CYNDI JENKINS was named charter sales specialist at Automotive Air Charter. She previously worked for Corporate Flight, Inc. and has experience as a corporate travel agent. Jenkins will be based at AAC's headquarters at the Oakland County International Airport in Waterford, Michigan. AAC has a fleet of 21 aircraft.
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.
Piaggio America sold eight Avanti aircraft to fractional operator Skyline Aviation Services. The agreement, for six aircraft with options for two more, is valued at $35-$40 million, Piaggio said. Skyline also considered the Cessna CJ2 to launch its fractional program but ultimately chose Avanti for its cabin size, operating efficiency and the Piaggio Personal Touch Service program, the company said.
SILICOM LTD. licensed its IPlug self-install technology to Thales Avionics, which will incorporate the system into its iSeries onboard cabin system. Under the agreement, Thales has exclusive use of the IPlug technology for aircraft applications. The technology will facilitate connection between a passenger's laptop computer and servers.
Adm. James Loy told the Aero Club of Washington Tuesday that "involving stakeholders" is at the top of his agenda for running the Transportation Security Administration, but he warned that TSA is still evolving and trying to address a number of different missions simultaneously.
Adam Aircraft was recently awarded organizational designated airworthiness representative (ODAR) status from FAA. The new designation will allow the company to perform its own conformity inspections for manufacturing processes and aircraft parts. The company has appointed two ODARs on its staff: Mike Schumann and Bill Eckler, who is also the manager of quality assurance for Adam Aircraft.
BOMBARDIER TO CUT EMPLOYEES, SLASH BUSINESS JET PRODUCTION - Canadian aerospace manufacturer Bombardier will begin permanent layoffs of nearly 2,000 employees in October and also plans temporary furloughs of another 2,100 workers in coming weeks as the company drastically reduces production of its line of business jets. Bombardier said 1,980 employees, "including 20 percent of management, will be laid off" at company facilities in Canada, the United Kingdom and the U.S. beginning in October.
Docket No.: FAA-2002-12189 Section of 14 CFR Affected: 14 CFR 91.215(b) and (c) Description of Relief Sought/Disposition: To permit the U.S. Air Force to conduct certain military training flight operations in designated airspace above 10,000 feet mean sea level without being required to operate the aircraft transponders, subject to certain conditions and limitations. Grant, May 22, 2002, Exemption No. 4633I
EMBRY-RIDDLE AERONAUTICAL UNIVERSITY launched a new air traffic control simulator-training program. Developed by Adacel, Inc., the 180-degree simulator will provide a three-dimensional view of an airport, modeling custom-set weather conditions, visibility, fleet mix, aircraft flight dynamics and aircraft traffic loads. The simulator also can test future runway/taxiway configurations, runway incursion analysis and mitigation, and pilot/controller studies.
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.
