HEALING RESIGNS AS NTSB MEMBER; BOARD HAS TWO VACANCIES - Richard F. Healing, who has been involved in safety pursuits in several areas of transportation for decades, resigned his seat on the National Transportation Safety Board, effective Aug. 1. Healing was sworn in as an NTSB member March 28, 2003 for a term that was not due to expire until Dec. 31, 2006.
HOFFMANN PROPELLER Models HO-V343 and HO-V343K Propellers] [Docket No. FAA-2004-18958; Directorate Identifier 2004-NE-32-AD; Amendment 39-14137; AD 2005-13-01] - supersedes an existing AD that requires repetitive visual inspections of propeller blades for blade shake and blade nut preload. That AD also requires repetitive eddy current inspections of blade hubs for damage and cracks. This AD requires an ultrasonic inspection of the propeller hub and an eddy current inspection of the propeller hub if any cracks are discovered during ultrasonic inspection.
Notably absent from this week's Oshkosh festivities will be Sino Swearingen Aircraft's SJ30-2 business jet, because officials say they are immersed in a very intensive flight test program with three aircraft. "I'm not going to go to Oshkosh if I can't bring an airplane," said Gene Comfort, senior vice president-U.S. and international sales and marketing. The SJ30-2 recently successfully completed landing tests on flooded runways.
HIGHER CESSNA SALES HELP BOOST TEXTRON RESULTS - Higher revenues and operating profits reported by Cessna Aircraft and Bell Helicopter helped boost financial results for parent company Textron in the second quarter. Revenues at Cessna were up $410 million to $910 million, "due to higher CitationJet, single-engine, Caravan and used aircraft volume," Textron said, along with the consolidation of CitationShares. Operating profit at Cessna jumped $77 million, to $121 million, "primarily due to the higher volumes and pricing, partially offset by inflation.
After years of delay in development and certification of the SJ30-2, Comfort and other company officials now say FAA certification is on track "for finalization the second half of this year with customer deliveries to follow shortly thereafter." Comfort said Sino Swearingen will have an aircraft at the NBAA convention in November and plans to attend a long list of air shows, conventions and exhibitions next year.
Southwest Jet Aviation added a Bombardier Challenger business jet to its charter fleet. The aircraft is based at Southwest's facilities at Scottsdale Municipal Airport in Arizona.
National Business Aviation Association officials are hopeful the schedule laid out by TSA last week will permit business aviation flights to begin visiting DCA by mid-October.
FAA: CRANKSHAFTS IN ANOTHER 1,100 LYCOMING ENGINES MUST BE REPLACED - The Federal Aviation Administration said Friday that crankshafts in more than 1,100 Textron Lycoming engines must be replaced because of a series of crankshaft failures.
HONEYWELL REORGANIZATION WILL COST 2,000 JOBS - Honeywell Aerospace officials said the reorganization launched last month by new President and CEO Rob Gillette will entail the elimination of some 2,000 jobs. Gillette's objective is to streamline the business and eliminate some management layers that he concluded interfered with the company/customer interface. Aerospace is being reorganized into three divisions: Air Transport/Regional; Business and General Aviation; and Defense and Space (BA, June 6/255).
DOT ADDS FOUR AIRPORTS TO MILITARY AIRPORT PROGRAM - The Department of Transportation chose four former military airports to enter the department's Military Airport Program, Secretary Norman Mineta announced earlier this month. Williams Gateway in Mesa, Ariz.; Cecil Field in Jacksonville, Fla.; Guam in Agana, Guam; and Rickenbacker in Columbus, Ohio, will receive funds for three years to further develop as civilian facilities. The number of airports participating in MAP now totals 15.
Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer won certification last week for its Embraer 170 and 175 airliners from Transport Canada Civil Aviation, the Canadian certification authority. The approval clears the way for Embraer to begin delivery of the first of 15 Embraer 175s ordered by Air Canada. The 170 (70-78 seats) and the 175 (78-86 seats) won certification earlier from government agencies in Brazil, the U.S. and Europe.
AUTOMATION COMPANIES TEAM FOR NEW MANUFACTURING PROCESSES - Kuka Robotics Corp. of Clinton Township, Mich., has joined forces with six other automation companies to develop new manufacturing processes for the aerospace industry. The industry needs to reduce production time by using new generations of flexible robots, sensors and "intelligent fixturing," the company said July 7.
