; Sino Swearin- Aviation pilots were working on integrating the soon-to- October 6-8 gen changes name to Emivest; Piaggio be-former non-unionized pilots at NetJets Interna- Aero Industries sells one-third share to tional–the group that operates NetJets’ Gulfstream Indian firm Tata. fleet–into the union fold. –C.T. Newsmakers continues on page 26 u

24aaAviation International News • January 2009 • www.ainonline.com Timeline of Events

2008

Already much of the bottom echelon of the market has suf- TSA issues NPRM for its Large Aircraft fered seemingly insurmountable setbacks as the money that Security Program, requiring all U.S. pri- smaller manufacturers counted on for continued operation was October 9 vate operators of aircraft exceeding 12,500 choked off in the global credit squeeze. Eclipse Aviation filed pounds mtow to implement security pro- grams subject to compliance audits. for bankruptcy last month, Adam Aircraft auctioned off its Eclipse places for sale DayJet’s 28 assets to a group of former employees, Grob filed for insol- October 21 uContinued from page 24 vency, Spectrum Aeronautical was low-key through most of the Eclipse 500s. year and Epic Aircraft was forced to draw up alternative plans AAI announces strategic realignment for its Elite very light jet after financing promised by an Indian October 28 that includes laying off 177 of its 209 OEMs brace for billionaire in the spring never materialized. employees. The second half of last year also saw a dramatic rise in pre- Grob Aerospace GmbH files for lengthy downturn owned aircraft inventories as the number of business jets avail- insolvency and lays off most of its staff; able for sale swelled from around 1,700 at the start of 2008 to October 30 TSA publishes NPRM on Large Aircraft Word last month that Ford and General Motors planned to more than 2,700 by the close of the year. Whereas used Security Program; Berlin Tempelhof sell their corporate jet fleets to conserve cash and that the airplanes had been selling in some instances for higher than the Airport closes. CEOs of each company would drive from Detroit to Washing- list prices of comparable new aircraft, the flood of available Hawker Beechcraft announces layoffs October 31 ton to seek billions in emergency money rather than fly led one airframes drove pre-owned aircraft prices sharply lower. This in of 500 people and a drop in sales. online commenter to quip, “Great, private jet makers will be turn wiped away the price premiums being paid for scarce new next to need a bailout!” jet positions, while once again making purchases of large-cabin November 1 Grob Aerospace formally declared insolvent. While the major business aircraft OEMs might not be fac- pre-owned airplanes an attractive option. EADS agrees to sell Socata to aerostruc- November 3 ing the existential crisis that has pushed U.S. car makers to the Still, last year broke records for business jet deliveries as tures specialist Daher. brink of collapse, airframe manufacturers nonetheless are brac- nearly 1,400 airplanes worth some $20 billion were shipped. General Dynamics completes Jet Avia- ing for what could be a lengthy and painful downturn. Hawker Those are impressive numbers in anybody’s book. Honeywell’s November 5 tion acquisition. Beechcraft, Embraer and Cessna have all announced layoffs annual forecast, released in October before the full impact of aimed at cutting costs at a time when sales are slowing signifi- the credit crisis was known, calls for a relatively shallow deliv- Eclipse Aviation tells its employees they will not be receiving paychecks for their cantly. The big question as we greet the new year is whether the ery dip lasting through 2011. Many top analysts, however, November 13 billions of dollars worth of orders left over from the last up aren’t nearly as bullish. They point to slowing business jet previous two weeks of work. They were cycle will indeed cushion what otherwise might be a hard land- flight activity and a sudden falloff in sales as ominous signs of later paid for their work. ing for the business aviation industry. turbulent skies ahead. For how long is anybody’s guess. –S.P. November 14 DayJet files for bankruptcy.

