Aviation has settled on the dates for this year's Sundstrand Auxiliary Power Unit Training. Three-day maintenance training sessions for the T62T-40C/39 Series will be held July 30 to August 1 in Appleton, Wisconsin; October 15 to 17 in Westfield, Massachusetts and December 10 to 12 in Dallas. The fee is $850. The training agenda will cover the various Sundstrand APU models and their installations, APU hot-section inspection, electrical-interface-systems troubleshooting using the latest test equipment and APU test stand runs with an operational APU.
As many as 600 of the 4,500 ATC controllers who went on strike in 1981 and were subsequently fired could be re-hired over the next two years. President Clinton directed the FAA to hire 100 controllers this year and as many as 500 in 1997, most of whom he expects to be former PATCO members. The FAA said it will give ``fair consideration'' to former PATCO members, but ``every job will be evaluated on an objective criteria. . . .'' The President lifted the ban on hiring former PATCO members in 1993.
William B. Reynard, 53, head of NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System, died April 10 due to kidney transplant complications. He became the first employee of the ASRS in 1976. He served as director of the program since 1980 despite increasingly debilitating medical problems. A commercial pilot with an instrument rating, Reynard received undergraduate and law degrees from Ohio State University and served in the U.S. Army.
Unless there is another postponement, ``Nav Canada,'' the corporation being formed to take over the country's ATC system from the Canadian government, is scheduled to take effect later this year. Nav Canada was targeted for activation on April 1 as a nonprofit organization, with funds coming from current user fees-many of them to be increased. A board of directors will have representatives from commercial aviation, general aviation, the federal government, unions and other industry professionals.
Golden, Colorado-based 3X Jet, Incorporated continues efforts to get its unusually configured twin-engine business jet off the ground. In early 1994, the company started showing its design in which one engine is significantly more powerful than the other. Both tail-mounted engines would run for takeoff and landing, the less powerful one would be shut down for cruise, and the more powerful one would be off for taxi. 3X claims its design improves performance while substantially reducing fuel and maintenance costs.
The following is the revised list of mandatory denials, which means even a history of any of these disorders requires a denial. However, all of these de-nials can be certificated through the special issuance process if it can be proven that the disorder is an acceptable risk in flight. (1) A personality disorder that is severe enough to have repeatedly manifested itself by overt acts. (2) A psychosis. (3) A bipolar disorder. (4) Substance dependence. (5) Substance abuse. (6) Epilepsy.
It took 15 years, hundreds of petitions and a notice of proposed rulemaking, but the FAA finally adopted a rule that grants permanent authorization for FAR Part 135 pilots to remove and reinstall cabin seats, stretchers, medical oxygen bottles, panel-mounted avionics and other items in aircraft with nine or fewer passenger seats. Previously, only certificated maintenance technicians were authorized to perform those tasks.
Despite a sudden switch in the primary contractor, FAA insiders claim the Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) is ``back on budget'' and will be up and running by the end of 1998. Less than a week after the FAA took the WAAS contract away from Wilcox Electric, the agency gave it to Hughes Aircraft Company of Fullerton, California on an interim basis. A final contract is expected to be awarded to Hughes before October. WAAS is vital to establishing primary-means, GPS-based precision approaches.
Most of our readers are already familiar with the work of staffers Perry Bradley and Linda Martin. Perry has been appointed senior editor and Linda has been named features editor. Perry joined B/CA in August 1994 as a staff editor and has concentrated on technology and operational articles. He is an active pilot and holds instrument and multiengine ratings. Perry graduated from Indiana University with a B.A. in journalism, and went on to report for a daily newspaper before combining interests in writing and
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada-based Helijet Airways finalized its previously announced agreement to buy Vancouver Helicopters (B/CA, May, page 16). The purchase increases the helicopter fleet operated by Helijet to 12, including five Sikorsky S-76s used in scheduled services. Helijet also takes over existing arrangements with Vancouver Helicopters for additional aircraft used in contract and charter services throughout western Canada.
At the end of the Cold War, the concept of converting military airports to civilian use took on a new sense of urgency as local communities sought to mitigate the economic ripple effects of a downsized military. Over the years, the conversion of war surplus assets has been particularly important to the growth of business aviation. The availability of cheap, excess military aircraft that could be modified for what was then called ``industrial aid'' flying helped spur the growth of corporate aviation after World War II.
The sun is setting on the days of wide-open, blue-skies flying over the Pacific. Increasing air traffic density in the Pacific Oceanic Track System will require much tighter navigation tolerances, as well as upgrades to communications and surveillance capabilities.
