Details of recent accidents and incidents are presented to help avert repetition. April 14 -- An Aero Commander 500S crashed following a total loss of power in both engines at East Cooper Airport (8S5), Mount Pleasant, S.C. The airplane was destroyed, and the pilot and passenger were seriously wounded. The airplane was registered to and operated by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. The airplane had been topped off with fuel prior to the attempted takeoff, according to the pilot.
Engineered Inerting Systems claims that its Explosion Suppressant Arresting Foam (ESAF) prevents catastrophic explosions of ignited fuel vapors caused by electrical arcing, overheating of internal components, lightning strikes, static electrical discharge, and hostile incendiary small-arms fire. ESAF is a polyurethane chemical formulation that is poured onto moving mold conveyors and cures into large blocks, or buns (about the size of three stacked mattresses). The manufacturer also claims that ESAF baffles fuel to control surging and eliminate sloshing.
Two NBAA member companies -- H.J. Heinz Co. of Pittsburgh and Houston-based Universal Weather & Aviation -- teamed up to reunite rescued prisoner of war Jessica Lynch with her family. Pfc. Lynch, a U.S. Army soldier who was wounded and taken prisoner by Iraqi forces and then rescued in a dramatic special-forces mission, had been airlifted to a military hospital in Germany to receive medical treatment for multiple injuries. The Heinz Gulfstream IV flew Lynch's parents, brother, sister and a cousin to Germany.
PPG Industries, Pittsburgh, has named David P. Morris vice president, aerospace, replacing Dennis A. Kovalsky, who was named vice president for the company's automotive coatings business.
The new owner of the Fairchild Dornier 328JET program, AvCraft Aviation, is targeting January 2004 to start delivering new production aircraft, once the company restores credibility in customer service and supply chain management. President Ben Bartel described previous customer support as ``pinball,'' and told Aviation Daily that parts availability problems existed with suppliers in the past. AvCraft's 328 deal included 18 finished aircraft. Two have been sold to an air ambulance operator, and the company is close to selling a third.
Honeywell completed the first run of its new TFE731-50 turbofan engine on March 19. ``The engine, rated at 4,900 pounds of thrust, produced over 5,000 pounds of thrust in the test cell with more than 200F temperature margin,'' said Mike Redenbaugh, interim president of Honeywell Engines, Systems & Services. The TFE731-50 is a low-risk derivative of the current production engine, utilizing a common core and a scaled wide-chord damperless fan.
Hopping on the TFR bandwagon, Connecticut Gov. John Rowland and New York Gov. George Pataki pushed for 10-mile no-fly zones for nuclear power plants despite official testimony that light aircraft -- or even fuel-laden airliners -- can't breach a reactor containment vessel. AOPA President Phil Boyer has sent letters to politicians who are seeking airspace restrictions, suggesting that they be careful about what they ask for.
Regional and charter operations are being forced to bear an unfair share of security and other costs now that major airlines are in fiscal freefall and cutting service themselves. So charged Debbie McElroy, president of the Regional Airline Association, at an FAA reauthorization hearing before the House Aviation Subcommittee in April.
During recent years, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission has conducted investigations into the practice of certain industries in fixing and advertising list prices. It is the position of the FTC that it is deceptive to the public and against the law for list prices of any product to be specified or advertised in a trade area if the majority of sales are made at less than those prices. B/CA is not in a position to know the prices for most of the sales in each trading area in the United States for each of the products in this issue.
Manufacturer, Model In some cases, the airplane manufacturer's name is abbreviated, but the company's full name and address can be found in the ``Airframe Suppliers Directory'' on page 116. The model name also is included in this group. B/CA Equipped Price Price estimates are first quarter, current year dollars for the next available delivery. Some aircraft have long lead times, thus the actual price will be higher than our published price. Note well, manufacturers may adjust prices without notification.
BAE Systems Regional Aircraft and British European Aviation Services are partnering to design an E-class freight interior for the BAE ATP turboprop. The design is about 60 percent complete and will incorporate a new 9-g forward net and 3-g vertical nets along the length of the cabin. The main landing gear emergency release handle is being relocated from under the mid-cabin fuselage floor to the flight deck.
Stagnation in the used business jet market is evident in the latest figures from AvData, Inc., which say there were 73 used business jets delivered to North American buyers in March, a 36.5 percent drop from the 115 airplanes delivered during the same month one year ago. See chart on page 78.
A NetJets fractional owner donated 75 flight hours to the Corporate Angel Network charity that arranges free flights to and from treatment for cancer patients using empty seats on corporate aircraft. Charlie Lynch, a NetJets vice president, said the donation, valued at more than $270,000, was made anonymously by the fractional aircraft owner, who lives in Greenwich, Conn.
The ORBIS Flying Eye Hospital will make an appearance at EAA AirVenture, the Experimental Aircraft Association gathering at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wis., on July 29-Aug. 4. The ORBIS aircraft, a DC-10 fitted with examination and operating rooms, is a teaching hospital for eye care and flies to developing nations around the world, providing hands-on training to local ophthalmologists, nurses and other health care specialists. Since 1982, when it began operations with a DC-8, ORBIS has completed more than 480 programs in 81 countries.
One advantage of participating in a program like the TSAAC (Transportation Security Administration Access Certificate) is that the vetting process can place a magnifying glass on an operator's existing security plan, verifying its strengths and exposing potential problems or weaknesses.
The ARC process will include two very large and critically important committees -- Applicability and Operations, with 30 and 33 members, respectively, reports The Weekly of Business Aviation. Other committees will range from three to 12 members, focusing on International Operations, FAR Part 125, Airworthiness, Airmanship, Aeromedical, Training, and Equipment and Technology. Many contend that rule changes would be best implemented with a minimum impact on Part 91, as it is basically sound as is.
The issue of fingerprinting and deep background checks of the type required for commercial flight crews and FAR Part 91 operators engaged in security vetting programs like the TSA's TSAAC is fraught with controversy. Even pilots and mechanics with nothing to hide don't like it. Well, get used to it. The word B/CA has from a reliable source is that eventually all licensed pilots will eventually be required to be printed and checked as part of TSA mandate.
Struggling Swiss International Air Lines cut its Embraer regional jet order to 30 from 60. Swiss negotiated a new deal with regional jet maker Embraer to order 30 Embraer 170s and 195s -- 15 of each -- and take options on 20 more. It's a serious blow to Embraer, the company says, although it still has orders from General Electric Capital Aviation Services, Jet Airways, Alitalia and CSA Czech Airlines. Swiss is also delaying the first delivery, originally planned for August 2003, by a year and will take delivery of four aircraft in 2004 and eight in 2005.
As one of his last acts as Gulfstream president, Bill Boisture confirmed that Gulfstream and officials of Israel Aircraft Industries met about six weeks ago and reached a decision to slow down the Gulfstream 150 program.