Harbin Aviation Industry delivers the first November 15 Helicopter EMS sector suffers EC 175 airframe to Eurocopter. Aspen Jetride charter operator Age-60 rule November 17 spate of fatal accidents in 2008 ceases operations. Jim Schuster announces his retirement From January through the beginning of Understandings were reached with the repealed November 20 from chairmanship of Hawker Beechcraft. December 2008, seven civilian medevac FAA, including revisions to the operations helicopters crashed in the U.S., killing 25 specification governing HEMS flights After former FAA Administrator November 21 Eclipse 500 gains EASA certification. people. The most spectacular of these oc- under Part 135, published in November, Marion Blakey announced in Janu- Eclipse files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy curred the afternoon of June 29. In per- with regard to flight planning, weather ary 2007 that the agency was bow- November 25 protection. fectly clear weather, two patient-laden Bell minimums, and the use of NVGs, but a ing to international standards and 407s approaching the same Flagstaff, more sweeping helicopter EMS NPRM would abandon its decades-long ad- A group of investors, including European distributor Etirc Aviation, receives court Ariz. hospital collided, killing seven. could be in the works for later this year. herence to the so-called Age 60 November 26 The helicopter EMS crashes were the As to the question of helicopter EMS Rule, Congress passed and Presi- approval to provide interim financing to kind of public relations nightmare any safety, a preliminary examination of NTSB dent Bush signed legislation in keep Eclipse Aviation operational. industry would dread, and an opportu- data reveals that fatal EMS accidents last December 2007 that raised the Ford and GM announce flight-depart- December 2 nity reform-preaching government offi- year accounted for 25 percent of all fatal mandatory retirement age for U.S. ment closures. cials found irresistible. helicopter accidents, 32 percent of all airline pilots from 60 to 65. Embraer breaks ground on Melbourne, The NTSB criticized the FAA for not helicopter accident fatalities and 41 per- December 4 Blakey had said that the FAA Fla. assembly facility. adopting reforms the Safety Board pro- cent of all fatal turbine helicopter acci- would use its normal rulemaking posed dating back to 2006, including dents. Five of the seven helicopter EMS process to make the change, but that December 9 Embraer Phenom 100 wins Brazilian OK. mandatory H-TAWS on all EMS helicop- crashes were at night, and four were op- would have stretched from 18 Brazilian judge clears American pilots of December 10 ters, and in July a largely symbolic and un- erating under Part 135. Since 2000, the months to two years and would not carelessness in 2006 midair. successful U.S. Senate bill was introduced number of U.S.-based civilian EMS heli- be made retroactive. To speed up the to mandate it. Meanwhile, as the helicop- copters has almost doubled to nearly 800 process, Congress created the “Fair December 12 Embraer Phenom 100 wins FAA OK. ter EMS industry consolidated, industry and policy makers, both at health insur- Treatment for Experienced Pilots leaders pledged to equip their fleets with ance companies and within the govern- Act,” which passed the House of safety enhancements such as night vision ment, are beginning to question whether Representatives 390-0 on a roll-call goggles (NVGs) and H-TAWS as their the majority of helicopter EMS flights are vote Dec. 11, 2007, and the Senate HAND OFFS budgets, supply and regulation permitted. worth the cost–and the risk. –M.H. approved the bill by unanimous voice Eclipse Aviation: Raburn to Pieper vote the next day. Bush signed the Fatal HEMS Crashes In 2008 bill on December 13. The transition from Eclipse founder and CEO Vern Raburn to Etirc’s Roel Pieper as chairman and CEO was Feb. 5, 2008–Eurocopter AS 350B2 crashes into the Gulf of Mexico in VMC while on a Part 91 While the FAA rule would have one of the more abrupt personnel matters of 2008 when positioning flight off South Padre Island, Texas; pilot, flight nurse and flight paramedic killed. allowed pilots older than 60 to fly it was announced at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. Ironically, May 10, 2008–Eurocopter EC 135 T2+ crashes into an area of rapidly rising terrain in deteriorating only if the second crewmember was MVFR on departure from La Crosse, Wis.; pilot, flight nurse and physician killed. under age 60, the congressional bill that hallowed ground had been the venue where Raburn June 8, 2008–Bell 407 crashes into trees in VMC near Huntsville, Texas; pilot, paramedic, nurse and made no distinction about the age had conceived the plan for the VLJ about 10 years patient killed. of the second pilot. That means the earlier. Raburn’s departure was a condition of sorely June 29, 2008–Two Bell 407s collide in VMC inbound to Flagstaff, Ariz. Medical Center helipad; U.S. law is even more liberal that needed fresh funding, and it capped a development all seven aboard both helicopters killed, including two patients. that of the International Civil Avia- program marked by highs (a big order book and eventual Sept. 27, 2008–Maryland State Police Eurocopter AS 365N1 crashes into trees in IMC while attempting tion Organization, which stipulates if incomplete certification), lows (technical challenges to intercept the instrument approach at Andrews AFB; pilot, two medical personnel and one of two that the second pilot must be under and dustups with suppliers) and an enduring struggle to patients aboard killed. age 60. As a result, U.S. crews with spool up to planned production rates. Eclipse declared Oct. 15, 2008–Bell 222 hits unlighted radio tower in VMC in Aurora, Ill.; pilot, paramedic, nurse and two pilots over age 60 would be bankruptcy last November. –N.M. infant patient killed. limited to flying in U.S. domestic airspace. –P.L. Newsmakers continues on page 28 u

