Dassault Falcon Jet, Teterboro, N.J., has promoted field service representatives Larry Burns (Northeast region), Gary Tchorzewski (mid-Atlantic region), Charles ``Chuck'' Woody (Southwest region) and Jim Walizer (Upper Midwest region) to the newly created position of customer service manager.
The Association for Women in Aviation Maintenance (AWAM) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1997 to promote professional growth and enrichment for its members. It does this by providing networking opportunities, obtaining educational assistance and educating the public on the role of women in the industry.
The U.K.'s London City Airport (LCY) has selected Daon's biometric authentication solution to update its security for all of its 1,600 personnel who work in restricted and secure zones. The identity management system known as Daon Engine employs fingerprint, iris or voice authentication methods and was due to be commissioned in November.
Schubach Aviation, an air charter company based in San Diego, Calif., added a Citation X, the 13th airplane in a fleet that includes a variety of aircraft ranging from King Airs to Hawkers.
Strong letter to Follow! The AOPA is ``insisting'' that it participate in a government study to compare the costs of providing flight service station (FSS) services by the FAA vs. the costs of contracting services to commercial companies. Actions based on the study could change the way FSS services are provided to pilots. In personal meetings with FAA officials and in a follow-up letter, the AOPA asked that it have input on the key document, the ``performance work statement,'' that will direct the course of the study.
Other highlights from the ERA gathering included: -- The Dutch company Rekkof is seeking support among the airline members to restart Fokker 70 and 100 production. Jaap Rosen Jacobson, president of Rekkof and owner of VLM Airlines, an all-Fokker 50 operation based in Belgium, met with other Fokker operators on the idea during the assembly. Rekkof first attempted to restart F70 and F100 programs in 1998 but shelved the plans because of the Asian financial crisis.
An important consideration in managing a descent is an understanding of the performance limitations of certain flight instruments, particularly the VSI. As we learn in primary instrument training, the VSI is quite rightly a secondary instrument. Although it can provide essential information, what pilots may fail to consider is that by its design, it tends to lag actual aircraft performance.
Thunder Aviation, St. Louis, has named Ron Scheer as director of operations. He will be responsible for the operations of all aircraft maintenance services, including charter and flight school maintenance, as well as purchasing.
The FAA has approved reinforced cockpit doors made by Cascade Aviation Services for de Havilland Dash 8 turboprops. Meanwhile, the Everett, Wash.-based company is developing doors for Embraer EMB-120s and the Fairchild Dornier 328 jet and turboprop. The new Kevlar and stainless-steel door weighs 48 pounds, 38 pounds more than the original non-secure door. Horizon Airlines has been testing the doors since January on its Dash 8-Q200s. Airline spokeswoman Cheryl Temple said the heavier doors did not affect the aircraft's weight and balance.
At ceremonies in Derby, England on Oct. 4, Gulfstream and Rolls-Royce celebrated the delivery of the 1,000th Tay engine, destined to power the 500th Gulfstream IV.
Coventry Airport in the British Midlands wants to erect a new terminal building capable of handling up to one million passengers per year. Steve Guynan, company secretary for freight carrier Air Atlantique and Coven-try Airport, said, ``As soon as we get the go-ahead our aim is to get the terminal up and running as soon as possible, which hopefully will be next year. We are hopeful and confident that given the explosion of low-cost carriers around, that maybe one or more will find Coventry a welcoming home.''
Reduced Vertical Separation Minimums (RVSM), already in effect in much of the world's increasingly crowded airspace, are scheduled for adoption by the United States. Specifically, the domestic, or DRVSM, plan is to initially implement 1,000-foot vertical spacing between FL 290 and FL 410 by the end of 2004, according to an NPRM released in May.
The Aviation Suppliers Association, Washington, D.C., in September announced the results of its board of directors election. Bill Cote of Volvo Aero Services, LP and Mitch Weinberg of International Aircraft Associates, Inc. have been re-elected, joined by new member Jay Rosenberg of International Airline Support Group.
