This year's NBAA Convention was crowded with companies that provide maintenance, modifications and completions services, and they attracted a steady stream of inquirers. ``Operators are shopping around for the best deals, and the ones we talked to are looking to make a decision on where and what to modify as early as this January,'' said Greg Laabs, vice president of operations at Grand Junction, Colo.-based West Star Aviation.
When aircraft operators decide to add equipment or make changes to their aircraft, chances are they will need to receive some sort of FAA approval -- either through a field approval or STC. The dividing line to determine whether a particular modification qualifies for a field approval or requires a full STC has been the subject of debate for a long time, says Dave Cann, manager of the FAA's Aircraft Maintenance Division, who recently authored new field approval guidance for the FAA inspector force.
Honeywell is developing a wide-chord, damperless, forward-swept fan technology for its next generation of light 4,000- to 8,000-pound-thrust turbofan engines. The titanium blades, combined with improved aerodynamics, should reduce FAR Part 36 noise levels by at least 5 dB while providing a slight increase in fan efficiency.
Speaking at the National Air Traffic Controllers Association's annual State of the Skies meeting, FAA Associate Administrator of Research and Acquisitions Charlie Keegan said the timetable for some technology programs included in the Operational Evolution Plan (OEP) may have to be adjusted in light of the airlines' economic condition. The OEP assumes a 50-50 funding split between industry and government agencies, which also may go under review, Keegan said.
Forget about Stage 4, or Stage 3.5, or whatever you want to call it. Stage 4 noise limits are a nonissue to operators of business jets powered by current-production FAR Part 36 Stage 3 engines. The real issue, the cacophonous question driving just about all aviation noise policy in the United States and Europe, is what are we going to do about good old Stage 2?
Winslow LifeRaft Co. has a new addition to its corporate aviation life-raft line called the Ultima Light. The raft is a modified version of the Ultima raft with a weight reduction of nearly 10 pounds. Winslow's auto-erecting canopy, Storesafe storage pockets and all of the usual features found on the Ultima are also on the Light version. The raft also has an auto-inflatable floor, EZBoard boarding platform and pictogram instructions. Price: $7,414 (10-person FAR Part 91) Winslow LifeRaft Co. 11700 Winslow Dr.
Atlantic Aviation, Plano, Texas, has announced two recent appointments. Glen Gross has been named regional director of East Coast operations. Gross is additionally general manager of Atlantic's Long Island, N.Y., site. Jay Hamby has been named regional director of Midwest operations. He also serves as general manager of the company's Midway Airport FBO. They each bring nearly 20 years of aviation experience to Atlantic.
Unexpectedly grounded and chocked by innards gone awry, our award-winning author has spent a singularly unpleasant month battling nurses, needles and monotony whilst being sustained by ``prison food.'' But he prevailed and finally directed us to, ``tell everyone that all my systems are go,'' and that he expected to go home presently. Expect details in this space one month hence. Meanwhile, we thought you'd enjoy revisiting Greenhouse Patter as it appeared on its inaugural flight in the December 1963 issue of B/CA. -- Editor
The North Carolina state legislature has decided that Horace Williams Airport (IGX), in Chapel Hill, N. C., will remain open until at least January 1, 2005. The representatives passed a measure that prohibits the airport's owner, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, from closing the facility.
Signature Flight Support has announced two new appointments. Larry Jorash was named area general manager for the company's Bedford, Mass., location. Jorash, who joined Signature in 1998, will continue to be responsible for the company's Bradley International Airport (Conn.) and Boston Logan International Airport facilities. Jonathan Buff was named general manager for Signature's Jacksonville International Airport facility. He transfers from his role as general manager for the company's Albany (N.Y.) International Airport site.
The paperless cockpit goal of Honeywell Primus Epic, as implemented in Dassault EASy and Gulfstream PlaneView cockpits, is coming closer to reality, with the recent signing of an agreement between Honey-well and Jeppesen to incorporate Jeppesen navigation data into these systems. Epic cockpits also will be able to display obstructions, geopolitical boundaries, airport information and special-use airspace boundaries.
Elliott Aviation has FAA STC approval for a new active noise and vibration control system that it developed with Ultra Electronics for Beech King Air B200 aircraft. Raytheon Aircraft had the system installed in two of its demonstrator aircraft and will offer the noise reduction system as an option on the B200, Elliott said. Similar to the system that Ultra Electronics has provided to Bombardier on the Q Series regional turboprops, the system reduces propeller noise throughout the cabin using small active shakers mounted to fuselage frames behind the interior trim.
Page 46 of the September issue incorrectly states, ``Both groups are members of the APA but have different bargaining units.'' Eagle Pilots are members of ALPA, not APA.
