Top executives of Canadian manufacturer Bombardier expect to make a decision before the end of the year on whether to launch a new business jet development program in the upper end of the mid-size market.
The House aviation subcommittee last week agreed to prohibit the Federal Aviation Administration from assigning costs to users or considering user fees until another independent study is completed of the agency's cost allocation studies. The measure was included in a comprehensive bill to reauthorize Federal Aviation Administration programs for one year.
DANA ANDERSON was named graphic designer for Marketing Alternatives, a full service advertising agency based at Spirit of St. Louis Airport. Anderson will be responsible for production, pre-press work and design of creative concepts for a number of accounts.
A CITATIONJET simulator at FlightSafety International's San Antonio, Texas learning center was certified to Level C standards by FAA, the third Citation simulator at the San Antonio facility.
Nav Canada's proposed system of user charges for air navigation services would collect fees from operators of propeller aircraft and small jets for the first time and would increase most fees for commercial transports. The charges, subject to change this summer after the July 31 deadline for comments on the proposal, will take effect Nov. 1, when Canada's current airline ticket tax will expire and Nav Canada must begin self-sufficient operations.
JOSEPH C. SPRAGUE, director of marketing for Anchorage-based Era Aviation, will join Harbor Airlines June 29 as vice president-sales and market development. Sprague, who has served with Era since December 1995, formerly was manager of government and industry affairs for the National Air Transportation Association. An Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University graduate, Sprague also has served as a line pilot and flight dispatcher for a Part 135 operator in Juneau and as a first officer on a Learjet Model 35 operated by a corporate flight department.
As part of its effort to return the company to profitability, Mooney Aircraft Corp. plans to cease production of its M20J Allegro and M20K Encore models. Mooney will continue to produce the normally aspirated M20R Ovation and the turbo-intercooled M20M Bravo, both of which have a longer fuselage than the Allegro and Encore. Plans call for production of the Allegro to end in October and the Encore in August. Mooney, however, will retain the tooling and type certificates for both aircraft, a spokeswoman said.
THE AC comes as House aviation legislators decided to delay action until next year on a bill to further regulate foreign repair station use. The legislation, H.R.145, drew concern from the General Aviation Manufacturers Association and the National Air Transportation Association, which feared it would draw retaliation from European nations (BA, March 30/144).
ROLLS-ROYCE appointed R. Frank Leftwich senior vice president, engine services for its North American operations. Leftwich has 30 years of experience in the engine maintenance and overhaul business, holding senior positions with Dallas Airmotive, Aviall and General Electric Engine Services (formerly Greenwich Air Services). Most recently, he was senior vice president and then president for Greenwich, Asia.
Jetstream Model 3101 airplanes (Docket No. 97-CE- 100-AD; Amdt. 39-10556; AD 98-11-31) - requires modifying the autopilot elevator electric system relays by installing two additional relays and associated wiring changes in the relay box located under the right-hand crew seat. This AD is the result of mandatory continuing airworthiness information issued by the United Kingdom airworthiness authority.
HANCOCK COUNTY, MISS., PORT AND HARBOR COMMISSION, owner and operator of Stennis International Airport, requests qualifications and proposals until June 30 from professional consulting firms to provide airport marketing services. Stennis International Airport, a general aviation facility, hopes to expand its air cargo activities and anticipates unscheduled air carrier/cargo operations to serve the business, tourism, casino and resort industry in the Mississippi Gulf region.
A provision allowing federal law enforcement officers to order aircraft to land died in the Senate last week after the National Tobacco Policy and Youth Smoking Reduction Act lost on a procedural vote and was withdrawn. The "order-to-land" provision was added to the tobacco bill earlier this month as an amendment offered by Sen. Paul Coverdell (R-Ga.) (BA, June 15/251). Before the bill died, however, Coverdell had agreed to make changes to his provision to address concerns raised by the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association.
FAA-MANDATED INSPECTIONS of wiring in the wings of Boeing 737s could lead to similar inspections in other aircraft. FAA said that of 488 737s inspected for fuel system ignition sources, 243 showed "noticeable chafing through Teflon wrappings," 27 showed 50 percent insulation chafing and nine had exposed wires.
NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION said it plans to restructure its NOAA Corps uniformed service that is responsible for operating NOAA's fleet of ships and aircraft. The restructuring will retain those aspects of the NOAA Corps "that meet mission needs while continuing to encourage partnerships with the academic and industry communities."
The House Tuesday approved by voice vote legislation that amends the Fastener Quality Act to recognize the Federal Aviation Administration as the sole authority on aviation fastener standards. The legislation, H.R.3824, also delays implementation of the Fastener Quality Act until June 1, 1999, or 120 days after the Commerce Secretary reports to Congress on changes that are needed in the law.
THE HOUSE passed legislation last week addressing concerns of aviation manufacturers about the applicability of the Fastener Quality Act. See article below.
FLIGHTSAFETY BOEING TRAINING INTERNATIONAL'S St. Louis Airline Center won its training center certificate under the new FAR Part 142. FlightSafety Boeing also has centers in Atlanta, Dallas, Daytona Beach, Cincinnati, Houston, Long Beach, Louisville, Miami, Salt Lake City, Seattle, Wilmington, and Paris. The joint venture also received Level C approval for its new 737-700 flight simulator installed at the Seattle center. The simulator is the second of the next-generation 737 simulators to be certified for FlightSafety Boeing.
NATIONAL AIR TRANSPORTATION ASSOCIATION is accepting applications for its Dan L. Meisinger, Sr. Memorial Learn To Fly Scholarship. The scholarship was established nearly a year ago in recognition of Meisinger, who during his 63-year aviation career founded Topeka Aircraft Company, became a Beech Aircraft distributor in Kansas City, Mo. and later expanded to three locations in Kansas and one in St. Louis. The scholarships will be awarded to a college student enrolled in an aviation program. For information, contact Alan Darrow at (800) 808-6282.
FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION Friday announced a plan to replace its traditional grade-and-pay-step salary system with "a simplified structure of pay bands whose value is determined by comparison with similar jobs in government and private industry." FAA plans to test the new system for 18 months on 1,200 employees in the Office of Research and Acquisitions.
USED RETAIL JET DELIVERIES - NORTH AMERICA&OUTSIDE NORTH AMERICA Used retail jet and turboprop deliveries inside and outside North America for May 1998 (see related graphs on Pages 281 and 282 of the hard copy of this issue) 1995 1996 1997 1998 May L M H L M H L M H L M H Jet North 39 26 13 43 41 11 65 15 12 47 26 19 America
HOUSE LEGISLATORS vowed to take up the issue of "unlocking" the aviation trust fund next year. House Transportation Committee Chairman Bud Shuster (R-Pa.), who spearheaded the provision in the highway reauthorization bill that ensures highway tax revenues will be used for highway projects, called the highway trust fund fight a "dust-up" compared to next year's battle to ensure that aviation tax revenues are used for aviation purposes.
DeCrane Aircraft Holdings, El Segundo, Calif., signed an agreement to acquire Avtech Corp., an electronic systems company based in Seattle, for about $83 million in cash. "We found Avtech attractive because it met several of our fundamental acquisition criteria," Jack DeCrane, chairman and chief executive, said.
European Union transport ministers agreed last week in Luxembourg to establish next year a European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to certify compliance of aircraft, equipment and procedures with international safety standards and make sure the standards are applied uniformly by all 15 EU members. EASA will supplant national authorities that currently are responsible for certification and control. Some common decisions are made through the Joint Aviation Authorities, but JAA operates informally and all its decisions require unanimity.
STEVEN MIRMINA joined APCO Associates as a senior associate for aviation services. Mirmina formerly served with the law firm of Crowell and Moring, where he helped air carriers with regulatory issues before the Department of Transportation.
AIRCRAFT OWNERS AND PILOTS ASSOCIATION'S Eighth Annual Fly-In drew more than 640 aircraft from around the nation this month at its headquarters in Frederick, Md. About 6,600 people attended the June 6 event, which "far eclipsed" the previous Fly-In record of 500 aircraft and 5,000 attendees, AOPA said. The static display included offerings from Cirrus, Diamond, Aviat, Cessna, Mooney, Commander, Raytheon, New Piper and Socata.
