The Federal Aviation Administration will delegate its international safety oversight strategy "in the near term," looking to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to take the lead in performing on-site safety visits. "ICAO will be the standard setter and standard monitor," said Nick Lacey, FAA director of flight standards. In the process, FAA will replace Category 3 safety standards with two straightforward designations - Cat 1 for countries that comply with FAA and ICAO standards and Cat 2 for those that do not.
Federal Aviation Administration last week called for repetitive operational tests of the flap asymmetry detection system on nearly 160 Dassault Falcon 900, 900EX and 2000 business jets. The notice of proposed rulemaking, which was published in the May 3 Federal Register and follows a service bulletin Dassault already issued to operators, also would require repetitive replacement of the inboard flap jackscrews and repetitive measurement of the screw/nut play for discrepancies.
REP. JAMES HANSEN (R-Utah) is still upset with the National Park Service's plan to establish an aircraft noise limit of 8 dB below ambient sound over most of the Grand Canyon National Park and has rescheduled a previously postponed hearing to address the issue (BA, March 22/132). The chairman of the House subcommittee on National Parks and Public Lands has invited the Park Service to explain its actions in a May 25 hearing before his subcommittee. That hearing also will include testimony by the United States Air Tour Association, which opposes the new limits.
DERLAN, INC., Santa Ana, Calif., shipped the first external fuel tanks to Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH of Donauworth, Germany for installation on Sikorsky CH-53 Sea Stallion helicopters operated by the German military. The filament-wound, composite tanks are part of a contract for 21 shipsets (42 tanks).
FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION commissioned a new instrument landing system for Runway 13 at Reading Regional Airport. The new ILS approach, the second ILS to be commissioned at Reading, offers pilots the option of an instrument approach to the airport's longest runway, which is 6,350 feet in length.
SALT LAKE CITY Department of Airports is seeking bids until May 20 for lease of the executive terminal building on the east side of Salt Lake City International Airport. The two-level building includes 24,000 square feet of office space and 4,800 square feet of common areas. Submit statements to Russell Pack, Salt Lake City Department of Airports, AMF Box 22084, Salt Lake City, Utah 84122. For more information, call (801) 575-2915.
THE BOEING COMPANY, which has taken a number of recent steps aimed at getting its financial house in order, named a Lockheed Martin executive to a senior financial post. Walter E. Skowronski, 50, was named vice president of finance and treasurer, "a newly expanded position" reporting to Debby Hopkins, Boeing's new chief financial officer. Skowronski had been vice president and treasurer at Lockheed Martin in Bethesda, Md. "Walt's industry expertise will add great momentum to our efforts in building a world-class treasury organization," said Hopkins.
BELL Model 230 helicopters (Docket No. 98-SW-48-AD; Amdt. 39-11137; AD 99-09-05) - requires initial and repetitive visual inspections and verification of the torque of the bolts on the main rotor hub. This amendment is prompted by a report of fatigue cracks around the bolt holes of the main rotor pitch horn and a cracked main rotor flapping bearing assembly on a similar model helicopter.
M. ANTHONY STONE was appointed global sales and marketing manager for PPG Industries. Stone, who previously was an account manager for PPG, will be responsible for worldwide aftermarket sales of windshields and windows and manage the direct sales and distribution team.
RAYTHEON Models A36, B36TC, 58, 58A, C90A, B200, B300, and 1900D airplanes (Docket No. 99-CE-11-AD; Amdt. 39-11148; AD 99-09-15) - requires inspecting for interference or inadequate clearance between the flight control mechanism and any component located forward of the instrument panel. If interference or inadequate clearance is found, this AD requires securing all components so that they are clear of the flight control mechanism.
SUNDSTRAND CORP. scheduled a special stockholders meeting June 10 for the purpose of approving the merger with Hamilton Standard, a United Technologies Co. The meeting will begin at 8 a.m. at the St. Regis Hotel in New York.
FLIGHT SAFETY FOUNDATION elected Francis W. Daly, president and chief executive officer of AlliedSignal Aerospace Avionics and Lighting business unit, and Carl Sigel, executive vice president, operations for Lufthansa, to its board of governors.
AOPA AIR SAFETY FOUNDATION is offering a free safety seminar in coordination with FAA air traffic controllers on operations at towered airports. The seminars will include location-specific presentations as well as face-to-face discussions with local controllers. The seminars will cover communications, runway incursions, standards for runway signs and pavement markings, and arrival and departure procedures. The program is part of the Air Safety Foundation's efforts to coordinate with FAA's Runway Safety Program Office to reduce runway incursions at towered airports.
