FAA Administrator Jane Garvey, concerned that small airports may have trouble upgrading computer systems for Year 2000 (Y2K) compliance, last week asked legislators for flexibility in the Airport Improvement Program to help pay for those upgrades. Testifying before three House panels Tuesday, Garvey also assured legislators that the Federal Aviation Administration is on track with Y2K deadlines, completing nearly 99 percent of required system renovations.
UNISON INDUSTRIES won German civil aviation administration, Luftfahrt-Bundesamt (LBA), approval for its SlickSTART magneto start booster on aircraft equipped with TCM/Bendix S-20, S-200 and S-1200 magnetos. Approval follows similar authorization in January for the SlickSTART magneto start boosters on aircraft with Unison's Slick magnetos.
HEWLETT-PACKARD COMPANY, Palo Alto, Calif., said the U.S. Air Force approved the Heartstream ForeRunner automatic external defibrillator AED for use on all Air Force aircraft. The manufacturer said the service determined the ForeRunner was acceptable for use during all phases of flight. The ForeRunner AED was previously selected for use on aircraft operated by American, Delta, Aloha and Alaska Airlines.
For more information on nominations for the 1999 Pioneer Hall of Fame inductees, contact Women in Aviation, International at 3647 S.R. 503 South, West Alexandria, OH 45381; telephone: (937) 839-4647; fax: (937) 839-4645. An erroneous telephone number was printed earlier (BA, Sept. S1/132).
SO WHO DID WRITE the anonymous "My First Gulfstream" article in the October Vanity Fair? According to Friday's Wall Street Journal, it was Nathan Myhrvold, chief technology officer for Microsoft Corp...who is featured in a full-page ad in the same issue of the magazine touting the virtues of the Gulfstream V. The article recounts the 16-month search for the right business jet by someone who had never before owned an aircraft.
RAYTHEON TRAVEL AIR, the fractional ownership venture Raytheon Aircraft launched in summer of 1997, sold its 100th share to Gray House Aviation of Greensboro, N.C. Gray House, which already owns a share in a Beechjet 400A, bought a Hawker 800XP share. Raytheon Travel Air now has more than 180 employees, including more than 110 pilots, and operates a fleet of seven Hawker 800XPs, 13 Beechjet 400As and seven King Air B200s.
RAYTHEON Models 1900, 1900C, and 1900D airplanes (Docket No. 97-CE-153-AD) - proposes to require modification of the emergency exit doors and installing interior and exterior placards on each of the emergency exit doors. The proposal is prompted by reports that passengers and crew may have a difficult time opening the door during an emergency situation. The actions specified by the proposal are intended to ensure that passengers and crew may open the door during an airplane emergency. FAA estimates that the proposal would affect 527 aircraft on the U.S.
CARTER&BURGESS AND EDWARD JUST ASSOCIATES, both of Dallas, Texas, were selected by Killeen, Texas Municipal Airport to do planning, programming and design for the new Killeen terminal complex at Fort Hood's Robert Gray Army Airfield.
GENERAL ELECTRIC'S newest CT7 turboprop engine, the CT7-9C3, won FAA certification recently. The first application for the new 1,900-shaft-horsepower engine is the CN-235-300 regional airliner to be built by CASA in Seville, Spain. CASA expects to receive aircraft certification by the end of the year. The CT7 family has logged 14 million hours powering nearly 600 Saab 340 and CN-235 aircraft.
EMBRY-RIDDLE AERONAUTICAL UNIVERSITY signed an agreement with Atlantic Southeast Airlines to establish a direct hiring program. Under the New Hire Bridge Program, Embry-Riddle students will meet certain selection criteria, fulfill specific course requirements and gain minimum flight experience for consideration for employment with ASA following graduation. Embry-Riddle and ASA jointly will screen candidates for the program after their sophomore year of the aeronautical science degree program.
ATLANTIC SOUTHEAST AIRLINES (ASA) is the first regional airline customer for Dallas Airmotive's new PW100 engine program and the Bill Elliott racing team is the overhaul facility's first PW100 corporate customer. ASA operates 61 EMB-120s and 12 ATR 72s, while Elliott operates three EMB-120s to transport his racing team.
BOMBARDIER AEROSPACE hopes to acquire a stake of up to 40 percent in Taiwan's Aerospace Industrial Development Corp (AIDC) in a deal that could be worth as much as $145 million, according to Taipei newspaper reports. Bombardier has set a number of conditions for the purchase, including tax concessions and Taipei government assurance that the company will be awarded maintenance services contracts for Taiwan's Air Force, the reports said.
MERCURY AIR GROUP'S RPA Airline Automation subsidiary received an order from China Southern Airlines in Guangzhou, China for its PMI software purchasing, maintenance and inventory management program. The order marks the second in China for RPA's PMI software program. Mercury Air Group provides petroleum, cargo services, aviation information technology and support services for commercial and general aviation. It acquired Coral Gables, Fla.-based RPA in March 1998.
