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Big winner a new Big Dog owner

Lori O'Toole Buselt — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 21:23:26 +0000

ORLANDO — Mike Casey is a happy man. Mike just won a Big Dog motorcyle at the Greater Wichita Economic Develop Coalition’s booth this afternoon. He had a one-in-47,000 chance of winning. Mike works for the FAA in Fort Worth.

Wichita native Clay Lacy to be honored by National Aviation Hall of Fame

Molly McMillin — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:41:01 +0000

Wichita-native Clay Lacy, a veteran pilot who has conducted over 2,500 air-to-air photo flights for hundreds of commercials, television and feature films, including “Top Gun”, will be honored next year by the National Aviation Hall of Fame.

Lacy began flying at the age of 12 and had logged 1,500 flight hours by the age of 19 when he went to work flying for United Airlines. He retired from United after 40 years. He also started the first executive jet charter service west of Mississippi, operating out of Van Nuys Airport in California. Lacy is veteran air race pilot and holds numerous world-flying records.

He will receive the award in July.

Some cool freebies at NBAA

Molly McMillin — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 21:29:44 +0000

ORLANDO — It’s fun walking around the booths on the exhibit floor at the Orange County Convention Center.

Some of the exhibitors are giving away some pretty cool freebies.

Maria Dahlquist of Premium RVSM Services in Kechi has some of the best, one visitor at her booth said this afternoon. Among her goodies are paper clips shaped like airplanes, screen sweepers, luggage tags and letter openers.

Sterling Courier of Herndon, Va., has flashing lapel pins shaped like an airplane.

The goodies help people to the booth, Dominic Corrado, national accounts manager of Sterling Courier said. They say their kids would like the flashing lapel pins, then they begin talking about the company’s services.

One of my favorites is a pen with a cute, quirky face given away by Air Center of Scottsdale, Ariz. When you push a button, my says, “Thanks a lot; thank you so much; thank you very very much.” Another one just laughs.

Ask and I’ll demonstrate. Thank you very much.

Machinists president: Call White House to urge Obama to visit Wichita

Molly McMillin — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 14:54:55 +0000

ORLANDO — As the National Business Aviation Association’s annual convention officially opened this morning, Machinists international president Tom Buffenbarger urged hundreds of attendees at a kickoff meeting to call the White House’s switchboard and urge President Obama to visit Wichita.

It’s important for the president to see how just how much the general aviation industry has been devastated by Obama’s and members of Congress’ negative remarks about business jets, Buffenbarger said.

The negative perception that business jets are “fancy toys for fat cats,” have had an effect, Buffenbarger said. “Business aviation is vital to America’s economic recovery.”

“We watched as the president took his shots,” he said. “Let’s just say he owes us a visit.”

Buffenbarger has twice invited Obama to Wichita.

“With your help, I believe we can make that happen,” he said.

He urged them to call the switchboard at 202-456-1414 and leave a message for Rahm Emanuel, Obama’s chief of staff.

“Make it brief; make it businesslike; but make it clear,” Buffenbarger said.

The visit is imperative. “This industry hangs in the balance,” he said.

NBAA opening general meeting kicks off

Eba Hamid — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 13:03:09 +0000

Attendees at the National Business Aviation Association gather for the opening general meeting that kicks off the show

Exhibitors at the NBAA convention make last minute touches to their displays as the show prepares to open this morning in Orlando. (Photos by Molly McMillin/The Wichita Eagle)

A Big Dog bike is already getting a lot of attention at NBAA. It is on display at the Wichita Greater Economic Development booth at NBAA.

Day 1 of coverage at NBAA

Eba Hamid — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 21:53:51 +0000

Rob Wilson, president of business and general aviation at Honeywell, discusses the company’s new eleven-year outlook. (Photo by Molly McMillin/The Wichita Eagle)

Claudio Camelier, vice president of marketing intelligence for Embraer, gives an update on three of the company’s business jets at Honeywell’s press conference in Orlando. (Photo by Molly McMillin/The Wichita Eagle)

Brazil’s Embraer delivers 57 jets in the third quarter

Molly McMillin — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 18:42:06 +0000

Brazil-based Embraer delivered 57 jets during June, July and August, up over 48 it delivered during the same time a year ago.

Deliveries included 29 commercial jets, 27 business jets and one plane to the defense industry. So far this year, Embraer, based in Sao Jose dos Campos, delivered 153 aircraft.

Deliveries were boosted by growth in shipments of its Phenom 100 entry-level business jet.

Embraer’s backlog totaled $18.6 billion on September 30, down from $19.8 billion on June 30.

Cessna amplifies deposits for the purchase of new Skylane aircraft

Molly McMillin — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 15:27:49 +0000

Cessna Aircraft is offering help for customers buying new Cessna 182 or Turbo 182 Skylane single-engine piston aircraft.

The company is offering a “deposit amplifier” program through the end of the year that adds $30,000 to a deposit on a retail order.

Depending on the circumstances, the purchase may also qualify for accelerated depreciation that lets you depreciate the aircraft at a faster pace if the plane is bought by the end of this year.

CitationShares to announce a company relaunch

Molly McMillin — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 21:07:43 +0000

CitationShares, a fractional ownership company, is getting a new name and brand.

CitationShares was founded in 2000 and is majority owned and operated by Cessna Aircraft. The company is holding a press conference in New York on Friday to discuss its new vision and the future of private aviation. The event will be attended by CitationShares CEO Steve O’Neill, Cessna Aircraft chairman and CEO Jack Pelton, and Textron president and CEO-elect Scott Donnelly.

We’ll keep you updated on the announcement.

Analysts: Boeing, Airbus may have to cut narrowbody production next year

Molly McMillin — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 19:23:32 +0000

Boeing and Airbus are on track to build a record number of jets this year. But next year, that may change.

The planemakers may have to cut narrowbody airplane production by as much as 30 percent by 2011, according to aerospace analysts and consultants polled by Bloomberg. Boeing’s 737 and Airbus’s A320 contribute the majority of sales for the companies.

Boeing currently is producing 31 737s a month. Four respondents to the Bloomberg survey said they predicted Boeing to scale that back by at least 10 percent to 28 a month by 2011.

The planemakers still have order backlogs to carry them through the next seven years at current rates after they limited production increases to smooth out demand swings when the market was robust.

Changes to 737 production would impact Wichita’s Spirit AeroSystems, which produces the fuselage.