Despite persistent reports that Bombardier might sell its Learjet manufacturing operations in Wichita, Kan., that will not happen, said Pierre Beaudoin, president of Bombardier Aerospace. Asked about the possible sale of the Wichita facilities during a conference call on the company's fiscal 2005 financial results, Beaudoin responded that "we have no intention of selling" the Learjet operations, citing demand for Learjet models.
A Texas judge signed a $96 million judgment last week against Textron Lycoming, upholding an earlier jury verdict (BA, Feb. 21/85). The judgment, signed by Judge Jerry Sandel of the 278th Judicial District Court in Anderson, Texas, includes $86.3 million in punitive damages. The case centered around engine failures in aircraft built by Cessna, Piper and other manufacturers, primarily because of broken crankshafts. The jury found Textron Lycoming guilty of fraud and said the company's design of the crankshafts was the "sole cause" of the crankshaft failures.
Peter Bunce took over Friday as president and chief executive of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association, bringing a wealth of hands-on congressional experience from his most recent Air Force assignments. See article below.
Carol Carmody left the National Transportation Safety Board Friday after serving as a member for nearly five years. Carmody joined NTSB in June 2000 and served as vice chair from 2001 to 2003. She also served as acting chair during that time. Before joining the safety board, Carmody was the U.S. representative to the International Civil Aviation Organization and a staff member on the Senate Commerce Committee.
Air Transport Association continued its public rhetoric last week about the need for business aircraft operators to pay more for their use of the national airspace system (NAS).
ExcelAire added a Gulfstream IV-SP and a Gulfstream III to its charter fleet. The additions increase the Ronkonkoma, N.Y.-based charter's fleet of Gulfstream aircraft to nine. ExcelAire also added two Hawker 800s to its fleet. The Hawkers are based at Republic Airport in Farmingdale and at Long Island MacArthur Airport in Islip. The ExcelAire fleet also includes Citation and Learjet aircraft and Sikorsky, Bell and Eurocopter helicopters.
COYNE APPEALS TO SENATE LEADERS FOR BANNER-TOWER RELIEF - The nearly three-year-old ban on aerial advertisers over sporting events persists not because of valid security concerns but because stadium operators want to keep the monopoly they enjoy on stadium advertising, National Air Transportation Association President James Coyne told Senate Commerce Committee leaders, urging Congress to lift the ban.
One of the technical issues under discussion between FAA and South American officials is atmospheric effects on GPS and WAAS signals near the equator. Scientists have found problems with the integrity of those signals within 20 degrees of the equator due to ionospheric effects.
BILL GARHILL joined Banyan Air Service as director of customer service. Garhill has more than 25 years of aviation experience, serving as a quality assurance manager at the corporate headquarters of Raytheon Aircraft Services as well as a line service manager in Tampa. He has earned commercial, instrument and certified flight instructor ratings.
April 12-18 - Sun 'N' Fun Fly-In, Lakeland, Fla., (863) 644-2431 April 26-28 - Flight Safety Foundation/National Business Aviation Association Corporate Aviation Safety Seminar, Orlando, Fla., (202) 783-9000 April 27-30 - Aircraft Electronics Association Annual Convention and Trade Show, Grapevine, Texas, (816) 478-3100 May 1-4 - American Association of Airport Executives 77th Annual Conference & Exposition, Seattle, Wash., (703) 824-0504
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 (MLG) 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.
GULFSTREAM'S APPLETON FACILITY PERFORMING MULTIPLE MISSIONS - Gulfstream Aerospace is dividing its Appleton, Wis. manufacturing and maintenance facility into three separate units.
BAE Model BAe 146 and Model Avro 146-RJ series airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2005-20729; Directorate Identifier 2002-NM-71-AD] - proposes to supersede an existing AD that currently requires revising the Airworthiness Limitations Section (ALS) of the Instructions for Continued Airworthiness to incorporate life limits for certain items and inspections to detect fatigue cracking in certain structures.
PAMELA WICKHAM was appointed vice president of communications and corporate affairs for Raytheon Company. Wickham previously was vice president, corporate communications for Hewlett Packard and before that, was executive vice president for GE Healthcare.
Reflecting FAA's growing interest in Latin America, Deputy Administrator Bobby Sturgell was attending the LABACE exhibition in Brazil last week and told BA in a telephone interview Thursday that FAA Administrator Marion Blakey planned to be in Brazil within a month. "Certainly we recognize the growing importance of business aviation," Sturgell said. "As the industry becomes increasingly global, it is going to become more important for regulators to harmonize their approach.
TERRY WHITE was named branch manager for the Nashua, N.H. office of National Air Insurance Agencies. White previously was assistant vice president/Canada branch manager for AIG Aviation. He is an active pilot with commercial, multi-engine and instrument ratings.
Canadian manufacturer Bombardier posted a net loss for the second consecutive year and suspended dividend payments to holders of its common stock, but company officials were attempting to accentuate the positive in conferences with reporters and financial analysts Thursday.
While the TSA appears to be inching closer to implementing a plan to reopen Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) to general aviation operations, Congress is continuing to press the agency to ensure that happens. The House Government Reform Committee Friday is slated to hold a hearing on the impact of the continuing ban on GA operations at DCA. TSA chief David Stone and officials from the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority and Signature Flight Support are tentatively scheduled to testify.
Iviation, the Memphis-based aviation consultant, is offering a recurrent Human Factors and Crew Resource Management course on either April 26 or 27 at the Harvey Hotel at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. The course will cover leadership and teamwork, communication, situational awareness, decision-making, fatigue and controlled flight into terrain awareness and avoidance. For more information, visit the Web site at www.iviation.com or e-mail [email protected].
GA, CHARTER ACCIDENT RATES DROP IN 2004, NTSB SAYS - The general aviation accident rate dipped to a historic low of 6.22 per 100,000 hours in 2004, according to figures released by the National Transportation Safety Board. NTSB Tuesday released preliminary accident statistics for 2004, reporting a decline in the total number of U.S. civil aviation accidents from 1,864 in 2003 to 1,715 in 2004. Fatalities overall decreased from 695 to 635. General aviation operators were involved in 1,614 accidents in 2004, down from 1,741 in 2003.
BAE Model BAe 146 and Avro 146-RJ series airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2005-20757; Directorate Identifier 2004-NM-192-AD] - proposes to require modifying the auxiliary power unit (APU) exhaust duct in the environmental control system (ECS) bay; installing new, improved insulation on this APU exhaust duct; and replacing the existing drain pipe with a new exhaust drain pipe blank. This proposed AD is prompted by a determination that the temperature of the skin of the APU exhaust duct in the ECS bay is higher than the certificated maximum temperature for this area.
FAA finalized an agreement with the National Association of Air Traffic Specialists (NAATS) union to provide career assistance to automated flight service station employees affected by the recent A-76 outsourcing decision. FAA said the agreement "benefits all parties equally" and includes "not only...a generous compensation package if they leave federal service, but also...ample time to prepare for such a transition and seek other federal employment." Kate Breen, president of NAATS, said the agreement "gives people some benefits. Is it a gold watch?
HONEYWELL NAMES TWO TO NEW LEADERSHIP POSTS - Honeywell named executives to two new posts in the company's Airframe Systems and Aircraft Landing Systems businesses. Peg Billson was named vice president and general manager of the $1.8 billion Airframe Systems business. A 13-year veteran of McDonnell Douglas, Billson joined Honeywell in 1997. She served as vice president of engineering, technology & program management for Engines, Systems & Services, and since 2003 she has been vice president and general manager of Aircraft Landing Systems.
