Congress last week began to iron out differences in Senate and House versions of sweeping aviation security legislation, but debate is continuing at least through this week. House and Senate leaders have publicly stated a desire to reach a quick compromise. But the House and Senate versions have become a partisan battleground between Democrats, who want to federalize the airport screener work force, and Republicans, who want to give the President the option to federalize (BA, Nov. 5/211).
DAMON CRAM was named regional sales manager, Southwest Region, at SimuFlite. Cram will oversee sales in New Mexico and Texas, excluding the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. He was previously a sales representative for SimuFlite's central and northern regions.
Mike Smith, president of Honeywell's Aerospace Electronic Systems, is retiring after 28 years of service with the company. Dean Flatt, president and CEO of Honeywell's Specialty Materials business group, will succeed Smith, Honeywell announced last week.
EUROCOPTER France Model AS332C, L, L1, and L2 helicopters (Docket No. 2001-SW-07-AD) - proposes to require inspection of the cockpit pedal unit adjustment lever for a crack at specified time intervals by either a borescope or by a dye-penetrant inspection and replacing any cracked lever with an airworthy lever before further flight. This proposal is prompted by reports of cracks detected in the lever.
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.
NUANCE introduced Nuance Verifier 3.0, which the Menlo Park, Calif. company claims establishes "voice authentication as the most accurate, cost-effective and versatile security measure in the market." The company said that compared with other biometric technologies including finger or handprinting and iris, retina or facial scanning, the product "has been proven as a superior security solution," with a 99.9 percent accuracy rate in tests by financial and research institutions.
BOMBARDIER formed a joint venture with its distributor ExecuJet Aviation Group and Alpha 55, a diversified holding company based in Dubai. The facility will provide a range of services for Bombardier aircraft and act as the representative for Learjet aircraft. A 28,000-square-foot facility will be built at Dubai International Airport that will employ more than 50 workers. The facility is slated to open in 2002.
The U.S. Air Force has received two patents that promise to help detect wiring problems in aircraft before they can cause catastrophic failures. "Aircraft wiring systems are known to be a large contributor to aircraft problems," said Frank H. Born of the Information Directorate of the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Rome, N.Y. "Cable chafing and connector corrosion are both age-related, and, as such, will continue to cause more problems as the air fleet ages." AFRL, which received the patents from the U.S.
PILATUS AIRCRAFT Models PC-7, PC-12, and PC-12/45 airplanes (Docket No. 2001-CE-33-AD) - proposes to require inspection of the joints between the engine-driven pump housing, relief valve housing, and the relief-valve cover for signs of fuel leakage or extruding gasket material; replacement of any engine-driven pump with signs of fuel leakage or extruding gasket material; and inspection to ensure that the relief valve attachment screws are adequately torqued, and re-torquing as necessary.
CESSNA sold three Citation CJ1 business jets to the Chilean Air Force. The aircraft will be based in Puerto Montt, Chile. The follow-on to the original CitationJet, the CJ1 first entered service in 2000, and Cessna has since delivered more than 90 of the aircraft. The aircraft incorporates the new Collins Pro Line 21 avionics suite, has a 200-pound-gross-weight increase over the CitationJet and can operate from runways as short as 3,280 feet.
A comprehensive restructuring and charge against its in-flight entertainment product line led communications and electronics specialist Rockwell Collins to post a fourth quarter loss despite record sales and earnings. The company reported sales of $816 million for its fourth quarter ended Sept. 30, a 16 percent - or $114 million - increase over the fourth quarter a year ago. For its fiscal 2001, Rockwell Collins had $2.8 billion in revenues, compared with $2.5 billion in fiscal 2000.
HOUSE AVIATION leaders are crafting another bill to provide economic relief to general aviation businesses hammered by ongoing airspace restrictions over the past couple of months.The draft bill, spearheaded by House aviation subcommittee Chairman John Mica (R-Fla.), is much more expansive than an earlier bill introduced by Rep. Bill Shuster (R-Pa.) that calls for Small Business Administration grants and loans (BA, Oct. 8/166). The Mica bill will resemble the airline bailout package - the Air Transportation Safety and Stabilization Act - adopted quickly after the Sept.
BOEING is studying the feasibility of a joint venture with El Al to establish a security and safety business for airlines, airports and governments worldwide. The partnership would include "developing technology, manufacturing products, designing systems and procedures, and training personnel and staffing," Boeing said. The companies have signed a memorandum of understanding, in effect for 60 days, during which details of setup, each company's contributions, business plans and financial strategies will be examined.
