Century Aerospace Corp., which is developing the CA-100 entry-level business jet, plans to move its headquarters from Albuquerque, N.M. to Alliance Airport north of Dallas-Fort Worth in the spring. Century will lease temporary space from Hillwood Development Co. initially, but plans call for construction of a new manufacturing facility. Century said it expects to hire more than 200 full-time employees as development of the CA-100 progresses.
Federal Aviation Administration needs to improve its budget management, address several safety issues, and make changes in its approach to modernizing the air traffic control system, according to the Transportation Department Office of Inspector General (OIG). In a report to Congress late last month on the top-priority management issues for DOT, the OIG cited FAA's safety initiatives, budget management and modernization efforts among 12 concerns facing the department.
CLIFF TOPHAM was appointed director-airline sales for Rolls-Royce North America. Topham will manage a number of airline customers including American Airlines and British West Indian Airlines. He joined Rolls-Royce in 1979 and most recently served as director of sales with International Aero Engines, a joint venture between Rolls-Royce, Pratt &Whitney, JAEC and Daimler-Benz Aerospace MTU Munchen.
The continuing battle between U.S. interests and European governments over tighter aircraft noise and access regulations escalated last week as Belgian officials announced plans to radically cut night flights into Brussels' National Airport by the summer of 2003. Isabelle Durant, the Belgian Green Party Transport Minister, said after the summer of 2003, "no commercial flights will be authorized" between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m., according to a decree she signed Dec. 31.
Model F27 Mark 050, 200, 500 and 600 series airplanes (Docket No. 98-NM-186-AD) - proposes to require installation of certain components and revision of the airplane flight manual. This action is necessary to prevent undetected failures of the horizontal and vertical stabilizer de-icing system, which could reduce controllability of the airplane. FAA estimates that the AD would cover 37 airplanes on the U.S. Registry at a cost of $684,500. Comments on the proposal must be sent in triplicate before Feb.
LILLIAN HUNT joined SimuFlite Training International as director-human resources. Hunt has 12 years of experience in human resources. She spent the past five years with GE, most recently as liaison, training/state relations for GE Capital Mortgage Services, Inc. She also served as vice president of human resources for GE Capital Mortgage Services in Houston.
Model SF340A and 340B series airplanes (Docket No. 99-NM-200-AD; Amdt. 39-11489; AD 99-27-08) - requires repetitive inspections of the control quadrant for loose screws and replacement of the control quadrant with a modified part, which constitutes terminating action for the repetitive inspections. This amendment is prompted by issuance of mandatory continuing airworthiness information by a foreign civil airworthiness authority.
Flight test engineers at Honeywell's Engines and Systems business (the former AlliedSignal Aerospace unit) are preparing to begin flight tests this month of an AS900 turbofan engine aboard the company's Boeing 720 testbed (BA, Dec. 13/267).
SR TECHNICS of Switzerland signed an agreement to buy a hangar in Palmdale, Calif. and will offer aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul services through its subsidiary, SR Technics America. The company initially will focus on DC-10 and MD-10 conversions.
THE SEMINOLES of Florida State University claimed most of the media attention last week, but the original Florida Seminoles recorded a notable aviation achievement the day after the Sugar Bowl. See article on Page 14.
DAMAGE TOLERANCE FOR HIGH ENERGY TURBINE ENGINE ROTORS is the subject of Advisory Circular 33.14-1 published by FAA. The AC provides acceptable methods for complying with Part 33.14 of the Federal Aviation Regulations, which details life management requirements applicable to the design and life management of titanium alloy high-energy rotating parts of aircraft engines. Copies of the AC can be obtained by contacting Tim Monuzakis of the Engine and Propeller Standards Staff at FAA's New England regional headquarters at (781) 238-7114; fax, (781) 238-7199.
Model 2000 series airplanes (Docket No. 99-NM-197-AD; Amdt. 39-11442; AD 99-24-17) - requires modification of the airplane by coldworking fastener holes at the front and rear wing spars and by installing modified support angles for the lower trailing edge panel of the wing. This amendment is prompted by issuance of mandatory continuing airworthiness information by a foreign civil airworthiness authority.
Citing the expense of the requirements, Federal Aviation Administration finally withdrew a 10-year-old notice of proposed rulemaking last month that called for improved crash resistance of fuel system components on aircraft certified under Part 23. The proposal, published in the Feb. 28, 1990 Federal Register, would have required upgrades to limit fuel spillage near ignition sources, improving crash resistance and allowing survivors of a crash more time to evacuate the airplane.
