LOUISE MAILLETT, senior counsel to the FAA Administrator, is retiring Nov. 1 after nearly 20 years with the agency. Maillett has held a number of senior roles during her career with FAA, including deputy assistant administrator and then acting assistant administrator for policy, plans and international aviation. She also was director of FAA's Office of Environment and Energy and FAA assistant chief counsel for international affairs. The agency credited her for work involving complex domestic and international efforts.
To U.S. Customs and Border Protection: 1. Require GA-ASI to modify the UAS to ensure that inadvertent engine shutdowns do not occur. 2. Require GA-ASI to modify the UAS to provide adequate visual and aural indications of safety-critical faults, such as engine-out conditions and console lockups, and present them in order of priority, based on the urgency for pilot awareness and response.
EMB-135BJ airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2007-28909; Directorate Identifier 2007-NM-135-AD; Amendment 39-15230; AD 2007-21-12] - Using the procedures found in Embraer Service Bulletin 145LEG-28-0016, Revision 01 (dated June 27, 2005), install heat-shrinkable sleeves on the inspection and refueling panel illumination lights wiring. Also, install nipples on the terminal lugs to protect the wire terminals. The FAA estimates that this AD will affect eight aircraft on the U.S. Registry and will cost U.S. operators a total of $4,096, or $512 per airplane.
PC-12, PC-12/45 and PC-12/47 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2007-29217; Directorate Identifier 2007-CE-075-AD; Amendment 39-15229; AD 2007-21-11] - Requires a configuration check and inspection of the pipe/hose assemblies for chafing and distortion. If any damage to the assemblies is found, before further flight, replace them in accordance with the instructions of Pilatus PC-12 Service Bulletin No: 71-007 (dated August 21, 2007). Even if no damage is found, replace the hose/pipe assemblies within six months.
THE U.S. COAST GUARD is among a growing list of government and private sector organizations planning to use unmanned aerial vehicles, but the National Transportation Safety Board has some serious concerns about the use of UAVs in domestic U.S. airspace. See articles below.
Model S10-VT gliders [Docket No. FAA-2007-28958; Directorate Identifier 2007-CE-070-AD; Amendment 39-15227; AD 2007-21-09] - For all aircraft with a type 11AB-K01 fuel-pressure sensor installed, amend the "Limitations" section of the flight manual to require daily inspection of the installed sensor for any signs of leakage. If any fuel leakage is found, repair any damage before further flight and replace the type 11AB-K01 sensor with a new type 11AB-KD sensor. Eventually replace all old sensors with new ones.
PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA Customer Service Center Europe GmbH signed a fleet management program contract under which it will maintain PW206C and PW207C engines that power helicopters operated by Sloane Helicopters, Ltd. The customer care center, located in Duxford, England, is a joint venture of the Canadian engine manufacturer and MTU of Germany.
Cessna Aircraft signed an agreement with German diesel engine manufacturer Thielert Aircraft Co. under which the Wichita, Kan. aircraft manufacturer will begin offering diesel-powered Skyhawk 172S airplanes in the middle of 2008.
EPIC AIRCRAFT expects to "immediately benefit" from the relationships that Indian billionaire Dr. Vijay Mallya - who recently purchased "a significant interest" in the Oregon-based general aviation manufacturer - has with other aviation companies such as Airbus and Pratt & Whitney. Press reports suggest Mallya, who owns and operates India's Kingfisher Airlines, may have injected several hundred million dollars in Epic Aircraft. However, the privately held U.S.
Was named executive vice president of non-dues revenue for the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. Sterling will oversee revenues from publication advertising and association services. In addition, he is responsible for the AOPA Expo annual convention and the AOPA Fly-In and Open House. Before joining AOPA, Sterling was executive vice president and general manager of the AOPA Insurance Agency and senior vice president of Aon Aviation. He also has served in airport management with the City of Meadville, Pa., and as a senior underwriter with Global Aerospace.
