Docket No.: FAA-2002-11572 Section of 14 CFR Affected: 14 CFR Sec. 135.143(c)(2) Description of Relief Sought/Disposition: To permit Capital to operate certain aircraft under Part 135 without a TSO-C112 (Mode S) transponder installed in the aircraft. Grant, June 4, 2002, Exemption No. 7792
MEDAIRE, INC. teamed with Arizona State University East to offer altitude chamber training for pilots and other flight crew members. MedAire will use ASU's altitude chamber to instruct participants about the effects of hypoxia and rapid decompression. The Altitude Physiology Training course will be offered individually or in conjunction with other business aviation training programs. The course lasts five to six hours and covers altitude physiology, hypoxia, oxygen systems, physiological effects of flight and decompression.
Model 328-100 and -300 series airplanes (Docket No. 2002-NM-140-AD) - proposes to require replacement of the screws in the aileron, rudder, and elevator trim tabs with new screws, and removal and re-installation of screws in the aileron, elevator and rudder trim tabs and the rudder spring tab, as applicable.
LORRIE SECREST was named senior vice president of the Export-Import Bank's Office of Communications. Secrest has more than 25 years of communications and public affairs experience. She has worked for the FBI and also as the director of the Office of Public Affairs at the Federal Communications Commission.
Docket No.: FAA-2002-11574 Section of 14 CFR Affected: 14 CFR 135.143(c)(2) Description of Relief Sought/Disposition: To permit AirNet Systems to operate certain aircraft under Part 135 without a TSO-C112 (Mode S) transponder installed on those aircraft. Grant, May 13, 2002, Exemption No. 6772B
Model CL-600-2B19 series airplanes (Docket No. 2002-NM-196-AD; Amendment 39-12887; AD 2002-19-07) - requires revising the Canadair Regional Jet Airplane Flight Manual to provide the flightcrew with operating limitations and procedures to enable them to maintain controllability of the airplane in the event that aileron control stiffness is encountered during flight. This action is necessary to prevent aileron control stiffness during flight, which could result in the reduction or possible loss of controllability of the airplane. The AD is effective Oct.
RAYTHEON AIRCRAFT won approval for a 200-pound gross weight increase for its Beechjet 400A. The increase, which will bring the 400A maximum gross weight to 16,300 pounds, will be incorporated on all new Beechjet 400As and offered through a kit for Beechjet 400A aircraft that meet certain configuration requirements. The kit includes updated charts and performance data necessary for the upgrade. Raytheon Aircraft said the upgrade does not require aircraft structural modifications.
HARTZELL PROPELLER introduced a new four-bladed propeller conversion for the Fairchild Metro II airliner. The new propeller system, part of Hartzell's Top Prop Performance Propeller Conversion program, is certified for all Fairchild SA226-TC Metro II aircraft, except those with serial numbers S/N TC-398 through TC-418. Engineers redesigned the propeller, reducing the overa ll prop diameter by five inches to cut noise levels by 10-12 dB, Hartzell said.
FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION has added hundreds of additional Textron Lycoming engines to the list of those that must be inspected for faulty crankshafts. Textron now estimates it will cost some $27 million to resolve the problem and manufacturing of replacement crankshafts has not yet begun. See article on Page 138.
FRANK YOUNGKIN was appointed to the newly created position of vice president, worldwide Falcon spares, at Dassault Falcon. He will lead the new worldwide spares organization, made up of DFJ Spares in Teterboro and Dassault Aviation Falcon Spares in France. Youngkin joined the company in 1988 and was most recently director of spares for the Eastern Hemisphere.
CARL CHEN, FORMER AASI HEAD, REPLACES BRALY AS SINO-SWEARINGEN CEO - The board of directors of Sino Swearingen Aircraft Corp. ousted Jack Braly, the company's long-time chief executive, replacing him with Carl Chen, who formerly headed Advanced Aerodynamics and Structures, Inc. (AASI).
CAMERON BALLOONS Mk1 (BR1)&Mk2 (Mistral) burners (Docket No. 2000-CE-50-AD) - proposes to require replacement of the valve stems of the main blast, liquid fire, and pilot light valves. This proposed AD is the result of mandatory continuing airworthiness information issued by the airworthiness authority for the United Kingdom. The actions specified by this proposed AD are intended to correct the mechanical failure of the valve stem/seat pinned joint, which could result in a propane vapor leak. Such failure could lead to a propane explosion and fire.
