PHILLIP RIDDLE has joined the marketing and sales team of Africair. Riddle, who has served with Commander Aircraft and New Meyers Aircraft Company, will be responsible for sales and marketing of the Cessna single- engine product line in 37 African countries for Africair.
COUNTY OF NEW KENT, Va., is soliciting proposals until 3 p.m. Feb. 6 for fixed-base operation services at New Kent County Airport. Copies of the RFP may be obtained by contacting Shelley K. Carmichael, accounting and budget officer, P.O. Box 50, New Kent, Va. 23124; telephone: (804) 966- 9694. For more information, contact R.J. Emerson at (804) 966-9695.
HEADS UP TECHNOLOGIES, INC., the Carrollton, Texas firm that develops digital voice and display systems for aviation and other industries, named David Groos senior vice president-sales and marketing. Groos was formerly Dallas branch manager for IBM, where he directed more than 130 engineering and sales employees.
NATIONAL AIR TRANSPORTATION ASSOCIATION's Flight Training Committee has developed a Flight School Code of Conduct, which includes principles such as respecting students, instilling a dedication to safety, making a concerted effort to raise the quality of flight training standards, using ethical management practices and continually applying common sense and good judgment in all situations. The code of conduct is displayed in posters mailed to the association's flight school members.
JOSEPH THURMAN was named manager, modifications for Midcoast Aviation. Thurman will oversee leading modification assignments and act as a liaison between customers and Midcoast shops performing the work. He has nearly 20 years experience in aircraft modification, serving as engineering manager for Gulfstream Aircraft, senior designer for Dassault Falcon Jet and supervisor of fabrication and installation and supervisor of engineering and drafting services for K-C Aviation.
OTTAWA FLYING CLUB last month added a new Cessna 172R Skyhawk to its fleet of 12 training aircraft. The new 172 is equipped with the full complement of electronics, including a global positioning system, Flying Club officials said. Brampton Cessna, the sales and service arm of the Brampton Flying Club, sold and delivered the aircraft.
RTS REWORK INC., Fort Worth, Texas, said it received FAA approval to inspect and restore gears and inspect and repair modules for all series of the Allison 250 engine. RTS, which acquired a new 7,200-square-foot facility in October, also provides service for Pratt&Whitney PT6A and JT8D and Garrett TPE331 engine components. The latest approval covers restoration of compressors, turbines and gearboxes for the Allison 250.
Bombardier Services is buying 24 T-6A trainers from Raytheon Aircraft for the NATO Flying Training Canada program, marking the first sale outside the U.S. of the plane that won the Joint Primary Aircraft Training System program. Deliveries of the T-6A-1 variant will begin in November 1999 and will run through the fall of 2000, Raytheon said. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The T-6A is based on the Pilatus PC-9 Mk.
MITSUBISHI MU-2B series airplanes (Docket NO. 97-CE-22-AD; Amdt. 39- 10225; AD 97-25-02) - 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 consequences if the limitation is not followed. This AD results from several incidents and five accidents involving turboprop airplanes where the propeller beta was improperly used during flight.
AEROSPATIALE Model ATR 42 and 72 series airplanes (Docket No. 97-NM- 228-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.
BOMBARDIER Model CL-600-2B16 series airplanes modified in accordance with STC SA6003NM (Docket No. 97-NM-286-AD; Amdt. 39-10235; AD 97-25-11) - requires disabling the remote fuel/defuel panel in the cockpit. This action also provides for an optional modification of the remote fuel/defuel panel, which would terminate the requirement to disable the panel. This amendment is prompted by reports of in-flight failure of the panel that resulted when a circuit breaker on a battery bus opened due to insufficient current flow capacity.
Signature Flight Support eliminated a competitor and acquired a platform to increase its presence at Anchorage International Airport (ANC) last month with the purchase of Anchorage Aviation Center (AAC). Signature, and its predecessor company Page Avjet, have operated a small facility on the airport for a number of years, but primarily provided into- plane fuel handling for airlines serving Anchorage.
ALLISON Model 250-C40B turboshaft engines (Docket No. 97-ANE-31-AD; Amdt. 39-10233; AD 97-25-09) - requires installation of a placard requiring pilots to record torque level and time-in-service operating above 86 percent engine torque until the defective parts have been replaced, no later than Dec. 31, 2000, or when certain maintenance actions are accomplished or operational restrictions are exceeded, whichever occurs first.
