Model DHC-8-102, -103, -106, -201, -202, -301, -311 and -315 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2007-29066; Directorate Identifier 2007-NM-147-AD] - This proposal would require a one-time inspection of the left- and right-hand elevator spring tab mechanism hardware for correct installation, as detailed in Bombardier Service Bulletin 8-27-106 (dated February 7, 2006). If any hardware is incorrectly installed, install new hardware properly prior to further flight.
AVJET CORP. centralized its East Coast operations in the Washington, D.C. area and named Andrew C. Bradley senior vice president. Bradley, a 14-year veteran of the aircraft sales and acquisitions business, will be based in Chestertown, Md. "By bringing aircraft sales, acquisitions, charter and management into one East Coast office, we are better positioned to integrate the wide range of private aviation solutions our clients require," said Marc J. Foulkrod, chairman and CEO.
Chinese aircraft makers are planning a range of new civil models, even before their current big project, the ARJ21 large regional jet, rolls out at the end of this year.
JAPANESE ENGINEERS conducted the first run Friday of the General Electric Honda HF120 turbofan engine, which is being developed to power Honda's HondaJet and Spectrum Aeronautical's Freedom business aircraft. Honda developed the HF118 engine a number of years ago to power the HondaJet prototype, but a significant number of changes were incorporated during 2006 to achieve the HF120 configuration. Two series of engine core tests were conducted earlier this year before last week's run of a complete test engine.
KATHERINE PERFETTI has joined the International Business Aviation Council as the standards manager for the International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations (IS-BAO) and Bob Blouin has accepted a contact position as manager of safety awareness for IBAC. Perfetti retired at the end of 2006 as a senior manager in FAA's Flight Standards office where she specialized in Part 135 activities and rulemaking.
SEVEN AIRCRAFT ACCIDENTS over the three-day Labor Day weekend claimed 17 lives, according to preliminary FAA reports. The accidents included the crash of a Lancair LC41-550FG near Kernville, Calif. that claimed six lives, and one involving a B36 Bonanza that claimed all five aboard when it crashed in mountainous terrain, both of which occurred Sept. 1.
ERA CORPORATION won a contract to provide its MSS Multilateration and ADS-B Surveillance System for O.R. Tambo International Airport (formerly Johannesburg International Airport). The ERA systems will be integrated with Advanced-Surface Movement Guidance and Control Systems supplied by Siemens Limited, Industrial Solutions and Services and Park Air Systems. The new systems are part of a multifaceted renovation at Tambo in preparation for the expected increased operations for the 2010 World Cup in Johannesburg.
September 25-27 -- National Business Aviation Association 60th Annual Meeting & Convention, Atlanta, Ga. (202) 783-9000 October 4-6 -- AOPA Expo Convention and Trade Show, Hartford Convention Center, Hartford, Conn., www.aopa.org/expo October 6-7 -- Commemorative Air Force Wings Over Houston Airshow, Houston, Texas. Contact Kay Crites at (432) 563-1000, Ext. 2231 or www.commemorativeairforce.org
FIVE DECADES after the Lockheed JetStar prototype made its first flight, FAA is completing work on several airworthiness directives that might lead to the retirement of much of the remaining JetStar fleet. Back on May 24, the agency published an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (Docket No. FAA-2007-28255) that would require operators of the approximately 50 remaining L-1329 business jets to determine the number of flight cycles accumulated on the steering cylinder assembly of the nose landing gear, and repetitively replace the assembly.
Was promoted to vice president of sales and marketing for Aviall, Inc., the wholly-owned subsidiary of The Boeing Company. Scott will assume all of the responsibilities and direct reports of James T. Quinn, who is retiring from the company at the end of the year. Scott will report to Dan Komnenovich, president and chief operating officer of Aviall Services. Most recently, Scott was senior manager director of OEM programs for the company.
Was named director of sales for the West for fractional aircraft provider Avantair, Inc. Perry previously held executive sales positions at leading pharmaceutical companies. He is a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. and received a master's degree in business administration from the University of Nevada.
Key lawmakers returned to Washington, D.C. from their August recess last week and immediately turned their attention to negotiations over aviation tax proposals as Congress faces a Sept. 30 deadline when the current aviation excise taxes and FAA authorization expire. House Ways and Means Committee leaders met to hash out their proposal for the taxes portion of the House FAA reauthorization bill. The committee is expected to take action on the taxes piece of FAA reauthorization as early as this week.
CIRRUS DESIGN CORP. began delivery of its new Turbo Cirrus SR22-G3 model aircraft to PlaneSmart! Aviation. The company signed an agreement in June to replace PlaneSmart's fleet of Cirrus SR22-G2s with the -G3s (Generation Three). Cirrus said the new -G3 incorporates more than 700 refinements over the -G2. The aircraft comes with every option that Cirrus offers, including factory-installed air conditioning and a new turbo-normalized engine that can maintain nearly 100 percent power to the certified service ceiling of 25,000 feet.
Model F.28 Mark 0070 and 0100 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2007-29064; Directorate Identifier 2007-NM-128-AD] - This proposed AD, which resulted from an MCAI originated by the Civil Aviation Authority of The Netherlands, would require a one-time inspection of the nuts and shuttle valves in the deployment lines of the engine fire-extinguishing system in the APU compartment. Operators would need to take corrective actions, as necessary. The FAA estimates that this proposal would affect 13 airplanes on the U.S. Registry and would cost U.S.
Executive director of the Space Enterprise Council for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, was appointed to the Industry Trade Advisory Committee (ITAC) on Aerospace Equipment, which advises the Department of Commerce and the U.S. Trade Representative on key trade and market issues affecting the nation's aerospace companies and their suppliers. The ITAC is made up of 50 members from the aerospace industry.
CESSNA AIRCRAFT delivered a Citation Mustang to its first European customer, entrepreneur Jane Howell. Cessna secured European Aviation Safety Agency approval for the Mustang in May, and said European customers account for one-third of the aircraft's order book. Cessna has orders for more than 350 Mustangs and has delivered 24 of the aircraft since deliveries began earlier this year. Cessna plans to deliver 44 Mustangs this year, ramping up to 150 Mustangs per year by 2009.
Was named to the newly created post of senior vice president and chief operating officer for Dassault Aircraft Services. He will oversee the company's operations in Wilmington, Del. and at the Little Rock, Ark. service centers and also will be responsible for developing new company owned service centers in the U.S. Sundin will report to Jack Young, president of Dassault Aircraft Services. Sundin most recently served as vice president of airframe operations for Landmark Aviation.
FIRSTFLIGHT added a Hawker 700 to its fleet. The Hawker is based in Wilkes Barre/Scranton, Pa. The cabin is equipped with two 15-inch monitors with Airshow and DVD/CD.
The General Electric Co. signed a definitive agreement to purchase Walter Engines, a manufacturer based in Prague, Czech Republic. Terms of the deal, which is subject to regulatory approvals, were not disclosed.
Aircraft management and charter operator JetDirect and Sentient Jet, Inc., which merged in April, said the combined company will now operate under the name Sentient Flight Group.
A balky anti-skid system or another problem with the nose-wheel steering system on a Model 60 Learjet appears to be responsible for a landing accident last month in Westhampton, N.Y. that resulted in substantial damage to the aircraft.
Clifford Development - the Kalamazoo, Mich., firm that was scheduled to fly its Williams International FJ44-3-powered Citation II for the first time this past weekend - has announced plans to obtain a supplemental type certificate for the re-engining of the Citation S/II with the same powerplant. Work on the S/II certification airplane is to begin later this month, with first flight planned for November 2007 and issuance of the STC anticipated in the first quarter of 2008.
