Single-pilot IFR certification of the MD Explorer marked a first for McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Systems and for AlliedSignal, which took the lead in the development and flight-test activity. MDH itself had never experienced the IFR certification process, although a European operator has certificated a 500-series helicopter for instrument flight.
Crews flying aircraft over the Pacific and the Caribbean may notice some improvement in handling as a result of new ATC equipment at the ARTCCs in New York and Oakland, Calif. The Telecommunications Processor in New York and the Interim Situation Display in Oakland replace 1960s-era computers and are designed to give controllers improved capabilities for monitoring aircraft position when flying in non-radar areas.
The Korean Commercial Aircraft Development Consortium (KCDC) and Aero International (Regional) have signed a memorandum of understanding ``in order to define the principles which could eventually lead to a future industrial partnership in the AI(R)JET project.'' KCDC's objective is to develop the Korean aerospace industry, and it was a participant in January at the AI(R)JET aerostructure conference in Toulouse, France.
FlightSafety International (Flushing, N.Y.)--Three staff changes at this training organization are: Mike King is manager of the Sabreliner Training Center in St. Louis, John Springstead is manager of FSI's Learning Center at Le Bourget Airport in Paris, France and Don Seiler is manager of the new helicopter training center in Lafayette, La.
The ``mini Airbus'' joint venture between Aerospatiale, Alenia and British Aerospace is expected to launch a regional jet program at the Paris Air Show in June. The company has said it will spend up to $1 billion to develop a family of regional jets ranging from 58 seats to approximately 90 seats. The first model, which is expected to enter service in 2001, will seat 70 passengers. The next airplane will be the 58 seater, and the larger aircraft is still under consideration.
Business aircraft manufacturers annual maintenance and operations workshops scheduled for the remainder of the year include: Canadair Challenger, May 9 in Montreal; Cessna Citation, April 28-30 in Wichita; Dassault Falcon Jet, May 14 in London, England; Falcon Jet 2000, May 28 in Teterboro, N.J.; Gulfstream Aerospace, June 2-5 in Savannah; Raytheon Hawker, May 18-21 in Colorado Springs; Sabreliner, May 7-9 in St. Louis; and TBM 700, May 22-23 in Ft. Lauderdale. At press time, Bombardier was finalizing its schedule for an M&O in the fall for Learjet operators.
Phoenix Aviation of the Bahamas and Texaco International Aviation Sales officially opened Nassau Jet Centre in a March ceremony, although the FBO has been serving customers since the beginning of the year. The new facility has a 14-acre concrete ramp. Its 10,000-square-foot, two-story main building houses a crew lounge and flight planning center. Catering is available, and local golf courses and health clubs have extended their offerings to flightcrews. Around the clock security and customs are provided, said FBO officials.
Pilots of Delta Connection Atlantic Southeast Airlines have been conducting informational picketing at Atlanta and Dallas/Fort Worth airports to protest a lack of progress in protracted contract talks. ``Management is dragging its feet, putting off the inevitable--an industry-standard contract for ASA pilots,'' according to Andy Taggart, chairman of the ASA pilots' ALPA master executive council.
Delegates to the European Business Aircraft Association convention in March in Brussels were stunned by an apparently casual comment made by a senior European Commission official. He effectively told them not to bother implementing JAR Ops 1 Specs, the long-awaited operating rules of the JAA. He said there was no point in companies operating to the new rules because the EC was currently drafting its own version, which will become common European Law at a later stage. Implementation of JAR Ops 1 Specs is due to take place in April 1998.
An imbroglio involving the Memphis-based repair station unit of A/C Fuel Cells Worldwide has resulted in a new name and rebirth for the unit. Charles Lanza, a sales and marketing official with the newly coined A/C Team, told B/CA that the firm has been given FAA approval to repair/overhaul fuel cells, floats and survival equipment. Earlier this year, the FAA revoked the repair station certificate of A/C Fuel Cells Worldwide for allegedly using bogus parts in overhauling fuel cells.
Southern Aviation Technologies recently received certification as an FAA repair station. The certification covers maintenance on Citation 500s and 600s, Westwind 1124s and Cheyenne PA31Ts. The company also has Venezuelan certification status. The former maintenance shop, which has been operating at Orlando Executive and Orlando International airports since 1994, is open for business seven days a week.
Shannon Engineering (Seattle)--Neil C. Phelps has become a partner in this company whose specialty is engineering work for corporate airplanes and helicopters.
Several safety experts and accident investigators, who wished not to be named, are worried about the effectiveness of the NTSB's investigative process as a result of the ``Family Assistance Act.'' The new federal legislation requires the Safety Board to be in charge of coordinating a daily briefing for family members-and their lawyers, if present-of the victims before briefing the press.
Learjet broke ground in Wichita on March 12 for this 70,000-square-foot aircraft paint and delivery center. The facility will be used for painting new Learjet 45s and for customer deliveries. It will replace an aging facility and also create a formal aircraft delivery center in Wichita. The center is scheduled to be fully operational in the fourth quarter of this year. The Learjet 45 is expected to become FAA certificated in June.
Fairchild says that by year-end it will move its Dornier Aircraft North America marketing and support base from its current location in Sterling, Va. to San Antonio, home of parent-firm Fairchild Aircraft. Meanwhile, the first prototype of the P&WC-powered Dornier 328JET is scheduled to make its maiden flight in January 1998. First deliveries of the 32-passenger aircraft are planned to start in March 1999 (March 1997, page 24).
Impact Dynamics of Wichita's plans to introduce air bags this year for light aircraft have been set back because of market apathy (December 1996, page 28). ``We are continuing our development efforts, and we are talking with OEMs to see if they would offer air bags as an option,'' said a company official. He also noted that the current concern over air bags in automobiles has hurt the market's acceptance of the product.
The boards of directors for the National Air Transportation Association and the Professional Aviation Maintenance Association have agreed to combine their respective trade shows into one event beginning in 1998 in Kansas City. The single exhibition gives exhibitors more bang for their buck, and combines two relatively small, spring shows that often compete for the same exhibitors. Each organization will continue to conduct its own seminars and member meetings in conjunction with the joint show.
Here are some legislative initiatives affecting aviation that were pending before Congress at press time (the introducer is shown in parenthesis): H.R. 30--Disallow persons from evading debt to the estate of those they kill by operating an aircraft while intoxicated (Rep. Vernon Ehlers, R-Mich.). H.R. 153--Exempt noise and access restrictions from certain federal review and approval requirements on aircraft operating to and from metropolitan airports (Rep. Eliot Engel, D-N.Y.).
Following through on a promise made in 1996, Dassault Falcon Jet Corp.'s computer-assisted troubleshooting system (CATS) is now available on CD-ROM to operators and authorized service centers (September 1996, page 20). CATS is a database of thousands of maintenance reports submitted by service centers and operators to assist in diagnosing and correcting malfunctions on most Falcon Jet models. CATS data are scheduled to be released in June for the Falcon 2000, in January 1998 for the Falcon 900EX and June 1998 for the Falcon 50EX.
Fabrication of the first Raytheon Premier I forward fuselage was completed in February, moving the entry-level business jet closer to first flight this fall. The Premier I marks the company's return to composite aircraft manufacturing, and Raytheon says fabrication methods employed on the $3.9-million Premier I will enable it to deliver performance at a price its competitors can't match.
