Air taxi operators have a month to develop and implement a security program that would pass federal muster but have yet to receive any guidance on what standards they should meet, the National Air Transportation Association said last week. NATA urged the Transportation Security Administration to extend the deadline for compliance with the security program mandate.
Louisville, Ky. Airport implemented Passur's AirportMonitor traffic-tracking tool, the airport said. The web-based flight tracking system gives residents of neighboring communities concerned about aircraft noise information on planes landing and taking off at Louisville. Flight data are tracked through Passur's passive radar network and depicted graphically on the web. The "live" mode includes a 10-minute delay of actual aircraft location and other data-censoring for security purposes.
Docket No.: FAA-2002-11498 Petitioner: Air Tractor, Inc. Section of 14 CFR Affected: 14 CFR 61.31(a)(1) Description of Relief Sought/Disposition: To permit Air Tractor and pilots of Air Tractor AT-802 and AT-802A airplanes to operate those airplanes without holding a type rating, although the maximum gross weight of the airplane exceeds 12,500 pounds. Grant, March 11, 2002, Exemption No. 5651G (Previously Docket No. 27122)
Aircraft Technical Publishers introduced new software to help maintenance professionals comply with the recently approved Federal Air Regulation Part 43.10. The FAR requires record keeping of the current status of life-limited parts. The ATP Maintenance Director software suite can validate the part number, serial number and current life status of a part on or off an aircraft, ATP said.
Louisville, Ky. Airport implemented Passur's AirportMonitor traffic-tracking tool, the airport said. The web-based flight tracking system gives residents of neighboring communities concerned about aircraft noise information on planes landing and taking off at Louisville. Flight data are tracked through Passur's passive radar network and depicted graphically on the web. The "live" mode includes a 10-minute delay of actual aircraft location and other data-censoring for security purposes.
McKinney Aerospace expanded its avionics capabilities to cover a range of retrofits and factory-certified installations on medium, large and ultra-long-range business jets. McKinney decided last year to expand its internal avionics services after a four-year partnership with avionics specialist ElectroSonics. "Once this decision was made, the company moved aggressively to create an avionics department that would be an industry leader from its inception," McKinney said. The company hopes to receive FAA Designated Alteration Station recognition within the next year.
Fairchild Dornier and the administrator handling the manufacturer's insolvency filing in Germany are facing a June 17 deadline for presenting a plan to the courts regarding the search for buyers for Fairchild Dornier's assets. Bombardier, which is believed to be interested in the 728/928JET program, has a team in Germany assessing the regional aircraft maker's operations.
FlightSafety International won two certifications from FAA for simulators at its training centers. The Atlanta Learning Center received Level D certification for its King Air 200 simulator. The company designed and built the full motion simulator at its facilities in Tulsa, Okla. The Cessna Learning Center in Wichita, Kan. also earned Level D certification for its Citation X full flight simulator.
Federal Aviation Administration issued a "Terrorism Intelligence Update" Friday morning warning of "possible use of small aircraft to conduct terrorist attacks. The FBI has received uncorroborated information indicating that terrorists may still be interested in the use of aircraft for suicide attacks in the United States." The FAA message said terrorists are reportedly interested in small aircraft, as opposed to large, commercial aircraft "due to post Sept.
Summary: Pursuant to FAA's rulemaking provisions governing the application, processing, and disposition of petitions for exemption (14 CFR Part 11), this notice contains a summary of certain petitions seeking relief from specified requirements of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR Chapter I), dispositions of certain petitions previously received, and corrections. The purpose of this notice is to improve the public's awareness of, and participation in, this aspect of FAA's regulatory activities.
Rockwell Collins Aviation Services signed a Dispatch Plus contract with American Eagle Airlines, the regional airline affiliate of American Airlines. The 10-year agreement covers service and support for Collins avionics on American Eagle's fleet of Bombardier Regional Jets, including avionics inventories in multiple locations. The airline has firm orders for 25 CRJ-700 aircraft with options for 25 additional aircraft.
UPS Aviation Technologies has developed a new version of its MX20 multifunction display that will show weather information from the Honeywell/Bendix King RDR 2000 digital color radar system. The new unit, the MX20-IO, also displays traffic targets from both Goodrich Skywatch and Ryan TCAD products. The MX20-IO also can display terrain awareness, VFR navigation, IFR navigation and data uplink. UPS Aviation is pricing the new unit at $14,995, including the standard MX20 with RDR 2000 weather radar, Skywatch and TCAD traffic.
Bombardier won an order valued at $68.7 million from Atlantic Southeast Airlines for three CRJ200 regional jets. The order converts three options the Delta Connection carrier held for the CRJ. Bombardier will deliver the aircraft to ASA in the summer of 2003. ASA and Delta Connection affiliate Comair have combined to order 237 Bombardier CRJ100 and 200 aircraft, of which 191 have been delivered and 46 remain on backlog.
