Northrop Grumman has introduced a new laser-based air defense system called Skyguard, a high-energy chemical laser designed to protect military forces from rocket, artillery and mortar threats and commercial airliners from shoulder-fired rockets. According to the Weekly's sister publication, Aerospace Daily, the manufacturer hopes to market the system both to the military and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD is continuing to push FAA to adopt tougher standards to protect aircraft from encountering control problems in icing conditions and to remove the threat of fuel tank explosions by mandating the use of inerting systems. The safety board addressed those issues last week in updates on two continuing incident investigations. See related articles on following pages.
Model F27 Mark 050 and Model F.28 Mark 0070 and 0100 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2006-25219; Directorate Identifier 2005-NM-259-AD] - Proposes to require repetitively removing the two existing escape rope assemblies in the flight compartment and installing new escape rope assemblies. This proposed AD results from reports of findings of small cracks in the polyester assembly block in which the cotton escape rope is stored. A test revealed that the escape ropes had deteriorated over time, and the load capability was considerably reduced.
Eurocopter has won the U.S. Army's next-generation Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) contract, which calls for delivery of up to 322 UH-145s (a military version of the commercial EC145) with a potential value of $2 billion. Although Eurocopter has been supplying aircraft to U.S. government agencies for more than 20 years, the Army's decision, announced on June 29, is the first major win by Eurocopter as a prime contractor to the U.S. military.
The top executive of Skyway Airlines, Inc., will join Air Wisconsin Airlines Corp. (AWAC) Aug. 1 as president and CEO, titles he currently holds with Skyway, a subsidiary of Midwest Air Group, Inc. Rankin has been with the company for nearly 16 years, having joined Skyway as a pilot in 1990. He was promoted to chief pilot and director of operations at Skyway before moving to Midwest Express Airlines in 1995. "We are extremely pleased to have someone of Jim's caliber joining Air Wisconsin," said Patrick J. Thompson, the company's current CEO.
DESPITE SPECULATION that the White House would quickly pick FAA Administrator Marion Blakey to succeed Norman Mineta as DOT Secretary, the Bush Administration is apparently looking at several candidates for the top DOT post. One well-connected source told BA last week that White House officials have been "vetting a number of names" for the job with key congressional leaders.
DOT DEPUTY SECRETARY Maria Cino is still being mentioned prominently as a possible successor to Mineta. She's only been at DOT since April 2005 but has extensive political connections within the Republican Party. She was deputy chairman of the Republican National Committee during the 2004 election cycle. In 2000, Cino was the RNC's deputy chairman for political and congressional relations and national political director for Bush for President in Austin, Texas. From 1993-1997, she was executive director and COO of the National Republican Congressional Committee.
Helicopter Association International launched a First Responder Program database online. HAI called the database "the worldwide go-to system in times of crisis." The database culminates years of discussions with various government agencies on the design, development and implementation of such a network, HAI said. The association added that Hurricane Katrina in particular highlighted shortcomings in emergency response coordination and the need for a system to identify, contact and coordinate helicopter assets.
On July 11, the Department of Transportation issued a consent order that directs David C. Bernstein - the owner of Principal Air Services, LLC, an FAR Part 125 operator of a Boeing 707 - to pay a civil fine of $400,000 for engaging in air transportation without holding the requisite economic authority. The DOT order also prohibits Bernstein from being involved for 15 months with any entity that holds a Part 125 certificate. The agency says that between Jan. 1, 2004, and Feb.
The American Institute for Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is calling on Congress to increase the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) budget for unmanned aircraft and use Alaska as a test bed for experimentation to help with their integration into the national airspace. In a white paper provided to Congress for a scheduled July hearing of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, AIAA urges Congress to appropriate $90 million per year for NOAA to buy unmanned aerial system (UAS) services starting in fiscal 2007.
LANDMARK AVIATION was approved to perform retrofits of the Honeywell GTCP36-150 (CL) auxiliary power unit on Bombardier Challenger 604 and Challenger 601 business jets at two of the company's maintenance centers. Landmark's maintenance facilities at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and Bush Field (AGS) in Augusta, Ga. will do the retrofits, replacing the factory-installed GTCP36-100 APUs with the new -150 models, which feature a number of improvements.
