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Vector Aerospace has added a new 45,000-sq-ft office and hangar complex at its Andalusia, Ala., helicopter MRO facility. The added space doubles the size of Vector’s facility and will fit up to 20 aircraft concurrently, according to the company, as well as facilitate implementation of lean manufacturing processes that will reduce turn-around time for customers. Vector plans to expand the Andalusia workforce to 170 employees from the current 140.

In an extension of a training agreement first reached in 2011, Bombardier has appointed FlightPath International as an authorized technical training provider for all entitlement and recurrent technical training for the CRJ series and Challenger 850, 870 and 890 business jets. Training will be provided at FlightPath’s new Toronto facility and at customer locations. “Our recent expansion of services will now add even greater flexibility to Bombardier in serving its customers,” said FlightPath president Andrew Lucas.

Bell Helicopter held two maintainers and operators conferences in China at the end of April, in Beijing and Shanghai. The conferences helped Chinese operators learn more about Bell customer support and service enhancements and safety improvements and enabled discussion of technical issues. “We were pleased with the turnout at both locations,” said Chris Jaran, managing director, China. “It was apparent that our Chinese customers are focused on maintaining their Bell Helicopter products at the highest level.”

Regional Airline Association chairman Dan Garton today expressed relief that a bipartisan effort in the U.S. Congress was able to reverse the furloughs of air traffic controllers triggered by federal budget cuts. But he complained that America’s regional carriers had faced a disproportionate burden from the effects of sequestration on the country’s air traffic management system.