THE HOUSE last week approved its version of FAA reauthorization legislation, adding as an amendment the National Parks Air Tour Management Act of 1998 (BA, July 27/42). The act, which provides for restrictions of air tours over national parks, also was included in Senate reauthorization legislation. The Senate reauthorization bill is expected to receive full Senate consideration in September.
NATIONAL BUSINESS AVIATION ASSOCIATION is opposing a proposal by the International Civil Aviation Organization to require aircraft involved in transoceanic and remote area operations to be equipped with dual frequency emergency locator transmitters capable of transmitting on 121.5 MHz and 406 MHz. NBAA said the dual transmission ability "is burdensome and redundant." In an Aug.
BOMBARDIER Model CL-600-2B19 (Regional Jet Series 100) airplanes (Docket No. 97-NM-83-AD; Amdt. 39-10615; AD 98-13-24) - supersedes an existing airworthiness directive that requires a revision to the airplane flight manual to prohibit the use of mach trim and to add speed restrictions if the autopilot is disengaged or inoperative. That AD also requires installation of an associated placard. This amendment adds requirements for replacement of the horizontal stabilizer trim control unit and reactivation of the mach trim engage/disengage switch/light.
CIRRUS DESIGN CORP. completed certification flight testing requirements of its Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS) that will be standard equipment on the Cirrus SR20. The tests included in-flight deployments at stall speed, maneuvering speed and one turn into a spin. In each case, CAPS was deployed at maximum gross weight, Cirrus said. The 55-pound system, manufactured by BRS, enters the final phase of the test program, including a demonstration of adequate occupant restraint and safety.
HERBERT HENKEL was named executive vice president and chief operating officer of Textron. Henkel, former president of Textron's Industrial Products Segment, will be responsible for Textron's global operations, including the company's 28 operating units. Henkel has served with Textron since 1987 and, before that, was president and chief operating officer of Southern Fastening Systems and Unifast Industries, Inc.
SAAB SF340A, 340B and 2000 series airplanes (Docket No. 96-NM-212-AD; Amdt. 39-10627; AD 98-13-36) - requires repetitive operational tests of the pitch trim system of the elevator trim-tab of the flight control unit to ensure that the system operates correctly, and repair if necessary. This amendment is prompted by a report of uncommanded movement of the right-hand elevator trim-tab to a maximum deflection position. This condition apparently was due to a failure in the aircraft harness and a fault in the pitch trim synchronizer.
ARINC INC. and Orincon Technologies, Inc. entered a teaming agreement to market, install and support the Ground Safety Tracking and Reporting System (GSTARS) to civil and military airports. GSTARS, being tested at Long Beach Municipal Airport in Long Beach, Calif., is scheduled for installation at MacDill Air Force Base near Tampa, Fla. this fall. The system is designed to increase the situational awareness and tracking of ground traffic for air traffic controllers and alert them to potential runway or taxiway incursions.
Faced with possible changes in federal regulations governing fractional ownership, the National Air Transportation Association last month formed a working group to develop recommendations about the direction of such programs. NATA members, including fractional ownership, aircraft management and charter operators, are split on how fractional ownership programs should be governed, whether under the current Part 91 or some form of Part 135.
MOONEY AIRCRAFT selected the PS Engineering PMA-7000 audio panel as standard equipment on its 1999 M20R Ovation and M20M Bravo models. The unit, upgraded from the PMA-6000 audio panel, includes audio warnings, digital recording, a cellular phone interface and larger buttons. It allows the pilot and copilot to simultaneously monitor and broadcast on separate frequencies.
Fairchild Aerospace chose GE Aircraft Engines' CF 34-8D turbofan to power the new 728JET family of regional jets, giving GE a bigger slice of the regional jet market than it already enjoys. The CF 34-8C version is the powerplant for Bombardier's new Canadair RJ-700 and earlier CF-34 models power existing Canadair RJs already in service with carriers such as Comair and Lufthansa CityLine.
DUNCAN AVIATION installed and certified an AlliedSignal Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System (EGPWS) in a Hawker 800A aircraft. In addition, the Lincoln, Neb. aviation services provider installed the Sundstrand Mark VI GPWS in a Falcon 10.
A concerted lobbying effort by the General Aviation Manufacturers Association paid dividends Thursday as Congress passed H.R. 3824, which exempts the aviation industry from the provisions of the Fastener Quality Act.