STG AEROSPACE secured patents for its new emergency lighting management systems WEPPS (Wireless Emergency Primary Power System). The system is designed to reduce maintenance costs by eliminating the need for scheduled maintenance, STG said. WEPPS includes a built-in wireless monitoring and diagnostic capability that removes the need for daily inspection of cabin emergency lights.
FOKKER SERVICES is completing its first Airbus A318 at the company's Woensdrecht facility in the Netherlands. The green aircraft, destined for an undisclosed operator in the Middle East, recently was delivered from the Airbus factory in Hamburg, Germany and is scheduled to be finished by mid-2008. Previously, Fokker Services outfitted an Airbus ACJ for the Austrian company Stumpf AG.
Model 390 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2007-28068; Directorate Identifier 2007-CE-043-AD; Amendment 39-15217; AD 2007-20-07] - Requires inspection of the starter-generator to determine if the part is improperly shimmed and replace any improperly shimmed starter-generator with a properly shimmed one. The FAA issued this AD to prevent improperly shimmed starter-generators from failing prematurely, which could increase the chances of dual starter-generator failure on the same flight. The FAA says that this AD affects 105 airplanes on the U.S. Registry.
INNOTECH AVIATION has added 35 designers and engineers to its facility in Montreal to meet growing demand for its business jet completion, refurbishment and maintenance services. The company also has made additional investments in capital equipment and software. Innotech specializes in completions and providing major service for Bombardier Global and Challenger aircraft, and is designated by the manufacturer as a preferred completion center and authorized service facility for those aircraft types.
Alpha Flying Inc.'s fractional ownership program PlaneSense has ordered 25 Grob spn light jets. Delivery of the first Williams FJ44-3A-powered aircraft to PlaneSense, which serves the Eastern U.S., is anticipated toward the end of 2008.
THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION upped the ante in its regulatory battle with AMI Jet Charter, issuing an "Emergency Order of Revocation" of the company's Part 135 operating certificate late Friday afternoon.
Was named director of advanced procurement for Gulfstream Aerospace. Bristol will oversee the procurement activities for all new research and development programs as well as for on-going mid-cabin programs. He has been with Gulfstream for nine years, most recently as director of final phase materials. Before that assignment he held roles as a subcontract administrator, a material senior project manager for the PlaneView flight deck program, purchasing manager for avionics and mechanical systems, and senior manager for propulsion, avionics and structures.
ARINC DIRECT is planning to expand the coverage of its SKYLink in-flight satellite broadband service for business jets to include the entire Caribbean and a substantial portion of Central and South America. Working with its strategic partner and SKYLink investor SES AMERICOM, Arinc expects SKYLink Ku-band coverage to expand during the fourth quarter. SKYLink has been operational over North America since 2005, and ARINC added Europe in September 2006. ARINC also is Beta testing SKYLink in the North Atlantic tracks and hopes to offer that service by yearend.
COMPUTER PROBLEMS slowed progress toward FAA's NextGen air traffic control system program. The agency had been trying to release a report by an Aviation Rulemaking Committee tasked with developing recommendations to provide incentives to operators to equip their aircraft with Advance Dependant Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) equipment ahead of the anticipated 2020 deadline. The ARC report was completed a few weeks ago, and FAA had hoped to release the report either concurrently or shortly after the ADS-B proposal was released (BA, Oct. 8/158).
Joined Gulfstream Aerospace as director of final phase materials. Diez will manage the planning, procurement and control of all materials used during the final phase of business-jet manufacturing. He formerly spent 14 years with Ford Motor Company, where he held various procurement positions, including as a purchasing specialist, core buyer for fuel and brake lines and most recently, material cost manager for global procurement.
JET AVIATION and Jetcraft teamed up to offer aircraft sales and acquisition services under the name Jetcraft Trading. The new strategic alliance between the two companies enables Jet Aviation to round out its service portfolio by adding Jetcraft's aircraft sales and consulting expertise. Jetcraft Trading has offices in Minneapolis; Raleigh-Durham, N.C.; Redding, Calif; and St. Louis and is adding offices in Teterboro, N.J. and Zurich, Switzerland this month.
