FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION is expected to decide next month on the schedule and parameters of implementing Domestic Reduced Vertical Separation Minimums. Business aviation operators are concerned that FAA's plans to begin implementing DRVSM by 2004 could cause backlogs and operational problems for business jet operators seeking DRVSM approvals for their aircraft. See article below.
RAYTHEON COMPANY named a former Honeywell executive, David O'Blenis, president of Raytheon Systems Canada Ltd. Based in Ottawa, Ontario, O'Blenis will serve as the company's principal interface with Canadian defense and other government agency customers. He joined Raytheon from Honeywell Canada, where he was president and chairman of Honeywell and AlliedSignal companies in Canada.
PILOT UNIONS are mounting efforts to get Congress involved in setting flight and duty time standards. The Coalition of Airline Pilots Associations on Thursday called on Congress "to step in and investigate the FAA's delay in stipulating new regulations on the flight and duty time of pilots." CAPA, a coalition of unions representing 26,000 airline pilots, said it has urged FAA on numerous occasions over the past six years to follow up on a 1995 notice of proposed rulemaking it issued on flight and duty times.
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.
GARY GENNARI was named director of sales-northeastern and southeastern U.S. for Executive Jet Management, Inc. Gennari most recently was senior account executive-vendor relations at FlightTime. He also spent 10 years with Atlantic Aviation in various roles, including vice president of client relations, and GPI Aviation.
FORMER FAA ADMINISTRATOR Allan McArtor, whose efforts to operate Dallas-based Legend Airlines were thwarted by legal delays, insufficient funding and a strong competitive response from American Airlines, took over June 1 as chairman of Airbus Industrie's North American operations. He succeeded Jack Scofield, who retired two months ago.
INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL OF AIRCRAFT OWNER AND PILOT ASSOCIATIONS will hold its 21st World Assembly Sept. 23-27, 2002 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The council holds the World Assembly every two years to discuss the state of world general aviation and aerial work activities. The 2002 assembly will be the first held in South America. "The emerging air transportation needs for this vast continent are especially pressing as we enter the 21st century," said IAOPA President Phil Boyer.
MARK WHITMAN was appointed vice president of business development for Executive Jet Management, Inc. Whitman will oversee aircraft management and charter management sales in the South Central U.S., including Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana. He joined Executive Jet Management from Galaxy Aerospace, where he was service center sales manager.
Raytheon Chairman Daniel Burnham reshuffled some of the company's senior executives Wednesday, announcing a series of changes that were "effective immediately." James E. Schuster, 48, who had been president of Raytheon's Aircraft Integration Sys-tems business since September 1999, was named chairman and chief executive of Raytheon Aircraft in Wichita.
GULFSTREAM AEROSPACE expanded an existing agreement with MedAire, Inc. and now will equip all Gulfstream business jets delivered to customers with Agilent Heartstream FR2 automated external defibrillators (AED). MedAire, which has been providing emergency medical support for Gulfstream crews and customers for a number of years, will provide AED familiarization training for Gulfstream flight crews. "Gulfstream has automated external defibrillators on all its demonstrator aircraft," said Randy Gaston, vice president of flight operations for Gulfstream.
Struggling to deal with a huge debt load and solve problems in the company's operating units, Raytheon Chairman Dan Burnham abruptly shifted a number of his top managers to new jobs last week, including removing Hansel Tookes as head of the Raytheon Aircraft Co. (RAC) unit in Wichita, Kan.
SA26, SA226, and SA227 series airplanes (Docket No. 2000-CE-36-AD) - proposes to require a modification of the negative torque sensing test system to allow the igniters to automatically activate when an engine senses low torque. The proposed AD is the result of two instances of a dual engine flameout on the affected airplanes. The actions specified by the proposed AD are intended to prevent a dual engine flameout on the affected airplanes by providing a system that automatically turns on the engine igniters when low torque is sensed.
MARK FERGUSON joined Certified Airline Passenger Services as vice president of market development. Ferguson will be responsible for expansion of CAPS into new markets. He formerly spent five years with Alta Colleges, a for-profit education holding company that operates 11 colleges in Denver, Los Angeles, Chicago and Houston. He also has served as president of Test Services, Inc., dba The Princeton Review.
