Over $300,000 in Service Center Revenue for January 2004

Mooney seems to be doing just fine in the maintenance business. The company announced Wednesday it earned $300,000 in service center work during the first month of 2004. Company officials say providing general maintenance services and more extensive repair work will clearly be a focus for increasing Mooney's high margin revenues. "Quality service is the foundation of customer loyalty, the benchmark of the customer satisfaction. Mooney is striving to excel in this arena," the company said in a statement. Mooney president J. Nelson Happy commented: "I think that Mooney's results so far this year in our service center business reflects a trend which should continue for the rest of the

Shell Aviation and Eastern Aviation Fuels Pitch In

Shell Aviation announced Wednesday that Eastern Aviation Fuels, the national marketer of Shell branded aviation fuels in the United States, will provide the fuel for the national educational tour of 19-year-old pilot Jamail Larkins. Larkins will undertake a 20-city tour in a new Cirrus SR20 aircraft provided by Cirrus Aircraft Design especially for this event. Sponsored jointly by Embry-Riddle and Careers in Aviation Inc., the tour will bring Larkins to middle schools and high schools where his goal is to raise awareness among students about career opportunities in the aviation industries. Traveling from his home base in Ormond Beach (FL) each week, Larkins will pilot his Cirrus SR20 to a different city, where

A Good Reason to Visit Oshkosh

Ultralight pilots, take note: EAA is hosting another ultralight flight instructor ground school. The course will be held at the EAA Aviation Center on March 20-21, 2004.  Each session includes ground school instruction on more than a dozen practical topics necessary to earn an EAA Ultralight Flight Instructor rating.  Those areas include Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs); airspace and airport operations; vehicle airworthiness inspections; student and pilot endorsements; and more.  Ultralight instructor written tests will be offered at the end of the two-day course. EAA has received an exemption from FAA to designate qualified ultralight flight instructors to provide training in two-place ultralights.  This gr

AOPA Helps Squash Development Around W18 

Pilots from Suburban Airport (W18) in Laurel (MD) are enjoying the sweet smell of victory, thanks to some backing from the AOPA's Airport Support Network. Airport supporters scored a major victory Monday night, when the county council refused to change zoning rules that would have allowed hundreds of condos and townhouses to be built on the airport. More than 250 people jammed the Anne Arundel County Council chambers to witness the firey debate between the develpoer seeking the zoming change, AOPA representatives and the state's own aviation authority. Suburban is a privately owned airport with no federal grant obligations. It is under contract to a developer who wanted to build 641 condominium and townhous

The world is still reeling from the loss of Aerobatic great Duane Cole. We've heard from many, many people who have felt the impact of this man on their lives and the words are sweet and ever-so-sad... in that Duane is not hear to bask in the adoration that was his due. This weekend, this gentle, gentle man makes landfall one last time and the aviation world has a chance to say thanks for the inspiration and the fellowship he offered throughout his life. If you, like ANN's Jim Campbell, are trying to rearrange schedules in order to honor this man, please be advised that services for Duane will be held this Saturday and Sunday, in Burleson, TX. The visitation will occur Saturday, February 7, from 7-9 p.m. at the Mountain Valley Funeral Ho

Company Cutting 300 Jobs In San Antonio

Boeing announced Tuesday that it is cutting 300 jobs at its aircraft maintenance facility in San Antonio (TX). Norma Clayton, vice president and general manager of maintenance and modifications for Boeing in San Antonio, made the announcement at the company's local offices Tuesday morning. Affected workers received 60-day notices at a morning staff meeting at the sprawling plant on the former Kelly Air Force Base. Some workers said layoff rumors had been circulating, but that the cuts still caught them by surprise. Boeing officials said the layoffs are largely a result of cutbacks in the aircraft maintenance work it performs in San Antonio for the Air Force. The company does maintenance and upgrade work in San Antonio on

