JET AVIATION at London Biggin Hill is remodeling its main hangar to accommodate aircraft maintenance and additional services. Construction will be completed by the end of this year with the facility scheduled to be fully operational by early 2002.
AOPA PRESIDENT Phil Boyer, following up with a letter to President Bush, quoted Bush's appeal to Americans Thursday to "get the airplanes flying again all across America," and "get about the business of America." Boyer told Bush that AOPA members "would like to do nothing more than utilize the investment they have in their general aviation aircraft and get them 'flying again across all of America,' but are prevented from doing so by the prohibition on VFR flights.
DORNIER Model 328-100 and -300 series (Docket No. 2001-NM-185-AD) - proposes to require testing of the left-and right-hand potentiometer levers of the aileron flight control system, and follow-on or corrective action, as applicable. This action is necessary to prevent detachment of an aileron potentiometer lever, which could result in jamming of the elevator and/or aileron flight control systems and consequent reduced controllability of the airplane. FAA estimates that this proposed AD would affect 89 airplanes on the U.S.
MIKE BLAIR was named supervisor of planning for CompletionAir, East Alton, Ill. He will be responsible for planning, scheduling and tracking all project activities. Working closely with the vice president of completions, Blair will implement a company-wide database/project management system to integrate all shops, procurement, engineering and receiving. CompletionAir, founded in 2000, operates a 134,000-square-foot aircraft completion facility.
CARL JONES was named manager of quality assurance at CompletionAir. An FAA-designated airworthiness representative for both manufacturing and maintenance, Jones was director of quality assurance at JetCorp and chief inspector for Midcoast Aviation.
The business aviation community is bracing for a long-term change in its approach to security in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks that have clouded the freedom of flight private aircraft historically enjoyed and operators have taken for granted.
THE GENERAL AVIATION MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION and two major airport groups wrote key legislators last week that manufacturers and operators "have had their war risk insurance policies canceled" and are now being forced to buy new policies "at substantial premium increases for similar or even reduced coverage." GAMA President Ed Bolen said some companies, which previously carried $1 billion in war risk coverage, are now limited to $50 million - while paying higher premiums.
The airport authority overseeing Minneapolis/St. Paul International launched an interactive noise web site that officials hope will reduce local hostility toward the airport by allowing personalized noise reports.
JOHN MAYRHOFER was appointed vice president of Hi-Tec Systems. Based in the newly opened Washington, D.C. office, Mayrhofer will be responsible for aviation systems and strategic planning. He was the former head of FAA's runway safety program.
CESSNA is offering a free fuel allowance for aircraft orders from a selected inventory of 172S Skyhawk SP, 182 Skylane, T182 Turbo Skylane, 206 Stationair and T206 Turbo Stationair single-engine piston aircraft. Buyers of 172S aircraft will receive $3,500 in fuel allowance; 182/T182 aircraft will get $5,000; and 206/T206 aircraft will receive $7,500. The promotion is effective until Nov. 24.
BOMBARDIER Model DHC-8-301 series airplanes (Docket No. 2001-NM-39-AD; Amendment 39-12440; AD 2001-19-01) - requires removal of the access panels of the upper wings to determine the manufacturing date of the panels to verify compliance with Model 301 wing specifications, and corrective action, if necessary. This action is necessary to find and fix panels that do not meet such specifications, which could result in elongation of the attachment holes in the panels due to critical design loads, and consequent reduced structural integrity of the wings.
Avfuel Corporation and Shell Aviation are teaming together to close each company's geographical service gaps to create a fueling network with 1,400 locations worldwide. The reciprocal agreement will allow pilots carrying either a Shell Carnet card or Avfuel card to purchase fuel from any of both companies' locations, said Shell Aviation. No changes in current charge card policies or terms will be made but all cardholders will receive new cards shortly before a November 2001 launch date.
Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta appointed two "Rapid Response Teams" (RRTs) Sept. 16 and asked them to report back within two weeks with "detailed recommendations for improving security within the national aviation system."
