Carl Albert, this airframe builder's chairman and CEO, was appointed chairman of the management board and managing director of Dornier GmbH. Fairchild, the producer of the Metro 23 airliner, acquired the majority share of Dornier on June 5.
Bear Paws from Dart Aerospace Limited are fitted to helicopter skids to permit the aircraft to land on virtually any soft terrain. Bear Paws are made of Tyvar, a strong, lightweight (less than eight pounds) and wear-resistant material. The pro-duct is sold in pairs for a variety of light helicopters. A set of Bear Paws is priced at $1,298 for the JetRanger and MD 500; $1,498 for the LongRanger, the AStar and the MD 520; $3,599 for the Bell 204, 205, 212, 214 and 412; and $3,600 for the MD 900. Dart Aerospace Ltd., 2071 Malaview Ave., Sidney, BC V8L 5X6 Canada.
McDonnell Douglas says it is on track to deliver 14 of its new, eight-seat MD 600Ns this year, despite a delay in flight-testing following the crash of one of two test aircraft. Flight-testing has resumed, and a production aircraft was pressed into service to bring the test fleet back to two aircraft. Certification is expected in early December. In May, a test aircraft made a hard landing following an autorotation after a tail-boom strike and separation. The aircraft was destroyed by a fire that broke out when exhaust components ignited dry brush.
Mention the term ``ramp check'' to a group of pilots, and most will grimace as though they're anticipating a kick to the stomach. Such apprehension is not unfounded, according to one aviation lawyer with whom we spoke. Sandra McDunna, an attorney based in Stratford, Connecticut, claims, ``There are some FAA inspectors who lurk at the ramp. A few relish the opportunity to find violations.''
Stevens Aviation of Greenville, South Carolina has ordered 140 Orenda 600-hp V8 piston engines for retrofitting Beech King Air C90s. While pricing has not been firmly established, Stevens President Kurt Herwald said it looks as if the package will cost between $250,000 and $300,000, depending on the condition of the exchanged powerplants. The engine installation will include a gross weight increase for the aircraft, which is expected to have a max cruise speed of 300 knots.
Optimum'' is the magic word. For a given gross weight, each airplane has an optimum altitude and airspeed at which the direct operating costs are at their lowest level for any given ambient conditions. Sophisticated and expensive flight management systems (FMSes) provide these optimum performance data automatically.
The Eurocopter EC 135 twin-turbine helicopter received FAA certification in August, on the heels of certification of the eight-passenger helicopter in Germany and in France (B/CA, August, page 28). All the certifications to date apply to both options of the aircraft--with a 700-shp Turbomeca Arrius 2B engine and the option powered by a 731-shp P&WC 206B powerplant.
A settlement has been reached in a 12-year-old lawsuit between Bombardier, the manufacturer of the Challenger business jet, and members of the family of Bill Lear who were involved in the design of the Challenger. The agreement calls for Bombardier to make a cash payment to the Lear family for the purchase of all remaining rights to the Challenger and its derivatives.
FlightSafety International has formed alliances with Microsoft and Interactive Learning International Corporation (ILINC) that could expand the availability of training. Using ILINC's LearnLinc software, FSI will be able to develop virtual, instructor-led classrooms that will enable pilots to ``attend'' FSI courses using a PC. Under the alliance with Microsoft, FSI is participating in development of a desktop flight simulator for Windows 95.
Western Pacific Airlines became the first regional airline to purchase aircraft from the newly established Fairchild Dornier. The Colorado Springs-based carrier placed a firm order for 12 Dornier 328-120s, with an option for an additional 12. The order is the first for the aircraft since San Antonio-based Fairchild purchased most of Dornier from Deutsche Aerospace in June. The -120 version is powered by a pair of Pratt&Whitney Canada PW-119Cs, providing five percent more power than the 2,150-shp 119Bs on the 328-110.
Glance at the published takeoff field lengths in the approved flight manual of virtually any turbine-powered transport-category aircraft. You'll find relatively long distances in spite of the relatively healthy power-to-weight or thrust-to-weight ratios of these aircraft. The reason? Nowhere in the AFM will you find the all-engine-operating takeoff distance or initial climb performance.
Despite the protests of those who conduct 50,000 annual operations into the utilitarian little airport on the edge of Lake Michigan, Chicago Mayor Richard Daley has decided the property will cease to be an airport. Instead, when the city's lease expires, the land will revert to the Chicago Park Board, and $30 million of taxpayers' money will be spent to build yet another park in Chicago, which has one of the most extensive park systems of any city in the nation.
