Some late 60s- and early 70s-vintage panel- and remote-mount radios are becoming increasingly difficult to maintain. Their reliability is poor, parts are difficult to find and few shops have the expertise to keep the radios in good shape. The resale value of aircraft equipped with some brands of old radios suffers as a result. These aircraft are prime candidates for a radio retrofit. AlliedSignal's Silver Crown CNI radios are the most popular replacements for old panel-mounts, avionics shops told B/CA. A full stack can be installed for $50,000 to $60,000.
Airwork Corp. of Millville, N.J. says that by summer it will be expanding its Allison 250 capabilities to provide complete module and engine overhaul, repair and exchange support for the A250-C40 and -C47 series
Crossair President Moritz Suter has seen his airline double in size since 1995. Now he faces a new dilemma: How to compete in a liberalized Europe and continue to maintain his renowned high level of passenger service. The difficulty is that Switzerland is not a member of the European Union and is not likely to become one in the near future. So, when final deregulation of the air transport system took effect in April, Crossair's costs to serve EU airports rocketed.
Not only did the non-precision GPS approach to Runway 36 at Meigs Field become operational in February, but the city of Chicago selected Signature Flight Support to remain as the airport's permanent FBO. Of course, the term "permanent" probably will be transitory in status since the city plans to close the airport in February 2002. Signature had been serving the airport on an interim basis (December 1997, page 22).
Maintenance operations will be added to the list of facilities required to report release of certain toxic chemicals if the Environmental Protection Agency decides to adopt a petition from several environmental and wildlife protection groups. Currently, maintenance and other airport operations are exempt from this reporting requirement.
Justice Department and the FAA plan to file a motion asking for clarification from the U.S. district court judge who in March ordered the cancellation of the contract tower program. Agreeing with the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, the judge ruled the FAA erred in implementing the program without first conducting a cost-comparison study that was required to determine if the operation of Level 1 ATC towers is an inherently government function. Until the issue is settled, the FAA is suspending its plan to contract out an additional 22 towers.
Bombardier is nearing certification of an optional, active noise- and vibration-canceling system for Challenger 604 cabins. The system, developed by Ultra Electronics of Cambridge, England, reduces cabin noise from the engine fan by as much as 15 dBs and up to six dBs from the engine core, according to Bombardier. The installed price of the system is $165,000. It also is available for retrofit on model 601s as well as early 604s.
Hermetic Aircraft International and Madelec Aero (of France) have teamed to introduce a dedicated visual ice build-up detector for narrow-body turboprop aircraft. The Water Drop Model 741-AAA installs directly in the flightcrew's line of vision, is self-illuminating for nighttime use and has surface sensitivity so that the indicator is the first point of ice build-up on the aircraft. Price: $633. Hermetic Aircraft International, 100 Corporate Dr., Holtsville, N.Y. 11742. (516) 758-4242; fax: (516) 758-1428.
Japan's Excel Air Service, a sightseeing operator, in December will become the first operator of the new MH2000 helicopter, Japan's first indigenous helicopter (September 1997, page 60). Mitsubishi certificated the 9,900-pound, twin-turbine helicopter in July 1997. The company has not set a timetable for sales outside Japan.
On winter days that make most pilots think twice about flying, Dave Marcotte and his team of researchers rush eagerly to their fully-instrumented Convair 580. Marcotte is the project leader for icing research conducted during the winter of 1997/98 by Canada's National Research Council and the Atmospheric Environment Service. Also participating were Transport Canada, Boeing, the Canadian Department of National Defense and the Canadian Search and Rescue Secretariat.
The volatile United Express caper at Denver appeared headed towards resolution in early March. United had terminated Mesa Air Group's franchise effective April 22 and United Express Air Wisconsin bought Mountain Air Express (MAX) out of Chapter 11 bankruptcy to run some of the Mesa routes. United Express Great Lakes Aviation will take over Mesa's smaller markets.
FAA issued an Advance Notice of Proposed Rule Making asking for industry comment on how the agency should proceed on a rule that would require the use of "child restraint systems." Currently, child safety seats are designed for automobile use, but some also are DOT-approved for voluntary use in aircraft. The rule, applicable only to commercial operators, has been in the works for several years (November 1994, page 24). Comments are due June 18. For more information, contact the FAA at (202) 267-3735.
On April 23, unless there is another delay, aircraft operating IFR in European airspace will be required to meet RNP-5 or BRNAV. RNP-5 requires aircraft to be equipped with area nav equipment capable of five-nm along-track and cross-track accuracy. Avionics installed in accordance with FAA ACs 90-45A, 20-130A, 20-138 or 25-25 are acceptable for BRNAV operations, according to Honeywell. If the AFM lists one of the above ACs or states that the aircraft is RNP-5 capable, no further documentation is required.
