September 8-12 - Society of Automotive Engineers 2003 Aerospace Congress & Exhibition, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, (724) 772-4081 September 8-12 - Aerospace North America & SAE: Aerospace Congress & Exhibition; Palais des Congress, Montreal, PQ. (604) 473-9664 September 10-11 - Aviation Industry Conferences, Ltd. Aero-Engine Expo 2003, London, U.K., +44 207-931-7072 September 14-17 - Airports Council International - North America 12th Annual Conference & Exhibition, Tampa, Fla., (202) 293-8500
While the House/Senate agreement on a comprehensive FAA funding bill contains many provisions beneficial to business aviation, it also has a few provisions that could be controversial and omits others despite having strong industry support. House and Senate negotiators left out the "Pearce Amendment," which had been included in the House-passed version of the reauthorization legislation. Introduced by Rep. Steve Pearce (R-N.M.), the amendment would have allowed certain non-scheduled carriers to negotiate flights on a per-seat basis rather than a per-airplane basis.
National Transportation Safety Board is continuing its investigation of the Aug. 4 fatal crash of a Model 35 Learjet as the crew attempted to land at the Groton, Conn. Airport. FAA said the aircraft was on approach to Runway 23, when it touched down one-half mile short of the runway, striking a house and ending up in the Poquonock River. Both pilots were killed. The aircraft, N135PT, was manufactured in 1984 and was registered to Jetpro LLC and operated by Air East Airways, Inc., both of Republic Airport in Farmingdale, N.Y., according to AvData, Inc.
Schweizer Aircraft delivered two 300C helicopters to customers in China. One was delivered to the Shanghai Sikorsky Aircraft Company based in Shanghai's Gaodong heliport, where it will be used for customer flight demonstrations. Shanghai Sikorsky is Schweizer's exclusive manufacturer and sales agent in China for its light helicopter product line. The second 300C was delivered to Tri Star General Aviation based in Chengdu. The Sichuan Forestry Bureau will use the helicopter for agricultural spraying.
Jet Aviation's West Palm Beach maintenance division completed a 2C inspection on a Falcon 50, requiring the complete removal of flight controls and the interior. The 12-year inspection involved removal and overhaul of the landing gear, a dimensional check on the horizontal stabilizer actuator, X-rays for corrosion, transponder, altimeter and major flight control checks, fire bottle and oxygen checks, leak checks and inspection of the fuel tanks.
Demolition crews last week began the final destruction of Chicago's Meigs Field, part of a contract awarded in July by the city to Pacific Construction Services (BA, July 21/23). In reaction, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association - following the Defense Department's example of using a deck of cards to illustrate most-wanted Iraqi leaders - posted a picture on its web site depicting Chicago Mayor Richard Daley in the center of the Ace of Spades. See article below.
CESSNA Models 401, 401A, 401B, 402, 402A, 402B, 411, and 411A airplanes (Docket No. 2002-CE-05-AD) - provides additional time for the public to comment on a proposal to supersede AD 79-10-15 R2, which currently requires repetitive inspections of the right and left wing spar lower cap areas for fatigue cracks and requires wing spar cap repair or replacement as necessary.
Cessna is offering a new factory authorized panel refurbishment service for older propeller aircraft built by Cessna and many other manufacturers. Customers could save up to 75 percent by having Cessna reilluminate and refurbish avionics on the panels instead of replacing them with new ones, Cessna said. The service can be completed at factory-authorized Cessna service stations. A list of the facilities can be found on the Internet at http:///www.customer.cessna.com/se/locator.chtml.
FAA will begin issuing new credit card-sized airmen certificates to the nation's active pilots, replacing existing paper certificates, Administrator Marion Blakey told an audience at the Experimental Aircraft Association's annual fly-in. Made from a composite PVC media card stock, the certificates will incorporate security features, such as a hologram of the FAA seal. The certificate will be distributed to airmen when they achieve higher levels or additional ratings. It also will replace certificates that have been lost or damaged.
Mineta also addressed security concerns. The manufacturers urged him to use his position to help further educate the Administration about general aviation and ward off overreaching security initiatives. While Mineta has sympathized with the industry's concerns, he said he was not optimistic that the White House would change its mind about restoring general aviation access to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
Aircraft Owners And Pilots Association topped the 400,000-member mark, placing it among the top 100 associations in the nation. The association claims 61 percent of the nation's pilots and 75 percent of the general aviation pilot population as members. AOPA reached 200,000 members in 1977 and 300,000 in 1989.
