S/H-92 ON TRACK DESPITE IRELAND SETBACK, SIKORSKY SAYS - Sikorsky expects to receive FAA type certification for the S/H-92 large-cabin helicopter at the end of the year. Three aircraft are taking part in the flight test program, which has logged 1,250 hours of a planned 1,500 hours of testing.
FOKKER Model F.28 Mark 0070, 0100, 1000, 2000, 3000, and 4000 series airplanes (Docket No. 98-NM-224-AD; Amendment 39-12827; AD 2002-14-27) - supersedes an existing AD that currently requires a revision to the Airplane Flight Manual (AFM) that prohibits takeoff in certain icing conditions unless either a tactile inspection is performed or specific takeoff procedures are followed.
MINNESOTA GROUP PLANNING TO RECREATE NATIONAL AIR TOUR - The Aviation Foundation of America, in cooperation with Ford Motor Co., is planning next year to recreate The National Air Tours that flew around the country annually from 1925-1931.
The Senate Appropriations Committee late last month approved a $13.586 billion budget for the Federal Aviation Administration in fiscal 2003, some $4 million more than the agency requested. The budget, included in the fiscal 2003 Transportation appropriations bill, matches the dollar amounts that the Bush Administration requested for FAA in every category and gives $4 million more for operations. While it matches the budget request in total dollars, the committee altered some of the spending priorities.
Federal Aviation Administration officials were putting the finishing touches last week on a rule to create a new Subpart K of Part 91 to regulate fractional aircraft providers, and plan to have the document ready for final signoff in about a week. Administrator Jane Garvey had hoped to sign the rule before she left office, but told industry officials that if the Subpart K document wasn't ready before her departure, then the acting administrator, Monte Belger, likely would sign it shortly thereafter.
Mario Longhi Filho, 48, took over as president and chief executive officer of Howmet Castings Aug. 1. Longhi succeeds James R. Stanley, 60, who plans to retire at the end of the year. Succeeding Longhi as president of the Alcoa Wheel and Forged Products business is Raymond B. Mitchell, 44, who has been chief financial officer of Alcoa Europe in Geneva, Switzerland. Longhi began his career at Alcoa Aluminio in Brazil where he held management positions in both the smelting and refining areas. Mitchell, who began his career with IBM, has been with Alcoa since 1994.
An Aerospatiale SA315B helicopter, N3978Y, operated by the U.S. Forest Service was destroyed Wednesday when it crashed during a fire-fighting mission near Estes Park, Colo. The pilot and sole occupant suffered fatal injuries.
SENATE PANEL OKs $13.6 BILLION FAA BUDGET - The Senate Appropriations Committee late last month approved a $13.586 billion budget for the Federal Aviation Administration in fiscal 2003, some $4 million more than the agency requested. The budget, included in the fiscal 2003 Transportation appropriations bill, matches the dollar amounts that the Bush Administration requested for FAA in every category and gives $4 million more for operations. While it matches the budget request in total dollars, the committee altered some of the spending priorities.
LAST-MINUTE ATTEMPT TO CONFIRM NEW FAA ADMINISTRATOR FALLS SHORT - A hurried effort to rush through the Senate confirmation of Marion Blakey as Jane Garvey's successor as FAA Administrator fell short Thursday, leaving the nation's top civil aviation post in the hands of veteran FAA executive Monte Belger.
LEARJET ANNOUNCES MORE LAYOFFS, PRODUCTION CUTBACKS - Bombardier's Learjet business jet manufacturing operation in Wichita laid off another 150 employees Friday, continuing a trend that began after last September's terrorist attacks on the U.S. Last week's reductions include 115 production workers and another 35 employees in other areas of the Wichita plant. A spokesman said the layoffs reflect a decision to reduce production rates of the company's line of business jets because of softness in the market.
The U.S. Customs Service last month began notifying commercial operators that it is raising the minimums on bonds required for international travel to $75,000. Some operators, who have few international flights, previously were required to obtain only $25,000 bonds. The increase in minimums comes at a time when insurance companies - which issue a significant percentage of the bonds - have already dramatically raised their rates.
