Several aviation leaders on Capitol Hill won re-election last week and are returning to the new Congress, but a shift in the balance of power in the Senate means a change in leadership during a year when Congress will have to address some looming aviation funding and security issues. With Republicans narrowly taking control of the Senate, some familiar faces will reclaim the chairs of key committees, including Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) as chairman of the Commerce Committee and Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) back in charge of Appropriations.
The Federal Aviation Administration released guidance that will allow pilots to use the Internet as an officially recognized source for aviation weather reports and notices to airmen. The guidance, Internet Communications of Aviation Weather and Notams (Advisory Circular 00-62), establishes a process for organizations to become a "Qualified Internet Communications Provider" (QICP) and provide aviation weather and Notams on the Internet. FAA's Aerospace Weather Standards Division will display a list of QICPs on a designated web page for public use.
Honeywell was selected to supply its Primus Epic integrated avionics system for the PlaneView cockpit in the Gulfstream G500 and its SPZ-8400 avionics for the G300. The two aircraft were part of an expanded and renamed line of aircraft that Gulfstream unveiled during the National Business Aviation Association convention in September in Orlando, Fla. (BA, Sept. 16/126). The G500 is a 5,800-nautical-mile version of the GV-SP that is designed to compete against the Falcon 7X and Bombardier Global 5000.
Former FAA and TSA executive Adm. Paul Busick (ret.) joined Battelle, a consulting company based in Columbus, Ohio. As part of Battelle's transportation market sector, Busick will focus on security and technical support that the company provides to TSA and the U.S. Coast Guard. Busick, 57, retired from active duty in the Coast Guard in 1998 and was most recently the associate administrator for civil aviation security at FAA.
AEROSPACE COMMISSION APPROVES FINAL REPORT; DETAILS TO BE RELEASED NEXT WEEK - The Commission on the Future of the U.S. Aerospace Industry unanimously approved the commission's final report late last month, clearing the way for its release to the public next Monday (Nov. 18). Instead of being simply a compilation of the commission's interim report findings, the final report will be broader in scope and will include new material on government reform, as well as more detail on workforce and research and development issues, according to Chairman Robert Walker.
Model AS350B, B1, B2, BA, and D helicopters (Docket No. 2002-SW-37-AD) - proposes to require fireproofing the engine oil tank breather pipe where it passes through the firewall from the engine compartment to the main gearbox compartment. This proposal is prompted by the discovery of a design deficiency that necessitated the installation of a non-fireproof breather pipe.
A new General Accounting Office report confirms fears by airport executives that security spending will take a bite out of capacity expansion projects.
Steve Lassetter joined Universal Weather and Aviation, Inc. of Houston, Texas last month as vice president-sales and marketing. Lassetter had been vice president of international corporate aircraft sales/customer support at Fairchild Dornier's Washington, D.C.-area facility in Virginia. Before joining Fairchild Dornier, Lassetter spent 10 years with the AMR Combs/Signature Flight Support team where he held various sales and marketing posts.
Former National Transportation Safety Board Vice Chairman Robert Francis anticipates changes at FAA under the leadership of its new administrator, Marion Blakey, judging from comments he made this month. "As administrator of an organization, she is going to be focusing on running FAA in a way it needs to be run," he said, and "in a way it hasn't been run in a while." Francis was speaking at a George Washington University aviation security seminar, where he called on government and industry officials to reassess their approach to security.
ENGINE PROBLEMS HOLD BACK ECLIPSE FLIGHT TESTING - Eclipse Aviation's flight testing program for the Eclipse 500 remains on hold more than two months after the first flight, as the company continues to address engine problems.
GULFSTREAM OUTSOURCES FACILITY SERVICES TO UNICCO - Newton, Mass-based UNICCO won a five-year contract from Gulfstream Aerospace to provide support for the Savannah, Ga., plane-maker's administrative, manufacturing, completions and services facilities. Under the $41 million contract, UNICCO will staff 80 employees at Gulfstream to assist with building mechanical systems support, equipment maintenance and calibration, ground support including tool management, facilities engineering, space allocation, and subcontractor management.
Meggitt PLC expanded its presence in the aerospace sensor market with acquisition of Lodge from Smiths Group plc. for approximately $50 million. Lodge employs more than 100 people and operates manufacturing plants in Basingstoke and Rugby in the United Kingdom. The company's products are used on a number of engines including Rolls-Royce Trent, RB199, RB211, Pegasus, and EJ 200; Honeywell T55; Pratt&Whitney PT6A; and FIAT/GEAE T64. Its sales for the year ended July 31 were just under $20 million with about $6.2 million in operating profits.