National Air Race Entries Now Available

Pat Keefer, President, U.S. Air Race, Inc. is asked ANN to help spread the word about the 2004 National Air Races. "Honor the Past. Invest in the Future" is the theme for the U.S. Air Race, Inc. celebration of the sparkling 75th Diamond Anniversary of the 1929 National Air Races.  Events are run over a weeklong period. Two cross-country air races are typically held at locations that foster touring and many special events and activities surround the competitions. Teams are welcome to compete as racers or fly along at cruise power settings. The teams in the exciting cross-country Marion Jayne Air Race will fly from California to Cleveland and 300-mile air races are also planned. Participants will have the oppor

Soloy Corp. Founder Passes Away At 78

ANN is sad to report that Joe Soloy, aviation pioneer and founder of the Soloy Corportation, passed away last Sunday. He was 78. Joe Ivar Soloy was born August 27, 1925 in Bengaugh, Saskatchewan to Norwegian immigrant parents. Soloy served his country in WWII as a radar man on a Coast Guard frigate in the Aleutian Islands.  He started Soloy Corporation in 1970 to bring to reality some of his many ideas for better aircraft. He has remained as Chairman of the Board at Soloy Corporation until his death on Sunday, February 1st, 2004. Joe's recognition as a Pathfinder at the Boeing Museum of Flight is but one of many honors bestowed upon him as a result of his accomplishments in the aircraft industry. As recent

Whirly-Girls Founder Passes Away

Aviation has lost yet another pioneer this week. We are very sad to announce the death of Whirly-Girls founder and Chairman of the Board, Jean Ross Howard Phelan on Thursday, January 29, 2004. Whirly-Girls was organized in 1955 by Jean Ross Howard (WG #13), with 12 other women helicopter pilots in France, Germany and the United States. The organization -- an official affiliate member of the Helicopter Association International -- is dedicated to advancing professionalism in helicopters, while providing women helicopter pilots a forum for the exchange of information and opportunities. Your stories of Jean, along with photos, are requested so the Whirly Girls organization can compile them into a memory book.  Please mail your

Companies Agree to Continue Operating RJ85 Fleet

Those 4-engine Avros Regional Jets some of us have flown on -- under the Northwest Airlines livery -- are not being phased out after all. Mesaba Aviation announced Monday that Northwest Airlines has decided not to exercise the early termination clause in the Regional Jet Services Agreement covering Mesaba's Avro RJ85 aircraft. The early termination provision has now been removed from the Jet Agreement. Northwest and Mesaba had agreed to extend the early termination period to Feb. 29, 2004, while Northwest studied the economics of the fleet. Mesaba had removed five Avros from its fleet over the past two months, at Northwest's request. Two Avros will return to scheduled service in April 2004 and the remaining three

ESA Denies Competing With NASA

While NASA prepares for President Bush's new space initiative, which includes manned flights to Mars, the European community is also setting its sights on the red planet. A European could step out onto the surface of Mars within three decades, under European Space Agency (ESA) plans spelled out on Tuesday. The plans are more precise than the broad U.S. goals of sending a man back to the moon by 2020 and to Mars by 2030, revealed last month by President Bush. Under ESA plans, there will be a mission in 2007 to test a vehicle that can withstand far higher re-entry speeds than currently experienced by those returning from the moon. This will be followed two years later by ExoMars, a robot mission to Mars in search of life -- past and

Agreement Provides Boost To UK's Aerospace Sector

Boeing is making a major boost to the UK's aerospace sector having signed an agreement with QinetiQ, for testing new and derivative aircraft in the company's 5-meter wind tunnel based in Farnborough (UK) The 5-meter wind tunnel represents a significant national capability which, over the past quarter century, has made a significant contribution to the development of many aircraft currently flying today. Boeing has for some time been the primary user of the facility and to date a number of Boeing programs, including the 777 family, the Next Generation 737 family and the 767-400ER, have benefited from the use of the facility to design high lift systems for improved takeoff and landing performance. The wind tunnel