The fatal June 24 crash of a Pilatus PC-12 may have been the result of a training exercise that included simulating loss of the aircraft's single, nose-mounted turboprop engine shortly after takeoff.
Innotech Aviation recently completed the first installation of a Honeywell GTCP36-150 (CL) auxiliary power unit in a Bombardier Challenger 604 business jet. The new APU replaces the original GTCP36-100 series, providing significant performance, operational and maintenance benefits over the original, according to the Montreal-based completion and service facility. The -150 offers enhanced reliability, and a longer hot-section life, largely due to lower exhaust gas temperatures.
Model 65, 90, 99, and 100 series airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2005-23319; Directorate Identifier 2005-CE-52-AD; Amendment 39-14663; AD 2006-13-10] - Supersedes AD 92-07-05, which applies to certain Raytheon (formerly Beech) 65, 90, 99, and 100 series airplanes. AD 92-07-05 currently requires inspecting the rudder trim tab for proper moisture drainage provisions, and if the correct drainage provisions do not exist, before further flight, modifying the rudder trim tab.
Despite several serious accidents at the end of June, the number of mishaps involving turbine-powered business aircraft was down during the first half of 2006 compared with the same period a year earlier (BA, July 3/2).
Avidyne Corporation teamed with Heads Up Technologies, Inc. to offer XM music, news, sports and entertainment audio programming on Avidyne EX500 multi-function displays with XM WX Satellite Weather datalink. Heads Up Technologies incorporates its XMD076A combination weather/radio receiver for new EX500 installations and the XMR050 radio receivers for EX500 units already installed. The system uses Heads Up Techologies' XMC050 Bluetooth wireless remote control and display and provides a selection of more than 170 channels.
National Business Aviation Association approved nine new Professional Development Program (PDP) courses offered by five different PDP providers. The new courses, which include a Maintenance Manual Workshop, Community Relations and Emergency Response Planning, are available in distance-education format, including online offerings, as well as a scheduled one- or two-day format. For complete details, visit NBAA's Web site at http://www.nbaa.org/pdp.
Internal wrangling over general aviation user fees was a key factor in holding up a Federal Aviation Administration funding proposal this year, according to Norman Mineta, who stepped down last week as transportation secretary (BA, June 26/284). Following his last official speech as DOT head Thursday at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Mineta told reporters that there is "still arm wrestling within the administration" over a plan to fund FAA.
The Joint Planning and Development Office will release its new air traffic control concept of operations document to the public in late July, according to the acting director of the office, Robert Pearce. The general intention of JPDO is to move from ground-based navigation and surveillance to satellitebased operation under ATC modernization. But more controversial ideas could emerge, such as moving some separation duties from air traffic controllers to pilots in the cockpit.
Models PC-6, PC-6-H1, PC-6-H2, PC-6/350, PC-6/350-H1, PC-6/350-H2, PC-6/A, PC-6/A-H1, PC-6/A-H2, PC-6/B-H2, PC-6/B1-H2, PC-6/B2-H2, PC-6/B2-H4, PC-6/C-H2, and PC-6/C1-H2 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2006-24094; Directorate Identifier 2006-CE-20-AD; Amendment 39-14656; AD 68-17-03R1] RIN 2120-AA64 - Revises AD 68-17-03, which applies to all Pilatus PC-6 series airplanes. AD 68-17-03 requires repetitively inspecting the rudder end rib for cracks and replacing the rudder end rib with a modified rudder end rib when cracks are found.
Pilots flying under visual flight rules within 100 nautical miles of Washington, D.C. would have to complete a specialized FAA training course either online or through a local FAA safety program under a proposal the agency released last week (BA, July 3/2). FAA proposed mandating special awareness training for any person flying under VFR within 100 nm of the Washington, D.C. VHF omnidirectional range/distance measuring equipment (DCA VOR/DME).
The U.S. Court of Appeals has upheld a lower court ruling that the City of Hailey, Idaho was within its rights in enforcing a 95,000-pound aircraft weight limitation at Friedman Memorial Airport (SUN) that prevents the owner of a Boeing Business Jet from operating the BBJ at the airport.
