North Weald Airfield in Essex, England is the site for the biennial Business and General Aviation Exhibition set for September 5-8. This year's event offers more than 200 exhibitors and a seminar on worldwide business and regional aviation. Tied in with the agenda is an international meteorology exhibition and a related seminar program. For more information, contact MTM International of London. Phone: +44 (0) 181 906 8375; fax: +44 (0) 181 201 1721.
Does your aircraft have enough life rafts? If you think so, you may be suffering from a false sense of security. ``When it comes to the number of life rafts needed on corporate aircraft, the interpretation isn't all that accurate out there,'' said Anthony Adamski, an instructor for HBAcorp's Crewmember Emergency Training (in Olympia, Washington) and a former pilot for Chrysler Corporation. The reason is that the number of required life rafts is governed not only by the operating rules, but also by the aircraft certification rules.
Octagon Process claims its new Octaflo Type I deicing fluid offers ``significant benefits in terms of safety and ease of use.'' The Edgewater, New Jersey company says that in addition to being ``environmentally friendly,'' Octaflo delivers a slightly longer holdover time in water spray and high-humidity conditions, is non-foaming in spray equipment, ``appears'' to be less slippery on tarmac, is ``virtually'' odor free, and is ``easier to pump at low temperatures.''
BAe's Jetstream Aircraft has moved its corporate aircraft marketing activities to JSX Capital Corporation in Washington, D.C., following the announcement of a new regional airliner joint venture with Aerospatiale of France and Alenia of Italy. Jim Burk has been appointed vice president for corporate aircraft sales. JSX is a British Aerospace subsidiary and has worldwide responsibility for leasing and re-marketing Jetstream turboprop aircraft.
In another of its tactics to keep Chicago's Meigs Field open, the NBAA recently sent faxes to nearly 400 members in a four-state area asking them to express to Chicago Mayor Richard Daley their opposition to plans to close the airport in September 1996 (B/CA, February, page 22). The association says Daley claims he is being pressured by a local group, ``Friends of the Park,'' to convert the facility into a park. To date, neither the FAA nor the Illinois DOT has taken a public stand in support of the airport, which handled 16,896 GA operations in 1994.
FAA is evaluating proposed noise-abatement programs for Florida's Fort Meyers International Airport and Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport. The programs were submitted to conform with FAR Part 150 requirements, and comments from the public are being requested. The FAA is scheduled to approve or disapprove the programs on or about November 28. For more information, contact the FAA Airport District Office in Orlando. Phone: (407) 648-6583.
MovinCool is not only the name of this product, but also describes the way to use it. Just roll it whenever or wherever needed, and Nippodenso's portable air-conditioning unit will provide refrigerated air with no installation required. Choose from eight models offering per-hour cooling capacity from 10,000 BTUs ($2,600) to 60,000 BTUs ($8,600). Extension ducts enable the air to be directed to ground crews, cabin or cockpit. Nippodenso of Los Angeles, 3900 Via Oro Ave., Long Beach, CA 90810. (310) 834-6352.
NTSB's ``Most-Wanted'' list of safety improvements has grown to 17 items with the addition of a proposal that commuter-airline rules be upgraded to the same safety standards as major carriers'. The Safety Board dropped two aviation issues from the list: brake-wear limits on transport aircraft and structural-fatigue testing. Besides commuter-airline safety, the ``Most-Wanted'' list also calls for improving flight data recorders and reducing runway incursions.
Jetstream Aircraft, BAe's regional turboprop manufacturer, has received U.K. certification of the Jetstream 61. The 70-passenger aircraft is an improved derivative of the ATP airliner (originally certificated in 1988), with uprated engines, increased payload/range and a new interior design and layout. U.S. operators' interest will determine the pursuit of FAA certification.
AlliedSignal Engines has recently introduced an auxiliary power unit designed for small- to medium-size business airplanes and helicopters. The Phoenix-based company says its RE100 APU weighs less than 75 pounds, is rated at 135 (equivalent) shp, and is capable of starting and operating in excess of 35,000 feet. The APU's first customer installation remained undisclosed at press time.
One of the latest ``limited-time only'' incentive programs to help sell aircraft comes from Raytheon. Until September 30, a new Beechjet 400A comes with five years (or 1,000 hours) of free maintenance, fixed monthly payments of $49,950 for 36 months (after a five-percent down payment), a 6.9-percent fixed interest rate for 36 months (followed by the balance at prime rate plus 0.5 percent), and 10-year amortization. The B/CA-equipped price for a Beechjet 400A is $5.7 million.
Aviation Supplies&Academics has introduced Flightlight, a new pocket-size flashlight. Flightlight uses Krypton bulbs for optimum brightness, comes with both white and red lenses and carries an extra bulb inside its housing. Made of black machined aluminum, Flightlight is reportedly corrosion resistant and watertight. Two AA batteries are included, and a clicking on/off switch safeguards against accidental activation. Price: $14.95. Size: 6.5 inches long by 3/4-inch wide. ASA, 7005 132nd Pl. SE, Newcastle, WA 98059. (206) 235-1500.
