AccuWeather, Inc. is offering a new aviation weather service called the AccuWeather Aviation Weather Center. The new service provides users with color radar, weather depictions, surface observations, visible and infrared satellite imagery, and DIFAX charts. Access to the FAA Flight Plan filing system is planned. Users can access a free version or try a premium subscription service ($4.95 per month, $39.95 per year). A 30-day free trial is available for the premium site at www.accuweather.com.
Embraer has focused on a new niche for used EMB-120 Brasilias-NASCAR. The Brazilian manufacturer recently sold three of the 30-seat regional turboprops to Bill Elliott Racing Team of Dawsonville, Ga., and Grand Aviation, a Texas firm owned by Elliott and Miami Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino.
Eau Claire, Wis.-based Delta Technology (www.flightplan.com) has rolled out version 4.0 of its Destination Direct flight planning package. The new 32-bit, Windows 95-compatible software has expanded features, such as SIDs and STARs, and a weight and balance module that suggests fuel adjustments when passengers and baggage exceed c.g. limits.
EMERGING AIRCRAFT TARGET DATES The following are target dates for emerging turbine aircraft. These dates, supplied by the airframe manufacturers, are subject to change-and frequently do-as a result of design revisions, funding, testing delays or extensions, and/or the resolution of unforeseen problems. Each month, this table will endeavor to show the most-current schedule. Manufacturer Model Milestone AASI Jetcruzer 500 Turboprop Certification
These graphs are designed to be used together to provide a broad view of Global Express performance. Do not use them for flight planning. For a complete operational performance analysis, consult the flight planning and cruise performance manuals, as well as the FAA-approved flight manual.
Standard Aero, an authorized service facility for Allison engines, formed a "technical advisory group" for operators of the Citation X, which is powered by the Allison AE3007C. The group, comprised of representatives of Cessna and Allison, as well as Standard Aero personnel and aircraft operators, was formed to address engine maintenance and cost issues. A meeting of the group has been scheduled during this year's NBAA annual convention.
Mooney Aircraft Corp. (Kerrville, Texas)-Retired U.S. Air Force Gen. Ron Fogleman was elected vice chairman of this aircraft manufacturer's board of directors.
Gulfstream believes the additional capacity afforded by its purchase of K-C Aviation will enable the company to expand its completions capability and to work off a backlog that has seen G-V deliveries slip by several months as the company boosts production. The company is at a five-aircraft per month production rate now and expects to deliver 64 aircraft in 1999. However, Gulfstream took 42 orders in the first half of this year, and has a total G-V/G-IVSP backlog of 103 aircraft.
The avionics community, guided by the RTCA, is still assessing a range of existing technology options for relaying data from the air to the ground and back. Ultimately, unit cost, the availability of radio spectrum, availability of ground systems to support Free Flight avionics and global acceptance will determine which technologies will be chosen.
Some 400 owners and operators of P68 light twins now have a single company to turn to for service and support. VulcanAir in Casoria, Italy recently purchased the aircraft's bankrupt manufacturer, Partenavia, and promised to ramp up production of "official" parts while at the same time working to prevent the manufacturing and distribution of "unauthorized" parts. The company also says "in the near future" it will open an office in the United States.
Pro Star Aviation is a new avionics installation, service and maintenance facility in Manchester, N.H., housed in a renovated 17,000-square-foot hangar fit for Gulfstream-size aircraft.
Northstar Avionics is giving its VFR GPS-60 customers the chance to upgrade to the company's M3 IFR-Approach GPS for a suggested retail price of $2,900. The M3 offers a 12-channel, parallel-tracking, "all-in-view" GPS. The unit identifies the closest 40 frequencies based on the aircraft's position, including over 3,000 remote communications outlets. Northstar Technologies, 30 Sudbury Rd., Acton, Mass. 01720. (978) 897-0770; fax: (970) 897-7241.
September 23 is the deadline for comments on a notice of proposed rulemaking to increase the weight limit for normal category helicopters from 6,000 pounds to 7,000 pounds (August, page 18). The proposal also would establish a maximum seating capacity of nine for FAR Part 27 helicopters. Currently there is no stipulation on seating. The agency said boosting the weight limit will make it easier to meet increasing safety requirements and respond to the market trend toward new light twins.
