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.
National Business Travel Association predicted the costs of business travel will increase five percent next year with the price of business airfares growing seven percent and hotel and corporate car rental rates inching up by two percent.
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.
Experimental Aircraft Association is working with FAA and the Transportation Safety Institute to develop materials to train new Designated Airworthiness Representatives. Initial training sessions will begin in March at the FAA's training center in Oklahoma City, Okla. EAA said the effort is designed to "ease the backlog of airworthiness inspection requests for amateur-built aircraft. The number of inspection requests to FAA has grown while the agency's resources have stagnated." EAA said that backlog is hampering the growth of aircraft homebuilding.
A General Accounting Office report on Airport Improvement Program spending confirmed fears among some airport industry officials that increased security spending has come at the expense of other airport projects. The report, available at www.gao.gov, said FAA cut more than $300 million in fiscal 2002 from non-security projects, making room for $562 million in security spending. That sum is 17 percent of the $3.3 billion available this year, and the highest award for security projects since 1982, the report said.
Drew Baker was promoted to vice president of marketing and repair development for Bearing Inspection, Inc. He will be responsible for Bii's marketing worldwide. Baker has worked at Bii for eight years, starting as the engineering manager, and was most recently director of quality and engineering.
Ron Silverman was promoted to regional vice president, client services at TAG Aviation. He joined TAG in January 2000 as director of client services and managed accounts for Eastern regional management clients. Silverman has 18 years of corporate aviation experience and was president of International Aircraft Management in Teterboro, N.J. for 12 years.
Canadian Air Transport Security Authority, created like the U.S. Transportation Security Administration after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, named Jacques Duchesneau its first president and chief executive.
Air Methods completed its acquisition of Rocky Mountain Holdings for $33.6 million, making the company the largest provider of air medical services in the U.S. The purchase agreement also includes a $2.6 million earn-out provision, which would be paid over the next several years. Air Methods first announced its intentions to buy Rocky Mountain Holdings, based in Provo, Utah, in June for $28 million (BA, June 17/282). The final purchase price was increased to reflect the increases in Rocky Mountain's net equity since Dec. 31, 2001, Air Methods said.
Rolando Rivera was named manager of Latin American sales for Midcoast Aviation, Sabreliner Corporation and Premier Turbines. A native of Guatemala, Rivera was most recently head of sales in Mexico and Latin America for Bizjet International. He is an A&P licensed mechanic and a general aviation pilot with training on the Falcon and Learjet aircraft series at FlightSafety International and Simuflite.
TPE331 series turboprop and TSE331-3U series turboshaft engines (Docket No. 99-NE-53-AD; Amendment 39-12922; AD 2002-21-15) - requires replacing second stage turbine stator assemblies, Part Numbers 894528-1, -2, -3, -5, -6, -10, and -11, with serviceable turbine stator assemblies. This amendment is prompted by reports of six uncontained separations of the second stage turbine wheels associated with obstructed internal cooling holes or passage in the vanes of the second stage turbine stator which may result in contact and rub into the turbine rotor.
AIR METHODS FINALIZES ROCKY MOUNTAIN HOLDINGS ACQUISITION - Air Methods completed its acquisition of Rocky Mountain Holdings for $33.6 million, making the company the largest provider of air medical services in the U.S. The purchase agreement also includes a $2.6 million earn-out provision, which would be paid over the next several years.
PINNACLE PLANS TO OPEN CRJ FACILITY IN FORT WAYNE, IND. - Northwest regional subsidiary Pinnacle Airlines plans to open a fourth Canadair Regional Jet maintenance facility, in Fort Wayne, Ind.
Model HC-B3TN-5 propellers (Docket No. 2001-NE-44-AD) RIN 2120-AA64 - proposes, for models with blades Part Number T10176H(B,K)-5 or T10178H(B)-11(R) that are installed on Mitsubishi Heavy Industries MU-2 series airplanes, to require replacement of those blades with blades of the latest design. This proposal is prompted by a report of in-flight propeller blade separation that caused a severe out-of-balance condition, damage to the airplane, and resulted in engine shutdown and a safe landing.
Mooney Aerospace boosted its limited warranty on proprietary Mooney-produced parts to three years or 600 hours, whichever comes first. The warranty applies to parts produced for all three Mooney airplane lines - the Bravo (M20M), Ovation2 (M20R) and Eagle2 (M20S). Warranty service can be provided by any of the independent Mooney service centers or by Mooney's Factory Service Center in Kerrville, Texas. Excluded from the warranty are consumables and typical wear and tear.
Digital World Services won a contract to provide TAG Aviation USA its Digital Rights Management software for TAG's aviation manuals. The software ensures the secured distribution of the manuals through digitally-encrypted PDF files on a secured CD. TAG is the first air transportation to use DRM for flight operations personnel. The CDs will be distributed to 600 TAG Aviation employees, including pilots, maintenance technicians and flight attendants.
Model 206A, 206A-1, 206B, 206B-1, 206L, 206L-1, 206L-3, and 206L-4 helicopters (Docket No. 2002-SW-01-AD) - proposes to require performing a continuity test, and repairing temporarily any unairworthy chip detector, and replacing any repaired chip detectors. This proposal is prompted by reports of poor or no continuity between the insert and the chip detector housing on certain chip detectors. The actions specified by this proposed AD are intended to prevent failure of a chip detector, loss of a critical component, and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.
Ron Silverman was promoted to regional vice president, client services at TAG Aviation. He joined TAG in January 2000 as director of client services and managed accounts for Eastern regional management clients. Silverman has 18 years of corporate aviation experience and was president of International Aircraft Management in Teterboro, N.J. for 12 years.
