Model 407 helicopters (Docket No. 99-SW-07-AD; Amdt. 39-11391; AD 99-22-13) - requires visually inspecting the vertical fin for reduced skin thickness; repairing or replacing the fin, if necessary; and identifying fins that have been inspected or repaired. This amendment is prompted by a report of an inboard skin damaged during production.
House and Senate leaders met last week to negotiate proposals on funding the Federal Aviation Administration, but after nearly two hours of debate, both sides remained entrenched in their positions, leaving many concerned that it may be months before a resolution is reached. Congress is slated to recess this week until January, leaving little time for members of the House/Senate conference on comprehensive FAA reauthorization legislation, H.R.1000, to reach agreement on FAA financing. Sen.
SENIOR FAA officials told Congress they hoped to complete the latest proposal on new flight and duty time regulations by yearend, but hitting that target appears unlikely, sources say (BA, Aug. 9/61).FAA officials working on the issue have been given until July to complete their proposal internally, one source notes. The Independent Association of Continental Pilots last month agreed that FAA is not close to issuing another notice of proposed rulemaking, but said that in the interim FAA is eyeing a "plain language" initiative that Vice President Gore supports.
A top FAA airports official promised the agency will take effective action to stem the rising tide of runway incursions, many of which are attributed to general aviation. Peter Challan, FAA deputy associate administrator for air traffic services at FAA, made his remarks at the Safer Skies conference in Washington, BA affiliate Airports reported. The meeting consisted of FAA and industry officials working to decrease fatal general aviation accidents by 20 percent by 2007 even as traffic grows (BA, Nov. 1/198).
NATIONAL AIR TRANSPORTATION ASSOCIATION has scheduled four workshops in the next two weeks to discuss FAA's proposed changes to Part 145 repair station regulations. The sessions are scheduled for Nov. 8 at Banyan Air Service in Ft. Lauderdale; Nov. 9 at the Orlando, Fla. International Airport; Nov. 15 in Greensboro, N.C. and Nov. 20 in Albuquerque, N.M. For more information, call the association at (703) 845-9000.
AIRCRAFT OWNERS AND PILOTS ASSOCIATION is claiming credit for helping to convince the U.S. Air Force to drop a proposal to fly unlighted aircraft at night in Military Operations Areas (MOAs). AOPA said the USAF petitioned FAA in October 1998 for a blanket exemption from FAR 91.209, which requires aircraft to illuminate position lights when flying between sunset and sunrise, so it could conduct night-vision equipment training.
NATIONAL AVIATION HALL OF FAME selected the National Association of State Aviation Officials as the recipient of the 2000 Milton Caniff Spirit of Flight Award. NASAO will be recognized for its "outstanding achievements and contributions to aviation." The award will be presented to NASAO during the 39th annual National Aviation Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremony July 15, 2000.
SIMUFLITE TRAINING INTERNATIONAL last month signed an agreement with Gulfstream Aerospace to jointly develop and provide maintenance training for in-service Gulfstream aircraft. SimuFlite and Gulfstream will work together to develop multimedia classroom instruction tools. Both companies will provide classroom instruction at SimuFlite's facility at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.
FAA'S Airport Safety and Standards OFFICE is among those struggling with fiscal 2000 budget limits. Although FAA sought $65 million for Airports, Congress appropriated $45 million. This means that after salaries and overhead, the airports office has $1.5 million left to administer all airport programs in fiscal 2000.
ROCKWELL COLLINS received FAA supplemental type certification approval for its FDS-2000 flight display system aboard a Gulfstream III aircraft. The system replaces electro-mechanical attitude director indicators and horizontal situation indicators with liquid crystal displays.
Model ATR 42 and ATR 72 series airplanes (Docket No. 99-NM-183-AD) - proposes to require modification of the alerting capability of the anti-icing advisory system to improve crew awareness of icing conditions, replacement of the median wing de-icing boots with extended deicing boots, and installation of de-icing boots on the metallic wing leading edge. This proposal is prompted by issuance of mandatory continuing airworthiness information by a foreign civil airworthiness authority.
WORLD FUEL SERVICES CORP., a major aviation fuel marketing firm based in Miami Springs, Fla., reported a net loss of $242,000 for the second quarter ended Sept. 30. That compares with net income of $3.5 million during the same period a year earlier.
