Docket No.: FAA-2001-10384 Section of 14 CFR Affected: 14 CFR 91.315, 119.21(g), and 119.21(a) Description of Relief Sought/Disposition: To permit WWS to operate its North American B-25 aircraft, which is certificated in the limited category, for the purpose of carrying passengers for compensation or hire. Grant, 11/01/2001, Exemption No. 6786B.
KAMAN CORP. signed an agreement to purchase Plastic Fabricating Company, Inc. (PlasticFab), a Wichita, Kan. manufacturer of composite parts and assemblies for aerospace applications. HIG Capital LLC, a private equity investment firm in Miami, Fla., owns PlasticFab, which had 2001 sales in excess of $14 million. The Wichita firm, founded in 1948, supplies custom-engineered composites, advanced plastic components and complex assemblies to Boeing, Bell Helicopter Textron, Sikorsky Aircraft, Lockheed Martin and Fuji Heavy Industries, Ltd.
Docket No.: FAA-2001-9944 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 757-200 S/N 28463. Grant, 10/19/2001, Exemption No. 7651
GENERAL AVIATION "is a critical component of the nation's transportation system," the Department of Transportation concluded in a report to Congress last month on improving general aviation security."We must continue to develop, assess and deploy measures that can effectively increase the security of general aviation without unduly restricting general aviation operations," DOT said.
GEORGE FERITO was promoted to assistant manager at FlightSafety's DFW Learning Center, located at the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. He was previously director of training at the center. Ferito, who recently worked with Bombardier's FlexJet program, is a business aircraft pilot with rating in three types of corporate jets and a commercial helicopter license. He has experience with fractional aircraft providers. Ferito also is a member of the National Business Aviation Association Safety Committee and the Flight Safety Foundation's Corporate Advisory Board.
CHRISTOPHER BIDWELL was named director of passenger and cargo security at the Air Transport Association in Washington, D.C. He was most recently manager, corporate security at American Airlines, where he was responsible for oversight and compliance for the airline's federal security standards and regulations.
RTS SERVICES of Fort Worth, Texas was named an accredited parts distributor according to FAA's AC 00-56 Voluntary Industry Distributor Accreditation Program standards. The Aerospace Industry Registration of Distributors Task Force awarded the status to RTS. The task force monitors and ensures that aircraft and engine parts have appropriate documentation and stated quality.
A bill to enshrine the Chicago O'Hare expansion as federal law uses the threat of withdrawing Airport Improvement Program grants from O'Hare Airport if downtown Meigs Field is closed. Keeping Meigs open is a crucial part of the recent O'Hare expansion pact.
JOSEPH E. (JEB) BURNSIDE was named vice president, government and industry affairs at the National Air Transportation Association. He will spearhead NATA's policy initiatives on Capitol Hill, FAA and other federal agencies. Burnside was most recently executive editor of AVWeb, an Internet aviation publication and has also worked for the National Business Aviation Association.
Airport industry groups already are looking ahead to fiscal 2004, when current funding rules passed under AIR-21 expire, according to a top industry lobbyist. Todd Hauptli, senior vice president for legislative affairs for the American Association of Airport Executives and Airports Council International-North America, said that everyone should expect "another hard battle between appropriators and authorizers" over funding levels and spending guarantees.
CHRISTOPHER KASPER was named program manager for Honeywell engines at BizJet International. Kasper has more than 30 years' experience in turbine engines and will help BizJet enhance its TFE 731 program.
BE A PILOT awarded its $10,000 prize for best local marketing of flight training to the Pittsburgh Flight Training Center at this year's NBAA convention in New Orleans. Marketing techniques used by PFTC included "Give the Gift of Flight" billboards and low-cost cable TV and radio ads.
EMBRY-RIDDLE AERONAUTICAL UNIVERSITY signed an agreement with Air Routing International Corp. to jointly create courses for the new Scheduler's Professional Development Program (SPDP) offered by the National Business Aviation Association. Air Routing will develop courses that will be offered to students online through Embry-Riddle's Division of Continuing Education. Courses will cover topics such as aircraft capacity use, international scheduling and methods with the first course to start in 2002.
