S-TECH CORPORATION, Mineral Wells, Texas, was selected to supply the autopilot for the VisionAire Vantage single-engine business jet. The autopilot will integrate with Meggitt displays and Garmin avionics in the cockpit.
A MODEL 35A LEARJET crashed in Europe last week while the crew was attempting to land in bad weather, resulting in the death of both pilots and the passenger. The Oct. 24 accident happened at about 10:30 a.m. while the crew was making a second approach to the Genoa, Italy airport in heavy rain and gusty winds. Officials said the aircraft crashed into the Mediterranean Ocean. The aircraft, I-AVJG, was owned by Avioriprse S.R.I, and was on a charter flight from Naples.
AIRCRAFT OWNERS AND PILOTS ASSOCIATION'S Expo '99 Oct. 21-23 in Atlantic City, N.J. drew a record 9,749 registrants and 463 exhibitors, AOPA said. The three-day event hosted 60 static display aircraft and more than 90 seminars. AOPA President Phil Boyer said those numbers are especially impressive given that "unlike a business trade show, pilots are taking vacation time and spending their own money to come to EXPO." AOPA said, however, that a number of members "were appalled at the deteriorated condition of once-proud Bader Field, site of the Expo static display.
A French consortium agreed last week to take a 20 percent stake in Brazilian manufacturer Embraer for $209 million and, as part of the agreement, will have two seats on the 13-member Embraer board. Control will remain with Embraer's Brazilian partners, Banco Bozano, Simonson and two pension funds, Previ (Banco de Brasil) and Sistel (Telebras). The French group comprises Aerospatiale-Matra, Dassault Aviation, Thomson-CFS and Snecma.
SOLOY CORPORATION named David Stauffer, a 22-year company veteran, as president. Joe Soloy will remain active with the company as chairman and focus on certification efforts for the Soloy Dual Pac. During his tenure with the company, Stauffer has held several management positions, including shop foreman, plant manager, product/project manager, engineering manager and, most recently, vice president.
FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION plans to turn its attention to a rewrite of Part 135 regulations once it finishes work on the fractional ownership and air tour issues, according to an FAA official.National Air Transportation Association, which represents on-demand Part 135 operators, says the Part 135 industry has changed dramatically since the rules were first written and plans to closely monitor the expected regulatory rewrite.
Model DHC-8-102, -103, -106, -201, -202, -301, -311, and -315 series airplanes (Docket No. 99-NM-32-AD; Amdt. 39-11382; AD 99-22-04) - requires modification of the wiring of the emergency lighting system. 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 the pilots from having full authority over the cabin emergency lights, which could result in delayed egress of the passengers and crew from the cabin during emergency evacuation.
CONFEREES hope to meet this week to continue their work on the reauthorization package. Some members have begun to fear that if conferees do not reach agreement before Congress recesses - likely this week or next - then a reauthorization package may not be considered until the next Congress, some 15 months away. The Airport Improvement Program, meanwhile, remains lapsed.
AEROSPACE INDUSTRY CONSOLIDATION continued last week as Rolls-Royce plc announced it was buying BMW's share of German engine manufacturer BMW Rolls-Royce, and a group of French aerospace manufacturers said they will take a stake in Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer. See articles below.
Industry leaders and FAA officials are drafting plans to improve safety in six key areas toward a goal of reducing the expected number of general aviation accidents by 20 percent through 2007. This goal, called a "safety metric," last week was formally unveiled during a conference on FAA's Safer Skies initiative after months of collaboration between industry and the agency (BA, Sept. 27/143).
Model 400A Airplanes (Docket No. 98-NM-280-AD; Amdt. 39-11351; AD 99-21-08) - requires replacement of the fuel drain tube assembly in the aft fuselage with a new, modified assembly. This amendment is prompted by a report of chafing of the fuel tube assembly against the elevator control cable due to inadequate clearance between the components. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent chafing of the fuel drain tube assembly, which could result in fuel leakage from the fuel drain tube assembly and consequent risk of a fire.
