Model CL-600-2B19 (Regional Jet Series 100 & 440) airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2007-0262; Directorate Identifier 2007-NM-247-AD; Amendment 39-15370; AD 2008-03-19] - Requires operators to apply sealant to the bolts that attach various fittings on the collector fuel tanks, following the instructions of Bombardier Service Bulletin 601R-28-051, Rev. A (dated March 30, 2005) or Service Bulletin 601R-28-060, Rev. A (dated March 30, 2005) as applicable.
ROCKWELL COLLINS is opening an engineering center in Hyderabad, India to help the company build its base of engineers. Rockwell Collins plans to hire 500 people over the next five years. The center, slated to begin operating in October, will focus on hardware and software development, including the design of displays and flight management technology.
RTI POSTS STRONG 2007 NUMBERS, OPTIMISTIC OUTLOOK - Titanium supplier RTI International Metals, Inc. (RTI) reported strong growth in revenues and earnings last year and management said further gains are anticipated this year. Company-wide sales for 2007 were up 24 percent to $626.8 million, while operating income rose 22 percent over 2006 to a record $141.2 million.
March 10-11 - Federal Aviation Administration, 33rd Annual Aviation Forecast Conference, Washington, D.C. Contact Linda Baranovics at (202) 267-5370; or e-mail [email protected] March 10-12 - Flight Safety Foundation 20th European Aviation Safety Seminar - EASS, Bucharest, Romania; Contact FSF at (703) 739-6700 March 13-15 - Aeronautical Repair Station Association, Annual Repair Symposium, Washington, D.C.; Contact ARSA at (703) 739-9543
Named assistant safety officer for Schubach Aviation. Welker will support the director of safety in implementing the safety management system for the Carlsbad, Calif.-based on-demand charter operator. Welker also will serve as supervisor for maintenance and Hangar ONE Avionics, the company's new avionics division.
Appointed general manager of Landmark Aviation's facility in Dallas, Texas. Northern, who has more than 35 years of aviation management experience, formerly was general manager of Jet Direct FBO in Dallas. He also has held sales and customer service positions with Braniff International, Dalfort Aviation, AMR Combs and Signature Flight Support.
THE PILOT of a freight-hauling Beech 99 aircraft was able to land safely and avoided injury despite encountering an in-flight fire in the aging aircraft's instrument panel last week. The aircraft, N118SF, is operated by Suburban Air Freight, Inc. as a cargo airplane. The pilot was about 30 miles west of the Quad City International Airport (MLI) near Moline, Ill. at 2036 local time on Feb. 18 when a fire, associated with wiring behind the instrument panel, broke out.
Joined Schubach Aviation as director of safety. Turner will implement and mange the company's new safety management system in addition to serving as a pilot. He has 14 years of aviation experience and spent 17 years with the U.S. Marine Corps as a squadron pilot and operations and maintenance officer.
Honeywell was selected to supply communications packages for most of the Dassault product line. The contract includes installation of Honeywell's Communications Gateway (CG-710) and Multi-Channel Satellite Communications (MCS-7120) on the Falcon 900 and 2000 families as well as on the Falcon 7X, Dassault's newest aircraft.
A new industry-government committee is being created in the U.S. to consider how a single weather forecasting model can be integrated into all levels of the aviation system. The standing committee is being established by the Joint Planning and Development Office, the multi-agency group tasked with overseeing the move to the next-generation ATM system. The committee is expected to begin work on an integration road map by late March or early April, and will have its first plan published within a year, according to JPDO officials.
Model 2000 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2007-0299; Directorate Identifier 2007-NM-239-AD; Amendment 39-15358; AD 2008-03-08] - Requires installation of Modification 6089, which includes numerous fuel tank maintenance tasks, and conduct all related investigative and corrective actions in accordance with Saab Service Bulletin 2000-57-033 (dated March 2, 2000) or Rev. 01 (dated March 31, 2000). This AD is designed to prevent fuel tank explosions. The FAA estimates that this AD will affect six aircraft on the U.S. Registry and cost U.S.
MOONEY AIRPLANE COMPANY will hold a one-day workshop March 1 with technical seminars on Mooney maintenance, aircraft modifications, Teledyne Continental engines and Garmin avionics. The workshop, scheduled from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Landmark Aviation at Scottsdale Airport, will be hosted by Mooney authorized service representative Chandler Aviation.