Aero Twin is developing a TPE331-powered Cessna Caravan. The installation is said to reduce takeoff distance by at least 10 percent, improve climb and cruise performance, reduce fuel burn and increase overhaul intervals from 3,600 hours to 7,000 hours. The 1,060-shp Honeywell TPE331-12JR is flat-rated to 850 shp, thereby enabling it to develop takeoff rated power to 8,500 feet, according to Tony Cestnik, president of Anchorage, Alaska-based Aero Twin. Installation cost is about $600,000, including a new four-blade Hartzell propeller.
Jet Aviation is making several improvements at its Dallas Love Field base, including expanding its transient ramp space and parking space and renovating the FBO's lobby. The work is expected to be completed in early 2003.
Lionel Morrison made history in his Cirrus SR22 on Oct. 3 when he was the first to deploy the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS) in an actual emergency. En route between Dallas Executive Airport (RBD) and Addison Airport (ADS), Morrison partially lost control of the aircraft when the left aileron began to separate from the wing, remaining attached only by a single hinge. The aileron had been removed and reinstalled during maintenance at Addison. He was able to regain control but, due to heavy control forces, was unconvinced the aircraft could be landed safely.
Forecast International/DMS projects 4,558 regional aircraft, worth some $88.5 billion, will be built between 2002 and 2011. The aircraft total includes 3,580 regional jets and 978 turboprops. The regional aircraft market is currently in the midst of a downturn and Forecast International/DMS predicts that annual production will decline both this year and in 2003. Growth in annual production is expected to resume in 2004. Production of 477 regional aircraft, including jets and turboprops, is forecast this year, followed by 459 aircraft in 2003.
LZ Aeronautical Industries, a consortium of Czech manufacturing companies, is introducing its L-420 turboprop aircraft to the American market. The U.S. iteration of the popular -- 1,100 units delivered -- L-410, the L-420 is powered by a pair of 778-shp Walter M601Fs, two-shaft, reverse-flow turboprops with a water injection system to enhance the aircraft's hot/high performance. The five-blade AVIA Hamilton propellers have an automatic Beta lock.
Despite the fact that we learn to trust our eyes implicitly, we should all recognize the fact that they can be fooled, and that things are not always as they appear. If you're not sure you buy that, a few simple tests might help convince you.
This year's NBAA Convention was crowded with companies that provide maintenance, modifications and completions services, and they attracted a steady stream of inquirers. ``Operators are shopping around for the best deals, and the ones we talked to are looking to make a decision on where and what to modify as early as this January,'' said Greg Laabs, vice president of operations at Grand Junction, Colo.-based West Star Aviation.
When aircraft operators decide to add equipment or make changes to their aircraft, chances are they will need to receive some sort of FAA approval -- either through a field approval or STC. The dividing line to determine whether a particular modification qualifies for a field approval or requires a full STC has been the subject of debate for a long time, says Dave Cann, manager of the FAA's Aircraft Maintenance Division, who recently authored new field approval guidance for the FAA inspector force.
Honeywell is developing a wide-chord, damperless, forward-swept fan technology for its next generation of light 4,000- to 8,000-pound-thrust turbofan engines. The titanium blades, combined with improved aerodynamics, should reduce FAR Part 36 noise levels by at least 5 dB while providing a slight increase in fan efficiency.
Speaking at the National Air Traffic Controllers Association's annual State of the Skies meeting, FAA Associate Administrator of Research and Acquisitions Charlie Keegan said the timetable for some technology programs included in the Operational Evolution Plan (OEP) may have to be adjusted in light of the airlines' economic condition. The OEP assumes a 50-50 funding split between industry and government agencies, which also may go under review, Keegan said.
Forget about Stage 4, or Stage 3.5, or whatever you want to call it. Stage 4 noise limits are a nonissue to operators of business jets powered by current-production FAR Part 36 Stage 3 engines. The real issue, the cacophonous question driving just about all aviation noise policy in the United States and Europe, is what are we going to do about good old Stage 2?