DASSAULT FALCON JET named Dwight Reimer, long-time director of sales in Canada, to direct its western sales territory, including Southern California, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, Colorado and Nebraska. Reimer will report to Ronald Zielinski, vice president of marketing for the Western U.S.
FRASCA INTERNATIONAL won an order from the U.S. Forest Service in Boise, Idaho for a Model 242T King Air flight training device. The FTD will include a three-channel FVS-200T visual system, GPS, and enclosed instructor cab. Frasca plans to deliver the FTD in early 2000.
Whether federal investigators will ever be able to definitively identify a specific component, system or structural failure that led to the Oct. 25 incapacitation and death of the pilots and passengers aboard a chartered Model 35 Learjet seemed remote last week, given the almost total destruction of the airframe due to impact forces at the end of a high-speed dive from cruising altitude.
Model SD3-60 SHERPA, SD3-SHERPA, and SD3-30 series airplanes (Docket No. 99-NM-223-AD) - proposes to require replacement of existing oxygen system "O" rings with improved wear-resistant "O" rings. This proposal is prompted by issuance of mandatory continuing airworthiness information by a foreign civil airworthiness authority.
NEWCOURT FINANCIAL said its portfolio of leases and loans for Executive Jet's NetJets finance program have approached $100 million. The financing program began in June 1995 through AT&T Capital, which Newcourt acquired in 1998. The program includes a range of lease and loan products, Newcourt said.
GEORGE TORRES joined Hughes Space and Communications Company as director of communications. Torres will direct public relations and internal communications activities and oversee a team of 100 that provides photography, audio, video, writing, art, graphic and Web site services. Torres previously directed communications for Boeing Space and Communications Group. He has more than 20 years of aerospace communications experience.
RAY CRIST was promoted to distributor sales manager for Textron Lycoming. Crist will oversee aftermarket sales as well as manage day-to-day operations of the company's six domestic regional sales managers. He has served with Lycoming for 10 years and before that, was a test pilot with Piper Aircraft.
Model 205A-1 and 205B helicopters (Docket No. 98-SW-72-AD; Amendment 39-11268; AD 99-18-02) - requires inspecting the vertical fin spar cap for cracking, corrosion, or disbonding; modifying the vertical fin; and replacing the left-hand spar cap. This amendment is prompted by five accidents involving helicopters of similar type design. The actions specified by this AD are intended to detect fatigue cracking or corrosion on the spar cap, which could lead to failure of the vertical fin spar, loss of the tail rotor, and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.
Top officials of Gulfstream Aerospace and its parent company General Dynamics are intent on maintaining a position of strength at the upper end of the business jet market, but their short-term strategy to achieve that seems to be focused more on improving existing aircraft models than developing all-new designs.
GENERAL AVIATION MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION continues an outreach effort to build lines of communication with members of the general news media. The program was launched a year ago when GAMA's Public Affairs Committee (PAC) invited reporters who cover aviation for major newspapers to a media roundtable with PAC members.
JAY HABERLAND was appointed vice president-finance and chief financial officer for Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. Haberland had served as vice president-controller for Sikorsky parent United Technologies Corp. since July 1996. He joined the company in 1994 as director-internal auditing.
DENNIS RACINE was appointed marketing manager for Textron Lycoming. Racine formerly was a marketing manager for an AlliedSignal manufacturing unit. In his new position, Racine will follow market trends and competitive activities, develop parts forecasts and direct advertising activities. He also will perform sales, marketing and pricing analyses.
ELLIOTT AVIATION won certification for installation of AlliedSignal's Mark VII Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning Systems in the Beechjet 400 and the Mark V version in the Beechjet 400A. Elliot also has STCs for AlliedSignal EGPWS units in King Air 90, 200 and 300 series aircraft.