One of the major steps in manufacturing composite structures is ensuring their integrity following lay-up and curing. Just as Raytheon is embracing new technology in the way it will build the Premier I and the Horizon, the company is turning to new ways to inspect the final product at the factory.
Bombardier Aerospace executives were clearly disappointed at the 1997 Paris Air Show when American Eagle announced it would acquire 42 Embraer RJ-145 50-seaters as opposed to the Canadair CRJ-200. An accompanying order for 25 70-seat CRJ-700s did not dampen the disappointment. The carrier took options of 25 for each of the aircraft.
As expected, reduced lateral separation in the Central East Pacific route structure is scheduled to go into effect April 23. Specifically, lateral separation will be reduced from 100 nm to 50 nm at FL 310 through FL 390 in the NorPac and Hawaiian route system including transitional waypoints and on ATS Routes R463, R464, R465, R585, R576, R577 and R578. Aircraft that are not approved
JAA recently certificated the Flight Dynamics Head-up Guidance System for Category IIIa approaches in the Falcon 2000. The approval allows European-registered Falcon 2000s to make approaches down to 700 feet RVR and 50 feet DH, says Flight Dynamics. The firm also says a CAT IIIa program has started for the Falcon 900EX. Meanwhile, FAA certification of the HUD on the Falcon 2000 remains far behind schedule (October 1997, page 17).
Textron Inc., the parent company of Bell Helicopter, has approved the purchase of most of the Boeing Commercial Helicopter line, formerly a McDonnell Douglas unit. Bell will take over the single-engine MD 500 and MD 600 lines, including manufacturing, sales and support. However, the agreement does not cover the Explorer light twin, which has had an uphill fight in the order wars. Bell said it will support Explorers already sold as Boeing tries to find a buyer for the model.
In celebration of B/CA's 40th anniversary, each month throughout 1998 we will present excerpts from the top features published 40 years ago. We hope you find them interesting, thought-provoking and even amusing. From the April 1958 issue: -- Cover Story-One of the latest 'copter entries in the business flying field is the jet-powered French Alouette II. Billed as the world's first production model 'copter with gas turbine power, it's being assembled by Republic Aviation, Farmingdale, N.Y.
A proposed AD would require operators of some 50 TPE331-8, -10, -11 and -12 engines to replace fuel manifold assemblies allegedly improperly repaired by Hoses Unlimited prior to November 11, 1995. The agency said the non-FAA approved repairs could lead to fuel leaks. Estimated cost: $2,100 per engine.
Starting April 23 (if all goes according to the FAA's plan), Required Navigation Performance 10 (RNP-10) will be required of all aircraft operating in the Central East Pacific route structure (California to Hawaii) between FL 310 and FL 390. Essentially, RNP-10 is an updated version of MNPS that will allow Oakland Center to reduce lateral separation to 50 nm in order to accommodate higher traffic densities.
Worldwide deliveries of new business jets jumped nearly 39 percent in one year-445 units in 1997 compared to 320 in 1996. All manufacturers but one (IAI) enjoyed varying degrees of increased deliveries, according to figures compiled by the Weekly of Business Aviation. Deliveries of multiengine turboprops (King Airs) also increased, but to a lesser extent-116 in 1997 compared to 106 in 1996. Pilatus delivered five PC-12 single-engine turboprops in 1997 compared to 36 in 1996. Socata, the other maker of single-engine turboprops, did not provide delivery data.
United Express Atlantic Coast Airlines has confirmed five conditional orders for Canadair Regional Jets exercised in November 1997. The confirmation brings to 23 the number of CRJs on firm order, plus 25 remaining options. The new aircraft are scheduled for delivery in 1999. The Washington Dulles-based carrier at press time operated its first six 50-seat CRJs with multiple daily roundtrips to Atlanta; Fort Myers, Fla.; Indianapolis; Jacksonville; Nashville; Raleigh/Durham; and Tampa. Savannah service was to be launched April 1. Average mileage for
Time will tell. That's what we said in September 1990 about the benefits of composite structure in a review of the Raytheon Starship. Seven years later, the tale is unfolding, and the people who operate and maintain Starships are giving the materials an enthusiastic "thumbs up." To be sure, taking care of a composite airplane is different. It requires different techniques, different tools and different know-how. But different isn't always bad, and in fact, in many cases different is turning out to be better.
