CRITICS of a National Park Service aircraft noise study at the Grand Canyon finally got their concerns addressed on Capitol Hill last week. Elling Halvorson, president of Papillon Airways, Inc., a Grand Canyon air tour helicopter operator, told the House natural parks and public lands subcommittee last week that the NPS report to Congress that less than one-half of one percent of the parks' nearly 2,000 square miles is sound free from touring aircraft "is an absolute untruth.
RAYTHEON Model 2000 airplanes (Docket No. 98-CE-34-AD) - proposes to require inspecting the stainless steel fuel line, P/N 3035737, for chafing against the power lever bracket, P/N 122-940028-1. The proposed AD stems from a routine inspection of an in-service airplane where chafing of the stainless steel fuel line was noted. Inspections of other aircraft revealed similar chafing.
FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION is proposing a $130,000 civil penalty against Raytheon Aircraft Services, (RAS) Inc., Houston, Texas because the agency said RAS failed to properly inspect and service an aircraft that was being shipped out of the country. FAA said Raytheon conducted a 100-hour inspection on a Beech C99 in preparation for exporting it to Jamaica in December 1996. After a test flight to Wichita, Kan., FAA said the Jamaica Civil Air Authority found the aircraft unacceptable and notified FAA in Wichita.
RICHARD (DICK) VAN OSTEN, 80, a veteran aviation journalist, died Sept. 21 in Bad Homburg, Germany after a brief illness. Van Osten was born in Los Angeles in 1917 and later attended the Curtiss-Wright Technical Institute and Hemphill Diesel School. He worked for Douglas Aircraft Co. in the 1940s, served as a pilot and instructor in the U.S. Air Force from 1943-1949, achieving the rank of captain, and later worked on the engine crew of the Hughes Aircraft Co. Flying Boat.
HOAC-AUSTRIA Model DV 20 Katana airplanes, equipped with Rotax 912 A3 engines (Docket No. 97-CE-83-AD) - proposes to require replacing the engine electronic modules. The proposed AD is the result of mandatory continuing airworthiness information issued by the airworthiness authority for Austria. The actions specified by the proposed AD are intended to prevent electromagnetic interference on the engine electronic modules, which could cause the airplane engine to stop due to interruption of the airplane's ignition system and result in loss of control of the airplane.
Citing a "startling increase" in restrictions or attempts to restrict aviation access to federally-managed lands, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association President Phil Boyer called for a national policy on access to such lands. Boyer, testifying this month before the House subcommittee on forests and forest health, noted proposals to restrict or ban aviation in more than a half-dozen federal parks and lands. Wilderness groups often press for aviation restrictions through management plans and environmental impact statements, he said.
AVIATION SALES CO., Miami, Fla., completed the acquisition of Triad International Maintenance Company (TIMCO) from Primark Corp. for $70 million in cash.
ROBERT MORAN was appointed chief information officer for Fairchild Aerospace. Moran, who is responsible for the company's information systems worldwide, initially will be stationed in Germany and later transfer to the company's headquarters in San Antonio, Texas. He previously held positions of increasing responsibility with United Technologies' Carrier Corporation.
Rolls-Royce named Carmen Lloyd, most recently president and chief executive officer of Canadian Marconi, to the newly created position of president-corporate and regional airlines, allowing the engine manufacturer to more closely coordinate its small aircraft product lines. Lloyd, who takes his new position Oct. 1, will be based in Indianapolis, Ind. and "have worldwide accountability for profitably meeting the needs of operators and constructors of corporate and regional aircraft," Rolls-Royce said.
NACE INTERNATIONAL will present a technical symposium on solutions for aerospace materials degradation at its 54th Annual Conference and Exhibition April 25-30 in San Antonio, Texas. The symposium, Protective Systems for Military and Aerospace Equipment, will discuss improved structural materials, coating systems and inhibitors for protecting equipment. More than 25 technical papers will be presented. For more information, contact NACE Membership Services Department at (281) 228-6223.
MOLLY DELK-WOOD was named customer service supervisor for Signature Flight Support's facility at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Delk-Wood previously served with the National Air Transportation Association, where she helped with the Aviation Services&Suppliers SuperShow marketing efforts.
Fairchild Aerospace Corp. teamed with Newcourt Capital to form an independent aircraft leasing company for Fairchild aircraft customers. Based in San Antonio, Texas, Millennium Leasing Company ILLC, will buy Fairchild's current portfolio of leases valued at about $140 million and plans to acquire additional aircraft to expand the portfolio to $400 million over two years.
