Bombardier received firm orders for two Bombardier Q400 aircraft from Hydro-Quebec to replace two of four of the electric company's Convair 580 turboprops. The Canadian utility company will use the two 72-seat aircraft as "employees' shuttles between Montreal and airfields serving hydro-electric generating sites in Northern Quebec," said Bombardier.
WEXFORD CAPITAL of Greenwich, Conn. exercised an option for eight 44-seat ERJ 140 regional jets from Embraer. The aircraft will be operated by Chautauqua Airlines under a code sharing agreement with American Airlines. Embraer said Wexford has placed firm orders for 53 aircraft and taken options for 20 more, of which 41 have been delivered - 37 ERJ 145s and four ERJ 140s.
WESLEY G. BUSH was appointed executive vice president at TRW Aeronautical Systems. Bush will work as executive vice president for a two-month transition period and succeed Ken MacIver as president and CEO of the company on Feb. 27, 2001.
FOKKER Model F.28 Mark 0100 series airplanes (Docket No. 2001-NM-327-AD; Amendment 39-12527; AD 2001-24-10) - requires repetitive inspections of certain main landing gear main fittings to detect forging defects, and rework of the main fittings, if necessary. This action is necessary to detect forging defects of the MLG main fittings, which could lead to cracking and result in significant structural damage to the airplane and possible injury to the occupants. The rule is effective Dec. 20, but FAA will accept comments for inclusion in the docket until Jan. 4.
JET AVIATION BASEL broke ground on a new customer and administration building last month. The $8 million project is scheduled to be completed in October 2002.
AB NORRLANDSFLYG contracted with Keystone Helicopter Corp., West Chester, Pa., to purchase a medically configured Keystone Medallion Sikorsky S-76A helicopter. It is the fifth Keystone Medallion model purchased by the Gallivare, Sweden, operator.
The National Air Transportation Association bought Aviation Testing Institute from Aviation Resource Group International in a move to lower ground services training costs for smaller fixed-base operators.
BOTH PILOTS were killed in the crash of a Model 24D Learjet cargo flight in El Paso, Texas early on the morning of Dec. 11. Investigators said the aircraft was on approach when controllers lost radar and radio contact. The 1970 model Learjet, N997TD, was owned and operated by Air Cargo Express, Inc., of Ft. Wayne, Ind.
IBIS AEROSPACE named three new distributors for its Ae270 propjet, raising the number of Ibis Sales Centers to eight. Field Aviation Sales Ltd. of Mississauga, Ontario will represent Ibis in Canada; Cutter Aviation of Phoenix, Ariz. will oversee the Southwestern region; and Woodland Aviation of Woodland, California will be responsible for the West Coast. Ibis also previously selected as distributors, Elliot Aviation, Piedmont-Hawthorne, Stevens Aviation, Ibis Aircraft Sales, Pty. Ltd. in Australia, and CDC Aviation in South Africa.
INSURANCE AVAILABILITY and sharply rising prices for coverage continue to worry aviation interests (BA, Dec. 3/255). "As of Dec. 31, it's going to be really difficult to get insurance," said Richard Belas, the new chairman of the National Business Aviation Association's Government Affairs Committee.
FRANK W. MILIAN was named vice president of business development, northeastern region for Executive Jet Management. He has more than 25 years' experience in business aviation and was most recently senior vice president at Atlantic Aviation Corporation in Teterboro, N.J.
CFE COMPANY Model CFE738-1-1B turbofan engines (Docket No. 2001-NE-04-AD) - proposes to require replacing the high-pressure turbine (HPT) Stage 1 aft cooling plate and HPT Stage 2 disk at or before they reach new reduced life cycle limits. This proposal is prompted by analysis of the existing life cycle limits by the engine manufacturer. The actions specified by the proposed AD are intended to prevent failure of the HPT Stage 1 aft cooling plate and HPT Stage 2 disk, which could result in an uncontained engine failure and damage to the airplane.
Despite reports to the contrary, the bottom is not falling out of the U.S. aerospace industry as a result of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, John Douglass, president and CEO of the Aerospace Industries Association, said Dec. 12 during the organization's Year End Review and Forecast luncheon. Douglass presented charts showing that projected industry sales for 2001 will total about $151 billion, some $5 billion more than 2000 sales.
