Lancair Columbia wins certificate
Champagne flowed at Lancair's Bend, Oregon, manufacturing facility when the Columbia 300 won its FAA type certification in late September.
"Now we're ready to build some airplanes, and I can't tell you how good it feels to say that," said Lancair founder, president, and designer Lance Neibauer.
Lancair official Mike Schrader said that the 191-knot aircraft will have a base price of $190,000 equipped for VFR flight, and $225,000 with IFR equipment. An upgraded "premium" IFR aircraft will cost $245,000 and includes a flight director, upgraded avionics and autopilot, and additional equipment.
Lancair expects to deliver the first Columbias to buyers by the end of the year.
A 1999 AOPA calendar dedicated solely to general aviation aircraft and featuring 11 photos by AOPA Pilot photographer Mike Fizer is now available from Sporty's Pilot Shop for $10.95. Included are aircraft built by Stoddard Hamilton, The New Piper, McDonnell Douglas (helicopter), Cessna Aircraft, Socata, Aviat Aircraft, Lancair, and Diamond Aircraft. To order, call 800/543-8633 or 513/735-9000, or visit the Web site ( www.sportys.com). Ask for item number 5588A.
Cessna announces four new Citations
Cessna's Citation line of business jets will soon double in model offerings. At October's National Business Aviation Association convention in Las Vegas, Cessna revealed four new designs.
The Citation CJ1 will resemble the current CitationJet in external appearance, but will come with a 200-pound gross weight increase, revamped Collins Pro Line 21 avionics package, a Bendix/King KLN-900 GPS flight management system, and AlliedSignal CNI-5000 radios with 8.33- kHz channel spacing. It will retain the CJ's 1,900-pounds- thrust Williams-Rolls FJ44-1A engines.The price of the CJ1 has yet to be determined. Deliveries are expected to begin in the first quarter of 2000.
The Citation CJ2 is a larger, faster, longer-range growth version of the CitationJet. A 35-inch fuselage plug provides a 33-inch cabin stretch with room for six passenger seats in a center-club arrangement. Power will be provided by two Williams-Rolls FJ44-2C turbofans of 2,300 pounds thrust each. Maximum cruise speed is projected as 400 knots at 33,000 feet. With IFR reserves, range with three passengers is expected to be approximately 1,450 nautical miles. Balanced field length will be 3,449 feet. Avionics for the CJ2 will be virtually identical to those offered in the CJ1. First flight is scheduled for the second quarter of 1999; deliveries are anticipated in the first quarter of 2001. Cessna claims that it already has 80 orders for the $4,195,000 (in 1998 dollars) CJ2.
The Citation Encore Ultra will replace the Citation Ultra and have Pratt & Whitney Canada PW535A engines of 3,360 pounds thrust with 5,000-hour TBOs. Trailing link main landing gear, bleed air leading edge ice protection, and an improved braking system also mark the Encore's changes to the basic Ultra design. With 16-percent better fuel efficiency than the Ultra, Cessna claims that range with IFR reserves is projected at 1,700 nautical miles. Balanced field length should be 3,561 feet. Standard avionics include the Honeywell Primus 1000 with pilot's and co-pilot's primary flight displays. First deliveries should take place in the second quarter of 2000, and the price of the Encore Ultra will be $6,875,000 in 2000 dollars. A prototype already has accumulated 108 flight hours as of this writing.
The Citation Sovereign will be a 0.75 Mach midsize jet with eight seats, a 2,500-nm IFR range (with eight passengers), and a price tag of approximately $11,295,000. The double-club cabin will be 20 percent larger than a Raytheon Hawker 800XP's, Cessna asserts. Engines will be the 5,686-pounds- thrust Pratt & Whitney Canada PW306Cs with 6,000-hour TBOs. An avionics vendor has yet to be chosen. Certification of the Sovereign should occur in the second quarter of 2002; first deliveries are set to begin in the third quarter of 2002. — Thomas A. Horne
RENO AIR RACES
Dago Red takes Unlimited Gold at Reno
Dago Red took the checkered flag in the Unlimited Gold race at the thirty-fifth annual National Championship Air Races held at Reno, Nevada's Stead Airfield. Howard Pardue snatched first place in the Unlimited Bronze race, piloting his Grumman F8F-1 Bearcat. Pardue switched to his Hawker Sea Fury for the Unlimited Gold race; however, his engine sputtered at takeoff, forcing him to abort. But he landed safely as the rest of the field buzzed on.