MICHAEL YOUNG was named co-chair of ARINC Engineering Services (AES). Young has been vice president of AES since 2004, directing the Aircraft and Weapons Systems unit.
CUSTOMER DEMAND DRIVING PRODUCTION BOOST AT GULFSTREAM - A growing backlog of orders for its business jet models is forcing Gulfstream Aerospace to increase aircraft production, according to Nicholas Chabraja, chairman of Gulfstream parent General Dynamics.
SHORT BROTHERS Model SD3-60 airplanes [Docket No. 2003-NM-127-AD; Amendment 39-14168; AD 2005-13-31] - requires performing repetitive inspections of the shear attachment fittings of the vertical stabilizer for corrosion, and performing corrective actions if necessary. The actions specified by this AD are intended to detect and correct corrosion in the area of the main spar web fittings of the vertical stabilizer, which could reduce structural integrity of the vertical stabilizer.
TURBOMECA Arriel 2B turboshaft engines [Docket No. FAA-2005-21624; Directorate Identifier 2005-NE-17-AD; Amendment 39-14162; AD 2005-13-25] - requires initial and repetitive inspections, cleaning, lubrication, and checks for proper operation of the HMU acceleration controller axle. FAA is issuing this AD to prevent loss of control of engine fuel flow in manual control mode or mixed control mode, leading to engine overspeed and in-flight engine shutdown, or uncommanded in-flight engine shutdown. Effective date was July 11, but FAA will accept comments until Aug. 23.
ADELLE PIERCE was appointed co-chair of ARINC Incorporated's defense subsidiary ARINC Engineering Services (AES). Pierce has served as vice president of the Defense System Engineering unity within AES since 2004. She is responsible for the Navy Engineering, Army, Advanced Applications and Advanced Space Divisions.
Aug. 18 is the date when qualified flight departments may begin submitting applications to the Transportation Security Administration seeking approval to conduct flights into Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). TSA finally published in the Federal Register its Interim Final Rule July 19 detailing procedures for non-airlines to meet security requirements for flights into DCA, which has been closed to non-airline traffic since the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Comments on the IFR may be submitted through Sept.
RAYTHEON AIRCRAFT Model 390 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2005-21410; Directorate Identifier 2005-CE-31-AD] -- proposes to require replacing the rudder pedal arm assemblies used in the rudder control system with improved parts. This proposed AD results from reports of cracks found on the rudder pedal arm assemblies. FAA is issuing this proposed AD to prevent failure of the rudder pedal arm assemblies caused by fatigue cracks. This failure could lead to loss of rudder control, loss of nose gear steering, and loss of toe brakes on the side on which the failure occurs.
This week's Experimental Aircraft Association AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wis. will feature displays and presentations by a number of companies on the verge of getting new aircraft and powerplants into the market. Eclipse Aviation has four test aircraft flying and expects to win FAA certification for its Eclipse 500 Very Light Jet (VLJ) by the end of March. Cessna Aircraft Chairman Jack Pelton plans to fly a new Cessna Mustang to Oshkosh. And HondaJet, which has been guarded in disclosing details about its new aircraft and engine, will show off both.
CHRIS BECKER was promoted from director of flight testing to vice president of flight operations for Meggitt/S-TEC of Mineral Wells, Texas. Becker, who has more than 28 years of flight and aviation management experience, is responsible for leading S-TEC's flight test team, including pilots, engineers and technicians. He also will supervise all certification flight testing, STC design and development, customer aircraft service and factory installations. A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and the U.S Naval Test Pilot School, Becker spent 20 years in the U.S.
ECLIPSE NOW HAS FOUR TEST AIRCRAFT FLYING Eclipse Aviation Corp., which has generated a groundswell of interest in an emerging Very Light Jet segment of the aviation market, now has four test aircraft conducting flight tests as the company attempts to achieve FAA certification for the Eclipse 500 next year.
THE PORT AUTHORITY of New York and New Jersey is continuing to work with FAA in the hope of developing a series of restrictions that would reduce the number of flights into Teterboro Airport in New Jersey but without violating FAA guidelines. FAA warned the Port Authority earlier this month that the proposed restrictions could violate grant assurance agreements (BA, July 11/9). But a PANYNJ spokesman said the port authority will continue to explore potential avenues to accomplish its goal. PANYNJ is getting strong support from Rep.
