Petroleum Aerospace (PAS) signed a contract to buy one additional Q300 turboprop airliner, valued at $17.4 million (U.S.), from Bombardier Aerospace. PAS, based at Cairo International Airport, currently operates a fleet of four of the 50-passenger Q300s on behalf of Egyptian and foreign companies and also performs charter flights for tourists. "Our current Q300 aircraft have been performing very well in our hot and sandy climate so we have no hesitation in meeting our growing capacity requirements with an additional aircraft," said Gen.
Canadian simulator manufacturer CAE won a contract from Chinese officials to build the first full-flight simulator for the ARJ21 regional jet aircraft, which is being developed by China's AVIC 1 Commercial Aircraft Co. (ACAC).
Sky Connect, a Takoma Park, Md.-producer of Iridium-based aircraft tracking and telephone systems for rotorcraft, fixed-wing and marine applications, sold 75 TRACKER systems to Era Helicopters LLC in Lake Charles, La. Era, which also placed options for up to 50 more, will use the TRACKER systems to support its offshore oil operations. Era plans to equip its fleet of Agusta, Bell, Eurocopter and Sikorsky helicopters with the systems, including a satellite telephone link for voice capability.
Gulfstream Aerospace named Gerard Schkolnik director of the company's supersonic technology programs. Schkolnik will oversee sonic boom suppression research as well as research on structural concepts, advanced materials, propulsion integration and supersonic aerodynamics in support of Gulfstream's supersonic flight initiatives. He has nearly 20 years of flight research, development, test and evaluation experience.
Model Hawker 800XP airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2006-24084; Directorate Identifier 2006-NM-017-AD] - proposes to require inspecting certain bus bars in the DA-A panel to ensure that the bus bars match the panel configuration and clearance is adequate between the bus bars and adjacent components, and performing corrective action if necessary. This proposed AD results from two reports of inadequate clearance between the bus bars in the DA-A panel.
EMB-120 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2006-24072; Directorate Identifier 2006-NM-016-AD] - proposes to require replacing the de-icing system ejector flow control valves with new, improved control valves having hermetically sealed switches; and rewiring applicable connectors. This proposed AD results from a fuel system review by the manufacturer. FAA is proposing this AD to prevent a potential source of ignition near a fuel tank, which, in combination with flammable fuel vapors, could result in a fuel tank explosion and consequent loss of the airplane.
March 20-23 - National Business Aviation Association International Operators Conference, Tampa, Fla., (202) 783-9000 March 22-23 - Federal Aviation Administration General Aviation Summit, Doubletree Hotel, Overland Park, Kan., (816) 329-4117 March 23-25 - 17th Annual International Women in Aviation Conference, Opryland Hotel, Nashville, Tenn., (937) 839-4647
Joins Adam Aircraft as chief operating officer. Johnson formerly held a number of positions with the Northrop Grumman Electronics Sector, including vice president, network-centric systems; vice president, F-16 sensor systems; vice president, supply chain management; and vice president, aerospace systems program operations. He also has held executive positions with AlliedSignal Technical Services, McDonnell Douglas and General Dynamics.
501-D series turboprop engines [Docket No. 2001-NE-01-AD] - proposes to supersede an existing AD that currently requires removal from service of certain turbine rotor components at reduced life limits. This proposed AD would require the same actions but adds two new life limits. This proposed AD results from RRC reevaluating and revising component life limits for 501-D22 series turboprop engines. FAA is proposing this AD to prevent uncontained turbine rotor failure resulting in an in-flight engine shutdown and possible damage to the airplane.
The National Transportation Safety Board, for the second time this month, renewed its call for use of flight data and cockpit voice recorders on all transport-category helicopters - and took FAA to the woodshed for policies the safety board said make it easy for manufacturers and operators to avoid existing requirements that they use such units.
MD Helicopters, Inc. signed a long-term agreement under which Triumph Gear Systems, Inc., a subsidiary of the Triumph Group, will supply transmissions for MDHI's MD 500 and MD 600N model single-engine helicopters. Triumph also provides components for the MD Explorer transmission, which is made by Kawasaki Heavy Industries.
The National Transportation Safety Board hopes to add nearly 80 positions later in the decade in an effort to boost its accident investigation mission, NTSB acting Chairman Mark Rosenker told a congressional panel. The agency asked the House aviation subcommittee for funds to cover 475 positions in fiscal 2008 and 2009, a request that comes after industry advocates voiced concerns about the agency's shrinking staff.
