PRICES of used business jets are generally strong across the board, but one veteran aircraft broker says used Falcons, in particular, are commanding a premium these days. He attributes part of the strong demand to Dassault Falcon's aggressive stance in developing data packages that make it easier for operators to win approval for North Atlantic operations under the stricter Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum requirements.
FLIGHTSAFETY INTERNATIONAL received a five-year contract from FAA to develop and conduct training programs on emergency evacuation and survival equipment for the agency's safety inspectors. The course is intended to prepare inspectors for conducting cabin inspections and determining compliance with emergency evacuation and survival equipment requirements. The course, which will be conducted through FlightSafety's Atlanta, Ga. center, also will cover evaluation of operators' facilities and programs for emergency evacuation and survival equipment compliance.
MESA AIR GROUP named Robert Dynan president of the company's Mesa Airlines subsidiary. Dynan has been with Mesa since the company's acquisition of Air Midwest Airlines in 1991 and most recently was president of the US Airways Express Division. In addition to Mesa Airlines, Mesa Air Group operates two other airline subsidiaries: Air Midwest and WestAir Commuter Airlines.
SCOTT LIVINGSTON was appointed vice president, Allison 250 customer support for Extex. Livingston, who joined Extex in August, has 20 years of sales and marketing experience.
NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD, concerned about the number and type of accidents involving banner-towing aircraft, plans to consider several recommendations to FAA on those sorts of operations at this week's meeting. The recommendations under consideration address both training and operational issues.
GARY CLOWARD was named regional manager, customer support for Extex. Cloward has 25 years of aviation experience, most recently serving as regional sales representative for National Airmotive Corp.
WAYFARER AVIATION President Jim Christiansen said the company's charter sales were up 70 percent over 1996 and the White Plains, N.Y. firm just added another Gulfstream III and an S-76 helicopter, bringing the total fleet to 22 aircraft. The two additions will be based in Farmingdale, N.Y., Wayfarer's ninth base of operations for managed and charter aircraft.
FAA Administrator Jane Garvey last month asked the Federal Communications Commission to alter a proposed rulemaking aimed at facilitating rapid construction of new television broadcast towers by pre- empting state or local zoning laws. Citing concerns that the proposal could harm aviation safety (BA, Oct. 6/145), Garvey told the FCC, "This proposed rule may result in the construction of structures that could adversely affect both the safety and efficiency of our air transportation system."
More than four years after ordering operators of some 100,000 Precision Airmotive (formerly Facet Aerospace Products and Marvel-Schebler) model carburetors to replace all two-piece venturis with a one-piece venturi, the agency last week said it is eliminating the requirement for the one-piece venturis.
Federal Aviation Administration last month issued an airworthiness directive calling for replacing certain AlliedSignal Aerospace outflow/safety valves in the pressurization system on nearly 2,400 Raytheon aircraft (BA, Aug. 25/83). The AD applies to Raytheon 58, 60, 90, 100, 200, 300 series and Model 2000 airplanes at a total estimated cost to U.S. operators of $1.7 million. The requirements stems from reports of cracking and failure of the outflow/safety valves in the pressurization system.
AIRPORT SYSTEMS INTERNATIONAL, Overland Park, Kan., recently was awarded contracts valued at $3.7 million to supply navigational aids for airport projects in South America, North Africa, the Middle East and the U.S.
RAYTHEON AIRCRAFT won Transport Canada certification for the Hawker 800XP. Raytheon delivered the first Hawker 800XP in Canada to IPL Energy, Inc. of Calgary, Alberta. IPL, which provides energy services and oil and natural gas delivery, previously operated a Hawker 700.
DUNCAN AVIATION received FAA STC authorization to install cockpit floorboard heating/warming systems on Learjet 20 and 30 series aircraft. The system operates on 28-volt DC, weighs less than 15 pounds and covers the pilot and co-pilot cockpit floor areas. In addition to the STC for the modification, Duncan has received parts manufacturer approval to provide kits to operators who want to install the system themselves.
