Cessna Aircraft last month delivered its 6,000th single-engine piston aircraft since the company opened its piston aircraft production factory in Independence, Kan., in 1996. The 6,000th aircraft, a 172S Skyhawk, was handed over Aug. 30 to Dana Atkinson, president of Anson Air, a Cessna Pilot Center, in Sugar Land, Texas. Cessna originally produced its single-engine piston aircraft in Wichita, Kan., but halted small aircraft production in 1986. The company renewed production after Congress passed the General Aviation Revitalization Act in 1994.
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] - proposes to require modification of the upper frame of the firewall for the auxiliary power unit (APU). This proposed AD results from the discovery of a hole in the upper frame of the firewall for the APU. FAA is proposing this AD to prevent smoke from entering the passenger cabin in the event of a fire in the APU compartment. This proposed AD would affect about 620 airplanes on the U.S.
BANNER-TOWING 206 DAMAGED AFTER TAIL ROTOR, TOW ROPE TANGLE - A Bell 206B helicopter on a banner-towing mission was substantially damaged and its pilot seriously injured Sept. 5 when the aircraft's tail rotor system was damaged after the banner's tow rope became entangled in it.
Garrett/Piedmont Hawthorne/Associated received supplemental type certification for installation of Rockwell Collins' IDS-3000 Integrated Display Systems on a Dassault Falcon 200 and a FJ44 Eagle II Citation 501 series aircraft.
Avfuel Corp. added Ultimate Air Center to its dealer network. Based at Akron/Canton Regional Airport, Ultimate Air Center is owned and operated by John Gordon, a pilot who has more than 25 years of aviation management experience. Ultimate Air Center is a full-service fixed-base operation that provides a crew lounge, catering, courtesy car, WSI/Internet weather access and a range of other amenities.
PACIFIC AEROSPACE Model 750XL airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2005-21935; Directorate Identifier 2005-CE-37-AD] - proposes to require inspecting the condition of the left and right outer panel attachment lugs for damage (scoring and gouging) and/or cracks (using a fluorescent penetrant inspection procedure for the crack inspection); inspecting the spacing of left and right outer panel attachment lugs; replacing the lugs if damage is found; and making necessary corrections to the spacing.
TURBOMECA Artouste III series turboshaft engines [Docket No. FAA-2005-20849; Directorate Identifier 2005-NE-04-AD; Amendment 39-14227; AD 2005-17-06] - requires modification of the engine air intake assembly. This AD results from a report of an in-flight shutdown and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter due to ice ingestion into the engine. FAA is issuing this AD to prevent ice ingestion into the engine, which could lead to an in-flight shutdown and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.
FAA REVISES ADVISORY CIRCULAR FOR AIRPORT MASTER PLANS - To promote a more flexible and tailored approach to airport master planning that "directs attention and resources to critical issues," the FAA has unveiled a revised advisory circular for airport master plans (AC 150/5070-6B). The old circular, last revised in June 1985, took "a cookie-cutter approach" to master planning, according to Dennis Roberts, director of FAA's office of airport planning and programming.
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.
