CF34 series turbofan engines (Docket No. 2000-NE-42-AD; Amendment 39-12229; AD 2001-10-03) - requires a one-time inspection, and if necessary replacement of certain fan disks for electrical arc-out indications, and assigns a reduction in the life limit of certain fan disks. This amendment is prompted by a report of a crack that was found during a visual inspection as part of routine engine maintenance.
TRANSCONTINENTAL AVIONICS CORP. added three dealers to its new national chain of independently-owned and operated avionics shops. The new dealers are Steiner Aviation International of Akron, Ohio, Airtronics of Reno, Ohio, and Quality Airplanes of Thomson, Ga. The dealers will operate under the common Transcontinental Avionics service mark. Other participants are East Kansas City Avionics of Grain Valley, Mo., Royal Avionics Systems of Mesa, Ariz., and Houston Gulf Coast Avionics of League City, Texas.
Vermont Senator Jim Jeffords's decision to leave the Republican Party, and thereby shift control of the Senate to the Democrats, will wrest the helm of the Commerce Committee from Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and return it to Sen. Ernest Hollings (D-S.C.).
BAE SYSTEMS AUSTRALIA signed an agreement with Boeing to be an in-country partner in the program to supply the Royal Australian Air Force with an Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) system. Under the $200 million (U.S.) agreement, BAE Systems Australia will be responsible for developing, supplying and supporting the electronic support function, electronic warfare self protecting systems, operational mission simulator and related equipment.
SENATE COMMERCE COMMITTEE THURSDAY cleared the nomination of Donna McLean to be assistant secretary for budget and programs/chief financial officer for the Department of Transportation. McLean, former House aviation subcommittee staff member and currently chief financial officer for the Federal Aviation Administration, is credited with leading the effort behind FAA's cost accounting system (BA, March 12/121). The committee also approved the nomination of Sean B. O'Hollaren to be assistant secretary of transportation for governmental affairs.
DEFENSE DEPARTMENT acquisition officials moved all production decisions regarding the V-22 Osprey tilt rotor aircraft from the Navy's senior acquisition executive to the Defense Department's under secretary for acquisition, technology and logistics (AT&L). The V-22 was redesignated as a DOD ACAT-1 D, which means the acquisition category now comes under DOD authority and any production decisions fall to Edward C. (Pete) Aldridge, the new undersecretary of defense for AT&L.
DAVID DIETERLE was named vice president of business development for BAA USA. Dieterle joined BAA in 1999 as vice president of Retail Operations, overseeing the $12 million redevelopment project at Newark International Airport. He also has 10 years of retail real estate management experience where he has been involved in development, leasing, construction, management, budgeting, tenant coordination and marketing activities for retail facilities.
RENO/TAHOE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT'S "B" Concourse will be renamed in honor of William and Moya Lear. The renaming of the 11-gate "B" Concourse in honor of inventor and aviation icon Bill Lear and his wife, Moya, "is a fitting tribute for two aviation pioneers whose contributions to the Reno community have had a long and lasting impact," said Thomas J. Gribbin, chairman of the Airport Authority of Washoe County (AAWC), Nev.
LONA BANKS was appointed rotables coordinator for the Lear and Falcon divisions of Professional Aviation Associates. Banks previously spent 18 years with AAR in a variety of positions including general aviation and airline sales, customer support and purchasing agent.
Mesa Airlines and Bombardier Aerospace have worked out the details of an agreement announced earlier for the carrier to acquire up to 80 regional jets (BA, March 26/145). Mesa will buy 20 70-seat CRJ700 RJs and 20 86-seat CRJ900s, and will take options on 40 additional aircraft. The firm aircraft portion of the transaction is valued at approximately $1.2 billion (U.S.). Deliveries of the firm orders will begin in the first quarter of 2002 for the CRJ700 and during the first quarter of 2003 for the CRJ900.
JET AVIATION is performing a major avionics upgrade on a corporate Boeing 727-100 aircraft. The upgrade includes installation of dual Universal UNS-1D flight management systems, a Honeywell Primus 880 radar system and a Honeywell lightning sensor system, along with a five-tube electronic flight instrument system (EFIS). Other elements of the upgrade include a SATCOM system for voice and data transmission, an Argus 5000 moving map display and an Aircell telephone. Jet Aviation's West Palm Beach, Fla. facility also is refurbishing the cabin interior.