AIRPORT AUTHORITY OF HONK KONG named Billy Lam Chung-lun, who had been director of the New Airport Projects Coordination Office, deputy chief executive officer of the authority. Before becoming involved in construction of the $20 billion construction program for the new Chek Lap Kok airport, he held a number of government posts, including director of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in San Francisco and deputy director for monetary affairs.
MERCURY SCHEDULING SYSTEMS named Graham Whitmarsh vice president-sales and marketing. Whitmarsh previously served with British Aerospace for eight years, most recently as vice president-sales and marketing for the Asset Management Turboprops Division. Mercury Scheduling Systems, Vancouver, Canada, is a soft-ware company that specializes in airline crew scheduling.
SPORTY'S PILOT SHOP is offering a cockpit device to measure inflight turbulence. Designed to answer the question, "How bad was that bump?" the G-Meter shows readings from -4 to +8Gs and is accurate within 0.1G. Priced at $90, the G-Meter is less than one inch wide and four inches high and can be mounted anywhere in the aircraft using double-side foam tape. For more information, contact Sporty's at (513) 735-9000.
Federal Aviation Administration last week extended until Dec. 31, 2002 a Special Federal Aviation Regulation calling for additional experience and training to perform pilot-in-command or certified flight instructor duties in Robinson R-22 and R-44 helicopters. SFAR 73 originally was issued March 1, 1995 to address the high number of fatal accidents involving main rotor/airframe contact on R-22 aircraft.
Model CL-44 series airplanes (Docket No. 97-NM-37-AD; Amdt. 39-10236; AD 97-25-12) - requires revising the airplane flight manual to add a limitation that prohibits positioning the power levers below the flight idle stop during flight, and to provide 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 turboprop airplanes in which the ground propeller beta range was used improperly during flight.
FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION issued an advisory circular, AC 25.1581-1, Airplane Flight Manual, identifying information that must be provided in the airplane flight manual under current airworthiness regulations. The AC also provides guidance on the form and content of the approved portion of an airplane flight manual. To obtain a copy of AC 25.1581-1, contact the U.S. Department of Transportation, Subsequent Distribution Office, Ardmore East Business Center, 3341 Q 75th Ave., Landover, Md. 20785.
The Federal Aviation Administration will combine the functions now handled by four separate Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) facilities in the Washington, D.C. area, but the new combined TRACON is not expected to be operational for at least five years.
Precision Castparts Corp. of Portland, Ore., a major provider of engine components that wants to expand its share of the airframe parts market, purchased Schlosser Casting Company (SCC) of Redmond, Ore. SCC, previously a wholly owned subsidiary of Schlosser Forge Company, manufactures titanium investment castings for the airframe, engine, medical prostheses and other markets. Its major airframe programs include the F-22 Raptor fighter, the C-17 Globemaster transport and the Joint Strike Fighter.
Federal Aviation Administration ordered replacement of crankshafts manufactured using the airmelt process on approximately 10,100 Teledyne reciprocating engines at a total estimated cost of $27.8 million over a 10- year period, despite strong opposition from a number of industry groups.
BOEING confirmed it will continue production of the 100-seat MD-95 included in the acquisition of McDonnell Douglas Corp., but said it is renaming the airplane the 717-200 to fit into Boeing's traditional transport designation system. Boeing also confirmed BMW Rolls-Royce GmbH as the sole engine supplier for the aircraft. Delivery of the first two BR715 flight-test engines is under way and the first flight is scheduled for the second quarter 1998.
In an effort to bring Alaskan hunting and fishing guide operations up to standards of commercial operations, the Federal Aviation Administration this month determined that all guide operations involving aircraft for hire must meet the requirements of Part 135 or 121 by the end of the year. FAA noted that it historically has not held all guide companies - those that offer hunting or fishing packages involving air transportation - to Part 135 or 121 standards.
GULFSTREAM claimed a firm backlog of 89 aircraft valued at $2.8 billion at the end of September and said it had a "cash position of approximately $242 million." Gulfstream went public in October 1996, selling 42.5 million shares at $24 per share for just over $1 billion. Price of Gulfstream's stock has ranged from 21 1/4 to 32 3/4 over the past year.
