STOCK MARKET FLUCTUATIONS may have delayed or prevented some aircraft sales, but the market's recent volatility also brought some good news to at least one original equipment manufacturer. Chuck Suma, president of New Piper Aircraft Co., said he knows two individuals who pulled funds out of the stock market and bought airplanes because they figured the aircraft were a safer investment.
TWIN COMMANDER AIRCRAFT CORP. Model 680FL airplanes (Docket No. 98-CE-89-AD) - proposes to adopt a new AD that would require revising the FAA-approved Airplane Flight Manual (AFM) to specify procedures that would prohibit flight in severe icing conditions (as determined by visual cues), limit or prohibit the use of various flight control devices while in severe icing conditions, and provide the flight crew with recognition cues for, and procedures for, exiting severe icing conditions.
NATIONAL AIR TRANSPORTATION ASSOCIATION this month wrote members seeking support for establishment of a political action committee. Noting congressional leaders who have supported industry causes, the association told members it "wants to help friends of aviation businesses who represent and defend your business by contributing to their success." The association said contributions will be overseen by a NATA member PAC Steering Committee.
BRITISH AEROSPACE Jetstream Model 3101 airplanes (Docket No. 98-CE-63-AD; Amdt. 39-10836; AD 98-21-28) - requires modifying the propeller deicing system to assure system performance at low ambient temperatures. This AD stems from mandatory continuing airworthiness information from the United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority. The actions specified by the AD are intended to prevent propeller-induced vibrations from occurring during icing encounters at low ambient temperatures.
BOMBARDIER CONTINENTAL JET General Powerplant Twin AlliedSignal AS 907 High bypass ratio 6,500 lbs. of thrust, flat turbofan engines rated to ISA+15 degree C DIMENSION External Length overall 69 ft. 8 in. Wingspan 64 ft. 11 in. Height 20 ft. 2 in. Internal
AVIATION PARTNERS, which is incorporating its Blended Winglet technology on the Boeing Business Jet (BA, June 15/259), has sold 80 of its Blended Winglet Performance Enhancement systems to Gulfstream II operators, representing 40 percent of the 200 GIIs in service. The winglet system provides the same range with 3,475 pounds less fuel and a 900-pound reduction in empty weight, the company said.
Gulfstream Aerospace continued its string of strong financial performances with a 35 percent jump in third quarter revenues, but net income was down significantly in the three- and nine-month periods ended Sept. 30 due to changes in accounting procedures.
Cirrus Design Corp. won FAA type certification Oct. 23 for the company's SR20, a single-engine, composite construction aircraft. FAA Administrator Jane Garvey presented the type certificate to Cirrus Design President Alan Klapmeier during ceremonies at AOPA's Expo '98 convention in Palm Springs, Calif.
CHUCK URAD was promoted to regional marketing director for FlightSafety International. He has held a number of marketing and sales positions with FlightSafety over the past 14 years. Urad will be based at FlightSafety's Chesterfield, Mo. office at the Spirit of St. Louis Airport.
ORENDA RECIP INC., which recently won certification for its 600-horsepower liquid cooled OE-600A V-8 aircraft engine, is actively studying a six-cylinder variant, which would deliver power in the 350- to 500-horsepower range. Both turbocharged and normally aspirated engines are contemplated.
BRITISH AEROSPACE ASSET MANAGEMENT-JETS sold used BAe 146 Series regional jets to Formula One Administration Limited of the United Kingdom and W.A. Moncrief of Texas. The sales follow six other VIP/corporate-configured 146s operated by No. 32 The Royal Squadron, the Amiri Royal Flight, Pelita Air Service and Executive Aircraft Corp.
TAG GROUP, S.A., long-time distributor of Canadair Challengers in the Middle East, formed a new company, TAG Aviation Holding S.A., to encompass its recent acquisitions - San Francisco-based aviation services and aircraft management specialist Aviation Methods, Switzerland-based charter operator Aeroleasing S.A. and the Farnborough, England fixed-base operator Farnborough Aerodrome. The three companies will operate under new identities as TAG Aviation U.S., Inc., TAG Aviation Switzerland and TAG Aviation UK Limited.
ALLIEDSIGNAL, INC. developed a new flight management system, the Global Star 2100, a navigation computer combining a Global Positioning System receiver, a global navigation database and a multi-function control and display. The system, selected for the de Havilland DHC-8-400, was designed as a direct replacement for the GNS-XL. Global Star provides positioning and en route navigation data as well as remote radio tuning and SIDS/STARS terminal procedures.
