Honeywell's Primus 1000 forms the basis for the Ultra's avionics package. Three, eight-by-seven-inch CRT displays, made up of left- and right-side primary flight displays (PFDs) plus a multifunction display (MFD) in the center, occupy the panel. New to this year's model are the formerly optional, now standard, equipment-left- and right-side Primus II radio management units that flank the MFD-indicating that Honeywell com/nav/ident radios have become standard equipment. (Collins Pro Line II radios were standard equipment in previous Ultra aircraft.)
McDonnell Douglas is making good on its promise to charge lower prices for its helicopter products when it becomes more efficient at building them. The company says its new twin-turbine MD 902 Explorer now sells for $3.6 million, a $500,000 reduction. The new price includes the ``preferred-option package,'' which previously was priced at about $500,000. The MD 902 is scheduled to enter service at midyear. The new single-turbine MD600N now carries a price of $1.25 million, down from $1.36 million.
Howard Hackney has been appointed vice president of business development and special projects of this FBO. Previously, Hackney was chief pilot for Whirlpool Corporation.
In the race to capture a greater share of the lucrative completions and refurbishment business, Downtown Airpark, Garrett Aviation Services and K-C Aviation are adding more hangar space. Downtown Airpark opened a satellite facility at Page Airport near Oklahoma City. Garrett will build a three-bay painting facility in Springfield, Illinois. And K-C Aviation will acquire a 53,400-square-foot hangar in Dallas that will accommodate three transport-size jets simultaneously, including Boeing 737s.
This full-service FBO has made the following appointments: Jeff Manion and Tim Klenke have joined the company as service sales representatives in the airframe service sales group. Karl Detweiler was named the accessory product development and technical service representative.
On December 10, 1996, the North Atlantic Track System Planning Group reaffirmed that Reduced Vertical Separation Minimums will begin on March 27. RVSM's 1,000-foot vertical separation will apply to all aircraft flying between FL 330 and FL 390 in the Minimum Navigation Performance Standards airspace from the North Pole to 27N. The Group cautioned, however, that RVSM implementation would be postponed if fewer than 80 percent of airlines using the airspace were unable to comply with RVSM requirements by March 27.
JetSolutions, the company formed by Bombardier and AMR Combs, will purchase 24 Learjet Model 45s for its FlexJet fractional ownership program. The Dallas-based company also took 25 options and purchased two Global Express aircraft for the program. Since Learjet 45s won't start joining the FlexJet fleet until March 1999, JetSolutions has established a ``bridge'' program for buyers to purchase shares in a Learjet 31A or Learjet 60 and then transfer those shares to their Learjet 45 when it becomes available.
Gulfstream says the G-V will meet all operational targets-including a 6,500-nm range with NBAA IFR reserves-despite an empty weight of 38,670 pounds, that is 1,500 pounds higher than was initially projected. MTOW is projected at 90,500 pounds. However, max fuel capacity is up to 41,300 pounds, and max landing weight was boosted to 75,300 pounds. FAA certification was expected in December 1996.
The long-anticipated revamping of the marketing and support organization for Israel Aircraft Industries business jets is on its way. As expected, the new Galaxy Aerospace Corporation will be a partnership between IAI, the Pritzker family of Chicago and business aviation veteran Brian Barents, who will serve as Galaxy's president and CEO. Most recently, he was president and CEO of Learjet.
Operators using small business jets in on-demand FAR Part 135 cargo service may be facing new rules starting in April 1998 that could cost them between $45,000 and $80,000 per aircraft. According to industry sources, the FAA is considering a rule to require cargo compartments to be STCed under Part 25. Currently, those compartments receive field approval. The FAA claims many do not have adequate emergency exits, cargo-restraint systems or firefighting equipment.
Boeing Business Jets, the joint venture formed last summer by Boeing and General Electric, has designated Jet Aviation in Basel, Switzerland and K-C Aviation of Dallas as official completion centers for installing VIP interiors in Boeing's corporate versions of the new 737. While both K-C and Jet Aviation are qualified to install interiors of this scale, only Jet Aviation has performed VIP interior installations on existing 737s.
