Sunrise Jet Center at California's John Wayne Airport is now operating from a new, larger facility. The terminal and hangar complex provides an outdoor deck overlooking the ramp, a passenger lounge, a crew lounge with shower and sleeping rooms, a kitchen, a conference room and overnight hangaring. Even an animal run, complete with water and biscuits for the traveling pet, is offered.
A transponder landing system (TLS) is scheduled to be installed at Wisconsin's Watertown Municipal Airport, and will be available for pilot demonstration approaches to the annual convention of the Experimental Aircraft Association in July. Advanced Navigation and Positioning Corporation of Hood River, Oregon, the system's supplier, is seeking FAA certification for it, and says its TLS is intended as interim technology prior to the implementation of GPS.
Regional airline officials are welcoming the FAA's proposed ``Commuter Safety Rule'' as much for what it does not do as for what it does. The massive proposal--called by Administrator David Hinson the broadest FAA rulemaking ever--would essentially bring FAR Part 135 regulations into line with Part 121. According to FAA estimates, the new regulations would impact some 65 airlines and 1,100 aircraft, costing regional carriers some $275 million over the next 10 years.
United Kingdom's Rolls-Royce finalized its acquisition of Indianapolis-based Allison Engine Company late in March. Mike Hudson, Allison's former executive vice president of engineering, was promoted to president and COO of Allison; and Colin Green, former managing director of Rolls-Royce Military Aero Engines in the United Kingdom, is Allison's new executive vice president of business operations. F. Blake Wallace, long-time CEO of Allison, left the company.
Microfin Corporation of Providence, Rhode Island recently received European Joint Airworthiness Authority approval to perform maintenance on European-registered aircraft. The company specializes in metal-finishing services. JAA approval applies to aircraft registered in these European nations: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
FAA is proposing to require fuel system vent protection systems on transport- category aircraft used in commercial operations. The systems are intended to reduce the severity of post-crash fires. Comments are due June 2. Contact the FAA at (206) 227-2133. In a separate rulemaking proposal, comments are due June 5 on a proposal to revise windmilling and rotor-locking tests as well as vibration standards for aircraft engines. Contact the FAA at (617) 238-7119.
Western Aircraft, an FBO at Gowen Field in Boise, Idaho, is one of several divisions that were put up for sale in mid-March by financially troubled Morrison Knudsen Corporation. Besides providing line and maintenance services, Western Aircraft is an authorized sales and installation center for Saunders spar straps and Aviadesign hydraulic landing gear for Beech King Airs. Morrison Knudsen closed its flight department late in 1994 and sold its Falcon 900.
British engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce has closed on its $525-million acquisition of Allison Engine Company. Rolls-Royce is issuing 331 million in new stock to recoup the purchase price. According to B/CA sister publication Aerospace Propulsion (AP), ``For a fraction of the cost of a full-scale development program for any single engine, the British engine maker will get instant access to the regional turboprop market just in time for its expected boom.'' AP also said Rolls gets a U.S.
The near-term outlook for the helicopter market is a mixed bag. Few expect sales to be very strong, yet manufacturers see solid growth opportunities in the longer term. That optimism was pervasive at this year's Helicopter Association International convention where four new models were displayed and several others were announced. Complaints about the cost of acquiring, owning and operating helicopters finally have taken hold of the market, and manufacturers are designing new products that offer better value and more economical operations.
Martin Aviation's new and significantly larger business aviation terminal is under construction at its FBO facilities on John Wayne/Orange County Airport in Santa Ana, California, where it has been located for over 72 years. An item in B/CA's April issue (page 16) inadvertently moved Martin to California's Long Beach Airport. Martin's new terminal at SNA is scheduled to open in the fall.
Airport litigation--Under an FAA NPRM, rules of practice for the filing of complaints and adjudication of compliance matters involving federally assisted airports would be contained in a new FAR Part 16. Currently, such rules are covered in Part 13: Investigative and Enforcement Procedures (September 1994, page 22). Storage tanks--The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is working to clear banks and other lending sources from liability for cleaning up leaking underground storage tanks (August 1994, page 22).
Legislation that the Clinton administration introduced last month to realign the DOT lays the foundation for the President's plan to create the U.S. Air Traffic Control System (USATS)--a government-owned ATC corporation separate from the FAA. The bill would consolidate the DOT's 10 separate agencies into three units--the FAA (minus ATC), the Coast Guard and a new Intermodal Transportation Administration. In sharp contrast, most members of the business aviation community support an independent FAA that retains its ATC functions.
