Amjet Corp. unveiled plans for a unique aircraft at October's NBAA convention--an all-composite, forward-swept-wing, single-engine amphibious jet. The Amjet 400 is the dream of Leonard Gioia, M.D., a 33-year member of the staff of Cape Canaveral Hospital and a 3,500-hour, instrument-rated multiengine pilot. In 1974, Dr. Gioia bought a SIAI-Marchetti Riviera amphibian. ``It took off at 90, cruised at 90 and stalled at 90,'' Gioia recalls. There must, he thought, be a better way to build a waterborne aircraft. Gioia initially refined the
Bell Helicopter Textron and Agusta tightened their partnership by creating the Bell/Agusta Aerospace Co. The new entity strengthens the previously announced joint venture to develop the BA609 tiltrotor and the 12- to 15-passenger AB139 medium twin-turbine helicopter (October, page 70). Bell Vice President Jim Rogers is managing director of the new venture. Financial terms were not disclosed, but Bell is the majority shareholder.
Dassault will continue its studies of a supersonic Falcon business jet, the company says, despite bad news on the propulsion front. When the company discussed details of its supersonic design in May, at the annual Falcon Jet operators' meeting, Dassault engineers expected to use modified versions of current production fighter engines--either the Snecma M88 or General Electric F414. Since then, Dassault has determined that the fighter engines will need more extensive changes than the company had at first anticipated.
The lateral boundaries of several areas within the Class B Airspace surrounding Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport have been reconfigured and new areas have been created. In addition, some of the floors of several existing areas have been lowered and several have been raised.
Edited By Gordon A. GilbertEdited By Gordon A. Gilbert
Comments are due January 8, 1999 on proposed amendments that would significantly revise FARs that cover mechanic certification (September, page 46). Among other changes, the amendments modify FAR Parts 65 and 147, do away with the term ``mechanic'' and create a Part 66 specifically addressing the certification of ``maintenance technicians.''
Edited By Gordon A. GilbertEdited By Gordon A. Gilbert
Now that insulation materials in airliners are at issue, GAMA is surveying its members to determine the types of insulation they use between the sidewall and outer shell of the aircraft they build. The FAA triggered concern in the GA community when it asked the airline industry to begin replacing certain types of insulation--including Mylar and Tedlar. Those materials did not stand up to full burn tests, the agency has reported. GA aircraft are likely to have less of the insulation than airliners.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has come up with a new whipping boy now that secondhand smoke has been found to be irrevocably villainous. One might suspect that the tort lawyers will have a field day with this new one. Guess what it is, Hersch? Peanut butter, that's what. Seems like a brace of waifs probably from the West Coast have succumbed to the ravages of peanut butter syndrome having O Deed on PB&Js. The FDA has even gone so far as to warn folks about peanut butter breath.
B/CA attempts each year to make the modification directory as complete and up-to-date as possible. We contact each company listed in previous years and attempt to compile data about new modifications. The emphasis is on holders of STCs rather than completion centers or dealers. However, where a modifier also is a dealer for a related mod, this may be mentioned in the ``Mod Specialty'' or ``Remarks'' sections of the directory.
University of North Dakota (Grand Forks, N.D.)--Richard J. Nelson has been appointed interim dean of the John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences. Nelson currently is managing director of aviation. He succeeds John Odegard, who died September 27.
Edited By Gordon A. GilbertEdited By Gordon A. Gilbert
Airports will feel the pain of the pared-down FAA reauthorization portion of the federal omnibus spending bill. Legislators meted out a $9.56 billion budget for the FAA in fiscal 1999, an increase over 1998's allocation, but the OK is only for six months. That proviso hamstrings airports with just a six-month extension of their federal spending authority, and the imposed limit is $1 billion of a $1.95 billion appropriation. Congress must pass another reauthorization bill before the end of March to release the remainder.
According to Bombardier Aerospace President Michael Graff, the company has no intention of building a supersonic business jet, despite Dassault's and Gulfstream's plans to do so. ``There are still a lot of issues related to a supersonic aircraft,'' added John Holding, Bombardier executive vice president. The company's new Continental business jet, he says, ``is more realistic and relevant to where the aviation world is going.''
Cirrus Design has set a price of $168,000 for the IFR version of its new 200-hp, four-place single, but the company must find a new avionics provider before IFR certification can be obtained. The Duluth, Minn., company was set to use Trimble IFR avionics before the avionics manufacturer decided to discontinue a substantial portion of its GA products. The composite aircraft, with its standard side-stick yoke, 26-g seats and emergency parachute system, received its day/night VFR certification in late October.
Giant accounting firm Ernst&Young says Embraer's use of the Brazilian export finance program ProEx is an abuse of the program and a direct subsidy of some $2.5 million to regional aircraft purchasers.
Based on preliminary data available to date, in the first nine months of 1998, the U.S. business turbine fleet operated under FAR Part 91 or Part 135 on-demand air taxi operations experienced fewer total accidents. However, the number of fatal accidents and the number of fatal injuries increased over the same period. The data are provided by Robert E. Breiling Associates of Boca Raton, Fla. JANUARY-SEPTEMBER 1998 ACCIDENT SUMMARY Business Jet Accidents/Incidents
Million Air Cincinnati at Lunken Municipal Airport acquired 25,000 square feet of hangar space and 5,000 square feet of office and shop space. The new facility is currently home to a corporate operator, but has sufficient space remaining for additional aircraft storage. Phone: (513) 871-2020.
Issaquah, Wash.-based Generation Systems' newly enhanced Lube-It software reduces the risks of aircraft failure due to inadequate lubrication by scheduling tasks. Available for $1,295 (single-user) or $1,995 (multi-user). Phone: (800) 613-5525; www. generationsystems.com . . . Some of the new features provided in Version 2.0 of Flyte Comm of Florida's Flyte Trax Windows 95/98/NT aircraft situation display system information (ASDI) include built-in data playback, a new interface, start-up display configuration file and access via the DTN Weather Center.
Mesa Airlines expanded its new Fort Worth Meacham Field Canadair-Regional-Jet hub to Austin on November 30. The carrier now offers seven daily roundtrips on weekdays with a slightly abbreviated schedule on weekends. The city is the third CRJ destination from Fort Worth since May, when Mesa inaugurated service to Houston Hobby. It added San Antonio in September and in October began CRJ service between San Antonio and Colorado Springs.
FAA and the National Weather Service reached a major milestone with the commissioning of the 350th federally funded automated surface observation system--at Everett, Wash. By the end of 2000, the schedule calls for federally funded AWOS sites at 219 more locations. There are also about 350 non-FAA funded ASOS installations, as well as 200 FAA-funded and 400 non-federal AWOS installations. Beginning next summer, the FAA says, lightning reports will be phased in at ASOS sites.
DuPage Airport is planning 75,000 square feet of new hangar space, reflecting record fuel sales and dramatic growth in its based jet fleet. Since the opening of a 6,700-foot runway and a U.S. Customs office in 1996, DuPage Airport has experienced a surge in business-jet traffic, the airport said. The number of based turbine aircraft has jumped from 22 in 1994 to 58 this year. Phone: (630) 584-2211.
Hudson General has completed a remodeling and expansion of its facilities at Salt Lake City International Airport. The FBO totally renovated the flight lounge and hangar, and added a dedicated pilot's lounge and snooze rooms. The company has some 85,000 square feet of heated hangar space and 16,000 square feet of office space serving a 560,000-square-foot ramp. Phone: (801) 539-2805.
