Volume 2, Number 18 -- September 29, 2004

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The Top Headlines From AVweb's Expanded Business News Coverage At AVweb's Business NewsWire.

NBAA FAITHFUL ABOUT TO FLOCK
It's that time of year again. If you're in or near Las Vegas in mid-October -- the 12th through the 14th, to be exact -- it will be hard to ignore the coming invasion of business aviation's faithful for the National Business Aviation Association's (NBAA) 57th Annual Meeting and Convention. Just about everywhere you look -- except maybe the roulette tables -- you'll see ads, banners and the odd airframe manufacturer's logo adorning a bus or limo, all extolling the virtues of BA. You'll also be rubbing elbows with as many as 30,000 attendees visiting over 1,000 exhibitors and more than 100 aircraft on static display. When all that becomes too much, you can sidle into a seminar session covering just about every topic, from security to substance abuse. Attendees will also get the skinny on new airframes from Cessna -- a new Citation model, probably -- and Aerion -- a start-up aiming to launch a supersonic bizjet -- among others. Additional topics for detailed discussion will be the Transportation Security Administration's latest shot across GA's bow, a new rule expanding previous reporting and background-check requirements for foreign nationals wishing to obtain flight training in the U.S. Look for detailed coverage of what's news at this year's NBAA convention in the next edition of AVweb's BizAvFlash. More...

DASSAULT MARKS 20TH FALCON 900 ANNIVERSARY...
French airframer Dassault this month reminded the industry that a Friday some 20 years ago -- Sept. 21, 1984, to be exact -- saw the first flight of its venerable Falcon 900 trijet. That initial flight, from Merignac, France, has since spawned more than 330 copies and five different versions of the trans-Atlantic bizjet, including the 900DX scheduled for certification in December 2005. More...

...OPENS NEW OPS CENTER AT TEB...
Almost at the same time as it celebrated the 900's 20th anniversary, Dassault opened a new Flight Operations Center at the Teterboro (N.J.) Airport. According to the company, the new facility will be home to a 23-person flight operations department and the Falcon demonstration fleet. It will also house three local field service representatives. The new facility is directly across from Dassault Falcon Jet's headquarters. "Having the Flight Operations Center so close means that we can more easily show our customers and operators our products; meet with customer flight crews; and enhance the spec and design process in one visit," said Matt Boyle, senior vice president and general counsel at Dassault Falcon. More...

...AND NAMES ERIC MONSEL VP OF PROGRAMS
Dassault earlier this month named Eric Monsel vice president of programs as replacement for the retiring Marc Valle, who has been with the company in numerous capacities since 1967. In his new position, Monsel -- who most recently served Dassault as deputy vice president of engineering in Merignac, France -- will coordinate all new Falcon options and new projects developed for the completion programs. "Eric comes to this new position at a unique time for Dassault Falcon," said John Rosanvallon, president and CEO of Dassault Falcon Jet Corporation. "The first 7X is nearing completion and will take flight in the second quarter of 2005 and our EASy flight deck was recently certified in our most popular airplane, the 2000EX." More...

TSA WATCH: ANOTHER MISSTEP?
When it first opened its doors and began it primary mission, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) began to be called "Too Stupid to Ask," a reference to the then-new agency's uncanny and repeatable ability to act first and then ask questions of the industry it was trying to regulate. As it became more accustomed to its role -- and as people more experienced with the airline industry came aboard and were actually listened to by top management -- industry's problems with the TSA lessened in severity, if not number. Now, however, as the agency seemingly catches its breath with many of the challenges of airline security tamped down, "mission creep" has become the watchword among many outside observers. Even though its newest role was handed to it by Congress, that watchword is coming home to haunt a general aviation industry still wrestling with the impact of the new rule on flight training dropped on desks last week. Among the major issues with the new rule is the short time frame allowed to flight schools, independent CFIs and many other flight-training providers to understand and comply with the rule before its two effective dates: Oct. 5, for training in an aircraft weighing more than 12,500 pounds, and Oct. 20, for training in smaller ones. But, it's not like no one knew this was coming. More...

GULFSTREAM'S G550 MARKS ONE YEAR
While Dassault was celebrating the 20th year of its flagship bizjet line, Gulfstream Aerospace marked the first anniversary its large-cabin G550's entry into service. Not content to merely push them out the door during the past year, Gulfstream pilots flying the G550 established more than 10 city-pair speed and distance records as well as a long-distance, nonstop 7,301-nautical-mile flight between Seoul, South Korea, and Orlando, Fla., according to the company. And, in May, the G550 development team was awarded the Collier Trophy for its work on the G550, described as “an innovative aircraft that offers measurable safety enhancements and practical, applicable and useful advances in aerospace technology.” More...

ROCKWELL COLLINS GETS CHALLENGER 300 SIM NOD
Rockwell Collins announced this month that its NLX subsidiary received FAA Level D qualification on the company's Bombardier Challenger 300 Full Flight Simulator. For NLX, which was acquired by Rockwell late last year, the paperwork marks the first commercial aircraft flight simulator for Bombardier. New to the business aviation simulator market, NLX markets a wide range of training systems and technical services for many military and commercial platforms. These include the U.S. Navy's P-3C Visual System Modifications and the Black Hawk Flight Simulator for the U.S. National Guard, in addition to the Bombardier Challenger 300 simulator. More...

AUGUSTA NAMES GRAND U.S. LAUNCH CUSTOMER
Agusta Aerospace Corporation said this month that Seacor Holdings Inc. will be the U.S. offshore oil and gas industry launch customer for its recently announced Agusta Grand light twin turbine helicopter. The Grand was unveiled at the recent Farnborough air show; deliveries are to start in 2005. Seacor is an international provider of marine transportation services to the petroleum industry. “The Agusta Grand’s spacious cabin, high cruise speed and payload/range capability are important considerations for our helicopter operations. We are excited about the potential of the Agusta Grand,” says Ed Washecka, vice president at Seacor. More...

WATCH YOUR INBOX...
...the next issue of AVweb's BizAVflash will be e-mailed to you on Oct. 13. Until then! More...

Business AVflash is a twice-monthly summary of the latest business aviation
news, articles, products, features and events featured on AVweb, the
Internet's Aviation Magazine and News Service. http://www.avweb.com

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Today's issue written by Joseph E. (Jeb) Burnside:
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