Unattended, automatic operation of unicom stations would be permitted under a proposal by the Federal Communications Commission, but restrictions would apply. Specifically, unicoms in automatic mode must transmit only in response to a pilot briefly keying the microphone and must transmit only when the frequency has been silent for at least three seconds. Also, only one unicom station will be permitted to operate in automatic mode at any airport. Contact the FCC's Roger Noel for details at (202) 418-0680.
The other shoe has fallen. The FAA is giving up its struggle to work out the bugs in using Mode S transponders for reducing separation, providing datalink and for supporting ``free flight.'' Instead, the agency has proposed rescinding the current requirement for Mode S in commercial operations, except for aircraft required to have TCAS II. Four years ago, the first shoe fell when the FAA yanked a rule calling for transponders installed in all transport aircraft after a certain date to be Mode-S capable (B/CA, July 1992, page 17).
International Society of Aviation Maintenance Professionals recently was established as a nonprofit organization whose aim is setting and maintaining ``high ethical and performance standards that will help individual maintenance technicians be recognized as professional.'' Annual membership dues are $50, and members in good standing will have to comply with specific performance and continuing education standards. For more information, contact the group's president, Christine A. Leonard, in West Chester, Pennsylvania. Phone: (610) 399-9034; fax: (610) 399-9035.
Orlando-based Signature Flight Support, already one of the largest U.S.-based FBO chains, reportedly signed an agreement in April to acquire all four of International Aviation's FBOs. International operates FBOs in Santa Fe, New Mexico; Teterboro; West Palm Beach, Florida and White Plains, New York. The planned acquisition is the first since Richard Dodson was named president of Signature in 1995 in the midst of the company's off-again, on-again ramp fee program (B/CA, May 1995, page 20).
A new advisory circular provides general guidance and specific checklists for obtaining FAA approval of the low-altitude wind-shear training programs required by FAR Part 121 and Part 135 operators. The 10-page AC 120-50A is available free of charge from the DOT, Distribution, M-483.1, Washington, DC 20590. The circular also reminds operators that they can purchase a two-volume wind-shear training aid publication from the National Technical Information Service in Springfield, Virginia. Phone: (703) 487-4650.
Requiring background checks for air-carrier pilot applicants is the newest item to be added to the NTSB's ``Most Wanted'' list-a compilation of what the Safety Board believes are the most critical transportation safety concerns that need resolving. The NTSB also deleted commuter aircraft safety from the list because of implemented improvements. Therefore, of the current list of 18 items, aviation issues account for five.
Part of the FAA's ongoing evaluation of an MIT-developed datalink service was the recent flight demonstration of a cockpit display traffic indicator (CDTI). Position information on traffic out to a range of 10 miles was generated by a ``linking'' of position data from GPS satellites with Mode-S-equipped aircraft and displayed automatically on a Ryan traffic and collision alert device (TCAD). In earlier evaluations, an ARNAV unit displayed traffic within 5 nm (B/CA, October 1995, page 39).
If you're used to ignoring the goings-on in Washington, you may want to make an exception and get up to speed, because the current situation is perilous. Every B/CA reader would be significantly affected by one or more legislative and/or regulatory proposal now on the table in Washington. Would a $100,000 annual fee on each corporate jet be the last straw that pushed your employer to sell the company aircraft? Such fees are contemplated in both pending Senate legislation and in an internal FAA study.
President Clinton's Earth Day call for new rules to address alleged aircraft noise problems over the Grand Canyon National Park and other national parks is not justified, says the United States Air Tour Association (USATA). Officials of the Alexandria, Virginia-based USATA cite existing rules that already regulate national park overflights, and they quote from the National Park Service's own study that shows that 92 percent of all visitors to the Grand Canyon report that overflight noise is not a problem.
Employees of Brazilian manufacturer Embraer have overwhelmingly approved a new labor agreement that improves productivity and achieves significant cost savings by bringing salaries more in line with pay levels in the nation's labor market. The company said 80 percent of its employees voted in favor of the elimination of 350 administrative and support positions and a 10-percent reduction in production-personnel salaries.
Henri-Paul Puel, chief executive officer of the new European Aero International (Regional) consortium, has resigned ``to fulfill other responsibilities within the Aerospatiale Group.'' His successor is Patrick Gavin, senior vice president of technical and industrial for Aerospatiale's Aerospace Aircraft Business. Puel, 55, was the first CEO of AI(R), which was officially launched January 1 to market and support regional aircraft products from Avions Transport Regional (ATR) and British Aerospace.
An FAA-sponsored icing conference in May resulted in dozens of recommendations. Some of them may be incorporated into future notices of proposed rulemaking to revise the requirements covering the certification of aircraft deicing equipment and the operating procedures for flying in icing conditions. The conference, conducted in Virginia, brought together icing experts from the United States, Russia, Canada and Europe to explore current certification requirements as well as discuss the latest ice-protection technologies and procedures.