Cessna and Allison are offering new engine maintenance programs for Citations. In Cessna's Triple Crown program, operators of P&WC JT15D-powered Citations can choose from three overhaul levels, with each providing its own guaranteed turnaround time and price. Meanwhile, Cessna and Allison are developing an on-condition maintenance program for Allison 3007C engines on Citation Xs. Operators will be able to choose from the new on-condition method or the traditional scheduled method.
Learjet is hustling to receive FAA certification for its Model 45 by midyear. While this is several months later than originally scheduled, it doesn't seem to have hurt sales. The company says it has at least 125 orders, with the latter 25 representing a single-point sale to JetSolutions for its FlexJet fractional ownership fleet. Learjet claims no major problems have caused the delay, but company officials confessed to an ``overly ambitious'' outlook on how things would go.
This year marks the 60th anniversary of aviation's greatest mystery. On July 3, 1937, Amelia Earhart disappeared over the Pacific during an attempt to fly around the world. Ever since, theories have abounded on what became of the United States' most famous aviatrix.
Lord Corporation of Erie, Pennsylvania has received FAA certification for installation of its NVX active noise-canceling systems in all models of the King Air. The system had previously been approved for installations in King Air 200s, Cessna Conquest Is and IIs, and the Citation X. NVX systems use a series of microphones and speakers to generate a sound pressure field that cancels out the sound created by the aircraft. Lord introduced its NVX systems for general aviation aircraft in mid 1994.
Deliveries of the Agusta A109 Power are under way following IFR certification of the new twin-turbine helicopter by both the FAA and Italian aviation authorities. Production of the $2.85-million aircraft is sold out through 1998, says Agusta.
All right. Just plain talk. No soaring prose. No intricately balanced discourse. No subtlety. Just the facts. And the facts are these: Well-meaning people in Washington during the next 12 months will change the way the national aviation infrastructure works and the way for which it is paid. If they get it right, fine. If they get it wrong, you could be doing something else for a living before the year's out.
For a base fee of $45,000, St. Louis-based Avtec Corporation will perform a detailed inspection of Sabreliners that the company claims will extend the life of the business jet from 10,000 hours to 15,000 hours. Avtec points out that its price is significantly lower than Sabreliner Corporation's Excaliber life-extension package because it involves inspection only. If no corrosion is found, then no further expense is required, under the Avtec program.
The Collins FMS 3000 slated for Raytheon's Premier I, the FMS 5000 available on the Beechjet 400A and Learjet 60, and the FMS 6000 (standard equipment on the Canadair 604) have been upgraded. All three boxes now can compute climb, cruise and descent from look-up tables. GPS, satcom and airborne flight information functions can be controlled from the FMS CDU. For commuter aircraft, Collins announced a GPS non-precision approach capability for its new FMS 4200.
Recent statistics indicate that the collision risk at non-tower airports is relatively low, even as the NTSB continues its investigation into the fatal collision of a Beech 1900 and a King Air 90 at Illinois' Quincy Municipal Airport on November 19, 1996. According to the Regional Airline Association, the accident was the first involving an airline at an uncontrolled airport. The AOPA reports an average of only five runway collisions a year, although 75 percent of those accidents occurred at non-tower airports.
Like many mechanical failures, this one had begun with a seemingly insignificant flaw. One small shaft in the propeller reduction gearbox had been milled from material with a microscopic imperfection. Eventually that molecular weakness had spawned a crack that migrated radially until the shaft's design strength was seriously reduced. When the strength of the shaft was eroded below the load demanded of it, the shaft failed. The crack propagation had taken over 600 hours. The catastrophe that followed the shaft failure developed in less than 10 seconds.
The QuickMask is designed to protect passengers against toxic gases (except carbon monoxide) and fumes created by smoke. An electrostatic mesh filter removes solid smoke particles as small as three-tenths of a micron. The light-weight, fire-resistant escape hood also comes with an exhalation valve and visor. Five inches long and weighing five ounces, this respiratory protective device can be carried easily in a pocket, briefcase or handbag and dons in seconds, according to the manufacturer. A QuickMask wearer can breathe, see, speak and hear normally.
