|
|
| SWAV News |
Do you have news items of interest to the Southwest’s general aviation community? Submit them to: publisher@swaviator.com. Submissions will be run as space permits and may be edited for length and style. Emails or disks and digital photos receive preference.
NEW LIFE FOR THE NEW MEXICO PILOT'S ASSOCIATION
Bob Worthington, acting president of the NMPA, has proposed a number of changes that will breathe new life into the organization. He has rewritten the by-laws, which are now before members for review. In addition, Bob will be sending a newsletter to pilots throughout the state promoting the NMPA. Finally, a number of fly-ins, meetings, and an air-tour of the state are being planned.
For more info or to get involved with the NMPA, email rworthin@zianet.com
 SW AVIATOR'S MARK SWINT JOINS PRESIDENT BUSH IN TRAVEL INDUSTRY REVITALIZATION EFFORT
Southwest Aviator Magazine senior staff writer Mark Swint appeared with President Bush and other travel industry representatives in a recent television ad campaign encouraging Americans to start travelling again. Mark (third from right below) echoed the President’s words urging Americans to “Fly and enjoy America’s great destination spots.” When not writing for SW Aviator, Mark “moonlights” as a senior captain for United airlines, flying 767 and 757 from his LAX base.
Mark appeared twice in the 30-second TV spots encouraging people to begin traveling again as a way of bringing their lives back to normalcy after the terrorist attacks of September 11. The ad featured taped segments of President Bush speaking about the need for Americans to get on with their lives by travelling and seeing America, interspersed with brief segments of travel industry workers welcoming their fellow Americans back.
The ads were part of a broad Travel Industry Recovery Campaign funded by voluntary contributions from every segment of the U.S. travel and tourism industry. A second version of the ad was created to encourage international travelers to visit the U.S. Spots ran on all three major networks (ABC, CBS and NBC) and morning shows and evening news shows. The ads also ran during football games aired on ABC, CBS, FOX, and ESPN. Additionally, more than 850 spots aired on cable news channels CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, and Fox News. International versions of the ad ran in the United Kingdom, Canada, Asia, and on pan-European channels such as Eurosport, BBC World, and CNN International.
All of us at Southwest Aviator Magazine applaud Mark, and the thousands of other aviation and travel professionals who have ably demonstrated “American Courage” during the difficult months since September 11. Well done!
For more info or to view the ad, visit www.tia.org/press/recovery_campaign.asp.
|
|
WESTERN SKYWAYS HOLDS GROUNDBREAKING
Customers will soon be able to taxi right up to the door of Western Skyways when the company completes a new $1.5 million manufacturing facility at Montrose Regional Airport in Montrose, Colorado. The land is located airside, adjacent to the airport’s two runways. Western Skyways recently held a groundbreaking and construction is underway, with the new facility scheduled to be completed in Spring 2002. Expansion plans were aided by the efforts of the Montrose Economic Development Corporation with land incentives.
Western Skyways’ closest neighbor at the new airside location will be cutting edge aerospace company, STW Composites. Western Skyways will build a new 27,500 square foot facility with an engine shop, hangar and office space. They plan to employ an additional 100 people over the next 5 years, doubling the size of the company. The annual economic impact of Western Skyways’ expansion is planned to be $2.75 million the first year and grow to over $6.6 million in 5 years. Western Skyways began operations in Montrose in 1994, and has maintained double digit annual sales growth, expanding from 14 original employees to the current 55 with plans to expand to over 100.
With Western Skyways’ new location at the airport, the company will be able to offer customers removal and installation of engines, as well as engine overhauls. Prior to this, customers were required to ship their engine to Western Skyways. Soon, they can fly to Montrose for a few days of play and have the same precision technicians that built their engine, install them as well.
For more information on Western Skyways, contact 1-800-575-9929, fax (970) 249-4155, or www.westernskyways.com.
DESIGN OF THE LIBERTY XL-2 IS NOW COMPLETE
The design of the Liberty XL-2 has been completed. Company officials do not anticipate any further design changes prior to completing flight certification testing. They have given meticulous attention to every detail in the XL-2, and have given safety the highest priority. In all cases, the design team was instructed not just to meet the required FAA standards, but to exceed them as needed to give customers a truly world class aircraft.
For more, visit www.libertyaircraft.com or call 970-252-3099.
BELEN-ALEXANDER GETS FACELIFT
Acting airport manager, David Husbands, has worked closely with the city of Belen, NM to complete long-needed repairs and updates at the airport. Since stepping in as airport manager, Husbands has overseen the resurfacing of the runway and taxiways, as well as the repair of pilot controlled lighting.
These steps are especially important as more planes are calling Belen-Alexander home with recent closing of nearby Coronado Airport in Albuquerque.
SPORTY’S IFR COMMUNICATIONS VIDEO ON DVD
One of Sporty’s most popular “What You Should Know” videos is now available on DVD. IFR Communications was produced to teach instrument students and rated pilots to communicate more professionally. One of GA’s most experienced pilots, Richard L. Collins, hosts this program and offers his unique insights and perspectives to IFR flight.
For more information, call 1-800-LIFTOFF or visit sportys.com
 AIRCRAFT SPRUCE ADDS MOLECU-BOND FOR REFURBISHING INTERIORS
The automotive industry has created a number of products that can be used to enhance the appearance of any aircraft. The latest in a productive series of new products is Molecu-Bond. Molecu-Bond is a unique paint that will restore or permanently change the color of leather, vinyl, abs plastic, PVC, TPU, polycarbonates, acrylics, fiberglass, lexan and thermal plastic urethane.
In less than 45 seconds after an easy spray application, it is dry to the touch, and in ten minutes is fully and permanently bonded. It is a penetrating molecular dye and will not crack, flake or peel. It’s possible to change the color of seats, headliners, armrests and plastic fairings over and over without filling in the appearance of grain.
For more, visit www.aircraftspruce.com or call 877-4-SPRUCE.
SPORT PILOT/LIGHT-SPORT AIRCRAFT PROPOSAL TAKES IMPORTANT STEP TOWARD COMPLETION
The proposed Sport Pilot/Light-Sport Aircraft regulations long championed by EAA took an important step forward as the U.S. Department of Transportation accepted clarifications to the proposal and sent it to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for final approval.
OMB's endorsement is the final step before the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) can publish the proposal as a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM). Although no deadline has been established for the review, it is hoped that OMB's approval will be hastened since the agency is reviewing only requested clarifications, instead of the entire package. Once that is completed, FAA may publish the Sport Pilot rule for public comment.
 VERTICAL AVIATION TECHNOLOGIES, INC. RECEIVES STC FOR WHISPER JET
Vertical Aviation Technologies, Inc. of Sanford, Florida, has just completed an eight-year program with Papillon Grand Canyon Airways, Inc. to develop the Whisper Jet S-55QT ‘Quiet’ helicopter. The FAA recently awarded an STC for the Whisper Jet and it’s now in full production. The S-55QT is a nine-passenger turbine helicopter that, after NASA noise tests, is proven to be the world’s quietest helicopter.
Visit www.Vertical-Aviation.com or call 407-322-9488 for more information.
|
Click here to return to the beginning of this article. |
|
