A new Transport Canada rule extends passenger-carrying commercial IFR operations in single-engine, turbine aircraft to the mountainous regions of Canada, such as the interior of British Columbia and Baffin Island. Canada's single-engine, passenger-carrying IFR rules, adopted four years ago, do not apply to piston-engine aircraft modified to turbine power. Eligible aircraft include the Cessna Caravan, Pilatus PC-12 and TBM-700.
A court decision has forced the FAA to drop the infamous overflight fees, pending the outcome of an analysis of how it calculated the fees. While a U.S. Court of Appeals didn't question the authority of the FAA to charge such fees, it concluded that its method of calculating those fees was erroneous. The fees, which went into effect in May 1997, were directed at all aircraft that fly through U.S. controlled airspace, but do not take off or land at a U.S. airport (May 1997, page 10).
B/CA recently did a brief (non-scientific, subjective) flight evaluation of two relatively new and distinctive types of active noise-canceling headsets. The Sennheiser HMEC 25 represents the ultra-lightweight, minimum-earcup size units while the Lightspeed 20K exemplifies the traditional headset with large, full-size earcups (see accompany photographs). In our opinion, they both worked well and, notably, were equally comfortable to wear, something we can't say about all ANC headsets we've tried.
The smaller jets continue to be workhorses in the utility role as well as people transportation. To get an idea of what a narrow-body aircraft can do in the international arena, listen to Marvin Keyser, president of Aires Aviation International of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Aires' forte is special missions-principally aerial survey and mapping. It currently operates a pair of Piper Cheyennes for geophysics assignments, two Piper Navajos for various special missions work, and a Learjet 36 for radar mapping.
The effect of the Environmental Protection Agency's underground storage tank requirements (better known as the "yank-a-tank" rules) is drawing the attention of visitors to the Aviation Week Group Forum on CompuServe. The topic has generated speculation that many FBOs will choose to go out of business rather than bear the cost of compliance. To read more, CompuServe members can visit the forum ("Go AWG").
A bill pending at press time in the Massachusetts Joint Committee on Taxation would eliminate the sales tax on aircraft purchases, repairs and spares for airplanes with an MTOW of 6,000 pounds or more. State Representative Cele Hahn (R-Westfield), who introduced the legislation, said the general aviation industry presented excellent testimony. She feels the measure has a chance "even though there is lots of competition for tax cuts now in an election year." Connecticut adopted similar legislation in October 1997 (August 1997, page 20).
The new, stretched Dauphin helicopter previously known as the AS365-N4 has been redesignated the EC-155 to make its designation consistent with the other civil helicopters in Eurocopter's family. The 10,000-pound MTOW EC-155 will offer 40 percent more cabin volume than the -N3. Baggage volume will increase by 50 percent. The aircraft is currently in flight test and is expected to receive certification in the fourth quarter.
Salem, Ore.-based Valley Oil Co. acquired Remco Fuels of Seymour, Texas, a provider of Phillips 66 aviation fuel in Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma . . . Avatar Alliance of Atlanta says it has purchased a "large inventory of rotable and consumable airframe and avionics spares for Fokker F100s . . . AAR Corp. of Wood Dale, Ill. has bought the Avsco product distribution unit from France's Sogerma . . . Rockwell Collins has expanded its business and regional aircraft avionics service center at Brazil's Sao Jose dos Campos Airport . . .
One of Learjet Inc.'s most popular models has been the 35/36 series that first entered production in 1974. The firm built 735 units during a 22-year production run, which is the longest for any Learjet model. Production finally ceased in 1995 in anticipation of the Learjet 45's arrival.
-- Marietta, Ga.-Avtech Executive Flight Center at Cobb County-McCollum Field is in the midst of a major construction program that will double the FBO's hangar and office space. The company, which pumps AirBP fuel, is adding 40,000 square feet for aircraft storage and 6,600 square feet for customer office space. Completion is scheduled by mid year. (800) 511-4016/(770) 422-2345.
Construction is underway of Bombardier's extension of the company's aviation service facility in Tucson. When completed in July, the 120,000-square-foot addition will enable the facility to more than double the number of Challenger 604 completions it can handle, according to James L. Ziegler, general manager of Bombardier Aviation Services. "Half of the new space will be devoted to Challenger completions. Now at eight per year, [capacity] will go to 20 per year," Ziegler told B/CA. "The other half will be for the Global Express," he added.
Aviation Methods, Inc., a San Francisco-based charter, sales and management firm, has been acquired by the TAG Group S.A. The Luxembourg-based holding company will integrate AMI's operations with its own similar operations of TAG Aeronautics Limited. Tag Group also recently acquired Geneva-based Aeroleasing, one of the largest charter operators in Europe.
