Piper Aircraft opted to stick with proven technology to power its new single-engine business jet, selecting a derated version of the 3,000-pound-thrust FJ44-3 engine - the FJ44-3AP - for the PiperJet (BA, Oct. 30/198). Noting that the FJ44-3A has amassed more than 2.5 million hours of flight time, Piper said the engine was "renowned for...high performance and rugged reliability."
CESSNA AIRCRAFT last month marked the 7,000th single-engine piston airplane produced at the company's plant in Independence, Kan. Cessna has produced more than 152,000 single-engine piston aircraft over the past 80 years, but shut down single-piston production in the mid-1980s, citing spiraling liability costs and a sharp market downturn. Cessna renewed production at Independence in November 1996 after the aviation community successfully lobbied for passage of the General Aviation Revitalization Act.
Models M20M and M20R airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2006-26071; Directorate Identifier 2006-CE-51-AD] - Proposes to require retorquing the upper left and upper right engine mounting hardware as an interim action. This proposed AD also would require removing the upper left and upper right engine mount attaching hardware, cutting out and removing the upholstery and insulation between the fuselage tubular frame and the firewall, and replacing the upper left and upper right engine mount attaching hardware with the new parts kit.
BARCO was selected to develop 10- and 15-inch displays for Honeywell's APEX integrated avionics suites. The contract provides Barco with a stake in the business aviation market. Honeywell will market the Barco displays as Keyboard Display Units (KDUs) -- the 10-inch KDU-180 and 15-inch KDU-1500.
General aviation advocates are urging the Department of Transportation to provide a simple process that fairly reimburses small businesses that lost income as a result of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, saying a current proposal for reparations may prove costly and deter companies from filing legitimate claims.
A U.S. DISTRICT COURT judge in New Mexico Thursday denied the request of a Swiss start-up company for a preliminary injunction against Eclipse Aviation over a contract dispute. PA Aviace, which was formed in 2002 to develop a "jet club" with Eclipse 500 aircraft and subsequently ordered 112 aircraft, filed suit after Eclipse claimed Aviace was in breach of contract for non-payment of an advance deposit.
Model 750 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2006-26242; Directorate Identifier 2006-NM-229-AD; Amendment 39-14817; AD 2006-23-05] - Requires inspecting the inboard-hinge brackets of the left and right elevators for cracking, and doing related investigative and corrective actions if necessary. This AD results from a report of cracking found on the elevator inboard-hinge brackets. FAA is issuing this AD to detect and correct cracking of the elevator inboard-hinge brackets, which could result in structural failure of the elevators and consequent loss of control of the airplane.
CAE SIMUFLITE will begin offering Gulfstream G550 training at its Emirates-CAE Flight Training facility in Dubai in spring 2007 and at its new North East Training Center in Morristown, N.J. in fall 2007. CAE is installing a new full flight simulator at Morristown and upgrading a GV simulator in Dubai to provide the G550 training. The Dubai simulator will be for training on both the GV and G550. Both the Morristown and Dubai simulators will include the PlaneView avionics suite.
THE NATIONAL BUSINESS AVIATION ASSOCIATION last week joined the National Air Transportation Association in calling for an industry-based Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC) to tackle the issue of runway landing distance assessments. NBAA wrote FAA Administrator Marion Blakey that the association believes an ARC would be the best forum for tackling the issue, an industry source said. NATA last month also requested an ARC, saying that the agency's current policy ignores the needs of the business aviation and charter community and could create safety issues (BA, Oct.
Business aviation has marked the passing of two former industry leaders who died on Nov. 3. * Donald A. Baldwin, former head of Texaco's flight department and a member of the National Business Aviation Association board of directors from 1968 to 1978, died of heart failure at Indian River Memorial Hospital in Vero Beach, Fla. Donald A. Baldwin was the father of Donald E. Baldwin, who served as National Business Aviation Association chairman from 2003 to 2004 and as interim president and CEO in 2004.
HONEYWELL has expanded the applications for its Primus Epic Control Display System/Retrofit (CDS/R) system with a number of recent certifications. Chippewa Aerospace, a Myrtle Beach, S.C.-based Honeywell dealer and aviation services company, recently secured a supplemental type certificate for installation of the CDS/R on a Falcon 50. The approval marked Chippewa's first CDS/R installation and the first on a Falcon 50. The upgrade replaces electromechanical instruments with a new flat-panel LCD involving three large-screen DU-1080 Epic-type displays.