Two new race classes, Sport and T-28, helped to boost the event's four-day attendance to 165,000. After the final smoke, Sport winner Dave Morss of Redwood City, California, had steered his homebuilt Lancair IV through six laps of 6.36 statute miles each at an average 308.164 mph. Other Sport racers flew Questair Ventures, Glasair IIIs, and Swearingen SX300s. Rick Raesz, flying Monster, took first place in the T-28 class, with a speed of 273 mph.
Jim Smith, Jr., took the Biplane Gold in a Mong called Glass Slipper, with an average speed of 207.7 mph, while Nemesis, a glistening pearl and dayglow DR-90 flown by Jon Sharp, flew an average 245.3 mph while taking first place in the Gold race in the International Formula One class. The AT-6/SNJ class was led by Jack Frost, a cropduster and aircraft dealer flying Frostbite. He froze out competitors at 229 mph.
The 1998 competition, sadly, was marred on the morning of the first day with the death of Formula One competitor Richard Roberts, 63. Roberts crashed Miss Maybee while maneuvering to land after a race. Roberts, an FAA safety inspector, was the twelfth to die in the race's 35-year history. — Roger Mola
The new T-28 Race Class was one of the closest scrambles at Reno. Racer Chris Miller banks Orgasmatron before being passed by Monster, flown by Rick Raesz of Ft. Worth, Texas. Raez finished three seconds ahead to capture first place, with an average speed of 273 mph.
Orenda opens new facility
Orenda Recip Inc., of Toronto, has opened a new engine manufacturing, assembly, and aircraft conversion facility in Debert, Nova Scotia, near Halifax. At full capacity the plant will churn out about 60 of the company's 600-hp V-8 aircraft engines per month.
The $28 million facility is housed in a 42,000-square-foot hangar, most of which will be dedicated to aircraft conversion or modification and research and development of new STC installations. Engine building and parts manufacturing will use up about 18,000 square feet of the facility.
So far 180 engines are on order, 140 of which are headed to Stevens Aviation in Greer, South Carolina, for retrofit onto Beech C90 King Airs. Other applications for the engine include the de Havilland Beaver and Otter, Cessna 421, Piper P-Navajo, AviaBellanca SkyRocket 3, and the Lancair Tigress. For more information about the Orenda V-8 see " Enginuity: Piston Power" (October Pilot).
Statistics from Aviation Information Resources (AIR) Inc. indicate that 61 percent of airline hires are from the civilian pilot pool rather than from a military aviation background. The age range for hires at major airlines is 22 to 55 years old. For more information contact AIR Inc. at 800/247-2777 or 770/996-5424.
The Flexjet program operated by Bombardier Aerospace from Dallas is experiencing rapid growth. Marketing Director Steve Phillips said the program will soon add its fiftieth jet, and has brought 20 into the fractional ownership program this year. There are now 250 customers, and that is expected to reach 350 by year's end. Flexjet, operated by Business JetSolutions, now employs 180 pilots, but another 110 will be added by the end of the year. Next year 120 additional pilots will be needed. Flexjet fractional ownership is a turnkey program allowing individuals or companies to purchase a share of a Bombardier business jet. Owners of shares have access to the program 24 hours a day, and can fly to more than 5,000 U.S. airports on four hours' notice.
Experiments planned for uplinking data
The effort to put traffic and weather data where you need it most, in the cockpit, continues through programs sponsored by the FAA and an inflight experiment sponsored by the Cargo Airline Association in the Ohio Valley area.
The FAA program, once called Flight 2000, has been renamed Safe Flight 21 and will eventually put graphic displays in general aviation cockpits in Alaska that provide moving maps, terrain avoidance, graphical weather, special-use airspace status, and traffic information. The use of such data will increase safety and allow use of more direct routing, saving time and fuel.
The Cargo Airline Association is sponsoring a technology experiment to help determine which of three methods under consideration are best for providing these services. Participating are UPS, Federal Express, and Airborne Express. Each will equip four aircraft with the datalink equipment, which will eventually display not only air traffic but ground vehicles at airports.
The FAA wants to use Mode S 1090 as the datalink system, but AOPA and the Cargo Airline Association have pushed for consideration of more cost-effective methods affordable by all segments of the aviation community that provide greater benefit. Other methods are Universal Access Transceiver (UAT), invented by Mitre Corporation, and VDL Mode 4, under development in Europe. Thanks largely to intervention in recent weeks by AOPA, the FAA now seems willing to consider alternatives to the expensive Mode S system.
