Currently, it's under construction at FlightSafety International's Simulation Systems Division. When completed, the first unit will be installed in Tucson. Initially, it will lack any FAA approvals and will be used as a familiarization and procedures trainer. FAA Level A certification is due January 16, 1998, and Level D certification should occur by mid 1998. A second simulator will be installed at FlightSafety's Wichita Learjet learning facility. WHERE'S THE SIMULATOR?
Don Spears was born in Quebec, on the U.S. border. His companions were from both sides of the border; hence he grew up fluent in French and English. Fast forward to Pearl Harbor. By consuming banana by the stalk, Spears was able to up his weight to an acceptable level to join the U.S. Army. Shipped to the U.K., the Army duly noted his fluency in French and asked him to volunteer for a special OSS mission. He did. He was then sent to an estate in central Britain for several months of intensive training.
OriginPacific Airways, a new air charter company based in Nelson, New Zealand, has introduced the first British Aerospace Jetstreams 31s to operate in the country. The firm is operating four of the twin-turboprop aircraft, one configured as a 10-seat executive aircraft. The other three have 18 seats laid out in a conventional six row, two-by-one-seat commuter configuration.
PATS, inc. of Columbia, Md. has acquired the former Georgetown Aviation facility in Georgetown, Del. as its base for the installation and functional testing of the auxiliary fuel tank system for the Boeing Business Jet. Previously, Boeing chose PATS to produce the auxiliary fuel tanks, which will allow the BBJ to reach its projected 6,200-nm range. The total order is worth $200 million to PATS.
Galaxy Aerospace Corp. will break ground at Alliance Airport in Fort Worth during NBAA convention time for its new 140,000-square-foot, $12- million headquarters complex. New facilities are expected to be operational in September 1998--in time to start completetions of the new intercontinental Galaxy business jet--now being developed at Galaxy Aerospace's partner company, Israel Aircraft Industries, in Tel Aviv.
Certificated repair station Mid-Ohio Aviation in Wooster, Ohio was recently FAA approved for airframe and powerplant (P&WC PT6 and JT15D) repairs on light piston and turbine aircraft
Two appointments have been made by this training organization: Clifford L. Reavis to manager of the Learjet program and William R. Dolny to sales manager for the Western States region.
The Environmental Protection Agency recently slapped an FBO with a $3,000 per-day fine for fueling its refueler trucks and other ground equipment with 100LL avgas, according to Valley Oil Co. of Salem, Ore.
A special vote of NBAA members on June 26 made it official: The new name of the organization is the National Business Aviation Association. Now comes the onslaught of new letterhead and publication adjustments. Of the 43 percent of the NBAA members who cast their ballots, 95 percent voted for the name change (July, page 24).
The Interturbine Group of Companies has consolidated its Dallas-based turbine-engine component refurbishment and asset management businesses into a single entity, Interturbine U.S. Flight Repair Operations
Jeffrey Habib, director of sales for North Asia for Dassault Falcon Jet, will head the company's new sales office in Hong KongDallas-based SimuFlite Training International has installed Honeywell NZ-2000 nav computers in its Challenger 601 and Hawker simulators
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
Nearly 5,000 aircraft with more than 19 passenger seats and used in scheduled service must have their flight data recorders upgraded to increase the amount of information they collect. But the new rule exempts on-demand operations, as well as 10- to 19-seat regional aircraft operations. Newly-built airliners will have to be equipped with FDRs that collect information on 88 parameters, while older aircraft will have to be retrofitted with FDRs that increase parameters from 11 to 18. Carriers have up to four years to comply.
If you're a Baby Boomer and haven't had a layover at DAB recently, you may think of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (when you think of it at all) as the pilot school featured in those wonderful aviation magazine advertisements from the '50s and '60s. You know, the ones with the picture of a guy in an airline uniform and the copy that proclaimed ``Be a Pilot--Airline Jobs Guaranteed.''
Midlantic Jet Aviation recently opened its permanent FBO at Atlantic City International. The company had been operating from temporary facilities since October 1995 (December 1995, page 36). The new facility consists of an executive terminal and a heated storage and maintenance hangar. Services include: courtesy crew cars, conference room, ``gourmet'' catering and WSI weather data. Midlantic remains the only FBO at the airport, since Raytheon Aircraft Services' plans to open there have been delayed. (609) 383-3993.
All 14 persons aboard the King Air and the Beech 1900 that collided on November 19, 1996 at Illinois' Quincy Municipal Airport died from the ensuing fire, according to the NTSB's final investigation report. The Safety Board, which attributed the accident to the failure of the King Air pilots to ``effectively monitor the common traffic advisory radio frequency or to properly scan for traffic,'' said that while impact forces were survivable for occupants of both aircraft, fire quickly enveloped the King Air.
Most corporate-jet operators will likely be able to comply with the requirements to operate to a 180-minute ETOPS threshold, according to the JAA. The requirements, scheduled to be finalized by year-end, are expected to follow dispatch, maintenance and operations procedures currently being used by most international flight departments. ETOPS thresholds initially will apply to twin-engine, JAA-registered business jets that have fewer than 19 seats and are being operated as commercial flights. Jets that don't meet the JAA requirements will face a 120-minute threshold.
Raytheon Aircraft Services says it has resolved problems over environmental and other issues that had put a hold on the company's plans to open up Atlantic City International Airport's second FBO this year (July 1996, page 24). In mid July, Raytheon broke ground for the facility, which it now hopes to open in early 1998.
A presentation on the costs, equipment and operational requirements, and deadlines surrounding compliance with forthcoming JAA legislation and JAR-OPS 1 rules was one of the most informative--and intense--of a series of 10 seminars held during the spring's European Business Air Show at London's Standsted Airport. JAR-OPS 1 is scheduled to be implemented in April 1998 with compliance extended for up to one year for some countries. Minimally, its rules will be applicable to aircraft registered in countries that become a signatory to the JAA.
Sales of new business-turbine aircraft last year fell only 16 short of matching 1995's total, after leading 1995 levels by four units at mid-year 1996. Now, 1997 is teasing us with hints of growth. After starting strong and faltering for a couple of months, new aircraft sales at mid 1997 were within single-digit range of 1996 and running ahead of 1996 in jet sales, thanks to a particularly strong quarter for international sales.
Operators of nearly 4,500 turboprop aircraft will be required to amend their approved flight manuals prohibiting beta power settings in flight, if a set of proposed ADs is adopted. The FAA says that intentional or inadvertent engine operations in the beta range can lead to engine overspeed or loss of aircraft control. In recent years, nine incidents and five accidents have been related to beta operation in flight, according to the agency.
