Rep. John Mica's (R-Fla.) $5.5 billion general aviation relief bill has cleared some crucial behind-the-scenes hurdles and supporters are hoping that it will reach the House floor in coming weeks. The bill, which passed out of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee in late February (BA, March 4/106), has received a nod of approval from the leadership of both the Banking and Budget Committees. Budget Committee blessing was particularly important since the bill's direct compensation had not already been set aside in the overall federal budget.
Models SA226 and SA227 series airplanes (Docket No. 2001-CE-47-AD; Amendment 39-12709; AD 2002-08-02) - supersedes AD 2001-20-14, which currently requires replacement of the brake shuttle valves with parts of improved design and installation of a shield over the hydraulic lines on certain Fairchild Aircraft SA226 and SA227 series airplanes. AD 2001-20-14 also requires replacement of the rubber fuel hose with a metal device for certain SA226 series airplanes.
BOMBARDIER Model DHC-8-400, -401, and -402 series airplanes (Docket No. 2002-NM-35-AD; Amendment 39-12713; AD 2002-08-05) - requires revising the Airplane Flight Manual to advise the flight crew of appropriate procedures to follow in the event that a main landing gear fails to extend following a gear-down selection. This action also requires replacement of the left and right MLG uplock assemblies with new assemblies; and an inspection of the left and right MLG uplock rollers for the presence of an inner low friction liner, and corrective actions if necessary.
RESEARCH GROUP CRITICIZES NASA'S SATS PROGRAM - The Transportation Research Board recommended that the National Aeronautics and Space Administration shelve its plans for the $69 million Small Aircraft Transportation System and "recommit the program to other, more achievable goals."
RAYTHEON WINS NAVY T-6A ORDER; SCHUSTER SAYS PROGRAM PROFITABLE - Raytheon Aircraft Company won a contract for seven additional T-6A Texan II primary trainers for the U.S. Navy, the latest installment in a program that is expected to stretch over more than two decades.
The Transportation Security Administration's attempt at regulating the charter industry was rushed to meet a deadline and the net result is a rule that is vague, unsubstantiated and full of pitfalls, industry officials told the newly formed agency in comments last week. TSA issued the "Twelve-Five" rule - one of the first to come out of the agency - in February to comply with a mandate from the Aviation Transportation and Security Act. The measure called for security programs for charter air carriers that operate aircraft weighing 12,500 pounds or more.
CONDOLENCES Mr. David Pickering, a long-time aviation professional, most recently with Executive Beechcraft, Inc. of Kansas City, MO, passed away on 4/18/02 in Kansas City, MO. Mr. Pickering was 61 years old. Memorials to your favorite charity.
Model DHC-8-400, -401, and -402 series airplanes (Docket No. 2002-NM-35-AD; Amendment 39-12713; AD 2002-08-05) - requires revising the Airplane Flight Manual to advise the flight crew of appropriate procedures to follow in the event that a main landing gear fails to extend following a gear-down selection. This action also requires replacement of the left and right MLG uplock assemblies with new assemblies; and an inspection of the left and right MLG uplock rollers for the presence of an inner low friction liner, and corrective actions if necessary.
Million Air Teterboro won two Diamond Awards for Excellence from FAA last month. The awards, presented to the FBO's repair station and charter department, are presented to companies that train at least 25 percent of their mechanics. Million Air sent 75 percent of its mechanics for training in 2000.
Raytheon Aircraft Company introduced a new web site that offers customers immediate, one-source access to the company's entire parts inventory, as well as supplier parts. The company said www.raytheonaircraftparts.com contains an inventory of more than 12 million parts from the manufacturer, plus suppliers such as Dunlop, Goodrich and Champion Aerospace. The new site is part of RAC's attempt to upgrade its product support network.
COMMERCIAL AVIATION FULLY RESTORED AT DCA BUT GA RESTRICTIONS CONTINUE - The last of the restrictions on commercial flights at Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA) was set to be lifted last Saturday under an agreement worked out among the federal security agencies, Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta said last week, but there was still no official word on restoring general and business aviation access to the airport.
Pentar Avionics of Seattle, Wash. sold its test equipment division to Minnesota-based Ideal Aerosmith, Inc., a company that specializes in motion control systems and custom engineering for the aerospace, automotive and petroleum industries. The deal transfers all of PENTAR's test equipment, technologies and customer base to Ideal's existing automated test equipment business. Ideal will keep PENTAR's key test equipment division employees and their facilities in Seattle and Shawnee, Kan. PENTAR will maintain a sales and support office in Kansas.
