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).
Model 407 helicopters (Docket No. 98- SW-10-AD) - proposes to require shimming the tail rotor drive system bearing supports. This proposal is prompted by reports of cracked bearing hanger support arms in the area of the fillet radius. The actions specified by the proposed AD are intended to prevent failure of the bearing supports, which could result in excessive tail rotor drive system vibration, loss of tail rotor drive, and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.
DOUGLAS B. (DOUG) CARR will join the National Business Aviation Association next week as manager of domestic operations. Carr has been a government and industry affairs specialist with the National Air Transportation Association for the past two years. At NBAA, he will support Jay Evans, manager of airmen and operations services, who handles Part 135 issues for the association.
VICE PRESIDENT AL GORE, who has been trying to portray himself as an aviation and technology expert, won't get there without an editor. Gore was the principal speaker at an elaborately planned media event at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport Tuesday where FAA's new safety initiatives were announced.
Bruce Van Allen, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Signature Flight Support, announced a series of promotions and organizational changes as part of a restructuring designed to accommodate the company's growth.
STEPHEN MUNRO, group publisher, newsletters at Hart Publications Inc., Rockville, Md., will become publisher of Aviation Week Newsletters on April 27, reporting to Kenneth Gazzola, executive vice president of McGraw-Hill Aviation Week Group. Munro, an editor at McGraw-Hill energy newsletters from 1981 to 1989, has been in editorial and publishing positions at Thompson Publishing Group Inc. and Hart Publications since then. He succeeds Edmund Pinto, who left McGraw-Hill in February to become a managing director at GKMG Consulting Services Inc.
Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer, which has struggled financially while transitioning from government control to new ownership and management, and simultaneously developing two new regional aircraft models, posted record revenues in 1997 and said it is poised to show profits in 1998.
Model AS 332C, L, and L1 helicopters (Docket No. 97-SW-39-AD) - proposes to require initial and repetitive inspections of the tail rotor shaft flapping hinge retainers for cracks. This proposal is prompted by a report of high vibrations occurring on a helicopter due to a cracked retainer. The actions specified by the proposed AD are intended to detect cracks on the retainers that could lead to high tail rotor vibrations, loss of tail rotor control, and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.