GAO DETAILS AIP SECURITY SPENDING'S EFFECT ON CAPACITY - A new General Accounting Office report confirms fears by airport executives that security spending will take a bite out of capacity expansion projects.
Model S10-VT sailplanes (Docket No. 2002-CE-29-AD; Amendment 39-12928; AD 2002-22-04) - requires modification of the engine compartment fuel and oil system and firewall. The AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information issued by the airworthiness authority for Germany. The actions specified by this AD are intended to reduce the potential for a fire to ignite in the engine compartment and increase the containment of an engine fire in the engine compartment.
Model HD-E6C-3( ) propellers (Docket No. 2001-NE-43-AD; Amendment 39-12933; AD 2002-22-08) - requires replacement of the current design propeller blade thrust bearing with a new design propeller blade thrust bearing and visual and eddy current inspection of propeller hubs for cracks. This amendment is prompted by reports of fractured thrust bearings observed during disassembly, one or more blades becoming jammed in position during operation, pitch change fork fractures causing loss of blade pitch control, and excessive vibration.
Jim Clark was named regional sales manager, northwest region, at CAE SimuFlite. He was previously the chief instructor for CAE SimuFlite's Gulfstream II/III program. Based in Seattle, Clark was a corporate pilot for 30 years and has worked for CAE SimuFlite since 1995.
TSA last week delayed until Feb. 1 the compliance deadline for operators of aircraft weighing 12,500 pounds or more to implement approved security programs. TSA in August released a notice calling for a Dec. 1 implementation deadline, but said in a notice published in Friday's Federal Register that many of the 850 operators subject to the mandate were having "a great deal of difficulty" complying with the fingerprint-based criminal history record check requirements. National Air Transportation Association said it was pleased with the extension.
Model 407 helicopters (Docket No. 2002-SW-38-AD; Amendment 39-12935; AD 2002-22-10) - supersedes an existing AD that requires visually inspecting the brackets that attach the horizontal stabilizer slat to the stabilizer for a crack. If a crack is found, that AD also requires replacing the slat assembly before further flight. Also, that AD requires installing airworthy segmented slat assemblies by a specified date. Installing segmented slat assemblies was considered terminating action for the requirements of that AD.
Mark Malkosky was named senior manager, technical training, at CAE SimuFlite. He will oversee maintenance training at the company. Malkosy was most recently manager, technical training at Bombardier Aerospace where he worked on the Learjet maintenance training programs.
Calling the past 18 months a "downturn" in the commercial aviation industry is like calling the Grand Canyon a "hole in the ground," said Robert D. Johnson, president and CEO of Honeywell Aerospace, in a speech to the Society of Automotive Engineers World Aviation Congress last week in Phoenix, Ariz. Citing figures from the Aerospace Industries Association, Johnson told the SAE audience that U.S. aerospace company profits will be down about $6 billion in 2002 and another $7 billion in 2003.
Raytheon Aircraft is offering steep discounts on some $80 million in excess parts inventory the company is trying to sell. Raytheon Aircraft Parts Inventory & Distribution Company (RAPID) is conducting the sale of Beechcraft, Hawker and aftermarket spare parts through Dec. 31 and offering discounts of up to 90 percent on some items. Customers can log onto the company's website, www.raytheonaircraftparts.com, to search through 46,000 part and kit numbers available for both current and out-of-production aircraft.
FAA last week released draft guidance on compliance with new repair station rules and gave industry 15 days to comment.Release of the draft advisory circular comes barely two weeks after four industry groups petitioned the agency to delay implementation of the rules because the industry had not had an opportunity to review and comment upon the guidance (BA, Oct. 28/198). The draft AC last week immediately raised concerns.
THREE KILLED DURING AERO COMMANDER DEMO FLIGHT - All three people aboard an Aero Commander 500B twin-engine airline were killed Nov. 1 near Rayville, La. when the aircraft crashed after the pilot apparently lost control while demonstrating power-off stalls at low altitudes.
Meggitt PLC expanded its presence in the aerospace sensor market with acquisition of Lodge from Smiths Group plc. for approximately $50 million. Lodge employs more than 100 people and operates manufacturing plants in Basingstoke and Rugby in the United Kingdom. The company's products are used on a number of engines including Rolls-Royce Trent, RB199, RB211, Pegasus, and EJ 200; Honeywell T55; Pratt & Whitney PT6A; and FIAT/GEAE T64. Its sales for the year ended July 31 were just under $20 million with about $6.2 million in operating profits.
Model A109E helicopters (Docket No. 2002-SW-42-AD; Amendment 39-12936; AD 2002-17-51) - publishes an amendment adopting AD 2002-17-51, which was sent previously to all known U.S. owners and operators of Agusta helicopters by individual letters.