Offspring of a team effort of II Morrow and PS Engineering is the SL10 line of audioselector panels. The panels are available in four models: The SL10-MS (shown, $1,695) includes intercom, hi-fi stereo and MB; the SL10-S ($1,395) comes with intercom and hi-fi stereo; the SL10-M ($1,495) has an intercom and built-in MB; and the SL10 ($1,095) is a standard audio selector panel with six-place intercom. Each model can be connected to as many as three trans-ceivers and six receivers. II Morrow, P.O. Box 13549, Salem, Ore. 97309. (503) 391-3260; fax: (503) 364-2138.
The U.S. makers of aircraft, avionics, powerplants and accessories recently announced with understandable fanfare the industry's extraordinary results for 1997 operations. This segment is growing at a rate of 50 percent per year. -- Highest industry billings ever-$4.7 billion, up from $3.1 billion. -- Highest shipments since 1985- 1,569 units, up from 1,130 units. -- Single-engine piston sales up 70.8 percent and jet sales up 44.4 percent. -- Best safety record ever in terms of numbers of accidents.
Pan Am International Flight Academy, which in late 1997 branched out into business jet training with an FAA Level C Learjet 35/36 simulator, plans to add a Citation simulator by year-end. The Miami-based firm has been offering airline training on its Boeing, Douglas and Lockheed simulators since December 1992. The company, which recently received FAR Part 142 training center approval, was originally part of Pan Am World Airways, but went out of business when the airline went bankrupt in 1991. A year later, the academy reopened under new ownership.
Two blocks of Mesa stock totaling 14.3 percent of the carrier's outstanding shares recently changed hands, triggering an increase in board members from seven to nine. Barlow Partners, which already owned 6.6 percent of US Airways Express carrier CCAir, acquired 5.3 percent of Mesa Air Group.
The transfer of Mitsubishi MU-2 worldwide customer support responsibilities from Raytheon Aircraft to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries of America (MHIA) is expected to be completed this month. Raytheon Aircraft took over service and support functions when it bought the Diamond business jet program from Mitsubishi in 1986. MU-2 operators with questions about product support should contact MHIA in Dallas at (972) 248-3108. There are about 370 MU-2s in service worldwide.
McGraw-Hill's 764-page AIM/FAR 1998 gives pilots a heads up on changes in the regulations by first listing all changed sections and then highlighting all revisions in the text. Other features include: page headings for faster access to information, thumb indexing to help locate AIM chapters and FAR parts, cross references and a free, postpaid mid-year update. A "Flight Forum" section excerpts FAA answers to pilot questions. Price: $29.95 for hardcover and $15.95 for softcover. McGraw-Hill Professional Publishing, 11 West 19th St., New York, N.Y. 10011.
The Learjet 35/36's AlliedSignal TFE731-2-2B turbofan engines have matured into some of the most reliable powerplants fitted to light jets. The current mean time between unscheduled removals is about 10 events per 100,000 flight hours. Starting in the second quarter of this year, AlliedSignal will offer the -2C upgrade, which incorporates more robust parts from higher thrust versions of the TFE731, thereby increasing ITT margins and extending maintenance intervals. The goal is to increase reliability to better than 6.7 events per 100,000 flight hours.
Corporate pilots Mike Coady and Bill Wagner are old hands at international flying, having logged more than 100 North Atlantic crossings between them. In this era of the intercontinental business jet, such experience may not appear especially remarkable until you learn that neither aviator is piloting Gulfstreams, Challengers, or Falcon 50s and 900s usually associated with transoceanic operations.
-- First Heli-Network (www.first-heli-network.co.uk)-The address for this site in the December 1997 issue (page 36) was incorrect. Guests can review information on this British company's plan to operate a helicopter fractional ownership program. -- Metro Business Aviation (www.metrofbo.com)-Detailed descriptions of each of the varied services of this London-based FBO, management and charter company are covered in this site. Metro operates the former Hunting facilities at Heathrow, Luton and Stansted Airports.
Cheyenne Airmotive recently completed a $1.5-million, two-year project to renovate its aircraft paint, interior and maintenance operations at Wyoming's Cheyenne Airport. New facilities include two aircraft paint hangars, each able to handle aircraft up Falcon 20 size.
Fizzy, named for its function as a fuel system ice inhibitor, is a new FAA-approved anti-icing additive for jet fuels. As water separates from fuel in cold temperatures, Fizzy "leaves" the fuel and dissolves in the water, thus lowering the water's freezing point. Available in five-gallon pails or 55-gallon drums. (Distributors' retail prices vary.) Hammonds Fuel Additives, 15760 W. Hardy Rd., Ste. 400, Houston, Texas 77060. (281) 820-5674; fax: (281) 847-5129.
In celebration of B/CA's 40th anniversary, each month throughout 1998 we will present unedited excerpts from the top features published 40 years ago that month. We hope you find them interesting, thought provoking and even amusing. From the March 1958 issue: -- Cover Story: Business planes such as Magnolia Petroleum Co.'s Twin Beech are often seen these days meeting connecting flights at busy terminals. Shown in this picture is the ramp at Dallas' new Love Field [airline] terminal.