Cessna Aircraft, reacting to softening light aircraft sales and a buildup of inventory, told employees at its Independence, Kan. manufacturing facility that about 250 of the plant's 1,000 workers will be laid off. The cutbacks will be "across the board" and "in every department," according to spokeswoman Marilyn Richwine, affecting administrative and support personnel in addition to production workers.
TRIUMPH GROUP merged its former Great Western Steel Co. and Triumph Industries into TriWestern Metals Co., which will be led by Jack Malec, formerly president of Great Western and Triumph Industries. Triumph Group said the creation of TriWestern "provides economies of scale that will enhance our steel processing and electrogalvanized products and services."
TAG AVIATION USA appointed Lance Fera vice president of client services. Fera will be based at Tag's White Plains, N.Y. center where he will manage 45 corporate clients and oversee nearly 200 employees. A 22-year Honeywell veteran, Fera previously was director of sales and marketing for Honeywell Commercial Electronics Systems.
NEAL KEATING was appointed executive vice president and chief operating officer-Commercial Systems for Rockwell Collins. Keating has spent 22 years with Rockwell Collins and Rockwell Automation in positions of increasing responsibility. He most recently was vice president and general manager of Passenger Systems and also has been vice president and general manager of Air Transport Systems. In his new role, he will direct the Air Transport, Business and Regional and Passenger Systems businesses.
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.
BANNER AEROSPACE AIRCRAFT SERVICES received FAA approval to provide maintenance and repair services on EMB-120 turboprop aircraft. Based in Georgetown, Texas, Banner Aerospace Aircraft Services provides maintenance, repair and upgrades for PT6A and TPE-331 engines and Beech King Air through 1900, Citation I, II and V, Merlin/Metro, Twin Commander 680 and 690, MU-2 Piper Cheyenne and EMB-120 aircraft.
CESSNA AIRCRAFT is taking a cautious approach to the slowing economy by laying off some personnel at its single-engine production facility in Independence, Kan. Cirrus Design, on the other hand, says increased efficiencies in its single-engine manufacturing process will enable the company to show a profit later this year. Cirrus, with a backlog of more than 600 orders, plans to open a second production line in the second half of the year. See articles below.
The United States Air Tour Association, which is fighting National Park Service flight restrictions at Grand Canyon National Park, was joined at a House hearing Wednesday by representatives of a diverse mix of organizations in opposing NPS efforts to limit or ban access to public lands.
SCHWEIZER AIRCRAFT CORP. delivered a 300CB to Central Illinois Air Corp. of Mattoon, Ill. Central Illinois is leasing the 300CB from Helicopter Services of Mattoon for flight training purposes.
CJ610 series turbojet and CF700 turbofan engines (Docket No. 99-NE-58-AD; Amendment 39-12238; AD 2001-10-12) - supersedes an existing AD that currently requires removal of certain unapproved parts before further flight. This amendment requires removal of additional unapproved parts. This amendment is prompted by the discovery by the FAA of additional unapproved parts not listed in the original AD that have been introduced into the field and might be installed on the affected engines.
THE GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE is putting the final touches on an in-depth report on the general aviation industry.The report is said to be filled with data on the industry but not to draw any strong conclusions or recommendations.
AIRCRAFT OWNERS AND PILOTS ASSOCIATION, which last week unleashed an advertising blitz to promote the benefits of Chicago's Meigs Field, agreed to join the 2001 Chicago Delay Task Force charged with developing and recommending solutions to reduce aircraft delays at O'Hare International Airport and surrounding airspace. AOPA joined the task force at the request of the City of Chicago and the Federal Aviation Administration. The manager of FAA's Chicago Airports District Office and Chicago's Deputy Aviation Commissioner will co-chair the task force announced Monday.
Paced by strong performance by its Aerospace unit, Bombardier reported significant gains in revenues and earnings for the fiscal quarter ended April 30. Revenues jumped 23 percent, from $3.3 billion in the first quarter of fiscal 2000 to $4 billion in the most recent period. Monetary figures are expressed in Canadian dollars. Net income rose 24 percent, from $195.1 million (before special item) a year ago to $241 million. The company's order backlog at the end of April totalled $32.6 billion, up 15 percent from a year ago.
