Bombardier signed a purchase agreement, valued at $1.68 billion, to sell 75 CRJ440 aircraft to Northwest Airlines. Deliveries are scheduled to start in the third quarter of 2002 and continue until 2005. Northwest also has conditional purchase rights on an additional 175 CRJ400 aircraft and the deal allows the airline to substitute 50-seat CRJ200s. Northwest already bought 54 CRJ200 aircraft in February 1999: 20 aircraft have been delivered and 34 more will be delivered in the next three years.
SIMGRAPH sold the first US-based installation of its C-130 Hercules SBTA software suite to SimuFlite Training International. SimuFlite ordered a four-user license for the Hercules Flight Training Center in Marietta, Ga. The software will be customized to meet the specifications of the L-382 aircraft. This is the second time SimuFlite has contracted Simgraph for courseware for its training facilities.
INSPECTECH AERO SERVICE received orders for "smart" cabin windows for delivery to Bristol, Tenn.-based Edwards&Associates, a subsidiary of Bell Helicopter/Textron. Both passengers and cabin crew can control "smart" windows in an aircraft to lighten or darken them as needed. "We're very pleased to be providing our cutting-edge light control solution to this leading OEM. We now look for a domino effect to take place with the other airframe manufacturers who are in discussion with us at this time," said James Lang, president of InspecTech.
U.S. researchers plan to fly hundreds of samples of coating materials - from paint to lubricants - to the International Space Station this summer to see how the substances withstand a long stretch in extreme temperatures and ultraviolet light.
Concerned that the Federal Aviation Administration's effort to reduce vertical separation standards could burden general aviation operators, National Business Aviation Association President Jack Olcott and General Aviation Manufacturers Association Ed Bolen urged the agency to slow its implementation of new domestic reduced vertical separation minimum standards (DRVSM).
FAA's rulemaking process is inefficient, lacks credibility, and unless fixed, will erode the safety, security and efficiency of the aviation system, the agency's new Management Advisory Council (MAC) concluded. Formed by Congress to provide guidance to FAA, the MAC Wednesday released to the House aviation subcommittee its first findings on agency activities and Thursday met with FAA Administrator Jane Garvey to go over its recommendations.
TOBY BRIGHT was appointed vice president of business strategy and marketing for Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Bright will work on marketing future products and services. Bright was previously vice president of sales for Europe and Russia at Boeing Commercial Airplanes.
FOUR MEN aboard a Pilatus PC-12 on an around-the-world flight were plucked from a life raft in the Sea Of Okhotsk last week after the pilot was forced to ditch the aircraft in the chilly waters after encountering an engine overspeed problem. The four, identified as pilot Mike Smith of Boise, Idaho, and three Japanese citizens, managed to don their life jackets and load several days' supply of food in the life raft before the PC-12, N660NR, sank.
Model DHC-8-102, -103, -106, -201, -202, -301, -311, -314, and -315 series airplanes (Docket No. 2000-NM-45-AD; Amendment 39-12301; AD 2001-13-19) - requires revising the Bombardier maintenance program to incorporate repetitive inspections to detect fatigue cracking in certain structures; and corrective actions, if necessary. This amendment is prompted by issuance of mandatory continuing airworthiness information issued by a foreign airworthiness authority.
Mercury Air Group, Inc. sold its RPA Airline Automated Services business to SITA, the global information and telecommunications provider for the airline industry. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
MARK A. LEE was appointed to the board of directors at World Fuel Services Corporation increasing the board to 10 members. Lee is currently president of Forest Hill Capital, an investment advisory firm. Lee is also a director of Innoflex Inc., qServe Communications and Morgan Keegan Trust Company.
Model DHC-8-102, -103, and -301 series airplanes (Docket No. 2000-NM-328-AD; Amendment 39-12303; AD 2001-13-21) - requires repair of the flight deck angle. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent the flight deck angle from interfering with the clevis of the roll control disconnect cable, which could lead to an uncommanded disconnection of the roll control, resulting in reduced controllability of the airplane. FAA estimates that this AD will affect 42 airplanes on the U.S. Registry at a cost of $10,080, or $240 per airplane. The AD is effective Aug. 10.
TIM ARCHER was appointed senior vice president of Superior Air Parts, Inc. Archer will be responsible for Superior's distribution network, the powerplant systems sales department, and the strategic programs and outsourcing functions. Archer was previously vice president, sales and marketing.
