SEN. JAY ROCKEFELLER (D-W.Va.), the ranking Democrat on the Senate aviation subcommittee, last week expressed frustration over the stalemate on a comprehensive FAA reauthorization bill.During the American Bar Association Air and Space Law Forum Monday, Rockefeller stated that FAA reauthorization has stalled because members of Congress are hanging on to turf, power and money, and "doesn't that make you feel good," according to meeting attendees. Rockefeller said he planned to make regular speeches on the Senate floor to address the issues that have caused the stalemate.
Model 1125 Westwind Astra and Astra SPX series airplanes (Docket No. 99-NM-360-AD) - proposes to require replacement of the existing pneumatic de-icing boot pressure indicator switch with a newly designed switch. This proposal is prompted by an occurrence on a similar airplane model in which the pneumatic de-icing boot indication light may have provided the flightcrew with misleading information as to the proper functioning of the de-icing boots.
INCREASED FUNDING will come as welcome news to FAA Administrator Jane Garvey, whose agency has suffered an operating budget shortfall this year. Ironically, Garvey, who already implemented travel and hiring restraints (BA, Jan. 3/2000), last week told the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committees that plans to implement a cost accounting system have been delayed by budget shortages. The agency sees the cost accounting system as a critical means to exercise fiscal responsibility.
Honeywell began flight tests of its new AS900 turbofan engine last week, achieving more than 90 percent of full power on the first two-hour mission and expecting to hit maximum power on a second flight before week's end (BA, Dec. 13/267).
BFGOODRICH AVIONICS SYSTEMS is offering new AIM 1200 series standby attitude indicators. The units interchange with the company's AIM 510 series units, which has been phased out of production. BFGoodrich said the new 1200 model incorporates a number of enhancements, such as a new spin-bearing package. The new unit provides options such as front or rear mounting, slip indicator, NVG lighting and fixed roll dial.
UNIVERSITY AVIATION ASSOCIATION, which completed its 1999 study of faculty salary data, reported that faculty salaries at member institutions continue to increase with the average 12-month salaries for an assistant professor of $50,381 for all faculty and $48,790 for aviation faculty. Aviation faculty salaries have increased about 28 percent on average in the past 10 years, UAA said. Aviation salaries range from $42,500 for an instructor at an associate degree institution to $78,436 for a full professor at a comprehensive institution, the organization said.
Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. signed a letter of intent with offshore oil operator Cougar Helicopters that points the way to first sales of the S-92 transport helicopter, the manufacturer said last week. The United Technologies unit said Cougar signed a deposit agreement for up to five of the 19-seat S-92s from the first two production lots. Deliveries would be in 2002 and 2003. "Further new S-92 order announcements will follow shortly," Sikorsky said.
Federal Aviation Administration plans to award a contract to Cessna Aircraft to develop a "safety net fuel," the agency announced Friday. FAA's William J. Hughes Technical Center will administer the single-source contract to Cessna to "research the development of an alternative fuel for general aviation." FAA already has a long-time ongoing Unleaded Avgas Development program, but the agency said the Cessna program would act as a "safety net" in the interim.
SHUSTER recognized the behind-the-scenes work of Transportation Secretary Rodney Slater for helping in the passage of a massive highway bill two years ago that dedicated highway trust fund tax receipts for highway purposes.
NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD is investigating the Jan. 14 fatal crash of a Pilatus PC-7 single-engine trainer that was on a ferry flight to a customer from Pilatus Aircraft headquarters in Stans, Switzerland into Jefferson County Airport in Broomfield, Colo. The pilot, Edi Weilenmann, 41, of Switzerland, was killed. NTSB said the PC-7, HB-HOO, crashed and was consumed by fire during a low approach to Jeffco Airport at 1318 Mountain Standard Time. The pilot requested clearance to perform a "low go around" on Runway 29R and was cleared for an optional approach.
EXTEX LTD., a leading manufacturer of PMA replacement parts for Allison A250 turbine engines, is now taking orders directly for its products, instead of having the orders routed through Aviall, Inc. For the present, orders will continue to be shipped by Aviall, where the EXTEX inventory of parts is maintained, but all invoicing, processing and paperwork will be handled by EXTEX.
series airplanes equipped with wing lift struts (Docket No. 99-CE-13-AD; Amdt. 39-11479; AD 99-26-19) - requires repetitively inspecting the wing lift struts for dents and corrosion and the wing lift strut forks for cracks; replacing any strut found with corrosion or dents, or forks with cracks; and repetitively replacing the wing lift strut forks. This AD also requires incorporating a "NO STEP" placard on the lift strut. This AD is the result of FAA inadvertently omitting the J-2 series airplanes from the applicability of AD 99-01-05.