This month, a new ILS is slated to be installed at Croatia's Dubrovnik Airport, about three months after a U.S. Air Force T-43 (a Boeing 737), attempting to shoot the NDB approach to Runway 12, crashed into a mountain. (All aboard were killed-including U.S. Commerce Secretary Ronald Brown [B/CA, May, page 12].) At press time, the date for the system to become operational was uncertain. The airport has been without a precision approach procedure since October 1992, when the Yugoslav Army reportedly plundered it.
When the new FAA medical standards were adopted (B/CA, April, page 16), many hoped a more definitive listing of ``approved'' medications would be included.
Reading materials to help FBOs and air-taxi operators understand new FAR Part 119 requirements and revised federal tax laws now are available from the National Air Transportation Association (NATA). The Part 119 Compliance Handbook contains an explanation of the new regulation, key definitions, its relationship to revised Part 135 and what must be included in a carrier's operations specifications. The Handbook is priced at $75.
In mid May, Atlantic Aviation completed the shutdown of its major maintenance activities at Houston's Hobby Airport. Now the company has only one full-service operation, located at New Castle County Airport in Wilmington, Delaware. Ben Waide, Atlantic's chairman and chief executive, said, ``By consolidating all activities into our full-service maintenance facility [in Wilmington], we can better focus on providing the highest quality, most cost-effective services to all our customers.''
By the end of this month, a Sprint Corporation Challenger 601-3A is scheduled to become the latest business aircraft model to receive FAA certification for a Flight Visions FV-2000 head-up display. The installation was performed by K-C Aviation in Dallas. In addition to the Challenger, FV-2000 certifications are pending in Falcon Jets, the Gulfstream II and III, the Hawker 800, the Citation 650 and the Sikorsky S-76. Certifications granted to date apply to the G-IV, the Learjet 55 and the Citation 550.
Representatives of GA airports urge Congress, the Clinton administration and the FAA to focus the Airport Improvement Program toward general aviation facilities. They argue that other sources of funds already are available to large air carrier airports. Specifically, the General Aviation Airports Coalition proposes freeing up money for smaller airports by zeroing out AIP entitlements for the largest 35 airports collecting passenger facility charges.
On October 10, the FAA is scheduled to implement its Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex Air Traffic System in what the agency says is the largest airspace modification ever undertaken as a single event. By introducing parallel arrival routes and triple simultaneous ILS approaches, the FAA hopes to increase system capacity by 75 percent. The increased capacity will be handled by two additional control towers, a new terminal radar approach control, four ASR-9 airport surveillance radars, six new VORTACs and 19 com facilities.
A jet pilot from Connecticut flies his first trip to Longmont, Colorado (5,052 feet msl). The departure from that airport is planned to be close to maximum gross weight but still 500 pounds below the structural limit. The temperature at Vance Brand Airport in Longmont is a cool 59F, so the pilot assumes that the 5,130 feet of available runway is plenty. It's certainly far more than he ever uses in Connecticut.
To be eligible for a first-class airman medical certificate, and to remain eligible for a first-class airman medical certificate, a person must meet the requirements of these subparts. 67.103 Eye. Eye standards for a first-class airman medical certificate are:
Cessna Aircraft's network of company-owned, U.S.-based Citation Service Centers now is open seven days a week. The new schedule applies to all of the company's eight domestic locations. In addition, Cessna officials say that customers won't be charged any ``overtime or premiums'' on work performed during the regular weekend shift periods. Regular shift hours are 0730 to midnight Monday through Friday, in addition to 0730 to 1800 hours on weekends.
Many years of reviewing petitions, writing a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and considering the public's responses have passed; and now the FAA has released the final rule amending FAR Part 67: Medical Standards and Certification. The rule becomes effective on September 16. Prior to that date, A Guide for Aviation Medical Examiners (AMEs) will be published, and it will further explain the expected standards and implementation of these regulations.
FlightSafety International has received FAA Level D approval for its Raytheon Beech 1900D simulator at the company's La Guardia Airport location. FSI says use of the simulator will permit commuter airlines to reduce or eliminate virtually all inflight training. A second FSI Beech 1900D simulator, located in Wichita, is scheduled to receive Level D approval soon. FlightSafety also is building a Level D simulator for the S-76C+, Sikorsky's newest variant of this twin-turbine helicopter (B/CA, January, page 22).
Now lissen up, Hirsch. What do you think the following men have in common: General Norman Schwarzkopf, Robert Goulet, King Hussein, Bob Dole, Michael Milken, Sidney Poitier, Richard Petty, Jerry Lewis and Torch Lewis? Besides being over 40, all the above are either fighting or have defeated prostate cancer.