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.
UND AEROSPACE and its U.S. partner, Chandler-Gilbert Community College, Mesa, Ariz., have begun ab initio pilot training under an aviation training teaming agreement with Oxford Training School and Raytheon Systems. Under the agreement, UND and Chandler-Gilbert will provide initial training for classes of 10 ab initio cadets at Chandler-Gilbert's Williams Campus in Mesa. The training will meet British Civil Aviation Authority standards. Once the initial training is completed, the students will return to Oxford for multi-engine and advanced training.
The U.S. Air Force will put its fleet of 112 Slingsby T-3A trainer aircraft into "minimum maintenance" status because of slow progress in resolving problems last year that caused engine stoppages and resulted in the deaths of three people. Because of the T-3A problem, the service also is seeking an alternative way to screen candidates for its undergraduate pilot training program.
AAR COOPER AVIATION formed a wheel and brake services division to specialize in overhaul and maintenance of corporate, regional and commercial aircraft wheels and brakes. AAR Cooper opened its first service facility in Dallas with additional facilities in Miami, Los Angeles and Teterboro, N.J. slated to open in the near future. Rick Congdon, former program manager of repair services for Aviall, will manage the Dallas facility as well as serve as director of the wheel and brake services division.
Thomas E. McSweeny, the director of FAA's Aircraft Certification Service, was named by FAA Administrator Jane Garvey to succeed Guy Gardner as associate administrator for regulation and certification at the agency (BA, May 25/229). Sources say Elizabeth (Beth) Erickson, McSweeney's deputy in aircraft certification, will run that office in an acting capacity.
ELLIOTT AVIATION received a supplemental type certificate to install a Collins TCAS-94 traffic alert and collision avoidance system (TCAS II) in a Beechjet 400. The system includes dual TVI-920 displays and can project information on the Collins MFD-85C multi-function display, giving the operator an enhanced ground proximity warning system (EGPWS)-ready display. Elliott last month became the first service center to receive an STC to install AlliedSignal's Mark VII EGPWS in a King Air and Beech 1900.
ROLLS-ROYCE said former U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Ronald Fogleman joined the board of directors of Allison Engine Company, which is now conducting business as Rolls-Royce. Fogleman retired from the Air Force in September 1997 after 40 years of service. He logged more than 6,800 hours in fighter, transport, tanker and rotary-wing aircraft, including 315 combat missions. In addition to chief of staff, he also was deputy commander in chief, United Nations Command; commander in chief, U.S. Transportation Command; and, commander, Air Mobility Command.
Canadian engine manufacturer Orenda Recip Inc. opened a new factory in Debert, Nova Scotia this month, the latest step in a program focused on building a new line of piston-powered engines for the aviation market and re-engining existing turboprop-powered aircraft.
Bombardier landed yet another major order for its Canadair Regional Jet series - an estimated $475 million (U.S.) deal with Lufthansa for 10 70-seat CRJ Series 700 aircraft and 10 50-seat CRJ Series 100s. The company's announcement of the contract was the third this month, with a 27-aircraft order from Atlantic Southeast Airlines and orders for 10 CRJs from Atlantic Coast Airlines (BA, Sept. 14/115). The latest contract calls for deliveries of the 50-passenger planes to begin in first quarter 2000 and continue through 2001.
The Senate last week approved 92-1 Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization legislation, but voted down an amendment by Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) to alter the appeal process for emergency certificate revocations. The Wendell H. Ford National Air Transportation System Improvement Act of 1998, S.2279, which contains a number of important aviation provisions, had faced substantial opposition over provisions providing more slots at Chicago O'Hare and Washington Reagan airports and exemptions to the perimeter rule at Washington Reagan (BA, Sept. 21/125).
PILATUS BRITTEN-NORMAN BN-2, BN-2A, BN-2B and BN-2A Mk.111 series airplanes (Docket No. 97-CE-111-AD; Amdt. 39-10723; AD 98-18-07) - requires, for aircraft equipped with a PBN Modification NB/M/256, 50A generator system, inspecting for a 70A generator. If a 70A generator is installed, the AD would require either replacement with a 50A generator or upgrade of the airplane generator system to a 70A system. The AD stems from mandatory continuing airworthiness information issued by the airworthiness authority for the United Kingdom.
CASA Model C-212 series airplanes (Docket No. 98-NM-185-AD) - proposes to supersede an existing AD that requires replacement of the cover of the power control quadrant pedestal with a cover that incorporates slot protection. This action would require repetitive inspections for deterioration or damage of the slot protection installed in the cover of the power control quadrant pedestal. This action also would require eventual modification of the cover, which would consitutute a terminating action for the repetitive inspections.