The first version of full STARS recently went operational in El Paso, Texas, FAA said. Full STARS (Standard Terminal Automation Replacement System) replaces the Automated Radar Terminal Systems (ARTS) and includes new, color displays and computers that provide both radar and backup services. The El Paso version can control 435 aircraft at one time from 16 radar feeds, FAA said. STARS is being phased in. Previous versions that hook a new color display into the existing ARTS hardware have been deployed at several locations, including El Paso.
HYDE FIELD AIRPORT SHUT DOWN AFTER SECURITY BREACHES - The Transportation Security Administration shut down Washington Executive Airport/Hyde Field (W32) this month after Federal Aviation Administration officials discovered "serious security breaches" during a site visit to the airport. The closure comes just three months after officials reopened the airport under tough new security measures outlined in Special Federal Air Regulation 94 (BA, Feb. 18/87).
Jim Gregory, director of corporate affairs and communications for Raytheon Aircraft Company, is retiring May 31. Gregory began his public relations career at Boeing Wichita in 1974 and spent three years there before moving to Gates Learjet in 1977. He joined Beech Aircraft in 1980 and has headed communications operations for the Wichita manufacturer since it became part of Raytheon. Gregory told BA he plans to open a public affairs consultancy in Wichita this summer.
FlightSafety International won two certifications from FAA for simulators at its training centers. The Atlanta Learning Center received Level D certification for its King Air 200 simulator. The company designed and built the full motion simulator at its facilities in Tulsa, Okla. The Cessna Learning Center in Wichita, Kan. also earned Level D certification for its Citation X full flight simulator.
State Of Utah, Division of Purchasing is seeking bids for lobbyist and consulting services in the Washington, D.C. area to secure federal funds for future transportation improvement programs. Responses are due 3 p.m. June 4 for bid RM2179. For more information, contact Jim Phillips at (801) 538-3232.
NATA URGES TSA TO EXTEND SECURITY PROGRAM DEADLINE - Air taxi operators have a month to develop and implement a security program that would pass federal muster but have yet to receive any guidance on what standards they should meet, the National Air Transportation Association said last week. NATA urged the Transportation Security Administration to extend the deadline for compliance with the security program mandate.
Stephen Zaidman, a veteran FAA executive who recently reversed his decision to retire from the agency, was named director of the Airway Facilities Service. He had been associate administrator for research and acquisition before announcing his retirement in April. Zaidman has been with FAA since 1974. In his new post he succeeds Alan Moore, who is retiring.
Docket No.: FAA-2002-11992 Petitioner: Kent State University Flight Operations Section of 14 CFR Affected: 14 CFR 135.251, 135.255, and 135.353, and Appendixes I and J to Part 121 Description of Relief Sought/Disposition: To permit Kent State University to conduct local sightseeing flights in the vicinity of Stow, Ohio for its community Aviation Day on Sept. 8, 2002, for compensation or hire, without complying with certain anti-drug and alcohol misuse prevention requirements of Part 135. Grant, April 15, 2002, Exemption No. 7756
F.I.T. Aviation LLC, Melbourne, Fla., a subsidiary of Florida Tech, recently took delivery of two Cessna 152s, two Cessna 172s and a Piper Warrior to meet its growing pilot training and rental needs.
Docket No.: FAA-2002-11402 Petitioner: Experimental Aircraft Association Section of 14 CFR Affected: 14 CFR 61.58(a)(2) and 91.5 Description of Relief Sought/Disposition: To permit Experimental Aircraft Association members to complete an approved training course in lieu of a pilot proficiency check. Grant, March 11, 2002, Exemption No. 4941G (Previously Docket No. 25242)
EUROCOPTER Model AS332C, L, L1, and L2; AS350B, BA, B1, B2, B3, and D; AS355E, F, F1, F2, and N; AS-365N2; AS 365 N3; SA330F, G, and J; SA-360C; SA-365C, C1, and C2; SA.316B and C; and SA.319B helicopters (Docket No. 2000-SW-55-AD) - proposes to require a one-time measurement of the electrical resi stance between the ferry fuel tank electrostatic ground connector and the tank filler neck before the next refueling of an installed tank or before the first fueling after installing a tank.
Golf Legend and veteran pilot Arnold Palmer agreed to serve as honorary chairman of the BE A PILOT program's June Learn To Fly Month. "I'm delighted to have this opportunity to give something back to the aviation community for all the wonderful years of enjoyment I've gotten from being a pilot," said Palmer, who began taking flight lessons more than 50 years ago to overcome a fear of flying. He has logged more than 20,000 hours in the cockpit.