WILSON AIR CENTER, Memphis, Tenn. International Airport, broke ground on its latest expansion that will include a three-acre concrete ramp for transient and overnight parking and a 22,000-square-foot hangar complex with more than 4,000 square feet of office space. Once the expansion is completed, Wilson Air Center will have more than 15 acres of ramp space, 82,000 square feet of hangar space and 32,000 square feet of office space.
HUDSON GENERAL CORP., Great Neck, N.Y., said the Supervisory Board of Deutsche Lufthansa AG approved the exercise by its indirect subsidiary LAGS (USA) of an option to increase LAGS's interest in Hudson General LLC from 26 percent to 49 percent. The exercise price of the option is $29.6 million. LAGS is expected to give notice of its exercise of the option around Oct. 1. Hudson General provides various services at airports throughout the U.S. and Canada.
BRITISH AEROSPACE Model 4101 airplanes (Docket No. 97-NM-339-AD) - proposes to supersede an existing AD that requires repetitive functional testing of the main entrance door, cleaning and lubricating of the speed lock and G lock systems and repair, if necessary. This action would add a requirement for replacement of the G lock rollers with new, improved G lock rollers. This proposal is prompted by issuance of mandatory continuing airworthiness information by a foreign civil air-worthiness authority.
RAYTHEON AEROSPACE, Madison, Miss., received ISO 9002 certification and registration. Raytheon Aerospace, a subsidiary of Raytheon Aircraft, provides aircraft logistics and training support to more than 1,700 military and government aircraft at 160 locations.
National Aeronautic Association selected seven recipients for the 1998 Elder Statesman of Aviation Award including pioneers in vertical flight and hot air ballooning as well as early members of the Tuskegee Airmen and the 99s. The award, established in 1954, honors Americans who, "by their efforts over a period of years, have made contributions of significant value to aeronautics and have reflected credit upon America and themselves." The 1998 recipients, who will be presented with the awards Oct. 14 in Washington, D.C., are:
BOMBARDIER AEROSPACE will develop a new series of regional aircraft in the 90-seat class. Bombardier Chairman Laurent Beaudoin said the aircraft, to be known as the BRJ-X Series, will be the first five-abreast configuration for one of the company's airliner models. Bombardier has initiated discussions with potential suppliers and plans to hold an initial meeting with a customer airline advisory council late next month.
RAYTHEON Models B300 and B300C airplanes (Docket No. 97-CE-16-AD) - proposes to require modification of the elevator trim tab actuators by incorporating a new elevator trim tab pushrod assembly, or modifying the elevator spar opening, whichever is applicable. Reports from operators of ice forming on the elevator trim tab actuators and jamming the trim tab control prompted the proposal.
CONTINENTAL AIRLINES is planning to use an FAA certified Global Positioning System in revenue service for the first time today (Sept. 21). A Continental MD-83 is scheduled to depart from Reagan Washington National Airport and fly two approaches using the Honeywell-Pelorus system, the first into the Newark, N.J. airport and the second into Minneapolis-St. Paul. The Newark approach will be the "world's first [by] Differential GPS (DGPS)" according to officials. "It will be a historic day in aviation," said Mark Howes, vice president-Honeywell Airport systems.
RAYTHEON AIRCRAFT awarded long-term contracts to British Aerospace Airbus and Military Aircraft&Aerostructures units to produce components for its Hawker mid-size business jet. BAe Airbus, Broughton, North Wales, will manufacture fuselages, wings and equipment for the Hawker, while Military Aircraft&Aerostructures, Prestwick, Scotland, will make the doors, long-range fuel tanks and flaps.
Bombardier Aerospace has frozen detail design of the Canadair Regional Jet Series 700 and started manufacturing and assembly of structural and systems components for the first of the new 70-passenger airliners. Assembly of the first aircraft, S/N 10001, is scheduled to get under way later this year, with rollout and first flight planned for the second quarter of 1999, and certification and first deliveries early in 2001.
WOMEN IN AVIATION, INTERNATIONAL is soliciting nominations for the 1999 Pioneer Hall of Fame inductees. The Hall of Fame recognizes women or organizations that have made significant contributions to the aviation industry as record setters, pioneers or innovators. Previous inductees include Eileen Collins, Moya Lear, Harriet Quimby, Jeana Yeager, WASP and Women Navy Navigators of World War II. Nominations should be submitted by Dec. 15. For more information, contact Women in Aviation, International at 36457 S.R.
NATIONAL BUSINESS AVIATION ASSOCIATION, faced with a short deadline to come up with a policy position on fractional aircraft ownership programs, is employing its Internet web page to get member input on the complex and emotional issue (BA, Sept. 7/103).NBAA's Industry Affairs Committee met in Chicago last week to consider the matter and develop a recommendation to the board of directors, but the board also wants to hear directly from individual members.
