SENATE MAJORITY LEADER TRENT LOTT (R-Miss.) is hoping to bring up Sen. John McCain's (R-Ariz.) comprehensive FAA reauthorization bill, S.82, in the last week of September. The decision to try to bring the full reauthorization bill to the floor comes after Lott was unsuccessful in naming members to a House/Senate conference on a short-term extension of Airport Improvement Program authorization. The Democrats, led by Minority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.), apparently blocked that effort.
AIRCRAFT TECHNICAL PUBLISHERS said the latest version of its Maintenance Director program makes it easier to update aircraft maintenance records at remote locations. The new Version 2.4 transfers files for an aircraft or logbook component to a floppy disk, eliminating the need for printing out the aircraft's part history for use away from base. "We received numerous requests from customers asking for the ability to electronically transport records," said Bob Jones, ATP's Maintenance Director product manager.
Ogden Corp., a major provider of aviation fuel and services that was in the midst of expanding those lines of business, announced an abrupt change of direction and the immediate departure of the company's chairman and chief executive Friday.
Docket No.: 29619 Section of the FAR Affected: 14 CFR 135.143(c)(2) Description of Relief Sought/Disposition: To permit HEI to operate certain aircraft under Part 135 without a TSO-C112 (Mode S) transponder installed in each aircraft. Grant, July 30, 1999, Exemption No. 6933
BELL Model 206L, L-1, L-3, and L-4 helicopters (Docket No. 99-SW-30-AD; Amdt. 39-11265; AD 99-17-19) - supersedes an existing AD that requires the creation of a component history card or equivalent record using the Retirement Index Number (RIN) system for certain masts and trunnions and a system for tracking increases to the accumulated RIN. That AD also establishes retirement lives for the mast and trunnion. This amendment requires the same actions required by the existing AD but increases the RIN multiplier for the mast and corrects a helicopter model number.
Docket No.: 29342 Section of the FAR Affected: 14 CFR 61.77(a) Description of Relief Sought/Disposition: To permit pilots and flight engineers employed by Airbus Industrie to be eligible for the issuance of special purpose pilot and flight engineer au-thorizations, under Parts 61 and 65, as appro-priate, for the purpose of performing delivery flights of U.S.-registered airplanes betweenforeign countries and from a foreign country to the U.S. Grant, July 28, 1999, Exemption No. 6850A
SEPTEMBER 15 was the 30th anniversary of the 1969 first flight of the original Cessna Citation (Model 500) and Cessna plans to celebrate by delivering the 3000th Citation business jet during next month's NBAA convention in Atlanta.
ERA AVIATION formally opened its fourth hangar at the Anchorage, Alaska International Airport, a 40,000-square-foot building specifically for corporate aircraft. Era now has more than 100,000 square feet of hangar space on over 15 acres. "As we celebrate our FBO being 20 years old, we are tremendously excited to add this important new feature to the Era Aviation Center," said President Chuck Johnson. "The new corporate hangar further underscores our commitment to business aviation." The new hangar has a state-of-the-art security system and heated floor.
DASSAULT Model Falcon 2000 series airplanes (Docket No. 98-NM-377-AD) - proposes to require a detailed inspection for interference between the safety-lock hooks and upper cowls, and corrective action, if necessary. This proposal also would require modification of the attachment supports of the inner locking hooks; and a detailed inspection of the safety-lock hooks on the lower engine cowl for proper operation and for clearance between the outer edges of the upper and lower cowls; and corrective actions, if necessary.
Docket No.: 29646 Section of the FAR Affected: 14 CFR 135.251, 35.255, 135.353, Appendices I&J of Part 121 Description of Relief Sought/Disposition: To permit CREST-AERO to conduct sightseeing rides at Crest Airpark, during the annual fundraising event, "Covington Days," on July 17 and 18, 1999, for compensation or hire, without com-plying with certain anti-drug and alcohol misuse prevention requirements of Part 135. Grant, July 15, 1999, Exemption No. 6925
Docket No.: 29536 Section of the FAR Affected: 14 CFR 121.407(d) and 121.409(d) Description of Relief Sought: To permit Skyway Airlines to conduct low-altitude windshear flight training for 24 pilots in an Embraer EMB-145 simulator until a Fairchild Dornier DO328-300 simulator is available.
