Cessna Aircraft delivered the first new Cessna 172 Skyhawk and 182 Skylane equipped with AmSafe's seatbelt airbags. The 172, equipped with two front-seat airbags, was handed over to Midland College for student pilot training. The Skylane, equipped with seatbelt airbags in all four seats, was sold to Central California Aviation, a Cessna dealer and authorized service center. The seatbelt airbags are now standard equipment on all Cessna 172s, 182s and 206s.
BELL UNVEILS LARGE-CABIN TWIN-ENGINE HELICOPTER - Bell Helicopter Textron (BHT) unveiled two mockups of a new twin-engine Model 429, designated the GlobalRanger, at last week's Helicopter Association International convention in Anaheim, Calif.
March 8-10 - National Air Transportation Association/Professional Aviation Maintenance Association GSE Aviation Services and Suppliers AS3 Supershow, Sands Expos & Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nev., (703) 845-9000 March 10-12 - 16th Annual International Women in Aviation Conference, Adam's Mark Hotel, Dallas, Texas, (386) 226-7996 March 14-16 - 17th Annual Flight Safety Foundation European Aviation Safety Seminar, Sheraton Warsaw Hotel and Towers, Warsaw, Poland, (703) 739-6700
MD HELICOPTERS Model 600N helicopters [Docket No. 2004-SW-16-AD] - proposes to supersede an existing AD that requires certain inspections of both upper tailboom attachments, nutplates, and angles for a crack or thread damage, and repairing or replacing any cracked or damaged part. Also, that AD requires replacing certain tailboom attachment bolts, adding a washer to each bolt, and modifying both upper access covers.
FAA, INDUSTRY TO CONSIDER CHARTER SAFETY INITIATIVES - Senior Federal Aviation Administration officials have asked several industry groups to assemble in a closed-door meeting Friday afternoon (Feb. 18) to consider initiatives that promote best practices for charter safety. The meeting will continue an ongoing dialogue between the National Air Transportation Association and the agency over measures the industry can take to improve safety.
BELL SELLS 20 AB139s TO SEACOR FOR OFFSHORE SUPPORT - Bell/Agusta received a contract from offshore support services company SEACOR for 20 AB139s, the largest single order that the joint venture has received for the medium-twin helicopter, the company announced last week. Bell/Agusta will begin delivery of the AB139s to Seacor later this year and continue through 2009. SEACOR will use the helicopters to support offshore oil operations in the Gulf of Mexico, but might use them in more extensive operations in the future.
Thales won a contract valued at $40 million (U.S.) from the Presidency of Civil Aviation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to provide its EUROCAT air traffic management system for Saudi Arabia. The contract calls for Thales to supply air traffic en route control centers for Riyadh and Jeddah and approach control centers for Riyadh, Jeddah and Madinah. The system will provide air traffic radar coverage throughout Saudi Arabia.
The Senate last week approved 72 to 26 legislation that would require certain kinds of class action cases to be heard in federal court rather than state court. The legislation is expected to be considered by the House this week.
Simon Maina was named regional sales manager of the Central region in the U.S. and Canada for Aviation Technology Group. Maina will oversee sales of the Javelin jet in a region that includes North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota and Indiana. He has more than 20 years of experience in sales and management. He most recently was commercial sales manager for ATG. Before that, he ran his own aviation sales company, Boulder Aviation, and was president and CEO of Premier Aviation.
AGUSTA Model A109E helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2005-20292; Directorate Identifier 2004-SW-26-AD] - proposes to require visually inspecting each main transmission support fitting attachment bolt for a fracture, a crack, or looseness, and verifying the torque on each fitting bolt. This proposal is prompted by two incidents of fatigue failure of the bolts that secure the transmission rear support fittings to the helicopter.
AIR TRACTOR Models AT-502, AT-502A, AT-502B, and AT-503A airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2004-19961; Directorate Identifier 2004-CE-48-AD] - proposes to supersede AD 2002-26-05, which lowers the safe life for the wing lower spar cap for Models AT-502, AT-502A, AT-502B, and AT-503A airplanes and those that incorporate or have incorporated Marburger Enterprises winglets.
Aviation Marketing veteran Robert Stangarone was named vice president, sales and marketing, for the Melbourne, Fla. small plane-maker Liberty Aerospace. Stangarone has 25 years of experience, holding executive positions with Fairchild Dornier, Litton, Rolls-Royce, Pratt & Whitney and Sikorsky. He more recently was vice president of marketing and public affairs for the now-defunct Safire Aircraft. Stangarone also has served as managing director at Broadgate Consultants and as managing editor for BA affiliate Business & Commercial Aviation magazine.
