Joined Midcoast Aviation as senior vice president, operations. Madsen will manage maintenance, completions/ refurbishment, project planning and other Midcoast operations. He formerly was vice president/general manager for Hawker Beechcraft Services and spent more than 20 years with Duncan Aviation.
A PRESS RELEASE from the National Transportation Safety Board last week about a speech by Chairman Mark Rosenker was followed several hours later by a correction.
CAPITAL CITY JET CENTER, based at Bolton Field (TZR) in Columbus, Ohio was named a premier Avfuel-branded dealer, a move that the fixed-base operation's management hopes will help attract business to the airport. "Bolton Field has been a surprisingly underutilized airport. With major highways very nearby and easy access to downtown Columbus, this airport offers an ideal alternative to the more congested Port Columbus International Airport," said Capital City Jet Center General Manager Ken Riggs.
Promoted to chief operating officer of Downing Aviation Associates. Manni joined Downing in August 2006 as a senior associate after serving as vice president and general manager of the Defense division of AmSafe, Inc. He also has held engineering, marketing, sales, business development and product line management posts for aerospace companies including Pratt & Whitney of Canada, Honeywell, and EaglePicher Technologies.
COLUMBIA AIRCRAFT rolled out its 100th aircraft built in 2007, a milestone reached as the company continued to recall furloughed employees. "Certifying number 100 for the year is a gratifying moment," said Columbia Aircraft Manufacturing CEO Wan Majid. "Despite the turmoil of certification delays, acts of nature and supply chain disruption, Columbia continues to achieve significant milestones. Granted we'd like to be doing so without as many external challenges, but our team continues to rise to the occasion time and again." The Bend, Ore.
CARMANAH TECHNOLOGIES CORP., Victoria, British Columbia, received a follow-on order from the U.S. Department of Defense for solar-powered LED airfield lighting. The $600,000 order consists of taxiway, runway, approach, apron edge and obstruction lights that will be deployed at forward operating bases at undisclosed locations.
Galaxy and Gulfstream 200 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2007-28353; Directorate Identifier 2007-NM-065-AD; Amendment 39-15174; AD 2007-17-16] - Replace the pressurization safety valve in accordance with Gulfstream Service Bulletin 200-21-308 (dated Feb. 23, 2007). This AD, which resulted from an MCAI originated by an aviation authority of another country, is designed to prevent faulty operation of and damage to the pressurization system's relief valves. If the valves are damaged, a rapid decompression of the airplane could occur.
Model 750XL airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2007-28436 Directorate Identifier 2007-CE-055-AD; Amendment 39-15178; AD 2007-17-20] - To prevent cracks from developing in the aileron spar adjacent to the inboard hinge attachment, remove both ailerons and inspect and modify the aileron spar at the inboard hinge-attachment point in accordance with Pacific Aerospace Service Bulletin PACSB/XL/027. The FAA estimates that this AD, which resulted from an MCAI issued by an aviation authority of another country, will affect seven aircraft on the U.S. Registry and will cost U.S.
Model DA 42 Airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2007-28955; Directorate Identifier 2007-CE-067-AD] - This proposal would require modification of the engine electrical system by installing additional engine control unit (ECU) backup batteries in accordance with Diamond Aircraft's Work Instruction WI-OSB-42-050, Revision 1 (dated Aug. 20, 2007) and revision of the Airplane Flight Manual and FAA-approved Maintenance Manual.
Hawker Beechcraft Corp. (HBC) continued the expansion of its venerable Hawker family by winning FAA certification of the Hawker 900XP business jet. Certification came as the newest member of the family, the Hawker 750, took to the skies for the first time.
GULFSTREAM AEROSPACE last week held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to open the first of two phases of its new Savannah Service Center. The center is part of a seven-year, $400 million long-range expansion plan for Gulfstream's headquarters in Savannah, Ga. The first phase of the service center includes a 136,200-square-foot hangar that will accommodate up to 18 large-cabin aircraft, repair shops, a fuel farm, an engine run-up area, parking and a new cafeteria. Phase II, slated to be completed in 2009, will more than double hangar space to 282,300 square feet.
