Sept. 11, 2001 -- Terrorists hijack four U.S. airliners, crashing two into the World Trade Center towers and one into the Pentagon. The final airliner crashes in Pennsylvania. Government leaders shut down all civil aircraft operations. Sept. 14, 2001 -- Limited IFR general aviation is cleared for flight. Sept. 19, 2001 -- Limited VFR flight is permitted, but must follow ``enhanced'' Class B rules.
So what happens when you're in an out-of-the-way European port and the airplane breaks down? According to old Europe hand Bruce Huffman, who currently runs Bombardier Aerospace's flight demo department at ICT, your first call should be to an FAR Part 145 or JAR 145 approved repair station, ``because they legally can work on your North American-registered airplane.'' Huffman advises operators to carry a shop directory in their flight bags, just in case. ``Make sure any parts you purchase over there are tagged with an FAA Form 8130, or you can't use them,'' he said.
The all-electric Lancair Columbia 350 has received FAA certification. Both the Lancair Model 300 and 350 use a 310-hp Continental IO-550 engine and claim a maximum cruise speed of 190 KTAS. The new Model 350 features a more-robust electrical system and no vacuum system. The 350 has dual batteries and alternators, is better able to incorporate state-of-the-art avionics and has provisions for future options such as deice and air conditioning. Meanwhile, the Columbia 300 recently won Canadian certification.
AIR MIDWEST FLIGHT 5481 -- a Beech 1900D operating as US Airways Express -- crashed shortly after takeoff from Charlotte-Douglas International Airport (CLT) on Jan. 8, 2003, at about 0848 EST. The two pilots and all 19 passengers were killed. Only moments before, all had seemed normal as the airplane taxied into position on Runway 18R and began its takeoff run. Radar data and controller witnesses indicate the airplane lifted off at approximately 0847:00 between the intersections of Runway 18R and taxiways E6 and E7.
FlightSafety International, La Guardia Airport, N.Y., has named Kyle Davis manager of its Toledo Learning Center. Davis was most recently the center's assistant manager. Since 1997, he also served as regional marketing manager and product marketing manager.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF TALK over the past six months about how the NBAA needed to find a new leader with a higher profile among members of Congress and key decision-makers in the Executive Branch. With the selection of Shelley A. Longmuir, the former top lobbyist for United Airlines, it appears the NBAA board has found the woman of its dreams. Longmuir, an attorney, held senior posts at the DOT, where she worked closely with Andrew Card -- who just happens to be the White House Chief of Staff these days.
Stephane Mayer is EADS Socata's new president, CEO and more. He will not only replace his predecessor, Philippe Debrun, but will also take over the responsibilities of Senior Executive Vice President Jean-Francois Trassard. Both Debrun and Trassard are leaving the company. Mayer, 40, holds an engineering degree and is a private pilot.
Some general aviation groups want legislators to add a provision to a House security bill that would direct the Bush administration to allow FAR Part 91 operators who have incorporated approved security programs to regain access to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). The provision would be similar to a measure already included in the sweeping aviation security ``technical corrections'' bill that calls for procedures that would provide for certain on-demand charter operators to fly into DCA.
The Flight Safety Foundation published the crew rest/duty recommendations of the Ultra-long-range (ULR) Operations Crew Alertness Steering Committee in the May-June Flight Safety Digest. According to Robert Vandel, the foundation's executive vice president and co-chair of the steering committee, the consensus of participating scientists was that inflight sleep in a horizontal bunk is the best solution to maintaining crew alertness and performance in ULR operations, which are defined as flight leg lengths greater than 16 hours and crew duty periods of 18 to 22 hours.
The Logbook X Maintenance System is a combination of electronic logbooks and maintenance management programs. The software includes Airframe, Engine, APU, Battery, Propeller and Modification Logbooks, a maintenance tracking and forecasting program, an inventory program, a component change Record, FAA compliance forms, weight and balance records and change forms, an equipment list, flight logs, maintenance planner, work orders, discrepancy forms, cost savings reports, and maintenance and parts pricing request forms. Price: $1,500 Logbook X c/o AirLog Imaging 3269 Hwy.
S-B Industries has introduced its BR-200M 12-volt cordless electric rivet gun. Equipped with charger and battery pack, the gun is ideal for aircraft line repair and any application where air is not available. Designed to set up to three-sixteenth-inch rivets, the unit weighs 4.4 pounds and is 12 inches in length. Call for pricing S-B Industries 210 Fabricator Dr. Fenton, MO 63026 Phone: (636) 343-1011 Fax: (636) 343-1487 www.sbrivetguns.com
Start valve open . . . Rotation . . . Oil pressure . . . Fuel flow . . . Ignition . . . Peak EGT . . . Start valve closed . . . Turning number two.'' This was the litany heard every time we cranked the JT-8Ds that powered Boeing's mighty tri-motor, the B727. The flight engineer and first officer would go through this singsong duet, calling out what was expected and normal in a routine engine start. Time and again.
