Area navigation (RNAV) is a concept that predates the implementation of GPS by several decades. But it was with the advent of the latter, with its powerful microprocessors, compact size and global coverage, that highly accurate RNAV capability found its way into the cockpits of Pipers as well as Boeings. Presto!
The Corporate Angel Network, the volunteer organization that arranges free transportation on corporate aircraft for cancer patients traveling to and from treatment centers, was the recipient of a check for $111,000. The money is the proceeds of the 16th Annual Greater Washington Aviation Open (GWAO) golf and tennis tournament held May 3 at Indian Spring Country Club in Silver Spring, Md. CAN officials said the money from the GWAO, which includes entry fees and raffle proceeds, will underwrite about 25 percent of CAN's annual operating budget this year.
The FAA extended the comment deadline on its highly controversial National Air Tour Safety Standards proposal and, yielding to pressure from virtually every general aviation interest group, is now holding regional, face-to-face public meetings to supplement the Internet public meetings it has already held. The new comment deadline is June 18. The proposal has drawn more than 2,000 comments to date, the overwhelming majority of which oppose the notice of proposed rulemaking.
Lancair has retained a manufacturing consultant, Technical Change Associates (TCA), to help it streamline manufacturing processes and accelerate production. ``We'll soon be building two separate aircraft models on our line and that adds another layer of complexity to what we're doing,'' said Lancair Vice President Ron Wright, adding, ``TCA is working with us to enhance our overall manufacturing efficiency'' to increase production while maintaining quality.
Class A -- Part 121 Turbine Aircraft Operations and Part 135 Turbine Aircraft Operations with ten or more passenger seats. Uses aircraft's GPS, FMS or IRS position and typically true altitude supplied by a digital air data computer. -- Forward-looking terrain avoidance function -- Premature descent alert function -- assumes a three-degree glidepath to nearest runway in airport database -- Visual and aural signals for caution (immediate awareness required) and warning (immediate action required) alerts
It was an unusual event. The Gulfstream 690B was flying over Willow Springs, Mo., in IMC when it experienced a sudden and large static discharge. Combined with a simultaneous encounter with severe turbulence, the aircraft entered a rapid, uncontrolled descent. Diving out of the clouds into visual conditions, the pilots struggled to bring the aircraft back under control. Fortunately, they were able to land at a nearby airport, but three people were injured in the event and the aircraft suffered structural overload damage as a result of the upset and recovery.
ARINC Inc. of Annapolis, Md., and AeroMech Inc. of Everett, Wash., have teamed up to offer RVSM solutions for Cessna Citation 650s, Beechjet 400/Mitsubishi 300s and Hawker 700s. The ``competitively priced'' packages include RVSM group certification STCs, avionics STCs, required hardware and installation.
The FAA has turned down a petition from a Massachusetts anti-noise group to require aircraft owners to put 2-foot-high N-numbers under their wings. As the AOPA had argued in its comments on the petition, the FAA said the issue had been debated, studied and decided years ago -- the current 12-inch-high numbers on the fuselage are sufficient. In a member bulletin, the AOPA said it suspected this was a thinly veiled attempt to make it easier for the Stop the Noise group to sue pilots.
NBAA Chairman, interim President and CEO Don Baldwin warned recently that unless Congress moves quickly to extend the deadline for putting newly purchased or upgraded aircraft into service, operators will not be able to take advantage of bonus depreciation tax benefits for this year.
Composite Technology, Inc. (CTI), a helicopter rotor-blade repair company operating worldwide, has been acquired by a syndicate of Philadelphia-based private equity firms assembled as a holding company called Ranger Composites LLC. CTI is headquartered in Grand Prairie, Texas, and has facilities in Canada, Brazil, England and Singapore. The investor syndicate includes Meridian Venture Partners, Argosy Investment Partners, Spring Capital, Ranger Aerospace LLC and other private investors. Exact terms of the investment will not be disclosed.
Honeywell has begun providing wheel and brake repair and overhaul services for Trans States Airlines' fleet of Embraer 135 and 145 and Jetstream regional aircraft. Honeywell will support Trans States aircraft through Honeywell's Memphis and Allentown, Pa., facilities. Trans States currently operates 36 Embraer ERJ-145 ER/LR aircraft and 25 Jetstream 41 aircraft.
Just to make sure you're motivated, the FAA has mandated that after March 29, 2005, all turbine aircraft with six or more passenger seats, excluding pilot seats, that were manufactured before March 29, 2002, must be equipped with at least TSO C151 Class B TAWS boxes according to FAR Part 91.223. The only exceptions are for parachuting operations within a 50 nm radius of the origin airport, fire fighting water bombers and crop-dusters.
