Regional-airline passengers who like the Canadair Regional Jet will love the new 70-seat CRJ-700 series. Major improvements have been made to the cabin that make it much more passenger-friendly. Bombardier unveiled the new cabin mock-up to reporters recently.
Laser tests are scheduled intermittently at the Poker Flat Research Range near Fairbanks, Alaska starting from the surface and projecting up to 60,000 feet msl through June 30, 1998. Laser beams can cause eye injury, and the FAA recommends the area be avoided by at least five miles.
On March 30, 1998, the FAA is scheduled to approve or disapprove a proposed noise compatibility plan for North Carolina's Charlotte/Douglas International Airport. The plan was submitted under FAR Part 150 and the public can comment. For more information, contact the FAA's Thomas M. Roberts in College Park, Ga.; phone: (404) 305-7153.
Most new administrators try to begin their tenure saying things the industry would like to hear. Even so, Jane Garvey's first major policy speech, at a jam-packed Aero Club of Washington luncheon in late October, was a pleasant change. Instead of the never-ending call for more federal regulations on aviation (which marked most of the Clinton administration's first five years), she said the FAA needs to work in collaboration with the industry instead of trying to cudgel it into submission.
The annual General Aviation Industry Awards Program, a joint FAA-industry effort to select a flight instructor and a mechanic of the year, is seeking nominations for this year. Applications should be submitted to the nominee's local FSDO by December 31. The two winners will be honored at the 1998 NBAA annual convention, slated for October 19-21 in Las Vegas. To obtain an application package, phone the NBAA at (202) 783-9000.
Photograph: Announcing the joint venture between Boeing Business Jets and Executive Jet were (from left) Boeing Chairman Phil Condit, BBJ President Borge Boeskov, EJA Chairman Richard Santulli and Chuck Chadwell, executive vice president-GE commercial engines. Boeing, General Electric and Executive Jet have joined forces in a joint venture company that will enable operators to fly in shared Boeing Business Jets beginning in 2000.
Coming soon from AlliedSignal is the AR Series of lightweight, solid-state flight data recorders and cockpit voice recorders. All 10 recorder models in the AR series weigh 10.5 pounds and measure 9.5 inches long, 5.9 inches wide and 6.5 inches high. With U.S. and European certification expected shortly, the cockpit voice recorders ($13,707-$19,999) will enter the marketplace in February 1998, and the flight data recorders ($16,120-$24,140) and combos ($26,647) will be available in June 1998. AlliedSignal Electronics and Avionics, 2525 W. 190 St., Torrance, Calif. 90504.
FAA recently issued Advisory Circular No. 120-69 to guide operators using CD-ROM systems for the keeping of maintenance manuals. In the document, the agency acknowledges the superiority of the CD-ROM format for data retrieval, quality control and speed of distribution. But the FAA cautions that any acceptable CD-ROM system has to deliver information to the user with at least the same degree of accuracy and integrity afforded by a paper or microfilm format.
Pilots training at SimuFlite in Dallas now may attend an optional two-hour course on the fundamentals of GPS technology and flying GPS approaches. The new course is part of the company's Advanced Airmanship Program, which also includes classes on icing and deicing and radar technique.
What are the official noise levels of your aircraft and how do they measure up against other turbine business airplanes? The answers are in an updated advisory circular-AC 36-1G. The publication provides the FAR Part 36 noise levels for all U.S. certificated turbine airplanes and the stage with which the aircraft complies. Another section lists aircraft noise levels ranked in descending order. Copies of AC 36-1G are available from the DOT, Subsequent Distribution Office, Ardmore Business Center, 3341 Q 75th Ave., Landover, Md.
Outfitting centers continue to make major strides in using passive insulation techniques to reduce noise levels in the cabins of business jets without a commensurate increase in interior weight. In 1980, we reported that outfitters finally broke the 70-dB level without a substantial weight penalty (February 1980, page 118). But it wasn't until 1984 before manufacturers were routinely turning out interiors in the low 70-dB range (August 1984, page 138). Time and technology continue.
