K-C AVIATION opened a new 35,000-square-foot multi-purpose hangar at its Appleton, Wis. facility. The $3.75 million hangar includes an 18,000- square-foot paint shop that can accommodate a Global Express or Gulfstream V aircraft. The facility also houses electrical wiring shops and an auxiliary power unit shop with a new test cell.
UNISYS CORPORATION will help update weather information for FAA flight service stations under an $8 million portion of the $110 million Operational and Supportability Implementation System (OASIS) program, Unisys said. Unisys Weather Information Services, Kennett Square, Pa., will provide FAA with up to 61 satellite weather data receiving stations and satellite-delivered weather data streams, including Doppler weather data.
VALLEY OIL signed agreements with Air BP to add 12 new aviation fuel supply terminals in the North Central and Midwest regions. The agreements cover St. Louis and Mt. Vernon, Mo.; Wichita and Kansas City, Kan.; Des Moines, Iowa City and Sioux City, Iowa; Indianapolis, Ind.; Lincoln and Omaha, Neb.; Louisville, Ky.; and Ponca City, Okla. Valley Oil will provide its complete line of aviation fuels, including 80/87, 100LL, Jet A and Jet A with additive.
FLIGHTSAFETY INTERNATIONAL said FAA certified the company's new Boeing 737- 300 full flight simulator on the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University campus in Daytona Beach, Fla. The new simulator is housed in the school's new Advanced Flight Simulation Center along with a Beech 1900D simulator. The facility is part of the educational partnership between ERAU and FSI that is designed to expand the scope of the university's advanced flight training resources (BA, July 17, 1995/21).
GENERAL ELECTRIC said a growth version of its T700/CT7 engine, the T700/T6E that will power the NH Industries NH90 helicopter, completed more than 500 hours of testing at Alfa Romeo Avio in Italy during which it demonstrated more than 2,700 shaft horsepower.
PRESIDENT CLINTON was expected to sign legislation (H.R.2626) Friday amending the Pilot Records Improvement Act (PRIA) to permit operators to hire and begin training pilots before they receive those pilots' records from FAA and previous employers (BA, Nov. 17/209).
VENEZUELAN AIRLINE IAACA signed a contract for another ATR 72-210 that is scheduled for delivery in January. The contract is valued at $18 million. AI(R) said IAACA's fleet will be composed of two ATR 42s and three ATR 72s when the new aircraft enters service.
SAN JOSE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT named David Maas deputy director of aviation-operations division. He had been senior civil engineer for the airport's development division where he supervised the capital improvement program. In his new post Maas will be responsible for day-to-day management of both airfield and landside operations. He is an engineering graduate of Santa Clara University and recently received a master of business administration degree from San Jose State University.
NATIONAL BUSINESS AVIATION ASSOCIATION President Jack Olcott responded that Daley should encourage growth at Meigs "instead of spending the next five years rehashing the debate that was fought out last year." General Aviation Manufacturers Association President Ed Bolen added, "Deals are made in good faith and we expect that the participants live up to their end of the bargain." Steve Whitney, president of Friends of Meigs Advisory Council, agreed, asking, "Is Mayor Daley's word really not even worth the paper it's printed on? "
PILATUS BRITTEN-NORMAN Models BN-2, BN-2A, BN-2B, BN-2T and BN-2A Mk.111 series airplanes (Docket No. 84-CE-18-AD; Amdt. 39-10172; AD 84-23- 06 R1) - revises AD 84-23-06, which requires repetitive inspections of the upper mounting brackets, bolts and bushings on wing-mounted engines for cracks, wear and insufficient fit, and replacement of any cracked, worn or ill-fitting part. This action retains the same action required in AD 84- 23-06, but limits the applicability to the BN-2A Mk.111 series airplanes.
AMERICAN CHAMPION 7, 8 and 11 series airplanes (Docket No. 97-CE-79- AD) - proposes to require installing inspection holes on the top and bottom wing surfaces, repetitively inspecting the front and rear wood spars for damage, repairing or replacing any damaged wood spar and installing inspection covers. Damage is defined as cracks, compression cracks, longitudinal holes, or loose or missing rib nails. The proposed AD results from a review of the service history of the affected airplanes that incorporate wood wing spars.
FREDRICK ATWOOD was named avionics manager for Woodland Aviation. Atwood previously served as general manager for Bay Avionics for 17 years and has more than 30 years of experience in aviation electronics.