ATR handed over the first of 10 aircraft to Philippines-based low-cost carrier Cebu Pacific. Cebu last year signed two contracts with ATR to buy 10 ATR 72-500s. The contracts, valued at more than $330 million, included options for up to eight more aircraft. Cebu Pacific will take delivery of the 10 ATRs throughout 2008 and 2009.
Model ERJ 170 and ERJ 190 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2008-0119; Directorate Identifier 2007-NM-304-AD] - This proposal, which would supersede an existing AD, would require revising the "Limitations" section of the Airplane Flight Manual to prohibit the flight crew from moving the throttle into the forward thrust range immediately after applying the thrust reverser. For certain airplanes, this proposed AD also would require installing new, improved full-authority digital engine-control software.
EMBRY-RIDDLE AERONAUTICAL UNIVERSITY teamed with Alion Science and Technology to provide online simulation courses. The first course, Introduction to Modeling and Simulation, will provide basic terms, concepts and organization of modeling and simulation. The curriculum is designed for both military and civilian use, and is expected to include six courses covering operation, engineering, research, manufacturing, marketing and management of modern aircraft and systems. The courses will be offered to both technical and non-technical students.
THE CONSOLIDATION of U.S. fixed-base operators continues unabated. Hawker Beechcraft Corp. said Friday it plans to sell fuel and line operations at seven domestic airports to BBA Aviation, the parent company of Signature Flight Support, which is already the nation's largest FBO operator. See article below.
HAWKER BEECHCRAFT REALIGNS ASIA-PACIFIC SALES TEAM - Hawker Beechcraft restructured its sales team covering the Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa regions. Dan Keady, appointed divisional vice president, will lead the team. He will manage the sales office in Singapore and four outlying offices in Beijing, Dubai, Johannesburg and Australia. Keady has been with Hawker Beechcraft for 12 years, eight of which were spent in international sales posts. He most recently was regional vice president of sales for Africa, Middle East, Asia and Australia.
AVJET CORPORATION was retained by Samsung Techwin Co. to serve as the exclusive marketing agent for Samsung's 2002 Boeing Business Jet. Avjet has helped facilitate a number of large cabin and air carrier aircraft transactions and completion projects for Samsung over the past decade, Avjet said.
BJETS, a new fractional and charter aircraft provider headquartered in India, said last week it placed orders for 40 new business jets - 20 from Cessna and 20 from Hawker Beechcraft Corp.
GKN AEROSPACE signed an agreement with AJ Walter Aviation Singapore to expand its inventory and distribution network in Asia. Under the agreement, AJ Walter will stock a full inventory of GKN Aerospace's CrystalVue IIT passenger windows and flight deck windows in the AJ Walter Changi facility. AJ Walter Aviation Singapore will oversee distribution of the hard-coated, stretched acrylic transparencies.
THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET recently cleared a proposal that would increase requirements for registering aircraft. The proposal, driven by concerns from law enforcement and other government agencies, would require periodic updates to ensure that the Civil Aviation Registry database contains the most accurate and up-to-date information. The Transportation Department does not expect the rule will impose significant costs on owners.
Europe's helicopter industry is headed for a significant structural shift as manufacturers expand abroad to reap a higher return on their euro investments.
THE 3,279 NEW AIRPLANES delivered last year by U.S. business and general aviation manufacturers isn't a large number by long-term historical standards, but it is the biggest one-year total in a quarter-century, according to the General Aviation Manufacturers Association. The last time annual deliveries by U.S. original equipment manufacturers exceeded 3,200 aircraft was 1982 when the total was 4,266. Billings for U.S.-built GA and business aircraft totaled $11.9 billion in 2007, nearly six times the $2 billion posted in 1982.
Was named a Cessna sales representative for Epps Aviation in the company's expanded territory in Alabama and Georgia. Cherry joined Epps, the DeKalb-Peachtree Airport (PDK) fixed-base operator, after two and one-half years representing Columbia Aircraft in the Atlantic/Southeast region. Cessna recently acquired Columbia, adding the Model 350 and 400 aircraft to its existing product line. Cherry is a graduate of the Delta Connection Academy and a certified flight instructor with more than 1,000 hours of flight time.
In the face of a slowing U.S. economy, the general aviation industry posted another record year in 2007 with billings topping $20 billion and business jet deliveries surpassing the 1,000 mark for the first time, according to the General Aviation Manufacturers Association. During GAMA's Annual Industry Review and Market Outlook Briefing Tuesday in Washington, D.C., GAMA Chairman and Cirrus Design Corp. Chairman and CEO Alan Klapmeier reported that the general aviation industry combined for $21.9 billion in billings with 4,272 aircraft shipped last year.
