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Aviation History
2004
2004-09 - 1365.PDF
BUSINESS AVIATION DELIVERY Empire embraces Saab 340A Saab Aircraft Leasing will deliver a 30-seat Saab 340A to New York-based charter operator Empire Airways in the next few weeks. The aircraft will be used for corporate shuttle and ad hoc charter flights in Empire's niche market in Long Island, New York, the Cape Islands and Connecticut. Empire operates two BAe Jetstream 31 s in 10- and 12-seat configurations and wants to expand its contract work for regional resorts. BAHRAIN APPROVAL Jet Aviation's Geneva maintenance facility has been approved by the Bahrain civil aviation authority to perform scheduled and unsched uled base and line maintenance and modifications on Bahraini-reg- istered Gulfstream II and IV business jets. POGO JUMP IFly Air Taxi, headed by former American Airlines boss Bob Crandall and Donald Burr, founder of low-fare airline People Express, has been renamed Pogo. Burr says the Pogo brand conveys the idea of quickly hopping from one place to another. The Stratford, Connecticut-based company has a $150 million order for 75 Adam A700 very light jets and is seeking funding to launch its air limousine operation early next year, the com pany says. FATAL TURBOPROPS There were eight fatal accidents involving US-registered business turboprops, but none involving busi ness jets, in the first half of this year, according to safety analyst Robert Breiling Associates, based in Boca Raton, Florida. GROWTH? First we were selected for the electrical power management. Then we took on the actuation for the unique vertical lift system. Then the canopy frame, standby flight display, components, weapon; management system, airborne file server and video recorder. Step by step, we've built more of the machine. The program may grow to 5,000 aircraft. But Smiths involvement has grown even SMITHS PERFORM www.smiths-aerospace.com smiths CHARTER KATE SARSFIELD / LONDON Kuwait helicopter service to launch United Aviation to expand regional charter operation Kuwaiti business jet charter com pany United Aviation plans to establish the country's first com mercial helicopter operation at its Kuwait City base using an MD Helicopters MD 500 and a Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin. The privately owned company also wants to expand its fixed-wing fleet and says it is eyeing a third super mid-size Embraer Legacy and the larger Embraer 170. "It is early days," says Capt Eddie Branam, United Aviation director of opera tions. "We began services about a year ago and have been over whelmed by the response." United Aviation expects to start helicopter services in January 2005 and says it has a solid infrastructure in place with landing pads around the city and others planned in key locations throughout the region. "There is huge demand for heli copter transport in Kuwait City," Branam says, "where traffic conges tion has become intolerable." Both helicopters will service this operation as required, but the sin- gle-engined MD 500 will also be used for air tours and government work, while the Dauphin will be offered for VIP charter and offshore transport. The US-registered 14-seat Legacy Executives are mainly used for ad hoc charter within the Middle East although services to Europe are commonplace. United Aviation has been oper ating under a US FAR Part 129 air operator's certificate (AOC) for for eign operations. Under the terms of this regulation the FAA oversees the aircraft's maintenance, Branam says, and the Kuwaiti civil aviation authority oversees the aircraft's operation. "We are now awaiting our Kuwaiti AOC and are considering purchasing a Kuwaiti-registered air craft, which will allow us to oper ate into Iraq." Meanwhile, Abu Dhabi-based Royal Jet is expected to announce next week the choice of mid-size business jet for its VIP charter oper ation. The Bombardier Challenger 300 is believed to be a leading con tender for the contract for two air craft, plus options. Royal Jet, owned jointly by the Abu Dhabi department of civil avi ation and the Amiri Flight, took delivery earlier this month of its second VVIP-configured Boeing Business Jet. The aircraft entered service on 15 July and is being used for luxury charter and government transport. The aircraft, configured for 42 passengers, also joins two large- cabin Gulfstream 300s that are already in service. ACQUISITION ACJ for Alpha Tours Dubai-based VIP hospitality com pany Alpha Tours is to acquire an Airbus A319 Corporate Jetliner (ACJ), which it plans to use on pre mium routes between the Middle East and CIS countries and Europe where demand is high. Engine preference has not been disclosed. The company plans to acquire the 30-seat aircraft with the backing of a Kazakh investor and will hold discussions with Airbus this week to pin down a delivery schedule. Talks with Airbus will focus on whether the ACJ is deliv ered in October or whether the company will opt for a later delivery slot in early 2005, says Alpha Tours chief executive Ghassan Aridi. The company plans to establish a joint management operation for the aircraft with Portuguese opera tor Air Luxor cited as a possible partner. The carrier would provide pilots and other services for run ning the twinjet. 38 20-26 JULY 2004 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL www.flightinternational.com
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