Jouve Data Management, Inc. has added AirGTI Task manager to its AirGTI software product suite. The program is designed to help aircraft maintenance planners maintain regulatory compliance and controls that are aircraft tail-number specific. The program, which can run stand-alone or can be integrated with other maintenance support systems, also generates corrective action task cards, comes with its own browser, provides reports, and can be used with popular word processors and graphics editors. Phone: (949) 474-4200; fax: (949) 474-4201.
Specialized Transport International, a company performing fixed-wing and helicopter maintenance and modification work on light and heavy aircraft, signed a comprehensive agreement with FLIR Systems, Inc. to provide them with Installation support services.
The AOPA Air Safety Foundation's Seminar-in-a-Box provides pilots with five different do-it-yourself safety programs. Topics include Collision Avoidance and Non-Towered Airports, Airspace Refresher, Never Again (reenacting actual accidents and incidents), and Trigger Tape I and Trigger Tape II (presenting six video scenarios of accidents waiting to happen, to trigger discussion). Kits contain a video or slides, a guide for presenters, handouts for participants and even a door prize video.
Thirty years out of the aviation scene, the four-place, twin-engine Derringer is trying to make a comeback. Derringer Aircraft Co. in Mojave, Calif. is offering the Derringer GT to the business market. A prototype, powered by 200 hp Lycoming engines flat-rated to 160 hp, is now in flight testing, with production aircraft expected to be available in January 1999. The price of the VFR version Derringer GT is $349,000.
Federal Express selected Miami, Fla.-based Pan Am International Flight Academy to provide crew training (pilots and mechanics) for the Ayres Loadmaster LM200, a large-capacity, twin-turboprop, single-propeller aircraft scheduled to enter service in December 1999 (July, page 22). The Academy will build a Level D simulator training facility in Memphis. Meanwhile, the company was purchased recently from a private investor group by an affiliation of Academy management and the Boston investment firm of J.W. Childs.
This year, two of the major U.S. government agencies responsible for aviation-the FAA and NASA-are celebrating their 40th anniversary. Both were founded during the administration of President Dwight D. "Ike" Eisenhower.
NTSB pared down its "Most Wanted" list of safety recommendations from 21 items in 1997 to just 10. Aviation remains the subject of four items: explosive mixtures in fuel tanks, human fatigue, airframe icing and runway incursions. Removed from the list are recommendations covering flight data recorders, pilot background checks and wake turbulence.
FlightSafety International (Flushing, N.Y.)-This aviation personnel training organization appointed managers at four of its regional learning centers: Marlin Schaefer, manager of the Raytheon Aircraft training facility in Wichita; John Bennett, manager of the de Havilland aircraft center in Toronto; Al Ramsey, manager of the Houston Learning Center; and Jean-Luc Lechantre, manager of the company's facility at Le Bourget Airport, Paris. Doug Bowen joined the company as worldwide sales manager for maintenance technician training programs.
Although TCAS II Change 7.0 software is not yet commercially available, the FAA has been conducting demonstrations in its B-727 that allow pilots to see the differences between the old and the new TCAS II software. "The purpose of these flights is to let the Industry see for itself the actual differences between V6.04A and V7.0 logic in a configuration that can't
A shared ownership program for Cessna singles is being test marketed by the manufacturer in Indianapolis and Salt Lake City. The company may announce a nationwide program at the NBAA convention in October.
Starting this year, the national General Aviation Awards Program includes an aviation technician category in addition to the maintenance technician and flight instructor categories. The add-on is partly driven by the sponsors' intent to expand the arena of competition, said Fred Kirby, the NBAA's manager of technical services. Further, the new category enables the program to keep in step with a proposed rule change that would replace the terms "mechanic" and "repairman" with "aviation maintenance technician" and "aviation repair specialist" (See Briefing, page 46).
Premier Air Center in East Alton, Ill. has received certification for non-destructive testing on Citations using eddy current, magnetic particle and liquid penetrant methods.
User charges scheduled to go into effect November 1, 1998 for small- to medium-size GA aircraft operations in Canada have been deferred to at least January 1, 1999, or later (July, page 47). Nav Canada, the country's provider of ATC services, said it is delaying implementation of the fees because of a financial surplus generated by higher than expected travel levels.
Photograph: A pull-out tray in this falcon 2000 work station supports a laptop computer. A fax/printer drawer slides out of the cabinet side. As the Greenhouse Guy in the back of the book might say, "We don't call 'em "bid-ness jets" fer nuthin', Hersch." Once used merely for executive transportation, the corporate aircraft in today's fast-paced, competitive business climate is increasingly being called upon to double as a flying office-a secure, quiet place to conduct business.
Protective Products Corp. has developed two new aircraft cleaners for the belly and wheel wells, wings and other aircraft parts. The non-corrosive, non-dulling Belly Wash (shown) dissolves grime and oily buildup with a water-based neutral pH formula. Wing Clean washes impacted air debris from all leading edges. The company says the product can be used to clean other areas of the aircraft and "cannot harm any surface." Price: Belly Wash, $8.00 for 18 ounces, $28 per gallon; Wing Clean, $7.00 for 18 ounces., $27 per gallon.
B/CA's introduction to the GEX began in Montreal at the Bombardier Aerospace Training Center where all flightcrews and maintenance technicians will be trained. "We are gearing up to handle 450 pilots and 550 maintenance techs a year," said Terry Yaddaw, the center's business aircraft training director. Included in the $32.2 million price of each aircraft is training for four pilots, two maintenance technicians and one flight attendant.
Authorities for California's Santa Barbara Municipal recently completed an update of noise abatement procedures. The revised procedures are depicted on a Jeppesen-size format card available from Charles L. Logan in the airport's noise abatement office. Phone: (805) 967-7111.
Berkshire Hathaway's $725-million purchase of Executive Jet Aviation is expected to provide a boost to the company's already surging NetJets fractional ownership program. Announced in late July, the deal closed on August 7. Berkshire's Warren Buffett has a renowned eye for picking winning companies and typically takes a hands-off approach to ownership. The agreement leaves in place all the current EJA management, including chairman Richard Santulli, who is credited with starting the fractional ownership business.
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.