UNISON INDUSTRIES received FAA parts manufacturer approval for its new igniter plug (Unison Part Number 9044295-1, GE Part Number 5044T67P13) on all CT7 engine models. Unison, which manufactures the complete CT7 ignition system, including exciter, igniter and lead, expects to begin delivering the new igniter plugs this month. The primary application for the plugs are the Saab 340 and CASA CN-235 regional turboprops. Unison's turbine distributors will sell the plugs to regional airlines.
EMBRAER received an order from Portugalia Airlines of Lisbon, Portugal for two additional Embraer RJ-145s in a deal the Brazilian manufacturer valued at about $30 million (U.S.). The order will increase the number of RJ-145s sold to Portugalia to six with options for two more. The Portuguese airline, which initially ordered the 145 a year ago, has taken delivery of three of the aircraft so far. Embraer said its EMB RJ-145 orderbook stands at 169 firm orders and 225 options to 10 customers in seven countries.
NASSAU JET CENTER, located at Nassau International Airport in the Bahamas, joined the Million Air Chain and will operate as Million Air Nassau. Million Air Nassau, the 27th fixed-base operation to join the chain, is a full-service facility with 12 acres of private parking ramp, 24-hour security and Bahamas Customs and Immigration clearance on site. The FBO has an executive aviation terminal with passenger lounge and conference room and offers limousine, rental cars, catering and concierge services.
Superior Air Parts, Inc., which last summer filed for bankruptcy protection (BA, Aug. 4/54), last month emerged from Chapter 11 under new ownership. The Dallas, Texas-based replacement parts manufacturer, formerly owned by investment firm Vista Corp., was sold to investor RSTW Partner III, LP, which manages $870 million in capital through three investment partnerships. RSTW, which was owed money by Superior, turned its $9 million debt into equity and plans to infuse $5 million more into Superior (BA, Dec. 8/242).
Daniel W. Burkhart, a former Navy pilot, fixed-base operation manager and consultant, was named the first regional representative for the National Business Aviation Association. Burkhart, who begins his new duties this week, is the first of what will probably be a number of NBAA regional reps around the country as part of the association's REACHBAC program designed to foster communication between corporate operators in the field and NBAA headquarters in Washington, D.C. (BA, Sept. 1/92).
WAYFARER AVIATION is celebrating the new year with the addition of a new Beechjet 400A to its fleet of managed aircraft. The 400A is based in Keene, N.H., Wayfarer's eighth base of operations for managed and charter aircraft.
BFGOODRICH COMPANY completed its acquisition of Rohr, Inc. last month and said Robert H. Rau, who had been president and chief executive of Rohr, will be president of the Aerostructures Group of BFGoodrich Aerospace until his planned retirement at the end of 1998. Rau also was named a director of The BFGoodrich Company. David R. Watson was named group vice president of the Aerostructures Group and the company said he will become president following Rau's retirement. Rau, 61, joined Rohr in 1993 following a management career at Parker Hannifin Corp.
Galaxy Aerospace met its goal of flying the company's new business jet in 1997, logging two-plus flights at the facilities of Israel Aircraft Industries before the year ended. The aircraft first took to the air Dec.
FOKKER Model F28 Mark 0070 and Mark 0100 series airplanes (Docket 97- NM-248-AD) - proposes to require inspection of the wing leading edge sections for the correct amount of bleed air exhaust holes, and corrective actions, if necessary. This proposal is prompted by issuance of mandatory continuing airworthiness information by a foreign civil airworthiness authority.
LUSCOMBE Models 8, 8A, 8B, 8C, 8D, 8E, 8F, T-8F airplanes (Docket No. 95-NM-99-AD; Amdt. 39-10229; AD 96-24-17 R1) - clarifies information in AD 96-24-17, which requires installing new inspection holes, modifying the wing tip fairings and inspecting the wing spars for intergranular corrosion. The actions specified in the AD are intended to prevent wing spar failure from intergranular corrosion, which could result in structural failure of the wings and loss of control of the airplane. The AD was published with an appendix providing an alternative method of compliance.
AIR METHODS CORP. sold one of its Bell 206L-3 helicopters to its Brazilian franchise partner, Flamingo Unimed Air Taxi Aereo LTDA. Air Methods, which said the deal was structured as a sales-type lease it will finance over a seven-year term, said the sales price was $695,000. The transaction "represents the sixth aircraft to be placed in service by our Brazilian franchise partner since commencing operations in January 1996.