The FAA has agreed to support the Cargo Airline Association experiment as part of the Safe Flight 21 program, and utilize it as the basis for an objective evaluation of alternative technologies. The experiment, originally due to begin in October, will not start until December or January. Two cargo aircraft have been equipped, but certification by the FAA of the new equipment is time consuming, and FAA funding opportunities in fiscal year 1999 are marginal at best.
American adventurer and entrepreneur Steve Fossett is to be the third member of the Virgin Global Challenger crew for this season's round-the-world attempt. He will join Richard Branson and Per Lindstrand on the flight, which is expected to take off from Marrakesh in mid- to late November. Fossett was plucked from shark-infested waters in the South Pacific this August after his fourth attempt at nonstop global circumnavigation ended in failure when thunderstorms brought his craft down 12,600 miles into the flight. Richard Branson called Fossett while the adventurer was still aboard the New Zealand Navy vessel which picked him up to offer a place in the Global Challenger crew. "Our friendly rivalry with Steve has gone on for the last decade," says Branson. "As a result of capsule damage and loss of equipment, Steve had to abandon any more attempts this season. But with him out of the race, I realized I'd miss the rivalry, so we decided to ask Steve to join Per and me on this season's Challenger attempt."
Boeing Business Jet makes first flight
Heads of state, corporate movers and shakers, and golf pros take note. The inaugural flight of the Boeing Business Jet took place on September 4. The BBJ departed from Renton (Washington) Municipal Airport, bringing Boeing one step closer to first customer deliveries, which are expected later this year.
The 6,000-nm-range airplane is a hybrid of Boeing's Next-Generation 737-700 and -800 series, designed to compete with the likes of the Bombardier Global Express and Gulfstream V in the ultra-long-range business jet market. A beefed-up center fuselage section, main landing gear, and wing structure enable the BBJ to accept up to 10 auxiliary fuel tanks, for a maximum fuel capacity of nearly 75,000 pounds. Modular interior design options allow customers to rapidly reconfigure the BBJ for a variety of missions, from deluxe eight-passenger airborne command centers to 50-passenger corporate shuttles.
Boeing has 35 firm orders in hand for the $35 million (before interior finishing) twinjet. Powered by GE/Snecma CFM56-7B26 engines rated at 26,400 pounds of thrust each, the BBJ can cruise at Mach 0.82 at FL410. The higher, farther, faster performance of the Next Generation Boeings is made possible by a completely redesigned wing and the more efficient and powerful engines. In June, Boeing announced it was testing an eight-foot-high winglet on a 737 designed to further increase the range of the BBJ, as well as distinguish it from its more pedestrian airline counterparts. Look for it at an economic summit or major golf tournament near you, sometime in the first quarter of 1999. — Vincent Czaplyski
Mooney Eagle expected to be certificated next month
Mooney Aircraft Corporation anticipates certification of the M20S Eagle by December 1.
The Eagle is a more economical version of the long-body Mooney Ovation. The 300-horsepower Continental IO-550-G, derated to 280 hp in the Ovation, is further derated to 235 hp for use as the Eagle engine.
Maximum cruise speed is targeted for 175 knots and maximum range is 1,210 miles.
As for the panel, the standard-equipped Eagle will feature Trimble's TrimLine avionics package including the recently introduced IFR-approved TN500 GPS navigation system.
An S-Tec System 30 two-axis autopilot and PS Engineering PMA7000 audio panel/intercom are also included in the $319,000 standard price of the airplane. Deliveries are expected to commence in January.
Peter S. Pierpont, AOPA 689837, chairman of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University's Department of Technology, has received for the school a Pitts S-2B once owned by late aerobatic competitor Randy Gagne. The aircraft was donated by Gagne's family. It will be used by Embry-Riddle's aerobatics club at the Daytona Beach campus. Pierpont was formerly a Pitts test pilot at the Aviat Aircraft plant.
