Pilots who begin flying younger are less likely to be involved in weather-related general aviation accidents than those who start flying later in life, according to the National Transportation Safety Board. NTSB came to that conclusion after studying risks associated with weather-related GA accidents. NTSB discovered that the connection between age and accident risk was not likely due to physical aging but factors associated with the age at which a person begins flight training, the agency said.
CHRIS HAAS was named director, parts sales, for Garrett/Piedmont Hawthorne/Associated. Haas has more than 25 years of aviation experience, beginning as salesman for Van Dusen Aircraft Supplies. He also served with Standard Aero Ltd., which is now also owned by the Carlyle Group, where he held roles of increasing responsibility in distribution and maintenance, repair and overhaul sales management. Haas joined Garrett Aviation Services in 2000 as a sales manager.
BOMBARDIER Model CL-215-1A10 (Water Bomber), CL-215-6B11 (CL215T Variant), and CL-215-6B11 (CL415 Variant) airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2005-21595; Directorate Identifier 2002-NM-321-AD; Amendment 39-14245; AD 2005-18-05] - supersedes an existing AD, which requires repetitive ultrasonic inspections to detect cracking of the lower caps of the wing front spar and rear spar, and corrective action if necessary. This new AD reduces the threshold to do the initial inspections and revises the repetitive inspection interval.
Two Transportation Security Administration officials have joined Wexler & Walker Public Policy Associates in Washington, D.C. Tom Blank, one of the longest serving employees at TSA, who briefly was acting deputy administrator, joined Wexler & Walker in August and was named vice chairman. Chad Wolf, who has been assistant administrator for policy at TSA, will join the firm next month. Wolf was involved in efforts to develop a plan to re-open Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to non-airline flights.
NTSB URGES FAA TO STRENGTHEN PILOT WEATHER TRAINING - Concerned that two-thirds of all general aviation accidents in instrument meteorological conditions are fatal, the National Transportation Safety Board last week recommended that the Federal Aviation Administration strengthen weather training requirements and improve weather information distributed to pilots. The safety board's recommendations stem from a study the agency conducted on risks of weather-related GA accidents that involved a review of 72 accidents that occurred between April 2003 and April 2004.
After flying top-end business jets all day, corporate pilots deserve a nice ride on the ground too, according to Tampa International Jet Center (TIJC). The fixed-base operator has upgraded its crew cars to include an X-Type Jaguar and a Mustang convertible. "We appreciate the fact that pilots don't want to hang around the FBO all day, so we felt we should provide them a classy way to enjoy some of the great attractions the Tampa area has to offer," said Mike Azzarelli, president of the FBO.
ISRAEL AIRCRAFT INDUSTRIES Model 1124 and 1124A airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2005-22306; Directorate Identifier 2005-NM-169-AD; Amendment 39-14253; AD 2005-18-13] - requires a one-time inspection for chafing of the electrical bundles in the overhead circuit breaker panel, and for adequate clearance between the fuselage frame and adjacent structures; and repair and rework if necessary. This AD results from reports of fire and smoke occurring in the passenger cabin. This AD also requires certain preventive actions.
Innotech Aviation received MAR-145 Maintenance Organization approval from aviation authorities in Macau, a special administrative region of the People's Republic of China. The approval covers base and line maintenance for the Bombardier Challenger 601, Honeywell GTCP-150 auxiliary power unit, aircraft components and airframe structural repairs. A Macau-based Challenger is undergoing major maintenance at Innotech's facility in Montreal, Quebec.
Lockheed Martin won a $50.8 million contract from the U.S. Navy to improve communications capabilities of MH-60R and MH-60S helicopters. The contract includes adding Link 16 equipment to allow future MH-60Rs and armed versions of the MH-60S to swap situational awareness informational and coordinate weapons engagement with friendly forces. Lockheed Martin also will install a Personnel Location System on MH-60S helicopters to support their combat-search-and-rescue roles.
PETER EDWARDS' ABRUPT DEPARTURE FROM BOMBARDIER HAS INDUSTRY PUZZLED - Peter Edwards, 49, president of Bombardier's thriving Business Aircraft unit, abruptly left the company last week for unknown reasons.
September 15 - National Business Aviation Association Business Aviation Regional Forum, Centennial Airport, Denver, Colo., (202) 783-9000 September 15-16 - National Air Transportation Association Line Service Supervisor Training, Dayton, Ohio, (703) 845-9000 September 18-21 - Airports Council International-North America, 16th Annual Conference & Exhibition, Metro Toronto Convention Center, Toronto, Ontario (202) 293-8500, e-mail [email protected]
As the rescue effort continued throughout the Gulf of Mexico region last week in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, more airports returned to service and aviation fuel prices appeared to stabilize. Spot checks by the National Air Transportation Association last week revealed that Jet A fuel prices had eased slightly from their peak early in September, but still remained above pre-hurricane levels. The main pipelines previously shut down returned to almost full operations and more refineries came back on line.
