HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND Model 14RF-19 propellers [Docket No. FAA-2005-21691; Directorate Identifier 2005-NE-13-AD] - proposes to require replacing certain actuator yokes with improved actuator yokes. This proposed AD results from certain propeller system actuator yoke arms breaking during flight. FAA is proposing this AD to prevent actuator yoke arms breaking during flight, which could cause high propeller vibration, requiring the pilot to feather the propeller, and could contribute to reduced controllability of the airplane.
The U.S. aerospace industry has shaken off its post-9/11 downturn and is posting consistently higher sales and earnings, AIA President John Douglass said last week.
Corporate and business aircraft users of Love Field in Dallas may soon see an increase in airline flights at the airport. The airport is home to Southwest Airlines headquarters and has long seen plenty of that carrier's 737 fleet in evidence there, but now American is headed to Love as well. Because of recent changes to the Wright Amendment, which had placed restrictions on the number of airline flights at DAL, American said it plans to add 16 daily flights there while cutting 31 flights from its Dallas/Fort Worth hub.
EMBRAER Model EMB-120, -120ER, -120FC, -120QC, and -120RT airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2005-22631; Directorate Identifier 2005-NM-183-AD; Amendment 39-14394; AD 2005-25-01] - requires modifying electrical harnesses located at the left-and right-hand wing roots; and re-routing and modifying the harness of the right-hand outboard flap actuator. This AD results from fuel system reviews conducted by the manufacturer.
General Dynamics elected Deborah Lucas as a director of the corporation and appointed her to serve on the board's Audit, Benefit Plans and Investment committees. Lucas is the Donald C. Clark/Household International Distinguished Professor of Finance at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management. She previously was chief economist of the Congressional Budget Office and senior staff economist of the Council of Economic Advisers.
SHORT BROTHERS Model SD3 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2005-23173; Directorate Identifier 2005-NM-190-AD] - proposes to require installing additional fuel tank bonding jumpers, performing an in-place resistance check of the float switches, inspecting certain internal components of the fuel tanks, and performing related corrective actions if necessary.
B/E Aerospace plans to make a public offering of 13 million shares of its common stock at a price of $19 per share. The offering is being handled by Credit Suisse First Boston and UBS Investment Bank as book-running managers and Friedman Billings, Ramsey, Stephens, Inc. and SG Cowen & Co. as co-managers. B/E Aerospace said it plans to use the proceeds of the stock sale to redeem a portion of its $250 million in senior subordinated notes due 2008.
Helicopter Association International is attempting to fill two positions on its Washington staff, a director of safety and flight operations and a director of regulations. To apply or to receive more information, contact Libby Meade, Executive Vice President, Helicopter Association International, 1635 Prince St., Alexandria, Va. 22314 or e-mail to [email protected].
Sikorsky last week formally opened a new MH-92 helicopter fly-by-wire system integration lab. The lab will be used to develop, integrate and test the fly-by-wire and avionics integration systems for the MH-92, the military variant of the S-92 helicopter. Officials from the Canadian Maritime Helicopter Project, the first customer for Sikorsky's new fly-by-wire system, along with BAE Systems, which partnered with Sikorsky on the system, attended Tuesday's ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Liberty Aerospace delivered its first XL2 equipped with a Teledyne Continental Motors PowerLink full-authority digital engine control to a U.S. customer. The aircraft was handed over to Thomas Sams, a retired airline captain from South Lake, Texas.
Midcoast is planning a new $9 million, 115,000-square-foot hangar to keep up with growing demand for its aircraft maintenance and completion business, the company announced. Slated to open next summer, the new facility will increase Midcoast's hangar space at St. Louis Downtown Airport to 500,000 square feet.