COLORADO SPRINGS NAMES NEW AVIATION DIRECTOR - Colorado Springs, Colo. named Mark Earle as the new aviation director for the city's airport. Earle is scheduled to assume his new duties this week, replacing Gary Green, who retired at the end of May. Earle had been the director of aviation at Lubbock International Airport in Lubbock, Texas since 1995. He is on the board of the American Association of Airport Executives.
The fractional aircraft rule, which has been in development and under review for years, is currently in final review in the office of the FAA Administrator. The rule is expected to be published in the Federal Register this month, barring any unforeseen holdups. Former FAA Deputy Administrator Monte Belger - who was acting administrator at the time - signed the final rule establishing a new Subpart K to Part 91 of the Federal Aviation Regulations nearly a year ago (BA, Sept. 23/135).
FAA Administrator Marion Blakey is pleased with the overall downward trend in runway incursion incidents and accidents, particularly those involving scheduled air carriers, but "we need to work harder on the general aviation front," she told reporters last week. One idea being considered is the use of low-power beacon broadcasts to inform pilots about where they are on an airport.
ARINC recently deployed its ForeWarn lightning warning system at four more airports, bringing the total of North American airports using the technology to 15. The new installations are New York LaGuardia, Toronto Pearson International, Washington Dulles International and Ronald Reagan National airports. The ForeWarn system collects electrical information from ground sensors and combines the data with live satellite information to identify the potential for lightning strikes. The system breaks down threat conditions into five levels displayed through colored lights.
Raytheon Aircraft completed the 100th composite fuselage for the Beech Premier I business jet. The fuselage was moved to Plant Four, where it will join the Premier I assembly line. The Premier I was the first FAA-certified business jet with a fully composite fuselage.
Clay Lacy Aviation, which owns fixed-base operations at Van Nuys, Calif. and Boeing Field in Seattle, Wash., has signed with fuel provider Avfuel Corp. to operate as a branded Avfuel dealer.
Federal Aviation Administration released a new advisory circular, AC 45-2B, Identification and Registration Marking, that provides guidance on meeting requirements for identifying aircraft and other products with identification plates and nationality and registration marks. Copies of AC 45-2B can be obtained from the Department of Transportation, Subsequent Distribution Office, Ardmore East Business Center, 3341Q 75th Ave., Landover, Md. 20785.
HARVEY W. COHEN was named senior vice president of development for the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association's Air Safety Foundation. Cohen will oversee fund raising for the nonprofit organization that provides aviation education and safety programs for general aviation. Cohen was previously chief development officer of the Foundation Fighting Blindness in Owings Mills, Md.
ARINC, the Annapolis, Md., firm that has provided a communications network for airlines and business aircraft operators for decades, is expanding its horizons to include homeland defense. ARINC, in cooperation with the state of Maryland, plans to sponsor a high-technology "business incubator" in Anne Arundel County, Md. that will focus on technologies related to homeland security. The program is supported by the county Department of Economic Development and the National Security Agency.
GARMIN PRODUCES RECORD SECOND QUARTER REVENUE AND EARNINGS - Despite a sagging general aviation market and sluggish national economy, global positioning satellite specialist Garmin Ltd. reported record earnings of $47.2 million on revenues of $143.5 million in the second fiscal quarter ended June 28. The earnings were up 47 percent from $32.1 million recorded in second quarter 2002, and revenues increased 17 percent from the $122.8 million posted a year ago.
General Aviation Manufacturers Association is working to develop a standard for helping pilots transition from the traditional cockpit to an all-glass cockpit on Part 23 aircraft. GAMA members hope the standard will provide a baseline to ensure that cockpit products are designed with enough commonality to help expedite certification and ease pilot training. GAMA members plan to voluntarily comply with the standard. GAMA hopes to complete the first version by yearend.
AVIATION PACKAGE MOVES GENERAL AVIATION CLOSER TO DCA - General aviation operators will take a step closer to regaining access to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) if language included in the sweeping FAA reauthorization bill, Vision 100-Century of Aviation Reauthorization Act (CARA), is adopted when Congress reconvenes in September. House and Senate negotiators included language that directs the Department of Homeland Security to develop and implement a security plan that would permit GA aircraft to take off and land at DCA.
