Looking 20 years into the future, the Boeing Co. envisions a seamless worldwide air traffic control system that will allow controllers and operators to tap into a common information network to get aircraft tracking, operational and weather information at any given moment, anywhere. Such a system would be satellite based, using data link connections for communication, navigation and surveillance. The result? Significantly improved system capacity, safety and security.
The NBAA announced that it expanded coverage and services at the General Aviation (GA) Desk at the FAA Air Traffic Control System Command Center (ATCSCC) in Herndon, Va. The expansion of services will provide for two-shift and overlapping coverage as necessary of the GA Desk seven days a week and allow for contingency 24-hours-a-day coverage over extended durations as required.
Preventing contamination of aircraft hydraulic systems would seem to be a primary objective of system maintenance, but in fact, faulty maintenance procedures may actually cause contamination. Even when adding new hydraulic fluid, contamination is a concern. ``It's important to ensure that new fluid is clean, too,'' says Lana Robin of PdMA Corp. in Tampa, Fla. ``The proper precautions must be taken during maintenance procedures to ensure its quality.
While we're on the subject of avionics, it seems only appropriate to remind all our readers that full implementation of the domestic U.S. portion of RVSM is slated to become operational in December 2004. (See ``Domestic RVSM,'' B/CA, April 2002, page 82.) You can find more information on this at the FAA RVSM Web site, www.faa.gov/ats/ato/ rvsm1.htm.
Chicago Mayor Richard Daley was another politician who wanted a permanent downtown no-fly zone and sought the approval of the Department of Homeland Security to close Meigs Field (CGX). As a compromise, the FAA established a small TFR, the same as the one established in January 2002, covering the Chicago downtown area but permitting normal flight operations along the lakefront and around Meigs. Obviously unsatisfied, Daley had city crews bulldoze the runway at Meigs just after midnight on March 31, and then declared the field closed forever with a 2 a.m.
Plans to build a $128 million airport on the old Royal Air Force base at Finningley, near Doncaster in South Yorkshire, northern England, has been given the go-ahead by the U.K. government. The airport is due to be operational by winter 2004. The decision comes after a yearlong public enquiry, and Doncaster Airport, as it is known, will be capable of handling two million passengers per year. The airport is owned and will be operated by Peel Airports Ltd.
GAMA President Ed Bolen, testifying in April before the House Subcommittee on Aviation, called on Congress to defend the integrity of the nation's air transportation system against special interests seeking airspace restrictions. ``Our national air transportation system is far too important to the United States to allow powerful private enterprises to use their political clout to create an unjustified, ad hoc patchwork of airspace restrictions,'' said Bolen.
CMC Electronics will transfer its GPS OEM products to its NovAtel subsidiary. CMC's GPS OEM product line consists of three GPS engines in several form factors plus accessories and development kits. CMC is a privately held electronics technology company. CMC President Jim Close said that the company feels that the GPS products will fit into and extend NovAtel's product line, which uses similar technologies and operates on similar frequencies.
Furst Aircraft, Teterboro, N.J., has named Hank Esposito as director of sales. Prior to joining Furst, an aircraft parts and instrument repair and overhaul company at Teterboro Airport, Esposito was director of marketing and sales manager for Atlantic Aviation's Teterboro FBO.
Regional jets are here to stay, but you might not know it from the pronounced slump in the airline industry that's hitting the 50-seat jetliner market particularly hard. Deliveries of both Embraer ERJ 145 and Bombardier CRJ200 50-seaters have slowed to a trickle. Sales of Bombardier's 70-seat CRJ700 are marginally better, and the firm is starting deliveries of its 86-seat CRJ900.
Airpower Software has released its Interactive Aircraft Budget Analyzer, a software program designed to calculate the true operating costs of 175 of the most popular jet, turboprop and piston aircraft and helicopters. The program allows you to create an instant budget by manipulating the preloaded data to address your particular operation. The Budget Analyzer's ``My Aircraft'' feature gives you the ability to input your own operating numbers to create an individualized budget for any type of aircraft. Price: $195.95 Airpower Software 4955 S. Durango Dr. Ste.
THEY ARE A GREAT COMFORT especially to those who are ill, of which I am one. When the word got out, I received scads of cards, letters, phone calls and visits from friends in far-away places. Letters arrived from nearly every state as well as Germany and France. Then when B/CA came out with my address and telephone number, there was a deluge of mail and phone calls from everywhere . . . most gratifying. You may have read of the incident last year when I was taken to the hospital because of a loss of blood.
Columbia Avionics in Columbia, Mo., and Uvalde, Texas, has an STC to install the Honeywell MK-VIII EGPWS in King Air A100, 200/B200, 300 and 350 aircraft. The MK-VIII installation is certified to interface with either an EFIS or MFD. Columbia also holds STCs to install the Honeywell MK-VIII EPGWS and Collins TCAS-4000 TCAS II systems in Hawker 400/600s and for the Universal Avionics TAWS in Learjet 35/36s. Find out more at www.columbiaavionics.com.
A Dash 8-100 has become the first western-built regional aircraft on the Russian register, according to Bombardier. The aircraft will operate in an all-passenger configuration completed by Sakhalinskie Aviatrassy (Sakhalin Air Transport). It will provide international and domestic support to Exxon Neftegas Ltd. (ENL), a subsidiary of ExxonMobil. ENL is the operator of the Sakhalin-1 Project, at $12 billion, the largest direct foreign investment project in Russia.
Rolls-Royce announced on March 28 that it signed a letter of intent to establish Van Nuys, Calif.-based Clay Lacy Aviation as an authorized service center for the Spey 511-8, Tay 611-8, BR710 and AE3007C engines. Clay Lacy Aviation recently acquired the Seattle Flight Center at Boeing Field (BFI) in Seattle, and will offer all the capabilities of its Van Nuys facility, including Rolls-Royce engine services.
Paktek's ToolPak backpack features ergonomic shoulder straps with utility loops, heavy zipper, padded handles, waterproof exterior and over 100 pockets and holders for tools. In addition, the ToolPak has six individual panels featuring a large document panel, screwdriver panel, plier panel, utility panel, wrench panel and socket panel. The pack is constructed from Cordura nylon and measures 18.5 inches high by 14.0 inches wide with a thickness ranging from 3.0 to 10.0 inches. Price: $89.97 Paktek 7307 82nd St. Ct. S.W.
Willard F. Walpole Sr., an aircraft industry pioneer, died on March 27 at the age of 84. He was the founder of Wilco, Inc., an aircraft parts company located in Wichita. Walpole, a 13,000-plus-hour pilot, had actively served Wichita's community and aircraft industry since 1953.
