Edited By GORDON A. GILBERTGordon A. Gilbert and Richard O. Reinhart, M.D.
A moral and legal controversy is brewing over the pilot's roll in responding to a passenger or cabin crewmember suspected of having a heart attack (see ``The Shock That Revives,'' June, page 72). While a medical emergency in the cabin may morally justify aid by the pilot, do FARs require him or her to remain in the cockpit? Several pilots at a recent human factors workshop expressed deep concern about being put into that position and having to make that decision.
Now heading Gulfstream Aerospace Corp.'s manufacturing operation is James T. Johnson, a 30-year aerospace veteran with top engineering and manufacturing credentials from Boeing. The former vice president and general manager of Boeing's Everett and Renton, Wash. production divisions now shoulders Gulfstream's mission to co-produce 60 aircraft by 1999.
The FAA's Office of the General Counsel has initiated a review of fractional ownership programs to determine whether they are being operated within the scope of FAR Part 91, or whether they should be considered commercial transportation and, therefore, subject to more restrictive oversight and regulation under Part 135.
As each new year's production of business jets is added to the fleet, the percentage of aircraft that meet FAR Part 36, Stage III noise standards increases. For example, by the end of 1976, there had been 2,500 business jets manufactured worldwide, of which only 20 percent met Stage III, according to figures reported by Grubb Associates, a Chicago-based consulting firm.
The aeronautics division of the Oregon DOT says the economic impact of the state's 57 general aviation airports totals $422.4 million, according to its recent analysis. That figure combines the economic impact of direct and secondary employment at airports, annual spending by airport tenants and visitors' spending at airports. When combined with figures from the 42 commercial service airports in Oregon, the total economic impact of airports came in at $11.5 billion.
Shell Aircraft, a division of the Anglo-Dutch oil giant, will conduct a six-month trial at England's London City Airport using a Dassault Falcon 50 to see if the airport will pass muster as an additional facility for its corporate jet operations. Shell says using London City will reduce flying times to and from European destinations and will bring greater access to takeoff and landing slots often denied at Heathrow. The company has been a long-time vocal advocate of general aviation access to Heathrow.
At the third annual Aircraft Owner/Operator Noise Abatement Symposium held in July at New York's Westchester County Airport, four people received awards for volunteering their services in the development of a light general-aviation noise-abatement videotape. The 30- to 40-minute video will depict the airport's recommended VFR arrival and departure routes and various landmarks, and will offer helpful tips for causing the least amount of disturbance over noise-sensitive communities.
Aviation Beauport is a new, 60,000-square-foot FBO on the English Channel island of Jersey, catering to U.S. companies seeking an advance staging post to the European mainland. The facility offers a passenger lounge, a conference room, crew rest area, hangarage for aircraft up to the size of a Falcon 900 and on-site customs.
Jane F. Garvey, who assumed FAA leadership as the first administrator to serve a five-year term, said she will be carefully scrutinizing the issue of whether fractional ownership programs should be governed by regulations designed for on-demand air charter operations and other commercial air services rather than for business aircraft operations. The FAA's Office of the Chief Counsel has been reviewing the situation for four months. (See Observer, page 58.)
Over the past decade, a number of options have been proposed to extend the useful lives of early-model Gulfstreams in the era of mandated aircraft noise reduction. While the Spey-powered variants are currently exempted from FAR Part 36, Stage 3 limits (thanks to a 75,000-pound MTOW threshold written into Part 36 and ICAO rules) the aircraft can be banned at particular airports through local ordinances.
Jim Rice, the company's founder, was promoted to president in addition to his responsibilities as chairman and CEO. Tom Stark, the former president, has been named president emeritus and senior vice president of the Future Works division.
Strap into the cockpit of any $20-million-plus business jet and you expect to find full-performance FMSes capable of providing 3-D navigation for virtually all phases of flight. So, when we recently belted into the left seat of a Challenger equipped with triple UNS-1 boxes, our expectations were quite high. We were not disappointed.
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University has established a department of human factors and systems. Daniel Garland, chairman of the department, said the program grants two degrees: (1) a bachelor's degree in experimental psychology that prepares the graduate to design ``human-centered'' products and systems for aviation and (2) a master's degree in human factors and systems that will graduate ``human factors experts qualified to run design teams and conduct human factors investigations.''
Let's face it--no workplace is perfect, even in the ``most perfect job in the world.'' Every business environment has its share of gripes and disagreements. Unfortunately, when even minor discord festers in the hangar and the cockpits of corporate aircraft, it can quickly snowball into serious operational problems that can result in sore feelings, dissatisfied passengers or even tragedy. ``I'm never going to make chief pilot at this rate.'' ``What do you mean that's my job? You're the first officer--I'm the flight attendant.''
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 Target Date AASI Jetcruzer 500 Turboprop Certification 3rd Quarter 1998
A group of U.S.-based investors has purchased Austin Jet of Texas from Rene Charvillat of London, England, who owns a number of aviation-related businesses in the United States and England. Since 1979, Austin Jet has sold helicopters and turbine aircraft worldwide, and has offered completions, service, avionics installation and repair. Loy White continues as president of the company.
The -20 has the best specific fuel consumption of any of AlliedSignal's second-generation, fuel miserly TFE731 engines. That's readily apparent as soon as you look at the EICAS readout in cruise.
So, you'd like to know where all this cockpit automation is going? Just look at your kitchen or your pickup truck or your latest wristwatch. There is an unavoidable trend in the flow of automation. If it can be done, it will be done. That trend is driven by efficiency, safety and an infernal human drive to do new things. In aviation that trend is mitigated by safety concerns and the pace of bureaucracy, but it is there. All cockpits--from ab initio trainers to hypersonic, trans-atmospheric transports--will become more automated.
In 1993, a federal blue-ribbon panel sponsored by the FAA predicted a shortage of fully qualified pilots would begin to manifest itself by 1995 and would continue to impact the entire aviation industry through 2010. For once, it looks like the prediction was right on the money.
National Helicopter Corp. of New York City, the operator of the East 34th Street Heliport, will not be evicted until a court decision is reached on its pending request for Chapter 11 protection. The New York City Economic Development Corporation served eviction papers on National this spring, saying National owes the city $700,000 in back rent. National denies it. Johnson Controls, still the current operator of the 60th Street Heliport (which the city is trying to close), is waiting to take over at 34th Street if the bankruptcy filing is rejected (June, page 26).
Borge Boeskov, president of Boeing Business Jets, unabashedly is a space salesman. ``There's no doubt in my mind that we're bringing a new dimension in space and flexibility to the business aircraft operator,'' Boeskov says with conviction. That's somewhat of an understatement considering that the BBJ offers two and one-half times the floor area and cabin volume of conventional ultra-long-range business aircraft.
Garmin becomes a contender for the panel-mount avionics stack with its introduction of the GTX 320 Class 1A transponder. This solid-state, 200-watt unit has a single-circuit-board design, measures 7.7 inches deep and weighs 1.6 pounds. The GTX 320 will fit into the existing installations of other popular transponders using optional adapters. Fourteen- or 12-volt operation is available. Price: $1,495. Garmin International, 1200 E. 151st St., Olathe, Kan. 66062. (913) 397-8200; fax: (913) 397-8282.