Raytheon has selected an electromagnetic deicing system for the horizontal stabilizer of its new Premier I light business jet (B/CA, October 1995, page 50 and March 1996, page 22). According to its developers, Cox&Company of New York City and Innovative Dynamics of Ithaca, New York, the system uses relatively little electrical power-about 75 watts compared to nearly 6,000 watts for the more typical electrothermal systems.
Respondents to B/CA's operator survey were divided into four categories based according to fleet structure: Category I. Companies operating heavy jets or two or more jets of any type. -- Category II. Companies not included in the above category which operate at least one light or medium jet. -- Category III. Turboprop operators (namely, companies with at least one turboprop and no jets). -- IV. Helicopter operators (or companies that operate at least one helicopter).
Following two successful operational trials, a Buffalo-area company is convinced it has developed a better way to fend off Ol' Man Winter. Process Technologies says its InfraTek infrared heating system can be used to quickly and efficiently deice aircraft. The InfraTek system in-cludes a semi-permanent, tent-like structure and an array of natural gas or propane-powered heaters, which the company calls ``energy process units.''
Ten to 15 years ago, the helicopter community was barraged by headlines that addressed the problem of accidents caused by tail-rotor limitations. Several labels-such as ``tail-rotor spin,'' ``loss of tail-rotor authority,'' and the final champion, ``loss of tail-rotor effectiveness'' (LTE)--were applied to the problem.
SNECMA in France and Pratt&Whitney Canada, a unit of United Technologies in Hartford, Connecticut, hope to break into the powerplant market for regional jets. The two companies recently signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly develop and market a family of turbofan engines in the 12,000- to 16,000-pounds-thrust class aimed at powering 70- to 90-passenger regional jets. Both firms are leading players in providing engines to commercial aircraft, but no P&WC or SNECMA engines currently power any regional jets.
Soon you will be able to view Jeppesen approach plates electronically and print them out from a laptop or desktop PC using Windows. In late summer, Denver-based Jeppesen Sanderson says it will introduce JeppView, a fully integrated CD-ROM system of nav data and flight information for use in the cockpit as well as on the ground. Geographic coverage will be phased in for JeppView. Initially, updates will be on disc, but plans call for an online revision service.
Swedish regional Skyways Aviation has formed a British subsidiary-Skyways Aviation (U.K.) Limited-to offer aircraft re-marketing and consultant services to regional airlines worldwide (see B/CA, March, page C4).
The former Aerospatiale General Aviation, the Grand Prairie, Texas, subsidiary of France's Aerospatiale, was renamed Socata Aircraft. Company officials said the change is one element of a ``comprehensive strategic plan to establish the Socata name as a worldwide resource'' within the aviation industry. Socata aircraft include the Tampico, Tobago and Trinidad single-engine recips and the TBM 700 single-engine turboprop.
New York City's Economic Development Corporation has issued a request for proposals for an FBO to run the city's East 34th Street Heliport. The heliport ``offers the future operator a well-established market,'' city officials say, but plans are afoot to reduce operations there by 50 percent if a proposed new heliport is built at 38th Street (B/CA, March, page 24). Proposals, expected to be submitted by the current FBO as well as others, are due by July 1. For details, contact Patricia Walker. Phone: (212) 312-3969.
SimCom International, which already offers training for King Air 90s, 100s and 200s, now is offering recurrent training for the King Air 300 and 350 models. The 300/350 course is priced at $3,100 and is available at SimCom's Orlando and Scottsdale, Arizona facilities. SimCom students train in actual aircraft cockpits modified to be used with motion that's simulated by visual depictions outside the cockpit windows. In addition to King Airs, SimCom also offers training for Piper Cheyennes and the Pilatus PC-12.
How much will you pay for a quiet cockpit? That's pretty much the only question you need ask if you're considering the new Series II headset from Bose, headquartered in Framingham, Massachusetts. The noise-canceling ability of the headset is second to none, but it comes at a price. The cost of the basic system, which includes a panel-mount receptacle, is $995. The portable unit, which comes with conventional microphone and headphone jacks as well as a supplemental battery pack, sells for $1,075.
FAA certification of the Cessna Citation X was expected at press time in mid May. Efforts to increase the maximum takeoff weight to permit a full-fuel payload of 1,400 pounds, and inclement weather, forced a delay in the original certification schedule-first from June 1995 to November 1995, and then to April 1996 (B/CA, January, page 18). Powered by twin Allison AE3007C turbofans, Cessna says the Citation X will have a 0.92 Mach Mmo.