26aaAviation International News • January 2009 • www.ainonline.com HAND OFFS Dassault: FBI criminal history background and fingerprint checks and Gerry Goguen to Jacques Chauvet security threat assessments; check all passengers, including owners and their families, against the TSA’s watch lists (no-fly In a move designed to bring worldwide support and selectee lists); and limit what anyone can bring aboard as is under one leader, Dassault Falcon appointed Jacques currently done on commercial aircraft. Operators of aircraft Chauvet to the newly created position of senior vice Continued from page 26 u weighing more than 100,309 pounds would have to carry a president for worldwide customer federal air marshal when requested to do so by the TSA. About service, on April 2. NPRM issued for 320 airports would have to create a partial airport security Previously, the responsibility program, with a designated security coordinator, training for was divided between Chauvet, law-enforcement personnel, record-keeping system and other as senior vice president of large aircraft security security-related procedures. customer service in the Eastern That the general aviation industry does not support these Hemisphere, and Gerry Goguen, proposed regulations is clearly stated in the nearly 1,200 com- senior vice president of cus- After hinting for more than a year that it planned to impose ments submitted on the public docket as of early last month. tomer service in the Western new security rules on general aviation flight operations, the Whether it is constitutional for the government to tell the owner Jacques Chauvet Hemisphere. As part of the reor- Department of Homeland Security’s Transportation Security of a private conveyance that he cannot travel is debatable. ganization, Goguen took the position of senior vice pres- Administration (TSA) released on October 30 a proposal that Of more importance, however, may be that the TSA has ident of global customer relations and business will ground all Part 91 aircraft with maximum takeoff weights refused to clarify the sparse language in the proposal that strategy, a position he held until September 12, when he of more than 12,500 pounds until their owners and operators attempts to justify the need to impose these regulations. This is accepted the executive vice president spot with Green- comply with new security regulations. as much as the agency will say about the “problem” of large wich AeroGroup. –D.A.L. For Part 91 operators, the rules give the TSA–like the general aviation aircraft possibly being used for terrorist acts: FAA–the power to tell the owner of a private conveyance (jet, “Many GA aircraft…however, are of the same size and weight helicopter, warbird, any aircraft with a maximum takeoff of the commercial operators that the TSA regulates, meaning Gulfstream: Raynor Reavis to Larry Flynn weight of more than 12,500 pounds) that he must comply or that they potentially and effectively could be used to commit a to Mark Burns cannot fly. These proposed regulations, open for comment until terrorist act. Consequently, this portion of the aviation industry Business aviation marketing veteran Raynor Reavis February 27, would require Part 91 operators to hire and train a may be vulnerable to exploitation by terrorists. Except for (NetJets, Raytheon Aircraft, BAE and SimuFlite) retired security coordinator and create a TSA-approved security pro- limited security requirements for certain classes of GA aircraft, the from his post of senior v-p of marketing and sales at gram; have that program audited six months after its approval TSA does not currently require security programs for many GA Gulfstream, and on June 30 Larry and every two years thereafter; make all flight crew undergo aircraft operators. This situation presents a security risk.” –M.T. Flynn, president of both Gulf- stream product support and of General Dynamics Aviation action to cut energy consumption in a Services and a member of the Industry turns attention factory, return on investment is usually Gulfstream leadership team for quick–three or four years,” Briquet 11 years, was promoted to fill asserted. On the business jet market, Reavis’s position. Moving up into to environmental concerns Dassault Falcon salespeople are starting Flynn’s vacated positions was to hear customers voicing green con- 25-year Gulfstream veteran Mark Last year may well have been the year dent of the commission for environment cerns. “Owners want to be able to say Burns, who also joined Gulf- when greenhouse gas emissions replaced and sustainable development of Gifas their business jet is quite environmen- Mark Burns noise as the top environmental concern (France’s aerospace lobbying group), 20 tally friendly,” Bruno Stoufflet, the stream’s leadership team. –N.M. for business aviation. For operators, the years ago the industry considered the France-based company’s v-p for scien- prospect of having to pay for carbon environment a residual risk. Ten years tific strategy, research and development Scaled Composites: Burt Rutan to Doug Shane dioxide (CO2, the main greenhouse gas) ago, environmental standards were one and advanced business, said last year in emissions is greatly increasing environ- of many requirements to meet. Now the a seminar. At Scaled Composites in Mojave, Calif., Doug Shane mental awareness. Among aircraft design environment is a far more prominent The European Union (EU), which replaced Burt Rutan as president in June, taking over drivers, the environment probably now concern, he said. claims to be at the forefront of climate day-to-day operation of the company. Rutan moved to ranks second, behind safety. However, going green can be prof- change mitigation, is planning to include the role of chief technology officer and chairman emeri- According to Régis Briquet, presi- itable for manufacturers. “If you take aviation in its emission trading scheme tus, allowing him “to focus on the company’s creative (ETS), a CO2 cap-and-trade system that has been in place since 2005 for ground- and entrepreneurial strengths.” based facilities such as coal-fired power- Shane, a cofounder of Scaled Composites with plants. Beginning in 2012, all flights Rutan, was previously vice president and has been taking off or landing in the EU will be in- responsible for business development, contracts and cluded. Final numbers and thresholds proposals, as well as flight-test operations, since 1989. were to be agreed on last month. Some Scaled Composites, an aerospace and specialty airlines have started purchasing CO2 per- composites development company, was acquired by mits on the market, buying them as they Northrop Grumman in August 2007. –K.J.H. would hedge against fuel prices. Under the scheme, emission permits will be allocated for a given trading period spanning several years. Indepen- dently verified compliance reporting will be annual, and for those who do not comply, the ultimate sanction will be the revocation of the air opera- tor’s certificate. The European Business Aviation As- sociation (EBAA) maintains that the scheme will be too burdensome for most operators. It points out that the re- quested data–fuel weights, flight legs L L and passenger loads–are already being O M

