The House Appropriations Committee last week approved a $15.2 billion budget for FAA in fiscal 2006, $1.4 billion more than the agency's 2006 level and $2.4 billion more than the Administration request (BA (June 5/255). The bill called for full airport funding of $3.7 billion, despite the Administration's request for nearly $1 billion less. The House appropriators also called for a $3.5 billion general fund contribution to FAA.
Promoted to senior vice president of finance and corporate development for M7 Aerospace of San Antonio, Texas. Brown, who had been vice president of corporate development, is now responsible for all of M7's corporate finance organization. He is a magna cum laude graduate of Texas Tech University with bachelor's degrees in finance and economics.
A bill aimed at sending FAA and controllers back to the bargaining table was defeated by a thin margin on the House floor Wednesday night, but the controllers union said the congressional battle over its new contract will continue.
A construction project at Congonhas Airport in Sao Paulo, Brazil has forced the National Business Aviation Association and the Associação Brasileira de Aviação Geral (ABAG) to shelve the 2006 Latin American Business Aviation Conference and Exhibition (LABACE2006). The event, jointly sponsored by the two organizations, originally was scheduled for Aug. 10-12 at Congonhas Airport.
Landmark Aviation completed a $2.6 million interior renovation and ramp expansion at its Los Angeles International Airport fixed-base operation, including 35,000-square-feet of additional ramp space and a new lobby, pilot lounge, conference room and VIP area.
General aviation's contribution to the U.S. economy was some $150 billion in 2005, 10 times the value of new general aviation aircraft delivered that year, according to a study commissioned for the General Aviation Manufacturers Association and the National Association of State Aviation Officials.
The Federal Aviation Administration released a draft policy order designed to expedite release of airworthiness directives (ADs) in the U.S. after a foreign state aviation authority adopts an AD. Under an International Civil Aviation Organization accord, FAA is obligated to "assess...and take appropriate action" on mandatory civil aviation information (MCAI) that is released about an aviation product by the country that has design authority over the product.
Model GV and GV-SP series airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2005-22034; Directorate Identifier 2004-NM-182-AD; Amendment 39-14607; AD 2006-11-03] - Requires a one-time inspection of the left and right aileron and elevator actuators to determine the part and serial numbers of each actuator, repetitive inspections of suspect actuators to detect broken damper shafts, and replacement of any actuator having a broken damper shaft. This AD also requires that operators report any broken damper shaft they find to the FAA.
Named president and chief operating officer of L-3 Communications newly formed Homeland Security Group. Coy most recently was chief executive officer of the Massachusetts Port Authority, where he oversaw Boston Logan and Hanscom Field airports, the Port of Boston and the Tobin Bridge. Coy spent 20 years in the U.S. Coast Guard and served as the service's chief operating officer for activities in Europe and as director of the Commandant's Strategic Planning Office.
Small plane-maker Cirrus took a 25 percent stake in a new air taxi service that will use new Cirrus SR22 aircraft to provide transportation. The service, SATSair, is headquartered in Greenville, S.C. and will operate in an area that essentially is east of the Mississippi River. The service was launched through strategic relations with agencies such as NASA and FAA, which spent years studying the concept of the Small Aircraft Transportation System, or SATS.
Model 390 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2006-24640; Directorate Identifier 2006-CE-26-AD] - Proposes to require inspecting the spigot bearing, Part Number (P/N) MS14104-16, for the proper positioning of the spigot fitting assembly and to install the wing spigot bearing retainer kit, P/N 390-4304-0001. This proposed AD results from two reports of the spigot bearing not being positioned flush with the fitting assembly, but protruding outside of the fitting assembly. FAA is proposing this AD to detect spigot bearings that are not positioned flush with the fitting assembly.
ARINC is launching its GLOBALINK VHF data link communications service at four major airports in India. Along with regional communications partner Bird Consultancy Services, ARINC has deployed VHF data link air-ground stations at New Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, and Mumbai airports. ARINC has more than 190 VHF remote ground stations in the Asia Pacific region.
Aerion is in the final stages of fabricating a partial wing cross section test article, which is scheduled for testing on a rocket sled in July or August. The company, which is developing a supersonic business jet, is still in discussions with existing original equipment manufacturers about a teaming arrangement under which the OEM selected would act as the aircraft integrator. Vice Chairman Brian Barents told BA there is "a lot of enthusiasm" about the project, adding that officials have had "some modest success" in getting potential partners interested.
Legendary test pilot Scott Crossfield was in communication with air traffic controllers at the Atlanta Air Route Traffic Control Center who were overseeing traffic in four sectors during his final flight, but he did not get specific warnings about severe thunderstorms in his path, according to a preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Board.
Model B300 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2005-22103; Directorate Identifier 2005-CE-42-AD] - Proposes to require modification of the cabin passenger seats by installing a modification kit on each passenger seat, removing the existing technical standard order (TSO) label, and re-identifying each modified passenger seat assembly with a new part number. This proposed AD results from the seats not meeting the ultimate load requirements of 14 CFR Part 23 during structural testing of the seat with design changes.
FAA last week released a notice calling for all aircraft operators to add a 15 percent margin into the landing distance calculations of their aircraft. The notice said it was a clarification of policy and that the agency would issue a new Operations Specification/Management Specification this month implementing the new requirements. The notice drew fire last week from National Air Transportation Association officials, who said this could particularly affect business aircraft that fly into airports with shorter runways.
Cessna Aircraft is developing a small airplane for the Light Sport Aircraft (LSA) arena and plans to decide early next year on whether to jump into that segment of the aviation market. In a statement last week, Cessna said it is "studying the feasibility of developing and producing an LSA, adding that it plans to display a full-scale proof-of-concept aircraft at the Experimental Aircraft Association's annual AirVenture convention next month in Oshkosh, Wis.
Aircraft Owners And Pilots Association's 16th annual Fly-In and Open House, held June 3 at the Frederick, Md. Municipal Airport, drew more than 3,000 attendees. More than 100 aircraft flew in for the event and 44 aircraft were on display. The event also included 12 hours of seminars and 100 vendor exhibits.
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-2006-24093; Directorate Identifier 2006-CE-19-AD] - Proposes to supersede AD 2003-13-04, which applies to Model PC-6 airplanes up to and including Serial Numbers 939.
Mooney Airplane Company is expanding its model line with the addition of another Ovation, the Ovation3, which will have improved climb and cruise performance over the Ovation2 GX. The new Ovation is powered by a 310-horsepower Teledyne Continental Motors 550-G/AP engine, which will boost cruise speed by nine knots over the 280-hp Ovation2 GX. The aircraft will have a maximum cruise speed of 197 knots and a takeoff distance of 1,515 feet - more than 100 feet shorter than the Ovation2 GX.
BOMBARDIER AEROSPACE said revenues remained flat in the three months ended April 30, 2006 at $1.9 billion, the same for the three months ended in April 30, 2005. Earnings before financing income, expenses and special item grew from $52 million in first quarter of fiscal 2006 to $55 million in the most recent quarter. A 23 percent increase in business aircraft deliveries helped offset a drop in the regional sector. Business jet orders, however, softened in the first quarter.
ALF502L series and ALF502R series turbofan engines [Docket No. 92-ANE-34-AD; Amendment 39-14584; AD 2006-09-13] - Supersedes an existing AD that currently establishes stress rupture retirement life limits for certain third stage turbine discs used in conjunction with certain third stage turbine nozzles.
