DICK TURNER was named manager of FlightSafety International's Sea-Tac Seattle training center. Turner, who has been assistant manager, joined the center earlier this year from FlightSafety's Training Systems Division, where he was a program manager. He also has 20 years of airline piloting and flight operations experience.
LYNTON GROUP, INC., said its U.K. subsidiary entered into an agreement to acquire Magec Aviation Ltd., located at London Luton Airport. Lynton Group is an aircraft charter and management company with operations in the U.S. and U.K. It sells, charters, manages and services corporate jet aircraft and turbine helicopters at locations in Morristown, N.J. and Denham, England.
FAIRCHILD Model F-27 series airplanes (Docket No. 97-NM-35-AD; amdt. 39-10204; AD 97-23-15) - requires revising the airplane flight manual to prohibit positioning power levers below the flight idle stop during flight, and to provide a statement of the consequences of such positioning during flight. This amendment is prompted by incidents and accidents involving airplanes equipped with turboprop engines in which the propeller ground beta range was used improperly during flight.
GULFSTREAM AEROSPACE CORP. named Patricia Bergeron vice president of corporate communications and investor relations. She will report to Chris Davis, executive vice president and chief financial officer, and will be responsible for all corporate communications activities as well as developing and coordinating Gulfstream's investor relations effort. Bergeron had been director of investor relations and public affairs at Abbott Laboratories, a $12 billion health care firm in the Chicago, Ill. area. Before that she held a similar position with Johns Manville Corp.
ROLLS-ROYCE plans to build a $68.5 million facility adjacent to its existing plant in Derby, England that will manufacture high-pressure turbine blades for aircraft engines. The investment in the new plant "will create another world class facility within Rolls-Royce" that will "use the very latest developments in technology to meet the demand generated by Rolls-Royce's growing order book." The new plant is expected to be operational by early 1999 and will employ approximately 250 workers.
The Executive Committee of FAA's Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee approved an outline of proposed new regulations on commercial air tour overflights of national parks Thursday and told an industry working group to proceed with developing a formal notice of proposed rulemaking.
Bombardier Aerospace is preparing for the first flight of its 70-seat de Havilland Dash 8Q Series 400 before the end of the month. The Canadian manufacturer unveiled the regional turboprop last month at its de Havilland facilities in Downsview, Ontario. The rollout came two and one-half years after the program's official launch with certification scheduled in first quarter of 1999. The flight test program, which will occur at the Bombardier Flight Test Center in Wichita, Kan., will comprise four aircraft over the next year.
Stockholders of FLIR Systems Inc. approved the acquisition of AGEMA Infrared Systems, Stockholm, Sweden, a merger that "creates the world's largest commercial infrared imaging company," according to FLIR officials. FLIR, based in Portland, Ore., will issue 4.2 million shares of the company's stock to AGEMA's parent company, Spectra Physics AB, in exchange for all of AGEMA's stock, a transaction valued at approximately $80 million.
PETER WHITE was appointed a consultant in Simat, Helliesen&Eichner's London office. White previously was general manager of China Aircraft Services Limited, an aircraft maintenance company based in Hong Kong that is jointly owned by British Airways and United Airlines.
FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION issued special conditions for Learjet Model 55 airplanes that Learjet modified to incorporate a digital electronic flight instrument system. FAA said the system has "novel and unusual design features when compared to the state of technology envisioned" in current regulations. The special conditions provide additional safety standards, the agency said. For more information, contact Connie Beane in FAA's Standardization Branch at (425) 227-2796.
LUFTHANSA BOMBARDIER AVIATION SERVICE CENTER, the joint venture of Lufthansa Technik and Bombardier Business Aircraft, late last month opened at Berlin-Schoenfeld airport. The facility can service all Learjet, Challenger and Global Express aircraft. Bombardier and Lufthansa Technik have invested 10 million Deutchmarks in the center, which currently employs 22, but is expected to grow to 100. The center will service Bombardier aircraft based in Europe as well as aircraft visiting Europe from North America. FAA certification is expected in February 1998.
EUROPEAN AEROSPACE MANUFACTURERS received a blast from Aerospace Industries Association President Don Fuqua, who said "There are signs from our European competitors that if they cannot match our progress in consolidation or maintain a strong government-industry research program, they will adopt other reasons to salvage their competitive posture in the global economy." Fuqua cited several trade issues, including a European Commission plan to "provide new government subsidies to finance a flight management system, and it would proceed as well with implementing stricter a
DASSAULT Model Falcon 2000 series airplanes (Docket No. 97-NM-198-AD; Amdt. 39-10210; AD 97-24-03) - requires a revision to the limitations section of the airplane flight manual to limit the allowable loads in the baggage compartment aft of the center baggage net. This AD also requires replacement of the center baggage net with a net that has reinforced straps. The replacement would terminate the baggage compartment load limitation. This amendment is prompted by a report indicating that the center baggage net cannot sustain design loads in an accident.
