Skeptics abounded in September 1996 when officials at Fairchild Dornier--fresh from Fairchild's acquisition of the German airplane-builder--revealed they would offer the Do 328 with turbofans. ``It will never work,'' they said. Performance improvements would be more than offset by higher ownership and operating costs.
It has been a long, difficult and expensive journey, but approvals of data kits to enable business aircraft to operate in Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum (RVSM) airspace are now occurring with increasing regularity. In addition to the first RVSM approvals already in hand for Challengers and Falcon 900s (see page 48), Dassault Falcon Jet reports that its Falcon 2000 received FAA approval of an RVSM data package. Also, New York-based Wayfarer Aviation recently completed an RVSM installation on a Challenger.
The regional jet is an airplane that has taken the major airline pilot unions by surprise, and they are still struggling to react. The carriers that began operating the 50-passenger jets in 1993 have produced stellar financial results. Delta Connection Comair, which launched Canadair Regional Jet service in North America, saw its revenues jump 86.7 percent from fiscal 1993 through fiscal 1995, while operating income soared by 193.5 percent and net income by 210.9 percent.
Transport Canada has certificated the Pilatus PC-12 for IFR operations, paving the way for the 10-passenger, single-engine turboprop to be used to carry passengers for hire in IFR operations. In addition to Canada and the United States, the PC-12 is certificated in Austria, Australia, Brazil, Germany, South Africa, Switzerland and Zimbabwe.
The National Aircraft Sales Association, a group recently established to serve aircraft dealers and brokers (see item above) is not a new concept. The National Aircraft Resale Association, based in Washington, D.C., and its more than 20 broker/dealer members was formed in the early 1990s with virtually the same objectives as the National Aircraft Sales Association, including a code of ethics to which members are expected to adhere.
There already are two 50-seat regional jets, with a third likely to follow. Two 70-seaters are on the drawing board, and one 32-passenger jet is in the wings, with others likely to follow in that passenger class. What's next in what has become known as the ``regional-jet phenomenon?''
One of five cities-Dallas, Fort Worth, Jacksonville, Orlando or Tulsa-will be selected this month as the location of the new headquarters for Galaxy Aerospace, the U.S. firm that markets and supports Israel Aircraft Industries business jets. In addition to administration offices, the site will include a service center and the factory completion center for all newly purchased Astra SPXs and Galaxies.
Meeting in Wichita on March 20 and 21, the Seventh Annual FAA General Aviation Forecast Conference reported growth in almost all areas and predicted continuing growth--maybe. The FAA's positive prognostications are based on five critical assumptions, according to Louise Maillett, FAA acting assistant administrator for policy, planning and international aviation: -- The General Aviation Revitalization Act of 1994 will continue to reduce manufacturers' liability costs; -- FAA regulatory burden will decrease;
The third GAIN (Global Analysis and Information Network) Conference has been set for May 27-29 in London, England. The event is being organized by the FAA and the United Kingdom's Civil Aviation Authority. GAIN was established to enhance worldwide aviation safety through improved gathering and dissemination of statistics (December 1996, page 17). Christopher A.
Dallas Airmotive and Jet Support Services are ``still moving forward'' on their plan announced in late 1996 to provide a menu-driven power-by-the-hour maintenance program for P&WC PT6A and JT15D engines and Rolls-Royce Spey and Tay engines, according to a spokesman in Dallas (January, page 18). But other than adding that ``details are still being worked out,'' the spokesman had no further information.
Sales for 1997 remain in the slow-start mode, but the outlook remains strong. If liars figure and figures lie, the first quarter of 1997 played a strong game of ``Liar's Poker'' where turbine aircraft sales are concerned. Worldwide sales of new and pre-owned business turbine aircraft plummeted almost 40 percent to 417 planes, off 264 from the first three months of 1996. (AvData reports only transactions of aircraft to end users, eliminating broker and dealer sales to provide a clear view of company purchases of business turbines.)
A group of former K-C Aviation managers plans to compete for a share of the completion business at a new facility outside Dallas. McKinney Aerospace, based at McKinney Municipal Airport, opened for business on March 1, and the company already has done a refurb on a Challenger 600 including new carpet and sidewalls, touch-up painting, installation of a Magnastar phone and updating the entertainment system. The 21-day job wrapped up a day early, noted Dean Murray, vice president of sales and marketing of the new venture.
