Docket No.: FAA-2000-8498 Section of 14 CFR Affected: 14 CFR 45.11(b) Description of Relief Sought/Disposition: To permit Sensenich to stamp the part marking information on the propeller hub to meet the requirement for fireproof identification on propellers, instead of attaching a metal tag with the required information. Grant, 6/29/2001, Exemption No. 7559
AGUSTA Model A109E helicopters (Docket No. 2001-SW-24-AD; Amendment 39-12407; AD 2001-17-16) - amends AD that currently requires visually checking and inspecting each tail rotor blade for a crack at specified intervals. That AD also requires replacing any cracked blade with an airworthy blade. This amendment contains the same requirements but adds another blade to the applicability. This amendment is necessary because the added blade is manufactured using the same process as the blade that failed.
Docket No.: FAA-2001-8862 (previously Docket No. 22706) Section of 14 CFR Affected: 14 CFR 135.255(e)(1) Description of Relief Sought/Disposition: To permit Bankair pilots to operate Bankair aircraft at any U.S. military base that has adopted the criteria contained in the U.S. Standard for Terminal Instrument Procedures used for determining lower-than-standard departure minimums using takeoff visibility minimum that are less than one mile and equal to or greater than the landing visibility minimums established for those airfields.
MESA AIR GROUP added another carrier to its list of code sharing partners last week, signing an agreement with Denver-based Frontier Airlines, Inc. Mesa will begin providing service as Frontier JetExpress in the first quarter of next year, operating a minimum of five, 50-seat Bombardier CRJ 200 regional jets from Denver International Airport to new and existing markets. Mesa Air Group currently has code sharing agreements with America West, US Airways and Midwest Express.
Julie Nichols has been named DOT deputy assistant secretary for governmental affairs, responsible for DOT's congressional affairs oversight, DOT Secretary Norman Mineta announced. She will coordinate "all legislative and non-legislative relationships" between DOT and Congress, and will direct "the presentation of the department's legislative program," DOT said.
Docket No.: FAA-2001-9103 Section of 14 CFR Affected: 14 CFR 36.9(e)(1) Description of Relief Sought/Disposition: To allow Embraer the 1g stall speed currently used for the 14 CFR Part 25 airworthiness certification to also be used for the 14 CFR Part 36 noise certification for the approach reference and test limitations on the Embraer EMB-135KE/KL and -135BJ Model airplanes. Grant, 6/29/2001, Exemption No. 7554
DRUCELLA (DRUCIE) ANDERSEN, most recently director of strategic communications services for the Federal Aviation Administration, departed the agency to take a senior post with the Federal Transit Administration. Formerly deputy assistant administrator for public affairs, Anderson coordinated communications on key issues, including airspace congestion and runway incursions.
Docket No.: 29434 Section of 14 CFR Affected: 14 CFR 21.325(b)(3). Description of Relief Sought/Disposition: To allow Boeing to issue export airworthiness approvals for Class II and Class III products that are located at and manufactured by Bowing Arnprior as an approved supplier to Boeing under Boeing's PC No. 700. Grant, 6/26/2001, Exemption No. 7552
Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. began a series of flight tests last month with a Gulfstream V-SP test article, the latest iteration of the Gulfstream line that features the company's new Plane View cockpit (BA, Oct. 16/177).
FAA issued an airworthiness directive requiring replacement of some 300 Goodyear Flight Eagle tires installed on several Gulfstream business jet models. The AD, effective Sept. 24, requires operators of Gulfstream II, GIIB, GIII and GIV to inspect the tires of their aircraft to find certain serial numbered units. Suspect tires must be removed and replaced.
BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON, INC. Model 47B, 47B-3, 47D, 47D-1, 47G, 47G-2, 47G2A, 47G-2A-1, 47G-3, 47G-3B, 47G-3B-1, 47G-3B-2, 47G-3B-2A, 47G-4, 47G-4A, 47G-5, 47G-5A, 47H-1, 47J, 47J-2, 47J-2A, and 47K helicopter (Docket No. 2001-SW-13-AD; Amendment 39-12408; AD 2001-17-17) - supersedes AD that currently requires either recurring liquid penetrant or eddy current inspections of the main rotor blade grip threads for a crack. If a crack is detected, that AD requires, before further flight, replacing the cracked grip with an airworthy grip.
AVIATION SALES COMPANY named Gil West executive vice president and chief operating officer. West will oversee the maintenance and repair operations. He has more than 17 years of aviation industry experience, holding posts with Northwest Airlines, United Airlines, Rohr Industries, Sundstrand Corp. and Boeing Commercial Aircraft.
RAYTHEON AIRCRAFT CHARTER&MANAGEMENT added four aircraft to its charter certificate, including its first Gulfstream IV-SP. The Guflstream IV will be based near Miami. Other aircraft added were a Citation SII, based in Grand Junction, Colo.; a Diamond Jet in Montgomery, Ala.; and a Beechjet 400A, based in Nashua, N.H.
MIAMI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT officials say construction of a fourth runway at MIA is about 10 percent complete and on schedule for completion by May 15, 2003. The fourth runway is being built 800 feet north and parallel to the existing Runway 9L/27R. The new runway will be 8,600 feet long and will be used primarily for landings. The new addition is expected to increase MIA's capacity by about 25 percent.
PILOT ERROR accounts for more than 70 percent of all nonfatal accidents and 80 percent of fatal accidents, according to a General Accounting Office analysis of National Transportation Safety Board data.GAO notes that a majority of those accidents are related to errors in piloting skills, such as failure to maintain directional control or flying speed, or misjudged distance, altitude or clearance.
FAA has completed a draft environmental impact statement for Peotone Airport, a "greenfield" airport that could serve as a Chicago reliever. The "Tier 1 Draft EIS" is only for land-banking and does not include any airport infrastructure approval. FAA will hold a public hearing on the draft in Matteson, Ill., Oct. 4.
BREEZE-EASTERN received a contract to design, develop and supply a rescue hoist system for the Agusta-Bell AB139 helicopter. Deliveries are scheduled to begin this December.
Goodrich is shearing off its non-aerospace business in a move that fortifies the company as a $4.2 billion supplier of aerospace components, systems and services. In addition, the company last week completed acquisitions to bolster both its aerospace and non-aerospace segments. Goodrich received board of director approval for a tax-free spinoff of its Engineered Industrial Products unit under a deal that would give Goodrich shareholders one share in the new industrial company for every five Goodrich shares they own.
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.
LR SERVICES joined the Air Travel Network, a reservation and on-line auction for aircraft charters. LR Services operates a Learjet 35 business jet from its base in Allentown, Pa.
Docket No.: FAA-2000-8086 Section of 14 CFR Affected: 14 CFR 119.67(a)(3)(i) Description of Relief Sought/Disposition: To permit Robert Hajdukovich to serve as director of operations of FFS without having at least three years experience, within the last six years, as pilot in command of a large airplane operated under 14 CFR Part 121 or Part 135. Grant, 6/29/2001, Exemption No. 7557
The General Accounting Office last week validated claims of general aviation leaders that product liability reform legislation has proven to be the most significant factor in the rebound of the industry in recent years. GAO, the investigative arm of Congress, released a report on the general aviation industry, crediting the 1994 passage of the General Aviation Revitalization Act (GARA) for the upswing of U.S. deliveries from the low of 928 aircraft in 1994 to more than 2,800 last year.
AIR CHARTER GUIDE updated its CharterX air charter management tool. The network includes The Industry Exchange, where operators list their aircraft and availability data, and Xquote, a private-label module that brokers, volume buyers and global distributors can add to their web sites for instant quoting.
