SCOTT SELIGMAN was named director of public relations for United Technologies Corp., in the company's Washington, D.C. office. Seligman, 46, joins UTC from Burson-Marsteller, where he was senior vice president and managing director, public affairs, China. He will be responsible for coordinating the company's communications efforts in Washington, while providing strategic direction to UTC's international communications programs. He will report to Peter Murphy, UTC's chief public relations officer.
The Federal Aviation Administration wasted $1.5 billion on the Advanced Automation System and then it and its contractors mutually waived claims of liability and non-performance before the contract was restructured in 1995, according to a report released last week by Transportation Department Inspector General Kenneth Mead. The report termed the $1.5 billion a "total loss."
Model WG-30 Series 100 and 100-60 helicopters (Docket No. 97-SW-28-AD) - requires an initial visual inspection and replacement, if necessary, of all main rotor head tie-bars. Thereafter, this AD requires, at intervals not to exceed 220 hours time-in-service, replacing each main rotor head tie-bar with an airworthy tie-bar. This amendment is prompted by an accident on a similar model military helicopter in which a tie-bar failed. Failure of a tie-bar could result in loss of a main rotor blade and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.
THREE AVIATION GROUPS concerned about proposed legislation to limit air tour flights over national parks wrote to Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) last week asking the Senate Commerce Committee chairman to limit the scope of his overflights bill, S.268. The organizations told McCain the National Parks Overflight Working Group - which includes aviation and environmental interests, FAA and the National Park Service - has made significant progress but said NPOWG needs time to complete that consultative process.
L. RONALD LEE was appointed senior vice president of M&M Aerospace Hardware, Miami, Fla., an international distributor of aerospace fasteners. He will be responsible for various operational aspects of the privately held company. A native of Detroit and a Marine Corps veteran, Lee spent the first two decades of his career in the automotive hardware industry.
Summary: Pursuant to FAA's rulemaking provisions governing the application, processing, and disposition of petitions for exemption (14 CFR Part 11), this notice contains a summary of certain petitions seeking relief from specified requirements of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR Chapter I), dispositions of certain petitions previously received, and corrections. The purpose of this notice is to improve the public's awareness of, and participation in, this aspect of FAA's regulatory activities.
NAPIER INTERNATIONAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC. won a U.S. patent for a new line of paint stripping products and cleaners designed to replace toxic strippers like methylene chloride used in the aircraft, marine and heavy equipment industries. Napier, headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, said its SV-35 product line can remove a variety of paints and coatings including chromate primer systems used in the aircraft industry. Napier said its new line of aircraft strippers is in varying stages of testing by more than 70 aircraft refurbishers.
The United States Air Tour Association, the National Air Transportation Association and the Helicopter Association International wrote a joint letter to Commerce Committee Chairman John McCain (R-Ariz.) Thursday asking him to limit legislative action on national park overflights by air tour operators until an industry working group has time to complete its mission.
An "alliance of equals" is planned for creation early near year, following the start of negotiations Thursday concerning a proposed merger between GKN Westland Helicopters of the U.K. and Italy's Agusta division of Finmeccanica. A memorandum of understanding between the companies is planned that will combine the design, manufacturing and marketing of their helicopter businesses, with a current joint order book of more than $8.5 billion.
National Transportation Safety Board investigators examining the April 4 midair collision between a Cessna 172 and a CitationJet are focusing on several factors including the failure of "see and avoid" requirements to prevent the accident, the fact that the transponder in one of the aircraft had not been activated and the role of the air traffic control system.
Sixteen aircraft experienced a "total loss" of Global Positioning System signals during a 10-day period in late December and early January, according to a report circulated at the highest levels of the Coast Guard. The cause was determined to be a "spurious signal unintentionally transmitted" from Griffiss Air Force Base in Rome, N.Y., the report said.
NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION is testing a new clear-air turbulence detection system designed to alert aircraft passengers and crew members of a turbulence encounter. The new system uses a sensor designed and built by Coherent Technologies, Inc. for NASA. The agency said the sensor "relies upon a form of laser technology called Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR), to detect changing speeds of tiny particles in turbulent air. The laser energy is reflected from the particles that act as tracers in the air to reveal the presence of turbulence.
PROPELLER SAFETY, a 15-page booklet offering practical tips on avoiding propeller accidents, was published this month by the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, which is distributing copies to interested aviators. The booklet, creation and printing of which was sponsored by Hartzell Propeller, Inc., has sections on maintenance, preflight, runup and takeoff. To obtain a copy, write to: Propeller Safety, AOPA Air Safety Foundation, 421 Aviation Way, Frederick, Md. 21701 and enclose $1 for shipping and handling.