EDWARD MCKAY was named director of information services for Atlantic Aviation Corp. McKay will oversee information services for Atlantic's Flight Services, Flight Support and Aviation Services Divisions. He has more than 27 years of management and technical experience, most recently as director of information for DOPACO, Inc. of Downingtown, Pa.
Rolls-Royce completed its acquisition of engine repair and overhaul specialist National Airmotive Corp., Oakland, Calf. Rolls-Royce struck a deal with First Aviation Services Inc. in September to acquire the engine repair business for $73 million. With the addition of National Airmotive, which will be known as Rolls-Royce Engines Services-Oakland, Rolls-Royce's repair and overhaul network now comprises 15 facilities either wholly or partly owned on four continents.
A helicopter operated by the San Jose, Calif. Police Department was destroyed and both occupants killed Oct. 25 when the helicopter crashed onto a city street.
Models SA226-T, SA226-T(B), SA226-AT, and SA226-TC airplanes (Docket No. 99-CE-15-AD; Amdt. 39-11348; AD 99-21-05) - supersedes AD 77-25-03, which currently requires repetitively inspecting for cracks on the landing gear actuator rod ends that are equipped with grease. AD 77-25-03 also requires replacing the landing gear actuator rod ends with an improved part either immediately or at a certain time period, depending on the results of the inspections. Replacement of all six rod ends terminates the repetitive inspection requirements of AD 77-25-03.
Model BAe 146 and Avro 146-RJ series airplanes (Docket No. 99-NM-27-AD; Amdt. 39-11389; AD 99-22-11) - requires installation of modified roller sub-assemblies in both the main landing gear (MLG) door lock and the MLG uplock. 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 failure of the roller sub-assemblies, which could result in failure of the MLG to retract and lock after takeoff, or to deploy properly for landing.
THE TIMKEN COMPANY won FAA Parts Manufacturer Approval (FAA-PMA) for its line of aircraft landing wheel bearings. The company, based in Canton, Ohio, said the approval means Timken bearings can be sold through the distribution channel to replace bearings in aircraft landing wheel applications. FAA initially approved 40 parts in September and another 134 parts last month.
Fairchild Aerospace, which has positioned itself as a major player in the regional airliner business with simultaneous development of multiple aircraft models, took a major step into one of the world's largest potential markets last week with the first delivery of a 328JET to Hainan Airlines of China. That aircraft is one of 19 firm orders for 328JETs by the Chinese carrier, which holds options for 20 more. The potential value of the contract if all options are exercised is estimated at $464 million by Fairchild.
Federal Aviation Administration's plans for a formal committee to review fractional ownership began to take shape last week as the agency formally notified a number of potential participants, and officials said they hoped to have the schedule and committee membership finalized by early this week.
Model SA-360C, SA-365C, C1, C2, SA-365N, N1, AS-365N2, and SA-366G1 helicopters (Docket No. 98-SW-26-AD; Amdt. 39-11359;AD 99-21-14) - requires inspecting and, if necessary, replacing certain circuit breakers. This amendment is prompted by the manufacturer discovering the loss of electrical continuity between the terminals of a circuit breaker. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent loss of electrical power, loss of instrumentation, and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter. FAA estimates that 136 helicopters on the U.S.
PAUL MCBRIDE was appointed manager of product support for Textron Lycoming. McBride, who has served with Lycoming for 35 years, will be responsible for worldwide product and technical support in addition to continuing to conduct technical symposiums as well as FAA IA renewal seminars.
Revenues for the first quarter of Mercury Air Group's fiscal year jumped 41.8 percent, but growth in net income failed to keep pace, the company said last week.
RAY HAUCK, president of Pemco Aeroplex, named Col. Jerry M. Cryer (Ret.) vice president and general manager of its Pemco World Air Services unit, effective Nov. 15. Cryer has more than 26 years of experience in maintenance and overhaul with the Air Force and through his association with Lockheed Martin Aviation Center. Cryer will oversee Pemco World Air Services' airframe programs, including maintenance and modification services. Pemco is part of Precision Standard, which is based in Denver with facilities in Alabama, California and Florida.
FLIGHTSAFETY INTERNATIONAL said FAA issued Level D certification for the company's newest Gulfstream IV simulator at FSI's Savannah, Ga. learning center.
