AYRES CORP. selected BFGoodrich Aerospace Ice Protection Systems Division to supply the pneumatic de-icing system that will be standard equipment on the new Loadmaster LM200 cargo aircraft Ayres is developing. In addition to the standard system, BFGoodrich also plans to have its SMARTboot ice detection system certified on the LM200 so it can be offered to customers.
ISRAEL AIRCRAFT INDUSTRIES Model 1121, 1121A, 1121B, 1123, 1124 and 1124A series airplanes (Docket No. 98-NM-108-AD; Amdt. 39-10802; AD 98-20-35) - supersedes an existing AD that requires repetitive inspections of the trim actuator of the horizontal stabilizer to verify jackscrew integrity and to detect excessive wear of the tie rod and replacement of the actuator or tie rod, if necessary. That AD also provides an optional terminating action for the repetitive inspections. This amendment requires accomplishment of the previously optional terminating action.
Raytheon Travel Air, the year-old fractional ownership program that recently passed the 100-customer mark (BA, Aug. 24/81), ordered 22 of Raytheon Aircraft's Premier I entry-level business jets in a deal valued at $90 million. Raytheon Travel Air "will be the only fractional ownership program to offer the new Premier I business jet," the company said. Raytheon has placed its larger jet, the Hawker, with both Raytheon Travel Air and competitor Executive Jet Aviation.
House and Senate leaders last week agreed to a simple six-month reauthorization of Federal Aviation Administration programs, delaying action on a host of aviation initiatives covering everything from national parks overflights, airport slots, aircraft parts marking and release of airmen information to Aircraft Situational Display Information blocking (BA, Oct. 12/159). The six-month reauthorization measure was included in the omnibus budget accord that congressional and administration officials reached Thursday.
RON FULTON was named Northeast regional manager for Precision Specialty Metals, Inc., a Los Angeles stainless steel and high-performance alloy conversion mill. Fulton previously was general manager of stainless steel strip products for Allegheny Ludlum.
RAYTHEON 200 series airplanes (Docket No. 98-CE-17-AD; Amdt. 39-10806; AD 98-20-38) - requires revising the FAA-approved Airplane Flight Manual to specify procedures prohibiting flight in severe icing conditions (as determined by visual cues), limiting or prohibiting the use of various flight control devices while in severe icing conditions, and providing the flight crew with recognition cues for, and procedures for exiting from, severe icing conditions.
JET AVIATION in Bedford, Mass. acquired a second hangar, doubling its capacity there to more than 42,000 square feet of hangar space. In addition, Jet Aviation secured 18,000 square feet of ramp space adjacent to the new hangar.
CH2M HILL was selected by Palm Beach, County, Fla., to design an 800-foot east-end extension and a 1,200-foot west-end extension to the primary runway at Palm Beach, Fla. International Airport. The work includes extension of the parallel taxiway and modification of the Runway 9L approach lights to accommodate the extension. The construction will be done in 1999.
ALLIEDSIGNAL FORECASTERS, who last year predicted delivery of 5,300 new business jets valued at $60 billion through 2008, dramatically raised their expectations in the latest projection of business jet buying trends through 2009.See article below.
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA last week named Richard Nelson interim dean of the John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences, succeeding John Odegard, who died Sept. 27 following a three-year battle with cancer (BA, Oct. 5/150). Nelson, the current managing director of aviation, joined the university in May 1996. He also will serve as interim president of the UND Aerospace Foundation and George Selestad will continue as the school's associate dean. Nelson has more than 27 years of airline operations and flight training experience.
MATTHEW ZASKE was named Midwest region account manager for BFGoodrich Avionics Systems. Zaske will be responsible for aftermarket sales to authorized BFGoodrich dealers and corporate operators in the Midwest region. Most recently, he was a first officer for Corporate Air Management in Pontiac, Mich.
Federal Aviation Administration reopened the comment period and scheduled a public meeting to discuss a proposal for Mitsubishi MU-2B series airplanes that calls for a number of modifications and operating limitations to guard against uncontrolled flight in icing conditions. The proposal, published in the May 21 Federal Register, cited three accidents with a total of 14 fatalities that stemmed from loss of control of the MU-2B while flying in severe icing conditions.
COLTEC INDUSTRIES' board of directors authorized the expansion of the stock buyback program it began in June. Effective Oct. 13, the value of the company's stock that may be acquired was increased to $100 million from $50 million. Since June, approximately 2.1 million shares valued at $36 million have been repurchased.
Federal Aviation Administration is developing a new test specification for Part 25 aircraft insulation and plans to issue a proposal requiring installation of improved materials.
PROFESSIONAL AIRCRAFT ACCESSORIES received a contract from Continental Express to service landing gear on the carrier's Beech 1900 fleet. PAA, a Banner Aerospace Company based in Titusville, Fla., repairs avionics, pressurization, aircraft accessories and airframe components.
PEMCO AEROPLEX decided to sue the U.S. Air Force over the service's decision to move forward with a contract award to Ogden Air Logistics Center at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, to take on depot work now conducted at the Sacramento Air Logistics Center, McClellan, AFB, Calif. A recent General Accounting Office ruling came down in favor of Pemco (BA, Oct. 5/152), but the Air Force said Oct. 9 it will proceed with the outsourcing decision, citing readiness concerns and the size of the savings it expects to generate.
AIR ROUTING INTERNATIONAL this week will unveil its Flight Manager software product, which is designed to permit flight department managers to monitor their fleet's operations worldwide by dialing into the Internet or calling a local number from a worldwide private network. The software constantly updates the user's screen with new information. Air Routing will be demonstrating the new product at Booth No. 5579 at this week's NBAA convention in Las Vegas.
EMBRY-RIDDLE AERONAUTICAL UNIVERSITY will hold its 13th Annual FAA/CAA Transport Canada Symposium on Human Factors in Aviation Maintenance&Inspection Feb. 16-17 in Daytona Beach, Fla. For more information, contact the university's Division of Continuing Education at (904) 226-6186; fax: (904) 226-7630; e-mail: [email protected]
The Lockheed Story, has been published by St. Martin's Press. The book was written by Walter Boyne, former director of the National Air&Space Museum, and recounts the aircraft manufacturer's rise from a two-man operation in 1913 to one of the world's largest aerospace concerns. The book, priced at $29.95, contains 150 photos.
National Air Transportation Association praised the Occupational Safety and Health Administration for extending the deadline for general aviation paint-stripping operations to comply with new standards for methylene chloride use. The regulations, issued in early 1997 (BA, March 17, 1997/121), originally called for companies to reduce exposure rates to methylene chloride by April 10, 1997. OSHA, however, worked with the association over the past 18 months, culminating in a new deadline of Oct. 22, 2001 for GA paint-stripping operations with fewer than 50 employees.
The Boeing Company, which dismissed Ron Woodard last month as president of its troubled Commercial Airplanes unit, will restructure the division into three new business units "to help us deliver value and quality airplanes and services to our customers with significantly improved efficiency," according to Woodard's successor, Alan Mulally. The three new operations are the Single-Aisle Airplane Business Unit, Twin-Aisle Airplane Business Unit and Customer Services Business Unit.
AIR SECURITY INTERNATIONAL and Bombardier Aerospace Business Aircraft signed an agreement to offer Air Security's SecureFlite package to operators taking delivery of new Global Express or Challenger 604 aircraft. Air Security said SecureFlite includes flight briefings with specialized destination reports for crew and passengers, a monitoring and warning system, use of a cellular telephone and related services. The two companies are discussing the possibility of extending SecureFlite service to operators of Model 31A, 45 and 60 Learjets.
