NTSB RECOMMENDS CHECKS OF COLLINS EADI UNITS - The National Transportation Safety Board wants FAA to conduct inspections of Rockwell Collins AHC-85 Electronic Attitude Display Indicators to make sure the devices will continue to function under severe conditions such as very fast changes in the aircraft's attitude.
Honeywell is in discussions with two airframe manufacturers about possible applications for the engine manufacturer's TFE731-50 turbofan. The new engine model, which features a wide-chord, damperless fan, was run for the first time recently and officials said the powerplant was producing nearly 5,000 pounds of thrust. Production versions are expected to produce about 4,900 pounds of thrust, depending on the application.
Bill Peacock, director of the Air Traffic Service at FAA, announced plans to retire May 2. There was no immediate word on a successor and the deputy director's slot in ATS is already vacant.
Executive Jet Management added two aircraft to its charter fleet - a Gulfstream IV-SP based at Dallas Love Field and a Falcon 50EX at Buchanan Field in Concord, Calif. The additions boost EJM's managed fleet to 106 aircraft at 50 locations throughout the U.S.
Cessna recently installed engines on the Citation CJ3 business jet and has completed the prototype airframe. First flight of the aircraft, the follow-on to the CJ1 and CJ2, is expected in the second quarter with certification by mid-2004. "To date, we have three Williams International FJ44-3A engines and two complete Collins Pro Line 21 avionic suites in-house," said Joe Hepburn, CJ3 program manager. "We've already begun engine and avionics systems tests and have had great success." Cessna has received orders for more than 160 CJ3s.
AGUSTA Model A109E helicopters (Docket No. 2002-SW-55-AD; Amendment 39-13060; AD 2002-25-51) - adopts Emergency Airworthiness Directive 2002-25-51, sent previously to all known U.S. owners and operators of the specified Agusta helicopters by individual letters. This AD requires reducing the tail rotor (T/R) blade life limit and modifying and re-identifying the T/R hub and grip assembly. It also clarifies the never-exceed speed (Vne) restrictions and modifies the T/R visual inspection intervals.
INDUSTRY RENEWS CALL FOR MORE NASA AERONAUTICS FUNDING - Industry groups and representatives of academia renewed their calls for a "clear road map" for the future of NASA aeronautics research, including strong support for long-term funding and better intergovernmental coordination for the agency's programs. Those calls came during a recent hearing before the Senate Commerce Committee's science, technology and space subcommittee. Sen. George Allen (R-Va.), a member of the subcommittee, introduced legislation with Sen.
A PIPER PA-46-500TP, N522RF, was destroyed March 7 during an attempted landing at the Double Eagle II Airport in Albuquerque, N.M., resulting in the death of the pilot and both passengers. Witnesses said the aircraft was maneuvering into position for an approach to Runway 22 when it apparently struck electrical transmission wires and crashed. The accident occurred about 1918 local time in night visual meteorological conditions at the end of a flight from Scottsdale, Ariz.
AOPA URGES CHANGES IN WASHINGTON, D.C. AREA ADIZ - Saying that the air traffic system could not support general aviation operations under the new security regime in the Washington D.C. Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ), Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association President Phil Boyer last week asked senior FAA and Transportation Security Administration officials to make changes to the ADIZ requirements (BA, Feb. 17/79). "This past weekend's ideal weather conditions provided the first significant 'test' of the revised Washington, D.C.
NATA PETITIONS FAA TO REOPEN DCA TO CHARTER OPERATORS - National Air Transportation Association last week stepped up its efforts to reopen Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) to air taxi operators, petitioning FAA to create procedures to allow at least on-demand carriers back into the airport. At a press conference on Capitol Hill Thursday, NATA President James Coyne said the association is building a "WE CAN" (Working for Equitable Commercial Access to National) coalition to create a base of political support for its petition for rulemaking.
Augusta, Ga. Regional Airport Aviation Services opened a new hangar and office complex. The new 16,000-square-foot hangar doubles the fixed-base operator's hangar capacity to 32,000 square feet. The new hangar can accommodate aircraft the size of a Bombardier Challenger. The FBO provides fueling, line, tie-down and hangar services. It is an Avfuel dealer.
The BA609 civil tiltrotor flew for the first time March 7 in Arlington, Texas, according to joint developers Bell Helicopter and Agusta. During the 36-minute flight the nine-passenger helicopter hovered at an altitude of 50 feet, performed left and right pedal turns and forward and aft flight maneuvers. Developers are hoping to win FAA certification in 2007.
