The nation's state aviation agencies and the Federal Aviation Administration have agreed to jointly pursue streamlining environmental reviews to shorten the time it takes to build new or expand existing airports. The National Association of State Aviation Officials and FAA Administrator Jane Garvey last week renewed a memorandum of understanding to work cooperatively on a range of aviation issues.
ROCKWELL COLLINS said Duncan Aviation is installing and certifying its Pro Line 21 Continuum avionics upgrade on Challenger 600 aircraft. The upgrade includes the Collins FDS-2000 flight display system with five AFD-2000 adaptive flight displays. The multifunction display will provide information on ground proximity warnings, weather, FMS maps, traffic alert and collision avoidance system and other information. Installation on the first aircraft has begun with the supplemental type certification expected next month.
Raytheon Aircraft claims it is making progress in resolving two problems with the T-6A Texas II trainer aircraft that the U.S. Air Force wants addressed. Responding to the service's complaints that the T-6A's air conditioner isn't powerful enough, Raytheon is testing a different system that has proven itself on another plane, a Raytheon spokesman said this month.
A short-term financial crisis that forced Sino Swearingen Aircraft Corp. to lay off more than 100 contract engineers last month and slow development work on the SJ30-2 business jet (BA, March 26/145), has been resolved with a commitment by existing and new Taiwanese investors to support the program through FAA certification, the company said last week.
BE A PILOT, the industry program designed to draw people into aviation, is raising the price of its Introductory Flight Certificate offer to $49 in response to flight school concerns about increasing fuel, insurance and other costs. The program surveyed flight schools and, of 135 responses, 71 suggested increasing the price to between $45 and $55. "There is no way to accommodate all regional and school-to-school cost differences," said BE A PILOT President and Chief Executive Drew Steketee.
Model F.28 Mark 0070 and Mark 0100 series airplanes (Docket No. 2000-NM-290-AD; Amendment 39-12172; AD 2001-07-07) - supersedes an existing AD that currently requires revising the Airplane Flight Manual (AFM) to provide the flightcrew with instructions not to arm the liftdumper system before commanding the landing gear to extend.
TAG AVIATION USA, INC. named Frederic Senn director of worldwide marketing. Senn, formerly marketing manager for TAG Aviation SA in Geneva, will assume his new role in New York May 1. Senn held agency and marketing positions with Leo Burnett Advertising and Nespresso Inc. before joining TAG Aviation SA in Geneva.
RAYTHEON AIRCRAFT SERVICES more than doubled the amount of hangar space available for aircraft maintenance and repair work at its Fulton County Airport (FTY) fixed-base operation near Atlanta, Ga. The facility's new hangar has a total area of 61,000 square feet, including nearly 30,000 square feet of space devoted to maintenance and about 15,000 feet of storage. The new amenities include six offices for maintenance customers and a lounge.
Israel Aircraft Industries reported significant gains in profits for 2000 while revenues increased at a more modest pace. The company said it had net income of $84 million last year, up 26 percent from the $67 million recorded in 1999. Revenues rose eight percent, from $2.02 billion in 1999 to $2.18 billion last year. The company also reported signing $2.6 billion in new contracts last year, an eight percent rise over the previous year.
JEFF KROLOPP was appointed vice president of strategic marketing for Bearing Inspection Inc. Krolopp formerly was director of marketing and sales for Airpax Corp., a manufacturer of customer circuit breakers for aerospace, transportation and telecommunications industries. He also held a number of positions for Eaton Corporation.
STOCKHOLDERS of BAE Systems Canada approved the sale of the company to Oncap L.P. for $25.25 per share. BAE Systems Canada designs, manufactures and sells avionics, aircraft satellite communication antennas and related equipment and has more than $300 million (Canadian) in annual sales. Oncap is a $400 million investment partnership established in December 1999 by Onex Corp. and several of Canada's largest pension funds and financial institutions.
DALEY, of course, is the man who has repeatedly vowed to close Meigs Field in 2002 and turn the airport into a park (BA, Dec. 8, 1997/239). There was no immediate word on whether the future of Meigs was discussed at the dinner. The Boeing tour moves to Dallas-Ft. Worth this week and to Denver on May 1-2.
