CESSNA this month expects to receive reduced vertical separation minimum (RVSM) certification for the Citation I, joining the Citation V, S/II and II, which already have won RVSM clearance. The approval allows the aircraft to operate in RVSM airspace, where aircraft must maintain 1,000-foot vertical separation instead of the 2,000-foot standard. Aircraft must undergo lengthy and stringent certification trials and meet certain equipment standards before obtaining RVSM approval.
Docket No.: FAA-2001-10469 Section of 14 CFR Affected: 14 CFR Sec. 145.45(f) Description of Relief Sought/Disposition: To permit United to make available to all of its supervisory and inspection personnel one copy of its repair inspection procedures manual, rather than giving a copy of the manual to each of these individuals. Grant, 10/24/2001, Exemption No. 6393C
Summary: Pursuant to FAA's rulemaking provisions governing the application, processing, and disposition of petitions for exemption Part 11 of Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR), this notice contains a summary of certain petitions seeking relief from specified requirements of 14 CFR. The purpose of this notice is to improve the public's awareness of, and participation in, this aspect of FAA's regulatory activities.
THOMAS BOSSHARD was promoted to chief operating officer of Pilatus Business Aircraft. He will oversee completion, delivery, product support and modification of Pilatus PC-12 aircraft for the North and South American markets. Bosshard joined Pilatus Aircraft in Switzerland in 1993 and has 14 years' experience in the aircraft industry.
Despite economic concerns and flight reductions that are holding down passenger traffic on the scheduled airlines, the outlook for business aviation continues to very bullish, according to two recently updated industry forecasts.
AVOLAR OFFICIALS were pleased with the turnout at its "vendor partnerships" meeting during the NBAA convention in New Orleans last month. The session attracted some 120 representatives of fixed-base operators, charter providers, limousine operators and catering companies, among others who expressed interest in doing business with the new fractional aircraft provider.
MIKE FAHEY was named regional vice president for Asia, Africa and the Middle East at Bombardier. He is based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates and is responsible for the marketing and sales of Bombardier business jets in the regions. Fahey has worked for Bombardier since 1981 and was most recently vice president, international sales for Bombardier Learjet 31A, Learjet 45, Learjet 60 and the Continental.
Flight Options and Raytheon signed an agreement last week under which the Cleveland, Ohio-based Flight Options will merge the Raytheon Travel Air (RTA) fractional aircraft program into its own fractional operation, making the combined entity the second largest fractional provider in the fastest growing segment of the business aviation market.
PILATUS won a supplemental type certificate to install Honeywell's integrated Hazard Avoidance System on Pilatus PC-12 aircraft. The system integrates four safety systems for position awareness, weather avoidance, traffic advisories and terrain warnings and displays the information on the KMD 850 multifunction display.
ENSTROM Helicopter Corporation Model TH-28 and 480 helicopters (Docket No. 2001-SW-27-AD; Amendment 39-12554; AD 2001-25-02) - requires establishing a life limit for certain upper and lower main rotor hub plates of 5,000 hours time-in-service (TIS), creating a component history card or equivalent record, and replacing each main rotor hub plate having 5,000 or more hours TIS with an airworthy hub plate. This AD is prompted by a recent reliability-based stress analysis that indicates a 5,000-hour TIS life limit should be imposed on certain hub plates.
JOSEPH VREEMAN was appointed vice president and general manager for BAE Systems' new commercial aircraft modification, maintenance and repair facility in Victorville, Calif. He was most recently senior vice president of customer support at Fairchild Dornier in San Antonio, Texas and also was previously vice president of engineering, inspection and quality assurance at Northwest Airlines.
PRATT&WHITNEY CANADA CORP. named Taxi Aero Marilia S/A (TAM) of Sao Paulo, Brazil as a recognized maintenance facility for its PT6 and JT15D engine models.
BOMBARDIER AEROSPACE plans to introduce a Global Express business jet into service with its Flexjet fractional aircraft ownership program early this year. The company also is launching a new ownership scheme for the large, long-range aircraft that departs from the traditional Flexjet arrangement. Global Express shareholders will be able to use the aircraft for a set number of days per year, instead of hours per year. A one-eighth share will provide a maximum of 30 days or 125 hours, while a one-half share would give the owners 120 days.