Honeywell won FAA technical standard order approval for its KI 825 electronic horizontal situation indicator (EHSI). "The KI 825 brings Honeywell's air transport and business aviation experience to general aviation pilots with a new EHSI that gives pilots critical flight information at a glance," said Dan Barks, director of Business, Regional and General Aviation marketing. The unit combines traditional heading and navigation functions with course line and waypoint data displayed in a three-inch Air Transport Indicator format.
Rockwell Collins received its first FAA approval for the company's high-speed SATCOM system, a supplemental type certificate for installation on the Falcon 50, 900 and 900EX. Pentastar Aviation in Waterford, Mich. completed the installation and STC. The Collins HTS-900 system facilitates passenger connections to e-mail and the Internet while in flight, providing 64 kilobits per second connectivity using Inmarsat's Swift64 service and the aircraft's existing SATCOM antenna and SAT-906 amplifier.
CAE and Emirates won agreements to train pilots for Kuwait Airways, Oman Air and Jet Aviation in the newly opened Emirates-CAE Flight Training facility in Dubai. Emirates-CAE Flight Training will train Jet Aviation's Boeing Business Jet flight crews. Oman Air pilots will use the Boeing 737-NG/BBJ full flight simulator and Kuwait Airways pilots are training on the Airbus A320 simulator.
CHARLES JOHNSON NOW IN CHARGE OF OPERATIONS AT CESSNA - Charles (Charlie) Johnson, a 20-year veteran of Cessna Aircraft, took on responsibility for all the company's operations last week as the Wichita manufacturer prepares for the departure of Chairman Russ Meyer at the end of the year. Johnson, 60, who logged more than 1,000 hours as an Air Force F-105 pilot during the Vietnam War, is president of Cessna and reports to Steve Loranger, executive vice president and chief operating officer of parent company Textron.
GLOBAL 5000 MOVES FROM FIRST FLIGHT TO WICHITA TEST CENTER - Bombardier's Global 5000, the latest entry in the company's line of business jets, made its first several flights in less than a week and is now being prepared for Block 2 testing at the company's flight test center in Wichita, Kan.
Premier Turbines is stepping up its work on Honeywell's TFE731 engine test cell at its Neosho, Mo. facility. The company recently added a third shift, invested in new equipment and hired a new supervisor. Premier built a new engine preparation area with a new stationary prep stand to replace the hoist-and-crane system to allow technicians more room around the engine. Additionally, Steven R. York, a licensed airframe and powerplant mechanic, was brought on as a test cell supervisor.
SENATE PANEL OKs MORE RESTRICTIVE FLIGHT TRAINING BACKGROUND CHECKS - The Senate Commerce Committee Thursday approved a bill that would broaden background check requirements to include foreign students seeking training in even small aircraft, regardless of weight. Foreign students seeking training on aircraft weighing 12,500 pounds or more currently must undergo up to a 45-day background review before training at a U.S. facility. Last week's measure, sponsored by Sen.
PETER CHRISTMAN was named vice president and general manager of Pratt & Whitney Power Systems. He joined Pratt & Whitney through the acquisition of Energy Services, Inc. in July 2001. Christman was most recently president of ESI and general manager for Power Systems' large engine business.
Presidential Air Corporation signed a letter of intent to acquire Air Ambulance International (AAI) based in San Diego, Calif. AAI provides subscription-based domestic and international transportation programs to transport stabilized patients from hospital to hospital. "This acquisition will offer Presidential Air numerous operations expansion opportunities," said Paul Harbison, Presidential Air chief financial officer.
General aviation facilities are next on TSA's list for scrutiny. TSA plans to send out federal security directors within the next few weeks to visit with and look at the security of small airports. Security at GA airports "varies considerably," TSA Administrator Adm. James Loy said. "Some are doing an excellent job, and [at] some you cannot see a fence or lock in sight." He added that keeping small airports secure must be a public/private partnership since there is the potential for "mischief."
REP. SAXTON WANTS TO BAR U.S. MILITARY'S PARTICIPATION IN PARIS AIR SHOW - A New Jersey congressman who previously was urging U.S. firms and U.S. armed forces not to attend this year's Paris Air Show because of French opposition to the use of force to unseat Iraqi President Saddam Hussein has introduced legislation that would prohibit U.S. military forces from participating in the event.
BEI Technologies' Systron Donner Inertial Division signed a multi-year, $10.5 million agreement to provide its MEM Quartz Digital Inertial Measurement units to Rockwell Collins. Using Digital Quartz Gyro technology, inertial sensors are a component in Rockwell Collins' Pro Line 21 avionics system.
