General Electric continued to expand its reach into the aviation training segment with an agreement to take a stake in Thomson-CSF's commercial aviation training subsidiary. The joint venture agreement, subject to regulatory approval, calls for Thomson-CSF's ORBIT unit to transfer training center operations and six commercial flight simulators to GE Capital Aviation Training. The joint venture will be called GE Capital Aviation Training, and GE Capital will hold the majority ownership.
FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION is soliciting comments for a proposed policy memorandum on issuance of experimental airworthiness certificates for flight tests.
FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION'S enforcement notice addressing the requirement to ensure flight crews get adequate rest took effect last week, and despite its extension for Comair, the agency is holding the rest of the scheduled carriers to the notice immediately (BA, Nov. 22/233). Peggy Gilligan, FAA deputy associate administrator for regulation and certification, said the agency initially will look at Part 121 operators and then work with Part 135 operators "to see if there are ways to assist them to come into full compliance."
Federal Aviation Administration, accused of writing rules that that are "obtuse," "Byzantine" and "cumbersome," hopes to soften those views with its new effort to simplify and use "plain language" in proposals. FAA Administrator Jane Garvey issued a statement last week noting that recent surveys revealed that pilots find FAA's rulemaking confusing and obsolete. "This message reinforces what we heard from the American Customer Satisfaction Index - our regulations are not clearly written.
Model 407 helicopters, [Docket No. 99-SW-48-AD; Amendment 39-11414; AD 99-23-18] - requires, before further flight, revising the life limits for certain parts and replacing each part that has exceeded its life limit. The AD also requires revising the applicable component history cards or equivalent records and the Airworthiness Limitations Schedule of the BHTC Model 407 maintenance manual to reflect these new life limits.
HONEYWELL and Coherent Technologies have teamed up to develop a new onboard system designed to provide a warning of all types of atmospheric turbulence. See article below.
Brazil's Embraer won an order from Sichuan Airlines for 10 ERJ-145s, its first order from an Asian carrier. The contract, reportedly for $200 million, consists of five firm aircraft and five options, with the first delivery planned for April.
JOHN POHOLSKY was named service manager for Atlantic Aviation's Aircraft Services Division in Wilmington, Del. Poholsky will oversee management for all aircraft maintenance, engine overhaul and hydraulics programs at Atlantic's Wilmington facility. Before joining Atlantic, he was director of aircraft services for Piedmont Aviation Services and also has been a service manager for Fleeman Aviation.
Construction of a new two-story, 100,000-square-foot simulator training center adjacent to Atlanta's Hartsfield International airport is nearing completion and FlightSafety International expects to begin training there next month.
Federal Aviation Administration's proposal to rewrite Part 145 regulations governing repair stations takes a "one size fits all" approach that will drive up costs and cause a number of maintenance facilities to surrender their certificates, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association told FAA. AOPA's assessment agreed with that of the National Air Transportation Association, which asked for a two-tier system to regulate repair stations (BA, Dec. 13/267).
Model 412, 412EP and 412CF helicopters [Docket No. 99-SW-55-AD; Amendment 39-11419; AD 99-23-23] - requires inspecting and measuring the thickness of certain main rotor yoke assemblies. This AD also requires adding 500 hours time-in-service (TIS) to the total time for main rotor yoke assemblies that measure below 0.478-inch thickness and noting the measurement and added TIS on the component history card or equivalent record. This amendment is prompted by a report of an emergency landing due to severe main rotor vibration on a BHTI Model 412 helicopter.
JOINT AVIATION AUTHORITIES are in the early stages of writing new regulations for corporate aircraft operations. JAA's Ops Committee has formed a subcommittee to tackle the new regulations, JAR-Ops 2, and has held its initial meetings for what will likely be a multi-year effort. The initiative has gained the attention of many industry associations both in the U.S. as well as Europe. Some are concerned because JAA appears to be using JAR-Ops 1, which governs air transport operations, as the baseline for crafting rules for private operators. U.S.
Model BO-105CB-5 and BO-105-CBS-5 helicopters [Docket No. 99-SW-58-AD; Amendment 39-11429; AD 99-24-05] - supersedes an existing emergency priority letter AD that currently requires, before further flight, creating a component log card or equivalent record and determining the calendar age and number of flights on each tension-torsion (TT) strap. This amendment requires the same actions as the emergency priority letter AD and additionally clarifies the compliance time requirements specified in the emergency priority letter AD.
