NTSB ACTING CHAIR FAULTS RUNWAY SAFETY TECHNOLOGY, CALLS FOR NEW SYSTEMS - One of the Federal Aviation Administration's key technologies for preventing runway incursions, the Airport Movement Area Safety System (AMASS), is not good enough to protect against such incursions, Mark Rosenker, the acting chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board, told a meeting of the American Association of Airport Executives last week. "Analysis of several near collisions has shown that AMASS performance is not adequate to prevent serious accidents," Rosenker said.
National Business Aviation Association is offering a new Web-based product that provides real-time flight operational information. The National Airspace Status Briefing, developed by the NBAA GA Desk at the FAA Air Traffic Control System Command Center, provides information on ground delay programs, ground stops, arrival and departure delays, en route constraints, reroutes, departure restrictions and collaborative convection forecasts. NBAA is offering the Web tool for a subscription fee.
Warning that "current taxes and fees paid into the Aviation Trust Fund, which provide funding for the National Aviation System, are only authorized through Sept. 30, 2007," FAA published a notice last week urging its constituents to participate in developing a new funding system for the agency.
Jet Aviation Engineering Services secured an FAA supplemental type certificate for a VIP interior installed in a Boeing 767. The yearlong project was a joint effort between Jet Aviation's facilities in San Antonio, Texas and Basel, Switzerland. The interior includes a library, bedrooms with adjoining lavatories, a dining room and a salon. The cabin has wireless Internet access, high-speed data service, satellite television, air filtration and humidification, digital entertainment and a cabin management system.
The Internal Revenue Service is allowing truck drivers to purchase aviation-grade kerosene (jet fuel) from certain airports without violating certain excise tax requirements. The relief, designed to help deal with Hurricane Katrina-related fuel shortages, extends through Nov. 1 and applies to five airports in New Orleans, Memphis, Dallas and Houston. The relief also comes as business aviation groups and the IRS are scrambling to deal with new tax laws designed to cut down on highway use of jet fuel. Beginning Oct.
COMMERCE OFFICIAL TO HEAD FAA'S INTERNATIONAL OFFICE - FAA Administrator Marion Blakey last week appointed former U.S. Commerce Department official Joseph Bogosian to head the agency's Office of International Aviation. Bogosian will assume his new job as assistant administrator-international aviation on Oct. 3, reporting directly to Blakey. He will be the second person to hold this title, which was created in February 2003 as one of Blakey's moves to increase FAA's focus on international affairs.
SENATORS PUSH TO MAINTAIN NASA AERONAUTICS R&D - Four Republican senators representing NASA research centers and a Democrat from Washington state are trying to amend the agency's appropriations for the next fiscal year to maintain the same level for aeronautics research and development programs as in fiscal 2005.
Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) last week appealed to the Transportation Security Administration to aggressively move toward reopening Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) to light general aviation aircraft.
TURBOMECA Arrius 2F turboshaft engines [Docket No. FAA-2005-22039; Directorate Identifier 2005-NE-33-AD; Amendment 39-14238; AD 2005-17-17] - requires replacing certain O-rings on the check valve piston in the lubrication unit. This AD results from a report of a forced landing of a Eurocopter EC120B helicopter. FAA is issuing this AD to prevent an uncommanded in-flight shutdown of the engine, which could result in a forced autorotation landing and damage to the helicopter. Effective date was Sept. 12, but FAA will accept comments until Oct. 25.
SAAB 2000 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2005-22255; Directorate Identifier 2005-NM-106-AD] - proposes to require modifying the manual feather-and-unfeather system for the propellers to make the design of the system more robust. This proposed AD results from reports of in-flight engine shutdown caused by uncommanded operation of the feather pump of the propeller. FAA is proposing this AD to prevent uncommanded feathering of the propeller, which could result in the shutdown of an engine during flight and consequent reduced controllability of the airplane.
FAA SHELVES SDR OVERHAUL, OPTS FOR MINOR CHANGES IN SHORT TERM - The Federal Aviation Administration last week scrapped a rule it released five years ago to overhaul the service difficulty report (SDR) requirements, proposing instead to make several minor changes to reporting requirements while it continues to study how best to improve the process. The agency on Sept. 15, 2000 released the original rule increasing the requirements for Part 121, 125 and 135 operators to report problems that crop up with aircraft, engines, systems and components.
