NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF STATE AVIATION OFFICIALS released its 1999 Directory of State Aviation Officials. The directory lists state agency officers, staff and contact information in all 50 states as well as Puerto Rico and Guam. The directory also contains information on FAA headquarters and regional officials, state governors and other aviation associations. The directory costs $30 for a bound copy or $75 for a subscription directory that will be updated throughout the year. For more information, contact NASAO at (301) 588-0587.
A Model 35A Learjet was "substantially damaged" March 30 when the aircraft undershot the threshold for Runway 19 while landing at the Rogers Municipal Airport (ROG) near Rogers, Ark.
An earlier article listed an incorrect bill number for Sen. James Inhofe's (R-Okla.) Emergency Revocation Act (BA, April 5/160). The correct number is S.722.
WOMEN IN AVIATION INTERNATIONAL's annual conference continued to grow with an 18 percent increase in attendance and 25 percent increase in exhibit space last month in Orlando, Fla. The 10th annual conference, held March 18-20, drew 2,500 attendees with 103 exhibitors renting 145 booths. The conference awarded $380,000 in scholarships, including cash awards, private pilot training, maintenance and avionics training and type ratings. Airbus, American, FlightSafety, Northwest, SimuFlite and United Airlines combined for 12 type rating awards.
BOEING delivered 148 commercial aircraft in the first quarter, the company said last week. The deliveries comprise 14 737 classics, 61 next-generation 737s, 14 747s, 17 757s, 11 767s, 23 777s, two MD-80s, five MD-90s and one MD-11.
BRITISH AEROSPACE Jetstream Model 3201 airplanes (Docket No. 98-CE-91-AD; Amdt. 39-11094; AD 99-07-09) - requires replacing the nose landing gear downlock actuator, the flap actuator, the steering selector valve, the hydraulic reservoir, and the emergency selector valve. This AD is the result of mandatory continuing airworthiness information issued by the airworthiness authority for the United Kingdom.
AIRCRAFT OWNERS AND PILOTS ASSOCIATION warned pilots that prohibited airspace and restricted air-space in the Washington, D.C. Class B area will be temporarily expanded April 23-25 during the 50th anniversary summit meeting of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Security was already going to be tight for the long-scheduled NATO meeting, but restrictions may be even more stringent to guard against possible terrorist disruptions since NATO is now engaged in the war against Serbian forces in Kosovo.
BRITISH AEROSPACE HP137 Mk1, Jetstream Series 200 and Models 3101 and 3201 airplanes (Docket No. 98-CE-102-AD; Amdt. 39-11076; AD 99-06-12) - requires replacing the nose wheel steering jack seals with improved seals. This AD is the result of mandatory continuing airworthiness information issued by the airworthiness authority for the United Kingdom.
DAVID WISEN was appointed vice president for Textron Financial Corporation's newly formed Corporate Development group. Wisen joined Textron Financial in 1994 as an attorney and was promoted to vice president and treasurer in 1996.
HAMISH GOODWIN was appointed vice president for IEC International, which designs and manufactures in-flight systems for corporate/VIP operators and airlines. Goodwin, who has 40 years of experience with avionics and in-flight systems, will head IEC's new U.S. facility at Fort Worth, Texas, Meacham Airport.
JOHN MAYERS was named senior vice president for Textron Financial Corporation. Mayers has served with Textron for more than 13 years, most recently was vice president, risk management at Textron Inc.
National Air Transportation Association is urging members to support its petition to allow air charter operators to operate into certain airports that do not have current weather reporting as required under Part 135. NATA in February petitioned FAA for exemption from 135.213, "Weather Reports and Forecasts," by allowing turbine-powered air charter operators to obtain weather information from an alternate location when the intended destination airport does not have the required weather reporting (BA, March 1/100).
FLIGHTSAFETY INTERNATIONAL's Academy at Vero Beach graduated its first class of pilot cadets under a cooperative arrangement with RWL/Flightschool of Monchengladbach in Northern Germany. The 13 cadets earned their private pilot licenses at the RWL/Flightschool and completed a special training program at the FlightSafety Academy to prepare for the German ATPL flight test while in Florida. The training program was developed with RWL instructors and meets the proposed qualification requirements of Europe's Joint Aviation Authority.