HONEYWELL launched the newest variant of its venerable TFE731 engine line, the TFE731-50, which will provide 4,900 pounds of takeoff thrust and be offered with integrated nacelle and thrust reverser systems. Derived from the TFE731-60, the 50 will use a common core and a scaled wide chord damperless fan. The -50 engine will have a 3,000-hour hot section interval and a 10,000-hour compressor zone interval. Honeywell expects to win certification for the newest member of the TFE731 family in 2004.
The board of directors of Sino Swearingen Aircraft Corp. ousted Jack Braly, the company's long-time chief executive, replacing him with Carl Chen, who formerly headed Advanced Aerodynamics and Structures, Inc. (AASI).
DUNCAN AVIATION received a supplemental type certificate for Universal TAWS and multi-function displays for the Hawker 400, 600 and 700 series. Installation of the systems will meet FAA Class A and Class B TAWS mandates.
MAX-VIZ, INC. was selected to offer its Enhanced Visibility System (EVS) as an option on new Cessna Citation X and Sovereign airplanes. The Max-Viz EVS2000 enhances a pilot's vision by combining two different infrared sensors - long-wave sensors suited to see terrain and obstacles through atmospheric conditions and short-range infrared for airport and runway lights. The system will be available beginning next year on new Citation Xs and Sovereigns as well as for retrofit.
COLLINS FOLDS AIRSHOW INTO PRODUCT LINE - Rockwell Collins unveiled its newest line of integrated cabin electronic systems, Airshow 21, which blends the recently acquired Airshow product line into the Collins portfolio. Rockwell Collins completed its purchase of Tustin, Calif.-based Airshow last month, the company's eighth acquisition in the past five years, expanding its line of cabin electronic systems for business and commercial aircraft (BA, Aug. 19/80).
TRANSPORTATION SECURITY ADMINISTRATION intercepted nearly 2.4 million prohibited items from February through July, acting TSA head James Loy told the Senate Commerce Committee this month. The contraband included 614,212 knives, 23,974 box cutters and 527 firearms. He said 667 arrests were made. Loy, noting the numbers "speak volumes about the public's continued confusion," pledged to educate travelers on prohibited items.
BUDDY GUESS was named product support manager at Whittaker Controls, Inc. of North Hollywood, Calif. Guess, a former Delta Air Lines executive, was most recently vice president and general manager of U.S. Technical in Atlanta, Ga.
ELECTRONICFLIGHT SOLUTIONS, Inc. developed CompleteLearning Avionics/Cockpit Automation Training Library interactive software packages for corporate pilots and flight departments. The CompleteLearning software covers autopilot, GPS navigation, traffic, terrain and weather awareness technologies from leading manufacturers including Collins, Garmin, Goodrich and Honeywell. The training programs are designed to operate on a personal computer/laptop or through a corporate network. For more information, contact ElectronicFlight Solutions at (508) 775-7575.
MESSIER-DOWTY was selected to provide the integrated landing gear system for Bombardier's Global 5000 business jet. The Global 5000 is expected to begin flying early next year with certification following a year later. Messier already supplies the integrated landing gear for the Bombardier Global Express and has been awarded similar contracts for the Raytheon Hawker Horizon, the Bell/Agusta BA609 civil tiltrotor, Bombardier Continental (300) and Dassault Falcon 7X.
FEARFUL that aviators will have to face a hodgepodge of security restrictions nationwide, the New Jersey Aviation Association urged the federal government to adopt "understandable, realistic and sensible security regulations for the nation's general aviation industry." Such action is aimed at tempering concerns of the states, some of which are planning their own regulatory initiatives.
MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES MU-2B series airplanes (Docket No. 2002-CE-27-AD) - proposes to supersede AD 88-23-01, which currently requires repetitively inspecting torque tube joints for cracks, and, if cracks are found, replacing the joints on all Mitsubishi MU-2B series airplanes. AD 88-23-01 resulted from field reports that fatigue cracks were found in the flap control system. A design change exists that could eliminate the need for the repetitive inspections.
TIGER AIRCRAFT OBTAINS PRODUCTION CERTIFICATE -- Tiger Aircraft beat its neighbor Sino Swearingen to the punch by earning the first FAA production certificate (PC) in West Virginia for the Tiger AG-4B aircraft last week. Tiger delivered its first three aircraft at the end of 2001 (BA, Dec. 10/269). But the company had been hampered for the past year, working without a production certificate and having FAA inspect each aircraft.
