Summary: Pursuant to FAA's rulemaking provisions governing the application, processing, and disposition of petitions for exemption (14 CFR Part 11), this notice contains a summary of certain petitions seeking relief from specified requirements of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR Chapter I), dispositions of certain petitions previously received, and corrections. The purpose of this notice is to improve the public's awareness of, and participation in, this aspect of FAA's regulatory activities.
BOMBARDIER'S Continental super-mid-sized aircraft was well received at last month's NBAA convention, according to a Bombardier official, who confirmed that the company already has letters of intent that number "well into the double digits" for the transcontinental business jet. The LOIs are accompanied by $250,000 refundable deposits. Sources say the number of deposits is close to 20.
RAYTHEON AIRCRAFT delivered the 200th civilian Beechjet 400A last month during the National Business Aviation Association convention in Las Vegas, Nev. The Beechjet 400A fleet has accumulated more than one million flight hours. In addition to the civilian fleet, the company has shipped 180 Beechjets to the U.S. Air Force for pilot training. The company expects that the aircraft will receive approval for reduced vertical separation minimum (RVSM) as well as European Joint Aviation Requirements operations in 1999.
Due to a scanning problem, a specifications chart for Bombardier's Continental business jet re-produced in the Oct. 26 issue of BA contained an error. The NBAA/IFR range of the Continental is actually 3,100 nautical miles.
AEROQUIP developed a new series of lightweight hose/firesleeve combinations with Teflon hose assemblies and silicone firesleeves. The Aeroquip 800 Series Teflon hose assemblies are available for low-pressure 1,000 psi applications, medium pressure 1,500 psi applications and high pressure 3,000/4,000 psi applications. The assemblies meet fire test requirements of TSO-C53A Type D and TSO-C75 Type IIIA and IIIB.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE of FAA's Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee (ARAC) will meet Nov. 10 to consider presentation of proposed recommendations from the National Parks Overflights Working Group, which has been working for months to develop guidelines for commercial air tour operators who fly over national parks (BA, July 13/13).
BOEING predicted last week that the world's air cargo fleet will nearly double in the next 20 years, adding more than 1,000 jet freighter airplanes. About 70 percent of the growth is expected to come through conversions of passenger aircraft.
ROCKWELL COLLINS shipped the first three Pro Line 21 avionics systems to Raytheon Aircraft for installation on the Premier I. Avionics flight tests are expected to begin in early 1999, with certification activities expected to take place on the third flight test aircraft in the four-aircraft certification program.
DEREK LANDERS was appointed director of quality and continuous improvement for Unison Industries. Landers is responsible for the quality departments at Unison's facilities in Jacksonville, Fla., Norwich, N.Y., Rockford, Ill. and Fort Worth, Texas. He is a 21-year Unison veteran, serving in several capacities, including director of engineering, engineering manager, senior project engineer and project engineer.
MARK TOMASEVICH was named director of maintenance training marketing for FlightSafety Boeing Training International. Tomasevich has served with Boeing for more than 20 years in a variety of capacities including manager of maintenance training for the Boeing 747 program.
TWIN COMMANDER AIRCRAFT CORP. 500, 680, 690 and 695 series airplanes (Docket No. 96-CE-54-AD) - revises AD 98-08-25, which currently requires replacing the nose landing gear (NLG) drag link bolt with an approved heat-treated bolt that has the manufacturer's serial number, manufacture date, and the last three digits of the drawing number (055) on the bolt head on certain Twin Commander 500, 680, 690 and 695 series airplanes; and changing the bolt part number (P/N) to be installed on Models 690D and 695A from P/N ED10055 to P/N 750076-1.
FAIRCHILD AEROSPACE has undergone senior management changes. Mike Cardellichio, longtime vice president-marketing at Fairchild Aerospace and at Dornier before that, departed the company as did marketing executive Nita Scrivner. Scrivner served as director of marketing communications for Learjet before joining Fairchild. The company named Georgina (Gina) McAllister vice president-corporate communications, reporting to President Jim Robinson.
FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, at the request of the Professional Aviation Maintenance Association, extended the comment period on its notice of proposed rulemaking that would update certification and training requirements for mechanics and repairmen under a new Part 66. The deadline, originally Nov. 6, was moved to Jan. 8. Comments should be sent in triplicate to FAA, Office of the Chief Counsel, Attn.: Rules Docket (AGC-200), Docket No. 27863, Room 915G, 800 Independence Ave., S.W., Washington, D.C. 20591.