Model DHC-8-200 and -300 series airplanes (Docket No. 2001-NM-25-AD; Amendment 39-12307; AD 2001-13-25) - supersedes an existing AD that currently requires repetitive inspections to detect chafing or arcing damage to the cable/wire and fuel tube assemblies on the right-hand side of each engine, and replacement with new components, if necessary. That AD also provides for an optional terminating action for the repetitive inspections. This amendment requires accomplishment of the previously optional terminating action.
Capt. Rolim Adolfo Amaro, founder and owner of the TAM Brazil group of airlines and one of the great leaders of Latin American commercial aviation, was killed instantly July 8 after the personal helicopter he was piloting crashed near Brazil's border with Paraguay. He was 59. Also killed was the only passenger, Patricia Dos Santos Silva, 30, a TAM manager.
FAA approved the special use airspace data that is available on the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association website. Accessible to AOPA members, the online system is linked to FAA's Special Use Airspace Management System and provides near real-time information on military flight activity in Military Operations Areas, restricted areas, and other special use airspace every six minutes.
RUSSELL BUCKLEY was named manager quality assurance and engineering for Premier Turbines' Neosho, Mo. operation. Buckley will oversee quality and engineering services for the maintenance and repairs on small and midsize engines. Buckley has more than 24 years of engine and airframe experience. Buckley was most recently an engineering consultant with Auburn Aerospace.
Nevada's two U.S. senators joined forces to introduce the "Grand Canyon Quiet Technology Implementation Act," legislation that would credit air tour operators at the Grand Canyon National Park (GCNP) for noise abatement modifications and fleet changes previously adopted and grant those operators relief from new operating restrictions at GCNP.
HARRISON FORD, known for his swashbuckling roles in the movies, played the real life part of resourceful helicopter pilot last week when he flew his Bell 407 to find and rescue a lost Boy Scout in a forest south of Yellowstone National Park. The 13-year-old boy had wandered off a trail Monday evening and got lost. After hearing about the missing boy, Ford and another searcher began flying about 6:30 Tuesday morning. They found the missing Boy Scout - who was wet, cold and hungry but otherwise unharmed - about two hours later.
KEITH L. PARRISH was named customer service manager for corporate aviation at Piedmont Hawthorne. Parrish will be responsible for customer service for corporate aircraft maintenance at Piedmont Hawthorne's Winston-Salem, N.C. facility.
The Senate Appropriations Committee Thursday approved nearly a $13.33 billion budget for FAA in fiscal 2002, providing a significant boost in operations funding from the House passed level. The House approved $6.87 billion for operations, $16 million less than the Bush Administration request with substantial cuts in regulation and certification activity as well as the agency's new hiring requests. The Senate approved almost $6.92 billion.
NEW RAYTHEON AIRCRAFT Chairman and CEO James Schuster implemented a major shakeup of the Wichita manufacturer's executive ranks Thursday, and outlined some new objectives for the troubled operation. The moves come little more than a month after Schuster was installed to get the Wichita operation back in the black. See article below
Raytheon Aircraft Chairman James Schuster shook up the executive ranks of the troubled Wichita-based manufacturer last week, announcing a series of changes that involve the departures of a number of managers and the movement of more executives to new posts.
GULFSTREAM AEROSPACE named James McQueeney vice president and general manager of the company's manufacturing operations in Oklahoma City, Okla. and Mexicali, Mexico. He will be responsible for the operation of both sites, which provide fabrication and electrical sub-assembly and support for the manufacturing and outfitting of the Gulfstream IV-SP and G-V business jets. The two facilities employ more than 1,300 workers. A nine-year veteran of Gulfstream, McQueeney was most recently director of production at the company's aircraft manufacturing facility in Savannah, Ga.
The Federal Aviation Administration has appointed Charlie Keegan to implement, manage and execute the new Operational Evolution Plan (OEP). An experienced FAA manager and former air traffic controller, Keegan has been director of the Free Flight Office since its inception three years ago. Before that, he was acting director of the Air Traffic Systems Requirements Service. He will be replaced as director of the Free Flight Office by Robert Voss, currently deputy director. Keegan will be part of the Administrator's and Deputy Administrator's office.
