DUNCAN AVIATION will open a new 123,000-square-foot modifications, service and completions complex in October in Lincoln, Neb. The facility will include 60,000 square feet of hangar space that can accommodate large business jets, including the Bombardier Global Express and Gulfstream V. The facility also will include 63,000 square feet of work space to house sheetmetal, completions, installation, upholstery, finish/cabinet shops as well as engineering, design, and the fabrication/PMA team.
Model Hawker 800A (U-125A) and Hawker 800XP series airplanes (Docket No. 2000-NM-03-AD) - proposes to require inspecting the roller clearance in the nose landing gear drag stay and making necessary adjustments. The proposal is prompted by reports indicating multiple findings of roller clearances that exceed specifications. The actions specified by the proposed AD are intended to prevent the inability to extend the nose landing gear, which could result in damage to the airplane upon landing. FAA estimates that 50 airplanes on the U.S.
Docket No.: 28582 Section of the FAR Affected: 14 CFR 121.583(a)(8) Description of Relief Sought/Disposition: To permit Atlas Air to: (1) operate B-747-400 series cargo airplanes under the terms of this exemption; (2) revise condition No. 7 to include B-747-400 series cargo airplanes; and, (3) extend its July, 31, 2000, termination date to July 31, 2002. Grant, June 14, 2000, Exemption No. 6487B
Docket No.: 29874 Section of the FAR Affected: 14 CFR 135.251, 135.255, 121.353, and Appendixes I and J of Part 121 Description of Relief Sought/Disposition: To permit AFN Flying Club to conduct local sightseeing flights at an airport in the vicinity of Kenai, Alaska, to raise funds for local charities, for compensation or hire, without complying with certain anti-drug and alcohol misuse prevention requirements of Part 135. Grant, July 11, 2000, Exemption No. 7274
Docket No.: 22822 Section of the FAR Affected: 14 CFR Sec. 91.611 Description of Relief Sought/Disposition: To permit TBM and BAC to conduct ferry flights with one engine inoperative on their McDonnell Douglas DC-6 and DC-7 airplanes without obtaining a special flight permit for each flight. Grant, June 26, 2000, Exemption No. 5204E
Model 4HFR34C653/L106FA-0 propellers (Docket No. 2000-NE-17-AD; Amendment 39-11842; AD 2000-15-10) - requires one-time and repetitive eddy current inspections of the camber side of the blade surface. This amendment is prompted by a report of a crack on the camber side of the blade surface. The crack was found during a dye penetrant inspection as part of a normal overhaul process. The actions specified in this AD are intended to detect cracks that could cause failure of the propeller blade, which can result in loss of control of the airplane. Effective date is Aug.
National Air Transportation Association asked the Federal Aviation Administration to extend the comment period as well as the compliance deadline for a rule that establishes more restrictive rules for obtaining supplemental type certificates. FAA issued the rules in June requiring companies seeking STC approval to comply with the latest version of certification standards or supply supporting documentation and data to justify an exception (BA, July 12/271).
GE AIRCRAFT ENGINES formed an aviation materials redistribution company, GE Aviation Materials LP, through the acquisition of Dallas, Texas parts redistributor TPI Aviation, Ltd. GE Materials LP will market used and repaired aviation materials, including engine parts for turboprop and large turbine engines produced by GE, Pratt&Whitney, Rolls-Royce and International Aero Engines AG (IAE). GE Materials will provide the parts and components to airline and independent overhaul and repair shops along with its own 10 overhaul and repair facilities.
LEE ALPERT was confirmed as a member of the Los Angeles World Airports Board of Airport Commissioners. Alpert is an attorney and principal shareholder of Alpert&Barr. He also has served as vice president of the City of Los Angeles Board of Building and Safety Commissioners. His term on the Board of Airport Commissioners expires June 30, 2001.
Docket No.: 29510 Section of the FAR Affected: 14 CFR 145.45(f) Description of Relief Sought/Disposition: To permit Cessna to distribute electronically its IPM to all repair station personnel, rather than give a paper copy of the IPM to each of its supervisory and inspection personnel. Grant, April 17, 2000, Exemption No. 7170
THE GENERAL AVIATION COMMUNITY is planning both a lawsuit and a formal Part 16 complaint to FAA to combat a Stage II non-addition rule that the City of Los Angeles adopted for Van Nuys Airport (VNY) in April and which took effect in June (BA, April 24). GA associations, including the National Business Aviation Association, National Air Transportation Association and General Aviation Manufacturers Association, plan to jointly file the lawsuit in the next few weeks with five businesses based at VNY. The Part 16 complaint is expected to follow the lawsuit in September.
Pursuant to FAA's rulemaking provisions governing the application, processing, and disposition of petitions for exemption (14 CFR Part 11), this notice contains a summary of certain petitions seeking relief from specified requirements of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR Chapter I), dispositions of certain petitions previously received, and corrections. The purpose of this notice is to improve the public's awareness of, and participation in, this aspect of FAA's regulatory activities.
