AIRLINES collected $2.89 billion in passenger facility charges (PFCs) via airline tickets in the recent calendar year that are scheduled to defray costs of improvements at U.S. airports. The sum was the highest collected since Congress imposed the charges in 1992. Actual collections from 1992 and 2009 have totaled more than $30 billion, according to a report from the FAA’s PFC Branch. The agency forecasts a slight decline in 2010 charges to $2.79 billion.
AVFUEL added Scottsdale AirCenter of Scottsdale Airport in Arizona to its network of branded dealers. Scottsdale AirCenter will award AVTRIP pilot-rewards points and participate in the Avfuel Contract Fuel program. The fixed-base operation provides a range of services for operators in the greater Phoenix metropolitan area and has 175,000 square feet of hangar space that can accommodate aircraft the size of a Gulfstream GV.
The Transportation Security Administration has begun to survey 3,000 general aviation airports for security vulnerabilities, industry groups say. Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association said the vulnerability assessments focus on facilities with runways of at least 2,000 feet or those that are near major metropolitan areas. Airport managers, which began receiving surveys last week, will have 60 days to complete the survey.
DASSAULT Falcon 7X airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2009-1252; Directorate Identifier 2009-NM-248-AD; Amendment 39-16173; AD 2010-02-02] – Revise the “Limitations” section of the Airplane Flight Manual to include the following statement: “If radio-altimeter 1 lock-up conditions occur in flight, power off radio-altimeter 1, in accordance with the instructions of Falcon 7X AFM procedure 3-140-65.
BOMBARDIER Regional Jet Series 100 and 440 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2009-1229; Directorate Identifier 2009-NM-106-AD] – This proposal would require operators to inspect the nose landing gear (NLG) to determine the torque value and correct lockwire installation of the NLG door selector valves, per the instructions of Bombardier Service Bulletin 601R-32-104 (dated March 3, 2009). Depending on the results, replacement or rework of the valves may be required.
The National Transportation Safety Board is expanding the notification and reporting requirements for accidents and incidents under a new rule released Jan. 7. The rule, which takes effect March 8, also was intended to clarify reporting requirements and provide appropriate means for notification, the agency said.
HONEYWELL ALF502 and LF507 engines [Docket No. FAA-2007-0096; Directorate Identifier 2007-NE-39-AD; Amendment 39-16141; AD 2009-26-06] – This rule supersedes an existing directive (AD 97-11-05) that requires repetitive on-wing eddy-current or in-shop fluorescent-penetrant inspections of certain fuel manifold assemblies for cracks, and replacement of cracked fuel manifolds with serviceable ones.
PILATUS AIRCRAFT plans to boost production and bring back workers on Feb. 1. The company had laid off about 13 percent of its work force since Sept. 1. The move to recall staff and boost production was spurred in part by a contract from the United Arab Emirates for 25 PC-21s. Delivery of that order is expected to begin in 2011. But Pilatus also expects the PC-12 market to gradually pick up this year.
SOCATA TBM 700 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2009-1256; Directorate Identifier 2009-CE-064-AD] – This proposed AD would require, as a temporary measure, removal of the foam inside the towing bar box, per the instructions of SOCATA Mandatory Service Bulletin SB 70-179 (dated October 2009). This proposal, which resulted from an MCAI originated by the European Aviation Safety Agency, was prompted by the discovery that the foam does not conform to specifications, especially regarding its flame resistance properties.
Dick Friel, senior vice president-marketing for Aviation Partners Inc. (API), died Jan. 13 of congestive heart failure, a condition doctors attempted to remedy with open-heart surgery in October 2006. He was 76. Friel joined API in the early 1990s to create a branding campaign for the company’s winglets, a technology that has saved users almost 5 percent in fuel consumption. At API, Friel quickly established a reputation for gentle, effective relationship building.
COBHAM has obtained FAA technical standard order approval for its HeliSAS Stability Augmentation System and Autopilot. The approval enables the Mineral Wells, Texas company to begin full production of the systems. Cobham previously had secured a supplemental type certificate for installation of HeliSAS on Robinson R44 helicopters. Cobham is in the process of seeking certification for use of the systems on Bell 206, Bell 407, Eurocopter AS350 and the U.S. Navy’s (Bell) TH-57 helicopters.
MORE ENGINE CYLINDERS are the subject of a new FAA airworthiness directive that goes into effect Feb. 4. The new rule (AD 2009-26-12), which supersedes an early similar directive, has been expanded to cover some 18,000 Engine Components, Inc. reciprocating engine cylinder assemblies installed in Lycoming Model 320, 360 and 540 series powerplants. The new AD was prompted by reports of 10 additional cylinder head separations involving cylinders not covered by the earlier directive (AD 2008-19-05).
NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD Vice Chairman Christopher Hart is scheduled to discuss safety assessment programs during the Air Charter Safety Foundation’s Air Charter Safety Symposium March 2-3 at the Marriott Westfields in Chantilly, Va. The symposium will include a number of speakers who will address critical safety issues confronting the Part 135 on-demand air charter and fractional ownership industry.
THE WICHITA AERO CLUB is kicking off its 2010 luncheon series with National Aeronautic Association President Jonathan Gaffney as the featured speaker for the January lunch scheduled for Jan. 19 (Tuesday) at the Wichita Airport Hilton. The Wichita Aero Club was founded in October 2008 to foster and promote interest in aviation, as well as provide a forum on industry issues.
J. SCOTT HUNTER was promoted to director, maintenance training sales for FlightSafety International. Hunter has served with FlightSafety in positions of increasing responsibility since 1994. He began as regional marketing manager, and subsequently has been national sales manager of maintenance training services, manager of the Teterboro center, and, most recently, director, maintenance training sales, regional airlines.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is dispatching its Gulfstream IV research aircraft to the Pacific with an aim to improving winter storm forecasting for North America.
ESTERLINE CMC restructured its management with three new appointments: Patrick Champagne was named vice president, cockpits and systems integration; James Palmer is vice president, aviation products; and Jean-Michel Comtois is vice president, marketing and sales. Champagne will lead a new business unit created to build on the company’s cockpit systems expertise and explore next-generation cockpit system requirements. He formerly was vice president, engineering for CMC.
MERIDIAN AIR CHARTER has added a Bombardier Global 5000 to its charter fleet. The long-range business aircraft, which is based at White Plains, N.Y. (HPN), is the second Global 5000 in the Teterboro, N.J. company’s stable of charter aircraft. The airplane is equipped with a satellite phone, Wi-Fi and an entertainment system that includes a DVD player and DIRECTV.
THOMAS CANAVERA joined the sales and marketing staff of Sierra Industries as sales manager. Canavera previously was senior director of delivery and insurance risk manager for Mooney Airplane Company. He began his aviation career in 1989 as an insurance underwriter for Global Aviation Insurance Group of Dallas. He subsequently served as an advertising sales representative for Flying magazine and the World Aviation Directory before joining Falcon Insurance Agency.
JEFF MANION was appointed vice president, global sales and customer service for StandardAero’s Business Aviation Sector. Manion will direct global sales and customer service activities. Manion formerly held sales and management roles with Duncan Aviation, most recently as vice president of sales. He also held sales and management positions with Learjet, Camp Systems and Cessna.
Except for the ramp-up of the relatively low-margin Phenom 100 and Phenom 300 very light and light jets, Embraer last year saw an across-the-board decline in aircraft deliveries. The aircraft maker’s core regional jet business saw deliveries drop to 122 units, from 162 units the year before. Still, with Phenom output up to 98 units – 93 Phenom 100 business jets, one Phenom 300 business jet, and four Phenom 100s for military use – from a total of three of the VLJs in 2008, Embraer was able to hand 244 aircraft to customers.
FAA launched a new Web site designed to serve as a resource for safety management systems (SMS). The Web site is designed to help educate the public about SMS and provide guidance on implementing SMS. The Web site has links to the background of SMS, a reference library, SMS pilot projects, frequently asked questions, industry specifics, and contact information for FAA offices working with SMS. The agency said it plans to continually update the site, which can be found at http://www.faa.gov/about/initiatives/sms/.
LES MCAFEE was appointed regional sales manager for StandardAero’s Business Aviation sector. Based in Houston, McAfee will be responsible for the South Texas sales territory. McAfee has more than 30 years of aviation industry experience with JetEast, AMR Combs, Underwood Instrument Services, E.U.A. Air Support and Turbo Jet Spares. Most recently, he spent seven years as service center business office supervisor for Gulfstream in Dallas.
Hawker Beechcraft’s latest variant of the venerable King Air line, the 350i, has earned certification from FAA and the European Aviation Safety Agency. Delivery of the newest King Air began late last month. Announced during the 2008 National Business Aviation Association annual meeting and convention last fall, the King Air 350i sports a new “FlexCabin” interior that can be configured for the owner’s mission and a quieter cabin that reduces sound levels to an average of 78 dBA.
MARSHALL AEROSPACE is purchasing Slingsby Advanced Composites, with the acquisition intended to complement the Cambridge, England-headquartered firm’s existing capability in metal structures manufacturing for aerospace. The terms of the purchase have not been made public.