BOMBARDIER achieved two milestones at the end of July, winning Transport Canada type certification of its Global Express business jet (see article below) and delivering the first Model 45 Learjet to enter customer service.The Model 45 won its certificate of airworthiness in May and the first customer unit was leased back to the manufacturer for use as a demonstrator. The second aircraft, S/N 010, was handed over July 28 to Hytrol Conveyor, Jonesboro, Ark., a manufacturer of conveyor belts and long time Learjet operator.
DORNIER Model 328-100 series airplanes (Docket No. 98-NM-89-AD; Amdt. 39-10618; AD 98-13-27) - requires a one-time inspection to detect discrepancies of circuit breaker panels 10VE and 11VE, follow-on corrective actions, modification of the contact points, and installation of a high capacity fuse. This amendment also requires replacement of power relays 32HB and 36HB on relay panel 22VE with new parts. This amendment is prompted by issuance of mandatory continuing airworthiness information by a foreign civil airworthiness authority.
TRIMBLE AVIONICS introduced the TrimView 500, a large-format, color multi-function display for general aviation aircraft. The TrimView 500, part of Trimble's TrimLine avionics family, includes a five-inch diagonal active matrix color LCD display that has a 120-degree view angle.
Federal Aviation Administration last week delayed until Jan. 1 its issuance of new operations specifications for Part 135 operators of aircraft altered for cargo carriage. FAA initially planned to make the operations specifications changes beginning last week and the National Air Transportation Association had advised members that they could delay the effectiveness of those changes through a petition for reconsideration (BA, Aug. 3/47).
FLIGHT SAFETY FOUNDATION appointed James Burin, former director of the U.S. Navy School of Aviation Safety, as deputy director of technical projects. Burin will organize and oversee safety committees and manage safety-related research for FSF. Burin retired from the Navy as a captain after 30 years of service with 6,200 flight hours and 1,400 landings on aircraft carriers. He was responsible for the annual training of 650 U.S. Navy, Marine and Coast Guard safety officers.
FAA's use of emergency revocations increased this decade following a policy change in 1990 that the agency would immediately revoke certificates in cases of "demonstrated lack of qualification," the General Accounting Office reported last week.
EMBRY-RIDDLE AERONAUTICAL UNIVERSITY has scheduled an Industry/Career Expo Nov. 4-5 at the university Fieldhouse in Daytona Beach, Fla. The exposition will host more than 100 aviation/aerospace, business, engineering and high-technology employers, including Cessna, New Piper, Executive Jet Aviation, Learjet, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Sikorsky and a number of regional and major airlines. For more information on the two-day event, contact Embry-Riddle's Career Services Office at (904) 226-6050.
OF GULFSTREAM'S AGREEMENT to acquire K-C Aviation from Kimberly-Clark for $250 million, Forstmann said, "We regard this as something of a coup," noting the strong interest by other bidders in acquiring K-C's highly acclaimed completion and maintenance facilities in Dallas, Appleton, Wis. and Westfield, Mass. He said Gulfstream reached an agreement with Kimberly-Clark less than four weeks after entering the bidding because "we were faster" than the competitors.
FRACTIONAL OWNERSHIP is "driving the [business] jet market," according to the chief economist for The CIT Group/Equipment Financing. CIT, which last week forecast a market for 330 new jets next year, estimated that fractional ownership will account for 15 percent of the new corporate market in the U.S. by 2000. While the potential market for fractional ownership is still unknown, CIT added that certain forecasts indicate "that this niche has barely begun to develop." See article below.
ED STIMPSON, vice chairman of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association and chairman of the industry-sponsored GA Team 2000, last week was awarded the Experimental Aircraft Association's Freedom of Flight Award. Past winners of the award include Chuck Yeager, Cliff Robertson and Neil Armstrong.
EUROCOPTER Model AS-350B, BA, B1, B2 and D and Model AS-355E, F, F1, F2, and N helicopters (Docket No. 97-SW-25-AD; Amdt. 39-10635; AD 98-14-01) - requires inspections of the main gearbox suspension bi-directional cross-
PROFESSIONAL FLIGHT MANAGEMENT (PFM) and Advanced Aviation Services International, Inc. (AASII) formed a teaming agreement to jointly promote their products. PFM, which produces flight operations software, will interface its programs with AASII's maintenance management software. The program will provide a comprehensive maintenance planning service tailored for corporate aircraft.