Honeywell and Trimble have signed an agreement to cooperate in the development of GPS-based products. The two companies will collaborate in areas such as technology development and application, joint product development and marketing, and the supply of products to each other. Separately, Honeywell expects certification in January 1996 for the first installation of the Honeywell/Pelorus SLS-2000 GPS Satellite Landing System and the Honeywell vehicle-tracking system, TracLink (B/CA, April, page 24). The initial site for the SLS-2000 and TracLink is Minneapolis/St.
Federal agencies are a little schizophrenic when it comes to fractional ownership. Under its auspices, the FAA says the increasingly popular programs are essentially non-commercial FAR Part 91 operations-basically just like owning your own aircraft. However, the Internal Revenue Service sees fractional ownership differently. To the tax collector, it looks like a Part 135 operation, and is, therefore, subject to federal excise taxes.
Israviation's ST-50 will be the first aircraft to feature a new deicing technology from Innovative Dynamics. The Ithaca, New York company's system provides the pilot with an advisory of ice buildup, uses electromechanically induced impulses inside the leading edges of the airfoils to remove ice and does not require pneumatic boots. Flight-testing of the ST-50, a composite, single-engine turboprop, is taking place in Israel (B/CA, May, page 65). Innovative Dynamics also is developing rotorblade deicing technology.
Long Island Sound, the 100-mile-long Atlantic Ocean tongue that separates New York's Long Island from the State of Connecticut, is ringed by small community airports, including Sikorsky Memorial Airport (BDR) at Bridgeport, Connecticut. The presence of this large body of water provides Sikorsky Memorial's runways with several unobstructed approaches. But it also provides the moisture for fog banks that drift on and off the shore-side runways on many spring nights. April 27, 1994 was just such a night.
Results of an independently conducted late spring survey of NBAA members provide a statistical showcase of the operating, maintenance and training activity of the U.S. business aviation industry. The survey, which obtained information in more than 50 primary subject areas, was conducted in June by Association Research Incorporated of Washington, D.C. Mailed to 1,017 flight departments operating 2,201 aircraft, the survey drew an impressive response rate of 42.4 percent: 637 respondents.
A new airway between BOPAN waypoint and AJF VOR provides a route between Europe and the Arabian Gulf area. The following are phone numbers of international handling agents: Air Routing International, (800) 231-5787; AMR International Aviation Services, (800) 866-0295; Baseops International, (800) 333-3563; Corporate Aviation Services, (800) 554-1087; Jeppesen DataPlan, (800) 358-6468; Jeppesen United Kingdom, +44 (293) 546-446; Spectrum Air Services, (800) 876-8268; and Universal Weather&Aviation, (800) 231-5600.
In sharp contrast to the Clinton administration's proposal to corporatize the FAA's ATC system, Representatives Jim Lightfoot (R-IA) and John Duncan (R-TN), the chairman of the House Aviation Subcommittee, introduced legislation recently to remove the FAA from the DOT and restore it to independent-agency status. This joint action replaces the legislation previously submitted by Lightfoot alone. Business-aviation trade advocates have expressed support for an independent FAA.
A procedural change aims to expedite the FAA response time to petitions for rule changes or exemptions. To the office that has jurisdiction over the parts of the FARs for which a petition is submitted, the FAA administrator delegated authority to deny a petition. However, the administrator will continue to review petitions that agency offices have approved. Formerly, the administrator would also review petitions in which subordinate agency officials recommended denial.
Some operators attending the NBAA International Operators Conference earlier this year were surprised to learn that frequent visitors to remote corners of Russia were finding the addition of a Russian ``navigator'' extremely useful. While use of such a navigator is now mandatory only in rare instances, operators have found the pro-tem Russian crewmember can greatly facilitate direct routings as well as approach/ departure shortcuts when readbacks and requests are made in the local accent.
Exceptional performance is what you expect from an SPX, especially considering the Astra heritage. We were just as impressed with its straightforward systems design, control harmony and excellent stability. Engine start is accomplished by pressing a switch on the overhead panel. But watch out where you put your fingers. There are plenty of switches on the overhead with similar shape and tactile feel. A blindfolded pilot attempting a cockpit checkout in the SPX would need plenty of practice.
The Annual Helicopter Heroism Award program found a new sponsor after a three-year hiatus. Starting with nominations submitted this year, Rotor&Wing magazine will sponsor the award recognizing individuals' or crews' heroic actions in helicopter rescue missions. Nominations must be submitted by January 1, 1996 for the award to be bestowed early in 1996 in Washington, D.C. Contact Jeanne Aube at (301) 340-1520 for the necessary forms. (After 25 years of sponsoring the award, Textron Lycoming withdrew in 1993 (B/CA, January 1993, page 24).)
Asked whether notes, memoranda and even doodles left on the corporate aircraft were generally collected and discarded after a flight, the chief pilot of a large avionics firm said the answer would have been yes-until very recently.
Being able to gather and analyze data about your flight department provides a solid foundation when you work with your company's top management. The reporting capability of a computerized management system is essential to this task. Happily, the recent development of graphical flight department management software is making the tasks of tracking, reporting and projecting an operation's activity easier than was the case only a few years ago.