L recorded. The problem, according to

E Doug Shane, left, took over from Burt Rutan as president G I

N EBAA, lies in the way that the ETS re- of Scaled Composites. As the environment has become a more prominent issue on the world stage, the aviation industry has quires this data to be collected and focused its attention on reducing carbon emissions. assembled for each leg. –T.D. Newsmakers continues on page 30 u

28aaAviation International News • January 2009 • www.ainonline.com HAND OFFS AOPA: Guimbal delivers Phil Boyer to Craig Fuller Former broadcast executive Phil Boyer, who piloted R22 competitor AOPA through some of its most severe turbulence, uContinued from page 28 retired at the end of the year and turned the left seat of French-based Hélicoptères Guimbal in September de- the 415,000-member association over to Craig Fuller. livered its first Cabri two-seat helicopter. It obtained its The new AOPA president was a White House aide under EASA certification on Dec. 15, 2007. Targeting flying two presidents and served as executive v-p at the inter- schools and owner-pilots, the piston-powered aircraft has national lobbying shop APCO Worldwide. He has been a General Dynamics adds almost the same 145-hp Lycoming engine as the Robinson R22. The company claims, however, that the helicopter is pilot for 40 years. –P.L. Jet Aviation to its stable more modern than its ubiquitous U.S.-built competitor. The Private investment firms controlled by Permira Funds, tail rotor is shrouded, Eurocopter style. Guimbal empha- rarely keep the companies they people took notice. After an- sizes that the three-blade main rotor is not susceptible to buy for long. So after Permira titrust authorities gave their ap- mast bumping, and the seats and fuel tank meet current Funds bought Zurich-based Jet proval, the $2.15 billion deal crashworthiness standards. The all-composite-fuselage hel- Aviation from the Hirschmann closed on November 5, bringing icopter has a price tag of e250,000 ($320,000). –T.D. E W