Raytheon Aircraft Company (RAC) had sharply lower sales and reported an operating loss for the first quarter of 2001, parent Raytheon Company said Wednesday. Wichita-based RAC had sales of $637 million, down 21.8 percent from the $815 million reported during the first quarter of 2000. RAC shipped 92 aircraft in the quarter, compared with 137 a year ago and had a first quarter operating loss of $4 million, compared with operating income of $30 million in the same period a year ago.
PETER BUDD was named director of safety for Flight Services Group. Budd has more than 28 years of aviation experience and 12,800 hours of flight time. He formerly was a captain on the Boeing 737-300/400 for a Part 121 operation in Seattle, Wash.
Model DHC-8-102, -103, -301 series airplanes (Docket No. 2000-NM-328-AD) - proposes to require repair of the flight deck angle. This action is necessary 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, reducing controllability of the airplane. This action is intended to address the identified unsafe condition. FAA estimates that 42 airplanes on the U.S. Registry would be affected by this proposed AD at a cost of $10,080, or $240 per airplane.
Model 328-300 series airplanes (Docket No. 2000-NM-07-AD) - withdraws a proposal for replacement of the hydraulic line tube assemblies with improved tube assemblies and flexible hose assemblies. Since the issuance of the proposal, FAA has received information from Fairchild Dornier indicating that the replacement already has been carried out on all of the affected airplanes. Accordingly, the proposed rule is withdrawn. For further information, contact Dan Rodina, Aerospace Engineer, ANM-116, FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate, 1601 Lind Ave. S.W., Renton, Wash.
PILOTS who use cell phones may be interested in the latest offering from Elite Solutions of Scottsdale, Ariz., the SafetyCell device that enables pilots to connect any cell phone to any standard aircraft headset. When in use, the pilot can hear cell phone conversations and radio transmissions taking place at the same time. The unit, priced at $99, weighs less than eight ounces and has inputs for the pilot's headset and two cables that plug into the cell phone and instrument panel. For more information, contact the manufacturer at (800) 765-7667.
Gulfstream Aerospace officials, who have long wanted to add smaller and more moderately priced aircraft to their stable of upper-end, long-range transports, are engaged in serious negotiations to buy Galaxy Aerospace, sources told BA last week.
Model ATR42-200, -300, -320, and -500 series airplanes and Model ATR72 series airplanes (Docket No. 2000-NM-379-AD) - proposes to require revision of the Airplane Flight Manual to modify procedures for takeoff when Type II or IV de-icing fluids have been used. This proposal is prompted by reports that use of these de-icing fluids is associated with an increase in the pitch forces necessary to rotate the airplane during takeoff and with other changes in performance. These changes could result in reduced controllability of the airplane.
The slowing economy and softening sales have prompted Raytheon to consider cutting the production rates of its aircraft lines in Wichita, Raytheon Company executives said Thursday. Raytheon Aircraft Company (RAC) posted an operating loss in the first quarter of this year, and Dan Burnham, chairman and chief executive of Raytheon Company, said the Wichita plane-maker "will remain a key area of focus" for the year.
JET AVIATION added five aircraft to its charter fleet: a Gulfstream IV based in West Palm Beach, Fla.; a Challenger 604 based at Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, Conn.; a Westwind II 1124A and a King Air 100, both based in Dallas, Texas; and, a Beechjet 400A that will be based at Midway Airport in Chicago.
Two key members of the House of Representatives wrote to FAA Administrator Jane Garvey Monday, demanding a quick answer as to why she has ignored congressional mandates to implement quiet technology provisions in rules governing air tour operators at Grand Canyon National Park (BA, April 16/179).
Model CN-235 Series airplanes (Docket No. 2000-NM-273-AD) - proposes to require installation of fuselage skin reinforcements in the right and left zones of the fuselage between stations 11232 and 11740 and stringers P7 and P9. This action is necessary to prevent premature fatigue cracking of the fuselage, which could result in reduced structural integrity of the airplane. This action is intended to address the identified unsafe condition. Send comments in triplicate by May 10 to FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate, ANM-114, Attention: Rules Docket No.
RAYTHEON AIRCRAFT rolled out the first of its long-awaited Hawker Horizon business jets last week, and officials said they expect flight tests to begin this summer, possibly as soon as July, according to one pilot who will be involved in the flight test program. The $16.9 million aircraft is the second of Raytheon's new line of business jets that are designed to reduce weight by using carbon fiber composite material in the fuselage.
