National Transportation Safety Board investigators are looking into the possibility that heavy icing may have contributed to the fatal crash of a Eurocopter BO-105-CBS-5 helicopter that claimed the lives of all four people aboard earlier this month in Texas.
The Clinton administration plans to send an amended budget to Congress that will include a plan to combine Global Positioning System needs of the Transportation Department with those of the Defense Department, according to Darlene Druyun, principal deputy assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition.
THE SAN FRANCISCO AIRPORT COMMISSION plans to offer contracts to five engineering firms for concept development of a plan to build a new runway at SFO. Accepting the recommendations of the airport staff and a Blue Ribbon Panel of experts, the Airport Commission selected the following firms to complete and refine their concepts: AGS, Inc., USA; The Dutra Group, Holland; Parsons Brinkerhoff, USA; Peratrovich, Nottingham&Grage, Inc., USA; and T.Y. Lin International/Ben C. Gerwick, Inc./Han-Padron Associates, China/USA.
GARVEY also assured the House transportation appropriations panel that FAA plans to continue its contract tower program this year in its entirety. FAA had considered cutting funding for up to 86 contract towers to ease its budget constraints (BA, Feb. 28/95). Garvey noted that airports clearly conveyed their concerns over the issue and said the agency is "still proceeding with contract towers for this year." An agency spokesman noted that this assumes that President Clinton signs AIR-21.
BOB FIELDS AEROCESSORIES inflatable door seals (Docket No. 98-CE-88-AD; Amdt. 39-11621; AD 98-21-21 R1) - revises AD 98-21-21, which requires deactivating the electric door seal inflation system for all aircraft equipped with Bob Fields Aerocessories inflatable door seals. Since issuance of that AD, the manufacturer has developed a modification that would allow these electric door seal inflation systems to remain in service, and FAA has approved this modification.
MATT WOODWORTH joined the turbine technical staff for Aerodyne Corp. Woodworth, an A&P technician specializing in turbine engine repair, has factory certifications in PT6A line maintenance and troubleshooting.
FAA ADMINISTRATOR Jane Garvey said the agency was "scaling back" on the program development of the Wide Area Augmentation System until it had a better understanding of integrity problems that have arisen (BA, Jan. 31/47). The agency, along with contractor Raytheon, has sought the expertise of an independent panel, including experts from Stanford University, the Jet Propulsion Lab and Mitre Corp., to review the program. DOT Inspector General Kenneth Mead said the agency needs to reduce what he called the "burn rate" on the WAAS contract - or the rate of monthly spending.
RELEASE OF A FINAL RULE mandating installation of terrain awareness and warning systems in turbine aircraft with six or more seats is expected shortly (BA, Aug. 31,1998/91). The rule cleared Office of Management and Budget review Monday and an agency spokesman said FAA is hoping to publish it in the Federal Register this week. Many industry officials opposed the original proposal's inclusion of aircraft operated under Parts 91 and 135. The final rule, however, is expected to cover all turbine aircraft with six or more seats.
ANOTHER CONTROVERSIAL FAA regulation, governing air tour operators over Grand Canyon National Park, also is nearing completion. FAA this month sent both its revised special flight rules and flight corridor restrictions to OMB for a 30-day review.
JEFF GROTHE joined Aerodyne Corporation's turbine technical staff. Grothe, an A&P technician with inspection authorization, has 10 years of aviation maintenance experience. He has experience and factory certification for PT6A, JT15D and TPE 331 engines.
LOS ANGELES CITY COUNCIL Friday again deferred action on its proposed Stage 2 non-addition proposal (BA, Feb. 28/96). The move to delay action comes after FAA appealed to the affected parties to meet to reach a compromise on the controversial proposal. Lydia Kennard, executive director of the Los Angeles World Airports, agreed to such a meeting, which would include scheduled operators, airport officials, city representatives and other interested parties, and the City Council agreed to hold off on the proposal in the interim.
KEMM FISHBURN was named service manager of Raytheon Aircraft Services-Birmingham. Fishburn will oversee all maintenance, avionics and parts operations for the Birmingham facility. He has 21 years of aviation experience and joined Raytheon in 1994 as a field mechanic for Raytheon Aerospace Services. Most recently, he was section manager for the King Air delivery program at Raytheon Aircraft's delivery center in Wichita.
