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Hamilton Spectator
08-07-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
New Paint Facility at Bombardier's London Biggin Hill Service Centre Progressing to Plan as Structure Takes Shape
MONTREAL, July 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bombardier announced today that the development of a new 51,000 sq. ft. paint facility at the London Biggin Hill Service Centre is progressing in earnest with several key processes completed, including ground stabilization and foundation work on the hangar. The hangar steel framework continues to progress and the cladding works have also commenced. Bromley and Biggin Hill Member of Parliament, Peter Fortune, visited the London Biggin Hill Service Centre on July 4, which provided him with a closer look at the exceptional aerospace expertise at the service centre and the development of its most recent expansion. Bombardier's new two-bay paint facility is expected to employ more than 50 skilled paint technicians and will be the perfect complement to the close to 250,000 sq. ft. service facility, which is fully equipped to perform scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, modifications and avionics installations for Bombardier Global , Challenger and Learjet aircraft. With a targeted completion date in the second half of 2026, the new paint facility will add to the centre's comprehensive service options, ensuring Bombardier's customers have a top-tier option for all their paint needs. 'The addition of the new paint facility at the London Biggin Hill Airport adds a sought-after service element to the already comprehensive offerings for our customers, ensuring they have a complete maintenance experience to help keep their aircraft in the air,' said Sander Podgoric, General Manager of the London Biggin Hill Service Centre. 'The London Biggin Hill Service Centre brings hundreds of high-paying jobs to Bromley and Biggin Hill County. We are delighted to showcase this important facility to Bromley and Biggin Hill Member of Parliament, Peter Fortune, building on our shared vision of producing high-paying jobs in the region.' 'It was incredible to see behind-the-scenes at Bombardier's state of the art engineering facility. It is a great benefit for the borough to have a multinational company like Bombardier set their European flagship service facility here,' said Peter Fortune, Bromley and Biggin Hill Member of Parliament. 'It is exciting to see their commitment to developing in Bromley with the construction of their new paint facility, creating more local jobs and opportunities, and speaks volumes for the fantastic job that London Biggin Hill Airport does attracting inward investment to the region.' Inaugurated in 2017 and expanded in 2022 to nearly 250,000 sq. ft., the Bombardier Biggin Hill service centre serves as an important economic driver at the London Biggin Hill Airport and the London Borough of Bromley. It is a shining example of how Bombardier continues to enhance the accessibility of its OEM expertise for customers worldwide, redefining its position as a leader in service and support capabilities. The addition of the new paint facility isn't the only new development at the service centre.. In 2024, Bombardier and F/LIST announced the opening of a contemporary 700-sq. ft. material lounge to provide customers with access to the largest, most comprehensive portfolio of interior materials housed at one of its international service centres. Bombardier also announced last year the addition of more than 3,000 solar panels on the roof of the service centre and a new line maintenance station at the nearby Farnborough Airport providing light scheduled and unscheduled maintenance as well as Aircraft on Ground (AOG) support. About Bombardier At Bombardier ( we design, build, modify and maintain the world's best-performing aircraft for the world's most discerning people and businesses, governments and militaries. That means not simply exceeding standards, but understanding customers well enough to anticipate their unspoken needs. For them, we are committed to pioneering the future of aviation—innovating to make flying more reliable, efficient and sustainable. And we are passionate about delivering unrivaled craftsmanship and care, giving our customers greater confidence and the elevated experience they deserve and expect. Because people who shape the world will always need the most productive and responsible ways to move through it. Bombardier customers operate a fleet of more than 5,100 aircraft, supported by a vast network of Bombardier team members worldwide and 10 service facilities across six countries. Bombardier's performance-leading jets are proudly manufactured in aerostructure, assembly and completion facilities in Canada, the United States and Mexico. In 2024, Bombardier was honoured with the prestigious 'Red Dot: Best of the Best' award for Brands and Communication Design. For Information For corporate news and information, including Bombardier's Sustainability report, as well as the company's plans to cover all its flight operations with a Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) blend utilizing the Book and Claim system visit . Learn more about Bombardier's industry-leading products and customer service network at . Follow us on X @Bombardier. Media Contacts General media contact webform Mark Masluch +1-514-855-7167 M Bombardier, Learjet, Challenger and Global are registered or unregistered trademarks of Bombardier Inc. or its subsidiaries. Forward-looking statement This press release contains certain forward-looking statements. By their nature, forward-looking statements require the Corporation to make assumptions and are subject to important known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which may cause actual results in future periods to differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. Please refer to the 'Forward-Looking Statements' disclaimer contained in Bombardier Inc.'s most recently published financial report for additional details. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at:
Global News
29-06-2025
- Automotive
- Global News
