Despite last minute efforts of the Seaplane Pilots Association and the Washington State Department of Transportation Aviation Division, the city of Lakewood, Washington, has closed American Lake Seaplane Base. According to city officials, the lease with the base’s operator expired in December 2004 and neither the operator nor the city expressed an interest in renewing […]
News
Commander Aircraft to be liquidated
Troubled times continue at Commander Aircraft Co., as the Bethany, Okla.-based company is set to be liquidated. After two failed attempts to find saviors for the bankrupt company, Commander’s December 2002 Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing has been converted to a Chapter 7 filing by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Delaware. All operations at the company […]
Adam A700 making progress
Adam Aircraft is making progress on its A700 AdamJet, according to officials at the Englewood, Colo.-based company. While the company’s focus has been on the development and certification of its twin piston A500, the AdamJet has had more than 200 hours of flight time in the last 18 months, reaching speeds of 300 Ktas and […]
‘I’m saving a life’
On one of his first days as the new president and chief operating officer of Ballistic Recovery Systems Inc., Larry Williams was walking through the company’s South St. Paul, Minn., plant. He stopped to watch one of the firm’s employees pack a parachute. Intrigued by the process, he asked the young woman what she was […]
ATG working on first flight details
Meanwhile, another Englewood, Colo.-based company in the personal jet business, Aviation Technology Group, is working with the FAA to hammer out details for the first flight of the Javelin Executive Jet. In the last two months, engineers and mechanics have reached many milestones in building the Javelin. The fuel tank, ejection seats and landing gear […]
Ranger Jet rebuilding from Charlie
Ranger Jet Center, an FBO at Florida’s Kissimmee Gateway Airport (ISM), is rapidly rebuilding facilities destroyed by Hurricane Charley. Despite the loss of more than 30,000 square feet of hangar space, Ranger is building back 42,000 square feet of new corporate aircraft storage space, which is scheduled for completion in mid-March. Ranger also is in […]
Global Flyer launch still uncertain
Launch date for the Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer’s world-record attempt remains uncertain. As of press time, the launch date had been set for sometime between Feb. 8 and 11, moved up from Feb. 6 because of weather and “other unfavorable takeoff conditions,” according to officials at the Salina Municipal Airport in Kansas, where Steve Fossett is […]
FAA picks Lockheed Martin to operate AFSS
The FAA has selected a team headed by Lockheed Martin to provide services now offered by the agency’s Automated Flight Service Stations. The five-year contract, with an option for five more years, is estimated at $1.9 billion. FAA officials say turning AFSS duties over to Lockheed Martin will save $2.2 billion over the next 10 […]
North Carolina airport woos GA with new hangars
Aircraft won’t be the only thing taking off at Albert J. Ellis Airport (OAJ) in Jacksonville, North Carolina, this spring. Airport officials say they’re almost finished with the infrastructure work that will support new general aviation hangars. “The hangars will be built by corporations or private individuals, we’re just putting in the infrastructure,” explains airport […]