The Regional Airline Association (RAA) and the National Air Transportation Association (NATA) have blistered the FAA proposal requiring terrain awareness and warning systems (TAWS) on all turbine-powered aircraft certificated for six or more passenger seats. The RAA has urged the agency to change its four-year compliance schedule. NATA and RAA challenged FAA's cost estimates, stating that installation costs would range from $100,000 to $200,000 per aircraft.
Litton Poly-Scientific has received an STC for its EASI instruments on King Air 200-series aircraft. The liquid crystal display instruments, with advanced micro-processor circuitry, are in standard, two-inch round configuration, and are matched to existing panel space. A shipset includes 12 instruments. List price: $3,800 per instrument. The company recommends replacement of pairs of instruments at a minimum. Litton Poly-Scientific, 1213 N. Main St., Blacksburg, Va. 24060. (540) 953-4751; fax: (540) 953-1841.
Cessna, Pilatus, Piper, Socata, and other manufacturers and commercial operators of single-engine turbine aircraft have formed the Single-Engine Turboprop Alliance to push European aviation authorities to adopt rules allowing passenger-for-hire, single-engine IFR operations. SETA, headed by former FAA Administrator Langhorne Bond, is based in Thatcham, England. Single-engine, passenger-carrying, commercial IFR operations are permitted in Australia, Canada and the United States.
NTSB is close to completing its investigation into the April 15, 1997 fatal accident of a Eurocopter BK117 operated by Colgate-Palmolive (June 1997, page 26). The helicopter experienced a loss of control as the result of an apparent tail boom failure while taking off from New York's 60th Street Heliport and crashed into the East River. One passenger was killed.
European aerospace manufacturers in November 1998 responded to their respective governments on the proposed establishment of an integrated European Aerospace and Defence Co. (EADC). The governments of France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom in July supported the creation of EADC, but asked for further clarification on such topics as governmental rights in the new corporations as other issues.
A nine-member group of jazz musicians, most of them air traffic controllers in Florida, have banded together to perform aviation-themed music for the benefit of cancer research. The performers known as Aire Traffic originally formed the group in 1995 to stage a benefit concert in honor of a fellow controller who died of cancer. Since then, in their spare time, they have perfected their instrumental repertoire and have recorded two CDs--``In Control'' and Winter Traffic''--that have received sporadic, but enthusiastic, radio airplay.
The business jet simulator training market is about to get another major player, as SimCom International prepares to introduce Citation and Learjet programs. SimCom, which opened its doors in Orlando 13 years ago with a single flight training device for Cessna 421s (January 1985, page 20) and now provides training for more than seven recip and turboprop series on 11 FTDs, is building a motion-based simulator to provide training for Citation I, II and V crews, as well as acquiring a Learjet 35 simulator. Both systems will be certificated to FAA Level B.
In a transaction expected to be completed in spring, Coltec Industries will become a part of BFGoodrich. Once the deal is completed, BFG will move its headquarters from Akron, Ohio, to Coltec's home base in Charlotte, N.C. Coltec manufactures a wide range of electronic and flight-control components. BFG products include avionics, jet engine nacelles, wheels, brakes, passenger evacuation systems and ice protection systems.
Corporate Rotable&Supply (www.corporaterotable.com)--This parts supplier's new site features product information (specific to Challengers, Falcons, Gulfstreams, Learjets and the S-76), inventory listings, request for quote and purchase orders. Details on the company's CRS Reward Program, staff and communication methods also are shown.
We can't survive without blood pressure. Like our aircraft's hydraulic system, which activates brakes, ailerons, etc., we must have adequate pressure at the cellular level for the tissues to function. Blood pressure, however, is a dynamic process, changing with the needs of the body. Too high a pressure puts unhealthy demands on the blood vessels and organs. Low blood pressure leads to collapse. In between, with a fairly wide margin, the pressure is considered normal.
The Euro, Europe's planned international monetary system, starts a multi-year phase-in this month, initially in 11 European countries, including the United Kingdom, Denmark, Sweden and Greece. But you don't need to make change yet: National currencies will continue to be useable for at least the next three years, according to the phase-in schedule.
