Piper Aircraft Corp. last week rolled out its single-turboprop Meridian aircraft complete with a new glass cockpit that officials say "rivals the most sophisticated airliners" (BA, July 27/41). Piper said Thursday's roll out in Vero Beach, Fla., culminates more than two years of testing and market research. "The Meridian will compete with light jets and other turboprops on performance, and stand head-and-shoulders above them when it comes to the cost of ownership and the cost of operation," said Larry Bardon, director of sales and marketing.
AN INDUSTRY WORKING GROUP segregated Part 135 on-demand operations into a separate task force as it hashed out issues surrounding flight and duty time regulations. The Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee Executive Committee formed the group in May after it deferred action on FAA's request to develop a new rulemaking proposal addressing the reserve status portion of flight and duty time regulations (BA, May 18/217). The group, which met last week, is expected to meet again in early September.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is launching a special air mission that will utilize four different types of aircraft operating at differing altitudes to help develop a predictive formula for how hurricanes will behave.
MICHAEL O'LEARY was named national director of avionics for Signature Flight Support. O'Leary will be responsible for Signature's avionics technical services and report to Mike Bomstad, regional vice president of technical services. He most recently served as program manager for general aviation marketing for BFGoodrich Aerospace in Austin, Texas. He also has served with Piedmont Aviation Services and Beech Aerospace Services.
THE MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, Bureau of Aeronautics, which is in negotiations for the purchase and operation of the Romeo Mich., Airport, is seeking statements of qualifications and proposals for management of the airport and/or fixed-base operation. Proposals are due by 5 p.m. Sept. 21. To request an information package, contact Randy Coller at (517) 335-8521.
LOCKHEED MARTIN recently completed the 150-hour function and reliability testing program for the C-130J troop and cargo transport, the final series of tests required to win FAA certification of the airplane. The test program has taken much longer to complete than originally anticipated - delivery of the first aircraft to the United Kingdom is more than two years behind schedule. The U.K. ordered 25 C-130Js; the Royal Australian Air Force is buying 12; the Italian Air Force is buying 18 and the U.S.
VICTOR URZI was appointed vice president for SAGE Parts, a supplier of replacement parts for aircraft ground support equipment. Urzi formerly served with CREG International, also a ground support equipment parts supplier. In his new position, Urzi will expand SAGE Parts' market efforts on the West Coast as well as the Pacific Rim. He will manage a regional facility in Northern California.
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee expressed concern about the direction of general aviation infrastructure and included provisions in its latest FAA reauthorization legislation to protect smaller airports.
A CONSERVATIVE ESTIMATE of current business jet backlogs compiled by BA indicates 10 original equipment manufacturers have orders for nearly 1,000 new business jets valued at more than $11.5 billion.That total should grow later this year, if, as expected, manufacturers announce a number of new models at the National Business Aviation Association convention in Las Vegas.
LMI Aerospace, Inc., which operates four plants that manufacture components for the aerospace industry, has signed an agreement to acquire the assets of Precise Machine Company of Irving, Texas. The Texas firm manufactures precision machined parts for the defense, aerospace and financial service industries. Precise Machine had sales in excess of $3 million last year, but terms of the deal with LMI were not disclosed.
A TRIBUTE to Bob and Dolores Hope during the Wings Over Stockton Airshow is being organized by Alex Spanos, the owner of the San Diego Chargers football team. The air show will feature the U.S. Navy Blue Angels, plus performances by numerous military aircraft and civilian aerobatic performers. The program also includes a Saturday concert and a night air show with appearances by Apollo 8 astronauts Frank Borman, James Lovell and William Anders as they celebrate the 30th anniversary of their mission to orbit the moon. For more information on the Oct.
THE DOT INSPECTOR GENERAL'S OFFICE said FAA and DOT have made progress in safeguarding their computers' Internet "front doors," the normal entry points for outside users, but Deputy IG John Meche told a House panel that problems remain. He said unauthorized access continues through insecure "back doors" - network connections with contractors, other agencies, dial- up users and even industry associations. Hackers have accessed FAA National Airspace System computers and administrative systems at DOT and FAA, Meche found.
AVIATION INFORMATION RESOURCES (AIR, Inc.) said it expects recruiters from more than 25 airlines to attend an Airline Pilot Career Seminar, Airline Forum&Job Fair Sept. 19 in Las Vegas, Nev. at the Tropicana Resort and Casino. AIR said representatives of Alaska Airlines, America West, American, Delta, Southwest and TWA are expected to participate, along with representatives of a number of regional airlines and original equipment manufacturers. For more information, call AIR at (800) 247-2777.
FLIGHTSAFETY INTERNATIONAL received FAA Level D certification for a Gulfstream V full flight simulator. The G-V simulator is based at FlightSafety's Savannah learning center, which houses a full range of Gulfstream aircraft flight simulators. The 65,000-square-foot center includes 21 classrooms, 16 briefing rooms, a business center, exercise room and library.