COREMAX AEROSPACE, Denton, Texas, won certification for a combination steam bath/shower enclosure for installation on long-range executive aircraft. The units can be custom built in nearly any shape, size and color, the company said. Typical installed weight is less than 175 pounds. The steam bath mode heats to 115 degrees Fahrenheit in about eight minutes and uses less than one gallon of water per hour. For more information, contact Coremax at (940) 565-1811.
BRITISH AEROSPACE Model BAe 146 and BAe Avro 146-RJ series airplanes (Docket No. 99-NM-70-AD) - proposes to require repetitive inspections to detect signs of chafing to the fuel feed pipe, and repair or replacement of the fuel feed pipe with a serviceable part, if necessary; and ensuring that responder units, electrical connector backshells, and associated wiring are undamaged and are positioned correctly to provide maximum clearance with the fuel pipe.
GENERAL AVIATION MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION, troubled over certain regulatory efforts in Europe, is hosting a meeting Oct. 1 between senior industry and government officials to share their concerns over impending regulations.The meeting will include a number of aviation industry groups, manufacturers and operators as well as representatives from the Transportation and State Departments, National Economic Council and Exim Bank.
FOKKER Model F27 Mark 050 series airplanes (Docket No. 99-NM-224-AD; Amdt. 39-11278; AD 99-18-12) - requires a one-time inspection to detect cracking of the fuselage between stations 15375 and 16275, at the skin splice above the cabin windows; and corrective action, if necessary. This amendment is prompted by issuance of mandatory continuing airworthiness information by a foreign civil airworthiness authority.
Mercury Air Group said net income for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1999 totaled almost $6 million, nearly a 100 percent increase over the previous fiscal year when Mercury booked a $7 million loss against profits due to the bankruptcy of a customer.
Docket No.: 29706 Section of the FAR Affected: 14 CFR 121 Appendix I Section V Paragraph (a)(1) Description of Relief Sought: To allow employees performing safety sensitive functions for Reno Airlines, Inc., to perform similar functions for American Airlines without being subject to a pre-employment drug test.
BMW ROLLS-ROYCE Models BR700-710A1-10 and BR700-710A2-20 turbofan engines (Docket No. 98-ANE-74-AD) - proposes to revise an existing AD that requires initial and repetitive visual inspections of the engine compressor and combustion core fairings and fasteners for correct installation and damage, and verification that the engine core fairing fasteners are torqued to a higher torque value.
National Transportation Safety Board, in the midst of its TWA Flight 800 accident investigation, has become increasingly concerned about aging aircraft wiring safety and is focusing on issues such as routing and maintenance.
GARY DEVLIEG was named vice president, Technology Center for Crane Aerospace. DeVlieg will assist customers with landing gear and control system integration. He previously spent 33 years with Boeing, most recently as manager, landing gear and door systems, for the Commercial Airplane Group.
DANIEL BURNHAM, Raytheon chairman and chief executive, suffered minor injuries Sept. 10 when he fell off a horse in Wyoming, a company spokesman said Wednesday. "He's fine," said Toni Simonetti. The 52-year-old Burnham "did sustain some injuries from the fall." He has two broken ribs, a broken wrist and minor cuts and bruises, Simonetti said, confirming a Bloomberg News Service story. "He's banged up a little bit but...he's still running the business."
JEROME LEDERER, founder of the Flight Safety Foundation, received the 33rd Edward Warner Award Tuesday in Montreal, Quebec from the International Civil Aviation Organization in recognition of his "eminent contribution to the improvement of all aspects of safety in international civil aviation." The award was presented by Dr. Assad Kotaite, president of the Council of ICAO, at a ceremony on Sept. 14, the opening day of ICAO's Accident Investigation and Prevention Divisional Meeting.
Model YS-11 and YS-11A series airplanes (Docket No. 98-NM-300-AD) - proposes to require repetitive removal of the spinner; repetitive detailed visual inspections of the propeller hub to detect fatigue cracking; and replacement of the propeller hub with a new propeller hub, if necessary. This proposal is prompted by issuance of mandatory continuing airworthiness information by a foreign civil airworthiness authority.
Federal Aviation Administration, the State and Commerce Departments and Congress last week weighed a number of actions they could take to battle a European Union proposal to ban future registration of certain large, commercial hushkitted and re-engined aircraft. The proposal last week was characterized during a House aviation subcommittee hearing as "representative of a much larger problem" between the EU and U.S. on aviation trade and safety issues with legislators vowing that they will no longer sit idle.
