JOHN WHALEN joined AAR Engine Component Services as director of quality. Whalen previously served in a variety of quality and production management positions during his 19 years with Pratt&Whitney.
JIM MELVIN was promoted to general aviation marketing manager for Unison Industries. Melvin has served with Unison since 1994 as an original equipment manufacturer account manager.
SABRELINER CORP. is nearing reduced vertical separation minimum certification for the Sabreliner 65 aircraft, the company said. The aircraft has accumulated more than 16 flight test hours with a trailing cone installation, in order to create and verify a new altitude correction module to meet RVSM requirements. The company said it expects certification early this year.
GERARD HITT was named vice president, customer support and services for Rogerson Aircraft Corp. Hitt previously served with Aeronetics, AAR and Sperry Flight Systems.
Cessna Aircraft, which planned to begin delivery of its Model 206 single-engine aircraft line this month, has been forced to switch powerplants in a move that will push back certification and initial deliveries until late this year.
Although FAA expresses confidence that the computers controlling the air traffic control system can be modified to work in the year 2000, the company that built them is warning that they should be replaced before the turn of the century. An IBM official told Lockheed Martin, FAA's ATC systems integrator, that he had earlier expressed concern to FAA about the 1970s vintage 3083 computer systems. FAA said that Ray Long, who heads the effort to prepare the computers for 2000, is "too swamped" to talk. The agency plans a public briefing this month, a spokesman said.
SAAB AIRCRAFT last week delivered the first of two Saab 2000 high-speed turboprop airliners to Med Airlines of Sicily. The 53-passenger aircraft is scheduled to enter service March 1 and will be operated between Trapani and Rome. A second Saab 2000 will be handed over to Med Airlines in March.
NATIONAL AIR TRANSPORTATION ASSOCIATION has developed an Aviation UST Management Manual to provide guidance for complying with the Environmental Protection Agency's new underground storage tank program. The program calls for new tank design standards, reporting/recordkeeping, clean-up provisions, financial responsibility, compliance monitoring and enforcement, and approval of state programs. The new regulations take effect Dec. 22.
Aero International (Regional) reported a 60 percent increase in firm orders in 1997 with sales of 94 new aircraft. The sales have a combined value of $1.6 billion, "confirming [AI(R)'s] position as a key player in the worldwide regional transport marketplace," the European aircraft marketing alliance noted. AI(R) added that the orders "mark a significant upturn from the 59 aircraft sales logged during 1996."
FLIGHTSAFETY INTERNATIONAL named three regional maintenance marketing managers. Michael Lewis was named regional marketing manager for the Central U.S. and Central Canada and is based at the FSI Cessna maintenance training center in Wichita, Kan. Tom Williams is responsible for the Northeast U.S. and Southeastern Canada and is based at the Teterboro learning center in New Jersey. Jack Vinyard was tapped for the Western U.S. and Western Canada and is based at Ontario International Airport outside Los Angeles, Calif.
A Westchester County legislator formally asked the county's attorney "to review noise and other relevant data" to determine whether a mandatory curfew at Westchester County Airport (HPN) in White Plains, N.Y. could withstand a legal challenge. Currently, HPN has a voluntary curfew that is in effect from midnight to 6:30 a.m. In a Jan. 20 letter to County Attorney Alan D. Scheinkman, legislator Paul J.
PHILIP MACVANE joined AAR Engine Component Services as vice president sales and marketing. MacVane formerly spent 14 years with Sermatech International, most recently as sales manager for the Connecticut-based coating and repair division.
Model 2000 series airplanes (Docket No. 97-NM-97-AD) - proposes to require revising the airplane flight manual to prohibit the positioning of the power levels below the flight idle stop during flight and to include a statement of the consequences of such action. This proposal is prompted by incidents and accidents involving turboprop airplanes in which the ground propeller beta range was used improperly during flight.
