Aircraft Owners And Pilots Association President Phil Boyer last week painted a rosy picture for the outlook of general aviation, noting that some 67 percent of the association's members surveyed remain optimistic about the industry's future. Speaking before the Aero Club of Washington, D.C., Boyer noted that key indicators remain strong, including the fact that the pilot population is at an all-time high of 661,000 and the number of student pilots as well as piston aircraft deliveries has increased.
CJ Systems Aviation Group signed two new contracts with alternative delivery model (ADM) programs at Air Medic One in Perry, Fla. and MedFlight in Pikeville, Ky. The company also renewed its contract with Regional Acute Care Transport in Rockford, Ill. Based at Doctors' Memorial Hospital in Perry, CJ Systems will provide air medical service to the rural community. CJ Systems also will provide critical care transportation for Pikeville Methodist Hospital.
Summary: Pursuant to FAA's rulemaking provisions governing the application, processing, and disposition of petitions for exemption (14 CFR Part 11), this notice contains a summary of certain petitions seeking relief from specified requirements of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR Chapter I), dispositions of certain petitions previously received, and corrections. The purpose of this notice is to improve the public's awareness of, and participation in, this aspect of FAA's regulatory activities.
FAA PRESENTS NEW PROPOSALS IN QUEST TO CONCLUDE CONTRACTS - New contract proposals FAA hopes will lead to speedy resolution of protracted labor talks have gone to the agency's unions, and FAA officials say they will exercise their authority to hand the problem to Congress only as a last resort.
Lockheed Martin installed its Common Automated Radar Terminal System (ARTS) at FAA's new Potomac Consolidated Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) facility. The system is being used for flight approach and departure air traffic control for the major airports in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. The Potomac center opened in December 2002 and serves a 23,000-square-mile region that includes parts of Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia, Delaware and Pennsylvania. It will handle more than two million flights annually.
Honeywell won an exclusive licensing service agreement to repair Woodward Aircraft Engine Systems aircraft engine fuel controls, propeller components and hydraulic pumps. The agreement covers Woodward-produced fuel controls and propeller components on Honeywell TPE331 engines, fuel and propeller controls on Pratt & Whitney PT6 and PW100 turboprop engines and propeller pitch and overspeed controls on the General Electric CT7 engine.
Cessna awarded the contract to build a new $60 million Wichita Citation Service Center to The Law Company. Located on a 124-acre site leased from the Wichita Airport Authority, the 447,259-square-foot facility will house aircraft service bays, component repair and overhaul shops, a customer business center and office space. The service center construction will start immediately and take about 18 months with completion expected in the fourth quarter of 2004.
The National Air Transportation Association named a new chairman and members of the board last week. Greg Arnold, president and chief operating officer of TAC Air, will serve as the new chairman of NATA's board of directors. New board members include Jake Cartwright, president and chief executive officer of TAG Aviation USA, Sally Leible, president of Airport Terminal Services and William T. Greenwell, chief financial officer and partner with Frederick Aviation in Frederick, Md.
Aircraft Technical Publishers and the National Air Transportation Association selected Ed Boyd of Garrett Aviation Services in Springfield, Ill. as the 2003 NATA/ATP General Aviation Service Technician of the Year. The award recognizes licensed A&P mechanics who have been in practice for at least 20 years. Boyd first maintained airplanes as a U.S. Army aviation maintenance technician in Vietnam in 1966. He joined Capital Aviation in Springfield, Ill. in 1971 as an A&P specializing in reciprocating engine overhaul.
Jet Aviation was appointed a service center for the installation of Quiet Technology Aerospace's hush kits on Gulfstream G II, G IIB and G III aircraft. The authorization covers Jet Aviation's facilities in Geneva, Switzerland, Singapore, Teterboro, N.J. and West Palm Beach, Fla. The hush kit will bring the Gulfstream business jets into compliance with FAR Part 36 Stage 3 and ICAO Annex 16 Chapter 3 noise regulations.
National Association of State Aviation officials has moved to new offices at 1010 Wayne Avenue, Suite 930, Silver Spring, Md. 20910. NASAO's telephone, fax, e-mail and website designations remain the same: (301) 588-0587, telephone (301) 585-1803, fax; www.nasao.org.
Thales ATM won a contract from ENAV, the Italian civil aviation air traffic services provider, to supply and install a Mode S Airport Ground System (MAGS) at Linate Airport in Milan. MAGS would allow "precise location and unambiguous identification of aircraft and vehicles," said Thales.
Business Aviation Groups last week strongly supported another measure added to CARA-100 that would allow on-demand operators of aircraft with 10 or fewer seats to sell individual seats - rather than the entire airplane - at a negotiated price on flights between noncommercial/non-hub airports and other airports. Rep. Steve Pearce (R-N.M.) sponsored the measure to boost service to small communities. "This is the type of creative thinking needed to lead us into the second century of flight," National Business Aviation Association President Jack Olcott said.
GENERAL ELECTRIC CF34-8C1 turbofan engines (Docket No. 2002-NE-23-AD; Amendment 39-13143; AD 2003-09-14) - requires replacing combustion chamber assemblies, P/N 4126T87G04, before accumulating a new reduced cyclic life limit. This amendment is prompted by stress and life analysis conducted by GE. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent rupture of the combustion chamber assembly and possible engine fire. FAA estimates that this AD affects 75 engines that are installed on airplanes on the U.S. Registry at a cost of $1.6 million. The AD is effective June 12.
REAUTHORIZATION BILL MOVES TO HOUSE FLOOR - The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee last week unanimously approved the Flight 100-Century of Aviation Reauthorization Act, amended to allow pilots to appeal if their licenses are revoked for security reasons. The bill next will go to the House floor for approval.
Atlantic Aviation Flight Services added four aircraft to its charter certificate: a Hawker 800XP and a Hawker 800, based in Teterboro, N.J.; a Falcon 50, based in Morristown, N.J.; and a Falcon 900, based at the Waterbury/Oxford Airport in Oxford, Conn. Atlantic Aviation Flight Services is owned by Voyager Group, which acquired the company from Atlantic Aviation Corporation.
Thales ATM's monopulse secondary surveillance radar (MSSR) was commissioned for operation at Punta Arenas in southern Chile. The system was installed almost four months ahead of schedule, Thales said. The MSSR is part of a network of seven MSSRs throughout Chile, providing 95 percent of the radar coverage for the Chilean national airspace.
Gulfstream Aerospace leased a Gulfstream IV to China National Aviation Holding for charter transport throughout Asia. The aircraft, which will be delivered this summer, will be operated by China National Business Jet (China Jet). The deal includes an option for Air China to buy a Gulfstream G400, G200 or G300 before the lease expires.
AOPA CALLS FOR $41 MILLION MEIGS GRANT - The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association last week resurrected a $41 million funding plan to restore Meigs Field under which the city of Chicago could repurchase the airport from the Park District through an Airport Improvement Program grant.
Jet Aviation West Palm Beach, Fla., recently completed the first installation of a reduced vertical separation minimum package on a Falcon 10. Jet Aviation teamed with Seattle-based Aeromech to win group approval for the package from FAA. Jet Aviation also earned FAA supplemental type certification for installation of the RVSM system on any Falcon 10 or Falcon 100 equipped with the Collins APS-80 autopilot system.
SANTA MONICA PRESSES FORWARD WITH AIRCRAFT RESTRICTIONS - Santa Monica Municipal Airport is pressing forward with proposed aircraft restrictions based on facility design limitations despite initial FAA objections. Airport officials, however, are hoping a recent agency visit to the airport will change FAA's mind.
