THREE FORMER EMPLOYEES of SabreTech pleaded innocent this month in Miami to federal charges filed in connection with the crash of a ValuJet DC-9-30 in 1996 that killed 110. The three were charged with conspiracy and making false statements that led to the crash shortly after the aircraft took off from Miami (BA, July 19/25).
NEW PIPER Model PA-46-350P airplanes (Docket No. 99-CE-01-AD; Amdt. 39-11241; AD 99-16-06) - requires installing reinforcement plates to the wing forward and aft attach fittings. This AD is the result of a report that sheet steel material that is below design strength standards may have been used on the wing attach fittings on the Model PA-46-350P airplanes manufactured since January 1995.
Raytheon Travel Air (RTA), the industry's third largest fractional aircraft provider, has grown to 46 aircraft, 300 shareholders and 220 pilots just two years since the program began, and officials said last week they expect to have 1,000 owners and more than 180 aircraft flying by 2004.
DE HAVILLAND Models DHC-2 Mk. I, DHC-2 Mk. II, and DHC-2 Mk. III airplanes (Docket No. 99-CE-05-AD; Amdt. 39-11226; AD 99-15-07) - requires repetitively inspecting the rear fuselage bulkhead at Station 228 for cracks. This AD also requires repairing any crack found or replacing any cracked rear fuselage bulkhead in accordance with a repair or replacement scheme obtained from the manufacturer through FAA. This AD is the result of mandatory continuing airworthiness information issued by the airworthiness authority for Canada.
National Transportation Safety Board, concerned about "serious problems" with maintenance oversight, scheduled an aviation maintenance forum this month in Chicago to discuss FAA and airline oversight of contract repair stations. The one-day meeting, to be led by NTSB Vice Chairman Robert Francis, will discuss airline outsourcing of maintenance to contract maintenance facilities. "Past Safety Board investigations have uncovered serious problems with the oversight of contract maintenance," Francis said. "We want to use this meeting to assess the present situation.
FLIGHTSAFETY INTERNATIONAL is offering a Principles of Troubleshooting course for aircraft maintenance technicians over the Internet. The course will use the same material used by FlightSafety's learning centers and will include audio and interactive learning. FlightSafety said it is converting other maintenance courses for Internet use. For more information, visit FlightSafety's website at www.flightsafetyonline.com or call (800) 291-0679.
INTERNATIONAL AIRLINE SUPPORT GROUP signed a consignment agreement with Comair to market and sell the Cincinnati-based airline's surplus parts for the Embraer EMB-120 Brasilia turboprop.
AIRWOLF OIL FILTER CORPORATION won exclusive supplier agreements with Aviat and American Champion for its oil filter systems. The systems are firewall mounted, which Airwolf said keeps the oil up to 25 degrees Fahrenheit cooler than crankcase-mounted filters.
PUEBLO AIRMOTIVE INC., a turbine-engine repair and overhaul station based in Tucson, Ariz., received ISO 9000 certification. Pueblo, which specializes in helicopter engine maintenance, said it received certification in less than six months.
WOODLAND AVIATION added a new King Air C90B to its charter fleet. The business turboprop is one of five King Airs Woodland operates for charter. Wooldland has been an authorized Raytheon/Beechcraft dealer since 1963.
KEITH MARTINICH was appointed vice president of sales and marketing for Aviation General, Inc. Martinich will direct sales in the Northeast for Commander Aircraft Company and provide brokerage and acquisition services for Strategic Jet Services, Aviation General's business jet sales company. Martinich, who will be based in Annapolis, Md., formerly held posts with American Beechcraft and Avpro.
Kansas City voters this month authorized the city to begin lease negotiations for a truck-train freight hub project at Richards-Gebaur Memorial Airport, but the exact nature of the project is still undecided. Kansas City's acting director of aviation, Phil Brown, met with FAA officials in Washington last week to discuss possible scenarios for the project. The city "needs the concurrence of the FAA on a number of issues," particularly on the project's business aspects, before it can move forward, according to Kansas City Airports System spokesman Tom McKenna.
ROBERT WEINER was appointed vice president-engine services for Pratt&Whitney. Weiner previously was vice president-commercial overhaul and repair for P&W. In his new position, he will be responsible for military and commercial Engine Services businesses. Before joining P&W in 1994, Weiner was plant manager for Phelps Dodge's conductors facility in Inman, S.C. He also was with SKF/MRC and General Electric.
