FAA hopes to clarify certain flight and duty time rules after receiving a number of inquiries from operators and other aviation interests about what constitutes proper rest time and what constitutes unforeseen circumstances. The agency earlier this month requested public comment on whether late-arriving passengers or cargo may be considered an unforeseen circumstance and whether the rest period under Part 135.267(d) must be "timely received."
June 3 - Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association Fly-In and Open House, Frederick Municipal Airport, Frederick, Md., (301) 695-2000, www.aopa.org/fly-in June 5-7 - Regional Air Cargo Carriers Association, 2006 Spring Conference, Wichita, Kan., Hyatt Regency Hotel, www.raccaonline.org June 21 - Wings Club Luncheon featuring Scott Donnelly, president & CEO of GE Aviation, Yale Club, New York City, (212) 867-1770, email: [email protected].
ARINC Direct Aircraft Services earned an expanded Part 145 certification covering a range of aircraft maintenance services. The certification enables the Colorado Springs, Colo. facility to provide heavy maintenance in addition to avionics integration, instrument and accessory overhaul and repairs. The 20,000-square-foot facility can provide maintenance on more than 50 types of aircraft from single-engine pistons to large business jets.
Model SR20 and SR22 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2006-24010; Directorate Identifier 2006-CE-14-AD] - Proposes to require checking the maintenance records to determine whether the brake caliper piston O-ring seals were replaced at the last annual or 100-hour inspection. If the O-rings were not replaced, this proposed AD would require replacing the O-ring seals with new seals or replacing brake calipers.
Model SA-365 N1, AS-365 N2, N3, SA 366 G1, and EC-155B and B1 helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2006-24588; Directorate Identifier 2006-SW-07-AD; Amendment 39-14581; AD 2006-09-10] - Requires a one-time inspection for end play in the pitch control rod assembly double bearing using the tail rotor (T/R) hub control plate, and before further flight, replacing the bearing if end play is present. This amendment is prompted by one incident in which a pilot lost T/R pitch control of a helicopter while landing.
Bill Noe was named president of NetJets International, Inc. (NJI), the wholly owned subsidiary of fractional provider NetJets Inc. An earlier issue incorrectly stated that Noe had been named president of NetJets, which has its principal operations base in Columbus, Ohio (BA, May 15/224). NetJets International Inc. was created in 1995 and operates NetJets' U.S. Gulfstream large-cabin aircraft fleet. NJI is the single largest operator of Gulfstream aircraft in the world.
Cessna Aircraft is planning a 10th anniversary celebration this Wednesday at its Independence, Kan. manufacturing facility. The Independence factory was built to manufacture Cessna's line of single-engine aircraft when the company decided to get back into the single-engine market following passage of the General Aviation Revitalization Act in 1994. That legislation provided protection to manufacturers from product liability lawsuits that had been plaguing the industry (BA, Aug. 22, 1994/79).
Aircraft Braking Systems Corp. (ABSC) was selected by Embraer to provide the wheels, brakes and brake control system for the new Phenom 100 Very Light Jet. ABSC, a subsidiary of K & F Industries Holdings, said the use of its brake-by-wire system will be the first in the VLJ arena. ABSC also is the wheel and brake provider for the Embraer 170, 175, 190 and 195 family of aircraft. The Phenom contract value "is estimated to approach $250 million" over the life of the program, according to K & F.
Exxonmobil Aviation increased its Avitat network with the addition of a fixed-base operation that recently opened at Knox County Regional Airport in Owls Head, Maine. The FBO, Maine Atlantic, provides jet fuel and aviation gasoline, hangar space, charter and a range of amenities, including a pilot sleeping lounge, fully equipped kitchen, private workspace and broadband, wireless Internet access. The airport, located on the Maine coast by Rockland and Penobscot Bay, has two runways, 5,000 and 4,000 feet long.
Nearly nine months after announcing plans to acquire Special Metals Corp. (SMC) of Huntington, W. Va. for $540 million, Precision Castparts Corp. (PCC) finally closed the deal last week, just days after winning approval from government regulators. Following a lengthy antitrust review by the Federal Trade Commission, PCC said it received clearance of its Hart-Scott-Rodino filing.
3M Aerospace has developed a security seal that warns of unauthorized access to aircraft doors, access panels or cargo compartments. The Tamper-Indicating Authentication Seals attach to a variety of surfaces, including stainless steel, aluminum, glass and painted metal. The adhesive-back seal changes appearance when tampering occurs.
