BMW ROLLS-ROYCE'S BR710 engine, which was modified for use in the Nimrod MRA4 maritime patrol aircraft, completed its first run on schedule on a test bed at its Development and Assembly Center in Dahlewitz, Germany. The modified BR710 is slated for certification in summer of 2000 with series production beginning in first quarter of 2001. The powerplant, the BR700-710B3-40, is based on the BR710 engine powering the Bombardier Global Express and Gulfstream V long-range aircraft.
The National Air Transportation Association sent petitions to all 50 states seeking a moratorium on enforcement of new requirements for the installation of ticket printers on aviation fuel trucks. The requirements stem from standards developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and used by the Division of Weights and Measures for fuel trucks to install ticket printers by Jan. 1, 1999.
Cessna Aircraft, which in March 1997 announced plans to develop a computer-based training program for flight students (BA, March 24/129), last month began shipment of the first programs to Cessna Pilot Centers. The Private Pilot Computer-Based Instruction kit, developed jointly with King Schools, "is a major and necessary component to the revitalization of the general aviation industry," said Cessna Vice President of Marketing Phil Michel. The company hopes the programs will enable its Cessna Pilot Centers "to reach an untapped market of would-be pilots."
DORNIER Model 328-100 series airplanes (Docket No. 98-NM-103-AD; Amdt. 39-10639; AD 98-14-05) - requires modification of the ground cooling fan. This amendment is prompted by the 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 ground cooling fan, which could result in smoke in the flight deck and cabin and consequent inability of the flight crew to perform duties or possible passenger injury due to smoke inhalation.
TOM TROSKE was named director of operations for the Salt Lake City Airport Authority. Troske, who has served with the authority for 28 years, has spent the past eight years as airfield operations superintendent, responsible for daily airfield management of the three airports the authority operates.
Federal Aviation Administration last week met its July 31 deadline to renovate 60 percent of its mission-critical computer systems so they recognize the year 2000 date codes and said it is on track to meet the Sept. 30 deadline for complete compatibility. The agency Friday said that it has fixed 67 percent of the 159 mission critical systems that required renovation. FAA has 433 mission-critical systems, but the agency said 224 of those did not require renovation and it plans to retire or replace an additional 50.
EMBRAER EMB-145 series airplanes (Docket No. 98-NM-66-AD; Amdt. 39-10605; AD 98-13-17) - requires modification of the windshield heating system in the flight compartment. This amendment is prompted by reports of overheating and delamination of the windshield because the windshield heating system failed to shut off during flight. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent windshield heating system failure, which could reduce pilot visibility and cause structural degradation of the windshield. FAA estimates the AD will cover 17 airplanes on the U.S.
NATIONAL BUSINESS AVIATION ASSOCIATION'S Schedulers&Dispatchers Committee awarded $4,000 scholarships to Dawn Niese of Executive Jet Aviation and Christina Spence for training toward a dispatcher's license from FlightSafety International. The committee also selected Kellie Rittenhouse from Volkswagen of America, Inc. for a $2,000 scholarship for classes at the University of Phoenix. The scholarship awards are funded by Exxon Company's Avitats and Signature Flight Support.
CESSNA named Martin Jurich general manager of its Toledo Citation Service Center. Jurich, who has served with Cessna since 1980, most recently was manager, aircraft maintenance for the Wichita Citation Service Center at Cessna headquarters.
LT. GEN. DAVID J. MCCLOUD, 53, commander of the Alaskan command and Eleventh Air Force at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, died July 26 when his YAK-54 single-engine aerobatic aircraft crashed at Fort Richardson, Alaska. Also killed in the crash was Lewis Cathrow, a civilian passenger from Alexandria, Va. McCloud, who joined the Air Force in 1969 as a distinguished graduate of Officer Training School, commanded three wings - the 24th Composite Wing, Howard Air Force Base, Panama, the 1st Fighter Wing, Langley Air Force Base, Va.
GE Capital last month increased its training sector with the acquisition of Raytheon Systems Limited's flight training business. The sale, valued at about $68.5 million, was one of two separate transactions Raytheon announced late last month as part of its "ongoing strategy to focus on core business." Raytheon also acquired AlliedSignal's Communications Systems business for about $62.5 million. The net $6 million between the two transactions will be used to reduce debt.
NATIONAL AIR TRANSPORTATION ASSOCIATION warned its members that FAA principal maintenance inspectors this week are expected to begin issuing amended operations specifications with several new requirements for Part 135 operators of altered cargo aircraft. The new ops specs were part of a handbook bulletin FAA issued in June that essentially revokes field approvals for alterations performed on Part 135 cargo aircraft (BA, June 15/261).