Bombardier received a follow-on order from Delta Connection carriers Atlantic Southeast Airlines and Comair for a CRJ700 and two CRJ200 regional jets. The order, valued at more than $73 million, brings the number of options Delta Connection has converted this year to six. The Delta feeder network converted options for three Bombardier CRJ200s in May. Under the most recent contract, ASA will operate one of the CRJ200s and the CRJ700, and Comair will operate the other CRJ200. The three aircraft are slated for delivery in September 2003.
Raytheon Aircraft Charter And Management expanded its charter fleet with three more aircraft: a Beechjet 400A based in Plymouth, Mass.; a Learjet 35A in Kenosha, Wis.; and, a Challenger 604 in Opa Locka, Fla. Raytheon Aircraft has offered charter for more than 40 years.
Pratt & Whitney Canada won type certification for its new PW306C turbofan engine from both Transport Canada and FAA. The PW306C is flat rated to 5,686 pounds of thrust.
Several Charter Companies are still waiting to receive a copy of the Transportation Security Administration's guidance on compliance with the agency's "Twelve-Five" rule, which mandates charter companies to implement approved security programs. Although the rule originally called for these programs to be in place June 24, it did not provide guidance on how to comply with the requirements. TSA agreed to extend the deadline and provide charter companies time to review and comment on the guidance (BA, June 10/270).
The Stock Symbol for Mooney Aerospace Group, Ltd. has changed from AASI to MASG. The company was previously known as Advanced Aerodynamics & Structures, Inc. It acquired the assets of Mooney Aircraft Corp. of Kerrville, Texas earlier this year (BA, June 24/295).
George Batchelor, 81, one of the pioneers of air service between Miami and Latin America, a millionaire and noted philanthropist, died July 30 in Miami. He made his fortune with three main aviation companies - Batch Air, Arrow Air and International Air Leases - with heavy emphasis on Latin America, concentrating on air freight and aircraft leasing. He donated million of dollars to the University of Miami's Jackson Memorial Hospital.
The airport community is appealing to federal transportation officials to let airport operators use "market-based" incentives such as peak-hour pricing to control congestion at crowded facilities and raise additional money to increase capacity, but general aviation leaders call such incentives discriminatory and are urging policy makers to consider different approaches to reduce airport overcrowding.
HELICOPTER PILOTS ESCAPE SERIOUS INJURIES DESPITE CHALLENGING CIRCUMSTANCES - Pilots of two Bell 206 helicopters escaped serious injury in separate incidents last month. National Transportation Safety Board said the pilot of a privately owned Bell 206B briefly lost control of his aircraft when the windshield failed while he was cruising at an airspeed of 110 knots and an altitude of 2,500 feet. After regaining control of the helicopter, the pilot made a successful emergency landing along U.S. Highway 26 near Seaside, Ore.
Several Charter Companies are still waiting to receive a copy of the Transportation Security Administration's guidance on compliance with the agency's "Twelve-Five" rule, which mandates charter companies to implement approved security programs. Although the rule originally called for these programs to be in place June 24, it did not provide guidance on how to comply with the requirements. TSA agreed to extend the deadline and provide charter companies time to review and comment on the guidance (BA, June 10/270).
Adam Aircraft Industries' first A500 Carbon Aero aircraft completed a 40-minute first flight from Centennial Airport in Englewood, Colo. last month. Test pilots conducted a series of aircraft handling and engine performance tests at an altitude of 12,500 feet.
Some 15 aviation associations and companies lambasted FAA's proposal to make drug and alcohol testing requirements apply to all maintenance subcontractors, saying the rule is so open-ended that thousands of companies - including those not under FAA's purview - would be covered. See article below.
National Business Aviation Association is sponsoring another update session at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) Aug. 19. While earlier NBAA sessions at the airport have focused on the single issue of getting DCA reopened to business and general aviation flights, this month's session also will include discussions regarding how to access information about Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) in a timely manner and NBAA's recommended "best practices" for flight department security.
Telair International won a contract from Simair to provide a newly developed and patented composite material to Avions de Transport Regional (ATR) for hardening the cockpit doors on ATR regional aircraft already in service. The initial order calls for the production of 105 door sets. Telair, a subsidiary of Teleflex Inc., said the new composite material weighs less than other hardening agents and is resistant to bullets, blunt force impacts and fire.
