STEVE ALTERMAN, president of the Cargo Airline Association, told attendees at the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association Expo last week he believes the biggest challenge facing the aviation community next year will be energizing Congress about aviation issues. Noting the myriad economic problems the country is facing, Alterman said “I don’t think anyone up there gives a damn about aviation right now.”
A J.P. MORGAN report on aerospace and defense last week offered little encouragement about the prospects for business jet sales. “The outlook for business jets continues to deteriorate,” the company said, adding that “the rotten economy drove the largest increase of aircraft inventories seen in years in October, which has brought aircraft available for sale to an unprecedented level.”
THE TOUGH ECONOMIC CONDITIONS forced Mooney Aircraft to halt new aircraft production last week, but nothing that drastic appears to be in the offing at Piper Aircraft. No layoffs are contemplated, a spokesman told BA Friday, but he said Piper officials do plan to phase in a reduced work week – from five days to four – for employees in some back shop areas beginning early in 2009, typically a slow time of year for the company.
BOMBARDIER CL-600-2C10 (Regional Jet Series 700, 701 and 702), CL-600-2D15 (Regional Jet Series 705) and CL-600-2D24 (Regional Jet Series 900) airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2008-0623; Directorate Identifier 2008-NM-089-AD; Amendment 39-15699; AD 2008-22-04] – Requires revising the “Airworthiness Limitations” section of the “Instructions for Continued Airworthiness” to incorporate new limitations for fuel tank systems.
The Tucson Airport Authority (TAA) is working with Vaisala Partner to study total lightning detection and warnings at Tucson International Airport. The airport has installed Vaisala’s Total Lightning Sensor LS8000, which tracks cloud and cloud-to-ground lightning. “Lighting is a central safety issue for aircraft fuelers and Vaisala was developing systems for this purpose,” authority spokeswoman Paula Winn said. “TAA had originally purchased lighting detection equipment from Global Atmospherics, which later became Vaisala.”
PAUL BOURGON was elected to the Triumph Group, Inc. board of directors. Bourgon is the president of SKF USA, where he manages a global aerospace supplier business with major operations in the U.S., Canada, Italy, England and France. He previously held leadership positions at Rolls-Royce Canada and Heroux-Devtek, Inc.
Ametek, Inc. strengthened its portfolio of motion control products for the aerospace and defense markets with the acquisition of United Kingdom-based Muirhead Aerospace Limited from Esterline Technologies. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed Muirhead, which has estimated 2008 sales of about $54 million, manufactures motion control technology products, including actuators and other specialized linear motors. The products are used in fuel controls, flight controls, power systems and guidance system on aircraft, land vehicles, ships and missiles.
Mooney Airplane Co. terminated the employment of about two-thirds of its workforce last week, including all production workers, leading to questions about the company’s future in the current challenging economic environment.
SOLOY AVIATION SOLUTIONS secured FAA certification for its Soloy 206 Turbine Mk II version of the Cessna 206H. The conversion involves installation of a Rolls-Royce 250-B17F/2 turbine engine, which provides an increase of 110 horsepower over the piston-powered 206H. The conversion allows the aircraft to climb at 2,460 feet per minute at sea level, cruise at 20,000 feet at 213 knots true airspeed, carry 775 pounds with full fuel, and boosts range to nearly 550 nautical miles. The Mk II also involves several other upgrades, including increasing electrical capacity.
JAMES BALLOUGH, the director of Flight Standards at FAA, is the latest senior executive at the agency to announce his retirement. Ballough, who got a rough reception on Capitol Hill this year during hearings on airline compliance with airworthiness directives, has been a key contact for business and general aviation advocates on operational issues. Nick Sabatini, FAA’s associate administrator for aviation safety, and Ruth Leverenz, the acting deputy administrator of the agency, previously announced their plans to retire (BA, Oct. 27/191).
JOSEPH M. SILVESTRI was elected to the board of directors of Triumph Group, Inc. Silvestri is managing partner of Court Square Capital. He has been with Court Square Capital and its predecessor firm, Citigroup Venture Capital, since 1990.
BAE SYSTEMS Model BAe 146 and Avro 146-RJ airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2008-1141; Directorate Identifier 2008-NM-025-AD] – This proposed AD would require operators to conduct repetitive detailed visual inspections for corrosion of the forward and aft wing links and wing link attachment bolts. Any corroded nuts and bolts would need to be replaced, and any corrosion damage to the wing links would need to be repaired before further flight, in accordance with BAE Systems Inspection Service Bulletin ISB.53-203 (dated May 7, 2007).
