FAA continues to pursue the runway incursion problem, last week announcing immediate implementation of 10 safety measures (BA, July 3/1). John Mayrhofer, who heads the runway incursion program at FAA, said his team chose the solutions with the "highest near-term potential to reduce runway incursions and accidents." Initiatives include developing specialized training for pilots, controllers and vehicle operators and repainting taxiway and runway intersections with high-contrast paint schemes to make them more visible.
Signature Flight Support is offering a "first-of-its-kind" system to permit authorized employees at commercial air carriers to track their companies' fuel inventories through Signature's website, www.signatureflight.com. Previously, commercial airlines received inventory information by telephone or facsimile.
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.
Docket No.: 25060 Section of the FAR Affected: 14 CFR 21.197 Description of Relief Sought/Disposition: To permit Boeing to conduct training of its pilot flight crewmembers while operating under special flight permits issued for the purpose of production flight testing. Grant, April 17, 2000, Exemption No. 4936D
Several more countries may be close to signing up with the NATO Flying Training in Canada (NFTC) program, Canadian officials say, following marketing efforts at last month's Farnborough Air Show in England.
BOEING CHIEF EXECUTIVE PHIL CONDIT does not believe last month's Concorde crash in Paris will derail the future of commercial supersonic flight, but he does not anticipate any new SSTs in the foreseeable future. "We believe the technology is there to do supersonic flight efficiently and safely," he said at the Farnborough Air Show. "The problem is economics.
PETE PEDICINO was named vice president-business development for the West Coast for Executive Jet Management. Pedicino will oversee business development in Southern California, New Mexico, Colorado and Hawaii. He formerly served as vice president of Lenicom Network Consulting in Los Angeles. Pedicino also has held positions with Peterson Aviation and Clay Lacy Aviation, both in Van Nuys, Calif.
Model AS-350B, BA, B1, B2, B3, C, D, and D1, and AS-355E, F, F1, F2 and N helicopters (Docket No. 2000-SW-25-AD) - proposes to supersede an existing AD that requires inspections of the main rotor head components, the main gearbox (MGB) suspension bars and the ground resonance prevention system components. This action would require those same inspections, but would also apply to Model AS-350B3 and AS-355N helicopters. This proposal is prompted by the inadvertent omission of those model helicopters from the previous AD.
Mesa Air Group received a proposal under which it could return up to 31 Beech 1900D 19-seat regional turboprops to Raytheon Aircraft. The proposal, which follows months of negotiations for the return of the aircraft, also would include refinancing for up to 36 more aircraft. Also last week, Mesa announced negotiations with an "aviation-related company" to sell some assets of its 1900D American West Express operation based in Phoenix. The company did not elaborate on those negotiations.
EMBRY-RIDDLE AERONAUTICAL UNIVERSITY teamed with the Air Line Pilots Association to hold the Fall 2000 International Aviation Security Academy Sept. 25-29 in Phoenix, Ariz. The course, tailored for individuals involved in aviation security, will discuss the threat; airport and airline security; airplane security; crew involvement; U.S. and international regulations and liability; and individual risk and incident management. Registration costs $950 for government and industry representatives and $450 for law enforcement officers.
RATE INCREASES for aviation insurance, a factor in the market for the past six months, will "have to continue for some period of time," according to Daniel Izard, chief executive of Associated Aviation Underwriters.Noting the industry's unfavorable loss results over the past few years, Izard said rates have to increase or capital will tend to flow away from the insurance industry. Fixed-base and charter operators are likely to see some of the steepest rate hikes because "there simply has been much worse loss experience" in those segments of the market, he said.
Docket No.: 29948 Section of the FAR Affected: 14 CFR 135.143(c)(2) Description of Relief Sought/Disposition: To permit Executive Airlines to operate certain aircraft under Part 135 without a TSO-C112 (Mode S) transponder installed in the aircraft. Grant, April 19, 2000, Exemption No. 7171
ALL DYNAIR GROUP business units in the U.S. are being renamed Swissport this month, reflecting the acquisitions of The DynAir Group by Swissport International, Ltd. in July 1999. With the acquisition and subsequent mergers, Swissport claims to be "the world's largest ground handler both in terms of stations served and revenues generated."