NTSB continues its investigation into a March 15 midair near Manitowoc, Wis. in which four executives of Basler Turbo Conversions were killed. The accident occurred during a test flight and inflight photography mission when a Basler-converted DC-3 and a Beech Bonanza collided and crashed. Killed were Warren L. Basler, Basler Turbo Conversions founder and CEO, who was piloting the Bonanza; Stephen W. Yantz, who was piloting the DC-3; David L. Schacheri, photographer; and Neil C. Hyerstay, the copilot on the DC-3.
In a request for comments on how to prevent fuel tank ignition, the FAA cited a 1989 incident in which an auxiliary fuel tank ignited on a Beechjet 400A during refueling. The incident, however, involved the only business jet listed among 13 incidents of fuel tank ignition or explosion on civil jets over the past 36 years. The FAA's request for comments results from NTSB recommendations in connection with its ongoing investigation of the July 17, 1996 explosion of TWA Flight 800 over Long Island.
FAA is requesting comments on new FAR Part 91, Appendix G, the final version of its rules covering the certification of pilots, aircraft and procedures for operation in Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum (RVSM) airspace between FL 290 and FL 410. Comments are due June 9. For more information, contact Roy Grimes of the FAA in Washington at (202) 267-3734. Meanwhile, the operational trial and verification phase of RVSM started March 27 at altitudes between FL 330 and FL 370 in the North Atlantic Track airspace.
NBAA is scheduled to release a coffee-table book on the history of corporate aviation at the association's 50th annual convention in Dallas, September 23-25. The illustrated, 180-page book will chronicle the growth of business aviation from the Lindbergh era to the present. A look at what the future might hold for the industry also will be included. The book is being written by Robert A. Searles, author of B/CA's Reflections column.
A proposed AD to replace existing fan guards with improved guards on GE CF700 engines is unjustified, contends the National Air Transportation Association. The proposal results from an uncontained engine failure on a Falcon 20 following the ingestion of one or more birds after taking off from Paris' Le Bourget Airport. Dislodged fan blades penetrated the fuselage. Trying to return to Le Bourget, the aircraft crash-landed, killing all 10 persons aboard.
Executive Jet International ordered 11 additional Gulfstream IVSPs for its Gulfstream Shares fractional aircraft ownership program. The purchase brings Executive Jet's total Gulfstream orders to 29. The aircraft are scheduled for delivery over the next three years.
Raytheon Aircraft's Montek Co. of Salt Lake City will provide a local area augmentation system (LAAS) to Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wis. Installation is planned for this summer to serve nearby Appleton and Fond du Lac airports, as well as Wittman.
East Hampton, N.Y.--East Hampton Airlines and Meyers Aviation have opened East Hampton Executive Terminal on the south side of East Hampton Airport. The renovated facility offers separate passenger and crew lounges, a flight planning room with a real-time weather terminal, conference room, showers, a full-service kitchen, on-site rental cars, courtesy transportation, and considerable parking and ramp space. Normal hours of operation are 0800 to 1800 daily; on-call 24 hours. Tel: (516) 537-4272; fax: (516) 537-3755.
In 1996, the fleet of U.S.-registered corporate airplanes-those business aircraft flown by salaried/career pilots-amassed the best safety record in decades, said the NTSB. According to the Safety Board, there were seven corporate airplane accidents: three jets, one turboprop and three recips. Of these accidents, three were fatal, resulting in nine deaths (all from turbine airplanes). Factor in the number of flight hours by the corporate aviation fleet, and the result is a rate of 0.14 accidents per 100,000 hours and a fatal accident rate of 0.06.
Are massive cost overruns forcing the FAA to reduce the capabilities of the Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS), an essential element of GPS precision approaches? The FAA emphatically denies the charges, but officials from the Air Transport Association, Wilcox Electric (the company that lost the lucrative WAAS contract to Hughes Aircraft), and other airline interests contend otherwise. In addition to the overrun claim, critics allege that WAAS is no longer intended to provide 200-foot decision height accuracy.
A review of FAA operations by the accounting firm Coopers and Lybrand concludes the FAA has a fundamental lack of cost-consciousness, and that agency managers do not understand financial management or have any incentive to gain such understanding. The study was undertaken at the direction of Congress.
Europe's Joint Airworthiness Authority released guidance material for obtaining approval of GPS as a stand-alone navigation system for use in airspace designated for Basic Area Navigation (B-RNAV). The JAA's AMJ 20X2 Rev. 1 document allows virtually any TSO C129-approved GPS receiver to be used for B-RNAV provided that it is upgraded with certain enhancements, such as the FAA's additional requirements for primary-means, oceanic navigation. However, the predictive RAIM requirements are tougher.