The last of the restrictions on commercial flights at Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA) was set to be lifted last Saturday under an agreement worked out among the federal security agencies, Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta said last week, but there was still no official word on restoring general and business aviation access to the airport.
FlightSafety won FAA certification to install the Enhanced Vision System on the Gulfstream V full flight simulator at its Savannah, Ga. learning center.
Models Spey 506-14A, 555-15, 555-15H, 555-15N, and 555-15P turbojet engines (Docket No. 2001-NE-14-AD) - proposes to require replacing certain Stage 2 low pressure turbine blades with new redesigned Stage 2 LPT blades. This proposal is prompted by several reports of failures of stage 2 LPT blades. The actions specified by the proposed AD are intended to prevent failure of the Stage 2 LPT blades, which could result in an engine shutdown. There are approximately 407 engines of the affected design in the worldwide fleet.
Europe's Joint Aviation Authorities recently approved Learjet training for European pilots at FlightSafety International's Tucson, Atlanta, Wichita and West Palm Beach learning centers, but the approval isn't going to help new European students who want to begin training there. Foreign students seeking initial training in aircraft weighing 12,500 pounds or more are still barred from training in the U.S. and may be for some time. See article below.
FlightSafety Simulation is building a Bombardier Global Express full flight simulator that will be delivered in the fourth quarter of next year. The simulator will be certified to FAA Level D standards. FlightSafety provides Bombardier Challenger training at its centers in Montreal, Canada, Houston, Texas, Wilmington, Del. and Tucson, Ariz. The Global Express simulator will be "located at a FlightSafety learning center most convenient to the growing number of operators of the Bombardier Global Express business aircraft," FlightSafety said.
U.S.-based former employees of aircraft manufacturer Fairchild Dornier filed a petition in federal court in Virginia that asks for an involuntary bankruptcy declaration against the German manufacturer and its U.S. subsidiaries.
Rockwell Collins received FAA certification for its Pro Line 21 Continuum avionics system to be installed on the Falcon 20 family of aircraft. Garrett Aviation completed the system installation and supplemental type certification. The Pro Line consolidates flightdeck features such as autopilot, a flight management system, a heading reference system and a traffic alert avoidance system. The system is now FAA certified on a total of eight types of aircraft including the Challenger 601 and the Falcon 50.
Bryan Moss, vice chairman of Gulfstream Aerospace, has decided to "indefinitely postpone" his previously announced plans to retire from the company (BA, Jan. 14/26). "Gulfstream is pleased that it will continue to benefit from Bryan's vast industry knowledge, plus his extensive contacts and experience selling business jets," said President Bill Boisture. "Gulfstream has a significant number of worldwide opportunities and Bryan will make invaluable contributions to our continuing growth and success," he said.
JURG BISLIN was named head of engineering at Jet Aviation Basel. He will supervise engineering for completions, refurbishment and modification of VIP aircraft. Bislin has more than 12 years of experience in the aviation industry and was most recently the head of electrical and mechanical engineering systems at SR Technics in Zurich, Switzerland.
Avfuel added BizJet International Sales & Support of Tulsa, Okla. and Diamond Air Jet Center of Yuma, Ariz. to its dealer network. BizJet specializes in aircraft maintenance, painting and interior services. Diamond Air offers fueling, flight instruction and charter services.
JURG BISLIN was named head of engineering at Jet Aviation Basel. He will supervise engineering for completions, refurbishment and modification of VIP aircraft. Bislin has more than 12 years of experience in the aviation industry and was most recently the head of electrical and mechanical engineering systems at SR Technics in Zurich, Switzerland.
Pratt & Whitney will host this year's Society of Automotive Engineers International Aerospace Manufacturing Technology Conference and Exhibition June 3-7 in Hartford, Conn. Astronaut Sally Ride and Secretary of Commerce Donald Evans are slated to speak. "Building it Faster, Stronger, Better - Worldwide" will be the theme of the conference, which will have nearly 100 presentations and panel sessions. For more information, contact SAE Aerospace Meetings at (724) 772-7131.
MCDONNELL, BOEING VETERAN NAMED BELL PRESIDENT - Glenn E. Hess, a veteran of McDonnell Douglas and Boeing, was named president and chief operating officer of Bell Helicopter, a Textron company.
