GENERAL AVIATION MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION President Ed Bolen, said the GA industry in 1999 continued its record performance and growth, but warned that this success could be hampered in the future if FAA does not get more money for certification activities. Bolen, who testified Thursday before the House transportation appropriations subcommittee, noted that GAMA members have been told by FAA officials that "we hope you are not going to have a new product" because the agency does not have the resources to certify it.
National Business Aviation Association last week criticized the Federal Aviation Administration's plans to adopt reduced vertical separation minimum (RVSM) airspace between Flight Levels 290 and 410 within the Pacific Flight Information Regions (FIRs). Only aircraft equipped to RVSM standards may operate in the affected airspace, which has 1,000-foot vertical separation standards. Vertical separation standards typically are 2,000 feet outside of RVSM airspace.
ADD BOEING to the list of manufacturers having difficulty getting a handle on the completion process for large, new very-long-range business jets. Asked how completions are going for the Boeing Business Jet, a senior Boeing official responded, "Lousy," saying that cycle times are running months longer than anticipated. Boeing established a completion allowance of 12,000 pounds for BBJ interiors and while some are coming in at that weight, installed interiors in some BBJs weigh up to 18,000 pounds.
GULFSTREAM AEROSPACE said a Swiss charter company recently became the first Gulfstream V operator to surpass 2,000 flight hours in operational service with the long-range aircraft. GV Executive Charter Co., an executive transportation provider based in Switzerland, passed the 2,000-hour mark in less than two years of ownership during a 5,100-nautical-mile charter flight from Moscow, Russia to Nassau in the Bahamas. The first G-V entered service three years ago and there are now 72 in service, which have logged more than 37,000 flight hours.
Model SA-366G1 helicopters (Docket No. 99-SW-14-AD) - proposes to require replacing certain electrical modules with airworthy electrical modules. This proposal is prompted by the discovery of several defective electrical modules. The actions specified by the proposed AD are intended to prevent loss of electrical continuity, which could cause loss of critical systems and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter. FAA estimates that 94 helicopters on the U.S. Registry would be affected by this proposed AD at a cost of $564,000.
SOLAIR, Naples, Italy, signed a letter of intent with Fairchild Aerospace for the purchase of two 328JETs and two 728JETs. The carrier plans to begin operations in 2001 from Naples' Capodichino Airport.
Model A109A and A109A II helicopters (Docket No. 99-SW-91-AD; Amdt. 39-11493; AD 99-27-12) - supersedes an existing AD that currently requires, before further flight, inspecting any tail rotor blade with 400 or more hours time-in-service (TIS) for a crack and replacing any cracked blade before further flight.
LEN DALTON was promoted to vice president-maintenance operations and standards for TAG Aviation USA. Dalton began his career with predecessor company Wayfarer Ketch 32 years ago as a mechanic and worked his way up to director of maintenance with Wayfarer Aviation. He will be responsible for maintenance activities involving the company fleet and for company maintenance standards.
The National Transportation Safety Board last week issued a series of recommendations to FAA and other government agencies to require a video recording system and upgraded emergency locator transmitters on aircraft operated for Part 135 operations as well as for public use (BA, July 12/13). The recommendations stemmed from the October 1997 crash of a Cessna 208B operated under Part 135 as an on-demand air charter for the Bureau of Reclamation. Scenic Airlines was the registered owner.
A wide range of aviation, business and non-federal government organizations has joined forces in a concentrated lobbying effort to win Senate approval of AIR-21, Rep. Bud Shuster's FAA reauthorization bill (H.R. 1000).
CHARLOTTE DOUGLAS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT agreed to conduct a pilot program with McLean, Va.-based Spring Technologies, Inc. to test iris recognition as a security device for controlling access to secure areas. The company said the system is already in use for sporting events, retail banking and point-of-sale applications, but Charlotte is the first airport in the world to try it. Under the six-month pilot program, about 100 employees will have a digital image taken of the iris of one of their eyes.
