BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON CANADA Model 222, 222B, 222U, and 230 helicopters (Docket No. 2001-SW-49-AD; Amendment 39-12470; AD 2001-19-52) - publishes an amendment adopting AD 2001-19-52. This AD requires removing certain serial-numbered main rotor pendulum weight supports from service and replacing with airworthy main rotor pendulum weight supports. This AD is prompted by the failure of a main rotor pendulum weight support resulting in shedding of the weights and an increased level of main rotor vibration.
FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION approved a 30-day extension of the comment period on its proposal to establish a new Subpart K of Part 91 of the Federal Aviation Regulations. The new rule would establish a regulatory framework governing the operations of fractional aircraft providers (BA, Oct. 8/163). The extension was requested by the National Air Transportation Association, the National Business Aviation Association and the National Transportation Safety Board.
RAYTHEON Model Beech 400A series airplanes (Docket No. 99-NM-157-AD; Amendment 39-12455; AD 2001-20-07) - requires replacement of certain bus bars connecting the battery and external power receptacle to the airframe ground with a new, improved bus bar. This amendment is prompted by reports of electrical arcing at the battery and external power receptacle of the airframe ground in the aft fuselage due to a deficiency in the bus bar and washer design.
PILATUS AIRCRAFT LTD. Model PC-7 airplanes (Docket No. 2001-CE-30-AD) - proposes to require an inspection of the landing-gear emergency-extension cable for damage and replace if necessary; verification of the correct installation of the bowden-cable conduit clamp and correction, if necessary; and modification of the temperature-control lever mechanism. This proposed AD is the result of mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued by the airworthiness authority for Switzerland.
Eclipse Aviation Corp. announced a change in the makeup of its board of directors last week, with Sam Williams stepping down and Brian Barents replacing him.
BAE SYSTEMS LIMITED Model BAe 146 series airplanes and Avro 146-RJ series airplanes (Docket No. 2001-NM-199-AD) - proposes to require replacement of the standby generator with a new, improved standby generator. This action is prompted by mandatory continuing airworthiness information from a foreign airworthiness authority. This action is necessary to prevent loss of the standby generator, which in the event of an emergency involving the principal generator, could result in the loss of electrical power to the airplane.
Gulfstream received FAA certification to install the Enhanced Vision System on its Gulfstream V long-range business jet aircraft. EVS enables pilots to see through fog and darkness using "an infrared real-world conformal image on Honeywell's Head-Up Display in the cockpit," the company said. The system was designed with FAA's Safer Skies initiative in mind to aid in "volatile situations" such as deteriorating weather and to help prevent controlled flights into terrain, runway incursions and mistakes during approaches and landings, said Gulfstream.
THE TOWN OF ISLIP, N.Y., reacting to FAA advice that it should not enforce a $50,000 nighttime landing fee at MacArthur Airport (ISP), said it was "puzzled" by FAA's citation of certain regulations and federal statutes to back its warning "since neither [FAA's] letter or the letter of Eastern region counsel states anywhere therein that either of you have examined the subject ordinance." The town asked the agency to "provide a clear, unequivocal determination of the FAA's position on this specific ordinance," adding that such a position "would clearly weigh heavily in any
UNITED'S new fractional venture, Avolar, continues to make waves among airline employees facing massive layoffs. Linda Farrow, president of the United Master Executive Council of the Association of Flight Attendants, AFL-CIO, last week complained that United CEO Jim Goodwin is furloughing more than 20,000 employees even while receiving grants and liability protection from Congress.
ERIC RAMSDELL was named manager, safety and operations at the National Business Aviation Association. He will be responsible for representing the NBAA membership in airman certification, aircraft equipage and FAR Part 61 and 91 matters. As an airline-transport-rated pilot with several type ratings in business aircraft, Ramsdell has more than 20 years' aviation experience in both operations and regulations.
Nick Sabatini, 65, a 22-year veteran of FAA and a former police officer, was named associate administrator for regulation and certification by Administrator Jane Garvey. Sabatini was summoned to FAA's Washington, D.C. headquarters in May to replace Nick Lacey as director of the agency's Flight Standards Service (BA, May 7/215). In his new post, Sabatini is taking over for agency veteran Tom McSweeny, who is retiring from FAA at the end of the month.
AIRCRAFT OWNERS AND PILOTS ASSOCIATION is losing its top Capitol Hill lobbyist next month. William Deere, senior vice president of legislative affairs for AOPA, was appointed director of House affairs for the Department of State, effective Nov. 5. Deere rejoined AOPA nearly five years ago after spending five years as a senior aide to former Rep. Jim Lightfoot (R-Iowa). His first stint with AOPA ran from 1987 to 1991, when he was director of congressional affairs and manager for the AOPA Political Action Committee.