family in October 2005 (for an into the GD fold maintenance O L L estimated and unconfirmed and FBO facilities at 25 airport U A The developer sees the Cabri as a stepping P $700 million), few people likely locations in China, Germany, Phil Boyer, left, turned leadership of AOPA over to Craig stone to a larger Eurocopter model. expected the private equity Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Fuller at the end of last year. group to keep the company Russia, Singapore, Switzerland, forever. But when General Dy- the UK and the U.S. Said Peter Sentient: namics, which had acquired Edwards, Jet Aviation Group Steven Hankin to Gregory Campbell Gulfstream Aerospace from in- CEO, “This transaction will posi- to Steven Hankin vestment firm Forstmann Little tion Jet Aviation to capture ad- & Co. in 2000, announced on ditional growth opportunities in In 2007, Steven Hankin, CEO of jet card and charter August 19 last year that it the business aviation market, to brokerage firm Sentient Jet, agreed to sell the company planned to expand its after- further extend its global reach to charter operator JetDirect Aviation, headed by Gre- market-service footprint by and enhance its longstanding gory Campbell, in an attempt to match the demand for acquiring Jet Aviation from relationships with all OEMs, charter generated by Sentient with the supply available Dreamliner Lux, a company partners and customers.”–R.R.P. from JetDirect’s growing charter fleet. The new enterprise was named Sentient Jet Holdings, and Large-cabin Gulfstreams Hankin soon became CEO of the Slot auctions delayed combined companies. A cash- get synthetic-vision PFDs flow crunch and declining charter Gulfstream made history in large-cabin Gulfstreams have for N.Y.-area airports flying last year, however, led to February by gaining certifica- received the SV-PFD capability the separation of the two com- tion for the first synthetic- so far, offered as a software On one thing it seems the airlines, Congress, the pilot panies last August. Hankin is Steven Hankin vision primary flight display and limited hardware modifica- unions and airport authorities agree–that the auctioning of back at the helm of the new Sen- (SV-PFD) system offered in a tion developed by cockpit inte- airport slots will do little to ease congestion in New York’s tient Flight Group, which was purchased from JetDirect production business jet. Part of grator Honeywell. Dassault airspace and set a dangerous precedent about which only by Macquarie Global Opportunity Partners, and Camp- the PlaneView avionics system announced at the NBAA Con- the Bush Administration seemed unconcerned. On Decem- bell is CEO of JetDirect Aviation. Now that the dust has in the Gulfstream G300/450/ vention in October that it ber 8 the U.S. Appeals Court for the District of Columbia settled, Hankin still believes the combined companies 500/550, the $300,000 op- too will bring the synthetic- weighed in and granted a stay of the DOT’s plans to press were onto something. “I felt the destination of the com- tional upgrade adds computer- vision technology to its EASy- ahead with the first phase of a plan to auction 89 slots at pany was a good one,” he said, “but the journey was rendered views of the outside equipped models spanning the New York JFK, 91 at Newark Liberty International Airport probably too difficult.” –M.T. environment on both primary Falcon 900 and 2000 series and 113 at New York La Guardia. flight displays. At least 45 and the 7X. –S.P. The ruling in effect squelches the plan until after the CBAA: Obama Administration takes office, along with a new DOT Rich Gage to Sam Barone Secretary and likely a fresh approach to alleviating conges- U.S. Government seizes tion over New York. “Last [month] we called the DOT auc- After eight years at the helm of the Canadian Business tion ‘eBay on psychedelics,’ and stretching that metaphor, Aviation Association (CBAA), Rich Gage stepped down this first-delivered Hawker 4000 the court’s sound judgment saved the traveling public from past summer as he had previously announced, and was a ‘real bad trip,’” said RAA president Roger Cohen. –G.P. succeeded as president and CEO by Sam Barone. Most The first customer Hawker defendants was stopped by recently, Barone was president and CEO of the Air Trans- 4000, which was delivered to the Kansas Highway Patrol in port Association of Canada. In addition, he has 16 years’ cigarette wholesaler Gary Hall Coffeyville, Kan., for transport- experience in the Canadian government with advisory po- in June, was seized along with ing a load of cigarettes worth Gama acquires sitions in agencies such as Transport Canada, the Canadian other assets in mid-October by more than $200,000 without Transportation Agency and the Competition Bureau. –C.E. the U.S. Government as part of required documents and ap- PrivatAir U.S. a 43-count federal fraud indict- propriate tax stamps. The DOJ ment. The U.S. Attorney’s Of- didn’t specify whether any of Farnborough, UK-based Gama Holdings in February fice in Kansas alleges that Hall Hall’s airplanes–the Hawker announced that it had acquired the U.S. management arm and seven of his business as- 4000 or his previous Hawker of Geneva-based PrivatAir Group for an undisclosed sum. sociates were involved in “a 800–were used in the Gama CEO and founder Marwan Khalek admitted that he scheme to avoid paying taxes scheme, saying only that it had “mixed feelings” about entering the U.S. market, but on cigarettes that cost the state was carried out “through a va- he believed it was the right time to position the company of Oklahoma and Indian tribes riety of means, including com- “as a global operator rather than just a European operator.” $25 million in tax revenue.” munications by Internet and Khalek said Gama Aviation planned to make some “sub- The Bureau of Alcohol, To- fax and money wire transfers.” tle” changes to the business, including a renewed focus on Rich Gage, left, stepped down as head of the CBAA, bacco, Firearms and Explo- Defense attorney Dan Monnat customer service. “Our main priority is to look after the turning the association over to Sam Barone. sives began the investigation maintains that Hall is innocent service of our managed clients,” Khalek said. “Charter is in April 2006, after one of the of these accusations. –C.T. secondary. It’s not the driver.” –J.H. Newsmakers continues on page 32 u

