Despite production cutbacks by some of its competitors, Rosanvallon says Dassault Falcon Jet will continue to produce business jets at a rate of seven per month through 2002 and probably through 2003 as well. He noted that 2003 is an important year for the company as it begins delivery of the Falcon 900EX with the EASy cockpit avionics package and the first units of the Falcon 2000EX.
The Federal Aviation Administration is temporarily barring the issuance of private pilot certificates based on a foreign pilot's license under FAR 61.75. FAA directed Flight Standards division managers this month to immediately stop issuing the private pilot certificates. AOPA estimated that about 2,800 foreign pilots earn U.S. certificates under 61.75 each year.
Congress last week passed a supplemental spending bill that would provide an additional $3.85 billion for the Transportation Security Administration - $550 million less than the Bush Administration sought. Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta told separate House and Senate panels that the funding shortage threatened key security deadlines. "The administration's emergency supplemental request was the amount we needed to do the job. No more, no less," Mineta said. "Congress has given us a strict and inflexible mandate, and insufficient funds to meet it."
General aviation shipments continued to slide in the second quarter of the year with manufacturers worldwide delivering 17 percent fewer airplanes than in the second quarter of 2001, the General Aviation Manufacturers Association reported. General aviation companies shipped 668 new airplanes in the second quarter of 2002, compared with 806 during the same period in 2001. Billings during the quarter dropped 14.6 percent, from $3.57 billion a year ago to $3.05 billion in the most recent quarter, GAMA said.
The pilot of a Piper Aerostar cargo flight was killed July 18 while attempting a pre-dawn landing at a fog-shrouded airport. National Transportation Safety Board investigators said the pilot of a Grand Aire Express, Inc. aircraft was fatally injured when the airplane, N158GA, crashed onto the runway at the Columbus Municipal Airport (BAK) in Columbus, Ind. The flight was operating under Part 135 of the FARs and was on an instrument flight rules flight plan.
David Heminger was named president and chief executive of Bearing inspection, Inc. (Bii). Heminger joins Bii from FlexTek Components, where he also held the positions of president and CEO. In addition, he has served as president and general manager of the Metals Group of United Industries Cop., vice president and general manager of ITW Paslode Corp. and general manager of ITW Ramset Fastening Systems. He succeeds Alan Sanderson at Bii, an independent bearing inspection and overhaul specialist based in Los Alamitos, Calif.
Duncan Aviation is hosting an Intelli-Conference Symposium Oct. 1 and 2 at its Lincoln, Neb. headquarters. The symposium, in its sixth year, will include 19 workshops and technical sessions covering aging aircraft issues, troubleshooting, avionics and communications upgrades, aircraft acquisition, the used market, large completion and maintenance projects, parts tracking and human factors resource management. For more information, contact Duncan at (402) 475-2611 or visit www.DuncanAviation.com/Conference web site.
SAAB Model SAAB 2000, SAAB SF340A, and SAAB 340B series airplanes (Docket No. 2002-NM-104-AD) - proposes to require replacing the main pitot static tube on each side of the airplane with a new improved pitot static tube, and installing a gasket between the tube and the airplane structure. This action is necessary to prevent ice from blocking the pitot system, due to the pitot tube not having enough heating capacity to stay above freezing, which could result in erroneous airspeed indications. This action is intended to address the identified unsafe condition.
Jet Aviation's West Palm Beach, Fla. facility recently received approval from Brazilian airworthiness officials to perform maintenance on aircraft registered in that country.
Cutter Aviation expanded to its fifth location with the opening of a new $3 million fixed-base operation at Dallas Executive Airpark, formerly Redbird Airport. The facility will provide aircraft sales, maintenance, charter and parts and avionics service. The Dallas FBO is a branded Phillips 66 dealer as are Cutter's other facilities in Albuquerque, N.M., El Paso, Texas, and Phoenix and Deer Valley, Ariz. The Dallas terminal includes a reception area, pilot's lounges, weather briefing area and office space.
HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND T-62T Series auxiliary power units (Docket No. 2002-NE-01-AD; Amendment 39-12830; AD 2002-15-02) - requires the replacement of compressor wheels P/N 100636-1. This amendment is prompted by a manufacturer's stress analysis that indicates stress levels high enough to initiate and drive crack growth in these compressor wheels. The actions specified by this AD are intended to mandate the replacement of the affected compressor wheels, which if not replaced, could result in uncontained compressor wheel failure and damage to the airplane.
