GA Manufacturers Set Records in 2007
/Record numbers of GA aircraft were sold and shipped in 2007, according to the General Aviation Manufacturers Association’s annual industry review and forecast, which GAMA released this month.
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Industry Groups Monitor Pilot Shortage
/The pilot population decreased again in 2007, according to the General Aviation Manufacturers Association’s annual industry review and forecast, and industry organizations have been tracking what it takes to convert aviation enthusiasts into professional pilots.
Read More2008 Olympic Games Flight Regulations Released
/A GUIDE TO FLIGHT PLAN APPLICATION AND ITS APPROVAL FOR FOREIGN AIRCRAFT INTERIM FLIGHT OPERATIONS DURING OLYMPIC GAMES
Read MorePilots Gain Online Access to AC-U-KWIK Data
/Professional Flight Management Inc. (PFM) is launching online access to AC-U-KWIK's global database this quarter. Now, PFM will routinely pull updated data from the AC-U-KWIK database, which includes information on key FBO amenities, after-hours telephone numbers, e-mail addresses, Web sites and airport diagrams.
This new service, called AC-U-KWIK Aviation eXpress Information Service (AXIS), was designed to make preflight planning more efficient.
Pilots will be more aware of changes at airports and FBOs before takeoff, according to Julia T. Brooks, PFM's business manager. Updated facts on facilities will be highlighted when crews type in their destination.
Read MoreFAA 14 CFR 139.321 Training Goes Online
/The LSAT has made its way into the GA industry, but graduates of this course are not destined for law jobs. FBO supervisors can take FAA 14 CFR 139.321 training online through Aviation Continuing Education Inc. (ACE). The Line Service Annual Training (LSAT) program covers all Fuel Safety and Inspection Program sections designated for supervisors at Part 139 certificated airports, according to Jay Shanley, ACE spokesman. It also covers several Occupational Safety and Health Administration requirements.
Read MoreWhere the GA Jobs Are
/The consolidation of the General Aviation industry has created a range of new opportunities and transitional issues for business jet professionals. "The demand for talent outpaced the available resources," said Raymond Stebler, director of staffing solutions for New Jersey-based Jet Professionals, which experienced 50 percent growth in business in 2007. "We have also noticed an increase in temporary staffing and long-term contracts to secure enough personnel for the growing fleet of corporate aircraft."
Read MoreTSA Launches Security Program for FBOs
/The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) recently launched the Secure Fixed Base Operator Program to enhance security on general aviation aircraft inbound to the United States. It enables FBOs to check passenger and crew identification against Electronic Advance Passenger Information System (eAPIS) filings.
Read MoreLarge Aircraft Security Program Nears Comments Period
/The rehaul of the Twelve-Five Standard Security Program (TFSSP) — developed after 9/11, in part, to improve security around charter service — is nearing the public comments period, said Eric Byer, NATA's vice president of government and industry affairs.
Read MoreCalling All Schedulers and Dispatchers
/More than 2,000 attendees and 378 exhibitors, 25 more than last year, will participate in NBAA's 19th Annual Schedulers & Dispatchers Conference. The event takes place Jan. 29 through Feb. 1 at the Savannah International Trade & Convention Center.
Read MoreNew Sky Lanes Will Accommodate Holiday Traffic
/The general aviation industry received an unexpected gift last week when the Federal Aviation Administration and U.S. Department of Defense announced that military airspace on the East and West coasts will be open to non-military air traffic during the holidays.
Read MoreEncore Announces Landmark Merger and Plots 2008 Acquisition Spree
/Encore FBO and private-equity firm GTCR Golder Rauner are in the process of acquiring all of Landmark Aviation's FBOs from Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE) Aviation Holdings. The merger also covers Landmark's charter, aircraft sales and maintenance parts assets, but not its MRO division. The combined company will own more than 40 FBOs.
Read MoreIFBOA Solidifies Itself in 2007
/Though less than two years old, the Independent Fixed Base Operator Association (IFBOA) hit the ground running in 2007 by adding 28 members, announcing plans to open an office in Europe and aggregating key services required by FBOs.
Read MoreOcean Air Acquires Century Aviation
/Ocean Air Aviation in North Bend, Ore., earlier this month announced that it had purchased the holding interest in Dallas-based Century Aviation and that the facility will eventually be labeled with the Ocean Air brand.
Read MoreThe “Long Ranger” Rides High in Value
/In the midst of all the usual confusion with the economy, real-estate woes and the subprime lending practices offering fuel for a possible recession, general and corporate aviation value trends continue to remain generally stable. Even the nearly $100 per barrel price for crude oil seems to get at the most a raised eyebrow at the pump. After a possible grumble, it’s wheels up, and life goes on. It’s the American way.
Read MoreWorld Fuel to Acquire AVCARD
/The upcoming merger between World Fuel Services (WFS) and AVCARD is expected to generate significant growth opportunities for both companies. “We will now be able to market our flight support and third-party services to all of AVCARD's customers, while at the same time providing AVCARD's robust data capture and reporting solution to our current customers, as well as those of our strategic partners,” said Paul H. Stebbins, WFS chairman and CEO, in a company statement.
Read MoreSignature's Portfolio Bulges with New FBO Acquisitions
/Signature Flight Support's acquisition spree passed new milestones this fall. In October, Signature acquired Marathon Flight Services at Kissimmee, Fla., Gateway Airport and Carolina Air Center in Hilton Head, S.C. This month, Signature announced it had acquired Regent Aviation's FBOs in St. Paul and at the Rochester International Airport in Minnesota.
Read MoreIdentifying Expansion Opportunities in the Middle East
/Sales of aircraft at this week's Dubai Airshow have already exceeded $75 billion and are a fresh indicator of business aviation's fast-paced growth in the Middle East. "Interest in Boeing Business Jets and VIP models continues to grow in the Middle East, and, in fact, 29 percent of our customer reside there, followed by 26 percent in North America and 23 percent in Europe," says Vicki Ray, a Boeing spokeswoman.
Read MoreBombardier's Learjet NXT Reels in Letters of Intent
/Bombardier's new Learjet NXT product was launched less than one month ago, and the midsize aircraft has already generated more than 65 letters of intent. In size, the aircraft falls between Bombardier's $13.3 million Learjet 60XR and $21 million Challenger 300. It seats eight passengers, has a 3,000-nm range, a high-speed cruise of Mach 0.82, and a transcontinental range pushing 3,000 nautical miles.
Read MoreBusiness Jet Aligns Charter Operators to Find and Sell Empty Seats
/Business Jet Seats, a new venture based in West Palm Beach, Fla., is on the hunt to aggregate and fill empty charter jet seats and generate more revenue for its member charter operators.
Read MoreJetscape Plans FBO Expansion
/Jetscape Services, the owner of one FBO at Ft. Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport, is working on an acquisition plan that could take it into Latin America among other markets. This plan hinges on Jetscape's recent announcement that it is working with the Frost Group, LLC, a private technology investment company in Miami.
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