Flight International Group is emerging from its year of operation under Chapter 11 bankruptcy. At press time, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia had approved the company's reorganization plan. Flight International, which filed for bankruptcy in February 1994, specializes in contract flight services, flight training, and also operates a full-service FBO at Virginia's Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport.
March 4 is the deadline for comments on a proposal to upgrade the flammability resistance of seat and restraint systems on airplanes certificated to the commuter category of FAR Part 23 (19 or fewer passenger seats and MTOW of 19,000 pounds or less). The new standards would apply to all commuter-category aircraft manufactured after June 16, 1996 (B/CA, January, page 20).
A San Francisco Superior Court jury overturned a $60-million lawsuit that alleged Bell 206s are defective because wire-strike protection systems are not standard equipment. The suit stemmed from the May 1990 death of a man whose Model 206 hit wires. The jury voted to accept Bell's argument that the decision to equip an aircraft with wire-strike protection systems is the responsibility of the owner/operator. Wire-strike protection is an option on Model 206s.
Ask Peter Parsinen, Bell Helicopter's senior vice president of marketing and programs, when the sagging helicopter market might turn around, and you're not likely to get a quick answer. ``We don't even think that way,'' Parsinen says. ``We're doing what we've got to do regardless of where the turn is. We've got to do what we've got to do in the world we're in.''
At press time, the FAA was evaluating a proposal from Aerospatiale to retrofit the wings of ATR-42 and -72 twin turboprops with improved deicing boots that approximately double the amount of area boots currently cover. An FAA acceptance of the retrofit would be the first step toward removing the agency's directive that prohibits flight of the Aerospatiale ATR-42 and -72 twin turboprops in known or forecast icing. The NTSB is still trying to determine the cause of the fatal crash of an ATR-72 on October 31, 1994.
Privatizing ATC throughout Europe received resounding support at an international conference held in mid-December 1994 in London. The reasons for supporting such a drastic move are very much the same as the advantages claimed by other countries, notably the United States: To remove ATC from the direct government bureaucratic chain. The conference, sponsored by Siemens Plessey Electronics Systems (a major manufacturer of ATC ground equipment) and Air Traffic Management magazine, was attended by more than 100 delegates.
The National Aviation Associations Coalition (NAAC), a 22-member group, recently presented its agenda to President Clinton and the new Congress. Among the NAAC's proposals: restructure the FAA to achieve ``greater autonomy'' in the management and funding of ATC; remove the Aviation Trust Fund from the unified budget; use the General Treasury for additional funding; and secure representation for the ``entire aviation community'' on federal advisory and governing bodies.
Due to a ``hung'' Eurocontrol, work on changes in ATC fees in its 17 European member-states will be delayed three to four years. The changes that international airline trade associations initially proposed would have meant higher charges for business jets and lower fees for air carriers, says the European Business Aircraft Association (EBAA). The EBAA finds equitable the current formula for levying fees--based on distance flown and aircraft weight.
Universal Navigation Corporation recently received TSO C115B and C129 Class A2/B2/C2 authorization. The approval permits the Tucson-based company's UNS-1M Navigation Management System to be used with GPS-provided sensor data in en route and terminal airspace. The first STC for the UNS-1M was awarded late in December 1994 on an Embraer EMB-120 regional airliner. The TSO and STC to use the UNS-1M for GPS approaches are expected in April.
On January 9 and 10, the DOT conducted a hastily planned safety conference in Washington, D.C. According to DOT Secretary Federico Pea, the purpose of the conference was to focus on ways to improve safety measures and increase public confidence in traveling on major and regional carriers. The invitation-only meeting (with only a portion of it open to the press) apparently was organized during the New Year's holiday unbeknownst not only to most segments of the industry, but also to many top FAA officials.
On December 7, 1994, the Westland/Agusta EH101 received its civil certification from the FAA, British Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and the Italian Registro Aeronautico Italiano (RAI). Westland forecasts a world market for 700 of the three-engine 30-seaters, which are offered in both civil and military configurations. The company has a firm order for 44 anti-submarine versions for the U.K. Royal Navy and says there is ``keen interest'' in the civil version from companies supporting the offshore oil industry in the North Sea.
SafeSolv 747 from Aero Cosmetics is the company's latest answer to removing messy and sticky residue from painted surfaces, bare metal, carpets and seats. The company says the ``environmentally safe, biodegradable product'' is formulated from the oils of orange peels to remove tar, hydraulic fluid, adhesives, gum and wax. Available in a 16-ounce spray bottle ($7.95) or by the gallon ($34.95). Aero Cosmetics, P.O. Box 460025, San Antonio, TX 78246. (210) 344-7921.
