Israel Aircraft Industries, which has been building the G100 business jet and its predecessor models for decades, recently rolled out the last G100 to be manufactured and transitioned to producing the G150, which incorporates a larger-diameter fuselage.
COLLINS SAYS EFLIGHT SYSTEM WILL BOOST EFFICIENCYRockwell Collins officials said they are on board with two airlines to supply the company's new eFlight products and services for those carriers' fleets, and expect to finalize a similar agreement in the near future with fractional operator NetJets.
Air Tractor, the Olney, Texas manufacturer of agricultural aircraft, created a college fund to aid children of pilots who lost their lives in aerial application accidents involving Air Tractor aircraft. Air Tractor and its dealers created the SOAR (Student Outreach and Assistance Resource) Fund, which will be financed from the profit on sales of Air Tractor G-246AT aviation replacement batteries. "This is a way families and businesses within the ag aviation community can help each other," said Kristin Edwards, vice president of sales for Air Tractor.
BAE Model BAe 146-100A and -200A series airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2005-22791; Directorate Identifier 2005-NM-083-AD; Amendment 39-14448; AD 2006-01-09] - requires inspecting the nose landing gear (NLG) assembly to determine the part number of the NLG main fitting subassembly. For subject NLG main fitting subassemblies, this AD also requires determining the total number of accumulated landings and eventually replacing the NLG assembly.
Following a series of accidents resulting from loss of hydraulic power on AS-350BA helicopters, the National Transportation Safety Board told FAA it should require operators to comply with applicable manufacturer service bulletins and identify a life limit or inspection interval for drive belts on AS-350 helicopters.
GULFSTREAM Model Gulfstream 100 airplanes; and Model Astra SPX, and 1125 Westwind Astra airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2005-22511; Directorate Identifier 2005-NM-120-AD; Amendment 39-14440; AD 2006-01-01] - requires a one-time inspection for discrepancies of the nose wheel steering assembly of the landing gear, installation of a warning placard on each nose landing gear door, and corrective action if necessary. This AD results from reports of failure of the steering brackets of the nose wheel steering assembly, and in one incident, loss of steering control.
January 25-27 - National Business Aviation Association Schedulers & Dispatchers Conference, San Antonio, Texas, (202) 783-9000 February 26-28 - Helicopter Association International Heli-Expo 2006 Annual Convention and Exposition, Dallas, Texas, (703) 683-4646 Feb. 28-March 1 - Federal Aviation Administration, 31st Annual Aviation Forecast Conference, "Survival and Growth in Today's World," Washington, D.C. Convention Center, (202) 267-7924
Ovadia Harari, executive vice president for operations at Israel Aircraft Industries, is retiring after a 35-year career with the company. Harari joined IAI in 1970 and held several positions in the Lavi fighter aircraft program. He also was general manager of the MLM Division, which manufactures the Arrow Weapon System; corporate vice president and general manager of the Military Aircraft Group; executive vice president and chief operating officer; and acting chief executive.
Steven Kellner was promoted to director of intelligence for Air Security International. Kellner joined ASI in September 2005 as quality control manager for the Intelligence Division. He also has served as regional security and intelligence director and global intelligence manager with International SOS and superintendent of intelligence for the U.S. Air Force.
NetJets is expected to finalize an agreement soon with Rockwell Collins to begin installing elements of the avionics manufacturer's eFlight products in at least one aircraft type in the NetJets' fleet. Collins officials are touting eFlight as a big step toward a truly paperless cockpit and are targeting air carriers and other large fleet operators with marketing and sales efforts. See article below.
Embraer CEO Mauricio Botelho plans to relinquish that role in April 2007, but will remain as the company's chairman to ensure the airframer successfully revamps its corporate structure. The company won approval from its board of directors late last week to create a new company that would eliminate preferred shares and instead offer all common shares.
General Aviation advocates are awaiting release of FAA's proposal on a future funding mechanism (BA, Dec. 12/271). FAA has indicated that it is targeting late February or early March for release. Senior FAA officials have repeatedly stated that they want to tie the agency's revenues to costs, which GA groups fear could be FAA's attempt to transition to a user-fee system.