House Appropriations Committee members last week continued their objections to comprehensive FAA reauthorization legislation, AIR-21, cautioning that if President Clinton signs the bill, it could leave the agency up to $450 million short in its operations budget next year. "This is going to come back to haunt FAA and haunt this Congress and you personally," transportation appropriations subcommittee Chairman Frank Wolf (R-Va.) told FAA Administrator Jane Garvey Wednesday.
The Federal Avia-tion Administration's reauthorization legislation (AIR-21), which creates an advisory board and a chief executive officer's position to govern air traffic control within FAA, has created "a recipe for organizational sclerosis" by adding more layers of bureaucracy, according to former Administrator David Hinson. Hinson, who headed FAA in the mid-1990s under Transportation Secretary Federico Pena, last week told the Aero Club of Washington, D.C. that the nation's ATC system "desperately needs its own identity" and leadership.
The City of Cleveland completed a new master plan for Burke Lakefront Airport that calls for some $55 million in improvements, including a new 5,400-foot runway, new taxiways, hangars, and terminal upgrades. The plan, announced last week by Cleveland Mayor Michael White, is part of the airport's 20-year improvement program that also has included the installation of a $2.3 million instrument landing system.
UNLIKE officials at other startup aircraft manufacturers who trumpet their plans in advance, executives at new Eclipse Aviation are developing the habit of acting first and announcing later. Early this month, for example, Eclipse revealed that it had signed a deal and had been secretly working with engine manufacturer Williams International on developing a new, lightweight, twin turbofan business jet priced at $775,000 (BA, March 6/107).
Federal Aviation Administration this month clarified that air ambulance medical personnel are not covered under the agency's mandated drug and alcohol misuse prevention programs.
CASA Model CN-235-100 and CN-235-200 series airplanes (Docket No. 99-NM-261-AD; Amendment 39-11614; AD 2000-05-05) - requires replacement of existing anti-icing distributor valves with new, improved valves. This amendment is prompted by issuance of mandatory continuing airworthiness information by a foreign civil airworthiness authority. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent ice accumulation on the wings or tail of the airplane, which could reduce airplane controllability. FAA estimates that two airplanes on the U.S.
THE QUEST by some aviation industry organizations to regain access to FAA's list of active airmen may finally be nearing the goal. The agency took action a couple of years ago to block access to the list, even though it had been used for decades by manufacturers, trade associations and others to distribute safety and promotional material to pilots. FAA cited concern that continued public access to the list of pilots' names and addresses violated provisions of The Privacy Act.
REP. FRANK WOLF (R-Va.), chairman of the House transportation appropriations subcommitteee, last week complained about provisions in FAA reauthorization legislation, AIR-21, that guarantee funding for the Airport Improvement Program and Facilities and Equipment accounts, with no such protections for FAA Operations. He said he would consider offering an amendment to the fiscal 2001 transportation appropriations bill that would allow the agency to transfer money from the AIP fund to cover operations, if necessary.
REP. TODD TIARHT (R-Kan.), a member of the House transportation appropriations subcommittee, last week expressed concern to FAA Administrator Jane Garvey about reports that agency officials are discouraging the industry from seeking certification of new products this year because the inspection force is suffering from budget shortages (BA, Feb. 14/69). Garvey acknowledged that the agency is grappling with budget problems and stressed the importance of keeping the certification program fully operating.
TGA AVIATION, INC. filed suit against Stevens Aviation, Inc., claiming it sustained damages because the Greenville, S.C. modification facility did not modify its Gulfstream II in a timely fashion.
BAE Systems formally launched the program to build the Avro RJX family of four-engine regional airliners, saying that it plans to offer the RJX-70, -85 and -100 versions providing 70-110 seats.
BELL Model 407 helicopters (Docket No. 99-SW-79-AD; Amdt. 39-11579; AD 2000-02-12) adopts an AD sent previously to all known U.S. owners and operators of Model 407 helicopters by individual letters. This AD requires inspecting engine oil cooler blower shaft bearings for roughness at specified time intervals and replacing any rough bearings before further flight. This amendment is prompted by several bearing failures. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent bearing failure, loss of tail rotor drive, and a subsequent forced landing.
CESSNA'S Citation CJ1, the follow-on to the original CitationJet, won FAA type certification last month with deliveries expected to begin this month. The CJ1, one of four product developments Cessna announced during the 1998 NBAA convention in Las Vegas, Nev. (BA, Oct. 19, 1998/169), includes a 200-pound gross weight increase and the new Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 avionics suite.
