The Federal Aviation Administration Thursday suspended the Part 135 air taxi certificate of California-based AMI Jet Charter, grounding the operator's charter flights, at least temporarily. The "Emergency Order Of Suspension" was delivered to AMIJC officials late Thursday, the culmination of a seven-month investigation by teams of FAA inspectors.
Model ATR42 and ATR72 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2007-29332; Directorate Identifier 2007-NM-172-AD] -This proposed AD would require operators to revise the "Airworthiness Limitations" section of the "Instructions for Continued Airworthiness" to incorporate new limitations on the fuel tank system. This proposed AD results from an MCAI originated by the European Aviation Safety Agency. The FAA estimates that this proposed AD would affect 84 aircraft on the U.S. Registry and would cost U.S. operators a total of $6,720, or $80 per airplane.
Appointed director and chief engineer for advanced aircraft programs for Gulfstream Aerospace. Ard, who has served with Gulfstream for nine years, most recently was the lead on the airframe and design Product Development Team. He also has held management posts in Gulfstream's Engineering organization on programs including the GIV Swedish Air Force, the GV Development Program, and the proposal phase of the Aerial Common Sensor program.
Joined BizJet International as regional sales manager for the West Coast territory, where he will focus on Honeywell, General Electric and Pratt & Whitney product lines. Sabatini has more than 30 years of aviation maintenance and management experience. Based in Tulsa, Okla., BizJet provides airframe and engine maintenance, avionics installations, paint, interior refurbishment and other aviation services.
Model 4HFR34C653/L106FA propellers [Docket No. FAA-2007-29176; Directorate Identifier 2007-NE-38-AD] - This proposed AD would require a one-time fluorescent penetrant inspection and eddy current inspection of the propeller hub for cracks in accordance with the instructions contained in McCauley Propeller Systems Alert Service Bulletin No. ASB254 (dated August 20, 2007). The FAA has issued this proposed AD to prevent failure of the propeller hub, which could cause blade separation, damage and loss of control of the airplane.
Named senior manager of service delivery for SkyTrac Systems, a provider of real-time, Satcom communication products for aircraft via the Iridium satellite system. Nordine has more than 10 years of complex software development management experience and also led aerospace engineering initiatives with the Canadian Air Force. He most recently was a technical manager with Honeywell Aerospace.
EUROPEAN BUSINESS AVIATION ASSOCIATION (EBAA) named Eric Mandemaker to the post of chief executive officer. Brian Humphries, who has been CEO, was named to the newly created post of president of the organization. Mandemaker most recently served as CEO of Silver AeroSpace, an aerospace engineering company based in the Netherlands. He also spent 10 years as a commercial air taxi pilot. Mandemaker will have a full-time post in Brussels, Belgium where he will run the EBAA office and work with member companies.
FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION adopted a final rule permitting payment of fees to the agency via credit card for certification services performed outside the U.S.
NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD last week called on FAA to require Part 121, 135 and 91K operators to calculate a 15 percent runway landing distance margin based on actual conditions. The recommendation - classified as "urgent" - stemmed from the Dec. 8, 2005 Southwest Airlines runway overrun at Chicago Midway International Airport.
PETTERS AVIATION opened a new Sales & Service Center at Minneapolis St. Paul International Airport. Petters has partnered with Hawthorne Corporation to manage its Airbus North American corporate jet sales operation from the center. Petters expects the center will initially employ 30 people. The Petters Aviation Sales & Service Center will offer services to clients who do not have their own flight department, as well as supplement those who do.
THE SALINA, KAN. AIRPORT AUTHORITY awarded a $6 million contract to Busboom and Rauh Construction Co. to build a 69,000-square-foot hangar and office complex at the airport's Aviation Service Center. The 41,400-square-foot, clear-span hangar will be large enough to accommodate aircraft with a 100-foot wingspan and a tail 28 feet high.
Piper Aircraft is developing a new unpressurized aircraft based on the Malibu Mirage platform. Piper is positioning the newest addition to its product line as a high-end cabin-class piston that blends performance and value. "Many of our customers and prospective buyers told us that they wanted an airplane that provided the best in luxury, elegance and performance at a price that is hundreds of thousands of dollars below what has been available," said Piper President & CEO James Bass. "The Piper Matrix fills those requirements."
CESSNA AIRCRAFT COMPANY said it received an order for 14 business jets from the company's Italian sales representative. S.C.S Maretti ordered eight Citation Mustangs, one CJ2+, two CJ3s, one CJ4 and two XLS+. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in May 2009. The contracts were finalized by Marisa Maretti of Monaco at the NBAA convention last month in Atlanta. "The growth of business aviation in Italy is following the trend across Europe," said Trevor Esling, vice president of international sales.
LUFTHANSA TECHNIK is working with Bombardier on a program under which the German firm is providing its network integrated cabin equipment (nice), a digital Ethernet-based cabin management and inflight entertainment system, for all Challenger 300 business jets delivered from Bombardier's Montreal manufacturing facility. An iPod is integrated into the aircraft using a special docking station that streams the audio output via the nice system's Ethernet network.
ERA CORPORATION won a contract to install its noise and operations management system, AirScene.com NOMS at Reid Hillview Airport in Santa Clara, Calif. The system will be integrated with Era's multilateration flight tracking system, MSS. Reid Hillview is the largest of three airports owned by Santa Clara County, ERA said, adding that the NOMS system can be expanded to the other two airports. The Web-based system will provide flight tracking and include a redundant data center to ensure availability.
Model 146 and AVRO 146-RJ airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2007-29337; Directorate Identifier 2007-NM-150-AD] - This proposal would require operators to perform a detailed visual inspection of the auxiliary power unit heat shield and surrounding fuselage skin. If any corrosion, pitted fastener or pillowing is found, remove the APU heat shield and repair the affected area in accordance with BAE Systems' Service Bulletin ISB.53-191 (dated October 25, 2006).
Named director of final phase operations for Gulfstream Aerospace's manufacturing facility in Savannah, Ga. Elliott will oversee the final phase manufacturing - interior completions and exterior paint - for Gulfstream business jets. A nine-year Gulfstream employee, she formerly was the manager of the final phase integrated product team. She also has served as an industrial engineer, a final phase team manager and a production manager for both GIV and GV electrical systems and GV structures and electrical and hydraulic systems.
ATR is moving forward with the -600 generation of its ATR 42 and 72 regional aircraft lines with new Pratt & Whitney engines and Thales avionics. ATR will equip the aircraft with new PW127M turboprops, which will increase the power rating of the new models and improve hot and high performance. ATR also selected Thales to develop a new integrated flight deck that will include five wide LCD screens to replace the current electronic flight instrument system.
The U.S. Transportation Department stopped accepting electronic comments and submissions through its Docket Management System (DMS), at the end of September as DOT transitions to the Federal Docket Management System (FDMS) as part of the Bush Administration's e-ruling initiative. The migration will affect dockets concerning DOT, the Department of Homeland Security's United States Coast Guard and the Transportation Security Administration. FAA dockets were already accessible in FDMS.
CONGRESS late last month temporarily extended existing aviation excise taxes as part of a comprehensive continuing resolution (CR) that keeps the federal government operating under fiscal 2007 funding levels through Nov. 16. The CR is designed to provide Congress additional time to finish work on a number of appropriations bills - including the one providing FAA funding. The taxes were set to expire Sept. 30. Congress is still debating the future of the aviation excise taxes as part of the larger FAA reauthorization bill.