Nav Canada has announced the implementation of Phase II of its user fee package, which includes charges to operators of general aviation aircraft. The corporation, which provides air traffic control, flight information, and other air navigation services in Canada, will not receive government funding after November 1, the date on which the new user fees are scheduled to go into effect. Because of a funding surplus, however, implementation of most GA user fees will be deferred until March 1, 1999. Canadian-registered aircraft weighing two metric tons (4,409 lbs) or less — and any privately registered aircraft not used for business purposes — will pay a flat fee of $60 (Canadian) per year. The fee structure is prorated on a quarterly basis for foreign-registered aircraft. Aircraft weighing more than three metric tons will pay a daily charge of $30 to $1,500 (Canadian), based on maximum gross takeoff weight. Aircraft weighing less than 600 kg (1,323 lbs), and fire-fighting, air ambulance, and airshow aircraft are exempt. — Michael P. Collins
Turbonormalizing STC changes hands
Tornado Alley Turbo, Inc. of Ada, Oklahoma, has acquired the rights to multiple supplemental type certificates (STCs) for turbonormalizing Continental IO-520- and IO-550-powered Beech Bonanzas and the IO-520-powered Cessna 185. The STCs were previously held by FliteCraft Turbo of Pagosa Springs, Colorado.
Tornado Alley Turbo is a spinoff company from General Aviation Modifications, Inc., makers of the GAMIjector replacement fuel injectors. Besides the obvious high-altitude benefit of the turbonormalizing system, Tornado Alley intends to combine benefits of GAMIjectors with that of the turbonormalizing system to allow pilots to fly lean of peak EGT at lower altitudes and high power. The company believes that running in this configuration will provide fuel-consumption figures approximately 20 percent better than identical normally aspirated engines running at high power. Tornado Alley Turbo also plans to obtain an STC to turbonormalize the Beech Baron. For more information contact Tornado Alley Turbo at 580/332-3510 or visit the Web site ( www.taturbo.com).
Sellers' market continues for used aircraft
According to a recent report by the aircraft valuation guide, Vref, the market for used aircraft continues to be very strong. Forty-one percent of dealers expect a continued increase in sales activity and 57 percent predict values will climb even higher.
During the most recent quarter, prices remained firm and "dealers with clean, market-ready airplanes report that phones are ringing off the hook," reports Vref. The summer months brought a rise in activity among singles. Since 1994, the Piper Cherokee Six 300 has posted a price increase of 51 percent. On the low end of the scale, the Piper Archer has increased 10 percent since 1994.
Piston twins have had the largest price increases over the past four years but, like the singles, prices over the last quarter remained steady. Since 1994, the best performers have been the Beech Duke, up 69 percent, and the Cessna 340A, up 54 percent. Most piston twins have risen in value by 35 percent or more.
The used turboprop market continues to be very hot, says Vref. All of the Beech King Air models, Twin Commanders, and even the traditionally lackluster Mitsubishi MU-2s are commanding large sums of money. Since 1994, the best performer has been the Cessna Conquest I (up 59 percent) and the Twin Commander 690, which posted gains of 55 percent.
The jet market, which slowed down during the summer months, remains active with prices continuing to escalate. Big gainers since 1994 are the Gulfstream III (46 percent), Lear 35As (44 percent), and Falcon 50s (41 percent).
Balloon Excelsior, an FAA-approved balloon flight school in Oakland, California, has received FAA approval to prepare a student for the private pilot certificate in only eight hours of flight training. The cost of the course is $2,250. Pilots who already hold an FAA private pilot certificate can complete the $3,000 commercial balloon certificate course in 10 hours. The course normally takes 14 hours. The school has taught balloonists for 26 years.
JETporter, Inc., of Salem, Oregon, has been purchased by Steven Hill, formerly head of sales and marketing at AkroTech Aviation in Oregon. AkroTech makes the Giles G-200/202 aerobatic kit aircraft. JETporter makes the JP-1 electric aircraft tug, which handles aircraft up to 30,000 pounds and costs $16,950. Currently in development is a tug that can handle 125,000 pounds and is expected to sell for $34,000. For information call 800/488-0498 or 503/304-2215, or visit the Web site ( www.jetporter.com).
Squawk Sheet
The FAA has issued airworthiness directive 98-18-12, which affects aircraft powered by fuel-injected Lycoming engines using Crane/Lear Romec AN rotary fuel pumps. The AD will require initial and repetitive torque check inspections of pump relief valve attaching screws. If the torque remains within acceptable limits after two inspections, the repetitive inspections can be terminated.Socata TB9 (Tampico) and TB10 (Tobago) airplanes are the subject of an AD ( 98-16-03) that requires repetitive inspections of the wing front attachment points on the wing and fuselage sides for cracks and repetitively incorporating a modification kit.