The future is being written for listening to the radio in cars
Listening to the radio in the car is almost as old as the automobile itself. The very first time anyone demonstrated the operation of the new-fangled wireless devices was at the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis when American inventor Lee DeForest demonstrated his cutting-edge technology. It worked just fine, but since proper radio stations would not exist for at least another dozen years, this was really just a proof-of-concept thing that was over most people's heads. By 1922, commercial radio was starting to catch on, and several inventors were keen to install receivers in cars. An amateur named George Frost showed off a radio that he MacGyvered in a Ford Model T. Others followed: the Airtone 3D in 1925 and the Philco Transitone of 1927. Nice, but impractical. They were very bulky, ran on very fragile vacuum tubes and were very expensive. A Transitone cost $150 (about $2,300 in today's money) when you could buy a whole car for under $700. Electrical interference from the car's ignition system was also a major problem. Story continues below advertisement The big breakthrough came in 1930 when the owner of a radio supply business, William R. Lear (yes, the Learjet guy and the first promoter of the 8-track player) worked with Elmer Wavering (one of his employees and the inventor of the car alternator) met up with Paul and Joseph Galvin, owners of an electronics manufacturer. Together, they built a radio for Paul's Studebaker. It was big and bulky – all the controls were mounted on the steering column – but it worked and sounded good. Galvin then drove it to a radio manufacturers convention in Chicago, parked it outside, cranked it up, and the orders flooded in for his 'Motorola.' (Yes, the same people who are now in the mobile phone business.) It was still expensive – $110 — but it was the first useful and practical car radio. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy As the technology improved — solid state circuits replaced vacuum tubes in the 1950s, the introduction of in-dash FM radios in 1952 — it was unimaginable for any vehicle to be without a radio for entertainment, news, companionship and keeping one awake on long, late-night drives. It's free, it's local and when done right, it feels like the person on the other side of the speaker is riding along with you. Even today, about 80 per cent of in-car listening is radio. Today, infotainment systems are deeply integrated into automobile systems and offer all kinds of listening options and connectivity. Radio is still there, but it has to compete against many other options and functions. Story continues below advertisement When I travel, I like to rent vehicles from different manufacturers to see what they're doing infotainment-wise. On more than one occasion, I've become frustrated when it comes to finding the radio functions. Why would anyone bury a radio, something that's been part of the driving experience for almost 100 years, so deep in the interface that you can't use it? The good news is that there's plenty of pushback. At the WorldDAB Automotive 2025 Conference in Madrid, public and private broadcasters — some 200 senior executives — from all over the world got together to deliver this message: Broadcast radio must remain prominent in vehicles. If not, motorists will miss out on a lot — and radio itself could fatally suffer from underexposure. While AM radio is under siege — it looks like it will take an act of Congress to keep it alive in cars (Spoiler: AM radio is still necessary) — FM radio is still going strong. Other countries have adopted DAB (digital audio broadcasting) radios — a format shunned by the U.S., killing its chances in North America — which also have large audiences. Norway, Switzerland and a few other nations either have dumped FM radio entirely or are in the process of going all-in with DAB. Then, of course, there's satellite radio. Although pretty much just a North American thing, it has tens of millions of listeners. Here's a comment from Edita Kudláčová, head of radio for the European Broadcasting Union: 'Radio has always been there for us in our cars, a much loved and greatly trusted companion. I can't imagine what could fill the gap if it were ever to disappear from the dashboard. We must continue to innovate – together! – to ensure that radio distribution is fit for our increasingly connected world.' Story continues below advertisement And then there's this from Stefan Möller, president of the Association of European Radios: 'We need to work together as an industry and collaborate with the car industry to maintain radio in the car; this is also important from a safety point of view.' These broadcasters, including the BBC, Radio France, NRJ (France), Global (U.K.), Bauer (U.K.), RTL (Luxembourg), Radio Hamburg (Germany), and Australia's Commercial Radio and Audio as well as the country's RCA Engineering group, are behind a new international initiative called Radio Ready that will see radio stay in cars even as vehicles become more connected. There are three pillars: 1) Radio must remain prominent and convenient with the dashboard, 2) radio-related apps must be easy to find, and 3) voice assistants must be able to offer access to radio content. Anything less risks making traditional broadcast radio too hard to find and use. The more international pressure is placed on manufacturers (as well as software suppliers such as Canada's QNX as well as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto), the more radio will be protected within infotainment systems. Other broadcasters are invited to join the movement. This is from Tobias Nielsen from Britain's Bauer Media Group: 'It is essential for democracy and public safety in times of emergency, as well as the cultural value that radio offers, that it remains accessible, prominent, and easily discoverable in connected cars in the future.' No argument from me. And let me add in one more thing: Broadcast radio is free. No subscription required. As entertainment media goes, it's about as frictionless as it gets. Story continues below advertisement Let's hope this turns into a worldwide movement.
