SNECMA of France and Pratt&Whitney Canada hope to break into the powerplant market for regional jets with a 14,000-pound-thrust turbofan for the Aero International (Regional) AIR-70. The aircraft is the first of a proposed new family of regional jets ranging from 58 to 84 passengers. In May, SNECMA and P&WC announced joint development of a series of turbofans in the 12,000- to 16,000-pound-thrust class (B/CA, June, page 22). The AIR-70 engine is designated the SPW14.
Howell Instruments has developed the Jetcal 2000 for troubleshooting and operational checks on engine performance. This sophisticated analyzer is designed for use during ground runs and in flight. The Jetcal 2000 monitors barometric pressure, ambient temperature, fuel flow, fuel pressure, engine pressure ratio, engine and rotor speeds, engine temperature, variable vane and power-lever angles. Instructions and engine parameters are built-in. Price: $60,000 to $100,000, depending on the accessories, the number and types of engine applications and other options.
The largest-ever U.S. airspace modification is set to be activated on October 10 and will affect all airspace and procedures within 150 nm of DFW. Among the changes: Four vortacs will be decommissioned, and six new ones will go on line. Twenty-four low-altitude en route airways will be realigned, two high-altitude jet routes-J66 and J181-will be modified, and a third one will be added. More than 140 intersections will be dropped, and 275 new ones will take their place. Eleven new STARs and nine new SIDs will be added, and 158 new approach procedures will be implemented.
AAR Corp. (Elk Grove Village, IL)-This supplier of aerospace products and services announced two appointments: David P. Storch as chief executive officer, succeeding Ira A. Eichner, who remains chairman of the board, and James N. Vincent as senior vice president and general manager of AAR Engine Sales&Leasing. Aer Atlantic (Dublin, Ireland)-Stephan Arthur is the new managing director for this charter operation at Dublin Airport.
In its quarterly earnings report for the period ended June 30 and issued July 30, Mesa Air Group said it took a special charge of just over $1.7 million, or six cents per share, as a result of its decision to return two Fokker 70 aircraft to the manufacturer because of the Fokker bankruptcy. Those aircraft were operated out of Phoenix in America West Express livery. How many of the new 50-passenger jets would be assigned to Phoenix was not known at B/CA press time.
When Alain Brodin returned to the Washington, D.C. area in 1989 as president of ATR Marketing Incorporated, he brought only his suitcases. ``I was here for two years. I was not allowed to buy a house. . . . We were not allowed, even at my level of president, to move our furniture; we were allowed to rent furniture here.''
An addition to the international flight information manual clarifies that the ``30-minute'' communications rule for IFR flights within the New York Flight Information Region (FIR) applies to both private and commercial operations. Specifically, the requirements state that FAR Part 91 operators must have at least one long-range communications system (LRCS), and Part 135 operators must have at least two. In either case, the FAA says, ``If their LRCS should fail, they should be no more than 30 minutes from VHF coverage.''
Few business jets on the ramp command more respect than Gulfstream aircraft. It's been that way since 1968, the year in which Gulfstream II deliveries began. This venerable matriarch of the heavy-iron fleet offers business travelers cabin volume, range and speed that rival some current-production, large-cabin aircraft. The craftsmen at Bethpage, New York didn't know the meaning of the word ``compromise'' when they built G-IIs. As a result, a well-maintained G-II may outlive many of the pilots who first flew them.
It was not completely settled at B/CA press time, but Fairchild Dornier was on the verge of a decision that would make the Dornier 328 high-speed turboprop the industry's first 30-passenger turbofan.
Helicopter Association International is reminding European commercial helicopter operators that they have only until April 1, 1998 to complete conversions of their operations manuals to the JAR-OPS 3 format. Europe's Joint Aviation Authorities say the deadline won't be extended, and the conversion process is expected to take between three to six months. HAI says that a revised version of the JAR-OPS 3 format is scheduled to be published soon. Until then, JAR-OPS 3 draft dated May 22, 1995 is the current version.
Year-end certification is expected for avionics and data kits that will permit Gulfstream IIs and Challengers to meet the new Reduced Vertical Separation Minimums (RVSM) taking effect on transatlantic routes in March 1997. Malvern, Pennsylvania-based Innovative Solutions&Support is developing a G-II kit for sale through Gulfstream Aerospace. Its price of $200,000 does not include the cost of inspecting for, or correcting, skin waviness and related anomalies.