Socata TB20 and TB21 airplanes are subject to an AD ( 98-18-13) that will require repetitively inspecting the main landing gear attachment bearing for cracks (using a dye-penetrant inspection method), and if cracks are found, replacing the bearing.
AD 98-15-16, affecting Rotax 912F engines, requires the installation of an improved fuel pump and fuel supply tube to prevent leaks.
AOPA members in the news
John D. Odegard, AOPA 276400, founder and dean of the University of North Dakota aviation program, died September 27 after a three-year fight against cancer. He was 57. Odegard was the only leader that UND's aviation program ever had. He founded the program in 1968, and grew it to become the university's second largest college. He had 14,000 hours as a pilot and had received numerous awards for innovations in aviation training. In February the school was named after him — the John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences.
Edward W. Stimpson, AOPA 1142928, vice chairman of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association, has been nominated to receive the Wright Brothers Memorial Trophy. The trophy has been awarded annually since 1948 by the National Aeronautic Association. Past winners include Charles Lindbergh. The award will be presented at a black-tie dinner in Washington, D.C., on December 11.
Dave Jackson, AOPA 877047, who produced Wide World of Flying for four years, has taken over production at King Schools, the San Diego-based aviation video training company.
Nina Anderson, AOPA 1359483, has written The Backseat Flyer, which was published by her company, Safe Goods, of East Canaan, Connecticut. The book provides wise advice in a humorous way to nervous passengers. For information call 860/824-5301.
Chanda S. Budhabhatti, AOPA 782242, of Tucson, Arizona, has set a speed record in her Piper Cherokee of 160.05 mph on a flight from Tucson to Guaymas, Mexico. She has dedicated her life to promoting aviation among women in her native India, and decided to "achieve something for myself."
Greg Marshall, AOPA 635435, of Honolulu, and Bruce Chapman, AOPA 1105293, of Valdosta, Georgia, won the Race to Kitty Hawk air race, a charity event that raised more than $10,000 for the Church of God Children's Home in Concord, North Carolina. The team flew Marshall's Piper Lance in the handicapped air race and was awarded $1,000. The winnings were donated to the children's home.
Mark Schmit, AOPA 1075122, of Bloomington, Minnesota, spent last May 19 landing his Mooney at every public-use airport in Minnesota. It took Schmit nearly 20 hours to land at the 109 airports, including one military field. Five refueling stops and three nap breaks were scheduled for the trip as well. At the refueling stops, Schmit coordinated with local grade schools to get students up for their first flight in a small airplane. Each student received an AOPA First Flight Certificate.
Andrew C. Laird, AOPA 1290794, and Allison J. King met at the Brandywine Airport in West Chester, Pennsylvania, fell in love with aviation and each other, and were married at the airport on September 26. When they first met in 1996, Laird was a new private pilot and King was a student pilot. Within a year, she completed her training and together they purchased a share in a Piper Cherokee 180 based at Brandywine Airport. It was during a flight in this airplane on the anniversary of their first flight that Laird proposed. They "flew" off to their reception after the wedding — or at least taxied around the airport with a "Just married" sign on the airplane.
Paul Bowen, AOPA 1223279, of Augusta, Kansas, has published Air to Air, a photographic account of Bowen's career which began in 1972. The $70 book is filled with photos by Bowen's that have appeared in magazines, posters, and books around the world. It is available from North Shore Press, 2300 East Douglas, Wichita, Kansas 67214; telephone 800/697-2580.
Prepare for new type designators
On November 5, the FAA will begin to use a number of new and revised aircraft type designators. Aircraft whose designators will change range from piston singles through business jets to airliners. Global standardization is listed as the reason for the change, which was sought by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
One casualty is the venerable PA28 designation, which is being divided by horsepower. Piper Archers, Cherokees, Warriors, and other PA28s of less than 200 horsepower will be redesignated P28A; Dakotas, Pathfinders, and others of more than 200 hp become P28B.
Other changes include Mooney M20s, which will become M20Ps; those with turbochargers are M20Ts. Retractable-gear Cessna Cardinals will become C77Rs.
Galaxy Aerospace has developed a new program to aid customers when deliveries of the Galaxy business jet begin in 1999. Under the program, a team of Galaxy employees will accompany the aircraft at delivery and remain with the new owner for two weeks to provide technical assistance for pilots and maintenance staff. Galaxy Aerospace's world headquarters is under construction at Alliance Airport in Fort Worth, Texas (above).
