Model 737 series airplanes (Docket No. 2000-NM-146-AD) - revises an earlier AD), applicable to certain Boeing Model 737-100, -200, -300, -400, and -500 series airplanes, that would have required inspection of wire bundles in two junction boxes in the main wheel well to detect chafing or damage, and follow-on actions.
In a move that raised concern among general aviation groups, the Federal Aviation Administration last week asked for comment on an array of proposals to ease congestion at New York LaGuardia Airport with options including a landing premium of up to $2,000 and rearranging takeoff and landing rights to give large aircraft first priority.
THE SENATE AVIATION SUBCOMMITTEE Friday will hold a field hearing to consider congestion problems at Chicago O'Hare Airport. The hearing, to be held in downtown Chicago, comes a week after the City of Chicago and FAA held the first meeting of the O'Hare Delay Task Force. Organizers of the task force emphasized that they only would consider issues pertaining to O'Hare and not other area airports. But the general aviation representatives on the task force - the National Business Aviation Association and Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association - disagreed.
JET AVIATION added a second Cessna Citation Bravo to its European Private Fleet in Zurich, Switzerland. The Bravo was painted in Jet Aviation's Private Fleet red and blue colors and was fitted with double-club seating configured for up to eight passengers. Jet Aviation's European Private Fleet comprises a Citation II, two Citation Bravos and a Challenger 601 that are wholly owned by Jet Aviation. The company also operates a Falcon 900B, Galaxy, Challenger 604 and DC-8-72 VIP aircraft for charter.
DAVID MILLER was named director of administrative services at Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport. Miller formerly was general manager of Mercury Air Center at Burbank and before joining Mercury he managed fixed-base operations in Los Angeles and Houston. He also served as chairman of the National Air Transportation Association.
(Docket No. 98-CE-121-AD; Amendment 39-12255; AD 2000-25-02 R1) - clarifies information contained in AD 2000-25-02, which requires inspecting the front and rear wood spars for damage, including installing any as-needed inspection holes; and repairing or replacing any damaged wood spar. FAA incorrectly referenced the initial inspection compliance time of this AD as "whichever occurs later." The notice of proposed rulemaking contained the correct reference of "whichever occurs first." This action revises the AD to reflect the correct reference in the compliance time.
WAUKESHA County Airport in Wisconsin broke ground for a new hangar for Skycom, an avionics repair shop that has been operating out of a maintenance hangar on the north side of the airport. The hangar is the first to be built on the airport's new ramp development district just south of the terminal building. The ramp area was designed for aeronautical and commercial services. The new hangar, which will move Skycom closer to the main airport activity, initially will be 120 feet by 75 feet, but can be expanded to 120 feet by 120 feet.
SCHWEIZER AIRCRAFT delivered a 300C helicopter to Aeroclube do Brasil through its Brazilian distributor EDRA Representacao Aeronautica LTDA. Based in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Aeroclube do Brazil provides flight training.
All five people aboard a Piper Cheyenne turboprop were killed June 3 when the aircraft crashed short of an airport in Tennessee while attempting to make a precautionary landing.
SANTULLI, whose company was managing 362 aircraft at the beginning of the month - with another 580 on order - believes Executive Jet "will be the leader forever" in the fractional business. "So far the competition has been fair," Santulli told reporters last week, adding, "As long as people play fair and square we will too." Santulli's definition of fair means that Executive Jet will be able to continue buying aircraft for the same price that manufacturers such as Raytheon, Bombardier and Cessna charge their own in-house fractional partners.
DENNIS ZALUPSKI joined Kellstrom as senior vice president-sales of the Commercial Division. Zalupski formerly was general manager of sales for GE Aircraft Engine Services Division. He spent nearly 12 years with GE in a variety of roles including managing director of GE Appliances Europe.
WINNER AVIATION in Vienna, Ohio, was appointed an authorized Mitsubishi MU-2 service center. Winner previously received factory authorizations from Raytheon/Beech, Honeywell and Twin Commander. The Northeast Ohio facility also named Tom Wyman regional maintenance sales manager. Wyman, a 25-year aviation veteran, will be responsible for all airframe, engine and avionics sales activities.
Model BAe 146 and Avro 146-RJ series airplanes (Docket No. 2001-NM-06-AD) - proposes to require identifying the discharge valves and cabin pressure controllers, and replacing them with new parts if necessary. This action is necessary to prevent the installation of incorrect pressurization discharge valves and cabin pressure controllers, which could subject the airframe to excess stress and adversely affect the airframe fatigue life. FAA estimates that 20 airplanes on the U.S. Registry would be affected by this proposed AD at a compliance cost of $3,600.
