Rockwell Collins won FAA certification for its HGS 4200 head-up guidance system on the Bombardier CRJ700. It also received approval for the HGS 4100 system on the Bombardier Q400. Horizon Air and Lufthansa CityLine participated in the CRJ700 certification effort. Horizon Air also is the launch customer for the HGS on the Q400. The HGS systems will give the CRJ700 and Q400 Category III approach and landing capability down to 600 feet/200 meters runway visual range.
Hamilton Sundstrand was selected to provide the emergency power Ram Air Turbine (RAT) system for Dassault Aviation's new Falcon 7X corporate jet. Hamilton Sundstrand estimated that the contract could generate more than $40 million over the life of the 7X program. The contract calls for Hamilton Sundstrand to provide the complete RAT system, including the air-driven generator, a generator control unit, a transformer rectifier unit, a deployment actuator, an uplock assembly, a restow pump and a release assembly.
CHARLES H. NOSKI was named to the board of directors of Teledyne Technologies. Noski, vice chairman of the board at AT&T, is responsible for the company's strategy and operations. Before joining AT&T as senior executive vice president and chief financial officer in 1999, Noski was president and chief operating officer at Hughes Electronic Corporation. Teledyne manufactures electronics components, instruments and communication products.
FAA has successfully completed a major test of a satellite-based navigation and landing system that has attracted considerable controversy in the past, according to a senior agency official.
FAA CALLS FOR CORROSION PREVENTION PROGRAMS ON AIRLINERS - The Federal Aviation Administration is calling for scheduled airlines to develop corrosion prevention and control programs (CPCPs) on their entire fleet of multi-engine aircraft and asked for comments on the need for such programs in other operations. The proposal, published in the Oct. 3 Federal Register, covers Parts 121, 129 and scheduled Part 135 operators.
Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) last week expressed her frustration about the year-plus ban on general aviation at DCA. "Although general aviation here is willing to adopt any measures on the ground or in the air that TSA mandates, the agency refuses to issue regulations and seek comment," Norton said.
A hearing before Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) on the contentious issue of federal regulations governing commercial air tour overflights at the Grand Canyon turned into what one witness described as a "lovefest" after government officials, an air tour executive and representatives of the environmental community voiced support for a proposal to use an alternative dispute resolution (ADR) process to help the various parties resolve their long-standing impasse over aircraft noise. The hearing was called by Sen.
BRS delivered the first customer unit of its whole-airframe parachute system for the Cessna 172 Skyhawk series to William Kamm. The installation was done at the BRS facility at the South St. Paul, Minn. Airport. BRS won a production certificate for the parachute on Sept. 4 and the company has more than 20 orders.
Charles H. Noski was named to the board of directors of Teledyne Technologies. Noski, vice chairman of the board at AT&T, is responsible for the company's strategy and operations. Before joining AT&T as senior executive vice president and chief financial officer in 1999, Noski was president and chief operating officer at Hughes Electronic Corporation. Teledyne manufactures electronics components, instruments and communication products.
Goodrich Corp. has completed its buy of TRW Inc.'s Aeronautical Systems business for $1.5 billion in cash, both companies said Oct. 2. Aeronautical Systems, headquartered in Solihull, England, designs and builds commercial and military aerospace systems and equipment. It has 6,200 employees in 22 facilities worldwide.
Rolls-Royce delivered its 1,000th Tay engine to Gulfstream for installation on the 500th Gulfstream IV business jet. The delivery is part of a 44-year partnership between Gulfstream and Rolls-Royce, the companies noted. "Our relationship with Gulfstream is unique because our entry into the business aircraft sector began with them in 1958 with the Dart-powered Gulfstream I," said Rolls-Royce Chairman Sir Ralph Robins.
Megadata Corporation's AirportMonitor Internet flight tracking and information system will be used by Boca Raton, Fla. Airport under a recently signed contract. Boca Raton becomes the first general aviation airport to use the system and the first airport to use AirportMonitor in South Florida airspace, Megadata said. AirportMonitor is an interactive display of air traffic and flight information in and around the terminal airspace, designed for airport web sites. It enables residents to view traffic in "near-live" and replay mode.
BIZJET BUYS TFE731 INVENTORY - BizJet International, the Tulsa, Okla., service facility, purchased the TFE731 engine inventory of Standard Aero as part of BizJet's expansion of its TFE731 capability. BizJet, a unit of Lufthansa Technik Service Co., said the Standard Aero assets include rental and lease engines, test equipment, tooling and an extensive inventory of new and used hardware. "This purchase will help us meet the increasing demand for our TFE services," said Jace Stone, vice president of sales, marketing and business development for Bizjet.