30aaAviation International News • January 2009 • www.ainonline.com uContinued from page 30 FINAL FLIGHTS: Frank Piasecki craft Association, the Royal Aeronautical Society was founded as a consulting firm. The company military contract flight in- Frank Piasecki, 88, founder of Piasecki He- and the Society of American Test Pilots. In 1995 designed the Umbaugh autogiro, which later structor and remained with licopter and developer of the CH-46 Sea Knight he was named an Elder Statesman of Aviation by became the Air & Space 18A, and the TelTail the company for almost and CH-47 Chinook tandem-rotor military heli- the National Aeronautic Association. –C.E. vertical tail floodlights that were STC’d on air- three decades. He was also copters, died at his home in craft from the Cessna 150 to the Boeing 747. president and CEO of Pied- Main Line, Pa., on February Oliver Foot DeVore was an engineer, a designer for military mont Hawthorne and vice 11. A rotorcraft pioneer, Oliver Foot, president of Orbis International, aircraft at Curtiss-Wright in Buffalo, N.Y., and chairman of Landmark Avi- Piasecki in 1943 became died on February 6. Foot was named executive was involved in helicopter certification with the ation. He was a former board the second American to director of the association in 1982 and president CAA, the predecessor of the FAA. –J.C. member of the National Air build and fly a helicopter. in 1987. He led Project Orbis, a humanitarian Transportation Association, NBAA and the He was awarded the Na- effort by doctors, nurses Gerald “Jerry” Schlesinger American Association of Airport Executives. –J.C. L A tional Medal of Technology and aircrews who have N Gerald “Jerry” Schlesinger died on March O I T in 1986 and in 2005 re- flown to nearly 80 develop- A 22. He was 63. At the time of his death he was Gerard Schkolnik N R E ceived the Smithsonian National Air and Space ing countries aboard the T retired from his position as executive vice presi- Gerard Schkolnik, 44, Gulfstream’s director N I

S Museum Lifetime Achievement Award. –C.E. DC-10 Orbis Flying Eye I dent of NetJets Aviation and CFO of NetJets. He of supersonic technology programs, died on B R O Hospital to work to elimi- / was previously president and CEO of Aerospace April 12 when his Lancair Legacy crashed at O T

Donald Lopez O

nate preventable blindness. F Products International and senior vice president the annual Sun ’n’ Fun airshow in Lakeland, S W

Don Lopez, 84, deputy director of the Foot led the association’s E for its parent company, First Aviation Services; Fla. Before joining Gulfstream, he spent 15 N R

National Air and Space Museum, author and fundraising efforts and en- P CFO of Butler Aviation; and a founder and COO years at NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Cen- World War II ace, died March 3 in Durham, N.C. couraged governments to direct their influence of SimuFlite. During the Vietnam War he served ter. Schkolnik graduated as a Rodman Scholar Lopez flew 101 combat missions during his two- to enhance and support eye care services and as a USAF pilot and intelligence specialist. –J.C. from the University of Virginia with a bache- year service in WWII. He served as an Air Force policies in their countries. –J.C. lor’s degree in aerospace engineering, and he test pilot and saw active duty in the Korean War, Thomas Dean Harton earned a master’s degree in aerospace engineer- before earning degrees in aeronautical engineer- Gilbert DeVore Hawthorne president Thomas Dean Harton ing from the University of Maryland. He was a ing. Lopez was a member of the American DeVore Aviation founder Gil DeVore died on died on March 19. He was 63. Harton joined senior member of the American Institute of Fighter Aces Association, the Experimental Air- February 2. He was 89. In 1954 DeVore Aviation Hawthorne Aviation in 1968 as a line pilot and Aeronautics and Astronautics. –C.E.

