Latvia-based FCG OPS has partnered with Spanish FBO operator General Aviation Service (GAS) in a move that will extend FCG’s ground-handling network to include eight FBOs operated by GAS. Founded in 1979, GAS now has bases in Madrid, Barcelona, Málaga, Palma de Mallorca, Valencia, Granada, Gerona, and Ibiza, and the deal will allow FCG to offer a full range of ground handling services in the region, including aircraft handling and refueling, flight permit assistance, and travel services.
The partnership comes in response to FCG’s goal to expand its presence in Western Europe and its desire to meet the increasing demand for handling services in the area. “We receive a growing number of requests from our customers for services in locations beyond our ground handling network—and this is no coincidence,” said FCG CEO Sergey Starkov. “Our services are provided under the strict control of our certified specialists across all FCG OPS stations.”
FCG OPS—part of the Flight Consulting Group, which also operates FBO Riga at Riga International Airport—has a ground-handling network that covers more than 40 airports in 28 countries throughout the Baltics, Scandinavia, the CIS, and Eastern Europe.
“We highly appreciate our long-term cooperation with FCG OPS and its high-class specialists,” added Eugene Shadov, GAS’ commercial director. “Moving to a new level of relationship, we can qualitatively render services to their customers through our FBOs in Spain.”
The International Aircraft Dealer Association's (IADA) philanthropic foundation is working with Mente Group and Four Corners Aviation on a fundraising effort to support a small orphanage that is housing Ukrainian refugees. Mente and Four Corners CEO Brian Proctor pledged a $10,000 donation and the IADA foundation has agreed to match that. The fundraising effort has now raised more than $100,000 in support of the orphanage.
“Like most of my colleagues in the aviation industry, I’ve wanted to find a way to provide meaningful support to those most affected by the war in Ukraine,” said Proctor, who explained that several years ago he had met the couple who had opened the orphanage after learning of an acute need for such care in Romania.
That orphanage, Livada Orphan Care, now is not only serving its intended purpose but also housing more than 100 Ukrainian refugees—a number that’s growing, said Proctor. “This is putting a strain on the organization and its resources. We are honored to provide support and I am very grateful to the IADA Foundation for agreeing to match that gift. I’m also heartened by the generosity of other IADA members and their desire to support this worthwhile effort.”
The orphanage reported that all of its open facilities are in use housing orphans and displaced families. IADA said the donations are dedicated toward efforts to feed, shelter, and assist the refugees.
Following an 11th-hour stay, East Hampton Airport (KHTO) on New York’s Long Island will remain open today. New York State Supreme Court judge Paul Baisley Jr. issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) against the town of East Hampton last night following hearings on the subject. This placed a pause on its plan to shut the airport down just before noon today and reopen it again on Thursday as private East Hampton Town Airport, complete with a new designator (KJPX).
In a separate action, NBAA had joined with several other stakeholders to issue legal challenges in federal court opposing the airport’s conversion last week. In a hearing this morning in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, judge Joanna Seybert noted the case is still under consideration and that she will monitor the action in the state court, possibly imposing her own TRO should the state court’s restriction be removed in the future.
Alex Gertsen, NBAA’s director of airports and ground infrastructure, noted that NBAA's protest hinges on the provisions set forth in the Airport Noise and Capacity Act of 1990 (ANCA), which apply to all publicly-owned airports. He added that the FAA charts have already been changed with the revisions to take effect on May 19 and suggests pilots interested in operating to the airport first review notams.
Two aviation safety leaders from the Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF)—ACSF president Bryan Burns and v-p of operations Russ Lawton—were presented with the 2022 Flight Safety Foundation (FSF) Business Aviation Meritorious Service Award. It was given to the duo for their contributions to business and charter aviation safety last week at the 67th Business Aviation Safety Summit in Savannah, Georgia.
“The ACSF-administered aviation safety action program has made a huge safety difference in Part 135 and 91 operations, all thanks to the vision and leadership of Bryan Burns and Russ Lawton,” said FSF president and CEO Hassan Shahidi, who presented the award.
This particular award has been presented by FSF since 1975 to recognize individuals whose work enhances safety in aviation for outstanding service and contributions to corporate aviation safety. Recipients have included industry leaders, government officials, members of the media, and researchers whose findings were especially relevant to business aviation.
“Russ and I are extremely honored to receive the Meritorious Service Award, and we’re immensely grateful for this recognition from our industry peers,” said Burns. “ACSF has come a long way in the past 14 years, and winning this award would not have been possible without the support, care, and trust from our board of governors and members. It is truly a team effort.”
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Means Business
Armed with an industry focus on business education, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University creates groundbreaking opportunities for those who want to launch new business careers or upgrade their current professional skills. Practical programs in collaboration with renowned global partners are just one way Embry-Riddle helps its graduates stand apart.
The Bell 505 will be the new training helicopter for the Republic of Korea Army (ROKA) and Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN), which have jointly placed an order for up to 40 of the light turbine single helicopters for deliveries through 2025. The $132.8 million deal was closed earlier this month with the ROK’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration and announced by the agency yesterday.