NATIONAL BUSINESS AVIATION ASSOCIATION has developed a security proposal under which corporate and business aircraft operators who met a series of conditions and pre-approvals could obtain "letters of agreement" (LOAs) from FAA officials. Holders of the LOAs would be permitted to operate under Part 91 during periods of intensified security if the scheduled airlines were flying. The NBAA proposal also includes procedures to permit Part 91 operations into Washington Reagan National Airport (DCA).
AGUSTA Model A109C, A109E, and A109K2 helicopters (Docket No. 2001-SW-15-AD; Amendment 39-12523; AD 2001-24-07) - supersedes an existing AD that applies to Agusta Model A109C, A109E, and A109K2 helicopters and currently requires inspecting the main rotor blade tip cap for bonding separation and a crack.
The Federal Aviation Administration lifted Enhanced Class B airspace restrictions over 30 major metropolitan areas last week, and also said VFR flights could resume in New York, Boston and Washington, D.C. A series of notices to airmen, issued Dec. 19, reduced the size of the no-fly zones around New York City and Washington, D.C. and added a temporary flight restriction around a propane facility near Boston Logan Airport.
CIRRUS Design Corporation Models SR20 and SR22 airplanes (Docket No. 2001-CE-46-AD; Amendment 39-12556; AD 2001-25-03) - requires a one-time inspection for understrength rivets on the elevator torque tube and rudder hinge and replacement of any understrength rivets. This AD is the result of CDC notifying FAA that understrength rivets were mixed in production supplies. The actions specified by this AD are intended to detect and replace understrength rivets in the elevator and rudder, which could result in failure of the control surfaces.
A $30 MILLION INVESTMENT in a state-of-the-art information technology (IT) network is a key element in Avolar's planning. The system will give single-call capability to customers and permit Avolar to stay in close contact with its vendors, officials say. One of the biggest complaints Avolar heard from potential vendors about other fractional and charter providers is that they don't call ahead or provide updates when plans/schedules change, Lin said, making it difficult for service providers to balance staffing levels with demand.
BOMBARDIER restructured the international sales teams for its business aircraft division. Three regional teams for Europe, the Americas and the Middle East/Africa/Asia were formed. Each team will be led by a regional vice president: Alain Ledoux will continue to head the European team; Jahid Fazal-Karim will be responsible for the Americas; and Michael Fahey will lead aircraft sales in the Middle East/Africa/Asian division.
Hamilton Sundstrand, already one of the largest suppliers of aerospace actuation equipment, has acquired an Italian provider of actuation equipment. Hamilton Sundstrand, headquartered in Windsor Locks, Conn., bought Magnaghi Hydraulics Systems Division, of Brugherio, Italy. The unit, which had been part of Magnaghi Aerospace, has more than 200 employees and revenues of about $20 million per year.
HONEYWELL'S AS907 engine program checked off more certification milestones, completing bird ingestion, fan vibration, icing, ice and hail ingestion and oil interruption tests.
AIR METHODS won a series of contracts that total more than $5 million in business for the company. The orders come from eight different customers including original equipment manufacturers, hospitals, aeromedical service providers and government agencies. Air Methods will supply emergency medical service, multi-mission interior systems, avionics systems and airframe accessories. The orders include the contract with Sikorsky for five HH-60L multi-mission medevac systems.
Detroit Metro Wayne County Airport opened a fourth parallel runway last month, the only new runway to open at a major U.S. airport in 2001. The 10,000-foot, $225 million Runway 4L/22R, dedicated by FAA Administrator Jane Garvey, gives the airport six jet runways. The National Air Traffic Controllers Association hailed the new runway, estimating it will provide a capacity increase of 25 percent more takeoffs and landings in good weather and 17 percent more in bad weather.
Docket No.: FAA-2001-10357 Section of 14 CFR Affected: 14 CFR 135.152. Description of Relief Sought/Disposition: To permit EAL to operate its 1975 Gulfstream American Gulfstream II airplane (Serial No. 173) under Part 135 without the airplane being equipped with an approved digital flight data recorder. Grant, 10/16/2001, Exemption No. 7643
Docket No.: FAA-2001-10231 Section of 14 CFR Affected: 14 CFR Sec. 145.47(b) Description of Relief Sought/Disposition: To permit GE VARIG to use the calibration standards of the Instituto Nacional de Metrologia, Normalizacao e Qualidade Industrial in lieu of the calibration standards of the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology to test its inspection and test equipment. Grant, 10/24/2001, Exemption No. 6709B
