LucasVarity plc said Thursday it was in "preliminary discussions" with a number of companies "in connection with a wide range of strategic alternatives." It said the discussions include "joint ventures, acquisitions, dispositions, alliances and mergers or other combinations." It said, however, that "There can be no certainty that any of these conversations will result in a definitive agreement."
PRATT&WHITNEY President Karl Krapek promoted Robert Leduc to executive vice president from senior vice president. Leduc will continue to oversee the company's large commercial engine programs and take on responsibility for sales and marketing, and strategic planning.
U.S. ARMY RESEARCHERS concluded there are significant safety benefits for helicopter pilots who wear helmets with protective visors attached. The researchers studied 1,035 helicopter accidents in which flight helmets with visors were worn. The visors were being used in 459 of those accidents and investigators found they prevented injury in 102 accidents (22.2 percent) and reduced injury in 13 accidents (2.8 percent). The details of the research and information about helmet/visor availability is contained in a recent Helicopter Safety bulletin, Vol. 24, No.
UAL SERVICES, the worldwide support services division of United Airlines, will provide support for four C-32 (Boeing 757) aircraft to be operated by the U.S. Air Force. The aircraft will be used by the vice president and other high-ranking officials. UAL Services has stationed key personnel at Andrews Air Force Base outside Washington, D.C. to support Boeing with routine maintenance and repair of the C-32's Pratt&Whitney PW2000 engines. Two C-32s are in USAF service now and two more will be delivered early this year.
AIRCRAFT OWNERS AND PILOTS ASSOCIATION released its 1999 edition of AOPA's Airport Directory, which lists more than 7,000 landing facilities and 4,800 fixed-base operations. The directory includes 2,600 runway diagrams for airports with instrument approaches and provides information including runway length, width, surface, lighting and alignment. The directory also provides safety notes on items such as obstructions, flight training and non-standard traffic patterns.
ALOHA AIRLINES installed automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) on all 18 of its Boeing 737s, which the carrier said makes it the first scheduled airline in the nation to equip its entire fleet with the emergency medical devices. The AED is designed to check a patient's heart rhythm and, if necessary, to apply an appropriate electric shock to re-establish the heart rate.
A JOHNS HOPKINS study concludes that an augmented Global Positioning System will meet the requirements of airborne navigation system users.The independent study notes that there are some risks to moving to a GPS system, but none that cannot be overcome.The satellite system will provide performance and reliability equal to or better than the current ground-based system, according to the closely held report, which is expected to be released at the end of the month.
AIRCRAFT OWNERS AND PILOTS ASSOCIATION, a chief opponent of the Federal Aviation Administration's original "ticket programs" that would have allowed inspectors to issue tickets on the spot, Friday praised FAA for altering the program (BA, Jan. 4/1). "FAA dropped the most objectional part of the program [the on-the-spot ticket]," AOPA President Phil Boyer said.
BRITISH AEROSPACE Jetstream Model 3201 airplanes (Docket No. 98-CE-75-AD; Amdt. 39-10960; AD 98-26-17) - requires both a routine visual inspection and either a detailed visual inspection or X-ray inspection of the main landing gear (MLG) bay auxiliary spar booms for cracks or fuel leaks on both the left and right sides of the airplane. This AD also requires incorporating repair procedures for the MLG bay auxiliary spar where fuel leaks or cracks are found.
Textron, Inc., the Providence, R.I.-based conglomerate that is the parent company of Cessna Aircraft and Bell Helicopter, completed the sale of its Avco Financial Services unit to Associates First Capital Corp. for $3.9 billion in cash, and said it expects net after-tax proceeds to be about $2.9 billion.
PETROLEUM HELICOPTERS, INC. selected The Haskell Company, based in Jacksonville, Fla., to design and build a new heliport and support facilities in Boothville, La. The new heliport will replace PHI facilities in Venice, La. The facilities, on a 24-acre site, will include a hangar, control tower, administration and operations building, 37 helipads and a fuel farm. Construction is scheduled to be completed in the summer.
