HONEYWELL successfully completed the first fan blade-out test on the new AS900 turbofan engine. "The engine performed just the way we expected, with no loss of control, full containment and no fire hazard," said Dominique Hedon, vice president, commercial propulsion, Honeywell Engines&Systems. Honeywell officials said the test program is on schedule with more than 2,000 total hours of testing accumulated. Certification is slated for spring 2001. The AS900 series was selected to power the Bombardier Continental Jet and BAE Systems Avro RJX.
Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association last week lauded a decision by Federal Air Surgeon Jon Jordon to allow aviation medical examiners (AMEs) to issue temporary medical waivers, under certain circumstances, at the time of examination. Jordon announced the decision during an aviation medical summit meeting late last month during EAA's annual Air Venture in Oshkosh, Wis.
NATIONAL AIR TRANSPORTATION ASSOCIATION asked its members to seek support from their local congressional leaders to extend the coverage of the Visa Waiver Program to Part 91 and Part 135 operators. Legislation passed the House to make the Visa Waiver Program permanent and is pending in the Senate (BA, April 17/175). While the legislation did not include Part 91 and Part 135 operators, several GA industry leaders say key legislators are receptive to adding those operators as an amendment to the bill when it receives full Senate consideration.
RAYTHEON AIRCRAFT last month began delivery of the Hawker 800XP business jet to National Air Service of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. National Air Service ordered 14 of the mid-size business jets for use in its fractional aircraft ownership program jointly conducted with Executive Jet International - NAS/NetJets Middle East. Raytheon will ship four Hawker 800XP aircraft to NAS this year and continue deliveries of the remaining aircraft through 2003. Raytheon announced the deal, valued at $170 million, in November 1999.
WOMEN IN AVIATION, INTERNATIONAL will move its headquarters Sept. 1 from Dayton, Ohio to Daytona Beach, Fla. The organization will be based at Daytona Beach International Airport (DAB) in a building owned by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. WIA President Peggy Baty, who noted that Embry-Riddle hosted the first Women In Aviation Conference in Prescott, Ariz. in 1990, said the move to the larger facility will allow WIA to expand services to its growing membership. WIA, founded in 1995, has more than 5,000 members.
JEFF GREEN, chief financial officer for AirLiance Materials, has added the title of vice president of operations. Green, who reports to AirLiance President and CEO David Sisson, will oversee warehouse operations at company headquarters in Chicago as well as be responsible for all aspects of financial operations and inventory management. Before joining AirLiance, he was manager of marketing and planning asset management for United Airlines.
National Transportation Safety Board investigators still were examining wreckage late last week from the Aug. 9 midair collision between a fully loaded Piper Navajo and a Piper Seminole that claimed all 11 on board the two aircraft.
GENERAL AVIATION ACTION COALITION - a group comprising many of the GA associations - will meet with FAA Administrator Jane Garvey Sept. 6 in part to stress the importance of ensuring GA access to the nation's airports. Access increasingly has become a critical issue for GA with a number of the associations running parallel efforts to protect the nation's small airports.
MU-2B series airplanes (Docket No. 97-CE-21-AD; Amdt. 39-11819; AD 2000-09-15 R1) - clarifies information contained in AD 2000-09-15, which requires modifications to the airplane operating systems. FAA inadvertently omitted service information from the AD that is needed to accomplish these modifications on some of the affected airplanes. The AD retains the requirements of AD 2000-09-15 and adds service information. The actions specified in the AD are intended to continue to assist in preventing departure from controlled flight while operating in icing conditions.
Models AT-501, AT-502, and AT-502A airplanes (Docket No. 2000-CE-40-AD; Amdt. 39-11837; AD 2000-14-51) - publishes an emergency AD previously sent to all known U.S. owners and operators of Air Tractor Models AT-501, AT-502, and AT-502A airplanes. The AD requires inspection of the wing lower spar cap for cracks and modification or replacement of any cracked lower spar cap. This AD is the result of an accident in which the wing of an Air Tractor Model AT-502A airplane separated in flight.
AIRCRAFT OWNERS AND PILOTS ASSOCIATION criticized FAA for reversing a determination by its Alaska Region that a proposed tower near Anchorage International Airport would be a "hazard to air navigation." The Alaska Region air traffic manager objected to a proposal to build a 360-foot broadcasting tower less than 10 miles of the end of Runway 14 at Anchorage International.
AJ WALTER AVIATION won a five-year contract to sell and market BAE Systems surplus Avro RJ and BAe 146 inventory. The inventory includes all types of parts and components. AJ Walter Aviation sell the parts through its worldwide sales network.