EUROCOPTER Model SE 3130, SE 313B, SA 3180, SA 318B and SA 318C helicopters (Docket No. 97-SW-22-AD; Amdt. 39-10211; AD 97-24-04) - requires a visual inspection of the main rotor blade reinforcement strips for debonding between the reinforcement strips of the blade, a visual inspection of the main rotor blade skin for cracks or corrosion and replacement of the blade if certain debonding or damage is found. This amendment is prompted by an accident in which a blade separated in flight.
BMW ROLLS-ROYCE is the first engine manufacturer in continental Europe to receive Design Organization Approval by the German Aviation Authority (LBA) under the new European regulation, JAR-21, the company said. The new DOA, issued by the European Joint Aviation Authorities, recognizes the organizational "system" that performs various type investigations. BMW Rolls-Royce is developing and builds the BR 700 family of turbofan engines that power the Gulfstream V, Bombardier Global Express and the MD-95 airliner.
Rockwell International Corp. completed its acquisition of the in- flight entertainment business of Hughes-Avicom International, Inc., and said the new venture will be made part of Rockwell's Cedar Rapids, Iowa- based Collins business unit. Ken McNamara, who led the Pomona, Calif.- based manufacturer of interactive IFE systems when it was part of Hughes Avicom International, will continue in that role as vice president and general manager with Rockwell Collins.
Forgings manufacturer Wyman-Gordon Company reported improved financial results for the three- and six-month periods ended Nov. 30, but said its operating margins were reduced because of equipment problems with one of its largest presses.
NEW HAMPSHIRE DIVISION OF AERONAUTICS requests proposals until 3 p.m. Dec. 31 for a fixed-base operator/airport manager for Skyhaven Airport. To obtain the RFP, contact NHDOT, Division of Aeronautics, 65 Airport Road, Concord, N.J. 03301. For more information, call Jack Ferns, director, at (603) 271-2551.
BRUCE WHITMAN, executive vice president of FlightSafety International, Inc., was elected to the board of Aviall, the aviation parts distributor, effective Jan. 5. Whitman, who has been with FSI for 36 years, will take the seat on the Aviall board formerly held by Harry Wendt, who is leaving to devote more time to other business interests. Whitman, a former Air Force officer, joined FSI in 1961. He also serves on FSI's board of directors and as vice chairman and president of FlightSafety Services Corp.
Dassault Falcon Jet capped a record sales year with the sale of 24 Falcon 2000 aircraft to fractional ownership pioneer Executive Jet in a deal valued at $500 million, officials from both companies announced Friday. Dassault Falcon Jet officials hinted during this year's NBAA convention in Dallas about a possible participation in fractional ownership programs (BA, Sept. 29/133). The deal announced last week, however, is a straight sale to Executive Jet rather than a cooperative effort such as those announced between Executive Jet and Boeing or Gulfstream.
SHORT BROTHERS Model SD3-60 SHERPA and SD3 SHERPA series airplanes (Docket No. 97-NM-118-AD) - proposes to require removing the aluminum alloy oxygen pipe assembly and replacing it with a stainless steel assembly. This proposal is prompted by the issuance of mandatory continuing airworthiness information by a foreign civil airworthiness authority. The actions specified by the proposed AD are intended to prevent aluminum oxygen tubing from bursting and releasing a high-pressure oxygen flow into the passenger cabin, which could result in a fire hazard during flight.
ALCOA ENGINEERED PRODUCTS is expanding its aerospace hard alloy extrusion capacity at its Lafayette, Ind., facility and its Pimalco plant in Chandler, Ariz. Alcoa is adding a 5,000-ton press and a 2,500-ton press in 1998. The expansion at the Pimalco plant will include a 2,500-ton press and 80,000 square feet of manufacturing area that will be operational by mid-1998. By the end of 1998, Alcoa said its capacity will exceed 45,000 metric tons annually of hard alloy extrusions.
Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. Chairman Ted Forstmann, who has made it a point to attract high-profile board members who might be able to help locate customers for the company's line of business jets, last week announced that former U.S. Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger is the newest Gulfstream board member. Kissinger, chairman of Kissinger Associates, Inc., an international consulting firm, replaces William R. Aquavella, who resigned from the Gulfstream board.
BOEING SIKORSKY AIRCRAFT SUPPORT (BSAS) opened a new office in Slocomb, Ala., near Fort Rucker Army Aviation Center. BSAS is a joint-venture company formed in 1992 to support the RAH-66 Comanche helicopter, along with other helicopters such as the Apache, Blackhawk and Chinook.