Raytheon Control-By-Light and Smiths Industries Aerospace are jointly developing an optically powered aircraft fuel quantity indicating system that is expected to improve safety by eliminating all electrical connections between the fuel tank and the avionics and power buses. By replacing traditional twisted-pair copper wiring bundles, Raytheon's all- optical distributed senors systems will not be susceptible to electro- magnetic interference, lightning, arcing or wire chafing and corrosion. Smiths will provide the fuel gauging systems.
FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL won FAA supplemental type certificate approval for its Service Life Extension Program for Learjet 20 and 30 series aircraft. The program, which has a flat rate of $78,000, can eliminate requirements for replacement of all flight control surfaces at the 20,000-hour mark, which could save operators more than $200,000, Flight International officials said.
CARON CASTEEL joined Duncan Aviation as manager of satellite avionics installations. Casteel has 20 years of avionics experience with corporate aircraft, having held management and avionics maintenance positions with Executive Aircraft Corp. in Wichita and Jet Fleet Corp. in Dallas.
Congressional leaders, facing dimmer prospects for quick action on longer term FAA reauthorization legislation, are beginning to contemplate a third short-term extension of the Airport Improvement Program before its authorization expires at the end of the month.
Rep. James Hansen (R-Utah) has rescheduled a hearing on National Park Service restrictions on aircraft noise at the Grand Canyon National Park. Hansen, chairman of the House national parks and public lands subcommittee, originally planned to hold the hearing two months ago, but was forced to postpone the session because of scheduling conflicts with senior NPS personnel (BA, March 22/132). The hearing is now set for 10 a.m. May 25 in Room 1324 of the Longworth House Office Building.
A CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE report on potential cost-cutting and revenue raising measures throughout the government has come under fire from aviation industry leaders. NATA called "frightening" a CBO statement that air traffic control user fees could increase system capacity and efficiency by serving as a disincentive for noncommercial operators to use ATC services. "This is an obvious threat to aviation safety and a strong argument against imposing fees," said President James Coyne.
DEBRA KOCAK joined Mercury Air Group as manager of human resources for the Eastern U.S. region. Kocak will be responsible for recruiting high technology employees for Mercury's RPA Airline Authorization Service unit and for human resources throughout the Eastern region.
All eight people aboard a Raytheon BE-400A Beechjet were injured and the aircraft was heavily damaged during a hard landing at the Raleigh County Memorial Airport (BKW) in Beckley, W. Va. April 17. The corporate flight, operated under Part 91 of the FARs, had departed West Palm Beach, Fla. about 1300 that day and arrived in the Beckley area shortly before 1500 local time, where visual meteorological conditions prevailed. Winds at the time of the accident were from 290 degrees at 15 knots, with gusts to 21 knots.
AVIONS PIERRE ROBIN Model R2160 airplanes (Docket No. 98-CE-80-AD; Amdt. 39-11141; AD 99-09-08) - requires repetitively inspecting the aileron/flap common support bracket for cracks, loose rivets, or separation of the bracket from the skin, and reinforcing the bracket either immediately or within a certain time period, depending on whether discrepancies are found during the inspections. Reinforcing the aileron/flap common support bracket terminates the repetitive inspection requirement.
Triumph Group, Inc. (TGI), the Wayne, Pa. conglomerate that owns a number of aviation component manufacturers, is adding a California firm that makes oversize structural components for aircraft. Triumph said it signed an agreement to purchase Ralee Engineering Co. of City of Industry, Calif. for cash and the assumption of debt. Ralee manufactures long structural components such as stringers, cords, floor beams and spars for the airline industry, with some components exceeding 100 feet in length.
FAA'S OFFICE OF THE GENERAL COUNSEL is hosting a "listening session" in San Diego this month designed to improve relations between the agency's enforcement lawyers and attorneys representing various industry trade associations. The May 25-26 session is aimed at "improving relations" with industry and "improving processes," according to an FAA spokeswoman.
MCDONNELL DOUGLAS Model MD-900 helicopters (Docket No. 98-SW-42-AD) - proposes to supersede an existing AD that requires applying specified serial numbers and establishing life limits for certain parts. This proposal is prompted by additional analysis that supports an increase in the life limits of certain parts. The actions specified by this proposed AD are intended to increase the life limits for various parts. FAA estimates that 27 helicopters would be affected by this proposed AD at a cost of compliance of $4,050.
