Helicopter Association International, FAA and industry officials this month signed a memorandum of agreement establishing a cooperative government/industry effort to improve communications, weather and surveillance in the Gulf of Mexico. The MOA signifies a commitment from the FAA to fund, install and operate the Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) system in the Gulf of Mexico. The agency requested $80 million in the fiscal 2007 budget to begin implementation.
RCZ-833J/K, -851J/K, and -854J communication (COM) units, equipped with XS-852E/F Mode S transponders; and Honeywell XS-856A/B and -857A Mode S transponders [Docket No. FAA-2006-24639; Directorate Identifier 2005-NM-171-AD] - Proposes to require a revision to the Normal Procedures section of the Airplane Flight Manual to advise the flightcrew to check the status of the transponder after changing the air traffic control (ATC) code.
The Transportation Security Administration last week drew praise for a sweeping new security regulation for cargo carriers that allows Part 135 on-demand cargo haulers to continue operating under the Twelve-Five Standard Security Program. The rule, published in Friday's Federal Register, mandates a host of security measures for airport operators, aircraft operators, foreign air carriers and indirect carriers.
Thales supplied a complete Eurocat air traffic management system to the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam. The system, which will be used to control traffic in the Ho Chi Minh Flight Information Region, includes interfaces for primary and secondary radars, Automatic Dependent Surveillance/Controller Pilot Data Link oceanic control, meteorological radars and Aeronautical Fixed Telecommunications Networks.
Is the new operations manager of the General Dynamics Aviation Services West Palm Beach, Fla. service center. DeFeo joined Gulfstream Aerospace 20 years ago as a service center mechanic after spending four years as an aircraft technician in the U.S. Air Force. He has worked in the company's Flight Test organization, in GV post-production and completion center operations. Most recently DeFeo was service team manager for unscheduled "drop-in" aircraft at Gulfstream's headquarters facility in Savannah, Ga.
Attempts to push through a bill to force FAA back to the negotiating table with air traffic controllers continue to falter despite the fact that 261 members of the House have co-sponsored the bill, H.R.4755. House Democrats are endorsing a petition to force a vote on H.R.4755, but Republicans have not signed on to that discharge petition.
Four aviation groups have joined together in an effort to win support for a bill that would provide relief from the new jet fuel taxes. Introduced by Senate aviation subcommittee Chairman Conrad Burns (R-Mont.), the bill, the Aviation Fuel Tax Simplification Act, S.2666, would suspend until Sept. 30, 2007 a law requiring that jet fuel sold to business jet operators be taxed at the diesel highway rate. Business aviation advocates have pushed for such legislation, saying the new tax law has created an administrative burden for the industry.
Piaggio Aero Industries won FAA certification of its Avanti II aircraft. Equipped with Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 avionics, the cockpit of the Avanti II features three 10-inch-by-8-inch liquid crystal flight displays, the FMS 3000 flight management system and the AHS 3000 attitude heading reference system. The company won European Aviation Safety Agency certification in September. First U.S. customer delivery is anticipated this summer.
Regional Airline Executives last week appeared lukewarm on the Air Transport Association's proposal to adopt user fees to fund the nation's air traffic control system. RAA Chairman and Horizon Air CEO Jeff Pinneo is concerned that any new funding system not undermine service to small communities and have a disproportionate impact on small aircraft. While ATA's plan offers a few planks that "we can easily stand on," Pinneo said, "We've got some work to do." Cape Air President Daniel Wolf believes the ATA plan would "kill all small-community air service.
Model Falcon 900EX airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2006-23886; Directorate Identifier 2005-NM-255-AD; Amendment 39-14574; AD 2006-09-04] - Requires inspecting the Number 2 engine left- and right-hand forward mounts for missing rivets, and installing rivets if necessary. This AD results from reports of two missing rivets in the front section of the central engine mast discovered on airplanes in service and in production.
Midwest Jet Center at Lunken Airport (LUK) in Cincinnati, Ohio has changed its name to Air10. "While our corporate name has served the company well for many years, it is far too limiting for our business plan," said Jim Day, executive vice president of the company.
