FIRE CAUSES SERIOUS DAMAGE TO SR22 - A Cirrus SR22 was seriously damaged early this month when the aircraft caught fire as the pilot was getting ready to take off from Runway 12 at the Half Moon Bay, Calif. Airport (HAF). The pilot told National Transportation Safety Board investigators that he had to taxi about 1.5 miles to the departure end of Runway 12.
RICK NEELY was named domestic sales manager for Mooney Airplane Company. Based in Kerrville, Texas, Neely will be responsible for Mooney's direct sales force. Neely formerly managed his own automotive service business. Neely also has corporate pilot experience and is an aircraft owner.
FAA FILLS ATO POSTS - The Federal Aviation Administration filled two key slots in the agency's Air Traffic Organization. Rick Day was named vice president for en route and oceanic services, and Bill Davis was appointed vice president for safety services. Day and Davis have held their positions in acting roles since last year.
GARMIN ALERTS OPERATORS OF FIXES NECESSARY ON GNS 430 UNITS - Garmin last week issued a service alert warning pilots to refrain from flying under instrument flight rules when operating an aircraft equipped with recently built Garmin GNS 430 avionics packages until fixes can be incorporated into the units. The service alert, covering GNS 430 and GNS 430A units produced between Feb.
The 17th annual Greater Washington Aviation Open will be held May 9 at the Indian Spring Country Club in Silver Spring, Md. The annual golf and tennis outing, which has raised thousands of dollars for charity over the years, has pledged the proceeds of this year's event to support the work of the Corporate Angel Network. To register, or to get additional information, write to: Greater Washington Aviation Open, c/o Paul Bollinger, Air Traffic Control Association, 1101 King St., Suite 300, Alexandria, Va.
Elliott Aviation, Moline, Ill., won supplemental type certificate approval from FAA for multiple interior modifications in a Hawker 700A. The mod package was designed to permit converting the aircraft from a corporate configuration to an air ambulance - complete with a Spectrum bed and patient loading system - in less than one hour. Elliott also won certification for installation of a Honeywell Mark VIII enhanced ground proximity warning system and a multifunction radar display.
Cessna appointed West Star Aviation in Grand Junction, Colo., an authorized Citation service center. The authorization covers warranty work as well as scheduled and unscheduled maintenance for all Citation Model 500 series aircraft. West Star is one of six, non-factory owned Cessna authorized Citation service centers in the U.S. West Star parent Premier Air Center in East Alton, Ill., also is an authorized Citation service center. Other Cessna-authorized centers are located in Nebraska, Michigan, Oregon and Texas.
JAYME REINISCH was appointed chief financial officer for Ballistic Recovery Systems, Inc. Reinisch has more than 15 years of financial and operational experience, formerly as corporate controller in charge of finance for Herold Precision Metals.
BOMBARDIER Model CL-600-2B19 (Regional Jet Series 100 & 440) airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2005-20631; Directorate Identifier 2005-NM-025-AD; Amendment 39-14012; AD 2005-06-04] - supersedes an existing AD that requires repetitive inspections of the left and right engine throttle control gearboxes for wear, and corrective action if necessary. The existing AD was prompted by numerous failures of the engine throttle control gearbox, some of which resulted in an in-flight engine shutdown. This AD adds airplanes to the applicability of the existing AD.
NICHOLAS LAPPOS joined Gulfstream Aerospace as vice president of government programs. Lappos will oversee Gulfstream business jet programs for government and military use. He will be based in Savannah, Ga. A 32-year veteran at Sikorsky Aircraft, he most recently was director of the VXX presidential helicopter program. Before that, he was manager for the S-92 helicopter program and director of test engineering for the West Palm Beach, Fla. flight-test center
BUSH PLANS TO RENOMINATE NTSB BOARD MEMBERS - President Bush intends to nominate Ellen G. Engleman Conners for a second two-year term as chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board and Mark V. Rosenker as vice chairman for another two years, the White House said Thursday.
CESSNA Models 402C and 414A airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2005-20513; Directorate Identifier 2005-CE-07-AD; Amendment 39-14022; AD 2005-05-52] - supersedes emergency AD 2005-05-51 and AD 2000-23-01 for Models 402C and 414A airplanes. This AD contains the same information as emergency AD 2005-05-52 and publishes the action in the Federal Register. It requires eddy current inspections of the forward wing spars and visual inspections of the aft and auxiliary spars. This AD is the result of extensive cracks found on three wing spars of the affected airplanes.
A recent determination by the Environmental Protection Agency to require an elaborate secondary containment system to protect against fuel truck spills is raising concerns that some airports and operators may choose to get out of the fueling business, National Air Transportation Association President James Coyne said (BA, March 21/134).