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash of a Beech King Air 65 A-90 turboprop on July 31 that claimed the lives of all 10 people aboard.
FAA'S PROPOSAL to require extensive exhaust system inspections and possible replacements on 6,500 Cessna 300 and 400 series aircraft could cost upwards of $100 million. The agency estimated the cost of compliance of initial inspections at about $28.2 million for the fleet, but did not attempt to put a tab on the cost for repetitive inspections or repairs (BA, July 5/2).
CIRRUS DESIGN delivered its first SR20 single-engine aircraft last month to Walt Conley of Plymouth, Minn., one of 324 aircraft on order, according to the Duluth, Minn. manufacturer. Cirrus President Alan Klapmeier said he expects the first 100 SR20s will be delivered within the next 12 months. The company was forced to delay initial deliveries following the fatal crash of the first production model in March (BA, March 29/147).
JOHN FOX was promoted to assistant manager of FlightSafety International's San Antonio, Texas, learning center. Fox previously served as an FAA flight instructor and training center evaluator for the San Antonio facility. He retired from the U.S. Air Force after 25 years with the rank of lieutenant colonel.
AVLINK, based in College Station, Texas, teamed with Jet Associates at Love Field in Dallas to develop a fractional aircraft owners network. AvLink, which serves customers in Austin, Houston and Dallas, will manage and provide dispatch services for aircraft. Jet Associates, which leases and sells jet and turboprop aircraft throughout the Southwest, will oversee expansion and marketing. AvLink/Jet Associates plan to offer fractional ownership for an initial membership fee with monthly contributions based on average flying requirements.
ALLIEDSIGNAL TFE731 turbofan engines (Docket No. 99-NE-10-AD) - proposes to require replacing the high-pressure compressor (HPC) impeller with a serviceable impeller that has been eddy-current inspected. This proposal is prompted by an incident of an uncontained impeller failure due to cracking in the seal relief area of the HPC impeller. The actions specified by the proposed AD are intended to prevent fatigue cracking of the HPC impeller, which could result in an uncontained failure of the impeller, an in-flight engine shutdown, and damage to the airplane.
City of Burbank and the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority hammered out a tentative solution to their long and bitter dispute on airport noise and development. The parties said this month their "framework settlement" allows the airport to acquire property for a new terminal, restricts future development and adopts noise controls that go beyond national minimum standards, including an eventual ban on "Stage 3 retrofit aircraft," or those that meet Stage 3 noise requirements via hushkits or re-engining.
BOMBARDIER Model CL-215-1A10 and CL-215-6B11 series (Docket No. 98-NM-370-AD; Amdt. 39-11239; AD 99-16-04) - supersedes an existing AD that currently requires repetitive inspections to detect cracking on certain wing-to-fuselage frame-angles and repair, if necessary. This amendment would continue to require the same inspections. This amendment is prompted by an adverse comment received in response to the existing amendment.
SAAB Model SF-340 series airplanes (Docket No. 99-NM-131-AD) - proposes to require operators to replace the existing pneumatic de-icing boot pressure indicator switch with a newly designed switch. This proposal is prompted by an occurrence on a similar model airplane in which the pneumatic de-icing boot indication light may have provided the flight crew with misleading information as to the proper functioning of the de-icing boots.
FAIRCHILD AEROSPACE CORP. appointed Mark T. Provost director of support engineering. He will coordinate all phases of engineering support for Fairchild and Dornier aircraft operators. Provost will be based at corporate headquarters in San Antonio and report to Dan Kirkpatrick, vice president-technical support. He previously held engineering posts with PEMCO World Air Services, Raytheon Company, Sino-Swearingen Aircraft Co., and Dee Howard Co.
SAAB Model 2000 series airplanes (Docket No. 98-NM-350-AD; Amdt. 39-11232; AD 99-15-12) - requires repetitive detailed inspections for looseness or gapping of the press fit bushing installation of the actuator fittings of the aileron trim tabs, and eventual replacement of the bushings with new, staked bushings. Accomplishment of such replacement terminates the repetitive inspections. This action also provides for an optional temporary preventive action, which would terminate the repetitive inspections until the terminating action is accomplished.
JAMES QUINN was named vice president-sales and marketing for Aviall. Quinn, who joined Aviall in 1994 as director-distribution services marketing, most recently served as vice president-marketing and supplier services. Before joining Aviall, he was director-distribution marketing for Champion Aviation Products.