National Transportation Safety Board investigators are attempting to find the source of control problems that led a Cirrus Design test pilot to abort a test flight and attempt an emergency landing last month, leading to a fatal crash. Scott Anderson, the company's chief test pilot, died in the March 23 crash near Duluth, Minn. International Airport (BA, March 29/147).
Raytheon Aircraft officials remain confident they will achieve major certification goals for the Premier I business jet by yearend, despite the fact flight tests began months behind schedule and more than 97 percent of the test flying remains to be done.
NEW PIPER PA-46-350P airplanes (Docket No. 99-CE-01-AD) - proposes to require installing reinforcement plates to the wing forward and aft attach fittings. The proposed AD is the result of a report that sheet steel material that is below design strength standards could have been used on the wing attach fittings on the Model PA-46-350P airplanes manufactured since January 1995.
GULFSTREAM AEROSPACE got purchase agreements for two additional C-37A aircraft, military configurations of the Gulfstream V business jet, from the U.S. government. The order represents the exercise of options held by the government. The order is valued at $77 million and will bring the government's C-37A fleet to six. The two new aircraft will be used for counter terrorism and disaster response missions and will be operated by the Air Force.
Federal Aviation Administration, in the throes of developing a cost accounting system, is grappling with a number of financial control issues - including nearly $12 billion in unsubstantiated accounting claims - in an attempt to restore its "financial integrity and credibility," according to FAA and DOT officials.
RTCA will hold its 6th Annual Spring Forum May 19 at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Washington, D.C. The forum will focus on the theme "Situational Awareness: A Safety Enhancement for Air Traffic Management" and will be followed by the annual RTCA Awards Luncheon. For more information, contact Dee Clarke at (202) 833-9339.
EUROCOPTER FRANCE Model SA. 315B helicopters (Docket No. 98-SW-57-AD; Amendment 39-11093; AD 99-07-08) - requires inspecting the spar skin and main rotor blade root reinforcement strip area for bonding separation, corrosion, or a crack, and replacing the blade, if necessary. This amendment is prompted by the in-flight failure of a blade. The actions specified in this AD are intended to detect bonding separation, corrosion, or a crack in the area of the blade root reinforcement strip, which could cause blade failure and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.
RICH SCHULLER, a former director of business development with Standard Aero Alliance and a founder and executive vice president of Alliance Engines, launched a new management advisory and consulting business, Schuller Aerospace Services International.
Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. named four men to new positions with the company, including Don Petersen, who was promoted to general manager of the company's Westfield, Mass. facility. Petersen will be responsible for overall operations and management of the facility, which was included in Gulfstream's acquisition of K-C Aviation last year (BA, July 27/38), and will report to Larry Flynn, senior vice president-Aircraft Services. Petersen joined Gulfstream in September 1996 as a hangar manager at the company's Savannah, Ga.
EUROCOPTER FRANCE Model AS 332C, L, L1, and L2 helicopters and Model SA 330F, G, and J helicopters (Docket No. 98-SW-46-AD; Amdt. 39-11084; AD 99-07-02) - requires inspecting the position and bonding of the main rotor blade leading edge stainless steel protective strips that were replaced by C.T.I. Dallas. This amendment is prompted by the discovery of a strip that was both mislocated and improperly bonded. The strip had been replaced by C.T.I. Dallas. This condition could result in failure of the blade and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.
The Dominican Republic awarded a 20-year, $400-million concession to a multinational consortium to design, finance and upgrade four international airports. More than $200 million of that sum will be spent during the first two years of the project. Consortium members are Ogden Corp., Vancouver Airport Services, Impregilo S.p.A of Italy and Operadora de Aeropuertos del Caribe, S.A (OPASA), a special-purpose enterprise created by Dominican business interests for construction, media, and airport services.
