SHORTS AIRCRAFT, owned by Bombardier Aerospace, announced a $14.6 million expansion of its Dunmurry advanced composites factory in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The company said the project was necessary to "cater to the increased volume of composites aerostructures required by Boeing, Bombardier Aerospace and other major international customers." Shorts plans to join two existing factory buildings, which will provide 50 percent more floor space and create an assembly area with overhead gantries.
Model AS 332C, L, L1, and L2 helicopters (Docket No. 98-SW-07-AD) - proposes to adopt a new AD to require visually inspecting the intermediate gearbox-to-structure attachment stirrup front tabs for cracks, and if a crack is discovered, removing the intermediate gearbox and replacing it with an airworthy intermediate gearbox. The proposal also calls for inspecting for the conformity of the attachment parts.
Dassault Aviation is attempting to find ways to clear a number of technical hurdles in its pursuit of an affordable supersonic Falcon business jet, and hopes to convince potential customers that total travel time - rather than nonstop range - should be the determining factor when buying a high-speed aircraft.
THE "BUSINESS WINGS" exhibit opened to the public Friday at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. Jack Olcott, president of the National Business Aviation Association, which was instrumental in providing funding and materials for the exhibit, said many people in the business and general aviation community felt the Air and Space Museum "had a gap" in its collection that the new exhibit is designed to fill.
Model B200, B200C and B200T airplanes (Docket No. 97-CE-72- AD; Amdt. 39-10516; AD 98-10-05) - requires replacing the engine fire detector system wiring with fire resistant wiring. The AD stems from the discovery during aircraft production that high heat or fire could cause the engine fire detector system wiring to fail. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent failure of the engine fire detector system if high heat and/or fire stopped an electrical signal between the engine fire detectors and the engine fire warning annunciator lights in the cockpit.
Model ATR-72 series airplanes (Docket No. 98-NM-118-AD) - proposes to require a one-time inspection of certain anchor nuts and replacement with new or serviceable nuts, if necessary. This proposal is prompted by issuance of mandatory continuing airworthiness information by a foreign civil airworthiness authority. The actions specified by the proposed AD are intended to prevent failure of anchor nuts on the upper surface of the wings, which could reduce the structural integrity of the airplane.
ALLIEDSIGNAL said Bombardier's Business JetSolutions enrolled four Model 31A Learjets in the engine manufacturer's Maintenance Service Plan (MSP) and plans to enroll additional Model 31s as they are delivered to the fractional aircraft ownership program. "The addition of Business JetSolutions to our existing maintenance agreements is testimony to the value of AlliedSignal's MSP to the fractional market," said Ralph Alberto, director of business aviation customer support for AlliedSignal Engines.
ATLANTIC COAST AIRLINES will build a 69,000-square-foot regional passenger concourse at Washington Dulles International Airport. The 36-gate concourse, scheduled to open in Summer 1999, will support ACA's expanding operations as a Untied Express carrier. The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority will provide financing for the $18 million concourse through passenger facility charges and airport facility bonds.
NASA chose research proposals from eight industry teams to create an aviation weather distribution and display system that will allow pilots to get up-to-the-minute weather information in flight.
THE DULLES BRANCH of the National Air and Space Museum is scheduled to open at the end of 2001. It will provide more than 700,000 square feet of exhibit area and permit museum officials to display a number of large airplanes that the downtown Washington, D.C. museum is too small to accommodate.
MEANWHILE, House and Senate action on FAA appropriations likely will be pushed to July as appropriators seek floor time to debate their bills. Aviation and congressional officials have expressed concern that FAA's budget will be squeezed in coming years as appropriators seek money to pay for highway projects included in the comprehensive highway spending bill, the Building Efficient Surface Transportation and Equity Act (BESTEA), signed into law last week.
Salt Lake City, Utah Airport Authority is soliciting proposals from firms interested in providing fixed-base operator services at the Salt Lake City Municipal 2 Airport located seven miles southwest of the city. The airport has one 5,862-foot by 100-foot runway. Copies of the request for proposal package may be obtained by calling Russell Pack, Airport Commercial Manager, at (801) 575-2915. Proposal responses must be returned by 2 p.m. local time June 25.
"THE STUPIDEST THING I ever heard of," is how one 30-year industry veteran characterizes FAA's 'ticket program' that would have agency inspectors writing on-the-spot violation notices when they perceive an operator is in violation of the Federal Aviation Regulations (BA, June 8/247). "Half the stuff a repair station is told to do" by FAA inspectors "is wrong," the Part 145 operator told BA last week, because the current generation of inspectors is insufficiently trained and does not have adequate knowledge about the industry and the regulations.