BRITISH HELICOPTER PILOTS seeking a bite to eat can visit "the world's first 'Fly Thru' restaurant" where Burger King Corp. and Welcome Break, the British highway service area operator, have teamed up to open the "Whopper Chopper" landing pad at the U.K. company's London Gateway location. Pilots will be able to touch down on the landing pad, place their order and have it delivered by waiters and waitresses on duty at the site.
AVIDYNE CORPORATION was selected to provide its Flight Situational Display on Mooney Aircraft Bravo and Ovation aircraft. The FSD include Avidyne Navigator, Charts and Lightning displays.
GALAXY AEROSPACE is nearing certification of its Galaxy intercontinental, super mid-sized business jet with three test aircraft accumulating more than 600 hours and more than 180 flights by mid-October. The third aircraft joined the flight test program Sept. 24 and made a nonstop, trans-Atlantic crossing from Paris to New York this month (BA, Oct. 19/177). Galaxy officials said the program is on track for FAA and Israeli CAAI certification in December. Europe's JAA certification is expected to follow in 1999.
COLTEC INDUSTRIES named Roger Wright president of its Menasco Aerospace unit, where he will be responsible for all of Coltec's landing gear and flight control operations. He also will continue to have direct responsibility for Menasco's Canadian operations. He succeeds Peter Challinor, who resigned. Wright, 54, held senior management posts at McDonnell Douglas and Dowty Canada before joining Menasco in 1996.
Aircraft manufacturers and their customers displayed similarly rosy outlooks at last week's 51st annual National Business Aviation Association convention in Las Vegas, with OEMs announcing several new airplane and engine programs and operators - led by Warren Buffett and Richard Santulli of Berkshire Hathaway and Executive Jet - signing up for billions of dollars of new aircraft.
BEST LINE OF THE WEEK comes from a corporate pilot whose years of dealing with FAA officials has made him just a bit cynical. During a recent meeting with fellow business jet pilots, he joked that FAA has adopted a new motto: "We're not happy until you're not happy."
CONKLIN&DE DECKER released the fall 1998 edition of The Aircraft Cost Evaluator, databases covering more than 290 jets, turboprops, helicopters and pistons. The new releases update aircraft direct costs and acquisition prices and expand the Fractional Ownership and Guaranteed Maintenance supplements. The software, ACCE$$ for Windows, is available on CD Rom and can run on Windows 3x, Windows 95/98, Windows NT 3 and NT 4. The piston database is priced at $350 and the jet, turboprop and helicopter databases are $465 each.
MICHAEL C. CULVER and Robert L. Kirk were appointed to the board of directors of First Aviation Services, Inc., Westport, Conn., the parent company of National Airmotive Corp. (NAC) and Aircraft Parts International (API). Culver is president and chief executive of First Aviation.
UNIVERSAL AVIONICS SYSTEMS UNS-1C flight management system and CVR-30B cockpit voice recorder successfully completed flight testing on the Galaxy business jet at the Israel Aircraft Industries factory in Tel Aviv. Both systems will be standard on the aircraft, which is expected to receive certification later this year. The installation will include dual UNS-1C FMS systems that interface with the Collins Pro Line 4 electronic flight instrument system. The UNS-1C includes a 12-channel GPS receiver and all control/display functions in a single Dzus-mounted unit.
MOONEY AIRCRAFT CORP., Kerrville, Texas, anticipates FAA certification by Dec. 1 for its M20S Eagle, a derivative of the M20R Ovation that uses a longer fuselage and a Continental IO-550G engine derated to 235 horsepower. Mooney said the Eagle, with a base price of $319,000, is being positioned as an economical entry-level aircraft that will offer a maximum cruise speed of 175 knots and a maximum range of more than 1,200 nautical miles at long-range cruise.
FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION has invited public comment on an advisory circular that provides guidance for complying with fuel venting and exhaust emission requirements for turbine-engine aircraft. To obtain a copy of AC 34-1, contact Edward McQueen in the Research and Engineering Branch at (202) 267-3560. Comments on the AC must be sent before Dec. 1 to Curtis Holsclaw, Manager of Research and Engineering, AEE-110, Office of Environment and Energy, 800 Independence Ave., S.W., Washington, D.C. 20591.
PRATT&WHITNEY will cut 2,000 jobs over the next two years, about 1,000 each in Connecticut and Florida. The company has 13,000 employees in Connecticut and 5,000 in Florida. The cuts, aimed at increasing company profits, are to be completed by mid-2000.
