General Electric Company has agreed to pay $4.8 billion to purchase Smiths Aerospace, a United Kingdom supplier of integrated systems for aircraft manufacturers and components for engine builders. The agreement is subject to approval by Smiths Group shareholders and various regulatory agencies.
The Homeland Security and Transportation departments are seeking public input on the fate and future of the four-decade-old, low-frequency hyperbolic radionavigation Long Range Aids to Navigation (LORAN) system, including whether to simply cancel it altogether, maintain the current system or spend funds to jump to a high-technology "enhanced" version.
RAYTHEON AIRCRAFT delivered the 500th Hawker 400XP/Beechjet 400A to Slam Lavori Aerei S.r.l., an Italian charter operator. Based in Naples, Slam Lavori Aerei owns two Beechjet 400As and a Diamond. More than 800 Diamond/Beechjet/Hawker 400XPs have been produced. Operating in 29 countries, the models collectively have amassed 3 million flight hours.
Model ERJ 170 and ERJ 190 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2007-26797; Directorate Identifier 2006-NM-195-AD; Amendment 39-14878; AD 2006-20-14] - Publishes an amendment adopting an AD sent previously to all known U.S. owners and operators of certain Model ERJ 170 and ERJ 190 airplanes by individual notices. This AD requires modification of certain flight deck door electronic equipment. This AD is prompted by a report indicating that this equipment is defective. FAA is issuing this AD to prevent failure of this equipment, which could jeopardize flight safety.
The Homeland Security and Transportation departments are seeking public input on the fate and future of the four-decade-old, low-frequency hyperbolic radionavigation Long Range Aids to Navigation (LORAN) system, including whether to simply cancel it altogether, maintain the current system or spend funds to jump to a high-technology "enhanced" version.
FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION issued a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) this month to alert owners of thousands of Cessna Aircraft piston-powered airplanes and maintenance technicians who work on them about "the possibility of cracks in plastic or non-metallic control wheels." The airplanes in question were built between 1960 and 1964. The issue of cracks in the control wheels was addressed in Cessna Service Letter No. 64-8, dated Feb. 14, 1964.
GENERAL AVIATION MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION is concerned that the Federal Aviation Administration's certification staff continues to shrink, with little chance the situation can be corrected this year. FAA is funded through Feb. 15 via a continuing resolution passed in the waning days of the 109th Congress. The new 110th Congress is expected to begin work soon on a bill that would fund the agency through the remainder of fiscal 2007.
ELLIOTT AVIATION was selected by Garmin International to perform aftermarket installations of the G1000 integrated avionics suite in King Air C90 aircraft. The retrofit package is expected to win certification on the C90 in the second half of 2007. The G1000 system uses 10-inch primary flight displays, a 15-inch multi-function display and dual integrated radio modules that provide IFR-approved WAAS GPS, VHF navigation with ILS and VHF communication.
Jim Christiansen, a veteran business aviation executive who has held high-profile posts with several charter and fractional aircraft operators, was named president of fractional provider NetJets. The company also named Peter S. Richards chief financial officer. Both will report directly to Richard Santulli, chairman and CEO of NetJets, which is owned by Warren Buffet's Berkshire Hathaway. Christiansen has been associated with NetJets, and its predecessor company Executive Jet Aviation (EJA), off and on for nearly 20 years.
Aircraft Electronics Association topped 1,310 members at the end of 2006, an all-time high. AEA set the record as it prepares for its 50th anniversary, which it will celebrate at the AEA International Convention and Trade Show March 28-31 in Reno, Nev. More than 130 companies joined the association in 2006, another record. AEA represents facilities that maintain, repair and install avionics and electronic systems in general aviation aircraft.
Aviation security got a lot of attention in the first days of the 110th Congress. As one of its earliest actions, the House, now controlled by the Democrats, adopted a bill to implement many of the 9/11 Commission recommendations, including a host of new requirements for aviation security (see article below). The Senate this week will turn its attention to the subject in a Senate Commerce Committee hearing on aviation security and the 9/11 Commission recommendations.
Eclipse Aviation, which has burned through more of its cash reserves than expected because of delivery delays for the Eclipse 500 Very Light Jet, probably will seek another round of financing from investors later this year. See article below.