In 1994, particularly the last half, aircraft sales were very good, which translated into a bullish year for the aircraft finance business. Compared to that of recent years, business was so good that several aviation finance specialists told us some heartening news: Commercial banks that traditionally avoided lending for aircraft purchases were doing so--and at competitive rates. Many are being far less cautious than in recent years, when most commercial bankers were more than happy to leave the esoteric world of aviation finance to the specialists.
Comm frequencies--The FCC proposed that aviation services be permitted to use additional VHF comm frequencies (September 1989, page 30). Loran and Omega--A proposal would permit use of Loran-C, Omega and other area nav systems for VFR use in TCAs (August 1989, page 21).
One aspect of the proposed commuter safety rule that was of great concern to regional airlines was the mandatory Part 139 certification of all airports served by aircraft of more than nine passengers. The FAA relented on the issue, in part because such a move would require congressional action.
The future manufacturing site for Lycoming LTS 101 aircraft engines may not be the U.S Army-owned, AlliedSignal-operated plant in Stratford, Connecticut. The facility, which also builds Army tank engines, is on the Pentagon's military installation shutdown list. AlliedSignal, which purchased the Lycoming Turbine Engine Division in late 1994, has laid off hundreds of workers since then and disagrees with the closure decision. AlliedSignal said it wants to remain in Stratford as long as staying ``makes good business sense.''
Table: Pistons/Non+Pressurized Turboprops (This table is available electronically. Please see the May, 1995 issue.) One year ago on this page, we suggested that 1994 ``may well go down in aviation history as the year of the regional jet.'' It did, and 1995 may well be a repeat. Delta Connection carriers Comair and SkyWest will operate 31 Canadair Regional Jets (CRJs) by the end of the summer, and together they hold additional orders and options for 59 aircraft.
Eight international telecommunications companies have agreed to form Skyways Alliance to provide satellite voice and data communications services via Inmarsat to general aviation and airline crews and passengers. Members of the proposed alliance are: Communication Authority of Thailand, COMSAT Mobile Communications (U.S.), INDOSAT (Indonesia), KDD (Japan), Korea Telecom, Philippine Long Distance Telephone, Telecom Italia and Telekom Malaysia.
ADVANCED AERODYNAMICS&STRUCTURES STRATOCRUZER With certification of its PT6A-powered Jetcruzer accomplished, Advanced Aerodynamics&Structures (AASI), of Long Beach, California, is turning its development focus to the twin-turbine Stratocruzer. Its first flight is expected this month, and the FAR Part 23 certification program is anticipated to run 18 to 24 months. At press time, the first prototype was about 85 percent complete.
Business aircraft manufacturers are riding the recovery wave that is surging through most sectors of the world economy. The firms that doggedly pursued new product development during the lean years of the late 1980s and early 1990s now are reaping strong results. Other manufacturers, with less ambitious aircraft development strategies, also are enjoying a sales resurgence as an indirect result of the market activity generated by the front-runners.
Signature Flight Support reinstated handling charges and introduced two fuel discount programs at all 35 of its FBOs. Fuel discounts of up to 65 cents per gallon can be earned, based on the total volume of Signature fuel an operator purchases during the preceding 12 months. Lesser discounts are available to those who tank up to 50 percent of the aircraft's fuel capacity at a single fueling. A ``handling charge'' will be assessed to those who don't buy fuel and who are not exempted based on the annual volume of fuel purchased.
New ICAO standards recommend the installation of GPWSes on GA aircraft used in international operations, but mandate the systems on overseas-bound commercial aircraft that weigh more than 33,000 pounds and meet certain other criteria. By the end of 1998, ICAO expects to issue a requirement that business and other general aviation aircraft weighing over 12,500 pounds MTOW, seating more than nine passengers and operating internationally must have GPSWes.
The aviation industry was hit by 19 new or revised notices of significant rulemaking over the last 12 months. These new proposals are indicated by a bullet () preceding them. References to previous B/CA items that detail the proposal are shown in parentheses.
Good news continues to be fairly sparse in the aviation business, and it is good news indeed when a group of aviation business people report results as good as or better than those of previous years. When asked about business conditions, managers at aircraft modifiers gave a predominantly positive response again this year to B/CA's annual, informal poll. Several executives mentioned a significant growth in export sales. One CEO said overseas sales now represent 40 percent of his company's total sales.