Jet Aviation Dallas, the Love Field-based FBO and Cessna Citation authorized service center, and San Antonio-based Jet Aviation Engineering Services recently received an amended FAA STC for the installation of the Bendix/King IHAS 8000 Integrated Hazard Avoidance System on Citation 500s, 550s, S550s and 560s.
A RAND Corp. study found that fewer than 1 percent of publicly available federal Web sites and databases contain geospatial data not readily available elsewhere that could help terrorists planning an attack on the United States. Geospatial information shows the location and describes key features of such assets as roads and bridges, power plants and mass transit systems. The RAND study found no publicly available federal geospatial data deemed critical to meeting an attacker's information needs.
Air BP Aviation Services is developing a security and safety training program to assist Air BP dealers, general aviation personnel and FBOs. The training will focus on the causes for high insurance rates and suggested solutions for managing risk and reducing exposure. Air BP tech and ops personnel will explore the challenge of improving security while ensuring good customer service.
Elliott Aviation added a Citation Excel to its charter fleet at Flying Cloud Airport in the Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minn., metropolitan area. The Excel seats eight passengers and has a stand-up cabin, flat-screen DVD monitors, flight phone and laptop ports.
Aviation Fabricators has both STC and PMA approval for divans for Jetstream aircraft. AvFAB makes both left- and right-hand, two-place divan kits for Jetstream 3101 and 3201 models. The kits are complete except for upholstery. Visit www.avfab.com for more information.
Liberty Aerospace is advocating its Liberty XL2 single-piston aircraft with a high-resolution telescopic infrared and thermal imaging system as a low-cost alternative to helicopter operations for search and rescue, surveillance and reconnaissance, border and maritime patrol and environmental monitoring. Liberty has hired Joseph Fucci, a colonel who formerly commanded the U.S. Army's 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment at Fort Campbell, Ky., to spearhead the company's effort.
General Electric has merged two subsidiaries under the Unison banner. Elano Corp., which designs tubing, ducting and brackets for airframe, nacelle and engine applications, merged into its sister subsidiary. Unison Industries designs and manufactures electrical and mechanical components, sensors and systems for marine, space and industrial as well as aviation applications. More information is available at www.unisonindustries.com.
Starman Brothers Auctions is planning to conduct its annual spring consignment auction from June 11-13 at C.E. Page Airport in Yukon, Okla. In addition to aircraft, the event will feature engines, avionics, radios and instruments for sale. All equipment must be delivered by June 5. The headquarters hotel for the auction is the Biltmore of Oklahoma in Oklahoma City. For more information, call Starman Brothers at (402) 592-1933 or visit www.starmanauctions.com on the Web.
Dr. Sam B. Williams has been developing small gas-turbine engines for almost five decades, but his Williams International has been delivering FAA-certificated fanjets since 1992. Those early 1,900-pound-thrust FJ44-1 engines fitted to Cessna CitationJets weren't without their teething pains, but the engine has matured into a highly reliable, fuel-efficient powerplant. Still, CJs were relatively traditional in size.
Senate lawmakers say they are unsure where the money will come from to pay for more than $2 billion in initiatives for improved security. The Aviation Security Advancement Act is sponsored by Senate Commerce Chairman Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), ranking Democratic member Sen. Ernest Hollings (D-S.C.) and aviation subcommittee ranking member Sen. John Rockefeller (D-W.Va.). The bill is intended to plug holes in aviation security with tighter cargo screening, research and development of next-generation explosives detection systems, and funding for airport security upgrades.
CAMP Systems will assume responsibility for providing maintenance tracking services for Bombardier business jets. As part of the agreement between the two companies, CAMP will also support more than 700 Bombardier business aircraft currently enrolled in Bombardier's in-house Computer Integrated Maintenance Management System (CIMMS). Bombardier customers will access their CAMP maintenance tracking information via a secure Internet site.
Sandel Avionics has announced that its ST3400 TAWS/RMI system has been selected by three regional airlines to provide TAWS compliance for their Beech 1900 fleets. The three airlines are Air Midwest, part of the Mesa Air Group based in Phoenix; Great Lakes Airlines of Cheyenne, Wyo.; and Skyway Airlines of Milwaukee. The latest in a series of regional airline orders for Sandel, these announcements bring the number of Beech 1900 installations to more than 100 for the ST3400 TAWS system.
