GULFSTREAM AEROSPACE selected Rockwell Collins to provide its Airborne Satellite TV for installation on Gulfstream IV and V aircraft. System deliveries are scheduled to begin within the month.
HERBERT BECK was named Northeast regional sales manager for Airwork. Beck has 35 years of aviation maintenance experience, serving with Innotech Aviation, Midcoast Aviation and Atlantic Aviation.
VISIONAIRE CORPORATION'S prototype of the all-composite Vantage completed its 100th flight in 180 flight hours of testing. The prototype flight testing, which has been conducted by Scaled Composites in Mojave, Calif., is expected to transfer to VisionAire headquarters at Spirit of St. Louis Airport while the first two conformal test aircraft, VT-1 and VT-2, are built for use in the certification process. The Vantage has reached speeds in excess of 350 knots true airspeed and flown at altitudes up to 35,000 feet.
DOT's Research and Special Programs Administration has scheduled public meetings to discuss compliance with a final rule on intrastate transportation of hazardous materials. The new rule requires those who ship hazardous materials within a state to comply with the same safety standards as those shipping such materials across state lines. The meetings, from 9 a.m. to noon, will be held March 26 at the Best Western Airport Inn in Lincoln, Neb.
The Transportation Department published final rules last week governing the carriage of persons with disabilities on aircraft. The new regulations, published in the March 4 Federal Register and effective April 3, amend the Air Carrier Access Act of 1986.
FLIGHTSAFETY INTERNATIONAL'S second Canadair Regional Jet full flight simulator is being installed at the company's Greater Philadelphia/Wilmington training center. The new simulator will be certified to FAA Level D specifications and is expected to be operational within about two months. FSI also operates a CRJ simulator in Cincinnati and has two Level D simulators for the Embraer RJ-145, one in Houston and the other in Tulsa.
JET SYSTEMS recently completed the sale of its Morristown, N.J. fixed-base operation to Lynton Group of the United Kingdom. The 8.6-acre facility includes three hangars, ramp areas and a terminal with passenger lounge, crew rest and flight planning rooms. Lynton already operates the airport's other FBO, Lynton Jet Center. Jet Systems owns and said it will continue to operate the Exxon Avitat at Westchester County Airport in White Plains, N.Y.
SHOULD U.S. DRUG ENFORCEMENT officials have the authority to shoot at aircraft and boats suspected of smuggling drugs?That's a question House transportation appropriations subcommittee Chairman Frank Wolf (R-Va.) asked Transportation Secretary Rodney Slater to consider last week. Wolf noted that other nations, including Peru, have authority to shoot at suspected drug smugglers, adding "if there is a real war on drugs" U.S. officials should have the same ability. Slater said he would consult with the U.S. Coast Guard commandant on the issue.
MARK NIEHAUS joined K-C Aviation as director of engine programs in the Dallas engine facility. Niehaus has 17 years of business and technical aviation experience, serving most recently as director of technical operations for Superior Air Parts.
HARTZELL Model HC-E4A-3 (A,I) propellers (Docket No. 97-ANE-35-AD; Amdt. 39-10289; AD 98-02-07) - requires replacement of the propeller blade counterweight clamp bolts with improved bolts. This amendment is prompted by reports of a manufacturing defect in the counterweight clamp bolts that resulted in the blade counterweight separating and causing damage to the propeller. The actions specified in this AD are intended to prevent counterweight clamp bolt failure, which can result in propeller blade counterweight separation and damage to the propeller and aircraft.
TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY Rodney Slater, when asked his opinion about taking the transportation trust funds "off budget," last week responded that he felt the trust funds should be counted in the overall totals of the federal budget instead of being segregated. The trust funds are part of a unified budget, enabling government to "exercise fiscal discipline" and balance the budget, he said. Slater did add, however, that the Clinton Administration has been "in discussions" about reducing the uncommitted balances.
EXTEX, the Mesa, Ariz. parts manufacturer that has been operating for three years, delivered its 1,000th Allison 250 engine nozzle to Era Aviation of Lake Charles, La. and 500th compressor wheel to Airborne Engines of Richmond, British Columbia. Extex President and Chief Operating Officer Larry Shiembob, noting "the market has responded very strongly to our offerings," said the company met its sales targets sooner than expected.
CESSNA named Robert Gibbs Caravan regional sales manager and Robert Hollander Citation regional sales manager. Gibbs, most recently Citation field service supervisor for South America, will head Caravan sales activity in Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina and Chile. He joined Cessna in 1992 as a field service engineer. Hollander will oversee Citation sales in the Far East/Pacific. He previously was manager, international sales for Gulfstream Aerospace.
BOEING said design of its Boeing Business Jet is ahead of schedule, which should permit a first flight before the end of August, just 25 months after the manufacturer and General Electric launched the program. See article below.
KEITH FORCINITO was appointed director of turboshaft engines for Airwork Miami. Forcinito, who has served with Airwork since 1990, will be responsible for Allison 250 and Twin Pac programs.
AAR ALLEN GROUP signed an agreement with Topcast Aviation Supplies Co., Ltd, based in Hong Kong, under which Topcast will act as AAR's marketing, sales and component repair representative in most of the Asia-Pacific region.
AASI, Long Beach, Calif., said orders for its Jetcruzer pusher-prop grew from 86 in mid-January to 117 valued at $140 million by last month. "This is beyond our expectations," said AASI Executive Vice Presixent Gene Comfort. "In just one month, we have added 31 aircraft to our orders and we are off and running to a banner year."
ROBERT SWANSON was appointed Northwest regional manager for turboshaft engines for Airwork. Swanson, who will be responsible for sales and customer support for Allison 250 and Twin Pac PT6T engines throughout the Northwest, previously was director of maintenance and chief inspector for Sundance Helicopters.
LARRY LEVEY was named director of sales and marketing for Regent Aerospace Corp. Levey will be responsible for the sales and marketing of corporate aviation and transparency services.
House transportation appropriations subcommittee Chairman Frank Wolf (R-Va.) last week expressed doubts that the Federal Aviation Administration would have its computer systems prepared to withstand possible glitches in the year 2000 when internal clocks turn over, and indicated he plans to establish an oversight committee for the agency's Year 2000 and air traffic control modernization activities. During a hearing Wednesday on the Department of Transportation's fiscal 1999 budget, Wolf noted that FAA is suffering from a "credibility problem...
SENATE COMMERCE COMMITTEE indefinitely postponed a hearing on the National Civil Aviation Review Commission recommendations, which had been scheduled for March 11. The committee said it is still awaiting the Transportation Department's legislative proposals based on the NCARC report and findings.
A JAA POLICY restricting U.S. training agencies from training European students has alarmed a range of flight schools that specialize in international training. See article below.
FRENCH AEROSPACE MANUFACTURERS had a record year in 1997, with sales increasing to FRF130.2 billion ($20.8 billion), up 19.4 percent compared with the previous year. The industry's professional association, Groupement Industriel Francais Aeronautique et Spatial (GIFAS), also said orders jumped by 33.5 percent to FRF157.9 billion ($25.26 billion). This prompted expectations of another strong rise in sales in 1998.
National Air Transportation Association last week urged FAA Administrator Jane Garvey to help overturn a new European Joint Aviation Authorities policy that requires U.S. training companies to establish an office in a JAA-member country in order for the country to recognize training accomplished at the U.S. company (BA, Feb. 23/81). JAA intends to enforce the rule beginning in June 1999, but individual member countries are indicating that they will implement the policy sooner.