Textron Lycoming (Williamsport, Pa.)-The company has promoted two executives: Fred Hill to vice president of operations and Richard Moffett to vice president of engineering.
After an audit by American Eagle, IDC Aerospace, LLC of Milwaukee, which operates as an FAA Repair Station 12XR050, was found to meet the CASE Level 1A standard.
General Accounting Office auditors are skeptical of the FAA's claim that it will meet a September 30 deadline to fix its mission critical ATC computer systems that need to be modified to properly recognize the year 2000 ("Y2K") date codes (July, page 68). The timeline that was recommended by the Office of Management and Budget, and adopted by the FAA, gives the agency until September 30 to renovate all its systems. In late July, FAA Administrator Jane F. Garvey stated her agency had thus far renovated 67 percent of the affected systems.
The tarmac at Oshkosh was jammed with a consistently changing mix of business aircraft of all shapes and sizes. A Gulfstream V was there for two days, a Dassault Falcon Jet 900B dropped in for several hours, a Learjet 60 made a 48-hour appearance and a Sabreliner was parked there for a couple of days. A new Bell 407 settled into a spot close to the G-V, a Learjet 55 was parked nearby, as were a Cessna Citation Ultra and a Raytheon Beech-jet, along with various piston and turboprop workhorses of today's business aircraft fleet.
Boeing Business Jets said that Gulfstream Aerospace's impending acquisition of K-C Aviation will have no immediate impact on BBJ completions. Of the 29 BBJs on order, customers have inked contracts for 16 completions, none of which were slated for K-C Aviation, one of six completion centers originally chosen by BBJ. At the five remaining authorized completion centers, most completions are going to Raytheon Waco, with the remainder split between Jet Aviation in Basel, Lufthansa Technik AG in Hamburg, Phoenix-based Garrett, and Associated Air Center in Dallas.
President Bill Clinton was expected to sign legislation that exempts the aviation industry from the Fastener Quality Act. Critics claimed the requirements would have "shut down" aviation manufacturing.
DOT data show that runway incursions increased 54 percent from 1993 through 1996, and the trend continued upward in 1997. Statistics compiled for the first 10 months of 1997 reveals 276 incursions, compared to 238 incidents during the same time period of 1996. A total of 45 people have died in four major runway accidents since 1990. To promote a reduction in the incursion rate, an FAA/industry workshop on the problem will be held in Washington D.C. on September 28-29.
Three sub-areas within the Class B Airspace surrounding Salt Lake City will be reconfigured, if the FAA adopts proposed rulemaking. Comments are due October 5. Phone (202) 267-8783 to obtain a copy of the NPRM, Notice 95-AWA-12.
Garrett Aviation's system-wide avionics director Mike Anderson walked B/CA through an electrical analysis of a hypothetical business jet office suite: "What we really look at is total AC usage in the airplane," Anderson began from his Springfield, Ill. office. "Most often we will look at high-use equipment like microwaves, then do an analysis on all 60-cycle requirements. Typically, we'll put in a single inverter that will be capable of powering the microwave as well as cabin amenities like laptops, fax machines, etc.
Boeing has reached a preliminary agreement to sell its MD Explorer helicopter assets to Belgium-based Helifly, a longtime distributor of the company's helicopters. A spokesman said the deal is expected to close by October 1, with several months for transition of manufacturing, parts and support. Meanwhile, Boeing continues to look for a buyer for the remaining MD 600 and MD 500 lines. Bell Helicopter Textron attempted earlier this year to acquire those lines, but anti-trust concerns halted the sale (July, page 20).
They tried to work it out among themselves. They didn't. Now the World Trade Organization successor to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) will investigate the alleged government subsidies of both Brazil and Canada to their respective regional-jet manufactures Embraer and Bombardier's Canadair unit.
General aviation representatives have joined in the booing chorus of the airlines, machinists and pilots unions that have vociferously opposed the idea of ticketing-allowing FAA inspectors to issue administrative actions to pilots and mechanics on the spot.