LEARJET Model 45 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2005-23144; Directorate Identifier 2005-NM-218-AD; Amendment 39-14393; AD 2005-24-13] - requires modifying the electrical wire bundle for the alternator on the left-hand engine, inspecting for clearance between wire harnesses and engine tubing for each engine, and corrective actions if necessary. For certain airplanes, this AD also requires replacing the fuses for the hydraulic shutoff valves with fuses having higher amperage. This AD results from a report of a fire in the left-hand engine nacelle.
Regional Airline Association's board of directors named Horizon Air President Jeff Pinneo chairman for 2006. Pinneo succeeds Peter Bowler, president of American Eagle Airlines. The board also elected Paul Foley, president and CEO of MAIR Holdings, vice chairman; Bryan Bedford, president and CEO of Republic Airways Holdings, treasurer; and Dan Wolf, president of Cape Air, secretary. Bedford was elected to the board, as were Tom Cooper of Gulfstream International Airlines and Ron Reber of SkyWest Airlines.
MICHAEL ROMANOWSKI was named president of the National Center for Advanced Technologies, of Arlington, Va. Romanowski, who has been vice president of civil aviation at the Aerospace Industries Association, succeeds Stan Siegel, who is retiring.
FAA scheduled two public hearings on a controversial proposal to make permanent the temporary flight restrictions on operations in Washington, D.C.-area airspace. The hearings announcement, to be published in the Dec. 13 Federal Register, calls for a hearing on Jan. 12 at the Sheraton Columbia Hotel in Columbia, Md. and on Jan. 18 at the Washington Dulles Airport Marriott in Dulles, Va. FAA said the meetings would be open to all, subject to availability of the space in the meeting room.
PAUL CUMMINGS was promoted to manager of Duncan Aviation's avionics team in Battle Creek, Mich. Cummings has been assistant manager of the Battle Creek avionics shop since 2002. He originally joined the facility in 1995, when it was still Kal-Aero. Cummings left in 1997 to work at Garrett Springfield as a crew chief, and returned to Duncan Battle Creek in 2002.
EMBRAER Model EMB-145, -145ER, -145MR, -145LR, -145XR, -145MP, and -145EP airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2005-23145; Directorate Identifier 2000-NM-215-AD] - proposes to supersede an existing AD that applies to all Model EMB-145, -145ER, -145MR, -145LR, -145XR, -145MP, and -145EP airplanes. The existing AD currently requires repetitive inspections to detect cracking or failure of the rod ends of the aileron power control actuator (PCA), and corrective actions if necessary.
Darby Aviation, which operates charter flights as AlphaJet International, received a $60,000 penalty imposed by DOT for its action in regard to Platinum Jet Management, a Fort Lauderdale company, whose leased Challenger aircraft crashed on takeoff at Teterboro, N.J., earlier this year. FAA is seeking some $3 million from Platinum over the incident (BA, July 18/23).
The Federal Aviation Administration Friday put aircraft owners on notice that beginning Feb. 1 they must ensure that their aircraft are properly registered or they could be denied access to the National Airspace System (NAS). FAA said in a Dec. 9 Federal Register notice that the agency, along with the Transportation Security Administration, "will revitalize and refocus our airspace monitoring capabilities to ensure that each aircraft operating within the National Airspace System has met all statutory, regulatory and certification requirements."
Bell Helicopter opened a new $20 million, 82,000-square-foot repair and overhaul center to support Bell military helicopters. The center received its first V-22 component from the U.S. Marine Corps. The center, which will seek FAA certification as a repair station, will employ about 80 people, who initially will work on rotor blades, gearboxes, transmissions and drive train components.
Jet Aviation added an Airbus 319 Corporate Jetliner to its Aircraft Management Division for Europe, the Middle East and the Far East. The aircraft will be based at Jet Aviation's new maintenance and fixed-base operation in Dubai.
ARLENE NIELSEN was appointed charter services manager for Executive Jet Management's office at the San Jose Center at the San Jose International Airport in California. Nielsen has 10 years of aviation sales and management experience, and most recently was director of charter sales for ACM Aviation in San Jose. She also has served as a flight attendant for a private company.