EDO Corp. plans an $87 million merger with AIL Technologies to create an integrated defense and aerospace technology company. AIL Technologies, Inc., formerly part of Eaton, is an employee-owned company that provides advanced electronics to government, commercial and industrial clients. The company produces antennas for aircraft, marine and satellite customers, including Boeing's entire commercial fleet, plus defensive avionics and jamming systems for military aircraft.
DIAMOND AIRCRAFT has begun flight testing its new Katana 100, a derivative of the Katana DA20-A1 with a 100-horsepower Bombardier/Rotax 912S engine. Diamond expects FAA and Transport Canada certification of the aircraft in March and plans to offer a retrofit option for owners of the DA20-A1 to replace the existing Rotax engine with the more powerful 912S model.
THOMAS STELTER was named managing director-specialized training for SimuFlite Training International. Stelter will oversee SimuFlite's courseware department, maintenance and training programs and training centers in Marietta, Ga. and Tampa, Fla. He also will be responsible for SimuFlite's QuickTurn training division in Grapevine, Texas. Stelter joined SimuFlite in 1991 and most recently was director of quality.
A GENERAL AVIATION INDUSTRY COALITION last week met with FAA Administrator Jane Garvey and other senior agency officials to continue a cooperative effort to resolve industry issues. The coalition is working with FAA to increase delegation authority in all areas. One source observed that FAA in recent years has trended toward centralizing its certification and approval activity and scaling back delegation authority. This comes during a time when FAA has had fewer resources to do necessary inspections and certification work, slowing down those processes.
Dart series turboprop engines (Docket No. 99-NE-30-AD; Amdt. 39-11485; AD 99-27-04) - requires a one-time visual inspection of the interior of the switch to determine the type of low torque switch, and removal from service of unapproved Klixon low torque switches and replacement with serviceable parts. This amendment is prompted by the discovery of unapproved low torque switches in fleet operation.
"FAA is making reasonable progress working toward the development of a cost accounting system," the Transportation Inspector General reported last month. The IG report is one of a series of expected reviews as FAA implements a cost accounting system for its Air Traffic Services. FAA initially is focusing on overflight costs so it may assess fees for providing services to aircraft that transit through U.S. airspace without taking off or landing in the U.S.
Docket No.: 29660 Section of the FAR Affected: 14 CFR 135.299(a) Description of Relief Sought/Disposition: To permit NorthEastern pilots to accomplish a line operational evaluation in a Level C or Level D flight simulator in lieu of a line check in an aircraft. Denial, Oct. 5, 1999, Exemption No. 7022
Model AS-350B, B1, B2, B3, BA, and D, and AS-355E, F, F1, F2, and N helicopters (Docket No. 99-SW-41-AD; Amdt. 39-11443; AD 99-24-18) - supersedes an existing AD that requires inspecting certain versions of the tail rotor spider plate bearing for the proper rotational torque, axial play, and any brinelling of the bearing. This amendment has the same inspection requirements as the current AD. Also, this AD expands the applicability to include additional part numbers (P/Ns) and reduces the initial and recurring inspection compliance times.
Corporate pilots and their passengers traveling overseas face a multitude of dangers in certain locations, according to Air Security International's compilation of the "World's Most Dangerous Places: 1999." Air Security, a division of Air Routing of Houston, Texas, issued warnings about the following places: Algeria - visitors to the capital, Algiers, are urged "to avoid walking anywhere due to the high potential for spontaneous attacks and ongoing political and social unrest."
Docket No.: 29414 Section of the FAR Affected: 14 CFR 121.383(c) Description of Relief Sought/Disposition: To permit pilots of North American Airlines (NAA) - to act as pilots in supplemental operations conducted under Part 121 after reaching their 60th birthday. Denial, Sept. 3, 1999, Exemption No. 7037
Raytheon's Brazilian subsidiary, Raytheon Brasil Sistemsas de Integracao, delivered the first operational equipment for a new system the Brazilian government will use to monitor the Amazon River basin.
CESSNA AIRCRAFT late last month delivered the 100th Citation X to Ted Townsend, president of Townsend Engineering based in Des Moines, Iowa. Cessna launched the Citation X program in 1990 and delivered the first of the Mach .92 business jets in August 1996. "Going from zero to 100 Citation Xs in just over three years is an enormous accomplishment for the entire Cessna team, and is only fitting for the world's fastest business airplane," said Cessna Chairman Russ Meyer.