FAA STRENGTHENS BAN ON MISLEADING, FRAUDULENT PRODUCT CLAIMS - The Federal Aviation Administration Friday released a rule strengthening its ban on false or misleading claims about type-certificated products.
SKIP WOOD was named chief pilot for Mayo Aviation. Wood, who joined Mayo in 2003, has more than 9,000 flight hours in military and civilian aircraft. He served in the U.S. Navy for 24 years. He also has flown for American Eagle Airlines and United Airlines.
RICHARD KRAVIT was named director of contracts and general counsel for Mooney Airplane Company. Kravit has a 24-year legal career and has 14 years of aviation industry experience. Most recently he was director of contracts and in-house counsel for M7 Aerospace LP, the firm that purchased the U.S. assets of Fairchild Dornier. He also has been contract director and associate general counsel for Fairchild Dornier and was president of Fluf Inc., a Milwaukee, Wis.-based charter firm.
Boeing Business Jets received its first order for a BBJ from an operator in the People's Republic of China, the company said. The operator was not identified. "We are absolutely thrilled and confident that this order will be the first of many in the growing China market for VIP airplanes," said Steven Hill, BBJ president. "The order also brings us closer to our 100th sales order, which we hope to achieve before the end of the year." With the order from the Chinese customer, Boeing now has orders for 98 of the 737 variants.
GULFSTREAM G150 ON TRACK FOR FIRST QUARTER APPROVAL - Gulfstream Aerospace this month flew the second G150 business jet test aircraft slightly ahead of schedule, keeping the program on track for the model to win certification in the first quarter of 2006 and enter service in the third quarter of 2006.
BOMBARDIER Model CL-600-2B19 (Regional Jet Series 100 & 440) airplanes [Docket No. 2003-NM-163-AD; Amendment 39-14244; AD 2005-18-04] - requires inspecting the electrical harnesses of the spoiler and the brake pressure sensor unit on both sides of the wing root to detect any chafing or wire damage, and repairing or replacing any damaged or chafed harness or wire with a new harness, as applicable. This action also provides/requires a terminating modification for the one-time inspection.
Elliott Aviation is seeking FAA approval for a flat panel cockpit upgrade on the Citation Model 650 business jet. The project includes replacing electromechanical and CRT-based electronic flight instrument systems with the Universal 890R large-format instrument package.
GAMA HIRES STATE DEPARTMENT VETERAN TO SUCCEED VALENTINE - Edward T. Smith, a long-time veteran of the U.S. State Department, will join the General Aviation Manufacturers Association later this year as senior vice president of international affairs. Smith will assume responsibility for GAMA's international aviation policy and regulatory involvement with foreign authorities. He also is responsible for maintaining GAMA's relationships with the Commerce and State departments and with FAA's International Office.
KLAUS RETIRING FROM GARRETT/PIEDMONT HAWTHORNE, BRIAN ROWE TO STAND IN - Garrett/ Piedmont Hawthorne/Associated said Frank Klaus, chief executive officer and a member of the board of directors, will retire from the company Sept. 30 and will be replaced as CEO on an interim basis by Brian Rowe, the company's chairman and long-time veteran of the aviation industry. Klaus will be a consultant for a year to the company's leadership team and to the Carlyle Group, the private equity firm that controls Garrett/Piedmont Hawthorne/Associated.
Today (Sept. 19) is the deadline for submitting comments on the IFR on DCA access, which was released in July (BA, July 18/21). Only a few comments had flowed in by late last week. Along with Thompson, other commenters asked TSA to rethink the breadth of the restrictions. The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority urged TSA to consider adding Washington Dulles and Baltimore Washington International Airports to the list of gateway airports that operators must use to access DCA.
JOE MINIACE was appointed deputy assistant administrator for strategic labor management relations for the Federal Aviation Administration. Miniace most recently was president and chief executive officer of the Pacific Maritime Association. As head of PMA, Miniace helped implement a 10-year strategic plan "that revolutionized the West Coast shipping industry, which had been plagued by long-standing labor unrest, excessive work stoppages and productivity declines," FAA said.
CESSNA STICKS WITH FLIGHTSAFETY FOR MUSTANG TRAINING - Cessna Aircraft, which has been sending its business jet customers to FlightSafety International for training for decades, will stick with FSI to train pilots of the new Cessna Mustang.