Navtech, Inc., of Waterloo, Ontario, won a contract to provide worldwide managed NOTAM service and weather system technology to ARINC for its new Direct service for corporate aviation. ``ARINC Direct is an extremely important component of ARINC's corporate growth strategy,'' said Ed Montgomery, ARINC vice president for aviation and air traffic services. ``These services to the business aviation community must be executed perfectly to be successful. We see Navtech as a critical partner and the best way to ensure that ARINC Direct becomes successful.''
The Transportation Security Administration will team up with the AOPA to develop a nationwide aviation watch system. Key to the program will be a toll-free hotline and a centralized system for reporting and acting on information supplied by general aviation pilots. The AOPA's Airport Watch will enlist the support of some 550,000 general aviation pilots (and airport personnel) to watch for and report suspicious activities that might have security implications.
Rockwell Collins is getting more U.S. Coast Guard HU-25A avionics work. Collins Aviation Services will provide a package of logistics services including spares management and maintenance, repair and technical services for a fixed-cost per flight-hour for the Coast Guard's fleet of 17 HU-25As. The term of the guaranteed performance, fixed price contract is six years.
Fractional aircraft pilot hiring has picked up this year -- but it still lags the hiring levels of two years ago, according to AIR, Inc. Fractional aircraft operators hired 78 pilots in September, for a total of 901 pilots through the end of that month. This is up from the 843 pilots hired through October 2001 but down from the 1,210 pilots hired in the first three quarters of 2000. Fractional providers hired a total of 1,038 pilots in 2001 and 1,363 pilots in 2000, AIR, Inc. said.
Western Aircraft Inc., Boise, Idaho, has appointed Louie Gravel as chief inspector. Gravel, who is active in the Professional Aviation Maintenance Association, joins Western with 24 years of aviation maintenance experience. Western Aircraft is an FAA-certified repair station and full-service FBO.
Execair, an FBO at Britain's Birmingham International Airport, handled more than 100 corporate aircraft movements during the week the city played host to the Ryder Cup golf tournament in late September. The airport's crosswind runway and some taxiways were used for overflow aircraft parking after the corporate ramp filled up with aircraft ranging from Citation Xs and Falcon 900s up to a BBJ and 727.
The FAA is investigating whether Santa Monica (Calif.) Municipal Airport's (SMO) Aircraft Conformance Program violates FAR Part 16 by restricting operations based on aircraft landing speed. Airport officials deny the program is a backdoor attempt at noise regulations, but the effect of the program would be to ban 50 percent of SMO's jet traffic. It follows an earlier move by the city to significantly increase fines for violating noise abatement rules.
These three graphs are designed to be used together to provide a broad overview of the Eagle II's approximate performance. They were pieced together using several data sources, including Sierra Industries and B/CA's May Purchase Planning Handbook, so it's especially critical that they not be used for fine-tuned comparisons, let alone flight planning.
The Aviation Maintenance Career Commission (AMCC), in partnership with Wright State University, is establishing a national memorial for Charles Taylor, the Wright brothers' mechanic, who has been designated ``The Father of Aviation Maintenance.'' The memorial, to be constructed at Wright State in Dayton, Ohio, will also pay tribute to all of the FAA Master Mechanic Award recipients and to all those who help make the memorial possible. The AMCC is offering individual sponsors an engraved brick that will pave the way to the memorial.
ElectronicFlight Solutions is now offering its CompleteLearning Terrain Awareness training module for the Bendix/King KGP 560/KMH 880 EGPWS Class B TAWS. The CD-ROM training device uses interactive computer-generated exercises to educate pilots on the operation and capabilities of TAWS. In addition, the self-paced guide highlights the TAWS on the Avidyne FlightMax and Honeywell KMD550/880 display systems. Throughout the training, students are challenged with KnowledgeCheck exercises and quizzes. Price: $295.00 ElectronicFlight Solutions
The ultra-long-range capabilities of today's top-end aircraft can pose new physiological challenges to the pilot. Fatigue, disruption of sleep and circadian rhythms, and degraded human performance can affect operational safety and productivity. AvAlert, the Aviation Alertness Package, offers corporate flight operators an education program with tools and specific training that can be tailored to their unique operational requirements. The AvAlert Package consists of multimedia presentations with adaptable tools on CD-ROM and a comprehensive resource binder.
What you don't know about the airplane you are flying can kill you real fast. Such may have been the case in the June 10, 2001, crash of a Mitsubishi MU-2B-20 near Cerrillos, N.M., that took the lives of a private pilot and his wife, the sole passenger. At first the accident puzzled investigators. By all accounts, the airplane was operating perfectly normally in severe clear conditions well above stalling speed when it suddenly entered a spin.