IN ANOTHER SECURITY-RELATED DEVELOPMENT, Virginia Buckingham, executive director of Massport, resigned, after being frozen out by Massachusetts acting governor Jane Swift. Sources say there has been almost no communication between Swift and Buckingham since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, two of which involved the takeover of flights that departed from Boston Logan Airport, Massport's largest aviation facility. Buckingham, 36, leaves Nov. 15; Thomas Kinton will be the interim executive director.
CESSNA AIRCRAFT opened a new 80,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art Citation Parts Distribution facility Oct. 25. The new building more than doubles the size of its Citation parts unit. Facility features include multilevel high-bay racking, dense-cube drawers and shelving, and radio frequency picking/stocking, conveyors, elevators and carousel to facilitate parts movement.
GE AIRCRAFT ENGINES signed a contract with CargoLifter Development GmbH in Brand, Germany to power a fleet of new airships now under development there. GE will supply up to 400 CT7-8L installed engines and spares, plus maintenance services for 10 years, at a potential value of $500 million. The CT7-8 engine was co-developed by GE and Fiat Avio of Italy. The first engine deliveries for the CL160 Airships are anticipated in 2003. The first new airship is expected to fly the following year.
Pilots flying for major U.S. airlines today face a much more rapid transition to regional aircraft than before the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks as their employers fight to maintain market share and resume profit growth, said speakers at a Morten Beyer&Agnew conference on the post-attack outlook for the industry last week in Washington. There is "no question" that United, Delta and American are "off-loading" mainline traffic to regionals, according to Ed Greenslet, publisher of Airline Monitor.
Edsel B. Ford II, purchased DaimlerChrysler Aviation, the Detroit area business jet service center, and reinstated the company's previous name, Pentastar Aviation.
The campaign to save Chicago Meigs Field from its planned closure in February is intensifying as more than 20 aviation and business organizations late last month appealed to both Chicago Mayor Richard Daley (D) and Illinois Gov. George Ryan (R) to keep the lakefront airport open permanently. The organizations - which include air traffic controllers, general aviation, emergency care units and business interests - sent a letter Oct. 26 to the mayor and governor calling Meigs an "important part of the Chicago area airport system."
DORNIER LUFTFAHRT GmbH Models 228-100, 228-101, 228-200, 228-201, 228-202, and 228-212 airplanes (Docket No. 2001-CE-19-AD; Amendment 39-12471; AD 2001-21-01) - requires repetitive inspections of the horizontal stabilizer skin and ribs for damage and cracks and repair of any damaged skin or cracked ribs. This AD is the result of mandatory continuing airworthiness information issued by the airworthiness authority for Germany. The actions specified by this AD are intended to detect and correct damage and fatigue cracks in the horizontal stabilizer skin and ribs.
AIR CANADA launched a new jet charter business, AC Jetz, aimed at meeting the "special travel needs of sports teams and corporate clients." The carrier, which is cutting back flights in its scheduled airline operations, will reassign up to four of its Boeing 737 aircraft to AC Jetz. Air Canada officials said the new initiative is part of an effort to "pursue new business opportunities at little or no incremental cost" to the airline.
ADAM AIRCRAFT INDUSTRIES completed the first parts for the first conforming prototype CarbonAero aircraft. President John Knudsen said workers completed the horizontal stabilizer box and leading edge, with tools for the fuselage, flight control surfaces and tail booms nearing completion. Knudsen said the company expects to build the first fuselage this month. The CarbonAero is a six-place, all-composite, centerline thrust piston twin. It will have a 2,300-pound useful load and a 250-gallon fuel capacity.
Struggling to regain its footing after weeks of airspace constraints, general aviation businesses were dealt another blow last week when the Bush Administration adopted a new round of restrictions. The FAA Tuesday prohibited all general aviation flights within 10 nautical miles of "sensitive" nuclear sites throughout the U.S. The prohibition, effective until Nov. 7, grounded scores of aircraft at up to 500 airports, according to FAA's latest estimates.
WHAT'S IN A NAME? When asked why Dassault Falcon Jet's new trijet is called the 7X, Chairman Charles Edelstenne responded with a smile, "Seven is a lucky number and we feel this will be a lucky airplane." A different answer was offered by DFJ President John Rosanvallon, who said the name refers to seven parameters that shaped the aircraft's design - high speed and range; cabin comfort; value; technology; reliability; the three-engine design and airport access and versatility. The final word, however, was contained in a company press release.