These three graphs are designed to provide a broad sketch of the B-717 Business Express' performance, based upon projections from Boeing's engineering team. Special thanks to Kevin Heise at Boeing for all his efforts. Do not use these data for flight planning. Time and Fuel vs. Distance -- This graph shows the performance of the B-717 Business Express at 0.76 Mach recommended long-range cruise and high-speed cruise, which varies from 0.77 to 0.80 Mach, depending upon cruise altitude. The average maximum-range cruise speed is slightly slower than long-range cruise.
As the aviation industry struggles to regain its footing in the soft economy, the FAA has begun to re-evaluate how rapidly to move forward on some of its long-term projects. With an eye on the industry's money woes, the FAA is becoming increasingly concerned that certain air traffic modernization projects may become too costly for industry to support in the current environment.
The Aeronautical Repair Station Association (ARSA) urged its members to start last-minute lobbying to ensure language guaranteeing repair stations have complete access to critical component maintenance information remains in the House version of the FAA reauthorization bill slated for floor debate as we went to press. ARSA worked with Rep.
FAA runway safety data show a 36-percent drop in total runway incursions from March to April, as well as a decline in the most serious incursion categories (A and B) in FY 2002 compared to FY 2001. William Davis, director of the Office of Runway Safety, told Aviation Daily that the airport movement area safety system (AMASS), installed at about 28 airports, is reducing the incursions. He stated that data taken before and after AMASS was installed clearly show the reduction in category A and B events.
With the SARS epidemic very much in the news and in the minds of travelers, EnviroSystems reports Boeing has endorsed its EcoTru 1453 as a disinfectant cleaner for commercial aircraft. The manufacturer says the disinfectant is safe for use on metals, alloys, plastics, synthetics, rubber, glass and painted surfaces and has been proven to be effective against Norwalk virus, hepatitis B and C, smallpox, TB and a broad range of other viruses and bacteria.
Some charter operators have serious problems with the implementation of the Special Traffic Management Procedures (STMP) for Nantucket Island's Memorial Airport (ACK). (See June B/CA, Intelligence, page 30.) When in effect, the STMP requires nonscheduled operators to obtain a slot reservation during IMC. Scheduled air carrier operations and flights originating from certain geographic areas are exempt, but not pre-planned charter flights originating in the region.
Universal Weather and Aviation opened its new European Operations Center on June 1. The EOC, based in the United Kingdom, will provide or coordinate complete trip support services requested by Europe-based operators traveling within Europe. The new center combines the global trip support resources of Universal with European-based trip support specialists knowledgeable and experienced in Europe's particular requirements and processes. Europe-based operators will no longer need to phone Universal's headquarters in Houston when planning to operate within Europe.
State legislation moving forward in Illinois would grant the city of Chicago and its mayor, Richard Daley (D), broad powers to expand O'Hare International Airport (ORD), but one amendment would require the restoration of Meigs as a condition. Daley is promoting a massive runway reconfiguration at ORD and a new, eighth runway.
ARINC of Annapolis, Md., will establish a new ARINC Satellite Services business unit devoted to aeronautical satellite voice and data services for commercial, military and business aviation. The new unit will combine ARINC's GLOBALink/Satellite operations with its SKYLink Ku-band satellite business. GLOBALink provides Inmarsat voice and data communications to airlines, government and military customers. SKYLink will debut in the fourth quarter of this year to serve business jet operators.
The B-717's BR715 engines use the same 10-stage, axial flow compressor, low-emissions combustor and two-stage high-pressure turbine as the BR710 that powers the Bombardier Global 5000/Global Express and Gulfstream G500/G550. But the BR715 has a 10-inch larger 58-inch fan, a two-stage N1 supercharger and a three-stage low-pressure turbine. Its larger fan and higher bypass ratio are better suited to the B-717's relatively low cruise altitudes. The basic BR715-A1 engine is rated at 18,500 pounds of thrust for takeoff.
CAE SimuFlite won FAA Level D approval for its Sikorsky S-76 simulator housed at its Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) training center. The simulator will be used for initial and recurrent pilot training programs as well as technical training programs. The new unit is equipped with a Honeywell SPZ-7600 digital automatic flight control system, Universal UNS-1D FMS with global positioning navigation, Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System, Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS II) and a moving map display.
Embraer announced that it intends to open an aircraft production facility in Jacksonville, Fla., to better compete in the U.S. defense and homeland security markets. The facility, to be located at Cecil Commerce Center (the former NAS Cecil Field), will fully qualify the company as a compliant U.S. government supplier for defense and homeland security programs.
GAMA has elected James E. Schuster, an executive vice president of Raytheon Co., and chairman and CEO of Raytheon Aircraft Co., as vice chairman. The GAMA vice chairman position became open when Clayton M. Jones, president and CEO of Rockwell Collins, was named GAMA chairman on May 1. Schuster was elected to the GAMA board in 2001 as the new head of Raytheon Aircraft. In addition to being GAMA vice chairman, Schuster will head the association's Security Issues committee, a position he has held since November 2002.