The National Transportation Safety Board, participating in two foreign accident investigations in which Cessna Caravans crashed after icing up, recommended pilots of the single-engine turboprops take additional precautions to avoid icing-related accidents.
Penny Young joined the Flight Safety Foundation as chief financial officer. Young, a certified public accountant, has more than 20 years of accounting experience. She most recently was chief financial officer at the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors National Association. She is a University of Maryland graduate.
TAG Aviation USA, Inc. named George Suttler, a veteran pilot with both Air Force and airline experience, vice president of flight operations. Suttler will be based at the company's U.S. headquarters in Burlingame, Calif. He is responsible for the safe and efficient operations of TAG's managed fleet of corporate jets, as well as management and training of TAG's flight crews. Suttler reports to J.W.C. (Jake) Cartwright, president and chief executive officer.
Weber Aircraft, the Gainesville, Texas manufacturer of aircraft seats, promoted Adri Ruiter to president. Ruiter most recently was vice president and general manager, engineering and marketing. He succeeds Michel Labarre, who moved to C&D Zodiac, a sister company that specializes in aircraft cabin interiors. Weber, a subsidiary of Zodiac, also named Alain Peraudeau director of European and Middle East Operations. Peraudeau will remain based in Toulouse, France, where he previously served as director of relations for Zodiac at Airbus.
The Safety Board also issued three "Urgent" recommendations last week urging FAA to mandate specific operating procedures for pilots of Cessna Caravan utility turboprops when operating in icing conditions. The Caravan fleet also is the subject of an earlier airworthiness directive from FAA designed to protect against icing accidents. See articles below.
Michael Todd was named manager of support sales for Mooney Aerospace. Todd, who has two decades of aviation experience, most recently was Southwest regional sales manager for Bombardier Aerospace Business Aircraft Services. He joined Bombardier's Flight Test Center in Wichita, Kan. in 1991 as a liaison between flight operations, engineering, maintenance and outside vendors.
FRAKES AVIATION (Gulfstream American) Model G-73 (Mallard) series airplanes and Model G-73 Airplanes converted to have turbine engines [Docket No. FAA-2005-23440; Directorate Identifier 2005-NM-256-AD; Amendment 39-14452; AD 2006-01-51] - publishes an amendment previously sent by individual notices to affected operators.
Harbin Embraer, the joint venture between Embraer and China Aviation Industry Corporation II, won an order from China Eastern Airlines Wuhan Ltd. for five 50-seat ERJ 145 LR aircraft. The order is in addition to the five ERJ 145s that China Eastern Airlines Jiangsu Ltd. acquired earlier. Deliveries of the most recent order to China Eastern Wuhan are expected between November 2006 and June 2007. Harbin Embraer, which has delivered the first three aircraft on order to China Eastern Jiangsu, will deliver the remaining two this year.
ARMY CANCELS LOCKHEED MARTIN'S AERIAL COMMON SENSOR CONTRACT - The Army has chosen to cancel Lockheed Martin's $879 million Aerial Common Sensor development contract rather than switch aircraft platforms to Bombardier's Global Express business jet, the service announced Jan. 12.
Bombardier Model DHC-8-400 series airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2005-22403; Directorate Identifier 2005-NM-144-AD; Amendment 39-14426; AD 2005-26-05] - requires an inspection of the laminated shims for cracks, damage, or extrusion between the forward attachment fittings of the horizontal stabilizer and the top rib of the vertical stabilizer; a torque check of the attachment bolts in the attachment fittings of the front, middle, and rear spars; and corrective actions if necessary.
FLORIDA AIRSPACE REDESIGN SLASHES HOLIDAY FLIGHT DELAYS, FAA SAYS - The Florida airspace redesign that FAA completed last year succeeded in cutting holiday season delays dramatically at the South Florida airports that caused major headaches for airlines last winter, FAA officials said.
