LYCOMING ENGINES (Formerly Textron Lycoming) AEIO-360, IO-360, O-360, LIO-360, LO-360, AEIO-540, IO-540, O-540, and TIO-540 series reciprocating engines [Docket No. FAA-2005-21864; Directorate Identifier 2005-NE-29-AD] - proposes, for certain engines rated at 300 horsepower (HP) or lower, to require replacing certain crankshafts (BA, July 25/33). This proposed AD results from reports of 12 crankshaft failures in Lycoming 360 and 540 series engines rated at 300 HP or lower.
Federal Aviation Administration proposed changes to an existing airworthiness directive that requires recurrent inspections for cracks in fan disks on Rolls-Royce Model BR700 turbofan engines. FAA said some 400 engines installed on U.S.-registered aircraft could be affected. The agency said the total cost of compliance could exceed $60 million. See item below.
EMBRAER Model EMB-135 and Model EMB-145, -145ER, -145MR, -145LR, -145XR, -145MP, and -145EP airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2005-20733; Directorate Identifier 2005-NM-004-AD; Amendment 39-14179; AD 2005-14-02] - requires inspecting to determine the part number of the left and right engine fire handles; and replacing the engine fire handles with engine fire handles having different part numbers if necessary. This AD is prompted by cases of the internal circuit of the engine fire handle failing.
LOCKHEED MARTIN, MD HELICOPTERS TEAM FOR ARMY'S LUH COMPETITION - Lockheed Martin and MD Helicopters of Mesa, Ariz., announced a teaming agreement Aug. 9 to compete for the U.S. Army's Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) program. The companies will offer the MD Explorer, which uses twin Pratt & Whitney 207E turbine engines with the NOTAR no-tail-rotor anti-torque system. The helicopter has a crashworthy frame, energy-absorbing crew seating and a crash-resistant fuel system, the companies said in a statement.
ECLIPSE WINS FLEET ORDER FROM FRACTIONAL PROVIDER OURPLANE - OurPLANE, Inc., the Canadian fractional aircraft provider, placed an order valued at more than $26 million for up to 20 Eclipse 500 Very Light Jets (VLJs). The company, based in London, Ontario, ordered 10 of the VLJs and took options for 10 more.
CESSNA SELLS SKYHAWK FLEET FOR AB INITIO TRAINING IN CHINA - Cessna Aircraft is poised to more than triple the size of its single-engine piston fleet in China under a 42-aircraft contract with the Civil Aviation Flight University of China (CAFUC). CAFUC ordered 42 172 Skyhawks for ab initio training. The contract calls for 20 of the aircraft to be equipped with the all-glass Garmin G1000 avionics package and the remainder to be fitted with analog flight instruments. Delivery of the aircraft is slated to begin in early 2006.
TAG Aviation USA, Inc. promoted Lynn Dreifus to director of flight operations. Based at TAG's Westchester County Airport (HPN) office in White Plains, N.Y., Dreifus will directly manage TAG's flight operations and cabin standards activities. She also will oversee all simulator, ground and recurrent training. Dreifus will report to Bob Tyler, TAG's vice president of flight operations and standards. Dreifus began her flying career with Panorama Flight Service and joined Wayfarer Aviation in 1998. She came to TAG when it acquired Wayfarer in 1999.
Aerosonic Corporation teamed with Mid-Continent Instruments to jointly produce and market a standby instrument package for general aviation aircraft. Wichita, Kan.-based Mid-Continent will supply its new two-inch artificial horizon indicator while Aerosonic, the Clearwater, Fla. manufacturer, will provide its two-inch mechanical altimeter and airspeed indicators for the package. The agreement also calls for combined marketing of an upgrade package that will replace mechanical altimeter and airspeed instruments with Aerosonic's new digital instruments.
HARTZELL PROPELLER Models HC-B3TN-2, HC-B3TN-3, HC-B3TN-5, HC-B3MN-3, HC-B4TN-3, HC-B4TN-5, HC-B4MN-5, HC-B4MP-3, HC-B4MP-5, and HC-B5MP-3 propellers [Docket No. FAA-2005-21735; Directorate Identifier 2005-NE-22-AD; Amendment 39-14189; AD 2005-14-12] - requires, for certain propellers installed with propeller mounting bolts, Part Number (P/N) B-3339, initial and repetitive visual inspections and torque checks of certain manufacture lot numbers of propeller mounting bolts, P/N B-3339, and eventual removal from service of those bolts.