AEROSPACE TECHNOLOGIES OF AUSTRALIA Models N22B, N22S, and N24A airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2005-20439; Directorate Identifier 2005-CE-04-AD] - proposes to supersede AD 2003-14-20, which requires repetitively inspecting, using either dye penetrant or magnetic particle methods, the rudder control lever shafts for cracks; inspecting (one-time) all lever shaft side plates by measuring the thickness; and if cracks or discrepancies in thickness are found, replacing unserviceable parts with new or serviceable parts.
Sisson & Associates, Inc., a Wichita, Kan.-based aviation consulting firm, changed its name to the Aero Business Group in a move designed to promote its aerospace business and expertise. Aero Business Group provides marketing, sales, account management, project evaluation, engineering and business development support for major aerospace and aviation suppliers.
BOMBARDIER Model DHC-8-301, -311, and -315 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2005-20628; Directorate Identifier 2004-NM-51-AD] - proposes to require replacing the pressure control valve of the Type 1 emergency door. This proposed AD is prompted by reports that the pressure control valve of the Type 1 emergency door is susceptible to freezing. FAA is proposing this AD to ensure that the pressure control valve does not freeze and prevent the door seal from deflating, which could result in the inability to open the door in an emergency.
ROSCOE MUSSELWHITE was promoted to chief operating officer for AirLiance Materials. Musselwhite previously was executive vice president for AirLiance, a provider of aircraft material and supply chain partner for several airlines. Musselwhite reports to David Sisson, president and CEO, and is responsible for all aspects of business operations.
Ratliff Aviation, a fixed-base operation located in Tucson, Ariz., is slated to complete by the end of the month a facilities renovation that includes an extended aircraft apron, larger capacity fuel farm, two 12,000-square-foot hangars, renovated pilot and passenger lounges and refurbished office space. The extra hangar and ramp space will enable Ratliff to accommodate aircraft up to the size of a Gulfstream V.
National Business Aviation Association is concerned that a notice on flight training FAA quietly released in mid-February is proving unworkable in some instances and provides operators too little time to meet the mandates. The notice requires air carriers and fractional ownership programs to audit their Part 142 training centers within 90 days to verify that they comply with the approved training programs. While the notice provides 90 days, many operators did not learn of the requirements until a month after the notice was issued.
FUTURE OF 328 PROGRAM IN DOUBT AS AVCRAFT FILES FOR BANKRUPTCY - The future of the 328 regional jet program appears cloudy at best, after Avcraft Aerospace GmbH filed for insolvency. The company had to take the step following the delay in deliveries of several completed aircraft. Munich-based lawyer Martin Prager was appointed as the preliminary administrator. The move is yet another blow for what is one of the last remnants of former regional jet manufacturer Fairchild Dornier.
NTSB CONFIRMS CG PROBLEM ON TEB CHALLENGER - The National Transportation Safety Board confirmed last week that the Challenger CL-600 involved in the Feb. 2 runway overrun accident at the Teterboro, N.J. Airport (TEB) had a center of gravity "well forward of the allowable limit," (BA, March 7/107).
Los Angeles Board Of Airport Commissioners last week contracted with a Burlington, Mass. firm to launch two Part 161 studies to consider further noise restrictions at Van Nuys (VNY) and Los Angeles International (LAX) airports. The commissioners awarded a $6.48 million contract to Harris Miller Miller and Hanson, Inc. to undertake the studies.
FOKKER Model F.28 series airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2005-20594; Directorate Identifier 2004-NM-213-AD] - proposes to require a one-time inspection of the area underneath the auxiliary power unit (APU) enclosure to determine if drain tubes in the area are correctly installed and to detect damaged wiring, and corrective action if necessary. This proposed AD is prompted by a report of a fire under the APU enclosure. FAA is proposing this AD to prevent fuel from accumulating under the APU enclosure, which, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire.
Raytheon Aircraft reduced prices on more than 17,500 parts offered through the Raytheon Aircraft Parts Inventory & Distribution (RAPID) program. Raytheon said prices have been cut in half on some parts. Raytheon Aircraft previously reduced prices on some 10,000 parts last fall, part of an effort to drive down the overall cost of operation for Beechcraft and Hawker customers.
Adam Aircraft plans to open a 22,000-square-foot manufacturing and assembly operation at the Kemp Ogden Airport Gateway Center in Ogden, Utah. The center will be used to manufacture and assemble A500 and A700 aircraft. Adam expects to expand the site in phases. "Our company is fortunate to have a backlog in excess of two years on both the A500 centerline twin and the A700 AdamJet," said Adam CEO Rick Adam. "Ramping up production is a top priority and we believe Utah will be an excellent location for adding to our existing capacity in Colorado."
