Model R44 helicopters (Docket No. 99-SW-12-AD; Amdt. 39-11397; AD 99-23-01) - supersedes an existing AD that currently requires removing and replacing the pilot's cyclic control grip assembly with an airworthy grip assembly. This amendment requires the same actions as the current AD but would change a part number (P/N) referenced in the current AD. This amendment is prompted by the discovery of an error in the P/N of the current AD.
Model Mystere-Falcon 50 series airplanes (Docket No. 98-NM-262-AD) - proposes to supersede an existing AD that currently requires a revision to the Limitations section of the FAA-approved Airplane Flight Manual (AFM) to include procedures to use certain values to correctly gauge the minimum allowable N1 speed of the operative engines during operation in icing conditions.
Israel Aircraft Industries, which has seen profits grow rapidly the past two years, posted another strong performance for the first three quarters of 1999 and officials said the prospects for continued success are good. The company reported net profits of $50.1 million for the first nine months of the year, an increase of 63 percent over the $30.8 million reported for the same period a year ago. Revenues were up two percent, from $1.42 billion a year ago to $1.45 billion in the most recent reporting period.
Model 750 airplanes (Docket No. 99-NM-218-AD) - proposes to require replacement of reset circuit breakers for the auxiliary hydraulic pump system and the King KHF 950 high frequency communication system(s) with new circuit breakers.
BERT SEATON was promoted to vice president-information services for Inventory Locator Service, Inc. Seaton will oversee product development, systems integration, customer service and technical support. He joined ILS in 1988 and most recently was director-information services.
Model SF340A and 340B series airplanes (Docket No. 99-NM-199-AD; Amdt. 39-11395; AD 99-22-17) - requires removal of certain main landing gear downlock and brake hydraulic swivel brackets and replacement with new, redesigned brackets. This amendment is prompted by issuance of mandatory continuing airworthiness information by a foreign civil airworthiness authority. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent failure of the downlock or brake swivels. Brake swivel failure could cause the loss of inboard or outboard brakes.
Model 430 helicopters (Docket No. 98-SW-50-AD; Amdt. 39-11399; AD 99-23-03) - requires verifying the torque on each vertical fin attachment bolt; modifying the vertical fin and tailboom and replacing the attachment hardware; and re-verifying the torque on the bolts after inspecting the fittings. This amendment is prompted by a report of a loose vertical fin, discovered during a post-flight inspection.
THE EUROPEAN JOINT AVIATION AUTHORITIES received 157 comments, mostly supportive, of its proposal to keep the extended-range twin-engine operations (ETOPS) threshold at 180 minutes for commercial business jets that meet "best industry practices." The comments contained few surprises with French aviation authorities repeating their calls for a more stringent standard for twin-engine business jets operated commercially (BA, June 7/261). U.S.
EUROPEAN REGULATORS are facing two key meetings in the next few weeks to discuss the future of Europe's aviation systems. The first, Dec. 10, will include the European transport ministers, who will debate whether to move forward with plans to create an independent European Aviation Safety Authority (EASA) to supplant the Joint Aviation Authorities. Loyola de Palacio, the new vice president and transport commissioner for the European Commission, is rethinking this move and instead favors an "empowered" EC agency.
National Transportation Safety Board is urging several government agencies to come together on a task force aimed at reducing potential hazards from aircraft bird strikes. The safety board, citing concerns that the incidence of bird strikes remains steady despite past intervention efforts, issued nine recommendations to FAA and wrote to four other government agencies - the Departments of Interior, Defense and Agriculture, and U.S.
ONE POTENTIAL FLY IN THE OINTMENT is the absence of representatives from FAA's Office of the General Counsel in the committee deliberations. There is concern among some committee members that the group's work could be torpedoed later by the GC's office if agency attorneys do not participate in the discussions and remain disengaged from the committee's deliberations.
PRIESTER AVIATION added three aircraft to its on-demand charter fleet at the company's headquarters at Pal-Waukee Municipal Airport in Wheeling, Ill. Priester added a Hawker 700 and Hawker 400-731, both of which will replace Falcon 20s, and a Citation VII.
