Qantas is teaming with the Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority, the Australian and International Pilots Association and the Centre for Sleep Research at the University of South Australia to conduct a major study on pilot fatigue and find a scientific way of managing the risks associated with it. The Fatigue Risk Management System study will be conducted in three phases over three years.
Atlantic Aero has an STC for permanently deactivating Aeronca thrust reversers on Learjet 35 and 36 series airplanes. Atlantic notes that the supply of parts for Aeronca reversers has become scarce, and some operators have opted to pin unrepairable units using the maintenance manual procedure. But a recent interpretation by the FAA's Western Region calls for the repair and return to service of pinned reversers at the next major inspection interval, which recurs at 1,400 flight hours.
Air Charter Guide has introduced CharterXtra, a system that enables corporate travel managers to offer online booking of pay-per-use charters for business travelers. CharterXtra integrates within existing systems to provide access to the Air Charter Guide database of charter operators and aircraft, and enables users to quickly compare price and availability among airline, corporate fleet and charter options. Air Charter Guide is an online directory of over 16,000 commercially available charter aircraft worldwide (www.aircharterguide.com).
Mesaba Airlines received the FAA Diamond Award for 100-percent participation by Mesaba's aviation maintenance technicians in FAA-accepted training programs. It was the second consecutive year that Mesaba achieved 100-percent participation status. The Diamond Award recognizes training for aircraft maintenance professionals throughout the airline industry. During 2002, more than 300 Mesaba mechanics participated in training programs, including aircraft systems training, regulatory training and FAA rules orientation.
The FARs specify the requirements for flight crew oxygen use based on altitude (for unpressurized aircraft) and cabin pressure (pressurized aircraft). The regulations under FAR Part 91 and Part 135 are quite similar, but the Part 135 requirements are more conservative. The following table summarizes the applicable requirements. Flight Crew Oxygen Requirements
-- March 2 -- A Cessna 208 collided with ice-covered terrain during the final approach phase of a VFR landing, about one-quarter of a mile from the approach end of Runway 08 at Ralph Wien Memorial Airport (OTZ), Kotzebue, Alaska. The pilot, the sole occupant, suffered minor injuries, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. IMC prevailed at the airport. According to the NTSB, at one mile from the airport the pilot said he could not see the airport, and he stated he was in a whiteout condition.
With an estimated 374 trillion sticks of gum sold worldwide each year, public areas such as airports, schools and shopping centers are increasingly affected by unsanitary gum pollution. RecovrX, an environmental cleaning and recovery company, has patented a cost-effective gum removal system that promises to combat gum pollution and waste by utilizing an efficient, environmentally safe technology. The RecovrX Gum Removal System is a specially designed steam cleaner manufactured by USF Surface Preparation Group.
Jet Aviation Zurich, a Cessna Citation Authorized Service Center for more than 20 years, recently received an additional approval from Cessna as an Authorized Service Station. The new authorization allows the facility to perform engine and airframe maintenance, repairs, warranty work and avionics installations for all single- and multiengine aircraft, Conquest I and II and Caravan 208 turboprops.
Adam Aircraft flew its second A500 aircraft built with production tooling, serial number 002, at Centennial Airport in Englewood, Colo., on Feb. 13. The A500 is a twin-engine, inline-thrust, pressurized, six-seat aircraft. The flight lasted approximately 35 minutes and reached an altitude of 13,000 feet. The test pilot reported complete satisfaction with the performance and handling of the aircraft.
The Senate Commerce Committee approved broadening background check requirements to include foreign students seeking training in small aircraft, regardless of weight. Foreign students seeking training on aircraft weighing 12,500 pounds or more currently must undergo up to a 45-day background review before training at a U.S. facility. The measure, sponsored by Sen.
Cessna Aircraft Co., Wichita, has promoted Michael (Mick) Hoveskeland to vice president, administration. Hoveskeland is responsible for all Citation, Caravan and single-engine customer contracts; Caravan and single-engine aircraft deliveries; and flight crew and maintenance training for customers and Cessna team members via FlightSafety International. He has been employed by Cessna for 28 years.
The FAA awarded a Lockheed Martin team a contract to provide ground station and broadcast services to support satellite navigation signals in the Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS). The two-year Geostationary Communications and Control Segment (GCCS) program, initially valued at $34 million, has options for extensions that give the contract a potential value of almost $600 million. ``GCCS will enable WAAS realization and help make satellite-based navigation for aviation a reality,'' said Don Antonucci, president of Lockheed Martin Air Traffic Management.
