MARK DIGNEY was appointed customer service manager for Elliott Aviation's Moline, Ill. facility. A marketing graduate of St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa and a former assistant airport manager, Digney is responsible for managing the arrival and departure of all aircraft, fuel storage and delivery and quality control, security, facility and equipment maintenance and snow removal.
Less than two years after officially launching production and certification test programs, Galaxy Aerospace last week received both U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and Israeli Civil Aviation Authority certification for its Galaxy business jet, the first of the new "super-midsized" segment. The full certification covers flight in all weather, including known icing, as well as approval for the aircraft's autopilot and auxiliary power unit. Thrust reverser certification is expected before first customer delivery in mid-1999, the company said.
BRITISH AEROSPACE Model Viscount 744, 745, 745D and 810 series airplanes (Docket No. 98-NM-217-AD; Amdt. 39-10880; AD 98-23-13) - supersedes an existing AD that requires repetitive inspections for cracks and corrosion in the inboard and outboard engine nacelle structures and the wings; replacement of any corroded fittings or struts. This amendment requires repetitive inspections to detect cracking or corrosion of the eye end fitting of the outboard engine lower support of the bore of the taper pin holes and repair, if necessary.
CHICAGO DEPARTMENT OF AVIATION appears to be in the final stages of deciding who will provide fixed-base services at O'Hare International Airport, where Signature Flight Support is the incumbent.The city issued a request for proposals earlier, and a spokesman told BA Friday there have "been some negotiations with one of the finalists," but "nothing has been awarded." Asked when a contract award will be made, he responded, "I would expect we'd move on it pretty quick."
GALAXY AEROSPACE, which last week won certification of its new Galaxy super-midsized business jet, reports growing success with its other business jet program, the Astra SPX. Galaxy expects to deliver 16 of the medium-sized business jets this year, more than double the total delivered in 1997 and the highest number of business jets that Galaxy and its partner Israel Aircraft Industries have delivered in one year since 1984. Galaxy President and Chief Executive Brian Barents notes that the Astra is sold out through the first three quarters of 1999.
DAVID REEVE was appointed senior vice president of operations for Midwest Express Holdings. Reeve, currently president and chief executive of Midwest's subsidiary Astral Aviation, will be responsible for the company's flight operations, airport operations, aircraft maintenance and other services. Reeve joined Astral Aviation in March 1997 after serving as director of flight operations for DHL Airways in Cincinnati, Ohio.
UNIVERSAL JET AVIATION posted a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the Dec. 15 theft of both generators from the company's Model 35 Learjet, N35UJ, while it was in a hangar at Boca Aviation in Boca Raton, Fla. The generators are P/N 30B107-19A, S/N 682 and 1558. For more information, contact Michael McCauley, president of UJA, at (561) 989-0025.
Kaman Corporation formally launched a search last week for a new chief executive to succeed Charles H. Kaman, the company's founder, chairman and CEO. Kaman underwent knee replacement surgery in late August, but that procedure resulted in a blood clot that caused a stroke. While still in the hospital, Kaman developed pneumonia. He is now at home and a spokesman said that while Kaman is "up and about," his time at the office is still limited.
ADVANCED AVIATION SERVICES INTERNATIONAL, INC. signed an agreement with ExcelAire Service to provide its Computer Operated Aircraft Maintenance Planning for ExcelAire's Eurocopter AS-365N-2 Dauphin and AS-355F Twin Star helicopters. ExcelAire, Long Island, N.Y., operates the helicopters in Part 135 air charter service along with its fleet of Gulfstream, Learjet and Westwind aircraft.
German engine maker BMW Rolls-Royce testing of the BR700 core engine with a new combustion chamber "reveals a significant reduction of emissions at all thrust levels," the manufacturer reported. The tests, conducted at the altitude test facility of the University of Stuttgart, involve a staged combustion chamber developed recently to reduce exhaust emissions of future engines.
National Air Transportation Association, which in late July petitioned each state for relief from requirements calling for retrofit of ticket printers on aviation fuel trucks by Jan. 1, 1999, has received either written or verbal commitments from 43 states that they will not immediately enforce the new mandate. NATA hopes to receive permanent relief on a national level at the next National Conference on Weights and Measures in July, but was forced to petition the states individually for a waiver from the requirements in the interim (BA, Aug. 3/49).
ROCKWELL COLLINS relocated its Atlanta service center and sales office to expanded facilities. Rockwell Collins moved more than 80 employees to a 50,000-square-foot facility that repairs and tests Collins equipment and provides marketing support and services business and regional customers in the Southeast as well as United Parcel Service, Atlantic Southeast Airlines, and Delta. The new address is 5159 Southridge Parkway, Atlanta, Ga. 30349; telephone: (770) 991-7200.