ROLLS-ROYCE Model Tay 611-8, 620-15, 650-15, and 651-54 turbofan engines [Docket No. 2002-NE-37-AD; Amendment 39-13962; AD 2005-03-06] - supersedes an existing AD for Tay 611-8, 620-15, 650-15, and 651-54 turbofan engines with low pressure (LP) fuel tube, part number (P/N) JR33021A, installed. That AD currently requires initial and repetitive inspections of the LP fuel tubes. This AD requires the same inspections and adds a requirement to replace the fuel tube with a new design tube, as mandatory terminating action to the repetitive inspections.
The Bush Administration's proposed budget for FAA in fiscal 2006 would sharply increase the amount of money from the Airport and Airway Trust Fund used to cover FAA's costs and would reduce spending significantly for the Airport Improvement Program. The proposal also would trim Facilities and Equipment spending below authorized levels.
Honeywell signed an agreement with AltoBridge, Ltd. to use software technology that will enable aircraft passengers to make cellular telephone calls in flight. The cellular phone system initially will work through GSM cellular networks, but the agreement calls for AltoBridge to integrate the Honeywell systems with other networks. AltoBridge will provide software for the airborne system along with the network interface on the ground. Honeywell tested the system with AltoBridge software last summer under an FCC experimental license.
CAE TAKES CHARGE, REPORTS BIG LOSS, PLANS RESTRUCTURING - CAE, the Canadian simulator manufacturer and training provider, took a charge of $443.3 million in the third quarter ended Dec. 31, which resulted in a net loss of $347 million for the quarter. The company also announced plans for a major restructuring and said it plans to lay off hundreds of employees.
TSA PROVIDES TRANSIENT AIRCRAFT ACCESS TO DC-3 AIRPORTS - For the first time since the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, transient aircraft may access three Maryland airports dubbed the "DC-3" under an interim final rule the Transportation Security Administration released last week. The rule, printed in the Feb. 10 Federal Register, transfers responsibility for ground security at College Park Airport, Potomac Airfield and Washington Executive/Hyde Field airports to TSA and sets up a series of procedures for transient aircraft to access those airports.
Cessna Aircraft sold a Citation Excel to new India-based fractional aircraft ownership provider Club One and a Citation XLS to Jindal Iron and Steel Co., also based in India. The Citation Excel will enter service in March, and Cessna will deliver the XLS to Jindal in the fourth quarter. Cessna also delivered two Citations to customers in India in 2004, and said the market in India, which previously had been home to a total of five Citations, has started to flourish.
Embraer signed a memorandum of understanding with the Indian Defense, Research and Development Organization to support the Indian Air Force's new Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C) system development. Embraer will provide its EMB 145 Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance platform for analysis. The analysis is expected to lead to an initial contract for three EMB 145 AEW&C aircraft and technical support during the development effort and possibly more orders in the future.
The Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee Monday approved the nomination of Michael Chertoff to be the next secretary of Homeland Security. The full Senate is expected to consider the nomination this week.
RAYTHEON 90, 99, 100, 200, and 300 series airplanes [Docket No. 2000-CE-38-AD; Amendment 39-13928; AD 2005-01-04] - incorporates corrections to AD 2005-01-04, which was published in the Jan. 6 Federal Register. AD 2005-01-04 applies to certain Raytheon 90, 99, 100, 200, and 300 series airplanes. This action incorporates the corrections into one document to help eliminate any confusion. FAA is re-issuing the AD in its entirety. Effective date remains Feb. 22. For further information, contact Jeffrey A.
George Melton was appointed chief executive officer and president of Wyle Laboratories, an engineering firm specializing in technology testing, life sciences and technical support services. Wyle made the announcement as it completed the acquisition of the Aeronautics Services business of General Dynamics. Melton joins Wyle from the EG&G division of USR Corp., where he was president and CEO of the technical services company. He has an extensive background in aerospace, leading component and subsystem manufacturers that were acquired by BAE Systems.
National Air Transportation Association is hosting a fixed-base operator symposium jointly with the American Association of Airport Executives during NATA's annual convention March 10 in Las Vegas, Nev. Previously hosted by AAAE, the symposium provides a forum for aviation businesses and airport management to discuss common issues.
