Rockwell Collins plans to expand its service business through the acquisition of avionics parts supplier Intertrade Limited. Collins said the acquisition of the privately held company will "broaden our service capabilities... creating a new resource for our customers." Intertrade, based in Collins's hometown of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, specializes in the purchase, lease, exchange and sale of used aircraft equipment. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Collins expects to close on the deal in September.
BELL Model 206L, 206L-1, 206L-3, and 206L-4 helicopters (Docket No. 99-SW-23-AD; Amdt. 39-11207; AD 99-13-12) - supersedes an existing priority letter AD that currently requires visual inspections and checks at specified intervals, and a fluorescent-penetrant inspection for any cracks in the tailboom skins around the horizontal stabilizer openings. Inserting a copy of the priority letter AD into the Rotorcraft Flight Manual also is required. This amendment revises the inspection procedures and specified time intervals mandated by the priority letter AD.
Cessna Aircraft won an order for 19 of its Model 172 Skyhawks from Daniel Webster College of Nashua, N.H. Delivery of the first seven aircraft is scheduled next month, with the remaining 12 to be shipped to the school in the fall of 2000. Cessna said the Skyhawks will replace the school's fleet of Model 152s.
Eurocontrol will hold a meeting next week in Brussels, Belgium to discuss problems encountered in retrofitting aircraft with new radios that meet 8.33 kHz spacing requirements that go into effect later this month.
ALLIEDSIGNAL (formerly Textron Lycoming) Model ALF502R-5 and ALF502R-3A turbofan engines (Docket No. 98-ANE-42-AD; Amdt. 39-11225; AD 99-15-06) - requires incorporation of an improved fan core inlet anti-ice system. Reports of uncommanded reduction of engine thrust (rollback) and loss of thrust control in icing conditions prompted this amendment. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent ice accretion on the fan core inlet stator vane surfaces, which can result in engine rollback and loss of thrust control in icing conditions.
Federal Aviation Administration proposed to require the removal of more than 5,100 Overland Aviation Services fire extinguishing system bottle cartridges distributed between April 1, 1996 and Sept. 15, 1997. FAA said several incidents were reported in which those cartridges "activated with excessive energetic force" and in one case the discharge valve outlet screen fractured and the screen material went through the distribution manifold.
TEXTRON LYCOMING appointed Cutter Aviation of San Antonio, Texas as a full-line distributor of engines and products. With the designation Cutter has worldwide authority to provide sales, service and warranty administration for Lycoming engines and parts. In addition to San Antonio and Phoenix, Ariz., Cutter has branches in Austin and El Paso, Texas and Auburquerque, N.M.
In July, Embraer became the world's fourth largest commercial manufacturer of jet aircraft after Boeing, Airbus and Canada's Bombardier when its order book reached $18 billion. The good news for the Brazilian manufacturer was the successful introduction of the 50-passenger ERJ-145, which broke archrival Bombardier's lock on the world's regional jet market.
The National Conference on Weights&Measures (NACWM) late last month agreed to exempt aviation fuel trucks from a requirement to install ticket printers (BA, July 26/37). The ticket printer requirement went into effect July 1 for all fuel trucks, but the National Air Transportation Association secured agreements from each state to delay enforcement for aviation fuel trucks until NACWM considered the issue.
Edward W. Stimpson, who has spent nearly all of his career in Washington, D.C. and most of that time heading the General Aviation Manufacturers Association, is looking forward to new duties in a new location next month when he takes over as the U.S. representative at the headquarters of the International Civil Aviation Organization.
JACK STRITE was appointed vice president of marketing sales and new business development for Textron Lycoming. Strite formerly was vice president of strategic planning and new business development for the company. In his new position, he will be responsible for current and future sales targets as well as ensuring that the company's product line meets its customer needs.
Britain plans to sell 51 percent of its air traffic control system in a bid to secure outside management and an investment of one billion pounds ($1.6 billion) over 10 years. Under the proposal, employees of National Air Traffic Services (NATS) will be given the opportunity to buy five percent of the new company's stock and the government will retain 49 percent of the shares, Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott said. The sale could take as long as two years to complete.
Aviation services specialist AccuFleet International promoted William Schoeffield to president. Schoeffield, who served as chief operating officer and general manager, succeeds James Davis, AccuFleet chairman, who will head up the newly formed AccuFleet Technical Services. Shoeffield, who spent 20 years with Federal Express, will oversee the day-to-day operations of the company.
