One of the first industrial tenants for the just-opened Northwest Arkansas Airport (XNA) is Ozark Aircraft Systems, a two-year-old aircraft modification and maintenance center that has been operating out of nearby Springdale Airport. The company, established by four former employees of Raytheon/E-Systems of Waco, Texas, is scheduled to open its hangar at XNA later this month and receive ISO 9001 certification in early 1999. Dave Otterson, Ozark's president, said the hangar will be large enough to accommodate a Boeing 747.
Edited By Gordon A. GilbertEdited By Gordon A. Gilbert
FAA Administrator Jane Garvey said that if the Clinton administration makes another attempt to woo Congress to adopt user fees, then general aviation--including business aviation--would be excluded from those paying such a fee. Speaking at AOPA Expo '98, Garvey also noted that the FAA first must finalize implementation of a cost-accounting system before it can determine and allocate costs in a user-fee system.
An AlliedSignal -3C upgrade for its TFE731-3 series engines in Learjet 55s promises to improve reliability and reduce operating costs. The upgrade increases ITT limits by 25 degrees in climb and 20 degrees in cruise. The upgrade also allows operators who are not enrolled in the company's maintenance service plan to sign up at no additional costs when the upgrade is performed. Finally, the upgrade extends major periodic inspection intervals to 2,100 hours. Separately, the FAA has approved an extension of MPI intervals for the TFE731-5B from 2,100 hours to 2,500 hours.
An FAR Part 150 noise-compatibility program for Hawaii's Kona International Airport has been sent to the FAA for consideration. The agency is scheduled to approve or disapprove the submission by March 24, 1999. For further information, contact the FAA in Honolulu at: (808) 541-1243.
The Honeywell/Racal Aero-I satcom has gained its first European certification, on board the U.K. Ministry of Agriculture's Fisheries Patrol Cessna 406. This latest certification--granted by the U.K. Civil Aviation Authority--underlines the applicability of Aero-I to smaller aircraft types that haven't been installing satcom, primarily due to the large size of the existing Aero-H antenna.
Another revised schedule pushes the target date for certification of the Sino Swearingen SJ30-2 business jet to mid-2000, about six months later than the previously revised date.
Agusta's single-engine turbine helicopter, the P&WC PT6B-powered A119 Koala, won't make its originally scheduled year-end certification (May, page 104). An Agusta spokesperson in Italy told B/CA that the aircraft's ``configuration has been reviewed'' following customer comments and that tests are in progress to ``enlarge the total flight envelope,'' including increasing the maximum cruise speed to 150 knots--10 knots faster than previously targeted. Italian certification is now expected in the first half of 1999 with FAA approval to follow.
General Signal's flight department, based at Westchester County Airport in White Plains, N.Y. for 26 years, was closed on October 6 after the company's purchase this spring by SPX Corp. of Muskegon, Mich. SPX operates its own flight department in Michigan with a Citation II, and also has a Hawker 800XP on order. General Signal had sold its Hawker in June and was leasing a Beechjet. At press time, General Signal's two pilots and a mechanic had not yet found new employment.
Allison has approved the following test-cell facilities for all Model 250 engine models: ACRO Aerospace in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Dallas Airmotive in Dallas; H&S Aviation in Portsmouth, England; Keystone Engine Services in West Chester, Pa.; National Airmotive in Oakland, Calif.; and Standard Aero in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. A September item (page 31) mis-characterized Standard Aero's approval.
Engine development always has been one of the biggest drivers of aircraft development. Come up with an engine that opens a new niche, and an aircraft to go with it is sure to follow. That was true with the Williams FJ-44 and the Cessna CitationJet. And now the FJ-33--a smaller, less expensive offering from Williams--may open another new market for light jets.
To the relief of many FBOs, the National Air Transportation Association has convinced 20 states to exempt aviation fuel trucks from a requirement that compels truck owners to install ticket printers by January 1, 1999. The intent of the requirement, set forth by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, is to prevent defrauding the customer, particularly in the delivery of home heating oil. NATA members feel such fraud is nonexistent in aviation.
