AIR SERCURITY INTERNATIONAL enhanced its World Watch On-Line, enabling clients to personalize the service to reflect the individual company's security strategies. In addition, Air Security said World Watch now operates 40 percent faster than the original version. World Watch allows customization by integrating logos, internal travel restrictions, emergency contact and medical information, residential policies, transportation requirements and hotel preferences.
ROBINSON Model R44 helicopters (Docket No. 99-SW-12-AD) - proposes to supersede an existing AD that requires removing and replacing the pilot's cyclic control grip assembly with an airworthy grip assembly. This action would require the same actions as the current AD but would change a part number referenced in the current AD. This proposal is prompted by the discovery of an error in the part number of the current AD.
AIR WISCONSIN AIRLINES CORP. (AWAC) will add six Fairchild Dornier 328 turboprops to its fleet under an agreement with Fairchild Aerospace. The six turborops, which will boost the carrier's fleet to 16 328s, will be operated for United Express by AWAC.
Cessna Aircraft has notified customers for its Encore business jet that certification and initial delivery schedules will slip by about six months because of a number of design changes the company is making.
Used retail jet and turboprop deliveries inside and outside North America for July 1999 (see related graphs on Pages 81 and 82 of the hard copy of this issue.) Used Retail Deliveries JULY '96 JULY '97 JULY '98 JULY '99 L M H L M H L M H L M H Jet North 57 27 20 43 26 17 48 37 20 72 37 31 America
Stan Mackiewicz, president of the Professional Aviation Maintenance Association since 1995, will leave that position Aug. 30 to develop a new ab initio aviation maintenance technician training program at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Mackiewicz will assist PAMA during the transition to new leadership and will remain involved through his new role at Embry-Riddle, PAMA said. The PAMA board has formed a search committee to seek a new chief operating officer to head the association. Mackiewicz is expected to be involved in the search process.
SABRELINER received reduced vertical separation minimum certification from FAA for the Sabreliner Model 65 business jet. Sabreliner completed systems and cockpit modifications and conducted test flights to verify the Collins altitude correction model. Sabreliner is completing its third RVSM installation and expects to have four RVSM-capable aircraft by October. For more information, contact Dave Nolan, Sabreliner program manager, at (314) 863-6880.
United Technologies' companies Pratt&Whitney and Sikorsky plan to move a significant portion of their operations from West Palm Beach, Fla. and further consolidate in Connecticut as part of the overall streamlining effort throughout UT units. The announcements last week stem from a UT statement earlier this year that its five major businesses would restructure. The parent company distributed $650 million from the proceeds of the sale of UT Automotive Division among its operating units to assist in the restructuring effort.
GARMIN INTERNATIONAL has developed a color handheld GPS unit that can be used in the cockpit or the car. The GPSMAP 295 combines features of Garmin's GPSMAP 195 for aircraft and the StreetPilot GPS ColorMap for cars. The GPSMAP 295 includes a built-in Jeppesen database with worldwide airports, VORs, intersections, runway data, and airport, Flight Service Station and ARTCC frequencies. It also has a detailed basemap with state/country boundaries, lakes, rivers, railroads, cities, coastlines, highways and local thoroughfares.
W. BARRY SMITH joined DDH Aviation as a partner, according to Robert Holly, president of DDH, a full-service business jet marketing company based at Alliance Airport in Ft. Worth, Texas. The company provides a range of brokerage, acquisition, inventorying, leasing, financing and management services. Smith, a long-time resident of the Dallas area, has more than 30 years experience in the business jet industry.
ED DRISCOLL will retire as president and chief executive of the National Air Carriers Association, effective Dec. 31. Driscoll has headed NACA for more than 32 years. He formerly served as general counsel of IATA, deputy assistant secretary of the Air Force, executive director of the Civil Aeronautics Board and vice president of World Airways.
GKN HELICOPTERS, LTD., Yeovil, England, selected Cox&Company of New York to develop and produce an icing protection system for the engine bay cooling scoops on the EH101 helicopter. Cox is responsible for complete development of the engine bay cooling protection system to prevent ice formation on three air intake scoops mounted on the engine bays. The system will be tested in the LeClerc Icing Research Laboratory prior to icing trials on the aircraft this winter. Cox&Company, based in Manhattan, has been in business for more than 50 years.
THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT'S landlord is seeking a new home for the agency. The U.S. General Services Administration, which manages government buildings, issued a draft solicitation last week for "a new consolidated headquarters facility" for DOT. The solicitation is the result of a "three-year collaborative effort by DOT, GSA, the Executive Branch and Congress," GSA said. The agency is looking for bids to build 1.35 million square feet of office space in Washington, D.C. DOT's headquarters operations are presently housed in buildings at 400 7th St. S.W.