KEN DANDY, a veteran of more than 30 years with Innotech Aviation, was named vice president-international business development of the Montreal, Quebec-based Innotech-Execaire Aviation Group. David Miller, executive vice president and chief operating officer, said Dandy's responsibilities now will include initiating and coordinating all business activities in the Pacific Rim, Western Canada and Western U.S. He will represent Innotech Aviation Ltd., Execaire, Inc, Pacific Avionics&Instruments, Inc. and Innotech Aviation Services.
A proposed airworthiness directive that will cost owners of some 50,000 Cessna Aircraft models an estimated $3 million in inspection costs is far too expensive, according to the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. FAA issued the notice of proposed rulemaking, which would apply to more than 50,000 Cessna Model 150, 152, 172, 177, 180, 185, 188, 205, 207, 210 and 337 airplanes, last month (BA, July 27/36). The agency said the AD is necessary to detect some incorrectly installed fuel standpipes in the fuel strainer assembly of those aircraft.
THE SENATE reauthorization bill, which calls for an increase in the number of airline slots at Chicago O'Hare airport, contains report language clarifying that the transfer "is not intended to be construed in any way so as to affect the number of slots at O'Hare currently available to general aviation aircraft." Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John McCain (R-Ariz.), a chief proponent of the slots provision, last month concerned GA leaders when he referred to transferring slots from both the military and general aviation in his arguments for the provision (BA, July 20/2
SIKORSKY won a contract from Palm Beach County, Fla. for two Sikorsky S-76 C+ emergency medical service helicopters. The helicopters will include wire strike protection, a glass cockpit, IFR communications/navigation suite and a full trauma bay medical interior that can accommodate two patients and four attendants. The contract includes "a unique arrangement" that will allow Sikorsky to use the helicopters as demonstrators on a non-interference basis, Sikorsky said. Sikorsky will reimburse the county for expenses.
Federal Aviation Administration, in its initial stages of developing a cost accounting system, has made progress, but must address certain issues "potentially involving billions of dollars of transactions" before implementing the system by next spring, according to the Department of Transportation's Office of the Inspector General. Congress mandated FAA in the Federal Aviation Reauthorization Act of 1996 to develop a cost accounting system that would allow the agency to support its assignment of costs in a planned user fee schedule.
NATIONAL BUSINESS AVIATION ASSOCIATION, which has attracted a large segment of the nation's big flight departments and seen its membership expand significantly in the past several years, is making an effort to attract pilots who head some of the nation's smaller flight departments. The association is preparing a mailing to companies operating turboprop aircraft offering them a one-year membership in NBAA and two registrations for the association's October convention in Las Vegas for $99.
NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD is investigating an operational error that occurred in FAA's Cleveland control center on June 23. NTSB said a Piper Navajo enroute from Elmira, N.Y. to Akron, Ohio and a Navy E-2 Hawkeye enroute from Norfolk, Va. to Wellsville, N.Y. passed within two miles laterally and 100 feet vertically at 16,000 feet 20 miles southwest of Bradford, Pa. The standard separation is five miles apart or 1,000 feet vertically. Neither aircraft reported taking evasive action and there were no injuries.
AEROSPATIALE Model ATR42 and ATR72 series airplanes (Docket No. 98-NM-146-AD) - adopts a new AD that requires one-time inspections to verify the correct shape of the stiffeners for the upper engine cowl and to detect wear of the aft upper fittings of the rear engine mounts, and corrective actions, if necessary. FAA said the actions specified by the AD are intended to prevent wear (scratches or grooving) of the aft upper fittings of the rear engine mount, and consequent reduced structural integrity of the engine mounts. FAA estimates about 152 aircraft on the U.S.
DE HAVILLAND Model DHC-100, -200 and -300 series airplanes (Docket No. 97-NM-04-AD) - revises an earlier proposed AD that would have required modification of the flight compartment door. The latest proposal would add repetitive inspections for wear of the flight compartment door hinges following modification, and repair or replacement of the hinges with new hinges, if necessary. The new proposal also revises the applicability of the existing AD.
RAYTHEON COMPANY named Robin L. Beard president and chief executive officer of the company's corporate operations in Washington, D.C. Beard served five terms in the U.S. House of Representatives as a congressman from Tennessee and also served as assistant secretary general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Most recently he has been president of Raytheon International in Brussels, Belgium. He will continue to serve in that post while directing Raytheon's congressional liaison and other corporate activities in Washington.
CESSNA Model 750 Citation X series airplanes (Docket No. 98-NM-208-AD) - adopts a new AD that requires repetitive in-flight functional tests to verify proper operation of the secondary horizontal stabilizer pitch trim system, and repair, if necessary.