According to Bell, the 505s will begin deploying next year and replace aging training fleets of MD Helicopters MD500-series helicopters at the ROKA and Bell UH-1Hs at the ROKN. The Republic of Korea had issued several unsuccessful tenders to replace these helicopters in recent years and had been seeking a helicopter with more modern avionics. The Bell 505 is equipped with the Garmin G1000H NXi avionics system that features traffic advisory, terrain awareness and warning system, and synthetic vision.
Bell has delivered more than 360 Model 505s worldwide since the helicopter's service entry in 2017 and in February announced the installed fleet had achieved 100,000 flight hours. The 505 is currently used to train government forces in Indonesia, Jamaica, Japan, Montenegro, and the UAE.
Operators with ADS-B Out systems that use selective availability (SA-Aware) receivers are no longer required to perform a preflight performance availability prediction check on the FAA’s service availability prediction tool website before operating on routes in ADS-B-required airspace. The FAA’s new policy statement said that, based on seven years of data, GPS receivers with SA-Aware “consistently provide an equivalent availability to that of radar at 99.9 percent or greater operational availability.”
Furthermore, “operators of aircraft equipped with SA-Aware GPS receivers during periods of GPS constellation degradation that negatively impact the ability of ADS-B to meet performance requirements…will be deemed compliant with the ADS-B Out rule requirements.” For aircraft equipped with GPS receivers that do not meet SA-Aware minimum performance requirements, operators must continue to run preflight prediction analysis.
The agency also discussed situations that might warrant a follow-up preflight availability prediction. For example, a change in the satellite constellation. If an operator becomes aware of any change that could result in degraded GPS performance before receiving an initial ATC clearance, the operator should conduct a subsequent preflight availability prediction, the agency said.
Houston-based international aircraft brokerage Par Avion is marking a quarter of a century in business. The firm, started by president Janine Iannarelli in 1997, specializes in the buying and selling of preowned business jets.
“I have worked to build relationships and a company with a global presence that stands on the time-honored principles of honesty and integrity all while providing an exceptional transactional experience,” Iannarelli said. “Par Avion has prevailed through a number of economic cycles and other challenges, proving our longevity and relativity through the years in this demanding field.”
Rio Grande Pacific, a Texas-based railroad holding company, has worked with Par Avion for nearly two decades buying and selling corporate aircraft. “Par Avion and Janine Iannarelli have been trusted and invaluable advisors and representatives,” said Rio Grande chairman and CEO Richard Bertel. “Attention to detail, expert market analysis, and tenacious advocacy in multiple buy-side and sale-side transactions of increasingly sophisticated turbine jet aircraft have allowed our management team and executives to focus on our customers and building our businesses.”
Alan Russell Cook Sr., the former president and CEO of aircraft management and charter company Metropolitan Aviation, was sentenced to 2.5 years in jail, 36 months of supervised release, $365,961 in restitution, forfeiture of $177,383, and an $800 special assessment for bankruptcy fraud, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General.
In December, Cook was convicted of bankruptcy fraud in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. Charges included making false statements and falsification of records in relation to Metropolitan’s bankruptcy proceeding, as well as false bankruptcy declaration.
An investigation revealed that between April 2016 and November 2017, Cook transferred more than $350,000 in revenue and personal property from the now-defunct Manassas, Virginia-based business aircraft services company to bank accounts opened by his former girlfriend in her name and the name of a fake company to hide assets from creditors in the bankruptcy. He also made false statements under oath at the meeting of the creditors.
People in Aviation
ATP brought Drew Plisco on board as CFO. Plisco has a 15-year finance background, previously serving as CFO at Holon Solutions and Infutor Data Solutions, as well as holding senior positions with Sage Group, First Advantage, and SAP.
Satcom Direct (SD) recently appointed Brian Roos regional director of Asia-Pacific and named Kaviraj (Kavi) Nadarajah regional sales manager, both in the newly opened Singapore office. Roos has 20 years of commercial and private aviation experience, including airport operations, customer service, flight operations, flight support, and charter management. Nadarajah, who began his 18-year aviation career as a dispatcher for commercial airlines, also previously has held roles with Hawker Pacific and Jet Aviation.
Western Aircraft named Heather Aldred turboprop regional sales manager and hired Peter Chabay as a quoter. Aldred, a licensed A&P mechanic with more than 15 years of experience, co-owned a maintenance company in Scappoose, Oregon, and served as a line mechanic in Oahu, Hawaii, before joining Western Aircraft in 2016. Chabay has 14 years of aviation experience, previously serving with Gulfstream and Pilatus.
Matt Shelby joined Avports as v-p of business development. Shelby brings 25 years of executive experience to his new role, previously specializing in leasing and airport real estate development opportunities for commercial airlines.
West Star promoted Connor Mottice to technical sales manager at its Chattanooga, Tennessee facility. Mottice has served at the Chattanooga location since its doors opened in 2016 and with West Star in total for seven years, most recently holding the role of quality control inspector.
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