EADS finalized an agreement to sell a 70 percent stake in EADS Socata to French conglomerate Daher, the company announced last week. Talks between the companies were confirmed in July and the councils of both Daher and Socata signed off on the merger last month.
LINDSEY MCFARREN, who joined the Transportation Security Administration earlier this year as assistant general manager, programs, in the Office of General Aviation, will join the aviation consulting firm Simat, Helliesen & Eichner, Inc. (SH&E) Dec. 1 as manager, safety and security systems. McFarren previously served as director of the National Air Transportation Association’s Air Charter Safety Foundation.
CESSNA AIRCRAFT COMPANY Model 150 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2008-0790; Directorate Identifier 2008-CE-042-AD; Amendment 39-15715; AD 2008-22-18] – For certain aircraft equipped with the Ballistic Recovery Systems BRS-150 parachute system, replace the pick-up collar support and nylon screws of the parachute. This AD results from notification by Ballistic Recovery Systems that the pick-up collar assembly may prematurely move off the launch tube and adversely affect rocket trajectory during deployment.
RANDY GROOM formed his own consulting company, Groom Aviation, LLC. Groom, 55, was selected as president of the Beechcraft division of Raytheon Aircraft Company in 2003, and later as president of global customer support for Hawker Beechcraft Corp. before leaving HBC in 2007. In his consulting business, Groom said he plans to focus on increasing client business performance by improving business strategy, sales, distribution, marketing, product develop, customer support and related areas.
FOKKER F.28 Mark 0070 and 0100 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2008-1119; Directorate Identifier 2008-NM-112-AD] – This proposed AD would require operators to check for deviations between the aerodynamic seal of the wing-to-fuselage fairings and the fuselage skin and take corrective action, if necessary. Also, operators would need to apply a fillet seam between the fairings and the fuselage skin, per the instructions of Fokker Service Bulletin SBF100-53-107 (dated Feb. 26, 2008).
The Federal Aviation Administration awarded contracts valued at $9 million to Honeywell and Aviation Communications & Surveillance Systems (ACSS) teams to test and install Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) technologies. The specific objective of the tests is to develop technology for installation on airports that would alert pilots about potential safety issues such as conflicting traffic and runway incursions.
AVIATION SECURITY AND THE ECONOMY will be among the highlights of the National Air Transportation Association’s 2008 Aviation Business Roundtable. The event, being held this week in Washington, D.C., will include Robert Rottman, deputy director of transportation and infrastructure for the Department of Homeland Security, discussing the Large Aircraft Security Program proposal, and Paul Volcker, an economic adviser to President-elect Barack Obama and former chairman of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, on the economy.
The European Union’s imminent adoption of a rule to extend the emissions trading scheme to airlines beginning in 2012 spurred renewed objections from the U.S. airline industry and FAA.
Hawker Beechcraft plans to lay off 5 percent of its work force as it cuts production rates in the face of reduced demand for business and general aviation aircraft, the manufacturer said last week. The manufacturer employs more than 9,700 people, the majority in Wichita, Kan. Hit by a four-week strike in August that slowed aircraft deliveries, the company saw third-quarter net sales decline 10 percent from a year earlier, to $783 million, and operating income drop 75 percent to just $15.3 million.
– Embraer expects certification of the Phenom 100 – its first purpose-designed business jet – within the next two weeks, President and CEO Federico Curado told analysts on Nov. 3. Deliveries of the very-light jet were originally planned to begin in mid-2008, but have been delayed by an issue with certification of flap control software and qualification of a replacement seat supplier.
EMBRAER opened a new executive jet service center at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International in Florida to support the company’s line of Phenom and Legacy aircraft. The 55,000-square foot center is the third executive jet service facility that the Brazilian plane maker has opened in two months. Embraer also recently opened facilities at Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, Conn. and Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport in Mesa, Ariz.
THE PORT AUTHORITY OF NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY, which took over operation of Stewart International Airport (SWF) in Newburgh, N.Y. a year ago, hired TransSystems of Alexandria, Va. to help it create a strategic, long-term plan for expanding air services at the Hudson Valley facility.