Model DHC-8-400 series airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2006-26241; Directorate Identifier 2006-NM-155-AD] - Proposes to require inspecting to determine the manufacturer's date of certain V-band clamps on the engine exhaust shroud assembly, and doing related investigative/corrective actions, if necessary. This proposed AD results from a report of a discrepancy found during a maintenance inspection on a V-band clamp located on the engine exhaust duct shroud.
Was named vice president of sales and marketing for JetDirect Aviation's JetCorp subsidiary. JetDirect credited Ropp with helping grow the company's Charter Shares Jet Card Program by some 200 percent since 2002. Ropp has 18 years of aviation experience at several private aviation firms, including owning Aircraft Appearances, an aircraft detailing business based in South Florida and St. Louis. He serves as treasurer for the Greater St.
CIRRUS DESIGN CORP. won an order from Delta Connection Academy for 50 SR20 airplanes that will be used for flight training. Delivery of the aircraft has begun. Cirrus said the contract includes the possibility for future orders.
ATR is opening a new sales office in Sydney, Australia. Laurent Negre will lead the office as sales director with responsibility for Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific Nation Islands. The new office further establishes ATR's presence in the Asia Pacific region. ATR also has sales offices in Beijing, Singapore and Bangkok, support centers in Singapore and Bangalore and a training center in Bangkok.
November 15-16 - Regional Airline Association Fall Membership Meeting, Washington, D.C. Contact: Scott Gordon at (202) 367-1170. December 4-6 - National Agricultural Aviation Association Convention, Orlando, Fla. Contact: Peggy Knizer (202) 546-5726. December 15 - Aero Club of Washington, 2006 Wright Memorial Dinner, honoring Norman Mineta, former Member of Congress and Transportation Secretary. Contact: Nancy Hackett, Executive Director, Aero Club of Washington, (703) 327-7082
Was appointed senior vice president and general manager of CIT Aerospace's Business Aircraft Division. Davis will manage company relationships with corporate aerospace manufacturers. He formerly was president and division manager of 1st Source Bank, in the Specialty Finance Group Aircraft Division. Davis also has served as a regional manager for Cessna International Finance and held management positions for the lending groups for Textron, Bombardier and Raytheon.
Has joined Million Air as executive vice president of marketing. Zener will be responsible for managing marketing programs for the Million Air chain of FBOs and will oversee Million Air University, the company's internal training program.
A team of investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration was dispatched to the crash of a Cirrus SR22 airplane last month in Arizona in which the aircraft's parachute did not fully deploy before impact.
USER FEES remained at the forefront of issues at the Aircraft Owner and Pilots Association Expo, which began Thursday in Palm Springs, Calif. Four general aviation leaders - AOPA President Phil Boyer, National Business Aviation Association President and CEO Ed Bolen, Experimental Aircraft Association President Tom Poberezny and General Aviation Manufacturers Association President and CEO Pete Bunce - vowed to keep a united front in opposition to efforts to impose aviation user fees and stressed the importance of remaining vigilant on the issue.
Was promoted to chief brand officer for Million Air. Nelson, formerly responsible for marketing of the Million Air fixed-base operation chain, will manage brand identity for the Million Air FBOs and charter division. She has served with Million Air for 11 years.
DEBORAH MCELROY, president of the Regional Airline Association since March 2000, is leaving the organization next month to accept a new post with ACI-North America, which represents many of the nation's larger airports. McElroy will become ACI's new senior vice president-government affairs, replacing Stephen Van Beek, who was ACI's executive vice president-policy. Van Beek left earlier this month to join the Jacobs Consultancy. McElroy will begin her new role at ACI-NA on Dec. 19.
ARINC DIRECT has begun to offer its Inmarsat Swift satellite communications services directly to operators of corporate aircraft equipped with Swift-capable hardware. ARINC Direct also is improving the Swift channel service with additional hardware and software to accommodate worldwide capability. ARINC Direct already offers the service to commercial and military operators along with industry resellers.
