EMBRAER Model EMB-120 series airplanes (Docket No. 97-NM-231-AD; Amdt. 39-10311; AD 98-03-19) - requires deactivation of certain circuit breakers and a revision to the airplane flight manual to provide operational procedures to prevent loss of electrical power following an engine flameout. This AD also requires modifications of the electrical system, which terminate the requirement for the flight manual revision and allow reactivation of the circuit breakers.
JERRY ATKIN, chairman and chief executive of SkyWest Airlines, is recovering from the March 12 motorcycle accident that threatened his life (BA, March 16/117). Atkin sustained multiple fractures of his left leg and arm and also has internal injuries. He will remain in Palomar Medical Center in Escondido, Calif. until at least the end of the month.
BRENDON MEE was appointed mechanical engineer for Unison Industries. Mee, formerly with Johnson&Johnson unit Cordis, will be involved in the mechanical design and support of Unison's existing and prototype exciters.
A FIRST DRAFT of a rulemaking proposal based on recommendations of the National Parks Overflights Working Group was sent to NPOWG members by FAA last week, and the eight working group members are scheduled to meet April 14-15 in Denver to discuss the document.The NPOWG, with members representing both the aviation and environmental communities, was an attempt to find common ground for regulation of commercial air tour flights over national parks (BA, Dec. 8/239).
TOYOTA MOTORS will cease operation of Japan Flying Service, a general aviation operator and a wholly owned subsidiary, before the end of June. JFS has recorded losses for more than seven years, a situation that was exacerbated by the fatal accident involving an AS365 helicopter near Nagoya in January 1996. JSF will remain intact until negotiations with the families of victims are concluded.
BOEING won FAA certification to repair the Litton Carousel IV family of inertial navigation systems (INS) at its Heath, Ohio Guidance Repair Center (the former Newark Air Force Base). Boeing is already doing depot level repairs of missile inertial guidance and aircraft navigation systems there for the Department of Defense. "This certification by the FAA opens the door to the consideration of other possible commercial airline repair business," said Dwayne Weir, director of the Guidance Repair Center.
DAVID FLOWERS was named team leader in Unison Industries' Ignition Lead and Igniter Plug Department. Flowers, previously with Virtual Listening Systems, Inc. of Gainesville, Fla., will oversee production goals for ignition leads and igniter plugs.
STANDARD AERO ALLIANCE named three men to new positions. Gordon Pettigrew is director of the Allison AE 3007 program in Maryville, Tenn. He previously was involved with Pratt&Whitney engine programs for the company. Steve Brozina was named Northeast regional sales manager. A 16-year veteran of the turbine engine overhaul business, Brozina will be based in Millville, N.J. and will represent Alliance Engines services on the TFE731, TPE331 and APU engine lines.
Responding to what it says is strong customer demand, Cessna Aircraft is offering a new Skyhawk model with a higher horsepower engine and slightly more useful load. The new 172, designated the Skyhawk SP, will be powered by the same Textron Lycoming IO-360-L2A engine, but it will produce 180 horsepower at 2,700 rpm, versus 160 horsepower in the standard aircraft.
UTILIZATION of Gulfstream IVs in the Gulfstream Shares partnership between the manufacturer and Executive Jet is considerably higher than either party had expected. There are now 14 G-IVs in the program, averaging an eye- popping 1,200 flight hours per year, nearly three times the average annual business jet utilization rate. Gulfstream officials say they're pleased with the ability of the G-IVs to stand up to that level of use.
ALLIEDSIGNAL ENGINES officials continue to be pleased with test results of a new 4,000- to 9,000-pounds'-thrust core engine intended for business jets and regional airliners. The engine incorporates new combustor-section technology designed to reduce emissions of both nitrogen oxides and smoke. Recent full power tests have officials smiling because NOx readings are even lower than engineers anticipated.
The U.S. Air Force and Navy exercised options valued at $60 million for 22 more T-6A Texan II aircraft for the Joint Primary Aircraft Training System. The follow-on order is the fourth since Raytheon won the JPATS contract in February 1996 and brings the total value of the contract to $362 million. The services have ordered 46 production Texan IIs and one manufacturing development aircraft in addition to a Ground Based Training System contract. Deliveries of the most recent order will begin in February 2000.
SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT named Jacqueline (Jackie) Vibbert of Union, N.J. as general manager of Signature's Washington Dulles fixed-base operation. Vibbert, a 12-year Signature veteran, has been the general aviation manager at Signature-Newark since May 1995. Before that she was a client service manager in the company's corporate marketing department.
SAAB 2000 series airplanes (Docket No. 97-NM-151-AD) - proposes to require repetitive inspections for excessive wear of the aileron control cables, cable guides and cable pulleys located at the rear wing spars, and corrective actions, if necessary. This proposal also would require replacement of the control cables and cable guides with new or serviceable components. This proposal is prompted by the issuance of mandatory continuing airworthiness information by a foreign civil airworthiness authority.
A federal court in Florida sentenced Jose Costales Jr., 32, to 12 years in prison and imposed a $1.3 million fine for robbing repair stations of jet engines, Allison turbine engine blades and other engine components, and then re-selling the stolen goods. A second defendant, Guy Salom, was sentenced to an 18-month term for his role in the scheme. Costales was convicted last September after a jury concluded that he robbed Miami-based Aerothrust Corp.
EXECUTIVE JET MANAGEMENT added four aircraft to its management and charter fleet, a Falcon 50, two Challenger 600s and a Citation III. EJM operates 25 aircraft in 10 locations nationwide.
Dennis DeGaetano, a 24-year management veteran of FAA, was named acting associate administrator for research and acquisitions (ARA). DeGaetano takes over the post that had been held by George Donohue, who earlier announced plans to leave the agency after he was unsuccessful in winning Senate confirmation as FAA deputy administrator (BA, March 16/120). DeGaetano, who had been Donohue's deputy, now will head the 2,000 FAA employees responsible for designing and purchasing the equipment and systems needed to keep the National Airspace System operating.
'98 JET&PROPJET, the comprehensive directory of corporate aircraft that provides registration number and owner of each plane listed, was published this month by Avcom International. The new 435-page paperback directory lists 11,702 business jets in corporate and government services, along with 10,400 turboprops. The new edition was compiled by Peter Simmonds and Dave Richardson. It identifies aircraft registered in seven world areas, covering 134 countries and lists 187 aircraft models built by 44 different manufacturers. The information was updated in December.
Gulfstream Aerospace launched a new service last week that aims to connect individuals needing charter air transportation with commercial operators of Gulfstream business jets. "Gulfstream Charter Services will act as a central clearinghouse for Gulfstream customer charter needs - simplifying the process by engaging an independent charter specialist to coordinate the availability of Gulfstream Part 135-certified aircraft with the request for these charter services," the company said in a statement last week.
Sen. Ernest Hollings (D-S.C.), the ranking Democrat on the Senate Commerce Committee, last week appealed to FAA Administrator Jane Garvey to seek relief from new flight training restrictions the Joint Aviation Authorities have adopted. The restrictions, which take effect in June 1999, require flight training schools to locate their principal place of business in a JAA-member country in order for that country to recognize the flight training (BA, Feb. 28/81).
DOUGLAS H. SMITH, who joined Cessna Aircraft just two years ago as director of sales and marketing for Cessna's single-engine business (BA, April 8, 1996/158), left Cessna this month to accept the position of East Coast regional sales manager for Learjet. At Cessna, Smith had been responsible for worldwide sales of the Cessna single-engine line, all related marketing activities and the Cessna Pilot Center flight training network.
TRANS WORLD ALLOYS, Gardena, Calif., said it signed an exclusive marketing distributorship contract with Baoji Non-Ferrous Metal Works of China to market and co-develop titanium sheet, plate and bar products worldwide. "Baoji's product quality, significantly shorter lead times and price structure are being extremely well-received by our aerospace and commercial customers," said Todd Mason, general manager of the U.S. company's West Coast Division.
WILLIAM MCEWEN was named manager, communications for SimuFlite Training International. McEwen, who joined SimuFlite's communications department in 1996, will be responsible for all internal and external communications, including publications, press releases and SimuFlite's Web site.