Three Southeast aviation services companies - Piedmont Aviation Services, Inc., Hawthorne Aviation and American Beechcraft - have merged into a single entity, forming a company with annual revenues of more than $170 million and 1,200 employees. The Carlyle Group, a Washington, D.C.- based merchant banking firm that has invested in a number of aerospace companies, is financing the merger and will become the majority stockholder of the new company, Piedmont Hawthorne Aviation. Terms of the transaction, which closed late last month, were not disclosed.
SOCATA Model TBM 700 airplanes (Docket No. 98-CE-58-AD) - proposes a new AD that would require modifying the oxygen generators. FAA said the AD is the result of mandatory continuing airworthiness information issued by the French airworthiness authority, the Direction Generale de l'Aviation Civile (DGAC). The DGAC notified FAA that operation of the oxygen generators failed on one of the affected airplanes. The oxygen generators are located under the passenger and crew seats and are pin-fired.
Raytheon Aircraft reported record sales of $639 million and operating income of $73.4 million in the second quarter of 1998. Sales improved slightly from $620.4 million in second quarter 1997, but operating income increased some 22 percent compared with the same period in 1997. Raytheon continued to increase shipments of its GA aircraft - 102 in second quarter 1998, compared with 92 in 1997 - and "improved profit margins in all of its turbine aircraft product lines," the company said.
GENERAL AVIATION MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION added two new members, Boeing Business Jets and Avidyne Corporation, bringing total membership to 54 manufacturers. Boeing Business Jets, the joint venture of The Boeing Company and General Electric, is producing a long-range business jet derivative of Boeing's 737-700 series. Avidyne, based in Lexington, Mass., manufactures integrated cockpit systems.
CESSNA AIRCRAFT began test marketing a "shared ownership" program for single-engine aircraft last month.Initial test markets include Indianapolis, Ind. and Salt Lake City, Utah, and, based on results from those areas, the company may announce a nationwide program at this fall's National Business Aviation Association convention. As envisioned by Cessna officials, two to six individuals would buy and share a single aircraft and maintenance and other support activity would be provided by Cessna's Sales Team Authorized Representatives (STARs).
STANDARD AERO, a designated overhaul and repair facility for the Allison AE3007, formed a technical advisory group for Citation X operators to review AE3007C maintenance issues. The advisory group, which comprises operators and representatives from Allison Engine Company and Cessna, initially met in June and will hold its next meeting during the National Business Aviation Association convention in October in Las Vegas. The group will identify and address key reliability, serviceability and cost issues.
ATLANTIC SOUTHEAST AIRLINES' Air Line Pilots Association unit reached a new tentative agreement with ASA management. The four-year accord, reached late last month, is the second tentative proposal considered by ASA pilots in the past four months. ASA pilots rejected the first agreement by a 91 percent vote. The contract, if ratified by the membership, would provide pilots more than a 30 percent increase in total compensation in the first year.
ALLIEDSIGNAL delivered the first prototype of its combined flight data and cockpit voice recorder to Eurocopter for the new EC155 helicopter. Designed for general aviation aircraft and helicopters, the new combined recorder provides one hour of cockpit audio and 10 hours of flight data in a single, nine-pound unit. The combined system is part of AlliedSignal's new recorder product line, the AR series, which also includes separate, compact solid-state cockpit voice recorders and solid-state flight data recorders for smaller business aircraft and helicopters.
CHARLTON WILLIS joined Priester Aviation, Pal-Waukee Municipal Airport, Wheeling, Ill., as an aircraft dispatcher in the charter department. Willis, 32, had been with Executive Jet Aviation, where he was an aircraft dispatcher and charter vendor coordinator for the past three years.
AMERICAN JET INTERNATIONAL, Houston, Texas, added seven pilots, bringing its total pilot roster to 25. The Hobby Airport-based charter and aircraft management provider also added three mechanics, an individual to start a parts department and a human resources representative.
AGREEMENT by Berkshire Hathaway to acquire Executive Jet, Inc. follows the best month in the history of EJI's NetJets fractional ownership program."We put 72 people or companies in NetJets" last month, an official told BA Thursday. The rapidly growing air transportation provider has been adding three to five aircraft per month.
Executive Jet, Inc. (EJI), which helped ignite the current record demand for business jets with its fractional ownership NetJets program, will be acquired next month by Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway in a deal valued at $725 million. The agreement between Buffett and Richard Santulli, chairman and chief executive of Executive Jet, is the second major aviation purchase by Omaha-based Berkshire Hathaway, which acquired FlightSafety International less than two years ago for $1.5 billion (BA, Oct. 21, 1996/179).