Model 407 helicopters (Docket No. 2000-SW-10-AD; Amdt. 39-11827; AD 2000-14-16) - supersedes an existing AD for Bell. That AD requires installing a tail rotor pitch-limiting left-pedal stop, installing an airspeed limitation placard, marking a never-exceed velocity (Vne) placard on all airspeed indicators, and revising the Limitations section of the Rotorcraft Flight Manual (RFM). This AD requires installing a redesigned tail rotor system and modifying the vertical fin and horizontal stabilizer to allow restoring the Vne to 140 knots indicated airspeed (IAS).
HERLONG AIRPORT (23J), a general aviation facility near Jacksonville, Fla., completed a $250,000 renovation of its 4,600-square-foot terminal building. The renovation included a new kitchen, pilots' lounge, conference room, flight planning room and recreation/billiards room.
BAE SYSTEMS CANADA received a contract from Eurocopter Germany to supply its global positioning system-based flight management unit - the CMA-3000 - for two EC-145 contracts. BAE Systems will provide 64 systems that will be fitted on 32 aircraft. Deliveries of the systems will begin this month.
BAILEY LAUERMAN&ASSOCIATES was selected as the agency of record for SimuFlite Training International. Bailey Lauerman, based in Lincoln, Neb., provides marketing and communications services to clients nationwide, including Garrett Aviation, GE Aircraft Engine Services and Raytheon Aircraft.
Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority (BGPAA) stepped up its efforts to impose a nighttime curfew for Stage 3 aircraft through the Part 161 study process. The airport authority formally announced its intention to impose additional noise restrictions at the airport through a Part 161 study this spring after reaching an agreement with the City of Burbank to build a new terminal (BA, April 24/189). Congress established the Part 161 process as a way for airport authorities to adopt noise restrictions that exceed national standards.
JULIE KEITH was named controller for Professional Aviation Associates, the Banner Aerospace unit that distributes aircraft parts worldwide. Keith formerly served as an accounting manager for CMS Holding Company and Georgia-Pacific Corp.
Used Retail Deliveries JULY 1997 JULY 1998 JULY 1999 JULY 2000 L M H L M H L M H L M H Jet North 43 26 17 48 37 21 54 39 20 49 36 25 America Jet Outside 8 3 3 7 6 3 7 8 4 6 4 1 N. America Prop North 0 105 1 4 85 0 1 80 2 0 66 1 America
KENNETH SOWA was appointed director of aircraft sales for Rifton Aviation Services. Sowa formerly was vice president of aircraft sales for Flight Services Group. He also has held positions with Learjet, AMR Combs and Canadair. In his new position, Sowa will broker used jets and help acquire aircraft for inventory.
SIMUFLITE TRAINING INTERNATIONAL added Cessna 400 series pilot training to the complement of services in its QuickTurn division. SimuFlite installed a Cessna 421C flight training device in its Grapevine, Texas facility. The Level 5 device is equipped with Collins avionics, King Navigation System, IFR-certified GPS and an ARC 800 autopilot/flight director. QuickTurn also offers training for the Citation I/II, King Air C90/100 and King Air C90B.
Model AS332C, L, and L1 helicopters (Docket No. 99-SW-35-AD) - revises an earlier proposal that would have required inspecting the horizontal stabilizer spar tube for corrosion, hardness, cracks, and scratches, and if necessary, replacing any unairworthy spar tube and bushing with an airworthy spar tube and bushing. That proposal was prompted by the loss of a horizontal stabilizer in flight due to a spar tube failure. This action revises the proposed AD by correcting the model number given in the applicability section.
Beech Models 45 (YT-34), A45 (T-34A, B-45), and D45 (T-34B) airplanes (Docket No. 2000-CE-09-AD) - provides additional time for the public to comment on a proposal to supersede AD 99-12-02, which currently requires flight and operating limitations on Models 45 (YT-34), A45 (T-34A, B-45), and D45 (T-34B) airplanes. AD 99-12-02 resulted from a report of an in-flight separation of the right wing on a Model A45 (T-34A) airplane. AD 99-12-02 was issued as an interim action until the development of FAA-approved inspection procedures. Raytheon has developed such procedures.
MIDDLE RIVER AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS won a contract from BFGoodrich Aerospace to design and develop a thrust reverser for GE's CF34-10 engine. BFGoodrich Aerospace is supplying the nacelle system for the engine. The CF34-10 is targeted for the Fairchild Dornier 928JET and Embraer ERJ 190 regional jetliners. Middle River expects to begin delivery of the ground test reverser hardware in early 2002. Middle River, Baltimore, Md., is a subsidiary of GE that designs, manufactures and services complex aerostructures.