Model CFE738-1-1B turbofan engines (Docket No. 99-NE-39-AD) - proposes to revise an existing AD that requires a one-time visual inspection of Stage 2 high-pressure turbine (HPT) aft cooling plates for nicks, dents, raised metal, and scratches, and if necessary, repair of the cooling plates or replacement with serviceable parts. This proposal is prompted by an updated Alert Service Bulletin (ASB) that reduces the number of Stage 2 HPT aft cooling plates affected by this AD and identifies the applicable engines by engine serial numbers (SNs).
Model DHC-8-400 series airplanes (Docket No. 2001-NM-144-AD; Amendment 39-12253; AD 2001-11-10) - requires revising the Normal and Abnormal Sections of the FAA-approved Airplane Flight Manual to include procedures that enable the flightcrew to determine if the main landing gear (MLG) is extended before landing and to take appropriate actions, if necessary.
Raytheon Aircraft last week announced another round of layoffs and a decision to slow production of the Beechjet and King Air aircraft lines. The decision to reduce 470 hourly positions follows an announcement in April that Raytheon Aircraft would eliminate 450 administrative and managerial positions to cut costs (BA, April 9/169). It also follows by one week the replacement of Raytheon Aircraft Chairman and Chief Executive Hansel Tookes by James Schuster, who formerly ran Raytheon's Aircraft Integration Systems unit (BA, June 4/261).
SABRELINER CORPORATION'S Midcoast Aviation facility at the St. Louis Downtown Airport is planning a special rollout ceremony this Friday featuring a "slightly used" Gulfstream IV business jet. The aircraft, which is owned by the U.S. Marine Corps, was seriously damaged by a tornado three years ago in Miami. Instead of declaring the aircraft a total loss and ordering a $40 million replacement, the U.S. Navy and Marines recommended that it be repaired by Sabreliner for $11 million.
DUNCAN AVIATION received JAA authorization for its avionics satellite shop in Teterboro, N.J. The authorization enables Duncan to provide authorized avionics work on European-registered aircraft. Duncan's Teterboro satellite shop is based at the Jet Aviation facility on the airport.
JEFFCO AIRPORT near Denver, Colo. temporarily closed crosswind Runway 2/20 until an access control program can be implemented. Officials said the airport "continues to experience high numbers of unauthorized personnel crossing Taxiway Charlie and Runway 2/20. To prevent a tragedy and the loss of federal funding, the runway is closed until further notice."
REP. WILLIAM LIPINSKI (D-Ill.) introduced a bill Thursday that would give the federal government authority to approve runway projects, pre-empting state laws that slow down or block such approvals. Lipinski, the ranking Democrat on the House aviation subcommittee, said the law would apply to Chicago O'Hare "and other critical airports around the country," provided that federal safety and environmental safety standards are met.
FAA's Management Advisory Council is drafting its recommendations on the agency's rulemaking process but is unsure whether they will be shared only with the FAA Administrator and Congress or publicly, said Ed Bolen, president of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association and chairman of the MAC.Bolen said that once the MAC completes work on the rulemaking process it likely would turn its attention to the Operational Evolution Plan that FAA formally unveiled last week. FAA announced the OEP as Boeing unveiled its own vision of air traffic management.
New Jersey's Teterboro Airport continued to come under fire last week as some 1,500 demonstrators protested airport noise, pollution and growth. A 13-town coalition called the Committee for Health and Safety staged the demonstration, its second at the airport, and asked Bergen County officials to place a referendum question on the ballot in the next election to close the airport.
BOEING and federal aviation and law enforcement officials were investigating possible sabotage last week to 737 aircraft on the production line at Renton, Wash. The company reported finding a number of unexplained instances of cut wires on the aircraft.
The Boeing Company Thursday sketched its vision of a new global air traffic control system that uses a "revolutionary" technology involving a new constellation of communication, navigation and surveillance satellites to make air travel more efficient and safe.
AT-400, AT-500, and AT-800 series airplanes (Docket No. 2000-CE-72-AD; Amendment 39-12247; AD 2001-10-04 R1) - revises AD 2001-10-04, which lowers the safe life for the wing lower spar cap on these airplanes. The AD was the result of numerous reports of cracks in the 3/8-inch bolt hole of the wing lower spar cap on the affected airplanes. FAA inadvertently included certain AT-800 series airplanes in the applicability of this AD.