Raytheon Aircraft Company's Hawker Completion Center in Little Rock, Ark. was certified as a Designated Alteration Station (DAS) by FAA. The Little Rock facility is now approved to issue supplemental type certificates and experimental certificates for altered aircraft, and amend airworthiness certificates for such aircraft. "Achieving DAS authorization allows us to complete certain phases of the certification process on our own," said Mark Fuller, the facility's DAS administrator.
Aviation industry and White House officials last week objected to House passage of a bill, H.R.1, that calls for implementing a number of the Sept. 11 commission recommendations, including a mandate for screening of all air cargo aboard passenger aircraft. The House passed the bill 299-128 Tuesday as part of the Democrats' "First 100 Hours" pledge.
The National Air Transportation Association wrote senior FAA officials hoping to clear up a handful of issues that the final Operations Specification, OpSpec A008, on Part 135 operational control has raised, including issues dealing with pilot employment and payment. FAA drew mostly praise for its collaboration on the long-awaited OpSpec A008 that was released late last month (BA, Jan. 8/13).
Aircraft components supplier TransDigm group has agreed to pay $430 million to acquire Aviation Technologies Inc. (ATI), a Seattle based supplier of interior products for a wide array of military and commercial aircraft. The deal, which is expected to close in February, is by far the largest acquisition ever made by TransDigm and the first since the Cleveland company went public in March 2006. ATI had revenues of $105 million last year and would expand TransDigm's sales base by nearly 25 percent.
Eclipse Aviation, which expected to be receiving a steady stream of revenue by now from new aircraft deliveries, might seek another round of funding later this year because production and shipment of the manufacturer's line of Eclipse 500 Very Light Jets have fallen behind schedule.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which got FAA to block off thousands of square miles of airspace in a Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) zone along the Arizona/Mexican border last year to enable CBP to conduct surveillance missions with a Predator unmanned aerial vehicle, is planning to launch a similar UAV surveillance program along the U.S.-Canada border. See article below.
Model F406 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2006-26693; Directorate Identifier 2006-CE-90-AD] - Proposes to require inspections of the nose landing gear (NLG) key lock system installation within three months or 100 hours time-time-service for certain aircraft and replacement of the key lock system, if necessary. This proposed AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued by the aviation authority of France, which received report of a nose landing gear collapse during takeoff roll.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection plans to establish an unmanned aircraft system pilot program along the nation's border with Canada, headquartered in Grand Forks, N.D., by the end of the government's current fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30.
Joe Bogosian, assistant administrator for international aviation at FAA, is leaving the agency Feb. 1 to become president and chief operating officer of Safran-North America, an international technology group involved in aerospace propulsion and aircraft equipment.
Rockwell Collins received a five-year Exchange Services contract renewal from Flight Options, LLC. Under the contract, Rockwell Collins provides avionics equipment for more than 130 Flight Options aircraft with a 24-hour turnaround. The agreement covers avionics on Beechjet 400A, Hawker 400XP, Citation III, Citation V, Hawker 800XP, and Challenger 601 aircraft.
Lufthansa Technik appointed Hans Schmitz, 54, senior vice president of VIP & Executive Jet Solutions, a newly formed division that combines the completion center and maintenance, repair and overhaul services of the former VIP & Government Jet Services unit. The combined unit will have some 1,200 employees. Schmitz joined German carrier Lufthansa in 1981 and moved to Lufthansa Technik's material management division in 1994. Since 2003, Schmitz has been general manager of Ameco Beijing, the joint venture between Lufthansa and Air China.
An aviation attorney with Holland & Knight LLP, was promoted to partner. Harrington focuses on accident investigation and litigation. He graduated from Marquette University in 1988 with a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering and received a juris doctorate, cum laude, from Catholic University of America's Columbus School of Law in 1999.
January 25 - Coping With Crisis-Managing an Aviation Disaster, Alexis Park Resort, Las Vegas, Nev. Register at www.thecommunicationsworkshop.com February 6-7 - NBAA: Asian Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition (ABACE) 2007, Hong Kong. Contact Linda Peters at (202) 783-9000, email: [email protected], www.abace.aero. February 15-17 - Women in Aviation International Conference, Orlando, Fla. Contact Connie Lawrence, WAI, (937) 839-4647.