FLIGHT DYNAMICS received FAA approval for installation of the company's head-up guidance system (HGS) on the new Boeing 737-700. Use of the HGS permits Cat IIIa landings in visibility as low as 600 feet runway visual range (RVR) and takeoffs when RVR is as low as 300 feet. The HGS was certified on a 737-700 owned by Southwest Airlines, which plans to install the system on all 129 737-700s it ordered from Boeing. The carrier already uses the Flight Dynamics HGS on the 216 aircraft in its fleet of 737-300s and -500s.
ASKED WHETHER the Clinton Administration will make yet another attempt to win congressional approval for new aviation user fees (BA, Dec. 14/263), Garvey said, "There are always differing perspectives within the administration on whether we need user fees," but she indicated administration officials may be more willing to negotiate the particulars of reauthorization legislation this year. She said the administration bill will be "our starting point" but "we are willing to talk it through and find a third position."
TOMLINSON AVIATION, INC., a Schweizer Aircraft Corp. distributor, opened a new 6,000-square-foot facility at the Ormond Beach, Fla. Municipal Airport. Tomlinson, owned by Neal and Kathleen Tomlinson, has been in business since 1990, specializing in training, sales and service of Schweizer Model 269 series helicopters.
The Environmental Protection Agency this month clarified its enforcement policy for new underground storage tank (UST) requirements, saying that while it will not extend the Dec. 22 deadline, it plans to spend the next six months on "compliance assistance" activities. Tomorrow's deadline for meeting tank upgrades, leak detection and spill and overfill protection comes 10 years after EPA first issued the UST requirements.
SIMUFLITE TRAINING INTERNATIONAL is upgrading its ground schools to include an interactive digital multi-media training program. The ground schools will be introduced throughout 1999. SimuFlite provides training on Challenger, Citation, Falcon, Gulfstream, Hawker, King Air, Learjet and Westwind aircraft.
CHRIS KOWALD was named OEM account manager for Unison Industries, Jacksonville, Fla. Kowald, a nine-year veteran of the aviation industry and a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, will provide customer support to AlliedSignal Aircraft Engines, a major customer of Unison's turbine engine electrical component product line. In particular, Kowald will provide support and technical assistance to AlliedSignal during the company's launch of its new AS900 turbine engine.
AVIATION METHODS, which becomes TAG Aviation USA next month as part of its incorporation into TAG aviation Holding, S.A. (BA, Oct. 26/191), has changed its phone number. The new number is (650) 697-8000; fax: (650) 697-8003.
STANLEY AVIATION, the Denver, Colo. aerospace engineering and manufacturing firm, won an ISO 9001 certificate of registration. A wholly owned subsidiary of Cobham plc of Wimborne, England, Stanley Aviation produces a variety of products for aerospace manufacturers, including Gulfstream, Sikorsky, General Electric, Rolls-Royce, Pratt&Whitney, Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Airbus.
FIRST TECHNOLOGY FIRE AND SAFETY toilet compartment fire extinguishers (Docket No. 98-ANE-29-AD. Amdt. 39-10914; AD 98-24-27) - requires inspection of suspect fire extinguishers for leaks and removal from service and replacement with serviceable parts, if the extinguishers are found leaking. This amendment is prompted by reports of leakage at the fire extinguisher's eutectic tip. The leaks stem from a design change. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent fire extinguisher failure due to leaks.
Unison Industries won a major agreement with General Electric Aircraft Engines, a three-year pact that makes Unison the sole-source supplier of all permanent magnet alternators, ignition exciters, ignition leads and certain igniter plugs and signal and control harnesses for five GE engine programs. Unison will supply electrical system components for the F110, T700/CT7 and F404 military engines and the LM2500 and CF34 commercial engines. The deal is valued at $8 million to $12 million.
SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT named two aviation maintenance professionals to support its network of Regional Maintenance Centers. Dean Anderson, who has 22 years of experience in business aircraft maintenance and support, was appointed national director of quality control and standards for Signature. Most recently, Anderson was global service center manager for Raytheon Aircraft. George Andrews was named national director of product supply. Andrews, who has 18 years of aviation experience, previously was with Raytheon Corporate Jets in Little Rock, Ark.
FAA'S SMALL AIRPLANE DIRECTORATE issued the first U.S. type certificate for a Russian type design aircraft, clearing the way for import of the Ilyushin IL-103 two-place, all-metal propeller-driven aircraft into this country. The IL-103 is powered by a 210-horsepower Continental Motors IO-360ES. It was certificated in the utility category.
