AIRCRAFT OWNERS AND PILOTS ASSOCIATION expects some 10,000 attendees at its Expo '98 Oct. 23-25 in Palm Springs, Calif. The Expo will include a 70- aircraft Parade of Planes, more than 400 exhibit booths, 70 different seminar topics and an address by FAA Administrator Jane Garvey. For more information, contact AOPA at (301) 695-2000.
Commander Aircraft Company continued to report substantial losses for the second quarter and first half of 1998, but the Bethany, Okla. manufacturer's financial picture improved as revenues increased significantly in the first half.
NOAH ROCKOWITZ was named senior vice president of Hudson General Corporation. Rockowitz will continue to serve as general counsel and corporate secretary, positions he has held since joining the company in 1985. Before that, he was assistant general counsel of Belco Petroleum Corp. and associated with the New York City law firm of Cahill Gordon&Reindel.
FOKKER Model F.28 Mark 1000, 2000, 3000 and 4000 series airplanes (Docket No. 98-NM-16-AD; Amdt. 39-10616; AD 98-13-25) - supersedes an existing AD that requires an inspection for free movement of the actuator servo-valve subassembly of the horizontal stabilizer actuator and replacement, if necessary.
WHILE THE INFLUX of new aircraft makes it a good time to be an aircraft buyer, it also is a good time to be an aircraft borrower, according to The CIT Group. Dick Crofton, vice president of The CIT Group's Business Aircraft Division said current competition among lenders is "severe." Crofton said customers are demanding - and getting - longer leasing terms and more liberal programs.
ELLIOTT AVIATION has begun a $3 million expansion at its facility on Quad City International Airport in Moline, Ill. The expansion, slated for completion in January, will increase total square footage at the facility from 54,000 to 91,000.
JOE BOYD joined General Aviation Services to head up the single-engine Cessna program. Priester Aviation, selected as a Cessna CSTAR in 1997, is coordinating with General Aviation Services for the sale of Cessna's single-engine line. Boyd, who will be responsible for selling the 172, 182 and 206, previously was vice president of sales and marketing for a major printing company.
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.
VISIONAIRE CORP. is at least 15 months away from commencing deliveries of its six-place Vantage single-engine business jet (BA, June 1/237), but the company already is hard at work on another airplane project. VisionAire displayed a mockup of a two-place, tandem-seat aircraft with forward swept wings at last week's Experimental Aircraft Association AirVenture '98 in Oshkosh, Wis. The Spirit VA-12B would be powered by a 900-pound thrust FJX-2 engine being developed by Williams International in conjunction with NASA (BA, June 30, 1997/290).
Wyman-Gordon Co. and Titanium Metals Corp. completed an agreement announced in June to combine their titanium casting businesses into a jointly owned venture (BA, June 15/265). The joint venture is owned 80 percent by Wyman-Gordon and 20 percent by TIMET. It consists primarily of Wyman-Gordon's titanium casting business, in Franklin, N.H., and TIMET's titanium casting business in Albany, Ore.
SUZANNE EAMIGH was promoted to communications manager for Signature Flight Support. Eamigh will be responsible for coordinating public relations and media activities for the company and report to senior vice president of marketing, Gary Boekenkamp. She most recently was marketing and public relations specialist for Signature.
SABRELINER CORP. received FAA approval of an inspection and maintenance program, Sabre 2000, for Sabreliner aircraft. The program will reduce maintenance inspection intervals and aircraft downtime and provide a five-
BRITISH AEROSPACE Model BAC 1-11 20 and 400 series airplanes (Docket No. 98-NM-51-AD; Amdt. 39-10517; AD 8-13-26) - requires repetitive detailed visual inspections for cracking in the trunnion fittings located in the nose landing gear bay for the forward fuselage and repair, if necessary. This amendment is prompted by issuance of mandatory continuing airworthiness information by a foreign civil airworthiness authority.
