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.
The -5BR is the most highly evolved variant to date of the first-generation TFE731 turbofan engine. The engine is fitted with a single-channel, digital electronic engine control (DEEC) that is referenced to the N1 fan speed. The DEEC also features automatic fan speed, turbine speed and ITT limiting, built-in fault recording and engine trend monitoring.
FAR Part 150 proposed noise compatibility programs have been submitted for Hawaii's Kahului Airport, Washington's Snohomish County Airport and Tennessee's Chattanooga Airport (Lovell Field). The FAA is scheduled to approve or disapprove the programs by October 2. Interested parties are invited to comment on the proposals. Earlier, the FAA determined that noise-exposure maps for these airports are in compliance with Part 150.
Federal Communications Commission has abolished licensing requirements and fees for aircraft radios-with the notable exception of aviation ground radios. The decision was enacted on an interim basis, pending final action to consider comments received on an FCC proposed rulemaking. Aircraft owners previously were required to register aircraft radios with the FCC every 10 years at a cost of up to $115 per transmitter.
FAA reportedly plans to subject some non-regional-airline aircraft to icing tests. Similar tests on regional turboprops preceded the recent release of a series of ADs affecting the operation of those aircraft in icing conditions. The aircraft, all with pneumatic deicing systems, underwent tests to determine their ability to fly safely in icing conditions that are rare, but more severe than those required for icing certification. At press time, the FAA would not elaborate on plans for testing other aircraft.
Mesa Air Group will turn back its two 70-passenger Fokker 70s and probably replace them with eight regional jets of another type, the carrier said in late April. A Mesa statement said the company would evaluate the Canadair Regional Jet, Embraer EMB 145 and used Fokker 100s.
Total deliveries of new U.S.-built general aviation aircraft in the first quarter of this year were up 9.1 percent compared to those in the first quarter of 1995, but deliveries of new business jets were off 4.3 percent, says GAMA. Notably, in 1995, total jet deliveries were up despite a first-quarter drop also. Three months into this year, deliveries compared to those of a year earlier (in parentheses) were: jets-45 (47); turboprops-60 (52); and recips-122 (109) for a total of 227 (208).
Northwest Airlink Mesaba Holdings and its senior partner have amended their code-sharing agreement to include a flat rate paid per available seat mile. The amendment is expected to be the basis for a 10-year extension to the agreement that would begin April 1, 1997.
It's a vexing problem: Crew performance issues continue to play a significant role in accidents and incidents, despite the focus on crew resource management (CRM). As part of the industry's continuing effort to improve crew performance, the FAA, in conjunction with Washington-Dulles-based regional airline Atlantic Coast Airlines (ACA), is studying what the agency calls advanced CRM or ACRM.
The noise abatement office at New York's Westchester County Airport has produced videotapes detailing its recommended VFR arrival and departure route procedures. Shot with the assistance of based operators, the videos show a pilot's eye view of the routes that cause the least amount of noise disturbance over the ground. Tapes are available showing the routes for helicopters, corporate jets and light general aviation aircraft. To obtain a video and other noise-abatement materials, call the HPN noise office at (914) 285-4862.
Senators John McCain (R-AZ) and Wendell Ford (D-KY)-sponsors of the all-user-fee-funded FAA-hope to use the fiscal 1997 transportation funding bill as a vehicle to advance their proposal. During a recent hearing they expressed exasperation that they were unable to get a consensus for their ``FAA Reform'' proposal and said they would work with the Senate Appropriations Committee to move the legislation forward. ``We may end up doing what I have never liked or appreciated doing, and that is legislating on an appropriations bill,'' McCain said.
When American Eagle flight 4184 went down near Roselawn, Indiana on October 31, 1994, claiming all 68 souls on board, it introduced a new weather phenomenon into the aviation lexicon-''super-cooled drizzle droplets (SCDDs).'' Now the FAA and the industry are at severe odds over how to solve the problem. The agency has issued proposed ``generic'' airworthiness directives for each regional airline turbo- prop that would prohibit flight in freezing rain or freezing drizzle con-ditions. The RAA wants the ADs withdrawn.
Flight-test results have prompted Cessna to proclaim an increase in max cruise speed for the Citation Bravo from 394 KTAS to 401 KTAS. The new business jet, powered by two 2,500 pounds-thrust P&WC PW530 turbofans, is scheduled to receive FAA certification in August. Cessna had set April as the certification date when the Bravo was first announced at the Farnborough Air Show in September 1994 (B/CA, October 1994, page 21).
In early 1997, the FAA wants to begin increasing traffic capacity on certain Pacific Ocean routes from the U.S. West Coast to Hawaii by reducing nose-to-tail separation between aircraft from 100 to 50 nm. Such a reduction will require more precise navigation standards and equipment than those currently in use over the Pacific. More importantly, business jets might be relegated to designated ``slow-lane'' transoceanic tracks if they can't keep up with speedier airliners. (See article beginning on page 76).
Terminal Doppler Weather Radar (TDWR) recently was FAA commissioned at Boston's Logan Airport. The Raytheon-built system enables ATC controllers to warn pilots of wind-shear microburst and gust-front activity. Warnings will include the type and strength of the wind shear and the location along the runway where an aircraft will first encounter the shear. The Logan TDWR is the seventh of 47 systems being installed at airports across the nation. The first TDWR was commissioned at Houston in July 1994.
On charts published after June 20, watch for a ``210K'' to appear in the center of holding-pattern depictions above 6,000 feet msl up to and including 14,000 feet msl in the Alaska and New York flight information regions. The icon means that the holding-pattern airspace is smaller than standard and that the maximum holding airspeed cannot exceed 210 KIAS in order to remain within protected airspace. The normal maximum airspeed for standard-size holding patterns at these altitudes is 230 KIAS.
Only licensed pilots would be permitted to fly an aircraft involved in any record-breaking attempt, under legislation introduced by Representatives John Duncan (R-TN) and Jim Lightfoot (R-IA). The bill was drafted in response to the crash of a Cessna 177B that killed seven-year old Jessica Dubroff, her father and flight instructor (who was pilot-in-command) while attempting to set a record that would have made the girl the youngest person to ``pilot'' an aircraft across the United States.
