TRANSPORTATION SECURITY ADMINISTRATION announced a realignment of its headquarters functions, designed to make it easier for the industries TSA regulates to get answers to questions and solutions for security-related problems.
EADS NA acquires Talon, adds to test instrument unit EADS - North America has acquired Talon Instruments, of San Dimas, Calif., a deal it said would boost its digital test instrument work. Talon Instruments, which specializes in digital test instrumentation, will become part of EADS North America Defense Test & Services - formerly Racal Instruments, a company EADS bought last year - which designs, builds and sells such equipment and related software.
MCCAULEY Propeller Assemblies Models 2D34C53/74E-X; D2A34C58/90AT-X; 3AF32C87/82NC-X; D3AF32C87/82NC-X; D3A32C88/82NC-X; D3A32C90/82NC-X; and 3AF34C92/90LF-X [Docket No. FAA-2005-22731; Directorate Identifier 2005-NE-36-AD; Amendment 39-14389; AD 2005-24-09] -- requires, within 10 flight hours or 10 days after the effective date of this AD, whichever occurs first, removing certain serial number propeller hubs from service.
FRACTIONAL AIRCRAFT operators hired 63 pilots in October, bringing the number of pilots hired by the nation's largest fractionals this year to 641, according to AIR Inc. In its recently released Airline Pilot Hiring summary, AIR Inc. said four of the five largest fractional operators hired in October. Hiring activity has increased for the fractionals, which hired 482 pilots in 2004.
SAINT-GOBAIN FLIGHT STRUCTURES expanded its operations in Ravenna, Ohio to make aerospace composite parts. The factory will make lightweight composites for cargo doors, wing tips, access panels, fairings and other components.
THE INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF TEAMSTERS Local 1108 late last month ratified a five-year contract with fractional operator NetJets. Some 84 percent of voters ratified the contract, which provides, on average, a 40 to 60 percent increase in pay, the Teamsters said. The ratification concludes four years of negotiations, and Teamsters leaders called the agreement "an unprecedented contract.
SAN ANTONIO FIRM OFFERS 'LIKE NEW' MERLIN UPGRADES - M7 Aerospace of San Antonio, Texas is offering an extensive refurbishment and upgrade package for the venerable Fairchild Merlin turboprop that officials are confident will appeal to both current and prospective Merlin owners.
RAYTHEON AIRCRAFT COMPANY is ending the year on a high note, inking a 50-aircraft order for its Hawker 4000 business jet from fractional aircraft provider NetJets
FLIGHT SAFETY FOUNDATION and the Aviation Safety Alliance plan to merge into one organization, effective Dec. 31, the groups said. The FSF name will be retained. Susan Coughlin, a former member of the National Transportation Safety Board who has been serving as ASA president, will step down as president but will be given a seat on the FSF board of directors.
LIBERTY AEROSPACE formed a Liberty Flight School program to provide services to flight schools that buy the Liberty XL2 as a primary trainer. The program includes marketing and direct sales services to secure new student starts.
SAFE FLIGHT INSTRUMENT CORPORATION said its Angle-of-Attack computer system was integrated into a Universal EFI-890R electronic flight instrument to provide a Low Airspeed Awareness display. Premier Air Center in East Alton, Ill., recently certified the system on a Falcon 20 and plans a similar certification on a Falcon 50.
A GROUP OF VETERAN FLIGHT ATTENDANTS from United Airlines, upset about the possible loss of their pensions because of the carrier's financial woes, is calling attention to their plight with the "Stewardesses Stripped (of their Pension?)" calendar for 2006. The lighthearted calendar features revealing photos of five 50-plus current and former flight attendants in a variety of settings.
BLAKEY CONTINUES TO CALL FOR FUNDING OVERHAUL -- FAA Administrator Marion Blakey last week continued to campaign for fundamental changes in the way the agency is financed, telling the Aero Club of Washington, "We need...a constant stable revenue stream that's related to the actual cost of the services we provide." Blakey, who has warned for the past year that the agency is heading toward funding woes, continued that theme Monday during the November meeting of the Aero Club.
HONEYWELL said Friday it is "aggressively working with our Dassault customer to resolve the business issues" the led the French aircraft manufacturer to file a $60 million damage suit against the avionics manufacturer for alleged delays in the Honeywell EPIC avionics system for Falcon 900EX and 2000EX business jets.