CAMP SYSTEMS INTERNATIONAL named Hector Ortega national sales director. Based at corporate headquarters in Ronkonkoma, N.Y., Ortega will oversee regional sales representatives in six new field offices in the New York metropolitan area, Wichita, Los Angeles, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Miami and Cleveland. Ortega joined CAMP after 11 years with the Overseas Military Sales Corp., Woodbury, N.Y., where he was Atlantic regional manager. CAMP also announced appointment of Hans Freriks as regional sales representative for the Northeast.
EUROCOPTER Model SA-365N, SA-365N1, and AS-365N2 helicopters (Docket No. 98-SW-60-AD) - proposes to require replacing certain defective electrical modules with airworthy electrical modules. The actions specified by the proposed AD are intended to prevent loss of electrical continuity, which could cause loss of critical rotorcraft electrical systems and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter. FAA estimates that the AD will cover 41 helicopters on the U.S. Registry at a cost of $738,000. Comments must be sent in triplicate before Oct.
NEW PIPER AIRCRAFT delivered the first of 19 aircraft on order to Westwind Aviation Academy. Westwind, based in Deer Valley, Ariz., ordered 15 Archer IIIs, two Arrows and two Seminoles. Piper last week shipped the first Archer III. Deliveries of the remaining aircraft are slated to be completed by January. The Piper aircraft will replace Westwind's fleet of Cessna 172s and 172RGs in its ab initio training program.
FINDING PILOTS has not been a problem yet for RTA, but it is a long-term concern, officials said, as they anticipate a pilot work force of 800 by 2004. The company is discussing agreements with various schools and universities to provide guaranteed jobs for qualified candidates. RTA also is considering hiring former airline pilots forced from the cockpit because of the Age 60 mandatory retirement rule for Part 121 pilots.
Wayfarer Aviation, one of the fastest growing business jet management and charter operators in the country, is being acquired by TAG Aviation USA, the U.S. aviation arm of the TAG Group, to form what officials say will be the largest aircraft management and charter company in the world.
RAYTHEON Model Beech 1900D airplanes equipped with the electric elevator trim option (Docket No. 98-CE-123-AD; Amdt. 39-11247; AD 99-16-12) - requires installing electric elevator trim servo covers. This AD stems from reports of the affected airplanes leaving the factory without electric elevator trim servo covers installed. If the covers are not installed, moisture could freeze on parts of the electric actuator.
MCDONNELL DOUGLAS Model MD-900 helicopters (Docket No. 98-SW-42-AD; Amdt. 39-11248; AD 99-16-13) - supersedes an existing AD that requires applying specified serial numbers and establishing life limits for certain parts. This amendment is prompted by additional analysis that supports an increase in the life limit of certain parts. The actions specified by this AD are intended to increase the life limits for various parts. FAA estimates that 27 helicopters on the U.S. Registry will be covered by the AD at a cost of $4,050.
Federal Aviation Administration, acknowledging a lack of industry consensus on new flight and duty regulations, plans to move forward without an industry recommendation and hopes to complete its proposal internally by yearend, Margaret Gilligan, deputy associate administrator for regulation and certification told Congress last week. Gilligan, testifying before the House aviation subcommittee, said FAA's effort to update flight and duty time rules "has taken too long" especially since the agency believes such revisions could improve safety.
SIKORSKY Model CH-54B helicopters (Docket No. 97-SW-59-AD; Amdt. 39-11235; AD 99-15-14) - requires initial and recurring inspections and rework or replacement, if necessary, of the second stage lower planetary plate. This amendment is prompted by two reports of cracked plates that have been found during overhaul and inspections. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent failure of the main gearbox plate due to fatigue cracking, which could lead to failure of the main gearbox and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.
GUILLERMO BERNARDINI was appointed regional sales manager for Central and South America for Textron Lycoming. Bernardini has nearly 20 years of experience in general aviation sales and service. With Lycoming, he will act as liaison with distributors, fixed-base operators, universities, overhaul shops and other piston aircraft businesses.
SAAB Model SAAB 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 flightcrew with misleading information as to the proper functioning of the de-icing boots.
STEFAN C. RIESENFELD, 51, was named executive vice president and chief financial officer of Allegheny Teledyne's Aerospace and Electronics segment. Riesenfeld was chief financial officer of ICL, plc, a global information systems and service company in London, England before he joined Allegheny Teledyne.