Model HS 748 series airplanes (Docket No. 97-NM-98- AD) - requires revising the Airplane Flight Manual to modify the limitation that prohibits the positioning of the power levers below the flight idle stop during flight, and to add a statement of the consequences of positioning the power levers below the flight idle stop during flight. This amendment is prompted by incidents and accidents involving airplanes equipped with turboprop engines and is intended to prevent loss of airplane controllability or engine power.
KRISTINE ESTES will chair the Business Aviation Subcommittee of the Light Commercial and General Aviation Committee for the Transportation Research Board. She is the manager of technical affairs and operations for the General Aviation Manufacturers Association. Before joining GAMA, she was on the staff of the National Air Transportation Association.
EXECUTIVE JET, another organization that is constantly seeking new pilots, is taking a hands-on approach to increasing the number of student starts. The company, the leader in the burgeoning fractional ownership business jet market, purchased two new Model 172R single-engine aircraft from Cessna and is starting its own flight school. The aircraft will be based at EJA's Columbus, Ohio operations center and used to train company employees. "We have hundreds of support personnel who would love to learn to fly," said EJA owner Richard Santulli.
FEDERAL EXPRESS will build a $300 million hub operation at Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro, N.C., which will be the company's fifth U.S. hub operation. Greensboro was selected from among six candidate cities in the Carolinas to serve the mid-Atlantic region. Federal Express cited dual existing runways, "excellent site design" that will minimize aircraft taxi times, efficient access to interstate highways and availability of major aircraft maintenance facilities.
B/E Aerospace of Wellington, Fla., completed the acquisition of Puritan-Bennett Aero Systems (PBASCO) and reached an agreement in principle to acquire Aircraft Modular Products, a manufacturer of aircraft cabin interior components. B/E said it bought PBASCO, a subsidiary of Nellcor Puritan Bennett, Inc., for $69.7 million in cash. PBASCO, headquartered in Lenexa, Kan., makes commercial aircraft oxygen delivery systems and passenger service unit components and systems and supplies air valves, overhead lights and switches.
The Colorado Supreme Court said Monday that the Arapahoe County Public Airport Authority could prohibit scheduled passenger service at the popular business aviation airport, a ruling that pleased airport officials, but which is causing consternation among business and corporate aircraft operators who fear the ramifications of the case could threaten continued operation of Centennial (APA).
MIDWAY AIRLINES CORP. placed a firm order for three additional Canadair Regional Jet aircraft from Bombardier Aerospace. The order will increase the carrier's CRJ fleet to 13. The carrier, based at Raleigh-Durham, N.C., placed an initial order for 10 CRJ Series 200ER aircraft in October 1997. This month's order, valued at $63 million (U.S.), reflects the conversion of three options.
FLIGHTCRAFT of Portland, Ore., which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, said Phil Carrell, a member of its aircraft sales staff, celebrated his 40th anniversary with the company last month. With over 500 aircraft transactions under his belt, Flightcraft said Carrell still is selling airplanes at a rapid pace. "It's rare to find someone with Phil's energy, enthusiasm, dedication and loyalty today," said President Ernie Sturm.
GALAXY AEROSPACE said the company's Galaxy business jet prototype reached its maximum operating speed of .85 Mach at an altitude of 42,000 feet during its 17th flight late last month. The aircraft also reached its planned maximum operating altitude of 45,000 feet for the first time on the March 27 flight, which lasted five hours, 50 minutes.
OGDEN CORP. reaffirmed the commitment of a consortium to proceed with a recently awarded Argentine airport privatization contract. R. Richard Ablon, chairman and chief executive of Ogden, said reports that Ogden is considering pulling out of the deal "are simply unfounded and without merit. Our consortium is in ongoing discussions with the Argentine authorities on a number of issues. With regard to financing, the consortium and its financial advisors are highly confident that all necessary financial commitments will be closed in a satisfactory and timely manner."
The Federal Aviation Administration will require owners of all turbine-powered aircraft with six or more seats to install Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning Systems (EGPWS) by 2003, a requirement expected to cost business aircraft owners hundreds of millions of dollars. The EGPWS requirement was part of a list of safety initiatives announced by top Clinton Administration officials Tuesday at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (BA, April 13/161).