32aaAviation International News • January 2009 • www.ainonline.com HAND OFFS

Henry “Hank” Esposito XOJet: plans with our board [in company–since 2003. Before joining Sikorsky, Paul Touw to David Siegel early November]. After he had been at Pratt & Whitney, where he was Henry “Hank” Esposito of Saddle Brook, N.J., nearly eight years as CEO, responsible for manufacturing and engineering died November 5 at the age Former U.S. Airways and Continental Express I feel the time is right,” operations. He simultaneously served as presi- of 85. Esposito was known CEO David Siegel in October replaced Paul Touw Schuster said. He will con- dent of Pratt & Whitney Military Engines. Hess, in the aviation community as XOJet’s CEO. Touw, the company’s founder tinue to lead Hawker who became president of Hamilton Sundstrand as “Mr. Teterboro,” having and chief architect, was named executive chair- Beechcraft until the com- four years ago, has held positions of increasing worked there for 59 years. man. Siegel had served on the company’s board pany identifies a succes- responsibility in project engineering, manufac- Esposito began his career of directors since 2007. As CEO of Continental at Atlantic Aviation in 1949, sor–which had not yet turing and as a program manager for various Express, Siegel negotiated the largest aircraft happened at press programs since joining the company then eventually rising to manage- order in regional airline history–275 Embraer ment positions. He was also time–and he will remain James Schuster known as Hamilton Standard in 1979. –C.T. jets–which produced five-fold revenue growth for a trustee and an inductee in the New Jersey Avi- a shareholder after he the airline. Siegel said his new appointment ation Hall of Fame. –A.Y. leaves the company. Under Schuster’s leadership Hamilton Sundstrand: reminds him of his days at Continental and said the company reinvigorated the Hawker and David Hess to Alain Bellemare Lowell Swenson he hopes to scale XOJet “fairly rapidly.” –J.H. Beechcraft brands, a move that helped to smooth Alain Bellemare, the former president of Lowell Swenson, 86, who helped his sons to the company’s transition from Raytheon Aircraft United Technologies-owned Pratt & Whitney buy U.S. regional carrier Mesaba Airlines in to Hawker Beechcraft when Raytheon sold the Canada and executive vice president of group 1978 and expand its service, died in Minnesota on company to Goldman Sachs and Onex last year. strategy and develop- October 16. Mesaba was later sold to Northwest Additionally, he is credited with helping to gener- ment at sister company Airlines. During WWII, Swenson flew 50 B-24 ate a record order backlog in each of the last six Pratt & Whitney, this Liberator bomber missions in Europe, for which consecutive quarters; expanding global opera- month succeeded David he received the Distinguished Flying Cross. –C.E. tions; certifying 19 derivative and new aircraft in Hess at Hamilton Sund- the last eight years; and increasing government Sydney Pollack strand, another UT sub- business and special-mission aircraft sales. –C.T Oscar-winning director and longtime pilot David Siegel, right, succeeded XOJet founder sidiary. Hess, a 30-year Paul Touw as CEO. and business jet owner Sydney Pollack died on FAA Administrator (Acting): veteran of Hamilton May 26. He was 73. Pollack acted in and Robert Sturgell, successor Sundstrand, is now directed several films, FAA retirements: undetermined president of Pratt & Alain Bellemare including The Way We Nick Sabatini, Ruth Leverenz and Whitney. Bellemare, 47, Were, Out of Africa and James Ballough Robert Sturgell was named acting FAA Ad- was appointed president of Pratt & Whitney Tootsie. Pollack was in- ministrator in September 2007 after serving as Canada in June 2002, and took on additional re- spired to earn his pilot’s Three high-profile, long-serving FAA offi- former FAA Administrator sponsibilities at Pratt & Whitney in March 2007. N E