Docket No.: 28573 Section of the FAR Affected: 14 CFR 135.251 and 135.255(a) Description of Relief Sought/Disposition: To permit AVN to use the drug and alcohol testing program mandated by Department of Transportation (DOT) Order 3910.1C, "The Drug and Alcohol-Free Departmental Workplace," for its Flight Inspection Program management, pilot, and maintenance personnel in lieu of the drug and alcohol testing programs mandated by the Federal Aviation Regulations. Grant, June 26, 2000, Exemption No. 6484B
Federal Aviation Administration late last month commissioned its Flight Information Service Data Link (FISDL) to provide weather information to general aviation operators. The free service covers basic text weather information, including routine weather reports, special aviation reports, terminal area forecasts, significant meteorological information, convective sigmets, airman's meteorological information, pilot reports and severe weather forecast alerts issued by FAA or the National Weather Service.
KENNETH FLIEG was promoted to director-corporate aviation services for Sabreliner Corp. Flieg will oversee all corporate operations includ-ing engine operations product support and operations support.
JAMES PERREY was named field service representative for Dassault Falcon Jet. Perrey, who will be based in St. Louis, Mo., previously held maintenance positions with two Midwest-based Falcon fleet operators. He also maintained Falcon HU-25s with the U.S. Coast Guard and served as a maintenance technician with Midcoast Aviation.
Beech 17, 18, 19, 23, 24, 33, 35, 36/A36, A36TC/B36TC, 45, 50, 55, 56, 58, 58P, 58TC, 60, 65, 70, 76, 77, 80, 88, and 95 series airplanes (Docket No. 98-CE-61-AD; Amdt. 39-11061; AD 99-05-13) - withdraws AD 99-05-13, which requires installing a placard on the fuel tank selector to warn of the no-flow condition that exists between the fuel tank detents. Since the issuance of AD 99-05-13, FAA has reevaluated all information related to this subject, and determined that the subject matter in this AD is an operational issue and does not address an unsafe condition.
Docket No.: 28422 Section of the FAR Affected: 14 CFR 137.53(c)(2) Description of Relief Sought/Disposition: To permit Broward to conduct aerial applications of insecticide materials from a Beechcraft C-45H aircraft (Registration No. N850BC, Serial No. 51-1184A) without the aircraft being equipped with a device capable of jettisoning at least one-half of the aircraft's maximum authorized load of agricultural materials within 45 seconds when operating over a congested area. Grant, April 4, 2000, Exemption No. 6470B
UNITED STATES AIRCRAFT INSURANCE GROUP commemorated the 50-year anniversary of its insurance coverage of Rhode Island Airport Corporation's Bonanza B35. RIAC began operating the 1950 model Bonanza June 30, 1951 and is still flying the same aircraft.
ROCKWELL COLLINS completed the acquisition of inflight entertainment systems producer Sony Trans Com last week. Sony Trans Com is now part of Rockwell Collins Passenger Systems, the Pomona, Calif.-based supplier of inflight entertainment systems for domestic and international airlines and aircraft manufacturers. Sony Trans Com's product lines will be integrated with Rockwell's Total Entertainment System product line, and the combined businesses are expected to generate revenues in excess of $500 million annually by 2001.
AVIATION GENERAL, INC., Bethany, Okla., reported net income of $113,049 on revenues of $4.2 million for the quarter ended June 30. That compares with net income of $48,244 on sales of just over $3 million during the same period a year ago. For the first half, the company reported a positive turnaround of nearly half a million dollars, from a loss of $331,321 a year ago, to net income of $151,232 in the most recent period. Second-half revenues jumped 54.3 percent, from $5.3 million in the first half of 1999 to $8.2 million in the period just ended.
L-3 COMMUNICATIONS last month built its 50,000th flight recorder. L-3's Aviation Recorders unit, based in Sarasota, Fla., has supplied flight data recorders and cockpit voice recorders for 43 years. L-3 FDRs and CVRs have been installed on more than 200 different types of aircraft worldwide.
BARNES AEROSPACE Windsor Division opened a United Kingdom sales office that will work with customers in Europe, Scandinavia and the Middle East. The office will be staffed by four aerospace professionals and is located at 3 Gleneagles House Vernon Gate, Derby, United Kingdom DE1 1UP. Barnes Aerospace produces machined and fabricated components and assemblies for aircraft engine and airframe manufacturers. It also provides engine overhaul and repair services.
