Goodrich Corporation's Aviation Technical Services unit teamed with aircraft aftermarket supplier Tracer to streamline the sale of its spare parts inventory. Under the three-year alliance, Tracer will market and sell Aviation Technical Services' spare parts inventory to customers including airlines and maintenance repair and overhaul shops. The inventory includes airframe and engine parts, auxiliary power units, wheels and brakes and a number of aircraft expendables.
Raytheon Aircraft is laying off another 220 workers at its Wichita and Salina, Kan. plants, but Lancair is gearing up to recall some of its laid-off workforce. The Bend, Ore. manufacturer said it found a group of "enthusiasts" who will provide the funds necessary to get the company back into production. See articles below.
ROCKWELL COLLINS NET INCOME IMPROVES DESPITE SLOW ECONOMY - Cost control measures coupled with increasing sales in its Government Systems division helped offset Commercial Systems declines and steer Rockwell Collins to a nearly 60 percent increase in net income for its fiscal 2002 ended Sept. 30. Net income for fiscal 2002 was $236 million, or $1.28 per share, up from $149 million, or 80 cents per share, a year earlier. Sales, however, dropped from $2.8 billion in fiscal 2001 to $2.5 billion in the most recent year.
Lycoming officials believe they have identified the forging problem that led to crankshaft failures in its LTIO-540 and TIO engines and have developed process changes and more rigorous monitoring programs to prevent a reoccurrence in new-production units. The company hopes to be able to begin installing new crankshafts by early next year in some 950 aircraft that have been grounded by the crankshaft problem (BA, Oct. 28/192).
Teledyne Technologies unit Aerosance has won FAA approval for and is offering a full authority digital engine control (FADEC) system for a number of piston-engine aircraft, the company announced late last month during the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association Expo in Palm Springs, Calif. The PowerLink FADEC, the culmination of five years of development, will electronically manage piston-powered engines on general aviation aircraft.
Angela Ferragamo was appointed marketing director at Bombardier SkyJet. She was most recently director of sponsorship marketing at MCI WorldCom where she was responsible for motorsports sponsorships.
While most aviation leaders in Congress appear safe in the upcoming elections, several tight races, particularly in the Senate, have captured the attention of aviation interests because the results could shape the outcome of pressing legislation.
Models 35, 35R, A35, and B35 airplanes (Docket No. 2000-CE-44-AD; Amendment 39-12920; AD 2002-21-13) - supersedes AD 98-13-02, which currently requires operating limitations on Raytheon Beech Models 35, 35R, A35, and B35 airplanes. This AD is the result of Raytheon developing inspection and modification procedures that, when accomplished on the affected airplanes, will eliminate the need for the operating limitations. This AD retains the operating limitations for the affected airplanes until the recently developed inspection and modification procedures are accomplished.
Federal Aviation Administration issued a type certificate to Airbus for the manufacturer's Corporate Jetliner, clearing the use of the ACJ in both scheduled service and private operations in the U.S. With the FAA approval Airbus can begin deliveries of the ACJ - a version of the A319 airliner - to U.S. customers. The ACJ is equipped with up to six extra fuel tanks in the hold to increase range, as well as a higher ceiling (41,000 feet) and built-in airstairs for rapid access at remote airports.
LANCAIR PREPARES TO RESTART OPERATIONS - After laying off more than 200 workers over the summer, Lancair is planning this month to re-emerge from three months of dormancy with money from new investors.
While most aviation leaders in Congress appear safe in the upcoming elections, several tight races, particularly in the Senate, have captured the attention of aviation interests because the results could shape the outcome of pressing legislation.
Raytheon Aircraft, facing a sluggish economy and slightly lower aircraft production in 2003, said it will cut another 220 jobs at its plants in Wichita and Salina, Kan. The cuts, which include both hourly and salaried workers, include jobs across the entire RAC product line and were necessitated by the "continued weak economy and lower estimated [aircraft] build rates for 2003," said spokesman Tim Travis. Raytheon said a week ago that it planned to build 340 new airplanes next year, compared with an estimated 348 and 2002 and 425 in 2001 (BA, Oct. 28/202).
Docket No.: FAA-2002-12681 Section of 14 CFR Affected: 14 CFR 119.33 Description of Relief Sought: To permit Jarle Boe to conduct commercial passenger or cargo operations for compensation or hire under Part 135 without being a U.S. citizen.
Cost control measures coupled with increasing sales in its Government Systems division helped offset Commercial Systems declines and steer Rockwell Collins to a nearly 60 percent increase in net income for its fiscal 2002 ended Sept. 30. Net income for fiscal 2002 was $236 million, or $1.28 per share, up from $149 million, or 80 cents per share, a year earlier. Sales, however, dropped from $2.8 billion in fiscal 2001 to $2.5 billion in the most recent year.
