ECLIPSE AVIATION hired former Raytheon Aircraft executive Paul Schumacher to serve as vice president of manufacturing. Schumacher will oversee the primary assembly team. He formerly was vice president of operations for Raytheon Aircraft, where he led all manufacturing and facility operations. He also spent 27 years at Lockheed Martin in manufacturing positions, including vice president of operations.
U.S. Department of Transportation watchdog the Office of the Inspector General believes FAA's aging aircraft regulations introduced last year have gaps that could result in missed opportunities to identify structural damage on planes.
Eurocontrol is introducing the first product of the Airspace Infringement Initiative it launched at the end of last year, recommending ways for civil aviation authorities to cut down the risk of general aviation aircraft straying into unauthorized airspace. The "toolkit" Eurocontrol has developed identifies "short-term solutions in this key risk area," Eurocontrol said. It provides guidance and support material for the creation of airspace infringement working groups, briefings for pilots and controllers, and airspace structure reviews.
THE SENATE COMMERCE COMMITTEE next week will examine the implications of the emerging fleet of Very Light Jets on the National Airspace System. Some government officials have expressed concerns that a large influx of VLJs into the air transportation system could cause airspace congestion problems and delays. Industry observers, on the other hand, say congestion problems will be minimal because VLJ operators will tend to use smaller airports and not busy airline hubs. The hearing on new aircraft in the NAS is set for Thursday, Sept. 28.
Verizon last week decided to continue its Verizon Airfone air-to-ground service for its general aviation and military customers at least through next year. Verizon Airfone President Bill Pallone sent a letter to customers Thursday saying the company "is committed to continuing to provide all of its MagnaStar customers with high quality ground-to-air, air-to-ground communications through at least Dec. 31, 2007. Verizon Airfone will do so by retaining its experienced operations team to manage the same network you have relied on for connectivity over the years."
JETS INTERNATIONAL, the Quincy, Mass.-based charter provider, opened an office at Rockefeller Plaza in New York City. The office is the second New York location for the company, which also has a base at the Westchester County Airport (HPN) in White Plains. Jets International executives noted that a good portion of the company's client base travels to and from Manhattan.
Model GV and GV-SP series airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2006-24951; Directorate Identifier 2005-NM-184-AD; Amendment 39-14752; AD 2006-18-13] - Requires repairing the force link assembly wire harness. This AD results from a report indicating that the wiring harness outer shield and insulation on the primary conductors may have been inadvertently cut due to an improper method used to remove the wiring outer jacket.
(Previously Utah State University); Firefly Aviation Helicopter Services (previously Erickson Air-Crane Co.); California Department of Forestry; Garlick Helicopters; Global Helicopter Technology; Hagglund Helicopters, LLC (previously Western International Aviation); International Helicopters; Precision Helicopters; Robinson Air Crane; San Joaquin Helicopters (previously Hawkins and Powers Aviation) S.M.&T. Aircraft (previously U.S.
FAA issued an emergency airworthiness directive requiring one-time visual inspections of rear spar lower caps of Raytheon Beech 1900 aircraft wings for cracking and other damage, with repairs as necessary (BA, Sept. 4/107).
SheltAir expanded its reach in Florida with the acquisition of Sowell Aviation Services fixed-base operation at Panama City-Bay County International Airport (PFN). The PFN site gives SheltAir its seventh location in Florida and the eighth overall. The base, renamed SheltAir Aviation Services Panama City, has more than 40,000 square feet of terminal, hangar and office space. The facility will provide fueling, hangar storage, office space, tie-downs, ground transportation, catering and cabin cleaning.
The Federal Aviation Administration last week called for inspection and removal of certain propeller shafts - before further flight - on Pratt & Whitney Canada 100 series turboprop engines that power hundreds of regional turboprop aircraft. Published in Thursday's Federal Register, the airworthiness directive requires operators to remove from service certain propeller shafts referenced in Pratt & Whitney Canada Service Bulletin No. PW100-72-21714.
Was named manager of ASI Group's investigations and special operations division. Johnson will work with ASI clients on specialized security projects. Johnson has 20 years of investigative and security experience, most recently as a senior investigator in the internal investigations department at Progressive Insurance. He also was an investigator for GEICO Insurance and Paladin International and worked in embassy security for the U.S. Marine Corps in Russia, Iceland, Bolivia, Guatemala and Honduras.