Garrett Aviation announced that Frank Klaus, former regional general manager, America sales, for GE Aircraft Engines (GEAE), has been named president of the company. Garrett is a General Electric subsidiary. Klaus replaces Jeff Garwood, who was recently named president of GE Fanuc Automation, a GE Industrial Systems business. Klaus joined GEAE in 1968. He was the resident engineering manager at Rolls-Royce during GE's collaboration on the CF6 program. He then progressed to leadership roles in the Military Project and Marketing organizations.
University of North Dakota's Aircraft Maintenance Department was presented with the Diamond Certificate of Excellence Award by the FAA in February. In addition, 20 maintenance technicians receied individual awards fr their participation in initial and recurrent maintenance training.
Aviation Learning has released ``Fundamentals of Avionics,'' the latest in its line of fundamental maintenance training courses. The self-paced course can be delivered on CD-ROM or over the Internet at AviationLearning.com.
When asked how regularly he or his copilot donned an oxygen mask when operating above FL 410, one Global Express pilot casually admitted, ``Never.'' And even though that omission is in direct violation of the FARs, it's probably (there are no statistics on this) not uncommon behavior. The preference for naked faces at altitude appears to stem from three separate issues. First, even the most modern oxygen masks are notoriously uncomfortable, and the idea of wearing one for perhaps hours is utterly off-putting.
Ibis Aerospace flew its production conforming prototype Ae270 propjet for the first time on Feb. 25 near Prague, Czech Republic. Serial number 5 is the third flying prototype and incorporates a number of enhancements over the previously flown prototypes, though it is identical in the design of its flight controls and aerodynamics. The major difference with the third flying prototype was the incorporation of a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6-66A engine and the FAA-certified pilot-side EFIS provided by Chelton Systems.
Voyager Group, LP completed the purchase of the aircraft management and charter operations of Atlantic Aviation Flight Services (AAFS) and named a pair of veteran business aviation executives to head the enterprise. Scott Galdi, formerly executive vice president of The Air Group, was named president of AAFS, and Christine Amos, who had been senior vice president at The Air Group, was named executive vice president. AAFS has 50 employees and is based at based at Teterboro, N.J.
The U.S. Navy says eternal vigilance is the price of safety, and they're right. U.S. runway incursion numbers are rising, and were ``double what they were last year'' for January and February, reports NTSB member Carol Carmody. She notes, however, that not all of those incursions fall into the ``serious'' category. The FAA and AOPA have produced a great training package to address this issue. Time for a review. Go to www.faa.gov or www.aopa.org.
To celebrate the 100th anniversary of powered aviation, Breitling has issued the Montbrillant 1903 chronograph. This watch features details such as a beaded bezel, an exact replica of the one used on the first chronographs equipped with the famous circular slide rule. Designed in a classic mid-20th-century style, the two-tone dial clearly distinguishes the timekeeping zone from the logarithmic scales. The back of the watch features the silhouette of Flyer I, the airplane flown by Orville and Wilbur Wright. Price: To be announced in April Breitling USA Inc.
The AOPA announced that its membership roster grew by 12,179 during 2002, totaling 390,749 at year-end. Attributing the membership growth to pilot awareness of the critical nature of security and regulatory issues challenging general aviation, AOPA President Phil Boyer said, ``The continued threat of terrorism or possible war, plus the new Department of Homeland Security embrace of the Transportation Security Administration, creates many new challenges for general aviation.
CAE has won FAA Level 4 flight training device (FTD) certification for its Simfinity Integrated Procedures Trainer (IPT) used in the Atlantic Coast Airlines CRJ200 training program. IPTs feature a graphic virtual cockpit, aircraft systems panels and schematics.
Rolls-Royce North America Holdings Inc., Chantilly, Va., has added Carol B. Hallett to its board of directors. Earlier this year, Hallett retired as president and CEO of the Air Transport Association of America, a position she held since 1995.
Aviation Research Group (ARG/US) is being sued by Aviation Charter Inc. (ACI), the Eden Prairie, Minn., operator of the King Air in which Sen. Paul Wellstone, his wife, daughter and associates died in a crash on Oct. 25, 2002. (See Cause & Circumstance, page 98). Cincinnati-based ARG/US publishes safety ratings of charter operators among others, and had assigned Aviation Charter a DNQ, ``Does Not Qualify'' rating.
Organizers of the 2003 Paris Air Show continue trying to drum up business from potential U.S. exhibitors. Attempting to make U.S. company participation as painless as possible, organizers established a Paris Air Show USA organization last summer and have offered exhibitors not only English-language interface with show organization, but have created an option for exhibitors to be physically grouped by business sector, rather than nationality.