NIAGARA FALLS TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY, N.Y., selected Cintra, a Spanish company with experience in airport privatization, to take over Niagara Falls International, one of two New York airports that are part of FAA's pilot privatization program. Plans call for the airport to be transferred to private control this summer on a 99-year lease. Cintra is forming a U.S. based subsidiary, which will likely be based in Niagara Falls.
MESA AIR GROUP named Peter Hayes president of Mesa Pilot Development, a subsidiary of Mesa Airlines that has graduated 375 pilots since it was founded in 1989. Hayes joined Mesa a year ago as senior director of training with responsibility for aircrew, maintenance and dispatch training. Before joining Mesa, Hayes spent eight years with Boeing and he spent most of his career in the U.S. Air Force, retiring as a brigadier general. Mickey Moman was promoted to senior director of training and will take over Hayes' former duties.
Model PC-7 airplanes (Docket No. 99-CE-61-AD; Amendment 39-11508; AD 2000-01-10) - supersedes AD 98-08-07, which requires replacing the rudder and elevator pivot arms with improved parts on certain Model PC-7 airplanes. This AD requires replacing the rudder and elevator pivot arms with improved parts that have been improved since issuance of AD 98-08-07. This AD is the result of mandatory continuing airworthiness information issued by the airworthiness authority for Switzerland.
INCREASED REGULATION has led another large regional carrier to begin phasing out its 19-passenger service to many communities. "Mesa continues to face substantial challenges regarding our Raytheon/Beechcraft 19 seat aircraft," Jonathan Ornstein, Mesa Air Group chairman, president and CEO stated in a financial report last week. "Higher costs associated with increased government regulation and taxation threaten the viability of these operations.
FAA OFFICIALS, who suspended Wide Area Augmentation System operational tests two weeks into the scheduled 60-day test period after experiencing technical problems, spent last week at contractor Raytheon trying to determine the scope of the problems and develop a solution. The system failed to meet the agency's Category I signal integrity tests.
TAC AIR, a division of the Texarkana, Texas-based Truman Arnold Companies, added a Citation V to its charter fleet. The business jet joins two Beech King Air 200s and a Beech BE58 Baron. In addition to charter, TAC Air manages fixed-base operations in Amarillo, Texas, Fort Smith, Ark., Greenville, S.C., Hartford, Conn., Lexington, Ky., Omaha, Neb., Shreveport, La. and Texarkana.
House and Senate negotiators last week renewed debate on long-term Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization legislation and although they approved some less-controversial items - including a mandate for emergency locator transmitters on business jets - little progress was made in resolving major differences.
FDX will extend the FedEx name to three subsidiaries and to the holding company and roll out a "new low-cost residential delivery service in March in many major U.S. markets," the company told a financial analysts meeting in New York this month. "Our customers increasingly want a single company that can meet all their global transportation needs," said Chairman Fred Smith.
airplanes (Docket No. 99-CE-65-AD) - proposes to require repetitively inspecting the brake assembly rods and tubings for wear or damage, and replacing any worn or damaged parts. The proposed AD is the result of mandatory continuing airworthiness information issued by the airworthiness authority for Italy. The actions specified by the proposed AD are intended to prevent the brake hydraulic fluid from leaking because of the brake assembly rods contacting the brake valve tubing, which could result in the inability to adequately stop the airplane during ground operations.
Models PA-25, PA-25-235, PA-25-260, PA-28S-160, PA-28S-180, PA-32S-300, PA-28-151, and PA-28-161 airplanes (Docket No. 99-CE-69-AD; Amdt. 39-11464; AD 99-26-05) - requires replacing these induction air filters. This AD results from reports of cracking, splitting, crumbling, and deterioration of Facet/Purolator induction air filters manufactured between a certain time period. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent pieces of a damaged induction air filter from being ingested into the engine, which could result in reduced or loss of engine power.
KAMAN AEROSPACE said operating profit for its Aerospace operations was up 1.6 percent to $44 million while sales were off 2.8 percent to $371.8 million for 1999. The segment's sales and operating profits during the year came primarily from SH-2G Super Seasprite helicopter programs for Australia and New Zealand and Kaman's aircraft structures and components business. "This performance, however, was offset by losses in the K-MAX helicopter program, which continued to require investment for technical work and market developments," said Paul R.
Demand for Gulfstream Aerospace aircraft remains strong and the business posted strong revenue and earnings growth last year, parent company General Dynamics reported last week.
Walt Coleman, who has been involved in aviation since he entered training as a naval aviator in 1960, will retire as president of the Regional Airline Association March 30 after seven years with the organization. Coleman was an active-duty Navy pilot for seven years, and then joined Pan American World Airways as a pilot/flight engineer. He later served in management posts with Pan Am and flew in the Naval Air Reserve, retiring with the rank of captain. He joined the Air Transport Association in 1981 and rose to the post of vice president-operations.
