HBAcorp, the Olympia, Washington-based FACTS cabin and cockpit crew emergency training company, lost its FACTS-II truck-mounted mobile training device in an April 7 head-on collision with another vehicle near Kingman, Arizona. The accident left the FACTS-II drivers uninjured, but two people in the other vehicle were killed. The 26-foot-long, four-way and motion-based simulator replicated the cabin and cockpit of a corporate airplane and was used to provide on-site training (B/CA, November 1993, page 42).
By June 19, comments are due on the FAA's proposed revision of flight- and duty-time rules. The FAA extended the original comment period by 90 days, but no other reprieve is expected. The air-taxi industry and other segments of general aviation are harshly criticizing the proposal. They say it fails completely to recognize the difference between on-demand air-charter operations and those of scheduled carriers and, thus, is an unjustified and costly burden on air-taxi operators.
Raytheon Aircraft Services signed an agreement in mid April to sell six of its 18 FBOs to Mercury Air Group. The sale will increase the number of FBOs operated by the Los Angeles-based company from five to 11. The Raytheon FBOs to be sold are located at California's Ontario International Airport; Bedford, Massachusetts' Hanscom Field; Hartfield and Peachtree airports in Atlanta; and Corpus Christi and Addison airports in Texas. Raytheon maintenance services will remain at Addison after the sale.
Photograph: Heads Up Technologies' voice checklist management system with checklist data update cartridge. Angle-of-Attack and Stall-Warning/Wind-Shear Detection AlliedSignal Avionics Avionics Specialties Rosemount Aerospace Safe Flight Instrument Corp. Antennas Aire-Sciences, Inc. AlliedSignal Avionics Chelton, Inc. Collins Commercial Avionics Comant Industries Dayton-Granger, Inc. Dorne and Margolin, Inc. Foxtronics, Inc. Honeywell Business&Commuter Div. Meriden Electronics Corp. Narco Avionics Radio Systems Technology Sensor Systems, Inc. SFIM, Inc.
The Million Air FBO at California's Long Beach Daugherty Field has taken over the FBO services previously offered by Aeroplex Aviation. Consequently, all of Million Air's transient aircraft services will be shifted to what is now the Million Air ramp, formerly managed by Aeroplex. Million Air will use its previous service ramp for administration only. Aeroplex will continue to handle leasing of hangar space and offices.
AlliedSignal says its new -3D modification of 731 turbofans increases ITT by up to 36C in cruise and is expected to increase engine durability and reliability. The upgrade includes a new fourth-stage compressor disk and seal system, a new controlled-fit combustor, a more durable HP turbine nozzle assembly, a new HP turbine rotor, new first- second- and third-stage LP turbine rotors and new carbon seals. STCs covering Falcon 50s, Hawkers, IAI 1124s and Sabreliner 65/65As will be available soon; the Lockheed JetStar II will follow by year-end.
The engine for the Global Express and the Gulfstream V is meeting or exceeding its specific fuel consumption target of 0.65 at 35,000 feet and 0.80 Mach, said BMW/Rolls-Royce. The BR710 is scheduled for certification in August, and Bombardier is slated to get its first shipset this month. Engines flying on the G-V prototypes are ``near production specification,'' a spokeswoman said, adding that the engine is being fine-tuned as certification approaches.
Ground proximity warning systems that comply with new FAR Part 135 rules include GPWS units manufactured by Centaurus Systems of San Diego as well as the former Sundstrand units now built by AlliedSignal. A previous item said that the AlliedSignal GPWS was the only unit approved. Air taxi and commuter-airline turboprops with 10 or more passenger seats and previously equipped with ground-alert advisory systems are required to replace those units with TSOed GPWSes (B/CA, April, page 24).
Photograph: Production of four flight test aircraft for the Astra Galaxy program has been moved to Israel to keep the aircraft on track for first flight late this year. New technology comes to the fore with this year's emerging aircraft. Making their Handbook debut are the Raytheon Premier I, which heralds a new era for the folks at Beech, and the Bell/Boeing D600, a small civil tilt-rotor expected to get the go-ahead by the end of this year.
After a lengthy investigation, the NTSB concluded that flight restrictions on Robinson R22 and R44 helicopters have reduced accidents, and called on the FAA to make permanent the restrictions contained in Special FAR 73 (B/CA, September 1995, page 24). The Safety Board said Robinsons have lightweight, low-inertia rotor systems, and the aircraft are very sensitive to cyclic inputs, making them vulnerable to main rotor loss of control.
Kestrel Aircraft Company is developing a family of composite, cantilever high-wing singles. The first in the line, the 160-hp K-160, made its first flight on November 19, 1995, and certification was expected this spring.
Twelve Raytheon Aircraft Services FBO locations have been certificated under JAR Part 145. Companies approved under this Part are permitted to perform repairs and other maintenance on aircraft registered in the countries that operate under Europe's Joint Aviation Authority. Raytheon locations with JAR authority are located in Alabama, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas and Texas.
Helijet Airways signed an agreement early in April to purchase Vancouver Helicopters. Both firms are based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Helijet Airways operates scheduled service with Sikorsky S-76s, while Vancouver Helicopters operates 15 helicopters in contract and charter services throughout western Canada. At press time, the closing of the deal was awaiting approval by various government agencies.
The future of Raytheon Aircraft is taking shape in Wichita, where the company is assembling the first Premier I light business jet. The Premier I is the first aircraft to carry the Raytheon badge, and the design is expected to yield follow-on aircraft currently dubbed Premier II and Premier III.
Aeronautical Systems Corporation of Boulder, Colorado has launched an exploratory market study to determine interest in a supersonic business jet. A brochure highlighting an eight- to 10-passenger SST capable of cruising 3,400 nm at 1.8 Mach recently was circulated to flight departments. ASC's Randy Greene said that to be viable, the aircraft would have to be built by a manufacturer with supersonic experience. Other recent attempts to develop an SST business jet have failed (B/CA, November 1987, page 24).
Knowing the ground rules for the performance numbers, specifications and calculations shown in the 1996 Planning&Purchasing Handbook will enable you to get the most out of the charts. MANUFACTURER AND MODEL In some cases, the airplane manufacturer's name is abbreviated, but the company's full name and address can be found in the ``Airframe Suppliers Directory'' in the Handbook. The model name and the technical designation also are included in this group. B/CA EQUIPPED PRICE