Stevens Aviation Nashville (BNA), signed a five-year lease extension with the airport that ensures the company's presence there until 2007. The Stevens facility opened in March 1981 and is an authorized Raytheon/Beechcraft service center. The service facility has 45 employees, a 30,000-square-foot hangar and 10,000 square feet of office space.
Air Security International signed an agreement to provide Le Bas International charter clients access to its "Hot Spots" security information. ASI's Hot Spots service provides a daily snapshot of worldwide travel and security events that could affect travel plans. Charter broker Le Bas uses a database of more than 5,000 aircraft worldwide for its charter clients.
Air Pegasus, the owner and operator of the District of Columbia's only public-use heliport, said it plans to close the facility at the end of the month. The heliport, located one mile south of the Capitol on South Capitol Street, has been closed to all but Metropolitan Police Department helicopters and a few flights for which waivers were issued, since Sept. 11.
Cessna Aircraft is offering the Honeywell Bendix/King KDR 510 flight information system and Bendix/King KMH 880 multi-hazard awareness system as factory-installed options on the Caravan single-turboprop beginning in 2003. The KDR 510 flight information system provides text and graphic weather and can be integrated with KMH 880 data such as the pilot's flight plan and current weather picture.
GA DELIVERIES DROP IN SECOND QUARTER - General aviation shipments continued to slide in the second quarter of the year with manufacturers worldwide delivering 17 percent fewer airplanes than in the second quarter of 2001, the General Aviation Manufacturers Association reported. General aviation companies shipped 668 new airplanes in the second quarter of 2002, compared with 806 during the same period in 2001. Billings during the quarter dropped 14.6 percent, from $3.57 billion a year ago to $3.05 billion in the most recent quarter, GAMA said.
Air Pegasus, the owner and operator of the District of Columbia's only public-use heliport, said it plans to close the facility at the end of the month. The heliport, located one mile south of the Capitol on South Capitol Street, has been closed to all but Metropolitan Police Department helicopters and a few flights for which waivers were issued, since Sept. 11.
While most other manufacturers were scaling back production, Cirrus Design Corp. nearly doubled its output, delivering more aircraft so far this year than any other general aviation manufacturer except Cessna. The Duluth, Minn. maker of the single-engine SR20 and SR22 shipped 168 airplanes in the first half of the year. New Piper delivered 157 and Raytheon Aircraft 113. See article as well as BA's unit shipment chart below.
Garvey expects to take some time off after leaving FAA this coming weekend, some of which will be spent helping make arrangement for her daughter's upcoming wedding. But she told BA she expects to be back in Washington before long working in the transportation sector.
EUROCOPTER FRANCE Model AS332C, AS332L, AS332L1, SA330F, SA330G, and SA330J helicopters (Docket No. 2001-SW-35-AD) - proposes to require inspecting the tail rotor pitch change rod bearing and replacing the bearing if it does not meet the specified tolerance. Also, this proposal would require inspecting the bearing for spalling, friction, and grinding and removing any unairworthy bearing. This proposal is prompted by the seizure of a bearing on an ECF Model SA330 helicopter.
Textron's Aircraft Segment revenues rose $65 million in the quarter ended June 29, primarily due to the performance of Cessna Aircraft, the company said. Cessna's revenues rose $61 million "primarily due to higher volume and higher pricing, higher used aircraft sales and higher spare parts and service sales, partially offset by lower sales of single-engine piston aircraft that have been affected by the weak economy," Textron said.
Meggitt Avionics/S-TEC won FAA supplemental type certificate approval for its MAGIC 2100 digital flight control system (DFCS) on the Twin Commander. The DFCS is a three-axis, digital flight control system that provides guidance based on the Meggitt air data, attitude, heading reference system. The system includes an integrated altitude pre-selector and indicated airspeed hold function and displays active and armed modes for better situational awareness.
NEW LEARJET TO BE IN SERVICE IN 2004 - Bombardier officials unveiled the Learjet 40 last week, a shorter-fuselage version of the popular Model 45 at a lower price (BA, July 15/24).
CESSNA REVENUES UP SLIGHTLY, TEXTRON SAYS - Textron's Aircraft Segment revenues rose $65 million in the quarter ended June 29, primarily due to the performance of Cessna Aircraft, the company said. Cessna's revenues rose $61 million "primarily due to higher volume and higher pricing, higher used aircraft sales and higher spare parts and service sales, partially offset by lower sales of single-engine piston aircraft that have been affected by the weak economy," Textron said.
Garvey expects to take some time off after leaving FAA this coming weekend, some of which will be spent helping make arrangements for her daughter's upcoming wedding. But she told BA she expects to be back in Washington before long working in the transportation sector.