The Water Detection Probe from Stead Aviation is designed for installation in aircraft re-fuelers. If the unit senses water, it stops the flow of contaminated fuel to the aircraft. Should an electrical or power failure occur, the probe would disable the pumping system. The probe mounts to the filter vessel with a three-quarter-inch tapered pipe thread and extends roughly 3.5 inches below the sump inspection plate after installation. Price: $980 each, for under 100 units; approximately $880 each for 100 units or more.
A Sporty's Pilot Shop to serve European customers was scheduled to open this month in Wiesbaden, Germany, about 20 minutes from Frankfurt International Airport. All catalog items as well as region-specific products, such as charts, will be available at an on-site retail store managed by John Gauch. Sporty's Pilot Shop-Europa will be located at Hagenauerstr. 53, 65203 Wiesbaden. Phone: +(0611) 21067; fax: (0611) 20898. In Germany, the toll-free phone number is +0130 82 50 10.
Regional airline pilots, flight attendants, dispatchers and ATC personnel now can get together on-line on a newly established forum for users of the CompuServe Information Service. The new forum, RAPA (for Regional Airline Pilot Association), includes sections for regional airline pilots, American Eagle pilots, American Airline pilots, pilots of other airlines (some of whom used to work for regional carriers) and a public section for forum validation. On CompuServe, type ``GO RAPA'' or ``GO RPF4.''
A proposed revision to FAR Parts 121, 125 and 135 would permit use of an autopilot for takeoff and the initial climb. Current rules prohibit the autopilot for this use below 500 feet agl. If adopted, the rule would require operators to obtain specific FAA approval. For more information, contact Richard A. Temple at the FAA in Washington, D.C. Phone: (202) 267-5824.
On or about May 17, the FAA is scheduled to approve or disapprove a proposed FAR Part 150 noise abatement compatibility program for Florida's West Palm Beach International Airport. Under Part 150, interested parties have the right to comment on the proposals. For more information, contact the FAA in Orlando. Phone: (407) 648-6583. Separately, the comment period was extended to February 9 on a draft environmental impact statement to assess noise impacts of changes in flight patterns over New Jersey (B/CA, June 1993, page 30).
Many airport authorities in European Union countries are evaluating proposals to impose taxes based on a severity of aircraft noise or on the number of people near an airport who might be adversely affected by noise. Also, the EU is studying plans on how to phase out aircraft that don't meet the equivalent of FAR Part 36, Stage 3 as expeditiously as possible. Meanwhile, Switzerland, which is not a member of the European Union, recently announced plans to close all of its airports to non-Stage 3 aircraft, effective April 1.
One of the best places to see immediate results of Bell's Product Plan 2000 is in the after-sales support arena. Bell takes pride in its reputation for customer support, and its Product Support Plan 2000 aims to hold the line on parts prices and to increase accessibility to support for Bell's customers worldwide.
German regional Lufthansa CityLine made it a great Christmas for British Aerospace unit Avro and for the Bombardier Regional Aircraft Division (BRAD) in early December 1994. It ordered seven additional Avro RJ85s and eight new Canadair Regional Jets (CRJs). CityLine was the launch customer for the CRJ, inaugurating scheduled service with the 50-passenger twinjet on November 2, 1992. The fleet today stands at 15; delivery of the newest batch begins in April. The sale was valued at $146 million.
Single-pilot flying chores are seldom as easy as they are in the Pilatus PC-12. The standard instrument panel configuration features a two-tube AlliedSignal EFIS 40 in front of the pilot, flanked by conventional air-data instruments.
Cessna 172s, 182s and 206s could be rolling off the assembly lines by fall 1996 after a nine-year hiatus in the company's production of single-engine recips. In December 1994, Cessna announced it would build a factory in Independence, Kansas, where plans call for a production run of 2,000 units annually. (Annual output of single-engine recips from all U.S. companies combined has averaged less than 700 units since 1986.) At press time, no details were available as to pricing or the specifics of system changes for the new-production singles.
On January 11, the Miami judge overseeing Piper Aircraft's bankruptcy proceedings was due to decide whether to continue the company's reorganization efforts, to allow the company's creditors to take over the manufacturer as proposed in 1994 (B/CA, September 1994, page 18) or to allow the creditors to vote on a new bid to buy Piper. The new offer was submitted jointly by Piper International Corporation--an entity comprising Kaiser Aerospace and Electronics--and Teledyne Continental Motors, one of Piper's largest creditors.
FAA is considering a change in policy to allow insulin-using diabetics to obtain airman medical certification. The agency is seeking comments on the implications of the rule change, including the appropriate circumstances under which diabetes patients requiring insulin could receive a special issuance of a medical certificate. The American Diabetes Association and others have petitioned the FAA repeatedly to revise the rules (B/CA, September 1992, page 88 and April 1991, page 20). Comments on the proposal are due March 29.