The United Kingdom is hoping to clamp down on operators that avoid U.K. regulation by registering their aircraft in foreign states. The U.K. Department for Transport (DFT) released a proposal to limit to 12 months the time a foreign-registered aircraft could spend in the U.K. "It appears that private and corporate aircraft based in the U.K. have been placed on foreign registers to take advantage of what are perceived as less onerous regulatory requirements," the DFT stated. "The use of foreign-registered aircraft to opt out of the U.K.
J. MARC TAYLOR was appointed sales director for Sherwin-Williams Aerospace Coatings. Taylor, who formerly served with another aerospace paint manufacturer, will oversee all sales, marketing and distribution for Sherwin-Williams Aerospace Coating Systems.
Rockwell Collins was awarded FAA technical standard order approval for the use of ADS-B (automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast) on Mode-S transponders. The approval covers the Rockwell Collins TDR-94/94D transponder, the first to fully meet the international RTC DO-260A standard ensuring the integrity and accuracy of the necessary data that supports surveillance applications. The FAA approval will enable enhanced traffic situational awareness on the airport and during flight.
Permira, a private equity firm headquartered in Frankfurt, Germany, won the bidding last week to acquire Jet Aviation, the worldwide aircraft maintenance, refurbishment and fixed-base operations service provider. The Hirschmann family of Switzerland, whose patriarch, the late Carl Hirschmann, started the business in 1967, opted for Permira's offer over one from The Carlyle Group of Washington, D.C. (BA, Aug. 8/55).
The assertion by user-tax opponents that FAA does not have a demonstrated, long-range funding problem is being disputed by the agency. In a fact sheet accompanying its Draft Flight Plan for 2006-2010, FAA acknowledged arguments that the agency's funding concerns will be alleviated through increased passenger ticket tax revenues and the general fund. "But unfortunately, the funding gap is very real," the agency said.
JUDE ZIMMERMAN was named interior manager for Elliott Aviation. He will lead the interior team from concept through completion and delivery. Zimmerman has 29 years of corporate aviation experience, spending 17 years as interior and cabinet shop manager at Raytheon Aircraft Services in Houston, Texas.
FRANCISCO PICORNELL was named director of market processes and solutions for Jet Aviation. He will be based in Central Florida. Picornell has 20 years of aviation industry experience, and previously was vice president of information systems and business operations support for BAE Systems Asset Management.
FOKKER Model F.28 Mark 0070 and 0100 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2005-20870; Directorate Identifier 2004-NM-180-AD; Amendment 39-14174; AD 2005-13-37] - requires repetitive inspections for damage of the drive rod assembly of the aileron tab on each aileron actuator; repetitive measurements of the clearance between the aileron hydraulic lines and the drive rod; and related investigative and corrective actions if necessary.
Bombardier received an order from Tokyo carrier Global Wings, Inc. for a Learjet 45 XR business jet, boosting the number of recent contracts the Canadian plane-maker has received from Asian operators to four, valued at $80 million (U.S.). Global Wings will base the Learjet 45 XR in Osaka, Japan. The carrier already operates a Learjet 45 XR, which received Civil Aviation Administration of China certification in January.
Inventory Locator Service reached agreement with Forecast International to offer a series of new products that combine ILS's pricing and supply/demand data for aircraft and engine parts with Forecast International's 10-year forecasts and existing fleet data. The companies hope to provide current and future market trends to help airlines, manufacturers, suppliers and maintenance companies develop better strategies and pricing models.
Raytheon Aircraft Company teamed with Hainan Airlines of China to establish an authorized service center to service and maintain Beechcraft and Hawker aircraft. The center is based in Haikou City, China. The center will be capable of performing all maintenance on Beechcraft Premier I and Hawker 800XP aircraft.
Honeywell won a contract from Airservices Australia, the Australian air navigation service provider, to supply its Ground-based Regional Augmentation System (GRAS) to enhance the accuracy and integrity of the global positioning navigation system. GRAS uses a network of very-high-frequency radio stations that transmit radio signals to correct for inherent GPS navigation errors.
LEARJET Model 23, 24, 24A, 24B, 24B-A, 24C, 24D, 24D-A, 24E, 24F, 24F-A, 25, 25A, 25B, 25C, 25D, 25F, 28, 29, 31, 31A, 35, 35A (C-21A), and 36 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2005-20872; Directorate Identifier 2004-NM-271-AD; Amendment 39-14173; AD 2005-13-36] - requires a one-time inspection of the center ball of the aileron control cable or cables for a defective swage, and corrective actions if necessary. This AD is prompted by a report indicating that an aileron cable failed on one affected airplane when the cable underwent a tension check.
