Shoulder-launched SAMs don't necessarily have to be used near an airport, which makes their availability the paramount concern. So noted Rafi Ron, chairman and CEO of New Age Aviation Security and the former head of security for the Israel Airport Authority, during an interview for Airports newsletter. ``The threat in the U.S.
InspecTech Aero Service, Inc. has developed a new aircraft cabin window lamination that uses a suspended particle device (SPD), along with other components, that controls the amount of light that can pass through. The I-Shade incorporates a light control film along with a switchable reactive core that creates a 100-percent opaquing feature. The I-Shade uses readily available AC or DC aircraft electrical power at a low-power-consumption level.
The Pratt & Whitney Canada PW308, also used on Raytheon's Hawker Horizon, is an evolutionary, scaled-up version of the PW305 that made its debut in the early 1990s on the Learjet 60 and Hawker 1000. Other versions of the PW300 have been fitted to the Fairchild-Dornier 328JET and Gulfstream G200.
A Smithsonian Institution National Air & Space Museum Trophy has been awarded to aircraft innovator Stanley Hiller Jr., who is honored in the category of Lifetime Achievement.
Flight service/handlers provided B/CA with some examples of how things went awry for clients, and how they managed to step in and save the day. An Air Routing International client was recently traveling from Southeast Asia to Europe when the aircraft's windshield cracked. The operator diverted to Bangkok, where an Air Routing agent assisted in getting the windshield repaired and was able to expedite the local clearance so a relief aircraft could come in and take the passengers on to their destination.
VDC Electronics has developed three, fully automatic, s-stage, 12/14-volt battery chargers, designed to keep your lead/acid batteries fully charged. Dubbed, ``Charger with a brain,'' these maintenance chargers produce high-frequency pulses, keeping the sulfuric acid crystals called ``sulfidation'' from bonding to the surface of the battery's plates. In addition. The chargers' second stage keeps the battery at a full voltage level without over-charging it.
Bird-X's Stainless Spikes Needle Strips are designed to prevent birds from roosting or nesting on any surface. The ST302 hard surgical grade stainless- steel spikes protrude from a base in a five-inch spread so birds can't land. The strips are designed to resist harsh weather and chemical environments and their flexible design allows them to be installed on curves, corners or irregular surfaces. The strips are available in extra-wide seven-inch spreads or slim two-inch spreads and in varying lengths and colors. Price: $35 to $395 Bird-X 300 N. Elizabeth St.
The National Air & Space Museum's new Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center remains on schedule for a December opening, and museum organizers expect to begin bringing in airplanes by the middle of March. Plans call for the B-29 Enola Gay to be the first aircraft to move into the Dulles International Airport-based facility. The center will display 200 aircraft on three levels, some 80 percent of the NASM's national collection.
Midcoast Aviation, St. Louis Downtown Airport, has hired J.P. Michenon as the company's first vice president, operations support. He most recently served as president of Jet Power and Light Inc. In addition, Midcoast has promoted Morris Smith to senior director, technical services; Chris Carter to senior director, engineering; and Danny Farnham to senior director, modifications.
In October 2002, a group of European journalists traveled to Brazil for an on-scene briefing regarding that country's most important manufacturer-exporter: Empresa Brasileira de Aeronautica S.A., best known as Embraer. Mike Vines, B/CA's peripatetic U.K. correspondent, filed this report . At Embraer's headquarters in Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil, a 50-mile (90 kilometer) jog from the bright lights and traffic jams of bustling Sao Paulo, there's a quiet confidence about the new Embraer 170, due to enter service this year.
At the same gathering, Dulles Federal Security Director Scott McHugh reiterated the mantra of Transportation Security Administration Administrator Adm. James Loy that the TSA hopes to approach security in a collaborative spirit. McHugh said he sums up security in two words -- partnership and integration. ``That's really what we at the TSA are all about.'' At Dulles, the TSA has brought in security specialists who will be assigned different areas of the airport. Those specialists will be tasked with checking in weekly with all the stakeholders assigned in their areas.
In his article ``Is There Any Logic to Airport Identifiers?'' (B/CA, August 2001, page 98), Robert A. Searles explored the origins of the three-letter identifiers assigned to U.S. airports by the FAA. He noted that in many cases, the identifier was named after the airport, e.g., JFK for John F. Kennedy International Airport. But as pilots who fly internationally (and anyone who plays Microsoft Flight Simulator 2002) knows, the JFK could be preceded by a K, i.e., KJFK, for K is the ICAO designator for the continental United States.