LEO MORTIMER was appointed director of air traffic technology for the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. Mortimer will handle issues dealing with future communications, navigation and surveillance technology; air traffic control automation and modernization; aviation weather automation and avionics standards and certification. He formerly was a consulting engineer in NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center that supported the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System program office.
FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION issued a draft Advisory Circular 91-XX, Altimeter Errors at Cold Temperatures. The AC provides guidance about the potential hazards of altimeters in extreme temperatures. The AC discusses the importance of cold temperature correction procedures. FAA said the AC is intended to help address controlled flight into terrain. Copies of AC 91-XX can be accessed on FAA's website at www.faa.gov/avr/arm/nprm/nprm.htm. Comments on the AC should be sent before Jan.
Model 500, 501, 550, 551, and 560 series airplanes [Docket No. 99-NM-136-AD] - withdraws a proposal that would have required revising the Airplane Flight Manual (AFM) to include requirements for activation of the airframe pneumatic deicing boots. Since the issuance of the proposal, FAA has received new data that indicates the AFM revision is unneccessary. Accordingly, the proposed rule is withdrawn.
Used Retail Deliveries NOV. '96 NOV. '97 NOV. '98 NOV. '99 L M H L M H L M H L M H Jet North 49 27 16 45 32 10 49 26 12 87 93 20 America Jet Outside 4 0 1 7 2 3 6 1 3 7 3 3 N. America Prop North 1 81 1 1 91 1 3 73 2 2 143 3 America
AIRCRAFT OWNERS AND PILOTS ASSOCIATION will hold its 2000 AOPA Expo Oct. 20-22 in Long Beach, Calif. The association also signed a letter of intent to hold the 2001 event Nov. 8-10 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. AOPA expects to finalize the contract with Fort Lauderdale by the end of the year.
FRASCA INTERNATIONAL reported sales for its flight training devices to customers in the U.S., Sweden, and, for the first time, Israel. CRM Airline Training Center, Scottsdale, Ariz., ordered a Level 3 Model 242 two-place, twin-engine FTD. The training device will be used in an ab initio professional pilot course that takes entry-level students through a commercial certificate with both multi-engine and instrument ratings. Lund University, Lyungbyhed, Sweden, ordered a B200 FNPT II MCC device.
Bombardier Aerospace won European Joint Aviation Authorities approval for its newest regional turboprop, the 66- to 78-seat Q400, with Denmark and Sweden becoming the first European nations to issue type certificates. The Q400, launched in June 1995 after years of study (BA, June 19/259), is expected to receive Federal Aviation Administration certification shortly. Transport Canada awarded its type certificate earlier this year.
ROCKWELL COLLINS received Inmarsat approval for its SAT-2000 system. The SAT-2000 Aero-I includes a single 8 MCU transceiver, the SRT-2000 and an intermediate gain antenna system, the IGA-2000. The system is certified for use on Airbus A319/320/321 aircraft with other certifications pending.
NATIONAL AIR TRANSPORTATION ASSOCIATION is offering members an association-branded health plan that will provide group health coverage. The insurance is a federal ERISA plan that includes healthy-employee incentives and covers each employee's current primary physician. The plans are preferred provider organizations and work through regional PPO networks. For more information, contract the plan administrator at (877) 291-8499 or by e-mail at [email protected].
PRATT&WHITNEY CANADA and China National South Aero-Engine Co. (SAEC), China's leading manufacturer of small gas turbine engines, have opened a joint venture manufacturing plant in Zhuzhou, China. P&WC has a 49 percent share of the venture, first announced in the spring of 1998. The company will manufacture many of the components used in P&WC engines in service in China and elsewhere.
Model SE 3130, SA 3180, SE 313B, SA 318B, and SA 318C helicopters [Docket No. 98-SW-65-AD] - proposes to supersede an existing AD that currently requires visual inspections and modification, if necessary, of the horizontal stabilizer spar tube. This action would require the same corrective actions as the existing AD but would also require visually inspecting the four half-shell attachment clamps for cracks and fitting a safety wire around the attachment clamps. This proposal is prompted by an in-service report of fatigue cracks that initiated from corrosion pits.
GENERAL AVIATION MANUFACTURERS have become increasingly concerned about the "mistaken belief" of some FAA officials that they - the manufacturers - do not continue to support GA aircraft once the aircraft pass the 18-year threshold for the statute of repose.The statute of repose, established in the General Aviation Revitalization Act of 1994, protects manufacturers from liability for accidents involving general aviation aircraft that are 18 years or older.