Photograph: With the reverser stowed, Calcor's variable exhaust nozzle system maintained aerodynamic and geometric conformity to the standard nozzle in early testing. CALCOR TESTING VARIABLE NOZZLES Whittier, California-based Calcor recently completed initial tests of a combined thrust reverser and variable exhaust nozzle system (REVEN) that could improve fuel burn and thrust at altitude. The company has been developing the system since 1994 (B/CA, November 1995, page 18).
J. Steven McConnell has been appointed president of AAR Aircraft Turbine Center, a source for the purchase, sale and lease of engine parts, inventory management and component repairs.
Rockwell's Collins avionics units in Cedar Rapids, Iowa are not included in Boeing's acquisition of Rockwell's aerospace and defense interests--a deal that is expected to close later this year. Rockwell Chairman Donald Beall said the agreement furthers the company's strategy of focusing on electronics, with emphasis on commercial and international business. Collins avionics units will be organized under a ``new'' Rockwell company that includes communications and automotive-component businesses.
FAA has proposed requiring nearly 6,000 aircraft used in scheduled service to have their flight data recorders upgraded to increase the amount of data they can collect, but the rule will not apply to on-demand aircraft. Also exempt are older 10- to 19-seat aircraft used in scheduled service. In addition, the FAA will give the airlines three years to incorporate FDRs with 57 parameters and five years to add those with the full 88 parameters into new aircraft.
AT&T's Aviation Communications Division and AlliedSignal's Commercial Avionics unit have joined in an effort to develop a device that will allow one handset to be used for both North American terrestrial system (NATS) and satellite communications. The venture got under way in January, and the companies plan to roll out the system in the second quarter of 1997 at a target price of under $10,000.
Jeppesen's recent acquisition of MentorPlus, an Aurora, Oregon supplier of aviation software, will enhance the Denver-based company's line of computer-related products including the new JeppView, a CD-ROM electronic chart service. (See article on page 116.) Among the former MentorPlus products that will now be marketed and supported under the Jeppesen name are FliteStar Corporate flight-planning software, FliteMap moving-map software and the FliteLog pilot logbook (B/CA, November 1995, page 62).
Photograph: Principles of Helicopter Flight should appeal to the new helicopter pilot. NEW HELICOPTER TEXTS To many--both inside and outside aviation--the dynamics that keep a helicopter in the air can be perplexing. Two new books aim to dispel the confusion: The Art and Science of Flying Helicopters (Iowa State University Press, $32.95, 225 pages) is one of the best helicopter books we've read.
In July, Cessna delivered on a promise made several years ago--that it would return to building single-engine recips if a general aviation product liability bill was enacted. That bill was signed into law on August 17, 1994 and on July 4, the company opened its new single-engine production facility in Independence, Kansas. Customer shipments of new-production Model 172s are scheduled to begin in January 1997.
The Corporate Angel Network recently celebrated its 8,000th flight. The White Plains, New York-based organization has been arranging for cancer patients to fly to and from treatment centers on corporate aircraft since 1981. Today, some 500 companies participate through CAN to provide this free transportation.
The National Air Transportation Association will convene a special conference at Dallas/Fort Worth Airport on September 19 and 20 to address operational issues affecting FAR Part 135 on-demand air-charter operators. Presenters at the event will explain the proper way to conduct flights into Mexico, including a clarification of Mexican aviation requirements and customs rules. The conference also will cover drug and alcohol testing rules, FAA enforcement issues and new Part 135 training rules. Registration is $199 for NATA members and $399 for non-members.
Are engine overhauls expenses or capital expenditures? The U.S. Internal Revenue Service thinks the latter. The theory only represents an IRS opinion in only a single case, but it could easily be applied broadly throughout the industry with multi-million-dollar consequences.
A possible merger of some of Raytheon's and McDonnell Douglas' defense and space businesses apparently would have little or no effect on Raytheon Aircraft's operations. Published reports say McDonnell Douglas also has studied a purchase of Textron's Bell Helicopter unit. McDonnell Douglas tried to shed its helicopter unit a few years ago, but found no suitors. However, its interest in Bell is believed to be one-sided; Textron describes Bell as a ``core'' unit, and said it is ``absolutely not for sale.'' Bell has been the most successful U.S.
Most people dreaded the traffic jams that were expected to paralyze Atlanta during the Olympics. But George Bartol of Petroleum Helicopters Incorporated couldn't wait for them.
