FAA PUBLISHED two aircraft noise documents last week, one of which is aimed at harmonizing U.S. and European Joint Aviation Authorities noise certification regulations for jet aircraft.FAA said the proposed regulation "would provide nearly uniform noise certification standards for airplanes certificated in the United States and in the JAA countries." The agency added that harmonization of the noise certification standards "would simplify airworthiness approvals for import and export purposes." The other noise document is the first step in developing a new U.S.
HOUSE AVIATION SUBCOMMITTEE will hold a hearing Thursday to seek answers to a question that concerns millions of air travelers: "Portable Electronic Devices: Do They Really Pose a Safety Hazard on Aircraft?" The hearing is set for 9:30 a.m. in the Room 2167 of the Rayburn House Office Building.
Model MD-900 helicopters (Docket No. 2000-SW-03-AD) - proposes to require modifying the non-rotating swashplate assembly and re-identifying it and the swashplate assembly with a new part number. The AD would also require creating a component history card or equivalent record to track the life of the newly identified non-rotating swashplate assembly and establishing a life limit of 1,800 hours time-in-service. In addition, the AD would require inspecting and modifying, if necessary, the longitudinal drive link assembly.
BAE SYSTEMS North America is eyeing a substantial expansion in its global operations with its agreement to buy Lockheed Martin's Aerospace Electronic Systems for $1.67 billion. The acquisition is expected to close following regulatory approval. Lockheed Martin Aerospace Electronic Systems designs and manufactures defense and space electronic systems.
Federal Aviation Administration gave Honeywell approval for a low-cost terrain awareness and avoidance system (TAWS) designed specifically for general aviation turbine and piston aircraft. The approval - including a technical standard order for production and an initial supplemental type certificate for installation - is the first for a "Class B" TAWS unit. FAA in late March ordered operators of some 12,000-plus aircraft operated under Part 91 and small aircraft operated under Part 135 to install a Class B TAWS unit within five years (BA, April 3/152).
EXECUTIVE JET has 120 Cessna-built Citation business jets in service with its NetJets fractional aircraft program and another 165 Citations on order, so will Cessna's decision to team with TAG Aviation in a new fractional program change Cessna's relationship with Executive Jet? "Our belief is that it does not," said Cessna CEO Gary Hay last week. He said Cessna's view is that EJI should embrace the new CitationShares program because it will bring new customers in at the bottom end of the fractional market.
SCOTT KICHLINE was named manager of commercial/business development for McCarran International Airport. Kichline joined the Clark County Department of Aviation in 1995 as a management analyst, overseeing contracts with the general aviation airports in the county. Most recently he was concessions manager for McCarran.
FAA determined Costa Rica is compliant with International Civil Aviation Organization safety standards and set a Category 1 rating for the country. The new rating follows a reassessment of Costa Rica's Civil Aviation Authority in late May. FAA said the upgraded rating does not cover safety of individual foreign carriers and reflects only whether civil aviation authorities meet ICAO safety standards.
SOCIETY OF AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERS published The Handbook of QS-9000 Tooling and Equipment Certification to provide guidance for tooling and equipment manufacturers for receiving certification. The book discusses quality and reliability processes with methods to obtain AS-900TE registration.
BFGOODRICH won a contract to provide wheels and brakes for Cessna's Sovereign business jet. The Sovereign will be the ninth aircraft in the Citation family to use BFGoodrich wheels and brakes. "Cessna continues to be an important customer for our business jet wheel and brake product line," said Brian Brandewie, vice president and general manager of the regional, business and military unit.
Model F27 Mark 050, 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, and 700 series airplanes; and Model F28 Mark 0070, 0100, 1000, 2000, 3000, and 4000 series airplanes (Docket No. 2000-NM-06-AD; Amdt. 39-11778; AD 2000-11-29) - requires a one-time functional test to verify correct installation of the shoulder harnesses at the pilot's and co-pilot's seats and, if necessary, replacement of the shoulder harness assembly with a new or serviceable shoulder harness assembly.
AL SHIVELY joined Airis Corporation as senior vice president of its Aviation Facilities Company (AFCO). Shively will be responsible for development, acquisition and marketing of new business projects for AFCO. Shively formerly served with the real estate development firm WEST GROUP.
