FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION changed the address to which fingerprint cards must be sent under the regulations governing the authorization of individuals to have access to security identification display areas of U.S. airports. The agency has determined that the cards can be processed more efficiently at the FAA field office in St. Louis. The new address is FAA, Room 4597E, 9700 Page Ave., St. Louis, Mo. 63132.
Gulfstream Aerospace Corp., in the midst of boosting production of its two business jet models, reported record first-quarter revenues and earnings Thursday. The company had net income of $40.5 million, up 54 percent from the 1997 first quarter, while revenues jumped 34 percent - from $375.6 million last year to $503.4 million in the first three months of 1998. The company delivered 13 aircraft (six Gulfstream IV-SPs and seven Gulfstream Vs), compared with 11 (five G-IV-SPs and six G-Vs) in the first quarter of 1997.
LITTON'S PRC SUBSIDIARY, Woodland Hills, Calif., won a $150 million contract from the Training and Simulation Division of the U.S. Navy's Naval Air Warfare Center, Orlando, Fla., for the General Aviation Instruction Systems Development program. The company said the contract calls for training course maintenance, instructional systems development and modification enhancement of training devices. Litton said the five-year effort should produce more than $50 million in revenues.
S.p.A. Model AB 412 helicopters (Docket No. 97-SW-63-AD) - requires an inspection of the tail rotor blades for debond voids and replacement, if necessary. This amendment is prompted by the loss of a tail rotor blade tip while the helicopter was in service. This condition, if not corrected, could result in increased vibration levels, damage to the tail rotor drive system or tail rotor assembly, and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.
KEITH GRAHAM was named assistant vice president of aircraft finance at Summit Bank. Graham was previously with First Essex Bancorp,Inc., where he began work in 1995. In his new position, he will develop and maintain relationships with aircraft finance customers.
ANOTHER AIRPORT BATTLE, at Orlando's Sanford International Airport (SFB), has attracted the attention of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. SFB is home to the Comair Aviation Academy, which trains pilots for regional airlines. AOPA said the Sanford Airport Authority is considering limiting certain general aviation flight activities - including flight training - during "peak density periods" between 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturdays.
CHRYSLER PENTASTAR added a Westwind I to its charter fleet, part of the effort to meet increasing demand for more lift. The company said it logged 6,620 flight hours in 1997, resulting in 8.2 million passenger miles flown by its Part 91 and 135 aircraft. This year Chrysler Pentastar expects to fly more than 7,600 hours and account for 9.5 million passenger miles.
EMBRAER began cutting metal last month for the first prototype of the ERJ- 135, a 37-seat version of the 50-passenger ERJ-145. The Brazilian manufacturer said that because of the commonality between the two models, it is modifying one of its four ERJ-145 prototypes, S/N 145801, to build the first ERJ-135. The wing and fuselage for the first ERJ-135 will be mated this month and rollout is set for May 13. The first flight of the ERJ-135 is expected in July.
THE EFFORT TO INCREASE the number of student pilots, a matter of concern primarily within the general aviation community for the past several years, is attracting the attention of some "big iron" interests. GA Team 2000 officials say the Air Transport Association, which represents the nation's large, scheduled airlines, recently signed on as a "founding member" of the learn-to-fly program with a $5,000 contribution.
JIM BISBEE was named service manager at the Little Rock branch of Raytheon Aircraft Services. Bisbee has 13 years of experience with Raytheon Aircraft Services and has been involved in the maintenance of the Hawker line. In his new assignment, he is responsible for all maintenance, sheet metal, and interior functions.
STEVE MANGO was appointed product development manager for aerial systems at Kodak. Mango has worked at Kodak since 1973 as a photo application technician, as well as a systems engineer. He will help provide aerial films and processing systems to a worldwide market.
A COALITION of nine aviation trade groups, unions and educational institutions is sponsoring the 16th annual Communicating for Safety Conference May 19-21 at the Clarion Plaza Hotel in Orlando, Fla. The conference is designed as an "open forum for discussion and free interchange of ideas among pilots, air traffic controllers, FAA management, product design engineers, manufacturers and industry experts" regarding air traffic control and related topics.