At a September 24 function in Washington, D.C., officials of General Aviation Team 2000 announced the advertising and marketing agency that was selected to spearhead the GA Team 2000 campaign. Proposals from 25 agencies were considered. Kicking off in 1997, the campaign, masterminded by GAMA and AOPA, aims to attract at least 100,000 new student pilots annually (B/CA, May, page 11). Previous attempts to boost the number of student starts (now about 65,000 annually) have achieved only limited success.
Paula Derks, long-time editor of the Aircraft Electronics Association's monthly magazine Avionics News, was named president of the association. Derks will succeed Monte Mitchell, who in 1995 announced his intentions to leave the post he has served for nearly two decades (B/CA, December 1995, page 26). Derks joined the Independence, Missouri-based trade organization nearly 18 years ago as an associate editor of Avionics News.
Over 150 employees at Atlantic Aviation's Wilmington Aircraft Services Division and Line Services Division are recipients of the NBAA's Maintenance/Avionics Technician and Aviation Support Services Safety Awards. The NBAA's Safety Awards program has the endorsement and approval of the National Safety Council.
Here's an oversize stopwatch that mounts on the control yoke of most general-aviation aircraft. The Aerodata Personal Stopwatch can display and count down up to 60 minutes of elapsed time. The five-ounce unit comes with a chart clip, cigarette lighter power cord, pen with Velcro attach strip and a battery recharge power pack. The readout is a bright day/ night LED display. Note that there is no aural or visual alarm when a countdown reaches zero. Price: $289. Aerodata Corp., 5550 Merrick Rd., Ste. 205, Massapequa, NY 11758. (516) 798-1873
If your aircraft doesn't have an FMS, or you want to know how an FMS works its magic, a new book from The McGraw-Hill Companies is just what you're looking for.
At press time, the ``T''s were not yet all crossed, nor the ``I''s all dotted, in the agreement between Brian Barents, members of the Pritzker family and Israel Aircraft Industries. However, it isall but certain that a new business jet corporation, tentatively known as Galaxy Aerospace, will take over marketing, completion and support responsibilities for the Astra SPX and Galaxy business aircraft in the next few weeks. Final details must be approved by both the Israeli and U.S. governments, as well as the principals.
Gulfstream's aggressive development program for its newest flagship is paying off. FAA certification (under an Amended TC based on earlier Gulfstream models plus changes through FAR Part 25 Amendment 81) for its 6,500-nm range G-V is on schedule for late this year. Four aircraft now are in the flight certification program. A fifth development aircraft, formerly used for static structural tests, is being reconfigured as a customer demonstrator.
U.S. headquarters for Socata Aircraft, the French manufacturer of the TBM 700 single-engine turboprop, is moving from Grand Prairie, Texas to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The move is responsible, in part, for the resignations of company president Bill Monroe, sales director Scott Straus and several others. Christian Aim, vice president of finance, will oversee U.S. operations until a new president is named. Meanwhile, the company is establishing a TBM Owners Association for the operators of the more than 100 TBM 700s in the field.
Staying on duty for more than 12 hours is associated with a ``significant increase in the probability of human error,'' according to the American Sleep Disorders Association. The association recently submitted comments to the FAA supporting increased duty-time restrictions. The group also says rules need to consider circadian rhythms, possibly decreasing duty times that occur during normal sleep cycles and increasing rest periods that bridge the hours of peak alertness.
Summer days in Rock Springs, Wyoming are predictable. The morning will be glorious, with blue sky hanging over a backdrop of Rocky Mountains. By afternoon, the temperature will soar, and there will be some cumulus buildups that can be dangerous. By evening, if the thunderstorms don't linger, the sky will spread a canopy of stars over the Wyoming landscape. Summer days in Rock Springs are pretty much the same.
``I had gotten to the hotel after a long trip. I was so tired I couldn't wait to get into bed. An hour later, I was still awake, rehashing the day's flight with its delays, rotten weather and an unruly passenger. Then they started to party in the next room. I was thirsty and hungry, but too sleepy to get up. So I just lay there, knowing I had to get up in five hours for the flight back. How was I supposed to get any sleep?''