Britten-Norman, the Isle of Wight company that builds the BN2 Islander and Defender light twin STOL aircraft, is being sold once again. Biofarm, Inc. is buying the manufacturer from Litchfield Continental, which agreed just this summer to buy the company from Pilatus Aircraft of Stans, Switzerland (BA, July 27/41). Keith Beekmeyer, chairman and chief executive of Biofarm, said the acquisition was consistent with previous announcements that Litchfield would make available to Biofarm additional properties without additional consideration.
AIR SECURITY INTERNATIONAL received an exclusive agreement from Bombardier Business Aircraft to offer its SecureFlite package to Global Express and Challenger 604 customers. The SecureFlite package provides international flights with security services and assessments for the aircraft, crew and passengers. The services include customized security awareness training, destination reports, on-line Internet intelligence, FliteWatch monitoring and warning system, security consulting, Daily Hot Spots e-mail updates, and other assistance products.
RAYTHEON AIRCRAFT COMPANY Models 1900, 1900C and 1900D airplanes - (Docket No. 96-CE-60-AD) - proposes to revise AD 97-15-31 R1, which currently requires installing lubrication fittings in the airstair door handle and latch housing mechanisms on certain aircraft. FAA said that since issuance of AD 97-15-13 R1, Raytheon has revised the applicable service information to correct the reference to the number of parts each owner/operator should order and to change an incorrect reference to a maintenance manual.
National Business Aviation Association attracted 31,665 registrants to last week's convention in Las Vegas, the first time NBAA's annual meeting has cracked the 30,000 mark and a 21.5 percent increase over the 26,043 who attended the association's 50th anniversary convention in Dallas last year.
EMBRAER Model EMB-120RT and -120ER series airplanes (Docket No. 98-NM-261-AD) - proposes to require repetitive visual inspections to detect discrepancies of the brake assemblies on the main landing gear and replacement of the brake assemblies with new brake assemblies, if necessary. This proposal is prompted by reports of fatigue cracking or splitting of the brake stator disk at the cut-out slots.
ALTHOUGH THE USER FEE DEBATE remained fairly quiet in Congress this year, GA industry leaders warned that a number of circumstances indicate that fees will be "the issue" next year. General Aviation Manufacturers Association President Ed Bolen noted that an Arthur Andersen study on allocating FAA's costs to specific users, slated for release this fall, is expected to fuel arguments for a user fee system.
U.S. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE President and Chief Executive Officer Tom Donahue last week urged the business aviation community to join other industry segments in support of the initiative to dedicate Airport and Airway Trust Fund dollars to aviation, saying "we need to be very, very careful on how that money is spent." Donahue added that he would give an "absolute commitment that the chamber is going to help you." The trust fund initiative, however, is emerging as a major dilemma for GA leaders.
BILLIONAIRE WARREN BUFFETT is bullish on the fractional aircraft ownership market, telling attendees at a Boeing Business Jets press conference last week fractional ownership "clearly is a field that is going to explode over the next decade. It's going to be a big winner." Buffett, whose Berkshire Hathaway purchased both fractional aircraft provider Executive Jet (EJI) and simulator training provider FlightSafety International, spent two days at last week's NBAA convention in Las Vegas.
The Federal Aviation Administration published a proposal last week to revise the eligibility and certification requirements for aircraft dispatchers. The agency said current regulations "do not reflect the significant technological advances that have occurred in the aviation industry and the enhancements in training and instructional methods that have affected all aircraft dispatchers."
THE NEW PIPER AIRCRAFT is equipping its 1999 model Saratoga II HP and Saratoga II TC with avionics packages from Garmin International and S-Tec Corp. Piper said the packages, aimed at cutting pilot workload, will include Garmin's GMA 340 audio selector panel with marker beacon and stereo intercom, two GNS 430 high-resolution color LCD multi-function full-color displays with integrated VOR/LOC/GS/COM and GPS, that Piper said will provide moving map displays. The S-Tec System 55 dual axis autopilot with automatic electric trim also is part of the package.
The Boeing Business Jet program, flushed with a major order from Executive Jet, which is owned by Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway, has expanded its lead over Airbus in the competition to sell airline transports to the corporate aircraft market and now holds nearly a four-to-one backlog advantage over the European consortium.
BOMBARDIER AEROSPACE installed and received certification for an autothrottle system on its newest Challenger 604 demonstrator. The autothrottle system, developed by Safe Flight Instrument Corporation, will be available as an option for all Challenger 604 operators. The system provides automatic thrust control during climb, cruise and descent, improving climb performance and payload/range potential and speed control.
