-Bell 222, 230 and 430 helicopters -- Conduct initial and repetitive inspections of each tail-rotor counterweight bellcrank. If external damage, a crack, roughness or looseness between the bearing set and bellcrank is found, or if bearing set axial play exceeds 0.015 inches, replace the bellcrank with an airworthy one that has two prefix letters in its serial number. -Honeywell TPE331 engines -- For engines with certain Woodward fuel control units installed, perform initial and repetitive dimensional inspections of the fuel control drive for wear or damage.
Patrick Veillette's "Cowboy Pilots" (June, page 59) was simply exceptional. I think it was the best aviation article I've read in some time, particularly with respect to human factors. And it was certainly the most honest. True to form, Veillette didn't pull any punches, but that's what makes it valuable.
London City Airport, which isn't allowed to accept helicopter movements other than emergency, wants to open a dedicated heliport to the east of the Canary Wharf business district bordering the Thames. It is believed the proposed site is 1.5 miles from the airport and near the Millennium Dome. A decision on the planning application will depend on the outcome of an ongoing inquiry into London's total future transport requirements.
Years ago a pilot known to me, but for this article will be simply Capt. Everyman, was flight instructing in a retractable gear aircraft whose warning horn would sound each time the throttle was retarded to idle. Accordingly, he pulled the circuit breaker to silence the horn during the lesson. You can guess the rest. Upon returning to the airport, Everyman and his student forgot to reset the circuit breaker and subsequently forgot to move the landing gear lever, resulting in a surprisingly short, noisy and expensive gear-up arrival.
Voyager Jet Center, an aircraft management and flight services company and the FBO at Pennsylvania's Allegheny County Airport, has added a Hawker 850XP to its charter fleet. VJC-managed aircraft operate on Atlantic Aviation Flight Services' certificate. For additional information, visit www.voyagerjet.com.
Dr. John P. Johnson has been installed as president of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU); he had served as the interim president since November 2005. Johnson joined the university as the provost and chief academic officer in December 2003. ERAU has over 32,000 residential students and adult learners on campuses in Florida and Arizona and at 130 teaching centers around the world.
-Bell 206L helicopters -- Inspect the fuel low-level detector switch unit to determine if it is a certain serial-numbered unit that may fail. If the serial number cannot be determined, perform an operational test. Replace each affected switch unit with an airworthy switch unit before further flight.
By the mid-1970s, the Pratt & Whitney Canada PT-6 was installed on all King Air models, including the newly introduced 100 series. Concerned about its reliance on a single source for motive power, Beech Aircraft decided to pursue a short-lived policy of "engine diversity" to spur competition. Accordingly, the company launched development of a second King Air 100, one to be powered by a pair of 715-shp Garrett AiResearch TPE331-6 engines.
Raytheon Aircraft Services has received an STC to install Rockwell Collins' IFIS in the Pro Line 21-equipped Premier I. "The IFIS system upgrade will provide Premier I operators with access to advanced features that enhance safety, efficiency and situational awareness -- and add value to their aircraft," said Doug Brantner, vice president of Raytheon Aircraft Services.
Hillsboro Aviation, Hillsboro, Ore., announced that Stephen J. Johnson has been hired as a helicopter salesman. He will be responsible for marketing new and used Bell helicopters in 16 western states.
I enjoyed reading Richard Aarons' "Over Gross, Over Tired and Iced Over" (Cause & Circumstance, June, page 80), but why did the article state twice that the pilot neglected to notify ATC of his change in alternate? Is this a purely factual statement or is the author making a judgment that the pilot should have informed ATC?
The Stearman Aircraft Co., which nearly closed its doors in the early 1930s, experienced a resurgence after deciding to focus on military aircraft instead of commercial airplanes. Harold Zipp and Jack Clark used Lloyd Stearman's Model 6 as the basis for a series of military trainers that saved the firm.
The SJ30-2's second-generation ECU-equipped, Williams FJ44-A turbofans are rated at 2,300 pounds of thrust for takeoff up to ISA+7°C, so thrust starts to drop as the OAT rises above 72°C. The -2 engines have a 2.1:1 bypass ratio and deep-fluted mixer nozzles for improved high-altitude thrust output and lower FAR Part 36 noise levels.
Boeing officially signed Connexion's death warrant on Aug. 17. The company announced that it has decided to exit the high-speed broadband communications connectivity markets. The Boeing move compounds the turmoil in the wake of Verizon's retreat from inflight phone service to business aircraft (see below). Boeing said it will work with its customers to facilitate an orderly phase out of the Connexion by Boeing service.
The 2004 fatal Challenger crash in Montrose, Colo., has again thrown the spotlight on charter brokers and the practice of "doing business as," or DBAs. The NTSB recommends that the DOT require FAR Part 135 on-demand operators to inform customers and passengers of the name of the company that has operational control of the flight, including any DBAs listed in the operations specifications, the name of the aircraft owner and the names of brokers involved in the flights. Similar rules already exist for Part 121 carriers that share codes.
A total of 36 of Banyan Air Service's technicians received the FAA AMT award. In addition, seven avionics technicians received AEA awards for excellence in avionics training. (This caption appeared with the incorrect photo.)
An international coalition of helicopter operators, manufacturers and industry groups has joined forces with the FAA and air traffic regulators from around the world for a new safety initiative aimed at cutting the helicopter accident rate by 80 percent over the next decade. The group, the International Helicopter Safety Team (IHST), expects to produce its first recommendations for safety improvements by the year-end.
(Hillsboro, Ore.) -- Stephen J. Johnson has been hired as a helicopter salesman and will be responsible for marketing new and used Bell rotary wing aircraft in Hillsboro Aviation's Bell sales territory, which covers 16 western states. He has more than a decade of turbine helicopter sales experience, with stints at Austin Jets, HAS Corp. and Africair. He also previously served as president of Helicopter Research and Marketing.
Galaxy Aviation has announced the appointment of Curtis George as general manager of the company's Boca Raton, Fla., facility. Anthony R. Sherbert has been selected as operations manager for the West Palm Beach, Fla., FBO and Alice Sutherland was appointed customer relations manager for Galaxy's newest facility in St. Augustine, Fla.
ADMS-COMMAND is an entry-level, modular ADMS system developed for emergency response agencies with limited training space or other financial or operational restrictions. ADMS-COMMAND uses the same technology used in the full, multi-station ADMS-TEAM system, but in a more adaptable and flexible configuration. ADMS-COMMAND is a single laptop-based training simulator, which is expandable into a team training system with the purchase of additional stations.
Torrejon, the NATO base near Madrid, that was originally offered to Spanish corporate jet operators in 1996 seems to be off the table and the search is on for an alternative airfield where corporate jets would be welcomed. Possibilities include: Getafe, a Spanish military airfield and the general aviation airfield at Cuatro Vientos. Both are close to Madrid so noise could be a problem. A third option is to build a new airport for business aviation.
Jet Aviation Dubai has been appointed by Gulfstream Aerospace as an Authorized Warranty Repair facility. The company's maintenance and FBO facility at Dubai International Airport is now authorized to perform heavy maintenance and repairs along with warranty work on Gulfstream aircraft.