CONGRESSIONAL DEBATE over tobacco legislation is serving as a logjam to a number of aviation initiatives. With Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John McCain (R-Ariz.) deeply involved in the tobacco negotiations, the committee has delayed action on legislation to regulate park overflights as well as to reauthorize FAA programs.
The Federal Aviation Administration this month revoked field approvals for alterations performed on Part 135 cargo aircraft, causing operators to worry that their fleets could be grounded or their costs will increase substantially. National Air Transportation Association, which last week said it recieved a number of calls from concerned operators after FAA issued the Handbook Bulletin for Part 135 cargo aircraft, said the bulletin "requires the grounding of all Learjets and Cessna Citations used in Part 135 aircraft cargo operations.
ELLYN MURPHY has joined Miller Aviation as marketing representative for the flight department. Murphy will market Miller's charter service to corporations, brokers and individuals nationwide.
The government of Puerto Rico is seeking qualifications for a long- term lease of Rafael Hernandez Airport in Aguadilla, possibly through FAA's airport privatization pilot program. The Government Development Bank for Puerto Rico (GDB), which coordinates the government's privatization initiatives, and the Puerto Rico Ports Authority are jointly requesting qualifications until 4 p.m. June 26 for privatization of the airport through long-term leases. GDB is the lead agency in the effort.
The Senate last week adopted by a 52 to 46 margin an amendment to the National Tobacco Policy and Youth Smoking Reduction Act that would allow federal law enforcement officers to order aircraft suspected of smuggling drugs to land. The provision, offered by Sen. Paul Coverdell (R-Ga.), would make it illegal for an aircraft operator to ignore orders to land by federal law enforcement officials. Operators that "intentionally violate" orders could be subject to fine, imprisonment of up to five years, and possible aircraft seizure.
AIRBUS INDUSTRIE named Associated Air Center, Dallas, Texas, as the third designated completion center for corporate versions of the A319 airliner, the A319CJ. Airbus previously announced that Jet Aviation of Switzerland and Lufthansa Technik of Germany were approved to provide interiors and other completion services for A319CJ buyers (BA, May 25/233).
Model PC-7 airplanes (Docket No. 98-CE-30-AD) - proposes to require replacing the seal unit on both the main landing gear legs and the nose landing gear leg. The proposal stems from mandatory continuing airworthiness information issued by the airworthiness authority of Switzerland. The actions specified by the proposal are intended to prevent landing gear failure because a main landing gear or nose landing gear leg seal unit deteriorated.
BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON placed an order valued at $17.7 million with Swiss manufacturer SIP for 13 horizontal and vertical machine tools. The first horizontal machine tool will be delivered this year with the remaining units to be delivered over the next six years. "We have been very satisfied with SIP 740 series vertical machine tools and are delighted that SIP is now producing horizontal machines," said Bell Helicopter Equipment Engineering executive C.E. Allen. SIP, which has subsidiaries in the U.S.
HAMILTON STANDARD and SIA Engineering Co., a subsidiary of Singapore Airlines, are forming a joint venture company to repair and overhaul engine fuel components. Hamilton Standard will hold 51 percent of the shares of the new company, Fuel Accessory Service Technologies Private Ltd. (FAST). The facility, located in a 24,000-square-foot building in the Loyang Industrial Park near Changi Airport, will begin operations in February and will eventually employ approximately 40.
DOT SECRETARY Rodney Slater, not previously known as a strong general aviation supporter, issued a proclamation at the request of GA Team 2000 proclaiming June as Learn To Fly Month "with the recognition that highly qualified and well trained pilots are an essential ingredient of our nation's aviation infrastructure." Slater's proclamation coincides with a number of events planned by GA Team 2000 this month to inform the public about the opportunities available to learn to fly.
TIM CORTER was named Twin Commander Grand Renaissance refurbishment supervisor for Downtown Airpark. Corter has nearly 15 years of experience working with the Commander.
Model SAAB SF340A and SAAB 340B series airplanes (Docket No. 98- NM-117-AD) - proposes to adopt a new AD to require modification of the detachable center inlet component of the air intake system of the engine. The actions proposed are intended to prevent fuel and/or oil that may be present in the nacelle from entering the air intake system of the engine, which could result in an engine fire.