Northrop Grumman on Sept. 12 unveiled the first widebody commercial aircraft going into regular scheduled service using its Guardian technology to defend against surface-to-air missile attacks. The FedEx MD-10 is the first of 11 the cargo carrier will fly with the directed infrared counter measures (DIRCM) technology over the next 18 months, testing whether the equipment - developed for the military - is feasible for protecting commercial aircraft from shoulder-fired, surface-to-air missiles.
Model CL-600-2B19 (Regional Jet Series 100 & 440) airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2006-25779; Directorate Identifier 2006-NM-088-AD] - Proposes to require revising the Certification Maintenance Requirements and the Maintenance Review Board Report sections of the Canadair Regional Jet Maintenance Requirements Manual to include changes and additions to checks of the aileron power control units (PCUs) and a change to the interval of the backlash check of the aileron control system.
BELL HELICOPTER ARMED FORCES BOWL is the new name for the four-year-old post-season college football game formerly known as the Fort Worth Bowl. Bell Helicopter Textron has decided to be the lead corporate sponsor for the game, which is to be played on Saturday, December 23 at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas, and broadcast in prime time on ESPN Regional Television. The contest will feature a battle between top teams from the Mountain West Conference and Conference-USA.
(Operations) Limited Model ATP Airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2006-25721; Directorate Identifier 2006-NM-132-AD; Amendment 39-14748; AD 2006-18-09] - Supersedes an existing airworthiness directive, which applies to all BAe Systems (Operations) Limited Model ATP airplanes.
September 25 - Greater Washington Business Aviation Association Golf Tournament, Herndon, Va., Centennial Golf Course, email: [email protected] October 17-19 - National Business Aviation Association 59th Annual Meeting & Convention, Orlando, Fla., (202) 783-9000 October 27 - 64th annual Wings Club Dinner-Dance honoring Al Ueltschi, Chairman FlightSafety International, Inc. with its Distinguished Achievement Award; Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, New York, 212-867-1770, email: [email protected].
Was promoted to general manager of General Dynamics Aviation Services (GDAS) business jet services center in Minneapolis, Minn., overseeing all aspects of the maintenance, repair and overhaul facility. He joined GDAS in 2001 as a product line supervisor. Toline holds an Airframe and Powerplant license from Iowa Wesleyan Community College. He began his aviation career in 1979, working as a production line crew member for Duncan Aviation in Lincoln, Neb.
President Bush last week nominated Mary Peters to serve as the next Transportation Secretary, choosing a candidate with substantial Washington experience in ground transportation but limited exposure to the aviation industry. Peters headed the Federal Highway Administration from October 2001 to July 2005; before that, she was director of the Arizona Transportation Department.
PRESIDENT BUSH's selection of former Federal Highway Administrator Mary Peters as the nation's next Secretary of Transportation elicited strong support from user-fee advocate Robert Poole, of the Reason Foundation.
CESSNA Aircraft late Friday received full certification for the newest member of its Citation line, the Mustang entry-level jet. Certification approval included single-pilot operation, day/night operations, visual and instrument flight rules and operations in Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum airspace. Cessna expects to win approval for flight into known icing conditions within the next couple of weeks. Customer deliveries are slated to begin early next year.
COLUMBIA AIRCRAFT MANUFACTURING CORP. received type certification from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority of Australia for Columbia 350 and 400 single-engine aircraft equipped with Garmin G1000 avionics. Columbia previously won Australian approval for Avidyne Entegra-equipped models. Columbia offers customers a choice between the two avionics suites. Columbia Down Under, based at Maroochydore Airport, sells the aircraft in Australia and New Zealand. The Columbia 350 is normally aspirated and cruises at 191 knots.
Denver-based Frontier Airlines, currently an all-jet operator, signed a contract to buy 10 Bombardier Q400 turboprops and took options on another 10 of the 74-passenger aircraft. The manufacturer said the value of the firm orders is $256.8 million (U.S.), a total that could rise to $520.3 million if all 10 options are exercised. Frontier operates 280 flights a day to 57 destinations in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, some of which are flown by Horizon Air as Frontier JetExpress using Bombardier CRJ700 regional jets.