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
EDITORIAL: Rochester airport has an enviable safety record
Jun. 7—Most readers of this editorial will be familiar with the 1992 blockbuster film "A Few Good Men," starring Tom Cruise, Demi Moore and Jack Nicholson. (If you can't believe it's been 32 years since that movie hit the big screen, then you can't handle the truth.) Anyway, the film's male-centric title actually refers to a mid-'80s military recruiting campaign, in which the U.S. Marines Corps told the world, "We're looking for a few good men." Perhaps the Federal Aviation Administration should reboot and update that ad campaign. Our nation's air traffic control system is looking for good people — and it needs more than just a few. Nationwide, the pool of air traffic controllers system is short by about 3,500. And, based on current data from the FAA and staffing targets from something called the Collaborative Resource Workgroup (CRWG), the Rochester International Airport (RST) is one of just six airports nationwide that has less than 50% of needed controllers on staff. (The goal for Rochester is 23, and currently RST has 11.) Is that ideal? Of course not. But should these numbers concern people who fly into and out of RST? Not really. We can't recall any reported near-misses at RST, let alone any actual collisions involving planes. Yes, a pilot walked away from a single-engine plane crash earlier this year, but the accident had nothing to do with air traffic control. The last fatality at RST happened in 1985, when three people died during a training flight on a Learjet. Again, this was not due to a problem or mistake in the control tower. While we won't claim to have examined the records of every airport in the nation, we feel quite confident in saying that RST has an enviable safety record. We don't hesitate to use it or to have friends and family do so. And it's not as if RST, city leaders, Mayo Clinic or any other local governing body is somehow responsible for any staffing problems at the airport. Controllers are trained and assigned by the FAA and its operational arm, the Air Traffic Organization, which considers staffing levels at airports across the nation as it strives to keep the skies safe. The pool of available talent is assigned where it is most needed, and right now, RST doesn't appear to be anywhere near a crisis. We don't mean to downplay the very real shortage of controllers across the nation, but there does appear to be at least a slight disconnect between the current staffing levels and staffing goals that were set with the assistance of the air traffic controllers' union. In a perfect world, those targets would be achieved, but right now they appear unrealistic. We suspect that controllers at many smaller airports, including RST, would be thrilled if their airport reached 75% of the staffing goal. Hitting even that less-ambitious mark won't be easy, because air traffic control is a tough field to enter. To be considered as a potential candidate, one must be a U.S. citizen less than 31 years old with essentially perfect hearing, vision and blood pressure. You'll face a battery of physical and psychological tests, and even if you clear those hurdles and are admitted to the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City, there's no guarantee you'll complete the training. It's a demanding program, and the failure/dropout rate ranges from 30-50%. Those who graduate will enter one of the most stressful, thankless occupations in the world. Few professions require perfection on a daily basis, but such is the life of an air-traffic controller. There is no margin for error, no room for lapses in concentration. Some liken the job to a souped-up, insanely difficult remake of the classic video game Tetris — but in three dimensions, with human lives at stake with every move. The reward? Salaries start around $60K. The average annual pay nationwide is about $100K, with top earners reaching $160K. Retirement is mandated at age 56, but many controllers leave the profession years before that date due to burnout and/or health concerns. Given all that, we're surprised the staffing situation in airport towers isn't much, much worse. And here's the truth that everyone needs to grasp: The fix isn't simply to hire more controllers, or even to pay them more. The recent, much-talked-about breakdowns at Newark Liberty International Airport should serve as a warning that the entire air travel system is beginning to crack under the strain of using obsolete, 40-year-old infrastructure to monitor and guide nearly 17 million flights in American airspace every year. The flight delays and cancellations at Newark didn't originate with staffing shortages in the traffic-control tower; rather, they were due to hardware failures that, without warning, left controllers working blind and unable to communicate with pilots. Much to their credit, these controllers somehow managed to avoid disaster in the skies and on the runways. Not surprisingly, some employees took trauma leave after these incidents — which, of course, only added to bottlenecks on Newark's runways. What happened in Newark will happen elsewhere. It's only a matter of time. The latest cost estimate to modernize the national air-traffic control system is about $30 billion, and waiting won't bring the price down. Congress should authorize this spending ASAP, even if that means adding a new federal fee to the price of every domestic ticket sold in the U.S. With more than 800 million domestic passengers flying every year, an add-on of just $2 per seat would raise $16 billion in the next decade. We're already paying at least $35 to check a bag and $14 for a fast-food "value meal" as we wait for our flights, so we believe most fliers wouldn't balk at the thought of spending an extra $2 to ensure that the dedicated, highly trained people working in the tower aren't using technology that, by today's standards, is roughly equivalent to a corkboard and push pins.