HONEYWELL increased production of Spectra, the company's high-modulus polyethylene fiber used in armor and protection applications. Honeywell will invest $20 million to install a new production line and "additional drawing capacity" at the company's Colonial Heights, Va. facility by the end of the third quarter 2002. The company also plans to build a new Spectra plant during the second expansion phase.
Avolar, United Airlines' business aircraft program, received Part 135 certification for charter/air taxi operations from the Federal Aviation Administration. The company, which has ambitious plans to offer a range of business aviation services from fractional business aircraft operations to interlining with United's airline operation, is also continuing to pursue Part 121 commercial air carrier certification, using an Embraer RJ 135, Avolar said.
Raytheon Company is writing off more than $700 million in connection with commuter and general aviation business at Raytheon Aircraft Corp., the latest in a series of financial setbacks for the Wichita-based RAC.
U.S. general aviation manufacturers reported slight increases in billings for the third quarter ended Sept. 30, despite a drop in deliveries sparked in part by airspace restrictions that began during the Sept. 11 terrorist attack, the General Aviation Manufacturers Association said Friday. GA manufacturers posted $2.1 billion in billings for the third quarter, $100 million more than third quarter 2000 results. For the year to date, the plane-makers brought in a record $6.5 billion in billings.
CHARLES RYAN, president and chief operating officer of aircraft component specialist Nordam Group, was killed Monday along with two other men after a pontoon plane they were in crashed into a lake in Northern Canada. The plane went down as it was preparing to land on a lake in a remote area north of Montreal. In addition to Ryan, the pilot and James Pielsticker, chairman and founder of Arrow Trucking, died. Five others were injured in the crash. The group was on a hunting trip.
THE INTERNATIONAL CIVIL AVIATION ORGANIZATION'S 33rd Assembly this month agreed to adopt a "balanced" approach to regulating aircraft noise and emissions, an approach strongly backed by the U.S. The agreement came after more than a week of wrangling over the issue, as the U.S. and developing nations supported aircraft restrictions as a last resort and European nations, Australia and Japan pushed for a clearer path to aircraft restrictions.
DISAPPOINTED with continuing restrictions on GA aircraft in enhanced Class B airspace, general aviation leaders took their concerns to the National Economic Council last week where they told staffers about how severely the restrictions are damaging aviation businesses. By week's end it appeared that FAA was ready to begin modifying Class B restrictions around at least some of the 30 affected airports.
MIKE ROWLAND was appointed vice president for Gulfstream 100 and 200 programs at Gulfstream Aerospace. Rowland will oversee the G100 and G200 programs and manage Gulfstream's business with Israel Aircraft Industries, which manufactures the two aircraft. He has 13 years' experience at Gulfstream and was most recently the head of the company's EC-37 program.
CESSNA AIRCRAFT workers represented by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers were scheduled to vote Saturday on a new four-year contract with the aircraft manufacturer.The proposed agreement is believed to call for wage increases of three percent in each of the first three years and two percent in the fourth year and for workers to assume some of the costs of their health insurance coverage. The contract would cover some 6,100 workers represented by the IAM.
The Federal Aviation Administration issued a new heightened security rule for private operators that requires changes affecting aircraft, crew, passenger and luggage screening. Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR) 91 requires operators of aircraft that weigh more than 12,500 pounds to develop a security program when notified by FAA. The agency will release a notice to airmen alerting operators when to implement the programs. The program must be FAA-approved and "be tailored to meet various threats," the agency said.
SPAR AEROSPACE LTD. won a $16 million contract to support 32 Canadian Forces CC-130 Hercules aircraft. The work will include engineering support and maintenance, repair and overhaul. Work will be done at Spar's Edmonton, Alberta facility.
SHORT BROTHERS Model SD3 series airplanes (Docket No. 2001-NM-229-AD) - proposes to require a one-time inspection of the installation of the bearing housings of the elevator torque shaft assembly, and corrective action if necessary. This action is necessary to prevent failure of the elevator torque shaft, which could result in reduced controllability of the airplane. FAA estimates that this proposed AD would affect 75 airplanes on the U.S. Registry at a cost of $9,000, or $120 per airplane. Send comments in triplicate by Nov.
BILL MCLEOD was named eastern division vice president, sales, midsize accounts at Gulfstream Aerospace. He will oversee Gulfstream aircraft sales in the eastern United States and all of Canada. McLeod has served Gulfstream for 19 years, most recently as the regional sales director for new aircraft sales in the mid-Atlantic region.