S certificate nearly 40 years cials retired at the end of last year. After nearly Marion Blakey’s deputy While heading Pratt & Whitney Canada, he is N E R ago after a television pro- 30 years with the FAA, Nick Sabatini will turn since 2003. Although he credited with the successful launch of the O S S I ducer took him for a ride his post as associate administrator for aviation received a Senate confir- PW600 series of turbofan engines that is power- R H C in a Cessna 206. –J.C. safety over to his deputy, Peggy Gilligan. Ruth mation hearing in Febru- ing a new generation of very light jets. Simulta- Leverenz, most recently acting FAA deputy ad- ary 2008 to become FAA neous with his promotion, Bellemare also joined Jerry Smith ministrator, served in several positions during Administrator for a full- the UTC Presidents Council. –C.T. Garmin regional sales manager Jerry Smith, her 24 years with the agency, and is also retir- five year term, his bid 61, was killed in the crash of his Cessna Cardi- ing. Her replacement had not yet been named. was stalled when Sens. Flight Options: nal on November 11. Smith was a commercial James Ballough, the FAA’s long-time director of Robert Menendez and Michael Scheeringa to Kenn Ricci pilot with instrument, multi-engine and instruc- the Flight Standards Service, will turn his post Frank Lautenberg, both and Mike Silvestro tor ratings. Before joining Garmin, he held Robert Sturgell over to deputy director John Allen. –P.L. New Jersey Democrats, positions at BF Goodrich Aerospace, where he Cleveland-based fractional provider Flight placed a “hold” on the confirmation in a dispute did research flying for Stormscope and TCAS; Options in late July named Kenn Ricci chairman with the FAA over several issues. Sturgell is and King Radio, among others. –A.Y. and Mike Silvestro CEO, replacing former CEO likely to be replaced when President-elect Michael Scheeringa. Ricci returned to Flight Op- Tempelhof Airport Obama takes office, and several individuals have tions 10 years after founding the fractional been mentioned as a possible successor. –P.L. After years of legal wrangling, the storied provider and six years after selling it to airport located near the center of Berlin finally Raytheon. In November 2007, Raytheon sold the ceased operations at the end of October. The 85- Pratt & Whitney: company to Miami-based H.I.G. Capital, and in year-old airport, which once hosted the likes of Stephen Finger to David Hess Adolph Hitler, saw its greatest hour in the after- United Technologies (UT) on October 20 an- math of World War II when it became the epi- James Ballough Nicholas Sabatini nounced that David Hess, the now-former presi- center of the Cold War. Thousands of cargo dent of Hamilton Sundstrand, would succeed flights aimed at thwarting the Soviet blockade of the city landed there between 1948 and 1949 Stephen Finger as president of Pratt & Whitney during the famed Berlin Airlift. –C.E. this month when Finger retires. Both Hamilton Sundstrand and Pratt & Whitney are sub- Bill O’Brien sidiaries of UT. Finger was named president of Retired FAA inspector and national aviation Pratt & Whitney in March 2006, after serving as resource specialist Bill O’Brien died November president of Sikorsky–another UT 9. He was 65. Since 1990 and until recently, Mike Silvestro, right, took over as CEO of Flight Options from Michael Scheeringa. O’Brien wrote a column for Aircraft Mainte- Ruth Leverenz Peggy Gilligan nance Technology magazine, April Ricci took a minority share in Flight Op- helping mechanics under- Hawker Beechcraft: tions, as well as a seat on its board. Silvestro stand the regulations that Jim Schuster, successor also returned to Flight Options, where he had govern their careers. O’Brien undetermined been vice president of sales and marketing from is credited with strengthening 2000 to 2005. Before rejoining Flight Options, he the light sport aircraft-repair- Hawker Beechcraft chairman and CEO Jim was senior vice president of sales at competitor man and light sport aircraft- Schuster announced in late November that he CitationShares. Scheeringa remains an investor maintenance certificate to plans to retire from the Wichita-based aircraft in Flight Options and was said to be an “advisor ensure that the standard was manufacturer. He has held the position since David Hess, right, succeeded Stephen Finger as to the board” when the management change was rigorous enough that technicians would be June 2001. “I began discussing my retirement president of P&W. announced in July. –C.T. adequately prepared. –A.Y. J

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