EMBRY-RIDDLE AERONAUTICAL UNIVERSITY established a new center to offer customized non-degree programs for corporations, governments and individuals. The Center for Aviation Training at Embry-Riddle (CATER) will provide training in flight, flight dispatch, aircraft maintenance, aviation English, and air traffic control. The training will cover certification for private and commercial pilots, aircraft dispatchers, airframe and powerplant mechanics and avionics technicians. Embry-Riddle will provide the training at its campuses in Daytona Beach, Fla., Prescott, Ariz.
AlliedSignal, Inc., and a manufacturer of de-icing trucks have developed a new de-icing system for aircraft that can dramatically reduce the amount of glycol needed to remove ice from a plane, AlliedSignal said. While glycol has long been an effective de-icing agent, growing restrictions on storm water runoff have forced airports and fixed-base operators to invest in expensive containment and treatment systems to treat glycol and other ramp contaminants.
Darrell Richardson, the former vice president-operations and chief operating officer at Mesaba Airlines, will join Piedmont Hawthorne to oversee the fixed-base operator's airline maintenance business. Richardson was named executive vice president at Piedmont Hawthorne, where he will have a range of marketing and operations responsibilities, but initially he will focus on the company's Aircraft Maintenance and Overhaul Group. That division includes airline maintenance and component overhaul services.
BOMBARDIER AND RAYTHEON have their own "in-house" fractional aircraft ownership programs and Cessna Aircraft may be the next original equipment manufacturer to both build and operate business jets for fractional customers. Cessna Chairman Russ Meyer told Business&Commercial Aviation magazine that Cessna is definitely looking at that possibility. Cessna was the initial provider of aircraft for Executive Jet's NetJets program, which now operates more than 100 Citations and has orders for another 130, plus options on additional units.
NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD Friday was investigating the midair collision of two Piper trainers--a Piper Cadet operated by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and a Piper Seminole operated by another flight school, Phoenix East Aviation - near the Deland, Fla. Airport. Embry-Riddle officials confirmed that its Piper Cadet took off from the Daytona Beach, Fla. campus Friday and collided with the Phoenix East Seminole near Deland shortly after 10 a.m. The wreckage of both aircraft was located in a swampy area east of Deland Airport.
CHRISTIANSEN declined to detail the substance of the group's discussions, but sources say the committee has identified about a half dozen areas of pertinent, significant differences between Part 91 and Part 135 of the FARs. Members are focusing on writing a set of requirements, based on what they believe is in the best interests of safety, that would then be applied to both fractional operators and Part 135 on-demand charter operators.
FRED KOENIG was promoted to executive marketing director, U.S. and Canada for Bell Helicopter. Koenig has 24 years of experience with Bell, where he has held a number of marketing and sales management positions. Most recently he was director of marketing-Eastern U.S. A U.S. naval aviator with two tours in Vietnam, Koenig flew more than 5,500 hours in jets, multi-engine fixed and rotary-wing aircraft.
THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION ranked "transportation by air" as the leading industry of 15 industry categories in incidences of work-related musculoskeletal disorders. Air transportation is one of several industries covered under OSHA's new sweeping proposal calling for companies to develop "ergonomics protection standards" and programs. See article on Page 257.
Now that it has issued its proposal to cover structural inspections on the aging regional fleet, the Federal Aviation Administration is beginning to consider structural integrity questions surrounding a general aviation fleet that currently averages 34 years in age. FAA scheduled a "General Aviation Summit" Jan. 11-12 in Kansas City to discuss "technical issues and related problems associated with the increasing average age of the general aviation fleet."
CESSNA'S MEYER, 67, will have more time to assess ventures like fractional ownership for Cessna after the end of the year. He will formally hand over the title of Cessna chief executive to Vice Chairman Gary Hay on Dec. 31 (BA, April 19/177), but he definitely plans to remain active in the company. One of his mandates will be developing new businesses in related areas to help grow the company's revenue base.
FAIRCHILD AEROSPACE officials say negotiations are still on track to get the external financing needed to proceed with development of the 428JET and 728JET programs (BA, Nov. 8/209).The next milestone is getting the European Union to sign off on a package of $350 million in German bank loans, a process that could be completed as early as this week. Fairchild officials still hope to have the entire financing arrangement in place before the end of the year.