RAYTHEON AIRCRAFT LAYS OFF ANOTHER 220 EMPLOYEES - Raytheon Aircraft, facing a sluggish economy and slightly lower aircraft production in 2003, said it will cut another 220 jobs at its plants in Wichita and Salina, Kan. The cuts, which include both hourly and salaried workers, include jobs across the entire RAC product line and were necessitated by the "continued weak economy and lower estimated [aircraft] build rates for 2003," said spokesman Tim Travis.
National Air Transportation Association has scheduled "Town Hall Meetings" Nov. 25 in Denver, Colo., and Nov. 26 in Seattle, Wash. The Denver meeting, sponsored by Denver Jet Center, Signature Flight Support and TAC Air, will begin at 11 a.m. at The Perfect Landing Restaurant in Englewood, Colo. The Seattle meeting will begin at 10:30 a.m. at Galvin Flying Service's facility on Boeing Field. The meetings will serve as a forum to discuss pressing legislative and regulatory issues. For more information, contact Eric Byer at (800) 808-6282.
General Aviation Manufacturers Association board of directors is expected to approve membership in the organization for four non-U.S. aircraft manufacturers at GAMA's board meeting this week in Palm Springs, Calif. (BA, Sept. 23/139).The four companies are Bombardier of Canada, Dassault Falcon Jet of France, Embraer of Brazil and Piaggio of Italy. Admission of the four non-U.S. members will end an internal debate among GAMA members that has persisted periodically for years and help clear the way for other foreign OEMs to join the association in the future.
Air BP Aviation Services is using what it says is the first all-electric-powered general aviation refueler in active service at Million Air Long Beach (LBG). The oil company said the vehicle, which was built on a low-profile Isuzu chassis that produces "absolutely no emissions," will be used to dispense 100LL avgas from its 750-gallon tank. AIR BP said all-electric refueling equipment was previously limited to hydrants and commercial refueling equipment.
FAA HOPEFUL ONLINE BIRD-STRIKE DATA WILL SPUR REPORTING - FAA is compiling data from bird-strike reports and offering it online to promote more reporting at airports, an FAA official says. Identification and tracking data of the bird species that are involved in aircraft bird strikes compiled by FAA and partner, the Smithsonian Institution Feather Identification Lab, is now accessible online as a tool for airports and carriers to track their data, said Ed Cleary, FAA wildlife biologist.
Flightsafety International won FAA Level D approval for a Gulfstream IV-SP simulator based at its Savannah, Ga., facility and for an Embraer 145/135 simulator in St. Louis, Mo. The G IV-SP simulator is the fifth of its type in the FlightSafety network. Along with Savannah, FlightSafety provides Gulfstream training in Wilmington, Del., Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas, and Long Beach, Calif.
NTSB REPORT ON ENGEN GLIDER CRASH CITES WING OVERLOAD - The Minden, Nev. glider crash that killed former FAA Administrator Donald Engen happened when the pilot used too much elevator while attempting to recover from a spin/dive, according to the National Transportation Safety Board. Engen, who was director of the National Air and Space Museum when the July 13, 1999 accident occurred, was sitting in a passenger seat behind the pilot, who was an old friend.
Dan Morris was named vice president of avionics engineering at Atlantic Aero. He has spent most of his career at Keystone Helicopter where he was most recently division manager of KeyTech, overseeing Parts Manufacturer Approvals parts production and supplemental type certificate completions. Morris started as an aircraft maintenance technician and inspector at Keystone.
Honeywell is developing a new low-cost multi-function display for piston-powered general aviation aircraft, the company announced late last month during AOPA's Expo in Palm Springs, Calif. The three-inch-high Bendix/King KMD 250 MFD is expected to enter the market in the spring. The unit will use an active matrix liquid crystal display that can display information from several optional sensors, including data link weather, lightning detection, and traffic. The system will allow pilots to switch directly to the map, weather or traffic screens.
Docket No.: FAA-2002-13154 Section of 14 CFR Affected: 14 CFR 129.28 Description of Relief Sought: To permit Lauda Air Luftfahrt AG to operate its B-767 aircraft into U.S. airspace with cockpit doors that do not incorporate features to restrict the unwanted entry of persons into the flightdeck that are operable from the flightdeck only.
Docket No.: FAA-2002-12855 Section of 14 CFR Affected: 14 CFR 135.203(a)(2) Description of Relief Sought: To permit Grant Aviation to operate night flights under the visual flight rules minimum altitude restrictions for nonmountainous terrain for flights between Emmonak Airport and Alakanuk, Sheldon Point, and Kotlik Airports in the State of Alaska.