Trintec Industries, the makers of ``Bad Attitude'' and altimeter wall/desk clocks, is offering its pilot altimeter wrist watch through authorized retailers. The watch features precision quartz movement and a leather strap designed for comfort and durability. Price: $49.95 retail Trintec Industries Inc. 467 Westney Rd. S., Unit 3, Ajax Ontario L1S 6V7 Canada Phone: (905) 427-2039 Fax: (905) 427-9285 www.trintec.com
Goodway Technologies Corp. is now offering the GVC-2200V vapor-steam cleaner, designed to loosen dirt and grime from cold surfaces. The unit produces 330F, dry vapor-steam at a variable pressure of 0-90 psi. When the vapor comes in contact with the surface, the temperature expansion loosens dirt, grease and grime, while instantly killing bacteria, mold and fungus. The cleaner also comes with a chemical injection system for additional cleaning power, and a built-in vacuum is installed to recover loose debris and liquids. Price: Call for pricing Goodway Technologies Corp.
Thunder Aviation NA, Inc. recently completed a 39,000-square-foot hangar at Spirit of St. Louis Airport (SUS). The new facility includes 9,000 square feet of available office space, which can be configured to new tenants' specifications. Thunder Aviation now occupies over 100,000 square feet at Spirit of St. Louis. The company was founded in July 1997.
ZACH BJORNSON-HOOPER IS A seasoned flier who has traveled to the South Pacific, Europe, Mexico and other exotic destinations. On a trip to New Zealand in March 2002, he perceived that the flight attendants were serving water from pitchers to the passengers. Being science-minded, a light bulb went on in Hooper's head. He remembered previous long flights in which the attendants ran out of bottled water. It was a monumental coincidence that Zach had a small thermos packed with petri dishes, filters, agar, vials and a syringe.
Vought Aircraft Industries, Inc. completed the 200th set of integrated wings for the Gulfstream 500 (GV) series ultra-long-range business jet on Dec. 2, 2002. Under a revenue-sharing agreement with Gulfstream established in 1993, Vought designed and produces the wings, including integration of the electrical, hydraulic and fuel systems. The first 94-foot-long integrated wing was designed and produced in 25 months with an on-time delivery in July 1995.
The ``Freeze to Please'' icing research specialists at NASA's Glenn Research Center have created a series of valuable training aids, available through the GRC Web site: http://icebox-esn.grc.nasa.gov/ext/ education/video/video.html. ``A Pilot's Guide to In-Flight Icing'' is an introductory, interactive computer-based training course, consisting of three modules covering preflight tasks, inflight operations and emergency procedures. Three video programs also are available at nominal charge through Sporty's Pilot Shop.
BAE Systems Controls and DDC-I, Inc. will jointly develop a platform for writing safety-critical software that meets ARINC 653 and DO-178B Level One standards. The companies plan to combine BAE's CsLEOS Real-time Operating System (RTOS) with the DDC-I SCORE (Safety-Critical, Real-time Embedded) multi-language development environment. The new product, dubbed SCORE 653, would combine a development environment and an ARINC 653 RTOS with ``brick wall'' partitioning for use in high-integrity embedded systems in safety-critical applications.
U.S. airline pilots could begin training to use guns to defend their aircraft against terrorists within three months after Congress approved legislation setting up the new Department of Homeland Security. The legislation allows pilots to carry guns in the cockpit. Before training can begin, the TSA will have to determine the type of firearm and ammunition pilots may use, set standards for a new training program, and decide where pilots will keep the weapons onboard and how they will be stored between flights.
The NTSB found that a plugged horizontal tail jackscrew lubrication nipple on an Alaska Air MD-80 made the last and possibly several previous lubrication procedures ineffective. Extended inspection intervals contributed to a failure to detect the resulting excessive nut and thread wear that led to sudden catastrophic thread stripping that rendered the aircraft uncontrollable in pitch. The aircraft, en route from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, to San Francisco, crashed off the Los Angeles coast in January 2000, killing all 88 people on board.
Thomaz Bark is advancing steadily in his piloting career. Not long ago the Swedish aviator was offered a position flying a Beechjet 400A and the operating company even offered to pay for his type rating. Since the only Beechjet 400A simulators in the world are operated by FlightSafety in Wichita, he proceeded to enroll, only to discover that he would not be permitted to train. At least for the time being.
Four companies are bidding to purchase Belfast City Airport. Bombardier Aerospace, which acquired the Northern Ireland facility when it took over Short Brothers, put the downtown airport on the market in September 2002. The company won't disclose the bidders or its asking price. Although Bombardier said it extended the original bid-closing date of Dec. 6 to Dec. 20, 2002, at the request of the bidders, it still hopes to complete the sale soon.
These two graphs are designed to provide a broad sketch of the Falcon 2000EX's performance, based upon preliminary estimates from Claude Saleilles' sales engineering team at Dassault Aviation. B/CA wasn't able to obtain data for a Specific Range chart because Dassault hasn't commenced high-altitude cruise performance tests. Do not use these data for flight planning.