RAYTHEON COMPANY signed an agreement to sell its Raytheon Semiconductor business to Fairchild Semi-conductor Corp. of South Portland, Maine. for $120 million in cash. Raytheon Semiconductor has 421 employees in Mountain View and San Diego, Calif., and had revenues of approximately $70 million in 1996. Completion of the sale is expected by yearend.
DORNIER 228-100, 228-101, 228-200, 228-201, 228-202 and 228-212 airplanes (Docket NO. 97-CE-23-AD; Amdt. 39-10181; AD 97-22-09) - requires amending the limitations section of the pilot's operating handbook to prohibit the positioning of the power levers below the flight idle stop while the airplane is in flight. This amendment will include a statement of consequences if the limitation is not followed.
CCAIR improperly operated 21 flights with three Jetstream 31 aircraft in June 1995 without having inspected the windscreens of the aircraft under an effective airworthiness directive and should be fined $94,500, the Federal Aviation Administration said last week. The AD, which became effective in March 1995, requires airlines to visually inspect certain British Aerospace Jetstream aircraft for cracking of the poly vinyl butyrate interlayer of the left and right windscreens.
THIOKOL CORP., Ogden, Utah, completed its buy of 13 million shares of Howmet International Inc. common stock from an affiliate of The Carlyle Group for $183.8 million. The transaction increased Thiokol's stake in Greenwich, Conn.-based Howmet from 49 percent to 62 percent. Thiokol has a two-year option beginning December 1999 to acquire the remaining Howmet shares owned by Carlyle. James Wilson, chairman and chief executive of Thiokol, also will serve as chairman of Howmet. David Squier will continue to serve as president and CEO of Howmet.
THOMAS EASTLAND was appointed director of business development, Asia- Pacific, for Air Routing International's IATA Global Charge Program. Eastland, who has 25 years of sales and marketing experience, will market the program to airlines, ground handlers, fuel suppliers and airports.
CHRYSLER PENTASTAR AVIATION, in conjunction with the Professional Aviation Maintenance Association, is launching an annual scholarship program designed to recognize outstanding aviation maintenance technicians. Five scholarships valued at a total of $11,000 will be awarded to students attending the American Flight&Technology Center, Inc., in Waterford, Mich. Three $2,000 scholarships will be awarded to qualified candidates and two $2,500 scholarships awarded to women/minority candidates as part of Pentastar's existing women and minority training program.
The European Commission said last week it will impose stricter emission standards on jet aircraft engines beginning in 2000 despite work under way in the International Civil Aviation Organization on a universal approach. The directive prompted a charge by an industry representative in the U.S. that the EC was "acting against the Chicago Convention."
JEFF ELLSTON joined Jet 1 Center in Naples, Fla. as general manager. He has more than 20 years of fixed-base operation experience in line and customer service.
Los Angeles City Council members are expected to delay action on a controversial proposal to impose a Stage II non-addition rule at Van Nuys, Calif. Airport after the Los Angeles World Airports Board of Airport Commissioners last week recommended more time to study the issue. The City Council in late October drafted the proposal to impose the Stage II non- addition rule at the airport, allowing only a limited period for major repair or refurbishment (BA, Nov. 3/190). The proposal also would have extended the noise curfew on nighttime departures from 11 p.m.
HANNOVER FINANCE GROUP, in cooperation with another capital development company and TBG of Bonn, Germany, acquired a minority interest in Wankel Rotary GmbH of Stuttgart, Germany for $4.6 million, the engine manufacturer announced. Wankel will use the cash to develop prototypes and production engines. Most of Wankel's shares still will be held by Juergen Bax, president of the company.
TEXTRON, INC., acquired a Brazilian manufacturer of fasteners for $70 million. The company, Brazaco Mapri Industrias, S.A., makes automotive fasteners, specialty and standard screws and bolts and nuts and has annual sales of $100 million. Textron said the acquisition "further strengthens Textron Fastening systems' position as the world leader in engineered fastening systems.
THE FLORIDA AERO CLUB and seven of its local chapters made a $1,776 contribution to AOPA Legislative Action so the AOPA entity can "continue doing in Washington for general aviation what we could not accomplish alone," said FAC President Ralph Lewis. "We in Florida need outside help to prevent wanton destruction of our general aviation airports and protection from excessive federal tax proposals that would certainly kill general aviation nationwide."