GAMA (Washington, D.C.)--This trade association's newly elected officers are: Chairman L. David Caplan, chairman and CEO of Pratt&Whitney Canada; and Vice Chairman Charles M. Suma, president and CEO of The New Piper Aircraft.
It's decision time for local governments in Parsons/Lexington, Tenn., that are proposing a regional airport on one of four possible sites. Before the paper plans can turn to concrete, the municipalities have to agree on whether the master report is a go or no/go. The airport would have a 5,500- to 6,000-foot runway, terminal building, maintenance hangar and 30 T-hangars.
At Bombardier, Inc. Laurent Beaudoin relinquished his position as president and COO to Bob Brown, who had been president of Bombardier Aerospace. Beaudoin remains chairman of Bombardier, Inc. Replacing Brown as president of Bombardier Aerospace is Michael Graff, previously president of the business aircraft unit. Meanwhile, Gulfstream Aerospace chairman Ted Forstmann has also become CEO, and Bill Boisture, previously executive vice president, replaces James Johnson as president and COO.
Elliott Aviation (Moline, Ill.)--At its Minneapolis facility, the company named David P. Clark as flight department manager. Mike Zaske joined the staff as assistant chief pilot and check airman.
Rockwell Collins (Cedar Rapids, Iowa)--John D. Cosgrove, the company's president, announced his retirement effective January 1, after an over 40-year affiliation with the company. Clayton M. Jones, formerly the corporation's executive vice president, is his successor.
Future turbine engines will have to meet more-stringent bird ingestion tests, including the ability to consume heavier birds, if the FAA adopts proposed rulemaking. Among other changes, the proposal revises the current 1.5 medium flocking and four-pound single large-bird standards to 2.5 pounds and six to eight pounds, respectively. Comments on the proposal are due March 11. For more details, contact the FAA. Phone: (781) 238-7120.
The planned second runway at Chek Lap Kok, Hong Kong's new international airport is not expected to open until mid-1999--six months later than planned--in part because of delays in testing an automated ground lighting system. Meanwhile, completion of a 20,000-square-foot hangar for AMR's FBO at Chek Lap Kok is scheduled for February.
Teledyne Continental Motors (Mobile, Ala.)--Michael G. Shaw was appointed vice president and general manager of the company's Battery Products unit in Redlands, Calif.
Brazilian manufacturer Embraer expressed anger at the Canada case that Brazil's ProEx interest-rate equalization program violates World Trade Organization rules. In a statement issued in Geneva, the site of WTO hearings on the issue, Embraer said that ``through a wide range of export subsidies, incentive payments for research and development, and production of aircraft, the Canadian government has illegally and unfairly subsidized Bombardier. This is in direct violation of Article 3 of the WTO's Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures.''
General aviation airports generate a total economic impact of $1.7 billion to New Jersey's well-being, according to the latest report of The New Jersey General Aviation Study Commission. The commissioners also found that nearly 70,500 people are employed directly or indirectly because of the state's GA industry. Yet the report states bluntly that New Jersey's 48 general aviation airports are in peril. The study was financed by the state, but the state still came under fire by the commission.
I'm always amazed by the daunting task of controlling air traffic. Climbing out of HPN on a recent evening flight, I counted no fewer than a dozen aircraft in the area, and that was just in one quadrant of the sky. On a pair of other flights in December, I was reminded just how good service usually is from controllers. In one case, we got a lot of help with altitudes and routing in an effort to combat some fierce winds, even though we were flying in the Northeast corridor.
Starting in June, the NBAA says it will start charging members as well as non-members to participate in the Blocked Aircraft Registration Request (BARR) program. This program allows operators to request vendors to withhold an operator's aircraft registration number from flight-tracking information displays provided to third parties. Non-members wanting to participate in the BARR program must provide the association with aircraft registration numbers, copies of airworthiness certificates, and a statement as to why they want to participate in the BARR program.
Cirrus Design selected Garmin avionics for its new 200-hp, four-place single and upped the minimum price of an IFR aircraft to $171,300. The Duluth, Minn., company decided not to use Trimble avionics. Trimble was on the selling block at press time. The composite SR20, with its standard side-stick yoke, 26-g seats and emergency parachute system, received its day/night VFR certification in late October 1998, but Cirrus still awaits production certification.
