SUPREME COURT TURNS DOWN PILOTS' AGE LIMIT CASE - The Supreme Court last week declined to hear a case brought by a group of pilots against FAA for its pilot age limit regulation. In Dallas E. Butler et al., Petitioners v. FAA, 12 Southwest pilots challenged an FAA rule dating to 1960 that grounds Part 121 airline pilots at age 60, arguing that FAA should consider the health and skills of each pilot. But with the high court passing over the case, a lower court's ruling in favor of FAA will stand.
Columbia Air Service is hosting an Aviation Expo and Open House May 21 to celebrate the Groton-New London, Conn. Airport-based company's 25th anniversary. The expo will feature exhibits from vendors including Adam Aircraft, EADS Socata, New Piper Aircraft, ATG, Avidyne, Chelton, Garmin, Honeywell/Bendix, Cessna Finance, Salem Five, Valley Commercial and William J. Grohs Insurance. The Aviation Expo also will include FAA safety seminars and representatives from various universities to talk about their programs.
Although FAA claims to be suffering a budget shortfall this year, some Washington observers are asking whether cutting certification activities is part of a deliberate strategy to ratchet up the overall FAA funding debate. Blakey told attendees at a closed-door funding forum late last month that funding shortages could force "tough decisions" and asked whether the FAA should cut services such as inspection, certification or air traffic control (BA, May 2/200).
BAE Model BAe 146 series airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2005-20724; Directorate Identifier 2004-NM-233-AD] - proposes to require repetitive inspections for cracks of the fuselage pressure skin above the left and right main landing gear bay. This proposed AD also would require corrective action, including related investigative actions, if leaks are found. This proposed AD is prompted by reports of cracks in the fuselage pressure skin above the left and right MLG bay.
BOMBARDIER Model CL-600-2B16 (CL-604) series airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2004-19563; Directorate Identifier 2003-NM-10-AD] - withdraws an NPRM that proposed requiring replacing the side-brace fitting shafts of the main landing gear (MLG) with new, improved side-brace fitting shafts; inspecting for corrosion of the MLG side-brace fitting shafts; and replacing the nut, washer, and cotter pin of the MLG side-brace fitting shafts with new parts, as applicable.
HONEYWELL EYES APPLICATIONS, GROWTH VARIANT OF HTF7000 - Honeywell executives remain optimistic that they will be able to announce at least one, if not more, new customers for the company's HTF7000 turbofan that currently powers Bombardier's Challenger 300. The Challenger has been the only application for the HTF7000, but Honeywell executives said during a media briefing in Phoenix last week that the engine's successful entry into service has captured the attention of the original equipment manufacturers.
INDUSTRY DISCUSSES RESPONSE TO FAA AIRPORT MASTER PLAN UPDATE - Airport industry representatives plan to convene a committee that will draft a response to an FAA proposal aimed at updating the agency's airport master planning guidance. The committee, which is coordinated by the American Association of Airport Executives, was formed two years ago when FAA began considering the update. FAA recently published an advisory circular (AC) on airport master plans, which updates an earlier version from 1985.
GREG JOHNSTON was appointed charter sales manager for Executive Jet Management. Johnston, who is based in Columbus, Ohio, formerly was a technical marketing analyst for EJM affiliate NetJets.
Smiths Detection was selected to partner with Siemens Maintenance Services to provide maintenance support for more than 12,000 pieces of security equipment in 450 commercial airports under a Transportation Security Administration program. The contract runs through Sept. 30 but includes four one-year renewable options. Smiths will provide around-the-clock technical advice, parts, consumables, technical training and access to technical laboratories.
BURKHARD ANDRICH was promoted to senior vice president of engine services for Lufthansa Technik. Andrich joined Lufthansa in 1992 in the Aircraft Overhaul division and has held positions of increasing responsibility. Most recently he was senior vice president of aircraft maintenance.
FAA DELAYS CVR COMMENT PERIOD - The Federal Aviation Administration last week delayed until June 28 the deadline for commenting on a notice of proposed rulemaking to strengthen certain cockpit voice recorder and digital flight data recorder requirements. Comments were originally due Friday. FAA extended the comment period at the request of the Aerospace Industries Association, which said it needed extensive coordination with covered suppliers to draft appropriate comments.
RICHARD BARNHART was appointed general manager, maintenance, repair and overhaul for Barnes Aerospace. Barnhart joins Barnes from Kaman Corp., where he was president, Aerostructures Division. Barnhart also has held senior positions with Solectron Global Services and Pratt & Whitney.
GA SHIPMENTS JUMP NEARLY 16 PERCENT IN FIRST QUARTER - General aviation manufacturers shipped 627 aircraft in the first quarter of 2005, a 15.7 percent improvement over the number of aircraft delivered in first quarter 2004, the General Aviation Manufacturers Association reported Thursday. Billings increased by 14.1 percent, from $2.4 billion in first quarter 2004 to $2.7 billion in the quarter just ended.
AFTER HEARING from a number of groups on future air traffic control financing during an invitation-only FAA Funding Forum held last week, FAA Administrator Marion Blakey plans to incorporate many of the ideas discussed in a paper that could be used to develop a proposal for long-term agency funding. Blakey told the forum that any proposals must be developed in consultation with the various user groups, saying, "Fairness, I think, will be the order of the day." General aviation groups, however, are skeptical that any changes need to be made.
HOLGER DIETSCH was promoted to senior vice president of aircraft maintenance Lufthansa Technik. Previously vice president of engineering for the division, Dietsch has served with Lufthansa Technik since 1996.
A FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION Hughes 369FF helicopter was destroyed after it crashed Wednesday during training exercises in Quantico, Va. The helicopter, N5252Y, was classified as a public use rotorcraft. There were two crew and one passenger aboard at the time, but only minor injuries were reported.
PREMIER AIRCRAFT selected Mojave, Calif.-based Flight Test Associates to test, calibrate and compute the performance improvements associated with Premier's upgrade program for Falcon 50s. The program replaces the original Honeywell TFE-731-3 powerplants with TFE-731-4 engines. Flight Test Associates will do the work using Premier's Falcon 50-4 test bed aircraft from the Mojave airport.
EMBRAER WINS 15-AIRCRAFT ORDER FROM SAUDI ARABIAN AIRLINES - Embraer landed its first order for the Embraer 170 from a customer in the Middle East, Saudi Arabian Airlines, which signed a contract for 15 of the regional jets. The deal, valued at $400 million, calls for delivery to begin in December 2005. The aircraft will be configured in a two-class layout with 66 seats. Saudi Arabian Airlines plans to use the aircraft to add frequencies on existing routes and later develop mini-hubs at Hail City in the north of the country and Abha in the south.
SINO SWEARINGEN AIRCRAFT CORP. (SSAC) reached another certification milestone with the completion of the first phase of cold-soak testing of its SJ30-2 twinjet aircraft. SSAC conducted the tests in a cold-soak facility at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., where the aircraft soaked in an ice fog at -40 degrees Celsius. The aircraft is tested for avionics performance, pre-start, engine start and operation, landing gear retraction and extension, hydraulic system operations and functions of other systems and controls.
CATO: GROUND-BASED LASERS PART OF POSSIBLE MISSILE DEFENSE - Ground-based lasers stationed at airports could be a "longer-term possibility" in guarding commercial aircraft against the looming threat of attack by shoulder-fired missiles (known as MANPADS) in the U.S., according to a report released last month by the Cato Institute.