Pilatus Aircraft signed an exclusive maintenance tracking service agreement with CAMP Systems. Pilatus named CAMP the factory-recommended maintenance tracking service for the PC-12 and will give owners of new PC-12 aircraft a year of CAMP services at no additional cost. The program will provide subscribers access to maintenance tracking information and an electronic logbook via the Internet.
Appointed flight operations supervisor for SATSair, an air taxi provider that uses Cirrus SR22 aircraft. The enterprise is based on the research and strategic relationships with SATS partners such as NASA and FAA. Lapsley previously was dispatch operations manager for Independence Air and also has been an aircraft dispatcher with Atlantic Coast Airlines, a first officer for PSA Airlines and a line pilot for Asheville Air Charter.
Three new ZR lite installation centers have been named by Raisbeck Engineering, designer of the performance upgrade package for Learjet 35s and 36s. The newest authorized installers are Avcon Industries, Duncan Aviation and Stevens Aviation. The ZR Lite system provides enhanced cruise and takeoff performance through the use of improved flap trailing edges, horizontal winglets and vortilons.
Airbus has delivered the first Corporate Jet to a U.S. customer, Pharmair Corporation, a privately held Florida-based company. The twin-engine commercial transport derivative is being completed by Landmark Aviation's Associated Air Center at its Dallas facility. To date, Airbus has sold some 70 ACJs, which is based on the Airbus A319.
Lufthansa Bombardier Services has expanded its operations at two Berlin airports. LBAS inaugurated a new hangar for Learjet service at Berlin's Schoenefeld Airport. In addition, the joint venture of Lufthansa Technik AG, Bombardier Aerospace and ExecuJet Aviation Group has opened a temporary maintenance station at Berlin-Tempelhof Airport. As a result, the company now offers line maintenance services for all Bombardier Learjet, Challenger and Global business jet operators, including base maintenance for Learjets, at the German city's downtown airport.
Model BAe 146 Airplanes and Model Avro 146-RJ Airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2005-23215; Directorate Identifier 2005-NM-212-AD; Amendment 39-14596; AD 2006-10-12] - Requires repetitive replacement of the elevator servo tab hinge bearings, elevator servo tab mechanism bearings, elevator trim tab hinge bearings, and elevator trim tab drive rod bearings with new bearings. This AD results from reported incidents of flight control surface restrictions due to the deterioration of flight control surface bearings.
Higher-than-new prices for selected late-model business jets underscore the strength of certain sectors of the previously owned, turbine-powered corporate aircraft market, says Fletcher Aldredge, publisher of the Vref Aircraft Value Reference. According to volume 1 of the 2006 edition of his publication, the 2004 and 2005 models of the Bombardier Challenger 300 and Global Express command premiums on the used aircraft market, as do Gulfstream 550s manufactured from 2003 onward.
Banyan Air Service has been named an authorized service center by Raytheon Aircraft for its Bonanzas, Barons and King Airs. The Florida FBO, which is the largest such facility at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport (FXE), is an FAA- and EASA-certified repair station that has more than 130 employees.
The FAA has approved all but one of the recommendations of the FAR Part 150 noise-compatibility program submitted by the city of Vero Beach, Fla. for its local airport. The submitted program contained 11 proposed actions for noise mitigation at Vero Beach Municipal Airport (KVRB). Outright approval was granted for six of the elements, and partial approval was given for four.
Model SA341G, SA342J, and SA-360C Helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2006-24733; Directorate Identifier 2005-SW-08-AD] - Proposes superseding an existing airworthiness directive (AD) for the specified Eurocopter France (ECF) model helicopters that currently requires replacing each affected main rotor head torsion tie bar (tie bar) with an airworthy tie bar and revising the limitations section of the maintenance manual by adding life limits for certain tie bars. This action would retain the current requirements and reduce life limits of another part-numbered tie bar.
Bombardier Business Aircraft has relocated its European and Middle East headquarters to Farnborough, England and Dubai, respectively. Bombardier Business Aircraft's regional sales headquarters for Europe, as well as the company's Skyjet International jet charter headquarters, began operations within TAG Aviation's new Farnborough facilities in mid-March. The company also has moved its Middle East and African sales operation and Skyjet International Middle East office to ExecuJet's new facility at Dubai International Airport.
National Business Aviation Association will hold a regional forum June 8 at Landmark Aviation at Washington Dulles International Airport. The forum, expected to attract hundreds of attendees, will have about 25 aircraft on static display and 50 indoor exhibitors. NBAA has scheduled sessions on aircraft ownership, purchasing an aircraft, and safety culture. For more information, visit the NBAA Web site at www.nbaa.org.