New York Post
19-05-2025
- Business
- New York Post
Owners of luxe steakhouse opening in Trump-owned building used COVID funds for personal expenses: lawsuit
The owners of a luxury Chicago steakhouse who are opening an outpost at a Midtown tower that's partially owned by Donald Trump allegedly used federal funds meant to pay employees' salaries during COVID for personal expenses – including $2 million on Learjet, according to a bombshell lawsuit. Maple Hospitality Group, the owners behind Maple & Ash, was accused of 'fraudulently' tapping $7.6 million in Small Business Paycheck Protection Program funds, according to the civil suit brought by investors in Chicago's Cook County Circuit Court. 'The MA restaurants never received a dollar of these funds,' according to the suit, which was obtained by The Post. 4 Maple & Ash, which opened its flagship steakhouse in Chicago in 2015, is the nation's fourth-highest-grossing restaurant with more than $35 million in revenue a year. Google Maps According to the complex case, the alleged misappropriation was part of a wider pattern of fiscal wrongdoing by Maple & Ash co-owner Jerald Lasky, his brother James Lasky and by companies controlled by them. Although the lawsuit refers only to 'private jet expenses,' the Chicago Sun-Times and radio station WBEZ traced the payment for the pricey Learjet in 2021 to 'a company whose president is James Lasky.' The owners have denied the charges in the complaint, which was first filed three years ago but received little media attention outside the Windy City. As reported in The Post in February, Maple Hospitality Group signed a lease for 12,000 square feet at 1290 Sixth Ave., which is majority-owned by Vornado Realty Trust but where the Trump Organization has a 30% passive stake. Trump's position reels in more than $60 million in annual rent revenue. 4 Maple & Ash co-owner James Lasky and his brother Jerald denied using federal funds meant to pay employees' salaries during COVID for personal expenses. Maple Hospitality Maple & Ash, which opened its flagship steakhouse in Chicago in 2015, is the nation's fourth-highest-grossing restaurant with more than $35 million revenue a year. But there seems to be as much sizzle in the Chicago court as on its fancy plates. Investors who helped raise $3 million each to open Maple & Ash in Chicago and in Scottsdale, Ariz., also claim the company wrongfully used profits to fund the owners' other restaurant brands in other cities, according to the complaint. The Laskys allegedly retaliated against the investors for filing the suit by dissolving their interests in the company, according to an amended filing. 4 A Maple & Ash restaurant will be opening at 1290 Sixth Ave. later this year. J. Scott Wynn James Lasky has been sanctioned by the judge in the case for failing to comply with court orders to turn over bank records and other information. He was ordered to cover plaintiffs' $191,000 legal fees resulting from withholding information, court records show. The lawyer for the investors, Michael Forde of Forde & O'Meara, said he hoped the case would finally go to trial early next year. James Lasky's lawyer, James Stamos of Stamos & Trucco, didn't immediately respond to an email and phone call. 4 Maple & Ash's newly opened restaurant in Miami. Google Maps The hospitality group launched another steakhouse in Miami in March. Haut Living magazine said the restaurant 'brings [the brand's] signature blend of refined dining, uninhibited energy, and indulgent luxury to the Magic City.' The Big Apple opening is slated for later this year.
Irish Examiner
14-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Ireland should ask Qatar for new Government jet, suggests senator
Ireland should ask Qatar for a new Government jet, a senator has suggested. The Department of Defence has signed a deal to purchase a French-made €53m Falcon 6X, with delivery expected in December. But Independent senator Aubrey McCarthy has suggested Ireland should ask Qatar, which is set to gift US president Donald Trump a 0m plane, for a similar deal. 'Given Qatar's apparent willingness to provide such high-value assets as diplomatic gifts, should Ireland explore similar avenues? If jets are being handed out, perhaps we should throw our diplomatic hat in the ring. Maybe we could talk them into giving us a Learjet or a Gulfstream or something that is not as flash as the one for Air Force One but has leather seats, decent wi-fi and perhaps a microwave for heating sausage rolls. Ms McCarthy has called upon the foreign affairs minister to explore diplomatic negotiations, telling the Seanad: "While we do not need a palace in the sky, such diplomacy could yield a significant rate to Irish taxpayers". US president Donald Trump has defended accepting a jet from Qatar, saying Air Force One is 40 years old. Picture: AP /Manuel Balce Ceneta ABC News reported Mr Trump will use the plane as a new version of Air Force One until shortly before he leaves office in January 2029, when ownership will be transferred to the foundation overseeing his yet-to-be-built presidential library. Mr Trump defended the idea, saying the existing Air Force One was 40 years old. 'We're the United States of America. I believe we should have the most impressive plane," he told Fox News host Sean Hannity. The Falcon 6X will have a total seating capacity of 17 persons and a passenger capacity of 14. It will be operated by the Irish Air Corps from Baldonnel.
