A recent hearing of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Aviation Subcommittee devoted to the pilot shortage issue turned into a de facto hearing on the age 60 rule. National Air Transportation Association (NATA) chair Linda Barker said their group is among those hardest hit by the shortage, with perhaps the most to gain from a change in the mandatory retirement rule. When asked the inevitable age 60 question at the Experimental Aircraft Association AirVenture in Oshkosh, FAA Administrator Jane Garvey deferred to U.S. Sen.
Continental Express (ConEx) has placed a firm launch order for 75 Embraer ERJ-145XR regional jets, with options for 100 more. The $1.02 billion deal -- which includes a 10-year maintenance agreement with engine-maker Rolls-Royce -- launches a new ERJ-145 variant designed to enable full passenger loads on long point-to-point routes.
It's easy to forget that only 10 to 15 years ago, most of the computerized aviation tasks we've grown used to were either non-existent or done with a greaseboard, an E6-B or over the telephone with a human being on the other end. There may be those who still romanticize that era, but most folks in this business wouldn't -- couldn't -- get through a day at work without using one or more of the products and services you'll find in this report.
The new DHS 150 XEL Heat-Spy from Wahl Instruments offers the ability to take handheld, non-contact temperatures from -26 to 932F, with the aid of laser-sighting. The IR thermometer offers improved accuracy and a dual temperature backlit display with a laser sighting system that produces a bright, easily visible pulsating dot on the target spot. An auto-off/auto-hold feature displays the last reading for six seconds after trigger release, then shuts the unit down automatically to extend battery life.
Signature Flight Support is offering a free Web-based fuel tracking system to airline customers. The Fuel Management System (FMS) is password protected and available online only to Signature airline customers that manage fuel inventories in the United States. Steve Lee, vice president of marketing and business, said the FMS system, originally developed for Federal Express, provides a real-time fuel database to airline customers instead of transmitting the information via telephone orfacsimile.
Aeromedix is now an authorized distributor of Woodside Biomedical's ReliefBand, which offers an effective remedy for motion sickness without the adverse side effects normally associated with anti-nausea drugs. The three ReliefBand models available are the original 144-hour disposable RB-6, a new 48-hour disposable version and the reusable 144-hour RB-R. ReliefBand is an FDA-approved, drug-free device that uses an electrical pulse to stimulate the P-6 meridian.
Originally designed for the International Space Station, Pilot Communications has introduced a panel-mount version of the Independence headset called the PA 17-79 DNC XL-P. The new version weighs only 9.9 oz. (280.7 g) and also can be used with a nine-volt battery pack allowing the unit to be portable and used in various aircraft. The Independent series headset has incorporated into its design a proprietary DSP circuit that enhances audio within the speech frequency.
When working in an area that restricts the use of electrical lighting, an alternative light source is necessary. The Coppus Pneumatic Safety Lamp is activated with compressed air through an internal turbine generator that produces 250 watts of light. Safety features include an over-pressure trip to prevent overspeed of the generator and an air turbine shutoff that cools the lamp should a gasket or lens break. The explosion-proof lamp is designed to provide lighting in hazardous environments and is constructed from bronze, aluminum and non-sparking materials.
IEC International (Berkshire, England) Trevor Carris was appointed to director of the airline division, and Neil Morgan has been named business development manager.
The market for new turbofan engines is expected to remain strong for the remainder of the decade, according to a recent Forecast International/DMS study. ``Booming demand for corporate and larger regional jets'' will fuel the demand for about 4,500 new engines annually through 2009. The light jet transport segment will account for about 39 percent of the engine market during the study period.
The future of Concorde passenger service grew uncertain in mid-August as British and French regulators suspended the supersonic transport's airworthiness certificate. Having concluded that a burst tire caused the July crash of an Air France Concorde shortly after takeoff, killing 109 people aboard the aircraft and four on the ground, safety officials called for ``appropriate measures'' to be taken to prevent a recurrence. Airline officials now must decide whether any such fix is economically justifiable given Concorde's age and reportedly thin profit margins.
The DOT has awarded AirServ, sister company of Indigo Air, a certificate of public convenience and necessity, clearing the way for Indigo to begin public charter service with a fleet of Falcon 20s. Indigo Air has been operating corporate charters since January and expected to begin public charters within weeks of the DOT action. Initial service will connect Chicago's Midway Airport with ``several New York [City] Metropolitan airports'' with near-term plans to add service between Chicago and Minneapolis, Washington D.C., Pittsburgh and Atlanta.
Newly launched manufacturer Alliance Aircraft says it has signed an agreement to sell up to 450 regional jets to Global Airlines, a proposed New York-based airline.
Asserting that identifying and correcting mistakes can help reduce the overall accident rate, Flight Safety Foundation Chairman Stuart Matthews called on a congressional committee to protect aviation workers from prosecution when inadvertent errors lead to aircraft accidents. Matthews told members of the Aviation Subcommittee of the U.S.
Sabretech officials say they will appeal a federal court verdict fining the defunct maintenance company for its role in the 1996 crash of a ValuJet DC-9 in the Florida Everglades. A U.S. District Court Judge in Miami placed the company on three years probation, imposed a $2 million fine and ordered it to
Threatening aviation professionals with criminal indictments will undermine industry safety initiatives. What's the most troubling trend in civil aviation these days? According to representatives of pilot and mechanic unions, the NTSB, trade associations and attorneys, it is the growing tendency of prosecutors to launch criminal investigations into aviation accidents.
Japanese regional The Fair took delivery of its first Bombardier CRJ200. The ex-European aircraft is the first CRJ in Japanese service. It will be joined by an additional CRJ200 this year and two new CRJ200s planned for delivery in 2002.
Premier Turbines-Independence is now a certified Honeywell Authorized Warranty and Repair Station for Rolls-Royce A250 accessories. Premier is a division of Sabreliner.
BFGoodrich is joining fellow aerospace giants United Technologies and Honeywell as a part owner of online parts and services marketplace MyAircraft.com. The site is designed as a parts and information clearinghouse, allowing participants to view technical publications, comparison shop, conduct auctions, and order parts and services using a standard Web browser.
Three aviation organizations and five airport businesses are banding together to fight the Los Angeles City Council's Stage 2 non-addition rule at Van Nuys Airport (VNY). The group plans to take the case to Federal District Court, followed by a formal complaint with the FAA, contending that local officials cannot implement such policies at airports that have received federal funds. Van Nuys' non-addition rule, which took effect on June 10, restricts the amount of based and transient Stage 2 traffic permitted at the Southern California facility.
Trans States Airlines' pilots approved a new contract agreement on July 28 after two years of negotiations, narrowly averting a strike. After reviewing the tentative agreement in Washington, D.C., the leaders of Trans States' ALPA chapter unanimously ratified the contract. Trans States pilots had been eligible to strike since May 27, a date that marked the end of a federally imposed 30-day ``cooling off'' period. Trans States' pilots rejected their first tentative contract agreement, which was reached on May 26.
