Allworld Aviation International offers an FAA/PMA-approved stainless-steel, replacement mainlanding-gear door strut assembly for Hawker aircraft. The single-piece construction unit eliminates the OEM requirement for x-rays every 48 months. Price: $1,550 each. Allworld Aviation International, 2382 Camino Vida Roble, Ste. J, Carlsbad, Calif. 92009. (619) 931-0941; fax: (619) 931-1102.
Bombardier's efforts to quiet cabins have made the leap from the company's regional airliners into its corporate jets. A version of the active noise canceling system on the de Havilland Dash 8Q is now an option in new Challenger 604s and will be offered to existing Challenger operators as a retrofit.
Rockwell Avionics and Communications demonstrated a prototype version of its Collins APR-4000 GPS approach sensor during the Experimental Aircraft Association convention. Using a King Air B200, the company made 15 precision approaches to Fond du Lac, Wis. using a Raytheon Monteck differential ground station to provide Special Category I precision-approach accuracy. With production versions slated to debut in mid 1998, the unit combines an upgraded GPS-4000 with a VHF receiver serving as the datalink for receiving approach waypoints and differential corrections.
Edited By GORDON A. GILBERTPerry Bradley CAMI OPENS SURVIVAL COURSE TO GA PILOTS
Most people think paying taxes is a pain in the neck, but the FAA is using your tax dollars to make available--free of charge--a survival course that could help save your neck.
Ryan International of Columbus, Ohio received FAA approval for its ATS-9000 upgraded TCAS collision alert system. Ryan says the new system provides continuous coverage above and below an aircraft, and also will be the platform that will enable the company to expand its product offerings. The unit, with two receivers, sells for $12,850 uninstalled, and uses transponder data to warn pilots of nearby aircraft. Warnings include relative altitude and range to the target, but not bearing.
One immutable fact of business is that time is money. Despite the advent of modern communications technologies that speed the flow of commerce, aircraft remain the fastest way to transport priority people and cargo.
The incorporation of a new-technology deicing system and an improved wing design are among several reasons Raytheon Aircraft officials cite for slipping the debut of its Premier I business jet from December. Look to spring 1998 for the rollout and first flight; certification and deliveries move to 1999. Raytheon says the wing redesign will boost fuel capacity and ensure a 1,500-nm range. Further, the delay allows for better integration of the aileron and spoiler augmentation system into an advanced-design flight-control system for full roll control.
Purchasers of all models of Schweizer helicopters can take immediate advantage of a finance program introduced by Schweizer Aircraft and Green Tree Financial Corp. Loans are being offered for up to 20-year terms, with a minimum down payment of 10 percent and competitive interest rates in all 50 states.
No changes in management or operations are expected at Atlantic Aviation following its purchase in August by Legg Mason Merchant Bank of Baltimore. The Wilmington, Del.-based FBO will continue to operate under the Atlantic Aviation name. Ray Groves, chairman of Legg Mason, said he views the purchase as a ``cornerstone acquisition'' to enable the investment company to grow in the aviation business.
Business aviation may be booming, along with the economy, this year, but corporate flight department managers should be wary of lean times ahead, according to NBAA President John W. Olcott in his keynote address at the association's annual corporate aviation management seminar recently. Olcott extolled flight department managers to run their departments as businesses. He challenged the audience to ask themselves, ``What is my business? Why am I in this business? Who are my customers? How do I satisfy my customers?''
The National Air Transportation Association and GAMA have voiced their support of House and Senate budget negotiators' compromise on aviation revenue. Congress has approved reinstatement of the fuel tax on avfuel at the current levels, lowering the ticket tax over the next five years from 10 percent to 7.5 percent (a boon to air taxi operators) and supplementing the revenue with a per-flight segment fee. ``The reduction in the overall price of air charter flights is important to on-demand air charter operators,'' said NATA President James Coyne.
The latest from Ledtronics is a line of ultra-bright light-emitting diodes to replace industry-standard T-3-1/4 bayonet-based incandescent lamps. Both the B321 and BF321 series have an MTBF of about 100,000 hours. They illumine brightly, use less energy and generate no heat. Price: $4.50 to $11 per lamp for a quantity of 100. Ledtronics, Inc., 4009 Pacific Coast Hwy., Torrance, Calif. 90505. (310) 534-1505; fax: (310) 534-1424.
Did you know that pilots in the United Kingdom do not have a blood alcohol content (BAC) rule as do pilots in the United States? While the FAA has set a 0.04 percent limit--over which a pilot is considered in violation--the United Kingdom only expects the limit of drinking (or drug taking) to be any extent at which the capacity to act as a crewmember would be impaired, and leaves that determination up to the pilot. However, U.K. aviation officials are considering changing the rule to add a BAC of 0.02 percent, but the rulemaking process has not started.
Five years ago, SimCom opened the doors at its Orlando training center, offering a unique product: relatively inexpensive simulator-type training. That first year, some 54 pilots underwent the SimCom experience. This year, SimCom will train over 2,500 pilots at two centers--the original Orlando facility and a second operation at Scottsdale, Ariz.
Fortunately, inflight fire is relatively rare, but when it occurs, immediate action is necessary. There is simply no time to waste. Federal Express cargo aircraft are equipped with smoke detection equipment, and the company's crews are probably more sensitive then most pilots to fire hazards, yet the story of FedEx Flight 1406 points out that escaping an onboard fire can challenge the skills and knowledge of even the best-trained crews.
NASA researchers have developed a computer networking tool called Darwin that could save aircraft manufacturers and the government time and money by shortening the aircraft design and test process by up to 25 percent. ``Our purpose is to get results and data out of NASA wind tunnels faster,'' said David Korsmeyer, deputy project manager at NASA's Ames Research Center.
The business aviation community celebrates, this month, the 50th anniversary of the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), and, in doing so, also celebrates a remarkable 50 years of business aviation development.
London's Heathrow Airport has installed a lighted aiming point for helicopter landings. New procedures will be in place shortly to allow helicopters to approach and depart from Heathrow to the south of Runways 08R/26L at all times except in the worst visibility, without requiring a valuable runway slot. Formerly, helicopter operators had to reserve slots at Heathrow to use the landing point at night or in bad weather.
If you've been looking for a shot at a new job, today's employment market for corporate pilots may hold promise for you. However, despite the fact that many departments are having to look harder for the right person, expectations are not being lowered. To compete successfully, you've got to work hard to make yourself the right candidate for the job. The best way to find a new position continues to be by word of mouth. About 63 percent of jobs are found through personal contacts, according to Jet Professionals, Inc. of Shelton, Conn.
Alliance Engines of Maryville, Tenn. will become the sole heavy-maintenance center for Allison Engine Co.'s AE3007 engine following Alliance's purchase by Standard Aero of Canada. The early-August sale is the second ownership changeover since K-C Aviation and Duncan Aviation founded Alliance in 1994. Then it was cast as an independent shop that would cut downtime and cost by offering significantly more repairs than OEM-authorized facilities. Alliance's main focus has been AlliedSignal APUs and the TFE731/TPE331 engines, and Standard said that service will continue.