Docket No.: FAA-2001-9687 Section of 14 CFR Affected: 14 CFR Sec. 135.152(a) Description of Relief Sought/Disposition: To permit PHT to operate two Bell 212 helicopters and four Sikorsky S-61N helicopters (Serial Nos. 61364, 61488, 61771, and 61821) under Part 135 without each of those helicopters being equipped with an approved digital flight data recorder. Grant, 10/22/2001, Exemption No. 7257B
A DeCrane Aircraft interior refurbishment shop will be integrated with the Bombardier Business Aviation Services service center facility in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. to provide interior repair and modification for Bombardier business aircraft. DeCrane's interior upholstery, wood repair and modification services will be offered from the facility starting February 2002.
SAFE FLIGHT INSTRUMENT CORP. won FAA supplemental type certification for installation of its powerline detection system on the company Eurocopter SA341G Gazelle. The system is designed to protect against wire strikes by sensing electromagnetic fields that radiate from power lines. Once the system senses an electromagnetic field, it sends off an auditory alert and a red warning light. Safe Flight has priced the system at $9,500.
Pratt&Whitney Canada Corp. will acquire Altair Avionics Corp. of Norwood, Mass., part of a plan by the Canadian engine manufacturer to "enhance its aftermarket service capabilities." Altair is a leading manufacturer of advanced diagnostics systems that designs, manufacturers, sells and supports aircraft and engine electronic monitoring systems and provides Internet-based data management services. Recorded engine trend data is compatible with P&WC's Engine Condition Trend Monitoring software used by P&WC customers around the world.
BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON Model 206A, 206B, 206A-1, 206B-1, 206L, and 206L-1 helicopters (Docket No. 81-ASW-27; Amendment 39-12555; AD 81-18-01 R1) - revises an existing AD for Bell Helicopter Textron Model 206A, 206B, 206A-1, 206B-1, 206L, and 206L-1 helicopters that currently establishes a retirement life for the main rotor trunnion based on hours time-in-service. This amendment retains those requirements but revises the AD to remove the trunnion, Part Number (P/N) 206-011-120-103, from the applicability.
The DOT Office of Inspector General called on FAA to put on hold its Free Flight initiatives and Operational Evolution Plan pending a thorough assessment of the budgetary and security impact of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the two efforts. The OIG said FAA's $837.7 million Free Flight Phase 1 (FFP1) program and its OEP, introduced in June, were changed by the attacks and that the agency should reassess its priorities and investment strategies in time for deliberations next spring by Congress and DOT on FAA's fiscal 2003 budget.
AGUSTA Model A119 helicopters (Docket No. 2001-SW-55-AD; Amendment 39-12552; AD 2001-22-51) - publishes an amendment adopting AD 2001-22-51, which was sent previously to all known U.S. owners and operators of Agusta Model A119 helicopters by individual letters. This AD requires removing a certain part-numbered tail rotor blade on or before accumulating 50 hours time-in-service (TIS). This AD also requires visually or dye penetrant inspecting each blade at specified time intervals and removing any cracked blade before further flight.
CAE, the Canadian firm that has built aircraft simulators for training companies for decades, is significantly expanding its own simulator training franchise with the acquisition of SimuFlite Training International from GE Capital Commercial Equipment Financing.
BRS, the whole-airplane parachute innovator, completed its "best year, by far, in its history" with sales topping $3.7 million for the year ending Sept. 30, 2001, the company said. Revenues jumped 60 percent in fiscal 2001 and net profit was a record $599,010, the company reported. The company's improvement has been led by the ramp-up of BRS customer Cirrus Design Corp., which installs the BRS parachute recovery system on both its SR20 and SR22 single-engine aircraft.
Docket No.: FAA-2001-9787 Section of 14 CFR Affected: 14 CFR 61.51(f) Description of Relief Sought/Disposition: To permit Alpine Air pilots to log second-in-command flight time for cargo flights under instrument flight rules in certain multi-engine aircraft when more than one pilot is not required by either the aircraft type certificate or the regulations under which the flight is conducted. Denial, 10/16/2001, Exemption No. 7642
RAYTHEON Model Beech 400, 400A, and 400T series airplanes, Model Mitsubishi MU-300 Airplanes, and Model Beech MU-300-10 airplanes (Docket No. 2001-NM-347-AD; Amendment 39-12528; AD 2001-24-11) - requires revising the Emergency Procedures Section of the Airplane Flight Manual to ensure the flightcrew is advised of in-flight procedures in the event of loss of airspeed indication. Such loss of airspeed indication and the resulting adverse effects on certain connecting systems could result in reduced controllability of the airplane. The AD is effective Dec.
Docket No.: FAA-2001-9943 Section of 14 CFR Affected: 14 CFR Sec. 25.813(e) Description of Relief Sought/Disposition: To permit Schwartz to install interior doors between passenger compartments on Boeing Model 767-200 S/N 28270. Grant, 10/19/2001, Exemption No. 7650
