Sporty's Pilot Shop now offers aluminum chocks with either a coat of safety yellow paint or a natural finish and they will not split or rust, according to the manufacturer. These chocks feature a concave tire surface, a hollowed-out bottom for better surface friction and a 21-inch nylon connecting rope. Price $24.95, or $30.95 customized with the aircraft's N-number (up to six characters). Sporty's Pilot Shop, Clermont County Airport, Batavia, Ohio 45103. (513) 732-2593; fax: (513) 732-6560.
How much use do you get from your computer's speakers and sound card? If you're not using them to listen to your favorite CDs while you're cruising the Internet, balancing your electronic checkbook, playing gameware or composing e-mail, we have discovered a new use for them. Aviation Weekly is an hour-long, Internet-based, aviation-topical, talk-radio style broadcast that you can tune into every Friday at 1200 Zulu.
At press time, Media Aviation at Burbank Airport was scheduled to complete the first phase of a facility renovation. This phase includes an expansion of available hangar space and a face-lift for the company's executive terminal to include two conference rooms (able to accommodate 16 persons each), a crew lounge and separate quiet room, flight plan room, shower and vending-machine area. A separate lounge area is provided for passengers. (818) 843-8311.
Alberta Aerospace is developing a four-seat civil version of the Jet Squalus, a 10-year-old Italian-built military trainer. The Calgary, Alberta firm says the Phoenix Fanjet will be powered by a single William Rolls FJ44-1. FAR Part 23 approval is scheduled by December 1998.
Operators of larger corporate aircraft and airliners flying in Canadian airspace get a temporary reprieve from ATC user fees when flying in Canada. Nav Canada has deferred the start of the fees from November 1 to March 1, 1998. New user fees for aircraft weighing less than approximately 18,000 pounds were on the original schedule to start on November 1, 1998. (See this issue's Observer, page 34 for details).
FAA dropped plans to designate Class B airspace for Nashville International Airport, conceding that the facility no longer meets established criteria. Nashville was first considered for Class B airspace five years ago when American Airlines was using the airport as a hub. American ended its hub operation at Nashville in mid 1995, but the FAA didn't close its Nashville Class B project until recently.
A recent FAA on-site assessment of ATC in southern African countries found a number of shortcomings in Angola, Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The agency said the problems included: -- A lack of equipment to make ATC communications between countries reliable. -- Nonexistent or inoperative navigation equipment at many key airports. -- Inconsistent training of controllers and technicians. -- A lack of trained instructors.
The following are target dates for emerging 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
DOT's revised Standard Industry Fare Level (SIFL) rates for the six-month period ending December 31 are: 0-500 sm--$0.1735; 501-1,500 sm--$0.1323; and more than 1,500 sm--$0.1272. The terminal charge is $31.72. U.S. tax laws require SIFL rates to be used when calculating the cost of transportation of non-business travelers aboard employer-provided aircraft. This formula applies on a per-flight, per-person basis.
Miller Aviation at New York's Binghamton Airport has joined the ranks of 10 factory-authorized Twin Commander service centers worldwide that offer replacement of the lower wing spar cap. On some Twin Commanders, this cap, one of the major load-bearing members of the wing, suffers excessive corrosion because of dissimilar metal contact. The original aluminum cap and the stainless steel straps that support the cap were primed with zinc chromate, which, over time, begins to flake away, thereby allowing moisture to form between these two metals.
Renato Claudio Costa Pereira has been appointed secretary general for a three-year term for this United Nations organization that sets international standards and regulations for aviation.
Atlantic Coast Airlines at press time still did not know whether it would operate its new fleet of Canadair Regional Jets as United Express or in its own livery as Atlantic Coast Jet (ACJ). Nonetheless, senior partner United, still in negotiation with its pilots over who would fly regional jets, agreed to reimburse ACA for its CRJ lease payments and for flight-crew expense through the end of the year.
Warranty coverage of Allison 250 parts originally manufactured by Superior Turbines has transferred to Extex, the Mesa, Ariz. company that acquired the Superior product line in late 1996 (November 1996, page 28). Owners of Superior parts who register with Extex by December 31 will have their original Superior warranties honored.
Approximately one-third of the working population of Tennessee--900,000 people--are in jobs that in some way relate to the use of general aviation, according to the results of a GA economic impact study presented in a new videotape from the state's division of aeronautics. The video keys in on three GA airports where business and government leaders describe the importance of airports and general aviation to the state.
Mesa Air Group is launching the first major expansion of its Canadair Regional Jet network this fall as it takes delivery of additional aircraft. Since early summer the carrier has been operating the 50-seater from its new Fort Worth-Meacham Field hub to Houston's downtown Hobby Airport. On September 7, the carrier opened Fort Worth-San Antonio service as well as America West Express service between Phoenix and Santa Barbara, Calif.
Flight testing is under way for the Jetcruzer 500, a six-place, single-engine turboprop scheduled to receive certification in late 1998 (August, page 23). Advanced Aerodynamics&Structures, the Long Beach, Calif. firm developing the Pratt&Whitney Canada-powered Jetcruzer 500, says it has 53 orders.
AOPA and the Experimental Aircraft Association have been asked by the FAA to evaluate ways to speed the processing of pilot medical certifications, particularly those involving special issuance for airmen recovering from specific medical problems. The AOPA says the processing backlog in Oklahoma City is as long as four months.
This aircraft engine overhauler has made the following staff changes in its West Coast sales and service regional offices: Scott L. Cochran is heading the company's Northwest region, with offices based in Snohomish, Wash., and Sarkis Garabetian oversees the southern California regional office based in La Crescenta, Calif.
A new NBAA program targeted at ``improving the communication flow'' between the association and the business aviation community also is aimed at recruiting more association members. Called REACHBAC, for Regional Effort to Advise, Communicate with and Help the Business Aviation Community, the effort involves a committee comprised of NBAA members whose roles include contacting potential members within their regional areas.
Phil Botana has been named vice president of flight operations for the firm's FlexJet program. Botana succeeds Gary Hart, who left to become president of Raytheon's Travel Air fractional aircraft ownership program.