Grand Jury To Consider Charges Against Airline Pilot

A criminal trial is possible for an airline pilot charged with attempting to fly a Boeing 747 while under the influence of drugs and alcohol in December. A Loudoun County (VA) grand jury will decide whether Richard George Harwell goes to trial in connection with the incident at the Washington Dulles Airport. Harwell appeared before a judge in Leesburg Monday to waive his right to a preliminary hearing. Security screeners reportedly smelled alcohol on Harwell's breath as he prepared to fly a Virgin Atlantic flight bound for London with 400 passengers aboard. He now faces state charges that carry penalties of up to five years in prison and $25,000 in fines. The Loudoun County grand jury meets on March 8

Lockheed Martin Marks Aviation Milestone

Lockheed Martin marked a significant milestone in aviation history when it commemorated the 30th anniversary of the first flight of the F-16 jet fighter on Feb. 2. The first F-16 prototype, YF-16 No. 1, completed its first official flight on Feb. 2, 1974, from the Air Force Flight Test Center at Edwards Air Force Base (CA). "The YF-16 was a revolutionary technology demonstrator three decades ago," said John L. Bean, vice president of F-16 programs. "The technologies it introduced -- like fly-by-wire flight control, relaxed static stability, wing- body blending, variable camber wing, high-g cockpit, highly integrated digital avionics using a MIL-STD-1553 multiplex data bus and modular construction -- have become common fo

Sometimes, it's not the hazards we're prepared for that get us... but those that we're not prepared for. We see a LOT of ground vehicle collisions in the FAA daily accident stats. .. so we caution you all to keep your eyes out for collision hazards on the ground as well as in the air. DESCRIPTION COMAIR INC, FL COM913, N807CA, A BOMBARDIER CL-600-2B19 ACFT, STRUCK A DE-ICING TRUCK WHILE MANUEVERING IN A NON-MOVEMENT AREA, NO INJURIES REPORTED, FLIGHT WAS CANCELED, OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNKNOWN, MINNEAPOLIS, MN

Another VIP TFR... Guess Who's Traveling? NOTAM: 4/0873 Issued: 02/04/2004 18:01 Effective: 02/07/2004 17:15 - 02/07/2004 19:35 State: IL Facility: ZAU - CHICAGO (ARTCC),IL. Type: VIP Description: ROSEMONT, ILLINOIS, FEBRUARY 7, 2004.

Another VIP TFR... Guess Who's Traveling? NOTAM: 4/0874 Issued: 02/04/2004 18:02 Effective: 02/07/2004 19:50 - 02/08/2004 01:45 State: MO Facility: ZKC - KANSAS CITY (ARTCC),MO. Type: VIP Description: ST LOUIS, MISSOURI FEBRUARY 7, 2004 LOCAL.

Another VIP TFR... Guess Who's Traveling? NOTAM: 4/0876 Issued: 02/04/2004 19:52 Effective: 02/05/2004 15:00 - 02/05/2004 17:40 State: SC Facility: ZJX - JACKSONVILLE (ARTCC),FL. Type: VIP Description: CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA, FEBRUARY 5, 2004 LOCAL.

For Sale: Trade Home For Airplane I am willing to trade a 1960’s 3 Bedroom 1 Bath House on large 43,500 SQFT lot (60sqft less than an acre). About 1/4 Mile From D49 Airport, In Columbus, ND 58727 For an airplane. Used, will sell for $20,000.00

Aero-News: Quote of the Day

"It has exceeded everyone's highest expectations. Considering all of the program metrics, it easily qualifies as the most successful fighter of the jet age." Source: John L. Bean, Lockheed Martin's vice president of F-16 programs, reflecting on the Fighting Falcon's 30th anniversary. The first F-16 prototype, YF-16 No. 1, completed its first official flight on Feb. 2, 1974, from the Air Force Flight Test Center at Edwards Air Force Base (CA).