DENVER'S CENTENNIAL AIRPORT, a major business aircraft facility and the second-busiest general aviation airport in the nation, is under siege by anti-airport forces who won a court victory last week. Supporters of the airport are concerned that last week's decision, and possible legal action by FAA against the airport authority, could have serious ramifications for the long-term viability of Centennial. See article below.
WALTER DESROSIER was named manager of maintenance and engineering for the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA). Desrosier was a presidential fellow at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University as well as a fellow at the FAA reciprocating engine Repair Station. He previously worked for Tradewinds International Airlines and as an operations supervisor at Airfreight Services, Inc. His duties at GAMA include working on technical issues related to continued airworthiness and certification with William H. Schultz, vice president, engineering and maintenance.
FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION is proposing to extend until May 10, 2000 the prohibition on flight operations over portions of the territory and airspace of Afghanistan by FAA-certificated airmen, carriers or anyone using a U.S.-registered aircraft. The prohibition, which was originally adopted as Special Federal Air Regulation 67 in May 1994, must be continued, FAA said, because of the hazard to people and aircraft posed by the continuing civil war in Afghanistan. The notice of proposed rulemaking was published in the April 1 Federal Register.
Model 4101 airplanes (Docket No. 97-NM-217-AD) - proposes to require a one-time inspection for corrosion of electrical connectors in certain areas on the pressure bulkhead and rear baggage bay areas, and repair, if necessary. The proposal also would require installation of improved sealing. This proposal is prompted by issuance of mandatory continuing airworthiness information by a foreign civil airworthiness authority.
Model P-180 airplanes (Docket No. 97-CE-141-AD) - proposes to require modification of the low pitch stop switch support. The proposed AD is the result of mandatory continuing airworthiness information issued by the airworthiness authority for Italy. The actions specified by the proposed AD are intended to prevent low pitch stop switch support displacement, which could result in an improper cockpit indication that the propeller is in the beta range and cause loss of control of the airplane.
BOEING, which has encountered numerous problems while attempting to ramp up production levels of its airline transports, said Thursday it expects production costs will exceed estimated revenues for the first 400 units of the new 737-600/700/800 line.
Ayres Corp. of Albany, Ga., will build a 135,000-square-foot plant in a 240-acre industrial park in Dothan, Ala., where it will assemble the company's new Loadmaster LM200 aircraft. The Loadmaster will have a gross weight of 19,000 pounds and will be powered by two LHTEC CTP800 turboshaft engines - a commercial variant of the T800 used in the U.S. Army Comanche helicopter - driving a single nose-mounted propeller through a common gearbox.
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R-Ariz.), chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, will hold a field hearing April 16 in Las Vegas, Nev. to discuss air service in southern Nevada. Sen. Richard Bryan (D-Nev.) will preside at the hearing, which will include testimony from the airline industry and local business and community leaders. The hearing will begin at 9:30 a.m. in the Thomas and Mack Center at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas.
TPE331 series turboprop and TSE turboshaft engines (Docket No. 97-ANE-13; Amdt. 39-10327; AD 98-04-15) - requires replacement or radiographic inspection and replacement, if necessary, of certain third- stage turbine stators with serviceable parts. This amendment is prompted by a report of an outer band weld that cracked after a radiographic inspection required by a previous AD.
MAKING ROOM for production of its 70-passenger Series 700 Regional Jet, Bombardier has decided to move final assembly of the company's slow-selling CL-415 water bomber line from Quebec to Ontario. Location of the new CL- 415 assembly plant has not been determined, but Bombardier said all other water bomber operations including engineering, manufacturing and aircraft subassmbly through to marketing, sales and customer support will remain in Montreal.
A LITTON CLAIM that Honeywell deliberately infringed on a patent associated with Litton's navigation technology was sent back to district court by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit for further proceedings. Honeywell said it was "very pleased" by the court's action, while Litton said it was "disappointed." The case began in 1990. The first verdict, a $1.2 billion damage award for Litton, came down in 1993, and the case has been battled in the courts since then.