BOEING OFFICIALS said the company's planned acquisition of Jeppesen will bring more customers that it traditionally has not catered to, particularly in the business aviation and general aviation arena. Boeing Chairman and Chief Executive Phil Condit told financial analysts last week that Jeppesen, with nearly half of its business stemming from general aviation and business aviation, improves its position in those markets.
Docket No.: 29657 Section of the FAR Affected: 14 CFR 91.529(b) Description of Relief Sought/Disposition: To permit CHS and GAF flight engineers to maintain currency in Constellation airplanes using an EBC program. Grant, June 28, 2000, Exemption No. 7255
Docket No.: 29651 Section of the FAR Affected: 14 CFR 135.251, 135.255, and 135.353, and appendixes I and J to Part 121 Description of Relief Sought/Disposition: To permit EAA members to conduct local sightseeing flights at charity or community events, for compensation or hire, without complying with certain anti-drug and alcohol misuse prevention requirements of Part 135. Grant, June 29, 2000, Exemption No. 7111A
Mercury Air Group linked its chain of 18 fixed-base operations through a new computerized point-of-sale system that will enable each facility to instantly exchange aircraft, pilot, passenger, fuel, accounting and credit information, the company announced last week. Mercury's TotalFBO software management system, deployed this month, "is expected to significantly improve profit margins by reducing administrative and marketing costs," said John L. Enticknap, vice president and chief operating officer.
Federal Aviation Administration is soliciting comments for a series of proposed advisory circulars providing guidance on airplane certification, certain flight characteristics and noise standards. FAA proposed AC 23.143-1, Ice Contaminated Tailplane Stall, to establish methods to demonstrate compliance with requirements of Part 23 for pitch axis flight characteristics with ice contamination. Comment deadline on this AC is Sept.
NATIONAL BUSINESS AVIATION ASSOCIATION sold a record 4,770 10-feet by 10-feet booth spaces for its 53rd Annual Meeting&Convention Oct. 10-12 in New Orleans. While its booth spaces are nearly sold out, the association is adding interested companies to a waiting list for booth spaces. NBAA expects 150 aircraft to be on static display at Lakefront Airport and is planning more than 60 informational sessions for this year's event.
Docket No.: 30040 Section of the FAR Affected: 14 CFR 121.383(c) Description of Relief Sought/Disposition: To permit those individuals to act as pilots in operations conducted under Part 121 after reaching their 60th birthdays. Denial, July 3, 2000, Exemption No. 7264
Model CL-600-2B19 series airplanes (Docket No. 98-NM-260-AD; Amendment 39-11828; AD 2000-14-17) - supersedes an existing AD that requires revising the Airplane Flight Manual (AFM) to require the flight crew to check, and reset, if necessary, certain instrument settings prior to each takeoff and after any event during which generators are switched. This amendment adds a new revision to the AFM and revises the applicability of the existing AD. This amendment also requires modification of the air data reference systems.
Model EMB-120 series airplanes (Docket No. 2000-NM-133-AD) - proposes to require a one-time inspection to detect wear of the hydraulic pump hoses and corrective action, if necessary. This proposal also would require relocation of the clip that secures the left forward hold-open rod of both nacelles. This action is necessary to prevent chafing and consequent rupture of the hydraulic line and loss of hydraulic pressure, which could reduce controllability of the airplane. FAA estimates that 200 airplanes on the U.S.
HELICOPTER ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONAL, reacting to widespread forest fires sweeping through the western U.S., issued an "urgent action call" to its members last week who may have helicopters equipped for firefighting missions. Acting at the request of the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) in Boise, Idaho, HAI said the government needs to engage small, medium and large helicopters that can carry 300 to 2,000 gallons of water/fire retardant. The association urged its members to contact NIFC if they are able to aid in the firefighting effort.
AN UNEXPECTED landing of a chartered Boeing 727 at Jefferson County Airport in Broomfield, Colo. has airport officials seeking ways to enforce aircraft weight limitations. The 727, which Jeffco officials note has a weight "far over what is allowed" at Jeffco, landed without the airport's approval July 29. While airport officials "addressed this with the pilot immediately," FAA warned Jeffco that there is no way the airport can enforce its weight limitation unless enforcement measures are stated within its Rules and Regulations.
THE WORLD FLEET of turbine-powered business aircraft passed through the 20,000 plateau, according to Aviation Data, Inc. Despite increases in the number of international operators, the Wichita, Kan.-based provider of information about the civil aviation fleet said a surprisingly large percentage of the world business fleet continues to be based in the U.S. See article below.
Bombardier Aerospace, "bursting at the seams" at its Dorval International Airport production facility, will build a new plant at Montreal's Mirabel Airport to manufacture both the 70-passenger CRJ 700 and new 90-passenger CRJ 900 regional jets. Construction of the new plant in the Montreal foreign trade zone will begin next month and is scheduled for completion in the spring of 2001. Employment at Mirabel is expected to reach 1,700 by 2003.