BFGoodrich Avionics Systems announced its new Radar Graphics Computer Model 250 at the National Business Aviation Association convention in Las Vegas on October 19. The RGC250 allows for the superimposing of lightning and traffic information from other BFG Avionics products over the airplane's existing weather radar display. The RGC250 currently interfaces with many Honeywell, Collins, and AlliedSignal radar indicators. Lightning information can come from BFG WX-1000E or WX-500 Stormscope sensors. Traffic data can be supplied by either a BFG TCAS I or the company's Skywatch system, which recently received Technical Standard Order approval from the FAA. For more information call 800/253-9525 or 616/949-6600.
Cessna Aircraft has reevaluated the Citation II Phase Inspection program, and revised Model 550 maintenance manuals to significantly reduce direct operating costs and downtime. Cessna will consider other models in the future.
Executive Jet, the fractional ownership company headquartered in Montvale, New Jersey, has purchased 12 Dassault Falcon 2000 jets and 20 Raytheon Hawker 800XPs for its NetJets programs. Executive Jet has purchased 38 Falcon 2000s in the past year; the total value of Falcons on order is $820 million. The value of the Hawker order, including options on 16 additional Hawkers, is $670 million. Many of the newly ordered aircraft will be used in the NetJets Europe program.
Plans supersonic jet
Gulfstream reports strong earnings
Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. exceeded estimates for third quarter earnings and expects to do the same for the year as a whole.
The company had orders for 52 aircraft through September 15, up 58 percent for the same period last year. Gulfstream Chairman Theodore J. Forstmann said the company will deliver 65 aircraft in 1999. GATX Capital Corporation has bought five Gulfstream Vs and one IV-SP for a new short-term operating lease program. The effort is a joint venture with Gulfstream.
In other Gulfstream news, the firm has teamed with the Lockheed Martin "Skunk Works" to study a supersonic business jet. Designers will aim for a jet that can cruise between Mach 1.6 and 2.0, a range capability of more than 4,000 nautical miles, a stand-up cabin with room for eight passengers and three crew, and takeoff noise levels compatible with future standards. Development could take a decade.
The Skunk Works seems to know that general aviation is leading the way in technology development; it has signed on as sponsor of Nemesis, a 520-pound International Formula One air racer. The all-composite 100-hp aircraft was built in Mojave, California, in 15 months by a team that included seven Skunk Works employees.
Rutan, Melton to try record balloon goal again
Dick Rutan and Dave Melton, who had to parachute from their Global Hilton balloon during an attempt in January to circle the world nonstop, will try again in a balloon they will design.
Using super-pressure balloons, the men will lift off in World Quest from Chile next July. The January flight was cut short when the helium cell inside the hot-air envelope ruptured.
Pepsi Cola, Hilton Hotels, and Barron Hilton have contributed funds for a new capsule, and will meet 25 percent of World Quest's remaining budget.
New fractional ownership program begins
Flight Options, owned by Corporate Wings, located in Cleveland, has begun a 12-aircraft fractional ownership program that promises lower costs through use of used aircraft.
Flight Options is also headquartered in Cleveland. It will move to new $1.5 million dedicated facilities in December. The firm plans to operate Cessna Citation IIs, Raytheon Beechjets and Hawker 800s, and Gulfstream aircraft.
Corporate Wings employs 500 people in seven locations, and has previously been involved in charter and aircraft management. Recently the company bought Miller Aviation in Binghamton, New York. Miller Aviation provides charter, maintenance, and repair services. Its founders will continue in top management roles with Corporate Wings. For more information about Flight Options call 216/261-3880.
Van Bortel goes turbine
Howard Van Bortel must be smelling kerosene these days. The longtime seller of low-time, cream-puff Cessna singles and twins has decided to shift his focus to the turboprop market.
"It was a personal decision," said Van Bortel, who has been selling piston-powered Cessnas for 10 years. Van Bortel, who recently terminated a distribution agreement with Cessna Aircraft for the sale and service of new singles, will specialize in the dealing of Cessna Conquest I and II turboprops. Van Bortel added that many of his customers over the last decade are now ready to step up to a Conquest. For the immediate future, Van Bortel admits that he won't turn down that cream-puff recip-powered single or twin, but over time the focus will be exclusively turboprops.
Van Bortel's refocusing of efforts from piston airplane sales will have no effect on his spinoff company, Air Power Inc., which sells about 200 engines per month.