PROGRESS CASTING GROUP, which manufactures aluminum castings and components for a variety of industries including aerospace, received ISO 9002 certification for its plants in Plymouth and Albert Lea, Minn.
A COUNTY LEGISLATOR is exploring the possibility of making mandatory the currently voluntary curfew on nighttime operations at Westchester County Airport in White Plains, N.Y. See article below.
University of North Dakota Aerospace continued to expand its training fleet with the addition of two Beech Baron 58 aircraft. The aircraft, based in Grand Forks, N.D., is the latest in a series of acquisitions to UND's fleet of more than 80 aircraft. UND took delivery of four Diamond Katana DA-20s in the fall and plans to accept five IFR-equipped Piper Warriors in the spring. "The addition of the Barons to our fleet is a continuation of a planned complete upgrade of our collegiate and contract training fleet," said UND Aerospace Dean John Odegard.
ROCKWELL COLLINS and Gulfstream Aerospace signed an agreement under which purchasers of Gulfstream IV-SP and Gulfstream V business jets will be able to order the Rockwell Collins InFlyTV System in their aircraft. The system, which uses a tail-mounted antenna, offers a menu of 170 channels of programming from Direct Broadcast Satellite (DIRECTV). Collins officials described InFlyTV as a "third-generation" system that has been under test for the past 18 months on a Delta 767. The system is designed to provide the same DIRECTV offerings available to home viewers.
SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT made a $5,000 contribution to the National Business Aviation Association's Schedulers/Dispatchers Scholarship. The scholarship, in its second year, promotes continuing education for schedulers, dispatchers, flight coordinators, flight operations managers and customer service representatives.
ALLIEDSIGNAL AEROSPACE said its business units won 12 major competitions, capturing more than $4 billion in potential business, during the fourth quarter. The company's Electronics&Avionics Systems division, which currently is the only supplier of enhanced ground proximity warning systems, has orders for 3,600 EGPWS units and AlliedSignal "estimates the worldwide potential market for the system at $1 billion, including 40,000 other commercial military and general aviation aircraft."
Bombardier Aerospace won a contract from the Royal Danish Air Force to supply at least one, and up to three, Challenger 604 business jets for a variety of flight missions. The win was particularly gratifying for Bombardier officials since the 604s will replace three Gulfstream III aircraft that had been in service with the RDAF for a number of years.
C-MAP/AVIATION and Magellan Systems won a contract from the Brazilian Army for EC-10X moving map electronic charting systems using C-Map aviation cartridges. The systems will be used in 36 Aerospatiale 365 Dauphin helicopters for training and navigation.
Models PA-31T, PA-31T1, PA-31T2, PA-31T3, PA-42, PA-42-720 and PA-42, PA-42-720 and PA-42-1000 (Docket No. 97-CE-41-AD; Amdt. 39- 10255; AD 97-26-12) - requires amending the limitations section of the airplane flight manual to prohibit the positioning of the power levers below the flight idle stop while the airplane is in flight. The airplane flight manual amendment will include a statement of the consequences if the limitation is not followed.
MILLION AIR PONTIAC, Mich., opened its new facility at Oakland County International Airport as a full-service fixed-base operation. The new facility includes a 44,000-square-foot building on a five-acre site. The hangar can house a Gulfstream V. The facility includes 24-hour customer service and pilot amenities such as showers and flight planning facilities.
STEVEN HOYT was appointed senior manager of the American Society for Nondestructive Testing's Technical Services Department. Hoyt joined the organization in May as a certification specialist.
Cessna Aircraft named Mike Katzorke vice president of material and announced several promotions in its marketing organization. Katzorke, who relocated to Wichita after holding a number of aviation positions in Phoenix, Ariz., succeeds Jim Martin, who retired at the end of 1997. Most recently, Katzorke served as corporate director of supply chain for AlliedSignal. He has held related posts with Honeywell, Motorola and Sperry Flight Systems. In his new position, Katzorke will oversee all procurement activities, raw materials planning and inventory control.