EMBRAER Model EMB-135 airplanes and Model EMB-145, -145ER, -145MR, -145LR, -145XR, -145MP, and -145EP airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2005-20011; Directorate Identifier 2003-NM-22-AD; Amendment 39-14382; AD 2005-24-02] -- supersedes an existing AD, which requires revising the airplane flight manual (AFM) to prohibit in-flight auxiliary power unit (APU) starts, and installing a placard on or near the APU start/stop switch panel to provide such instructions to the flightcrew.
BALDWIN AVIATION, the consulting firm recently formed by former NBAA Chairman Don Baldwin (BA, Oct. 17/172), teamed with Universal Weather and Aviation to expand services offered to their client bases. Baldwin will endorse Universal as a provider of trip support services such as flight planning, weather briefings, fuel management, and ground handling. Universal will recommend Baldwin's safety management services to clients who need them. "Don Baldwin and his team are offering a valuable service to a key niche market," said Universal CEO Greg Evans.
JET-CARE INTERNATIONAL won a contract to provide oil and debris analysis for Eurocopter Mexico. The agreement covers engines and gearboxes on Eurocopter Mexico helicopters. Eurocopter Mexico manages and services Eurocopter aircraft in Mexico, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Surinam, the Caribbean/West Indies and Central America.
TSA NAMES NEW GA MANAGER; GAMA VETERAN JOINING AGENCY - The Transportation Security Administration has completed a significant restructuring, creating a Transportation Sector Network Management (TSNM) structure that became effective Dec. 1. Mike Restovich, the federal security director at Dallas Love Field, is acting assistant administrator of the new network.
Revamped NASA Advisory Council holds first meeting in Washington - The revamped NASA Advisory Council held its first meeting in Washington Nov. 29, under the leadership of former senator and Apollo 17 astronaut Harrison Schmitt. Other new members include former head of Air Force Materiel Command Gen. Lester Lyles, former Strategic Defense Initiative Organization head Lt. Gen. James Abrahamson (USAF), former Astronaut Neil Armstrong, former Aerospace Commission member Neil DeGrasse Tyson, and former Columbia Accident Investigation Board member John Logsdon.
EMBRAER Model EMB-135 airplanes, and Model EMB-145, -145ER, -145MR, -145LR, -145XR, -145MP, and -145EP airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2005-22256; Directorate Identifier 2005-NM-113-AD; Amendment 39-14378; AD 2005-23-20] -- requires modification of the upper frame of the firewall for the auxiliary power unit (APU). This AD results from the discovery of a hole in the upper frame of the firewall for the APU. FAA is issuing this AD to ensure that the APU compartment is isolated from the rest of the airplane in the event of an APU fire.
FLIGHTSAFETY INTERNATIONAL is building two new Embraer 170/190 convertible full flight simulators. The trainers will increase the number of FSI Embraer simulators to 25. FSI also has four Embraer 120 and 18 Embraer 145 simulators along with a previously announced Embraer 170 simulator. The new convertible simulators are slated for delivery in early 2006. The first simulator will be stationed at FlightSafety's St. Louis learning center to support Republic Airways training. FSI is still determining the destination of the second simulator. In addition to St.
TSA OUTLINES FRACTIONAL SECURITY PLANS TO ECAC -- The Transportation Security Administration assured the European Civil Aviation Conference that TSA officials agree on the need for "more definitive operational security guidelines" governing fractional aircraft ownership programs and said the agency has launched an effort to develop such a program. TSA chief Kip Hawley wrote ECAC Executive Secretary Raymond Benjamin late last month that TSA "has taken into consideration the specific concerns expressed by ECAC about the security aspects of fractional operations."
BOEING Vertol Model 107-II helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2005-23085; Directorate Identifier 2005-SW-25-AD; Amendment 39-14385; AD 2005-24-05] -- requires a visual and magnetic particle inspection of the quill shaft. This amendment is prompted by the discovery of cracks in a quill shaft during a routine inspection.
STEPHEN T. FISHER, a former Marine Corps helicopter pilot, was named executive director of the Next Generation Air Transportation Systems Institute. He will oversee daily operations at the institute, an industry partnership supporting the Joint Planning and Development Office in developing and implementing the air traffic control system of the future. Fisher was most recently a senior account manager with Northrop Grumman's Information Technology Sector, overseeing FAA and DOT programs and services.