Holders of authorized repair station or aircraft operating certificates may continue to approve major repairs to aircraft products, FAA said last week, continuing a practice that has been in effect for more than 20 years.
Jeppesen, Denver, Colo., promoted three executives to senior posts and, in a separate organizational move, eliminated 10 other positions. The promotions, the aviation information company said, was part of a plan to expand its international business.
The president of the Professional Aviation Maintenance Association has appealed to FAA Administrator Jane Garvey to overturn a decision by agency officials that would halt printing of a monthly safety bulletin aimed at mechanics.
AIR SECURITY INTERNATIONAL developed four categories - crime, kidnapping, war/insurgencies and political violence - of dangerous places that travelers should avoid altogether or visit with extreme caution. Colombia, which "retains its title as the nation with the most kidnappings," is listed in all four categories, while Mexico is cited for kidnappings and Mexico City and Tijuana are listed for taxi-related crimes and corrupt police, and drug-related violence, respectively.
Orenda Recip Inc., the Canadian firm that is developing and manufacturing a line of liquid-cooled piston engines for aircraft, won a contract from Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) to develop and produce an engine for a new TAI utility aircraft. Orenda said the agreement is "expected to result in the supply of up to 300 powerplant packages, using OE-600 V-8 piston engines, over the life of the aircraft program." Value of the contract is estimated at $45 million (U.S.).
Corporate Angel Network (CAN) board of directors named Judith Haims to replace Jay Weinberg, the president and founding member, who retired Nov. 30. Haims served as CAN's executive director for six years and has worked for the organization for the past 16 years. CAN, based in White Plains, N.Y., is a not-for-profit foundation that organizes flights for cancer patients on corporate aircraft.
MOONEY AIRCRAFT CORPORATION appointed Jamie Luster administrator of marketing. Luster previously served as marketing manager for Commander Aircraft Company. In her new position, she will oversee marketing programs, website maintenance, and tradeshows, and assist with advertising and public relations.
TURBOPROP OPERATORS also had a better year in 1998, according to Breiling's data. Turboprops were involved in 26 accidents, 12 of which involved fatalities and which claimed 27 lives. There also were 41 incidents involving turboprops. That compares with 37 turboprop accidents in 1997, of which 14 involved loss of life, with 41 total fatalities. There were 33 incidents involving turboprops in 1997.
AlliedSignal Aerospace is realigning the top management of several key Aerospace units in the wake of decisions by two key executives to accept jobs with other companies.
Federal Aviation Administration is delaying the commissioning date for the Wide Area Augmentation System from July 1999 until September 2000 because a critical software module will not be ready, Administrator Jane Garvey said last week. The program, estimated to cost $3 billion through its life cycle, had run smoothly after a difficult beginning, with contractor Raytheon hitting all seven milestones to date since taking over the contract in May 1996.
The United State Air Tour Association asked FAA Administrator Jane Garvey last week to delay implementation of pending restrictions on Grand Canyon air tour operators so FAA can convene a formal Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee process to develop comprehensive regulations governing commercial air tour overflights of the Grand Canyon.
Federal Aviation Administration late last month ordered operators to inspect and reinforce electrical wiring conduits on nearly 115 Bombardier Regional Jets to prevent possible electrical arcing and consequent fire or explosion in the center fuel tank. The emergency airworthiness directive, which applies to Series 100 and 200 CRJs, calls for a one-time visual inspection of all center fuel tank electrical wiring conduits for chafing or inadequate clearance and any necessary corrective actions.
DAVID LOSO was named director of avionics for JetCorp, the Chesterfield, Mo. fixed-base operator. Loso previously was avionics crew chief for Garrett Aviation in Houston, Texas. He also has served with Avpro, Collins Avionics, Cessna Citation Service Center and Bellanca Aircraft.
UNITED STATES AEROBATIC FOUNDATION elected Robert Minkus president, succeeding Phil Knight, who completed his two-year term. Minkus founded and is president of Minkus&Associates, which specializes in package design and corporate identity programs for consumer products. He is the former vice president of the foundation and was manager for the 1998 Unlimited Aerobatic Team that competed in Trencin, Slovakia.
