The accident made headlines everywhere. A Boeing 757-200 operated by AeroPeru crashed into the Pacific Ocean on October 2, 1996 at 0116 local time, about 30 miles off the coast of Lima, Peru. Initial reports said the flightcrew had become ``confused'' over conflicting indications on their flight instruments. This was a scheduled passenger flight from Lima to Santiago, Chile. All 70 people on board were killed, and the airplane was destroyed.
Even though general aviation trade groups have given high marks to FAA's Part 61 revisions, most of them have committees and staff members scrutinizing the text for potential trouble spots. Upon the rules' implementation, we're bound to find out the rest of the pitfalls, notes Jacqueline Guennewig, NATA's specialist in government and industry affairs.
Bombardier Business Aircraft (Montreal, Quebec, Canada)--Jim McDonough was appointed southwest regional sales manager for Bombardier Aviation Services.
A new product from Jeppesen is an aircraft fuel tester made of clear butyrate plastic that resists cracking, breaking and yellowing, according to the company. To prevent fuel spillage and splashing, a removable splash guard attaches to the side of the tester. Other features of the unit are a magnified viewing area for closer inspection of the fuel sample and a solid bronze rod actuator to prevent breaking. Price: $12.95. Jeppesen, 55 Inverness Dr. E, Englewood. Colo. 80112. (303) 799-9090; fax: 303-784-4137.
Elliott Aviation (Moline, Ill.)--This full-service business aviation center announces two appointments: Tim McKune to instrument department manager and Lisa Pensinger as sound management system (noise control) sales manager.
Aviation Insurance Offices' Association (London, England)--Keith Selby, head of aviation underwriting at Swiss Re UK, succeeded Barry Wilkes as chairman of this group representing the aviation insurance market in London.
Raytheon Aircraft said it will seek to have a $60-million verdict against the company set aside. ``We are confident that the facts will ultimately support our case,'' said Raytheon. The firm was ordered to pay the money to the families of two men killed in the crash of a 1981 Baron 58P in 1991. The NTSB said the accident happened in a practice area with the new owner and his instructor pilot aboard. The airplane was maneuvering between 5,400 feet and 7,300 feet when it started a rapid descent and hit the ground in a spin.
Jan Willem Stuurman, CEO of the European Helicopter Association, has been elected as an honorary life member of the U.S. Helicopter Association International. The former Royal Netherlands Navy commodore has been credited with bringing the diverse European helicopter interests together, enabling them to present a united policy in his dealings with the JAA. The HAI citation recognizes Stuurman's ``Tireless efforts to further the cause of international cooperation among helicopter industry and government bodies.''
King Air E90 operators can purchase flight manual revisions from Sterling Executive Charter that should enable them to meet special flight procedures required for obtaining permission to use London City Airport, according to a spokesman for the Norwich, England company. To meet the airport's special requirements, Sterling developed a CAA-approved extension to E90 flight-manual procedures following a series of flight tests (March, page 16).
Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) introduced language into a continuing resolution concerning the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's new restrictions on methylene chloride (MC).
Photograph: Before we slid the bubble wrap in front of the HUD, we had a superb view of the airport on short final. The symbology shows that we're one knot slow, slightly right of the Tucson localizer 11L centerline, and on glideslope. The airport environment is boxed, thereby showing our proximity to it. Captain David Maahs, a senior Gulfstream IV pilot for Honeywell, doesn't spend a lot of time making small talk about new products.
Atlantic Aviation has been approved as a service station by the Republic of Argentina. The status allows the Wilmington, Del.-based company to perform maintenance, modifications and repairs on Argentinean-registered corporate aircraft and their components.
Dassault Falcon Jet (South Hackensack, N.J.)--The following six promotions were made in this business jet manufacturer's Teterboro flight operations department: Jerry Tritt to chief pilot, technical; J. David DeAngelis to chief pilot, operations; Richard C. Iudice to assistant chief pilot; Tom Major to the new position of manager of flight operations and maintenance; Tricia Rogers to flight operations administrator; and Dan Petramale to chief of maintenance.
Thanks to the efforts of local and national aviation trade groups, the Texas House of Representatives dropped a provision from a proposed bill that would have removed aircraft parts and repairs from their current tax-exempt status (May, page 17). The House also reduced a proposed 10-cents-per-gallon fuel tax to four cents. However, the future of the bill was uncertain at press time because the Senate had not finalized its version.
The Corporate Aircraft Security Seminar will be offered in Chicago on June 23 and 24 by Richard W. Kobetz&Associates of Berryville, Va. This program arms participants with specific security tips and tactics they can use in their flight departments. Agenda items include threats to corporate aviation during airport servicing, arrivals and departures; crisis management; coping with a skyjacking or bomb threat; and protecting your aviation services from sabotage. The cost is $395 on-site, and $345 if pre-paid. For more details, phone (540) 955-1128.
Regional-airline executives may never have heard of Tom DeNardin. They will. DeNardin brought you the Western Pacific LogoJets before he was unceremoniously let go with that start-up's sudden management change that saw founder Ed Beauvais move up to the ceremonial job as board chairman.
FAA is expected to adopt an AD to require all 220 U.S.-registered Embraer EMB-120 twin-turboprop commuter aircraft to have ice detection systems. The AD also will mandate revised flightcrew procedures for operating in icing conditions and for activating ice-shedding equipment. The FAA says its order is based on a review of ``service experience data.'' The AD follows an NTSB status report that appears to rule out propeller failure as a factor in the January 9 fatal crash of an EMB-120 near Ida, Mich. (February, page 13).
Champion Aviation Products (Liberty, S.C.)--David C. Posavec is the new aviation marketing manager for this manufacturer of ignition components for turbine and reciprocating aircraft engines.
The FAA has granted Horizon Air approval for Category II low-visibility instrument approaches to Category I airports with de Havilland Dash 8s equipped with the Flight Dynamics Inc. Head-Up Guidance System (HGS). It is the first such approval granted by the agency.
Mayor Rudolph Giuliani is taking action to reduce helicopter traffic in New York City. The East 60th Street Heliport will close in a matter of weeks, and National Helicopter, the operator of the city's 34th Street Heliport for 24 years, has been evicted. A spokesperson for the city says the 60th Street facility is being shut down due to complaints about noise and safety, and is not the direct result of a recent fatal accident (see item below).
Publication of the 25th edition of an international listing of aircraft type designators (ICAO Document 8643) has been postponed to November. The document, which U.S. officials say contains ``extensive revision,'' was originally scheduled to be published in March. Until the revised publication is available, operators should continue to use the 24th edition when filling out international flight plans and other official flight records.
Delta Connection/Northwest Airlink Business Express emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in mid April with American Airlines as a third code-share. But the emergence will not likely clear all of its legal hurdles.
Photograph: Readers who will be at the Paris Air Show only in their dreams can find out what's happening there quickly and easily by visiting the Paris Show News pages at the Aviation Week Group's Internet site--www.awgnet.com--once the show is under way. Forty-two is the magic number as this year's 42nd running of the Paris Air Show prepares to host over 1,700 exhibitors from 42 countries on June 15-22 at Le Bourget Airfield.
United Express Atlantic Coast Airlines is building an 85,000-square-foot aircraft maintenance facility at Washington's Dulles International Airport--the first such facility on the airport. The $10-million structure is expected to be occupied in December and will centralize all of the company's maintenance at its hub.