SPORTY'S PILOT SHOP is offering NTSB Investigator, a CD-Rom that provides 31,000 records of accidents and incidents of general aviation piston aircraft beginning in 1983 to the present. The software allows pilots to identify accidents and incidents by any criteria, such as aircraft make/model, engines, pilot experience and credentials. The software combines the NTSB incident detail, narrative, sequence of events and probable cause. Sporty's is offering NTSB Investigator for $59. For more information, contact Sporty 's at 1-800-LIFTOFF or 513-735-9000.
A new on-board avionics application that provides real-time graphics aviation weather information to pilots made its debut on a recent FedEx MD-11 revenue flight. The flight crew said initial evaluations proved the new system, Aviation Weather Information (AWIN), was a success. AWIN was developed under an agreement with NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting program to provide more and better weather information to pilots along national and northern and western Pacific routes.
A BEECH KING AIR crashed into a communications tower last month while making an approach to the Somerset, Ky. airport. The pilot had requested, and been cleared for, an approach that had not been active for several years, according to NTSB investigators. See article below.
Cessna Aircraft named two men to key posts on the company's Citation Sovereign business jet program. Randy Nelson was named director of projects, and Brad Thress, Sovereign program manager, will lead the advanced development and design of the new Model 680. In addition to his new responsibilities on the Sovereign, Nelson will continue to lead the Citation CJ2 development and certification program. Thress is charged with guiding the Sovereign integrated team on cockpit issues, flight controls, avionics and aircraft performance.
Model DHC-7-100 series airplanes (Docket No. 99-NM-107-AD; Amdt. 39-11526; AD 2000-02-07) - requires repetitive high-frequency eddy current inspections to detect cracks on the locking pin fittings of the baggage door and locking pin housings of the fuselage; repetitive detailed visual inspections to detect cracks of the inner door structure on all four door locking attachment fittings; and corrective actions, if necessary.
Model 182S airplanes (Docket No. 98-CE-125-AD; Amdt. 39-11532; AD 2000-02-14) - supersedes AD 98-13-10, which requires repetitively inspecting all engine exhaust muffler end plates (four total) for cracks on all Cessna Model 182S airplanes, and replacing any muffler on which an end plate is found cracked. AD 98-13-10 also requires fabricating and installing a placard that specifies immediate inspection of all engine exhaust muffler end plates any time the engine backfires upon start-up.
Mxi Technologies signed two sizable deals for its Maintenix maintenance management software, adding a major commercial customer to its rolls in the process.
EMBRY-RIDDLE AERONAUTICAL UNIVERSITY signed a New-Hire Bridge Program agreement that will enable students to become pilots for AirNet Express upon graduation. Embry-Riddle and AirNet will jointly screen and select program candidates who have completed their sophomore year in the aeronautical science program. Embry-Riddle and AirNet also will develop a specific program tailored for AirNet operations.
Fairchild Aerospace, which received both U.S. and European certification for its 328JET last summer (BA, July 19/31), received 78 orders in 1999 for the aircraft, boosting its total orders booked last year for its regional jet family to 178. The U.S./German manufacturer also sold 40 428Jets and 60 728JETS, thanks to large orders from Lufthansa and Atlantic Coast Airlines. China's Hainan Airlines helped increase the 328JET backlog with orders for 19.
DASSAULT FALCON JET CORP. named R. Patrick Reardon a field service representative. Reardon, who will be based in Teterboro, N.J., will resolve aircraft-maintenance issues for Falcon operators worldwide. He has 13 years of aviation experience, most recently with Dassault Falcon Jet's Help Desk. He also was an aircraft lead technician with Aviation Metal Services and Jet Aviation.
THE AIR GROUP, the Van Nuys, Calif.-based charter company, opened new offices in Chicago and San Francisco. The Chicago office can be reached at 750 West Lake Cook Road, Suite 175, Buffalo Grove, Ill. 60089; telephone: (888) 861-8676. The San Francisco office is located at 3180 Crow Canyon Place, Suite 208, San Ramon, Calif. 94583; telephone: (888) 606-8890.
The Beech C90 King Air that struck a communications antenna Jan. 18 and crashed while on approach to the Somerset-Pulaski County-J.T. Wilson Airport (SME) in Somerset, Ky. had been cleared for an approach that had not been active for several years, the National Transportation Safety Board has determined.