The Nordam Group elected Lynn Brubaker to the board of directors. Most recently vice president and general manager-Commercial Aerospace for Honeywell, Brubaker has a 26-year aerospace career. Brubaker began her career with the airlines, working for Comair and Republic, which later became part of Northwest Airlines. She joined McDonnell Douglas in 1986 and 10 years later was recruited by AlliedSignal.
KIMBERLY SKINNER joined Schubach Aviation as charter sales coordinator. Skinner will oversee travel arrangements for the Carlsbad, Calif.-based charter company, including quoting charter trips, scheduling and fulfilling special guest requests. She previously spent three years as a charter sales coordinator for Million Air Salt Lake City and also has served as a concierge at Grand America Hotel, also located in Salt Lake City.
FAA has given the City of Chicago until Sept. 15 to pay a $33,000 civil penalty or request a hearing on the proposed penalty for failing to comply with a required 30-day notice for deactivating Meigs Field. FAA first warned the city of the proposed penalty in October (BA, Oct. 4/148), but the city has yet to satisfy the agency's concerns, prompting FAA to issue a "Final Notice of Proposed Civil Penalty." FAA also reportedly is continuing to look into whether the city improperly diverted $1.5 million in restricted airport revenues for demolishing the runway at Meigs.
SAAB Model 2000 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2005-21341; Directorate Identifier 2003-NM-026-AD; Amendment 39-14231; AD 2005-17-10] - requires an inspection for cracking of the fastener holes in the front and rear spars, a modification of the fastener holes of the front and rear spars and the rear spar web, and related investigative/corrective actions if necessary. This AD is prompted by a report of cracking of certain fastener holes in the lower spar cap of the rear spar and in the lower skin at the front spar.
STIMPSON, GUERRA SELECTED FOR TOP NBAA AWARDS - The National Business Aviation Association board of directors named Edward W. Stimpson and Ronald J. Guerra to receive the association's top awards at this year's NBAA convention. Stimpson, the long-time president of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association and former U.S. representative to the International Civil Aviation Association in Montreal, Quebec, will receive the 2005 NBAA Award for Meritorious Service to Aviation.
Premier Jet Aviation named John Hall president. A long-time member of the Cessna Citation sales organization, Hall most recently had been senior vice president of the CitationShares fractional aircraft ownership program. A graduate of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, Hall is a Citation-rated pilot. He will be based at Premier's San Antonio, Texas office and will report to Mark Schweibold, chairman and CEO of the business aircraft acquisition and sales organization, which is headquartered in Indianapolis, Ind.
FAA PROVIDES MORE TIME FOR SECOND-IN-COMMAND COMPLIANCE - The Federal Aviation Administration Friday reissued a final rule creating a second-in-command (SIC) type rating to establish a June 6, 2006 compliance date for the rule. The rule, first released Aug. 4 (BA, Aug. 8/57), had an effective date of Sept. 6, which also served as the compliance date. While some interested parties had asked FAA to give pilots six to 18 months to comply with the SIC rating requirements, FAA said it originally believed that 30 days was sufficient time.
DON EMERLING was appointed director, quality and process improvement, for Executive Jet Management. Emerling joins EJM with more than 25 years of experience in quality management, Six Sigma, process improvement, process design and reengineering and process documentation. He previously worked for 3M, Imation, and Ryobi, and has owned and operated a service business.
ECLIPSE ASSESSING DAMAGE AFTER TEST AIRCRAFT BELLIES IN - Eclipse Aviation Corp. officials were still assessing the damage last week to one of the manufacturer's flight test aircraft after the pilots made an inadvertent gear-up landing Sept. 4 at the Albuquerque International Sunport.
Gulfstream said its G550 long-range business jet set a city-pair speed record between Newark, N.J. and Tel Aviv, Israel. The aircraft departed Newark International Airport at 8:16 p.m. on Aug. 28 and flew 5,031 nautical miles, landing at Ben Gurion Airport Aug. 29 at 1:08 p.m. local time. The trip took nine hours and 52 minutes. The performance would be the 15th city-pair speed record that the G550 has set since entering service nearly two years ago. Gulfstream is awaiting official National Aeronautic Association recognition of the latest record.
NTSB RECOMMENDS MORE FREQUENT AILERON CHECKS ON CRJ FLEET -The National Transportation Safety Board recommended that operators of Bombardier CL-600-2B19 aircraft conduct more frequent aileron checks to ensure that the aileron freeplay does not exceed maximum limits. The safety board further recommended that Bombardier develop guidance instructing CRJ flight crews on proper recognition of and response to aileron links that have worn.
Flight Options won approval for its Embraer Legacy business jets to fly into Telluride Regional Airport in Telluride, Colo., the company announced. The approval, coming just before the start of ski season in the Rockies, is significant because the Legacy "is the cornerstone of our large cabin fleet," Flight Options said (BA, Aug. 22/79).