Dallas Airmotive (Dallas)--Lisa Cheyne was promoted to program manager for the AlliedSignal TPE331 and TFE731 product lines of this engine overhaul and repair facility.
In December, the National Aeronautic Association (NAA) will bestow one of aviation's highest awards--the Wright Brothers Memorial Trophy--on Edward W. Stimpson, an energetic proponent of general aviation who arguably has been the industry's most effective and respected advocate in Washington, D.C. during the past 30 years.
San Francisco International Airport authorities have notified the FAA of its intention to expand by four hours the time when FAR Part 36, Stage 2 aircraft are restricted from operating at the airport. The airport wants the restricted period to be between 1900 and 0700, starting March 5, 1999. The current period is between 2300 and 0700. Comments on the proposal can be submitted to the FAA. For more details, phone the agency at (650) 794-5000.
With Boeing struggling to increase its production rate to 51 airliners a month, of which only two are Boeing Business Jets, adding winglets is a low priority. However, without winglets, the BBJ's 10th and aft-most, under-floor supplemental fuel tank will have to remain, or the aircraft will fall at least 300-nm short of its range goal of 6,200 nm. In any case, the winglets wouldn't be approved before mid 1999 (October, page 78).
Fractional ownership programs and the retirement of a significant number of first generation business jets will drive the worldwide market for new corporate aircraft sales over the next 20 years, with fractional programs alone accounting for about 36 percent of that growth, according to a Rolls-Royce forecast released during the NBAA convention.
In response to the current upsurge in business aircraft sales, Cessna Finance Corp. is realigning to facilitate expansion and to speed up the credit approval process for domestic and international activities.
Gary Schandl, manager of quality assurance for Midcoast Aviation, of Cahokia, Ill., is this year's recipient of the general aviation Aviation Technician of the Year award bestowed by the aviation industry and the FAA. A news item in the October issue (Briefing, page 54) erroneously indicated that this was a PAMA award.
FAA has signed a memorandum of agreement which would release Kansas City from its obligations under the improvement program grants program for Richards-Gabaur Airport, permitting the city to close the facility. Kansas City wants to convert the busy general aviation airfield into a rail and truck freight yard. For years, the city has been trying to close the airport, including a failed attempt to get it shut down by Congress (November 1997, page 17). The AOPA has asked the DOT to investigate the FAA's action.
Terrain resolution is measured in navigational units of arc minutes and arc seconds. At the equator, one arc minute of latitude or longitude is equivalent to one nautical mile, approximately 6,080 feet or 1.852 kilometers. An arc second is 1/60 of an arc minute, or approximately 100 feet, four inches.
British Airways' largest affiliate, British Regional Airlines Group, continues to expand as it takes delivery of more Embraer RJ-145s. But the carrier also recently reported a loss of $886,500 for the first half after just going public in June. BRAG's shares dove 52 percent on the news.
On January 1, the well-Imown names of Aeroleasing and Aviation Methods, Inc. will disappear when their operations become known as TAG Aviation. The former Aeroleasing, acquired by TAG in May, is a Geneva-based firm that owns 20 aircraft it uses in charter operation. The former AiMI, which TAG acquired in January, is an aircraft sales and management firm based in San Francisco, and operates 55 aircraft. The new TAG Aviation also includes a 99-year lease to operate London's Famborough Airport.
The Lancair Columbia 300 received FAA certification in October, paving the way for production to start in the first quarter of 1999. The Columbia 300 is a four-place, fixed-gear single, powered by a 310-hp Continental IO-550N. According to preliminary performance figures, the Columbia 300 is the fastest of the normally aspirated piston singles. Lancair officials in Bend, Ore. said the company has 252 orders for the $245,000 (B/CA-equipped) aircraft.