MidAmerica Airport, a joint-use facility with Scott Air Force Base and an FAA-designated reliever for Lambert/St. Louis International, opens this month about 25 miles east of St. Louis. Joint operations will be conducted on two parallel runways-Scott's 8,000-foot runway and MidAmerica's 10,000-foot runway. A full-service business aviation FBO is not immediately planned, but at last report general aviation aircraft fueling will be available from American Terminal Services, also the provider of airliner fueling. U.S. Air Force controllers will staff the tower.
As you'll discover when you read Dave Collogan's Washington column this month, FAA Administrator Jane Garvey's stock is rising within the aviation community as she energetically articulates a clear vision for her embattled agency. In forums throughout the industry she has promised change, with focus on four areas-safety, security, system efficiency, and an adequate and stable source of funding.
Carl Muhs, owner of Mid-Michigan Air Center at Saginaw Airport, recently completed the purchase of Chrysler Pentastar's operations at Detroit's Willow Run Airport. Renamed Willow Run JetCenter, the FBO is undergoing a renovation set to be completed this month. Chrysler Pentastar's sole facility now is its headquarters at Michigan's Pontiac/Oakland Airport.
Chicago will soon select a "permanent" FBO for embattled Meigs Field. However, the extent of that permanency may only be four years. As readers may recall, under an agreement reached between state and city officials early this year, Meigs must remain open for at least four more years. Then, Chicago will be free to close the airport. Signature Flight Support has been providing FBO services on an interim basis (February, page 11).
Tridair and Bell Helicopter reached an "amicable" resolution to a dispute in which Tridair sued Bell for alleged breach of contract and misappropriation of trade secrets (August, page 16). Tridair President Doug Daigle said, "We're both moving forward in a positive way," adding that he will continue to market his Gemini ST twin-engine retrofit of the Bell LongRanger and JetRanger, but will not pursue a similar program for the Bell 407 (March, page 18). Tridair had maintained its agreement with Bell in the early 1990s extended to the 407 and the 427 light twin.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal District has ruled that Executive Jet Aviation must collect a 10-percent federal excise tax for commercial transportation on the hourly fee the company charges NetJets owners for aircraft usage.
Piper President Chuck Suma believes his company's future lies in carefully picking market niches and dominating them once established. Since its reorganization in July 1995, The New Piper Aircraft has worked hard to better gauge market forces and desires, and Suma says he's closer to his customers than ever.
Bombardier Regional Aircraft in October delivered its 200th Canadair Regional Jet. The recipient was Lufthansa CityLine, the launch customer for the aircraft, which began commercial operations on November 2, 1992. Demand for the 50-seater has been strong, prompting Canadair to increase production to six per month early next year. The increase will result in the production of 68 units in 1998 and 72 in 1999.
Olathe, Kan.-Kansas City Aviation at Johnson County Executive Airport will expand the size of its aircraft painting hangar to accept aircraft as large as Citations and King Airs. (913) 782-6472.
Photograph: In this view up the tailpipe of the G-II/G-III hush kit mockup, the lower internal deflector that redirects the exhaust into the cascade is visible in the deployed position. Note the 10-lobe mixer/ejector that does much of the job of hushing the noisy Spey. Stage III Technologies and Dallas Airmotive have tangible evidence of their hush treatment of the Rolls-Royce Spey turbofan in the form of a full-size detailed mockup mounted on the left nacelle of a Gulfstream II.
The latest product from Ryan International is its ATS-9000 Traffic and Collision Alert Device that now displays bearing information to a potential-threat aircraft, along with altitude and range. Bearing is shown by an arrow in the TCAD's main display window, oriented like an ADF or RMI needle. The arrow points to traffic in one of eight sectors (each sector covers a 45-degree arc). Price: $12,850 for the less-than- 7.5-pound system, with an additional $1,200 to $1,400 for the antenna and installation.