MERCURY AIR GROUP'S Maytag Aircraft Corp. unit received a one-year contract to provide base operating support services at Youngstown Air Reserve Station, Ohio. The contract, which begins Oct. 1, includes four one-year options with a total estimated value of $6.4 million. Maytag will provide fuel motor vehicle management, traffic management and airfield management for the Youngstown station. The contract is the third that Maytag has received to provide base operating support services for the U.S. Air Force Reserve Command.
Rifton Aviation is launching a new fixed-base operation at Newburgh Stewart Airport that Rifton Chief Executive Christian Domer hopes will take advantage of new business jet trends at an airport where privatization could help support its business goals. Rifton, already operating as an FBO there, is opening a 120,000-square-foot hangar and support facility in September - the largest business jet hangar on the East Coast - and aims to open a wide-ranging service center in perhaps three years.
FAIRCHILD DORNIER named Doug Nelms director of editorial services, a new position. Nelms, who had been associate editor of Air Transport World magazine and editor of ATW's Airport Equipment&Technology, will be responsible for production of internal and external publications and a range of editorial services. He will report to Bob Stangarone, vice president of corporate communications. Nelms is a licensed pilot with military ratings in both rotary and fixed-wing aircraft.
USED RETAIL JET AND TURBOPROP DELIVERIES INSIDE AND OUTSIDE NORTH AMERICA JUNE 2000 Used Retail Deliveries JUN. 1997 JUN. 1998 JUN. 1999 JUN. 2000 L M H L M H L M H L M H Jet North 54 38 30 65 32 26 71 40 23 83 32 41 America
PERRY BRADLEY, editor of Business&Commercial Aviation magazine, is leaving the McGraw-Hill publication at the end of the month to accept the post of associate publisher of Aviation International News, where he will concentrate on the business and advertising side of publishing. B/CA Publisher Gil Wolin credited Bradley with maintaining B/CA's "standard of editorial excellence" while serving as editor.
Federal Aviation Administration plans to take a comprehensive look at noise issues as part of a Transportation Department effort to develop and issue a national noise policy.
INNOTECH-EXECAIRE AVIATION GROUP was named the exclusive authorized service center - including maintenance and parts provider in Canada - for Raytheon Aircraft's full line of King Air turboprop twin-engine aircraft, as well as the Beech 1900 airliner. Innotech-Execaire continues to hold such authorization for Raytheon Hawker business jets, as it has since 1965.
CANADIAN BUSINESS AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION appointed Innotech-Execaire executive Richard Gage president and chief executive officer. Gage succeeds J-D Lyon, who retired. Gage served as vice president-operations and general manager of the Innotech-Execaire Aviation Group in Montreal. He joined Execaire in 1990 following a career in the Canadian Armed Forces. Gage also has been actively involved in CBAA, serving as a director, vice chairman and then chairman. He also led the joint Transport Canada-CBAA study on self-regulation.
RONALD SUGAR was named president and chief operating officer for Litton Industries, Inc. Sugar, who will report to Litton Chairman and Chief Executive Michael Brown, will be nominated for election to the board of directors at the Litton annual shareholders meeting in December. Plans also call for him to succeed Brown as CEO at yearend. Sugar formerly served as president and chief operating officer of TRW Aerospace&Information Systems.
Fixed-base operators and other companies that provide fueling services at Part 139-certified airports will have to meet new training standards under the Federal Aviation Administration's new proposal for airport certification (BA, June 26/297). FAA currently requires an aviation services company to provide FAA-approved fire safety training for one supervisor, who is then responsible to train other company employees involved in fueling operations.
TROY ROLF joined Fafinski Mark&Johnson, P.A. Rolf is an aviation and tax attorney who will concentrate on corporate aircraft transactions and operations and corporate law and business transactions. A former air traffic control specialist and instrument-rated pilot, Rolf graduated cum laude from the University of Minnesota School of Law in 1996 and is completing an LL.M in taxation at Georgetown University Law Center.
More than 80 percent of registered voters believe the federal government should invest the necessary resources in the air transportation system and almost 50 percent said they would be less likely to vote for a member of Congress who approved cuts in federal aeronautics research funding, according to a national poll released late last month.
CESSNA AIRCRAFT appears poised to announce a new foray into the fractional ownership market Tuesday during a press conference in New York.Cessna, already a major provider of airplanes to Executive Jet, is expected to announce a deal to supply CitationJets for operation in a fractional program with rapidly expanding TAG Aviation (BA, June 19/283).