General Aviation Manufacturers Association was encouraged to see that the Bush Administration is seeking a $10 million boost in fiscal 2007 funding for FAA certification activities, a distinct change from the past couple of years when the Administration tightened the agency's certification budget and reduced staffing. GAMA successfully lobbied Congress for $4 million in additional certification funding for fiscal 2006, but FAA - facing budget cuts in other areas - has indicated that it plans to use that money elsewhere.
Gulfstream Aerospace is claiming a speed record for a Gulfstream 450 flight from Denver's Centennial Airport to Honolulu Airport on the island of Oahu. The manufacturer said the aircraft flew 2,944 nautical miles in seven hours, seven minutes at an average speed of Mach 0.84 with an average headwind of 61 knots. The aircraft had 4,900 pounds of fuel remaining upon landing. Larry S. Mueller, a senior international captain for Gulfstream, was the pilot and Craig (Skip) Wilkerson, another international captain, served as co-pilot.
Aviation and volcanic hazard experts last week agreed that significant progress has been made in technology to detect and track volcanic activity, but they also said detection, prediction, education and dissemination strategies must improve or volcanic ash will "continue to be a dangerous and costly threat to aviation." More than 100 jet aircraft have reported damage stemming from volcanic ash encounters in the past 25 years. Terry McVenes, Air Line Pilots Association executive air safety chairman, estimated that the damage has cost $250 million.
Pilatus is ramping up production to keep up with the record sales that the Swiss plane-maker logged last year and expects to continue over the next two years. Pilatus plans to ship 90 PC-12s this year, more than the company has ever delivered in a single year during the airplane's 13-year production history. The company shipped 80 PC-12s last year and 70 in 2004. "The outlook over the next 24 months is extremely positive," said Fred Muggli, head of PC-12 sales and marketing for Pilatus Aircraft.
Named to the newly created position of Enterprise Services Center director for FAA's Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center in Oklahoma City, Okla. Gimpel will direct the Aeronautical Center's offices of Enterprise Systems, Information Technology and Financial Operations. He formerly was Department of Defense Finance and Accounting Service corporate director for quality and performance. He has more than 20 years of federal service, including four years as an officer in the U.S. Army Finance Corps.
Bombardier delivered its 250th 70-seat Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet to long-time customer SkyWest, Inc. The St. George, Utah-based regional will operate the aircraft as a Delta Connection carrier. "It's fitting that this aircraft is going to SkyWest Airlines, one of the first airlines to sign a letter of intent for CRJ Series aircraft in March 1989, before the CRJ aircraft program was officially launched," said Steven Ridolfi, president of Bombardier Regional Aircraft. SkyWest Airlines operates 123 Bombardier CRJ200 and 57 Bombardier CRJ700 aircraft.
The Internal Revenue Service's highway fuel tax refund process is so cumbersome that aviation fuel vendors have little incentive to obtain the refunds, the National Air Transportation Association told the agency. Responding to guidance that IRS issued on the highway fuel tax refund process, NATA urged the IRS to simplify the process for fuel vendors. The association warned that without such changes, the Airport and Airway Trust Fund stands to lose a significant percentage of the jet fuel tax from business aircraft.
The Federal Aviation Administration last week released another set of restrictions and equipment requirements for operating the Cessna Caravan 208 and 208B in icing conditions.
Privatair, the international business aviation provider, formed a unit that will be responsible for the travel arrangements of companies conducting financial "road shows." A company typically mounts a road show when it is preparing to make an initial public offering of its stock, requiring a team of senior executives to make detailed financial presentations to investment firms and security buyers in widely separated locations over a relatively short period of time.
Model CL-600-2C10 (Regional Jet Series 700, 701, & 702) airplanes, Model CL-600-2D15 (Regional Jet Series 705) airplanes, and Model CL-600-2D24 (Regional Jet Series 900) airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2006-24074; Directorate Identifier 2005-NM-213-AD] - proposes to supersede an existing AD that requires repetitive detailed inspections for cracking or deformation, or pulled or missing fasteners, on the lower panel of the left- and right-hand main landing gear (MLG) doors, as applicable, and corrective actions if necessary.
TPE331 series turboprop, and TSE331-3U Model turboshaft engines [Docket No. FAA-2006-23704; Directorate Identifier 2006-NE-02-AD] - proposes to require implementing a new flight cycle counting method for first-, second- and third-stage turbine rotors used in aircraft that make multiple takeoffs and landings without an engine shutdown, and removing turbine rotors from service that have reached or exceeded their cycle life limits. This new flight cycle counting method would require determining total equivalent cycles accrued.