MIKE BRYANT was named director of technical services for American Jet International, a Houston-based provider of charter and fractional ownership services. Bryant will centralize the company's maintenance functions, creating systems for automated work orders, parts acquisition and maintenance support. He previously served with Raytheon Aircraft Services in Houston.
A hold placed on funding of the Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) by the House and Senate Appropriations committees could kill the program, according to industry groups who have communicated their fears to key senators and representatives. Language in funding bills conditions support of the program on the resolution of several issues, including the question of WAAS's ability to provide sole-means navigation. The bills passed their respective chambers last month and now head to conference.
FLIGHTSAFETY BOEING TRAINING INTERNATIONAL will decide next month between London's Gatwick and Heathrow airports as the site for a new $85 million European training hub. The new center, scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2000, will be the first outside the U.S. for FSI/Boeing and part of a planned global network of large-scale training centers. Existing centers are in Seattle and Miami. Future hubs are planned for the Asia-
BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON will build a $40 million tiltrotor assembly plant at the Amarillo, Texas International Airport. The selection of Amarillo follows an eight-month nationwide search. Construction will begin in 90 days on a 179-acre site, and occupancy is scheduled next year with more than 200 employees.
NAVIA AVIATION, Oslo, Norway, won a contract from Nav Canada to deliver and install a Nova 9000 surface movement guidance and control system at Toronto Pearson International Airport. The contract is the company's first major deal in North America and one of its largest air traffic control contracts. The turnkey contract calls for 10 controller working positions and two X- band surface movement radars.
THE HOUSE last week approved its version of FAA reauthorization legislation, adding as an amendment the National Parks Air Tour Management Act of 1998 (BA, July 27/42). The act, which provides for restrictions of air tours over national parks, also was included in Senate reauthorization legislation. The Senate reauthorization bill is expected to receive full Senate consideration in September.
NATIONAL BUSINESS AVIATION ASSOCIATION is opposing a proposal by the International Civil Aviation Organization to require aircraft involved in transoceanic and remote area operations to be equipped with dual frequency emergency locator transmitters capable of transmitting on 121.5 MHz and 406 MHz. NBAA said the dual transmission ability "is burdensome and redundant." In an Aug.
BOMBARDIER Model CL-600-2B19 (Regional Jet Series 100) airplanes (Docket No. 97-NM-83-AD; Amdt. 39-10615; AD 98-13-24) - supersedes an existing airworthiness directive that requires a revision to the airplane flight manual to prohibit the use of mach trim and to add speed restrictions if the autopilot is disengaged or inoperative. That AD also requires installation of an associated placard. This amendment adds requirements for replacement of the horizontal stabilizer trim control unit and reactivation of the mach trim engage/disengage switch/light.
CIRRUS DESIGN CORP. completed certification flight testing requirements of its Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS) that will be standard equipment on the Cirrus SR20. The tests included in-flight deployments at stall speed, maneuvering speed and one turn into a spin. In each case, CAPS was deployed at maximum gross weight, Cirrus said. The 55-pound system, manufactured by BRS, enters the final phase of the test program, including a demonstration of adequate occupant restraint and safety.
HERBERT HENKEL was named executive vice president and chief operating officer of Textron. Henkel, former president of Textron's Industrial Products Segment, will be responsible for Textron's global operations, including the company's 28 operating units. Henkel has served with Textron since 1987 and, before that, was president and chief operating officer of Southern Fastening Systems and Unifast Industries, Inc.
SAAB SF340A, 340B and 2000 series airplanes (Docket No. 96-NM-212-AD; Amdt. 39-10627; AD 98-13-36) - requires repetitive operational tests of the pitch trim system of the elevator trim-tab of the flight control unit to ensure that the system operates correctly, and repair if necessary. This amendment is prompted by a report of uncommanded movement of the right-hand elevator trim-tab to a maximum deflection position. This condition apparently was due to a failure in the aircraft harness and a fault in the pitch trim synchronizer.