JET ASSOCIATES, an aircraft sales and service company, opened its South American sales office in San Isidro, Argentina, a suburb of Buenos Aires. Raymond A. Santa, vice president, international sales at Jet Associates, will head up the new office. "We are very positive about the global aviation market and believe it can be served most efficiently and effectively through localized representation. We anticipate similar developments in other areas in the near future," said J. Philip Jordan, Jet Associates president.
John Magaw, former director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, Secret Service and former acting director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, is President Bush's choice for Under Secretary of the new Transportation Safety Administration (TSA). Magaw, who began his law enforcement career in 1959 as a state trooper in Ohio, was director of the Secret Service and took control of ATF following the Oklahoma City bombing.
General aviation relief efforts took a step forward last week when the House aviation subcommittee approved by voice vote legislation to provide up to $2.5 billion in direct compensation and $5 billion in loan guarantees to small aviation businesses ravaged in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The subcommittee left the bill, H.R.3347, basically intact as introduced by Chairman John Mica (R-Fla.), but added a measure that places stronger controls on the distribution of the funds and expands the applicability to include general aviation airports.
BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON CANADA Model 427 helicopters (Docket No. 2001-SW-43-AD) - proposes to require modifying each auxiliary fin by relocating the upper tuning weights to a lower position. This proposal is prompted by several incidents of main rotor blades contacting the top of the fin. The upper tuning weights are located such that a main rotor contact with the fin may result in an upper tuning weight becoming loose.
EUROCOPTER Model AS350B, AS350B1, AS350B2, AS350B3, AS350BA, AS350C, AS350D, AS350D1, AS355E, AS355F, AS355F1, AS355F2, and AS355N helicopters (Docket No. 2001-SW-20-AD) - proposes to require replacing the tail rotor hub pitch change plate "SNR" bearing. This proposal is prompted by fatigue cracks found in the bearings. The actions specified by the proposed AD are intended to prevent seizure of the bearing, loss of tail rotor effectiveness, and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter. FAA estimates that this proposed AD would affect 514 helicopters on the U.S.
BOMBARDIER OFFICIALS plan to convert their Flexjet fractional aircraft business to a Part 135 operation as soon as the necessary approvals can be obtained from FAA. Robert Greenhill, president of Bombardier International, said the move is being made so Flexjet will be able to offer service to customers without regard to any new restrictions that may be imposed on general aviation operations.Flexjet was essentially grounded, along with other Part 91 operators, for four days following the Sept.
DERCO AEROSPACE signed a five-year, sole worldwide distribution agreement with Honeywell for all military fixed-wing aircraft. The agreement makes Derco the "only global supplier" of Honeywell's military products and allows Honeywell to focus on aftermarket support and customer needs, said Derco. Honeywell and Derco began their business relationship in 1991 and the deal is the latest of several between the two companies, including a 10-year licensing agreement signed in June for the repair and distribution of military aircraft cooling turbines.
Bombardier Aerospace launched a new program using charter operators in the Pacific and Far East to provide easy access for travelers in those regions. At the same time, it confirmed plans to roll back and restructure its Flexjet Europe operations (BA, Dec. 10/265).
JOHN TAYLOR was named FSR delivery specialist based in Little Rock, Ark. for Dassault Falcon Jet. Taylor will represent DFJ customer service at all new aircraft deliveries at the completion and service center in Little Rock. He has worked at DFJ since 1987 and was most recently program manager for the Falcon 900/900EX production line in Little Rock.
PILATUS BRITTEN-NORMAN LIMITED BN-2, BN-2A, BN-2B, and BN-2T series airplanes (Docket No. 2001-CE-38-AD) - proposes to require repetitive inspection of the inboard brackets of the elevator outboard hinge for loose rivets, structural damage, or cracks and replacement of any suspect bracket. The proposed AD also would require replacement of the hinge bracket at a certain time if no discrepancies are found. This replacement includes modifying the area and installing modified brackets.
ROLLS-ROYCE Tay Model 650-15 and 651-54 turbofan engines (Docket No. 2001-NE-36-AD) - proposes to require revisions to the Airworthiness Limitations Section of the Instructions for Continued Airworthiness in the Time Limits Section of the Engine Manual for Rolls-Royce Tay Model 650-15 and 651-54 series turbofan engines will require enhanced inspection of selected critical life-limited parts at each piece-part exposure. An FAA study of in-service events involving uncontained failures of critical rotating engine parts has indicated the need for mandatory inspections.