The Lancair Company named former Mooney executive Bing Lantis president. Lantis has served in a consulting role with the Bend, Ore. small plane and kit builder for the past year, helping develop the Lancair sales and service center network. He comes to Lancair with a long history in manufacturing and served as chief executive of general aviation manufacturer Mooney Aircraft in Kerrville, Texas, between 1995 and 1997.
LORD CORPORATION won a contract to supply an active vibration control (AVC) system for the Bell/Agusta 609 tiltrotor aircraft. The system uses a computer to read vibration levels relayed by sensors positioned throughout the aircraft. The single processor then reacts in real time to counteract the vibration by sending signals to actuators strategically located on the rotorcraft. Lord claims its system offers significant weight reductions and provides improved performance over traditional passive vibration absorbers.
BIG MILITARY CONTRACTS have been difficult to come by for business jet manufacturers in recent years, but the U.S. Navy may be about to give the OEMs something to smile about.The Navy is looking at replacing up to 30 transports in its existing fleet. See article below.
Docket No.: 30172 Section of 14 CFR Affected: 14 CFR 145.61. Description of Relief Sought/Disposition: To permit Raytheon to perform work on U.S. Customs aircraft without retaining a copy of the records of the work performed. Denial, April 19, 2001, Exemption No. 7511
Honeywell won FAA technical standard order approval for two new avionics systems designed to protect pilots from midair collisions with other aircraft and warn them when they are getting too close to nearby terrain.
Docket No.: FAA-2001-9043 Section of 14 CFR Affected: 14 CFR 121.344(a)(14), (a)(29), (a)(33), (a)(40), (a)(44), and (a)(54). Description of Relief Sought/Disposition: To permit Horizon and all similarly situated air carriers to operate the Bombardier CL-600-2C10 airplane without recording the parameters listed in Sec. 121.344(a)(14), (a)(29), (a)(33), (a)(40), (a)(44), and (a)(54) within the ranges, accuracies, resolutions, and recording intervals specified in Appendix M to Part 121. Denial, April 27, 2001, Exemption No. 7520
The U.S. Navy is considering replacement of its aging T-39 trainers with new production aircraft. The T-39s are versions of the Sabreliner business jet, and the replacement aircraft likely would be a business jet as well. The Naval Air Systems Command wants suggestions from industry by June 22. "We're right at the beginning of this," a NAVAIR spokesman told BA affiliate Aerospace Daily.
The Federal Aviation Administration is weighing whether to phase in or more fully implement new separation standards in domestic airspace by the end of 2004. The agency hopes to have a concrete plan by next month for moving toward domestic reduced vertical separation minimums (DRVSM) with a formal notice of proposed rulemaking in spring 2002, FAA officials told industry representatives last week.
Docket No.: FAA-2001-9166 (previously Docket No. 28828) Section of 14 CFR Affected: 14 CFR 119.67(a)(1). Description of Relief Sought/Disposition: To permit Edward F. Dascoli to act as the Director of Operations for NAA without holding an airline transport pilot certificate. Grant, April 13, 2001, Exemption No. 7510
Model EMB-135 and -145 series airplanes (Docket No. 2001-NM-116-AD; Amendment 39-12241; AD 2001-10-15) - requires a one-time inspection to detect incorrect wiring of electrical connectors to the pressure switches and cartridges on the fire extinguisher bottles for the engines and the auxiliary power unit (APU); disconnection and reconnection of the wiring, as necessary; and adjustment of the length of the harnesses on the fire extinguisher bottles to avoid future misconnections.
Docket No.: FAA-2001-8871 Section of 14 CFR Affected: 14 CFR 135.231, 135.255, 135.353, and Appendixes I and J to Part 121. Description of Relief Sought/Disposition: To permit Mentone to conduct sightseeing flights at Fulton County Airport for the one-day Round Barn Festival charitable event in June 2001, for compensation or hire, without complying with certain anti-drug and alcohol misuse prevention requirements of Part 135. Grant, April 12, 2001, Exemption No. 7503
Model 737, 747, 757, 767, and 777 series airplanes (Docket No. 2001-NM-81-AD; Amendment 39-12240; AD 2001-10-14) - requires repetitive inspections of any chemical oxygen generators and/or passenger, attendant, or lavatory service unit assemblies of the passenger oxygen system that have been replaced, to verify correct installation of the release pin in the generator firing mechanism of the oxygen generator; and corrective action, if necessary.