FAA certification of the Eclipse 500 is "still tracking to the end of the second quarter," Eclipse President Vern Raburn told BA Friday. Raburn acknowledged that until certification is in hand, there remains a risk the schedule could slip, but said he's confident that if certification does slip beyond the end of June "it will only be a matter of days."
The Million Air Teterboro facility, effective June 1, will change its overall name and that of its FBO to Meridian Teterboro; and the aircraft maintenance division will change its name to Meridian Jet Center from Million Air Maintenance. All four operating divisions - Aircraft Charter, Aircraft Management, FBO and Aircraft Maintenance - will now be operating under the Meridian name. The company is adopting a new corporate identity system, including new branding, logos and new signage.
Associated Air Center won FAA approval as a Designated Alteration Station (DAS). The DAS certification authorizes the Dallas, Texas-based completion center to issue supplemental type certifications and experimental airworthiness certificates on behalf of the FAA. The certification covers all of Associated Air Center's services including installation of safety and flight management systems, cabin décors, furnishings, entertainment systems and passenger seating. Associated Air Center is the second Landmark Aviation subsidiary - after the Springfield, Ill.
Transportation Security Administration last week scored high marks, at least from the Part 135 sector, for its new security rule covering cargo carriers. The rule imposes new cargo programs for operators of heavier aircraft but maintains the Twelve-Five program for Part 135 on-demand cargo carriers. See article below.
Canadian Owners And Pilots Association and the Helicopter Association of Canada are appealing a new $10 daily charge for aircraft weighing three tons or less that use one of seven major Canadian international airports. Nav Canada announced in April a series of "revenue-neutral changes" in its fee schedule that would mean "a reduction in the charge for larger aircraft and an increase for smaller aircraft" (BA, April 17/171).
Part Number 217K22-1, installed on various transport category airplanes, including but not limited to Bombardier Model BD-700-1A10 and BD-700-1A11 airplanes; and Gulfstream Model G-1159, G-1159A, G-1159B, G-IV, GIV-X, GV, and GV-SP series airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2006-24667; Directorate Identifier 2006-NM-009-AD] - Proposes to require a one-time inspection of the nosewheel tires to determine if they are within a designated serial number range, and replacement if necessary.
Robert Crandall's Pogo Jets enterprise has pushed back its planned startup because the current crop of Very Light Jets is not right for the mission, Crandall said last week.
Promoted to president of Evergreen Air Center. Toomey succeeds Bob McAndrew, who was appointed president of a new Evergreen company, Evergreen Supertanker Services. Toomey, formerly vice president of marketing for Evergreen Air Center, has more than 20 years of aviation experience. He previously served as vice president of C&D Aerospace and national aerospace sales manager for Saint Gobain Performance Plastics.
Primus II RNZ-850/-851 Integrated Navigation Units [Docket No. FAA-2005-20080; Directorate Identifier 2003-NM-193-AD] - Revises an earlier NPRM that applies to various aircraft equipped with a Honeywell Primus II RNZ-850/-851 Integrated Navigation Unit (INU). The original NPRM would have superseded an existing AD that, as one alternative for compliance, provides for a one-time inspection to determine whether a certain modification has been installed on the Honeywell Primus II NV850 Navigation Receiver Module (NRM), which is part of the INU.
ATR received contracts valued at $230 million from Irish regional carrier Aer Arann and the government of Equatorial Guinea for 13 new ATR aircraft. Aer Arann ordered 10 72-seat ATR 72-500 aircraft. The $180 million contract represents the largest single aircraft investment by a private Irish passenger carrier, ATR said. The aircraft will replace and supplement the carrier's existing fleet of 14 ATR 42 and 72 aircraft. The deal calls for delivery of two aircraft in 2007, five in 2008 and three in 2009.
FlightWorks added a Challenger 300 to its charter fleet. The aircraft, based in Tulsa, Okla., will be managed under the company's FlightWise management program. The program provides dedicated owner service specialists to manage owner travel, records, maintenance and aircraft charter.
James Phelan, who was involved in the first helicopter combat rescue, died May 16. Phelan and Carter Harman flew their Sikorsky YR-4 behind Japanese lines in the China-Burma jungle to rescue American pilot Ed (Murphy) Hladovcak and three British soldiers in April 1944. Phelan also was the husband of the late Jean Ross Howard Phelan, who founded the Whirly-Girls.
