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.
Jet-Care International was appointed as a designated analysis center for Pratt & Whitney Canada P&W engine condition trend monitoring. Jet-Care underwent P&W training and examination to secure the designation. Jet-Care monitors engine health of more than 12,000 engines in more than 60 countries. The company also recently upgraded its online aircraft engine monitoring software package ECHO (Engine Condition Health Online) to include both oil analysis reporting and performance trending.
The House Transportation And Infrastructure Committee last week delayed action on a sweeping security package that would provide some relief to banner towers, call for certain on-demand charter access to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and move the foreign student pilot background check program from the Department of Justice to the Transportation Security Administration (BA, May 19/225).
MECHANICS SKIPPED STEPS DURING AIR MIDWEST MAINTENANCE - The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is probing what role dropping steps from the elevator rigging and cable tension adjustment process during maintenance played in the fatal crash two days later of an Air Midwest Beech 1900D in January.
CAE won a two-year contract to provide CRJ200 flight simulator training to Midway Airlines pilots. CAE valued the contract at between $5 million (C) and $6 million (C). The deal includes two renewable two-year terms. CAE will primarily train Midway Airlines pilots at its Denver, Colo. training center, but also will provide support throughout its North American training network. Training will begin next month.
FAA last week issued three notices to airmen (NOTAMs) imposing airspace restrictions in response to the Department of Homeland Security's raising the national security threat level to Code Orange/High. The NOTAMs require that flights into and out of three Maryland airports - Potomac Airfield, Hyde Field and College Park - must undergo a security screening at the "gateway" Tipton Airport.
A New General Aviation Airport Security working group met for the first time last week to begin drafting a series of recommendations for improving small airport security. The Transportation Security Administration last month established the working group to categorize the 5,400 public use general aviation airports and develop best security practices of those groups (BA, May 5/201).
HIRSCHMANN FAMILY SHAKES UP TOP MANAGEMENT AT JET AVIATION GROUP - Thomas Hirschmann stepped down as chief executive of the Jet Aviation Group of Companies, marking the latest in a series of management changes for the Swiss aviation services provider. The company would not comment on his departure, announcing simply that Jet Aviation veteran Heinz Kohli was taking over operations as interim CEO.