Losses continued to mount for flights schools that remained grounded at least through Friday afternoon, but general aviation pilots who fly under visual flight rules received limited relief as senior Bush Administration officials lifted the VFR ban outside major metropolitan areas. The Federal Aviation Administration allowed Part 91 VFR flights late Wednesday, eight days after the agency issued a nationwide "ground stop" for all civilian aircraft.
HONEYWELL said its RE100 auxiliary power unit is now available for retrofit in Cessna Citation Excel business jets for those operators who did not initially select the APU option. The manufacturer said its RE100 APUs can be installed at Cessna Citation Service Centers via Cessna Service Bulletin (SB 560XL-49-01), adding that Cessna and Honeywell "have assets on hand to complete APU installation with minimal aircraft down time." The APU is covered by a factory warranty covering all parts and labor to the same terms and duration as new Excel aircraft.
EMBRY-RIDDLE AERONAUTICAL UNIVERSITY's aerospace engineering program was ranked No. 1 by U.S. News and World Report's annual college guide. The magazine slotted Embry-Riddle ahead of institutions such as the U.S. Air Force Academy, California State Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo and St. Louis University, in the aerospace/aeronautical/astronautical engineering specialty category.
National Business Aviation Association, saying it wants to help the aviation community unite and exchange information in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and subsequent changes in airspace operating rules, has rescheduled its convention for Dec. 12-14 in New Orleans.
FOKKER Model F.28 Mark 1000, 2000, 3000, and 4000 series airplanes (Docket No. 2001-NM-23-AD; Amendment 39-12428; AD 2001-18-02) - requires a one-time eddy current inspection for cracks of the fuselage butt joint, which is forward of the emergency exits on the left- and right-hand sides of the airplane at the level of Stringers 27/48. This proposal also would require repair of any cracks detected. This amendment is prompted by issuance of mandatory continuing airworthiness information by a foreign airworthiness authority.
FOKKER Model F27 Mark 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, and 700 series airplanes (Docket No. 2001-NM-24-AD; Amendment 39-12429; AD 2001-18-03) - requires a one-time inspection for correct installation of the left- and right-hand fuel differential pressure (FDP) switches and for correct connection of the pressure sensing lines to the switches, and corrective action, if necessary.
NASA named two men to Senior Executive Service posts at the agency's Glenn Research Center in Cleveland. Dr. Arun K. Sehra was named director of Glenn's Aeronautics Directorate and Dr. Gary T. Seng was named director of Glenn's Aeropropulsion Research Program Office. Sehra is responsible for leading, planning and advocating the aeronautics program at Glenn, including future propulsion technologies. The directorate plans and manages research activities in cleaner burning engines, quieter engines and improved airport communications.
MARK SPINDLER was appointed vice president, employee services at TAG Aviation. Spindler will oversee the information technology, human resources and administration departments in TAG's San Francisco, Calif. and White Plains, N.Y. locations. He was most recently senior director of corporate services at Gap, Inc. where he worked for 13 years.
Corporate Angel Network, the volunteer organization that arranges transportation on corporate aircraft for cancer patients traveling to and from treatment centers, was attempting to restore normal operations last week in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist hijackings that disrupted air travel nationwide.
Sikorsky Aircraft Co. signed a memorandum of understanding last week under which it will enter negotiations with a Chinese company regarding a possible joint venture to build helicopters in China.
COMPLETIONAIR is teaming with Premier Air Center to expand its services and capabilities to a larger range of aircraft. "By combining our focus on large corporate aircraft...with Premier's emphasis on the smaller and mid-size segments, we now serve the entire corporate and VIP market. Our services in interiors, avionics and maintenance now support everything from turboprops to widebody jets," said Herb Ward, president of CompletionAir.
Airspace and flight restrictions imposed on general and business aviation in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks are having widely different effects on various segments of the aviation community, ranging from a temporary shutdown of one general aviation manufacturer to booming business for charter and fractional aircraft providers. Industry executives say it's too soon to tell how damaging the GA restrictions ultimately will be or what the future holds, but they agree that business will be different.