BOMBARDIER received an order from Innsbruck, Austria carrier Tyrolean Airways for two CRJ200 series regional aircraft. The contract, valued at $47 million (U.S.), convert existing options. The order will boost Tyrolean's fleet of CRJ200 aircraft to 12. Bombardier's orderbook for its 50- and 70-passenger Canadair Regional Jet aircraft has reached 1,069 orders and options.
BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON acquired Edwards&Associates, Inc., a company that manufactures, sells and assembles helicopter customization kits and accessories and sells used Bell helicopters. Based in Bristol, Tenn., Edwards had sales of $47 million in 1998. The Tennessee firm has worked closely with Bell for more than 20 years. Bringing the manufacture and sale of customization kits and accessories in-house allows Bell to offer these products and services directly to its customers, a Bell official said.
MIKE WOLF was named vice president of quality assurance, materials and customer service at Textron Lycoming. Wolf most recently was vice president of sales, marketing and logistics for Lycoming. Wolf will oversee Lycoming's compliance with FAA quality requirements and ensure quality with the company's supplier base. In addition, he will oversee materials and customer service.
CESSNA AIRCRAFT began production line work on the Citation CJ2 aircraft, S/N003, at the company's Mid-Continent Airport facility in Wichita. A Citation CJ2 prototype began flying in April and two additional aircraft are scheduled to fly before the end of the year. Certification is anticipated in the second quarter of 2000.
SAAB Model SF340A and SAAB 340B series airplanes (Docket No. 98-NM-220-AD) - revises an earlier proposal that would have required repetitive inspections for cracking around certain fastener holes and adjacent areas of the front spar of the horizontal stabilizers; and corrective actions, if necessary.
ASKED whether FAA plans to reexamine its policy permitting low-time pilots to fly at night under visual flight rules, Margaret Gilligan, FAA deputy associate administrator for regulation and certification, last week told the House aviation subcommittee that the agency is "always looking at whether standards are appropriate and whether we should change those standards."Gilligan said the agency likely would look at VFR night flying. The issue of low-time-pilot night flight was raised after the July 16 crash of John F. Kennedy Jr.'s Piper Saratoga (BA, July 26/37).
NATIONAL BUSINESS AVIATION ASSOCIATION continues to draw record numbers to its Annual Meeting and Convention, and its next show, Oct. 12-14 in Atlanta, is no exception. The association opened an additional hall to accommodate exhibitor demand. It has sold 4,158 booth spaces so far, topping 1998's record of 3,927 spaces. Association officials say they still have space to sell.
Elvie L. Smith, who spent 37 years with Pratt&Whitney Canada including 14 years in top management, died of cancer Aug. 4. Smith, 73, was a major figure in Canada's aerospace industry for many years. He joined the Montreal-based engine manufacturer in 1957 and "was a key member of the initial team assembled by the company to begin gas turbine design and development," the company said in a statement Friday. Smith was appointed president and chief executive officer in 1980 and chairman and CEO in 1984. He retired in 1987, but remained chairman until 1994.
BFGOODRICH AVIONICS said its Skywatch Traffic Advisory System can interface with Eventide's ARGUS 5000 and 7000 series moving map displays. The ARGUS maps provide flight planning and also can interface with BFGoodrich WX-500 Stormscope, GPS, Loran C, VLF/Omega, Inertial or Nav Management Systems. The maps currently will interface with either Skywatch or Stormscope, but not both. Skywatch is a traffic advisory system that acts as an air-to-air or ground-to-air interrogation device.
PILATUS Models PC-12 and PC-12/45 airplanes (Docket No. 98-CE-119-AD) - proposes to require inspecting all flap actuators in the internal gear system to assure that correct end-play and backlash measurements exist, and accomplishing any corrective adjustments as necessary.
DeCrane Aircraft Holdings, Inc., continuing to grow its business jet cabin interior products business, added a long-time Gulfstream vendor with the acquisition of Custom Woodwork&Plastics, Inc. (CWP). Located in a 28,000-square-foot factory in Savannah, Ga. - where Gulfstream Aerospace is headquartered - CWP is a veteran manufacturer of interior furniture components for corporate aircraft.