JAY STEPHENS was named senior vice president and general counsel at Raytheon. He was most recently an associate attorney general of the U.S. A graduate of Harvard Law School, Stephens was formerly corporate vice president and deputy general counsel at Honeywell.
House Transportation Appropriations Committee last week approved the $60 billion fiscal 2003 transportation appropriations bill that includes $13.6 billion for the Federal Aviation Administration and $5.1 billion for the Transportation Security Administration (BA, Sept. 30/152). The bill may be rolled into a fiscal 2003 omnibus spending bill as the government continues to operating under a continue resolution that provides interim spending authority.
Federal Aviation Administration issued another airworthiness directive on Textron Lycoming AEIO-540, IO-540, LTIO-540, O-540 and TIO-540 series reciprocating engines with crankshaft gear retaining bolts, P/N STD-2209 installed. The AD applies to engines used in thousands of single- and twin-engine general aviation aircraft and requires replacement of the crankshaft gear retaining bolt in accordance with Lycoming Service Bulletin SB No. 554, dated Sept. 30.
AIR TRACTOR, INC. Models AT-402, AT-402A, AT-402B, AT-602, AT-802, and AT-802A airplanes (Docket No. 2002-CE-03-AD; Amendment 39-12890; AD 2002-19-10) - requires repetitive inspection of the upper longeron and upper diagonal tube on the left-hand side of the aft fuselage structure for cracks and contacting the manufacturer for a repair scheme if cracks are found. This AD is the result of reports of excessive movement in the empennage due to the loss of fuselage torsional rigidity.
FAA will discuss new weather technologies during an informal public meeting scheduled for Oct. 22 during the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association Expo 2002 in Palm Springs, Calif. The meeting is intended to give the Aviation Weather Technology Transfer Board an opportunity to get aviation weather user input on new technologies. FAA established the board in 1999 to manage the transfer of weather capabilities and products from research and development into operations.
The Federal Aviation Administration turned down an Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association petition to permit pilots to use a driver's license as a medical certificate, saying the agency lacks the necessary resources to undertake such a change in the regulations.
Rockwell Collins won a contract from the U.S. Coast Guard to provide additional avionics maintenance and technical support on the HU-25 Falcon Jet fleet. Under a six-year agreement, Collins Aviation Services (CAS) will provide spares management, maintenance, repair and technical services on a fixed price-per-flight-hour basis for the USCG's fleet of 17 HU-25s. CAS provides similar support for the USCG's fleet of 93 HH-65 helicopters. The Falcons are used for search and rescue missions in addition to law enforcement and drug interdiction patrols.
FAIRCHILD DORNIER HALTS 328JET PROGRAM UNTIL INVESTOR IS FOUND - Bankrupt regional aircraft manufacturer Fairchild Dornier has halted production of the 30-seat 328JET. Work will not resume until an investor is found. The 200 remaining staff are being phased into training programs that pay them 80 percent of their current income, with the intention of preparing them for other jobs.
FAA TIGHTENS STADIUM TFRs AS CONGRESS PUSHES FOR MORE SECURITY - The Federal Aviation Administration released a new notice to airmen that clarifies flight restrictions around and over stadiums, but Congress last week continued its push to keep security tight around sporting events. FAA late last month replaced two NOTAMs - 2/9583 and 1/3353 - restricting flight within three nautical miles and 3,000 feet of an open air assembly with a NOTAM specifically designed to restrict flight over sporting events.
Despite years of acrimony and litigation about restrictions on air tour aircraft at the Grand Canyon to reduce noise, it continues to appear that not many park visitors are disturbed by the sound of aircraft. Under questioning from Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.) during a hearing before the Senate aviation subcommittee last week, government and industry officials said National Park Service officials received only 20 to 25 aircraft noise complaints a year from the GCNP's five million visitors.
New TSA Chief Adm. James Loy continued his outreach to the general aviation community, meeting last week with National Business Aviation Association President Jack Olcott and Senior Vice President of Government and Public Affairs Pete West.
Rockwell Collins won FAA certification for its HGS 4200 head-up guidance system on the Bombardier CRJ700. It also received approval for the HGS 4100 system on the Bombardier Q400. Horizon Air and Lufthansa CityLine participated in the CRJ700 certification effort. Horizon Air also is the launch customer for the HGS on the Q400. The HGS systems will give the CRJ700 and Q400 Category III approach and landing capability down to 600 feet/200 meters runway visual range.
