Another Milestone In The Company's Long History

Cessna has delivered its 5000th single engine piston aircraft, a Skylane, since the restart of production in Independence, Kansas. This milestone took place only seven years after the delivery of the first Independence-built airplane. The 5,000th airplane was purchased by Mr. Karl Fillip of Alliance Equipment Leasing, LLC. Hill Aircraft and Leasing Corporation, a Cessna Sales Team Authorized Representative (CSTAR) in Atlanta, was instrumental in the sale of the aircraft.

We're expecting a release shortly, but we've received info that indicates that FAA Administrator Marion Blakey has named Cendant Corp's Ramesh Punwani to be the FAA's new CFO. Punwani holds a Master's in business administration in finance from New York University and a Master's in management science from Cornell University. He received a Bachelor's in industrial engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (India). More recently, Ramesh was VP of tour and cruise relations and director of business development for American Express before joining Travelocity.com. From September '93 to '96, he was Sr. VP and CFO for Empire Blue Cross and Blue Shield.

FAA Releases $3.1 Million For Runway Project

Pilots flying into the Albuquerque within the not-too-distant future will see evidence of progress at the area's general aviation airport. The FAA has released $3.1 million to fund runway upgrades at Albuquerque's Double Eagle II Airport. The money will be used to rebuild runway 17-35 at the general aviation facility that supports 240 aircraft and 120,000 takeoffs and landings each year. Within five years Double Eagle is expected to be home to Eclipse Aviation's new $90 million manufacturing facility as well as a host of Eclipse's suppliers.

CASA Supports New Training Initiatives

Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) is to begin working with leaders in flying training to develop fresh initiatives to deliver the best possible flying instruction to all students, from beginners to experienced pilots refreshing or upgrading their skills. The aim will be to find more effective ways for CASA to help trainers provide the highest possible standards of instruction. The new commitment to flying training follows an initial study by CASA of general aviation fatal accidents over a ten-year period. 

Group Attended NASCAR Race

The search for a missing plane came to a sad end on Wednesday. Searchers found the wreckage of a Piper Saratoga that crashed while carrying three Illinois couples home from a NASCAR race in South Carolina. FAA spokeswoman Elizabeth Isham Cory said there were no survivors. Ground crews had been searching a heavily wooded mountainside in southeastern Kentucky near where the plane was last spotted on radar Sunday night. Cory said investigators from the FAA and National Transportation Safety Board were enroute to the scene.

We got a great note from ANN Reader, Roy, who sent us the following humorous missive because, "It seems like everything is so serious these days, (so) I thought you might like to hear about the following exchange that occurred a few days ago." The pertinent details have been changed to protect the guilty, from those bereft of a funny bone...

Here Comes The Prez

NOTAM:  4/2441  Issued:  03/25/2004 14:55  Effective:  03/26/2004 19:50 - 03/26/2004 23:05  State:  AZ  Facility:  ZAB - ALBUQUERQUE (ARTCC),NM.  Type:  VIP  Description:  PHOENIX, ARIZONA, MARCH 26, 2004 LOCAL. 

The Prez Is In Town

NOTAM:  4/2424  Issued:  03/24/2004 19:21  Effective:  03/26/2004 22:10 - 03/27/2004 00:40  State:  IN  Facility:  ZID - INDIANAPOLIS (ARTCC),IN.  Type:  VIP  Description:  JEFFERSONVILLE, INDIANA, MARCH 26, 2004 LOCAL. 

Its Air Show Time

NOTAM:  4/2442  Issued:  03/25/2004 15:02  Effective:  03/26/2004 17:00 - 03/28/2004 23:00  State:  FL  Facility:  ZMA - MIAMI (ARTCC), FL.  Type:  AIR SHOWS/SPORTS  Description:  PUNTA GORDA, FL. 

It's Airshow Time

NOTAM:  4/2449  Issued:  03/25/2004 16:12  Effective:  03/25/2004 17:30 - 03/28/2004 22:30  State:  FL  Facility:  ZJX - JACKSONVILLE (ARTCC),FL.  Type:  AIR SHOWS/SPORTS  Description:  TYNDALL AFB, FL.  

The Big Kahuna Is In Town

NOTAM:  4/2458  Issued:  03/25/2004 18:48  Effective:  03/26/2004 15:00 - 03/26/2004 16:30  State:  OH  Facility:  ZID - INDIANAPOLIS (ARTCC),IN.  Type:  VIP  Description:  DAYTON, OHIO, MARCH 26, 2004.