Model F-28A, F-28C, F-28F, TH-28, 280, 280C, 280F, 280FX, 480 and 480B helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2006-26771; Directorate Identifier 2005-SW-07-AD; Amendment 39-15059; AD 2007-11-02] - Determine the installation dates for each main-rotor push-pull control rod, inspect those rods for corrosion, replace any rod that is pitted or has visible moisture inside the rod, and repair each rod that has corrosion but no pitting.
GULSTREAM AEROSPACE recently won 180-minute ETOPS approval for all four of its large-cabin business jets from the European Aviation Safety Agency. The approval, which covers the Gulfstream G550, G500, G450 and G350, attests to the capability of those models to fly routes that are up to 180 minutes from an emergency or diversion airport.
FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION last week withdrew a proposal that would have required Part 121 aircraft to have a transponder that could be activated to continuously transmit an emergency code in case of a hijacking situation. Released in 2003, the proposal stemmed from the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. "The intent was to provide the flight crew of commercial airplanes with the ability to initiate an immediate national security response in the event of a hijacking," FAA said.
Promoted from director to vice president of sales and marketing for Yingling Aviation. Pickett will manage aircraft sales, marketing and new business development initiatives. He joined Yingling in 2002.
THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE is offering exhibit and literature distribution services to firms that want to have a presence at the Airport Expo Dubai event in the United Arab Emirates Nov. 11-15. The Commerce Department program is designed to aid small companies and provide affordable alternatives to the costs associated with having a full-scale, stand-alone trade show exhibit. For more information, contact Karen Dubin at (202) 482-3786, by fax at (202) 482-9000 or via e-mail at [email protected].
Canadian transportation manufacturer Bombardier reported another quarter of higher revenues, but the company reported a net loss for the period and is barely above the break-even point for the first half of its fiscal year.
Model 750XL airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2007-27864 Directorate Identifier 2007-CE-038-AD; Amendment 39-15161; AD 2007-17-03] - Inspect the inboard end of the rear spar for security of the blind rivets, as well as the radii of the rear spar upper and lower flanges for cracking. Also inspect the aft flange of the inboard rib for cracking. Replace the rear spar if cracks are found during any of the aforementioned inspections, and replace rear spar blind rivets with bolts or rivets.
BOMBARDIER AEROSPACE opened an aircraft customer service office at Tokyo's Haneda Airport to support its regional jet and turboprop airline customers. The Haneda office will replicate the main customer support organization in Canada, but will be able to respond to customer inquiries in a more timely manner due to proximity to the operator base, Bombardier said. The company also plans to open a CRJ and Q-Series spares depot at Narita International Airport in the fourth quarter of this year.
FAA released a notice to its inspector work force last month outlining the parameters for the operational control special emphasis inspections for Part 135 charter operators that ramped up this summer (BA, June 25/279). The latest notice, N8900.16, which is in effect through Aug. 17, 2008, formally establishes the requirement that each operator undergo the inspection to ensure compliance with A008 and describes the content of the inspection. Operators can obtain information on the inspection process at http://www.faa.gov/library/manuals/examiners_inspectors/8900.
GARY E. HART was promoted to senior vice president of flight operations for NetJets Aviation. Hart was previously vice president of flight operations/director of operations for the fractional aircraft operator. He will report to Jim Christiansen, president of NetJets Aviation. Hart has a wealth of experience in the air charter and fractional aircraft industry, having served as president of Raytheon Air Travel, vice president of Flexjet and holding executive posts with AMR Combs Worldwide Air Charter and Martin Aviation.
CAE completed the acquisition of Canadian flight analysis firm Flightscape. CAE announced earlier in August that it had struck a deal to buy Flightscape for $18 million (BA, Aug. 20/76). Ottawa-based FlightScape provides flight data analysis and flight sciences expertise. The company provides services related to flight operations quality assurance, flight data management, incident investigation and accident prevention.
Model 31, 31A, 35, 35A (C-21A), 36, 36A, 45, 55, 55B and 55C airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2007-28016; Directorate Identifier 2006-NM-227-AD; Amendment 39-15175; AD 2007-17-17] - Inspect for unsealed gaps on the pylon side of the engine firewall and clean or seal any unsealed gap. For certain airplanes, inspect for unsealed gaps of the pylon trailing edge and clean or seal any gap. This AD was issued to prevent penetration of flammable liquids or fire through the engine firewall into the engine pylon, which could lead to fire inside the airplane.
