BRIEFINGS ...

AEROMEXICO-inaugurates nonstop flights between Austin and Mexico City four times a week.

AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF STEEL CONSTRUCTION (ASIC) -reports that demand for structural steel on construction projects in the United States will continue to grow in 2007, with a growth in tonnage demand for

ASSOCIATED AIR CENTER-a Landmark Aviation company based at Dallas Love Field, delivers its seventh Airbus Corporate Jet (ACJ) custom interior.

BBA GROUP PLC-the U.K.-based parent of Signature Flight Support and other aviation holdings, changes its name to BBA Aviation, plc, after it divests itself of all non-aviation holdings.

CAMP SYSTEMS INTERNATIONAL -of Ronkonkoma, NY and an independent provider of aircraft maintenance tracking services to the business aviation market, and Aircraft Shopper Online, an online marketplace for pre-owned transport, business, and personal aircraft, announce a definitive agreement for CAMP to acquire ASO.

CARDIAC SCIENCE CORP.-of Bothell, WA, a manufacturer of advanced cardiac monitoring and external defibrillation products based in Bothell, WA, introduces the Powerheart? G3 Plus, a CPR-enhanced addition to the Powerheart automated external defibrillator (AED) platform designed for the public access defibrillation market in the U.S.; www.powerheart.com.

EDMONTON AIRPORTS-finalizes a new financing arrangement with Alberta Capital Finance Authority to finance a $200-million capital program at Edmonton International Airport, a result of 15 percent year-to-date growth. The $200-million (CAN), five-year expansion includes 1,000 parkade stalls, a new terminal concourse, a larger, enhanced transborder (U.S.) area, aircraft parking space, and systems upgrades. A $15 Airport Improvement Fee is being used to back the financing.

FAA-reportedly sends a revised aviation system funding proposal to the Office of Management and Budget for review. Reports say that FAA is calling for increases in aviation taxes and seeks peak period pricing for congested airports.

* FAA also issues a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) proposing major changes to rules that govern repair station operations, including a new ratings system and new requirements for repair stations to develop and maintain a Quality Assurance (QA) system. FAA also proposes requiring a repair station to maintain a capability list; designating a chief inspector; and having permanent housing for its facilities, equipment, materials, and personnel. NPRM specifies those instances when the FAA may deny a repair station certificate, specifically in cases where a previously held certificate has been revoked.

HMSHOST-in cooperation with Coca-Cola, raises $76,000 for the United Service Organizations, Inc. (USO), through a special promotion this past summer. More than 50 HMSHost airport and motorway locations across the nation offered patrons the opportunity to purchase a specially-designed, 32-ounce fountain Coke? cup honoring the members of the armed services.

JFK INT'L AIRPORT-maintains the position of top U.S. international freight gateway by value of shipments in 2005, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation's Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS). BTS, a part of the Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA), reports that JFK handled $59.3 billion in export trade and $75.6 billion in imports, totaling $134.9 billion in merchandise that moved through the port in 2005.

* On a regional multimodal basis, Los Angeles area gateways handled $51 billion more trade in 2005 than the air and waler ports in the New York-New Jersey area. The water ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach combined with IAX processed about $332 billion of trade, topping the combined $281 billion that moved through the New York-New Jersey area - $135 billion through JFK, $16 billion through Newark-Liberty Int'l Airport, and $130 billion through the water port of NY/NJ.

NORTHWEST AIRLINES-files a lawsuit against U.S. Bank, as trustee for special airport facility bonds for facilities at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport. The complaint, filed in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York, seeks declaratory and injunctive relief against the Bond Trustee on a number of grounds related to potential actions Trustee might take if NWA were to reject its special facilities lease.

NTSB -National Transportation Safety Board calls for adoption of new landing distance calculation procedures by Part 121 air carriers. NTSB Acting Chair Mark Rosenker says airlines should voluntarily adopt changes in the way they calculate stopping distances on contaminated runways, in accordance with FAA guidance issued in response to an urgent NTSB recommendation issued following an accident involving a Southwest Airlines airplane that overran a runway at Chicago's Midway Airport; requirement would apply to all turbojets operated under Parts 91(K), 121, 125 and 135.

REVEAL IMAGING TECHNOLOGIES-a developer of advanced security inspection systems based in Bedford, MA, reports the TSA has approved its network product ImageNet(TM), which allows the integration and remote networking of multiple CT-80 explosives detection systems (EDS) and workstations. It has begun installations at U.S. airports.

RHODES+BRITO-of Orlando is awarded a contract from Southwest Airlines to design all renovations and upgrades of the airline's Florida airport facilities over the next 1'2 months.

TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH BOARD-issues a request for proposals to prepare a comprehensive guidebook for planning and implementing automated people mover systems at airports.

* TRB's Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) issues a request for proposals to develop passenger space allocation guidelines for terminal functional areas; and issue's a request for proposals to develop a handbook of recommended practices to identify, gather, process, and report an airport's financial and operational data; wwv.trb.org.

TRANSPORTATION SECURITY ADMINISTRATION-gives approval to nationwide expansion of the Registered Traveler program. The first service provider, Verified Identity Pass, was certified by TSA in late November, and certification of the two other announced providers-Unisys's RT Go and the Fast Lane Option (FLO) Alliance-are expected.. Verified, operator of the pilot program at Orlando, is installing facilities at Cincinnati, Indianapolis, San Jose, and Terminal 7 at JFR.

* TSA reportedly plans to issue a request for proposals for commercial passenger and baggage screening services at the Key West Int'l Airport and the Florida Keys Marathon Airport, which will become the seventh and eighth airports in the U.S. to use a private company to provide federally mandated screeners.

* TSA also issues its notice on the standard fee amount for tinRegistered Traveler (RT) Program in the Federal Register. The RT program is comprised of two fees, one for private industry and one for TSA. TSA's portion is $28 and will cover the cost of completing a security threat assessment for each applicant and program management expenses.

U.S. DOT-announces that the department is withdrawing its proposal to permit increased foreign involvement in U.S. airlines after reviewing public comments including many from Congress. The DOT Rule-making on the Actual Control of U.S. Air Carriers proposed to allowmore foreign participation in tincommercial aspects of U.S. airlines, provided that U.S. citizens remain in control of core organizational documents, safety, security, and national defense commitments and provided that the investor's home country is an Open Skies partner and that U.S. investors have reciprocal rights to participate in that country's airlines.

VANCOUVER INT'L AIRPORT-becomes the first airport in the world to install and operate the Tarsier runway debris detection radar system, which provides 24-hour automated capability to detect potentially dangerous runway debris in all weather conditions. Tarsier system was developed by QinetiQ following inquiries from airports, including YVR and the British Airports Authority, in the wake of the Paris Concorde crash.