Allegheny Teledyne, Inc., whose Teledyne Continental Motors (TCM) unit builds piston engines for general aviation aircraft, said it agreed to acquire a controlling interest in Aerotronics Controls, Inc., which it described as "a Connecticut-based startup company specializing in the design, development and production of electronic engine controls and management systems for piston aircraft engines." Allegheny Teledyne said the micro controller-based products under development by ACI "are designed to modernize the engine management systems of both new and existing piston-
PROFESSIONAL AVIATION MAINTENANCE ASSOCIATION relocated its national headquarters to: 636 Eye Street, N.W., Suite 300, Washington, D.C. 20001- 3736; telephone: (202) 216-9220; fax: (202) 216-9224.
Bridgestone Corp., the Tokyo-based tire manufacturer, acquired the principal business assets of Thompson Aerospace Inc., Miami, Fla., from London-based investor Rene Charvillat, the companies said last week. Terms were not disclosed. Thompson, founded in San Francisco in 1933, was the first aircraft tire retreading company and markets primarily to the airline industry. Since 1979 it has been the exclusive distributor of new aircraft tires for Bridgestone in North and South America. Charvillat acquired control of Thompson in 1992.
BOEING BUSINESS JETS said it received four new orders for its 737-700 business jet derivative, boosting total orders for the aircraft to 29, according to BBJ Vice President Tom Lindberg at the Dubai Air Show in the United Arab Emirates. Boeing did not identify the new customers, but said approximately 40 percent of the BBJ orders have been placed by U.S.-based customers. Another 25 percent of the current BBJ customer base is in the Middle East.
THE PRINCIPAL COMPETITORS in the market for very long-range business jets announced orders or potential agreements for some two dozen aircraft at last week's Dubai Air Show.See articles below.
Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. and Executive Jet signed letters of intent "with a group of Middle East investors" for the purchase of up to 12 Gulfstream IV-SP aircraft over the next six years that will be used in a fractional ownership program in the Middle East, the companies said. Gulfstream and Executive Jet, which previously announced orders for 29 Gulfstream IV-SPs for the companies' joint Gulfstream Shares fractional ownership program in the U.S.
CAROLYN WILLIAMSON has joined Women in Aviation, International as vice president. Williamson will act as managing editor of the WAI magazine, coordinate development of the association's chapter program and assist in planning the annual conference. She previously served as director of membership and marketing for the University Aviation Association.
Summary: Pursuant to FAA's rulemaking provisions governing the application, processing, and disposition of petitions for exemption (14 CFR Part 11), this notice contains a summary of certain petitions seeking relief from specified requirements of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR Chapter I), dispositions of certain petitions previously received, and corrections. The purpose of this notice is to improve the public's awareness of, and participation in, this aspect of FAA's regulatory activities.
NATIONAL COALITION FOR AVIATION EDUCATION elected its 1998 board of directors. Bridgette Mikula, of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association, was named chair; Robert Colby, of the Naval Sea Cadets, is vice chair; Kelli Creamer, of the Aerospace Education Foundation is secretary; and, Norm Mowbray, of the Helicopter Association International, is treasurer.
GE Engine Services, which recently acquired several engine overhaul businesses including Garrett Aviation Services (GAS) (BA, Sept. 8/101), has named GE veteran Ron Frederick to head the Garrett operation.
SHORT BROTHERS Model SD-3-30 series airplanes (Docket No. 97-NM-220- AD; Amdt. 39-10164; AD 97-21-11) - requires a one-time inspection to measure the depth of the skin flutes of the skin panels of the rudder and elevators and repair, if necessary. This amendment is prompted by reports indicating that, due to a manufacturing process error, the depth of certain skin flutes of the rudder and elevators is less than the design specification.
ROBINSON Model 44 helicopters (Docket No. 97-SW-01-AD) - proposes to require removing and replacing the cyclic control pilot's grip assembly with an airworthy grip assembly. This proposal is prompted by a report of a crack in the welded corner of a grip assembly. The actions specified by the proposed AD are intended to prevent use of a grip assembly that may crack resulting in failure of the grip assembly and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter. Comments on the proposal must be sent in triplicate before Dec.
TRIUMPH GROUP, INC., Wayne, Pa., commenced a public offering Thursday of just over two million shares of its common stock at $33 per share. Net proceeds, expected to be approximately $62.3 million, will be used to repay indebtedness.
THE FIRST Cessna Citation Excel to be completed on the final assembly line rolled out Friday in Wichita and officials said the program remains on target to win FAA certification in January. Two Excel prototypes engaged in certification flight testing were built using production tooling, but the aircraft featured in ceremonies Friday was the first to move through each step of the final assembly line.
Northwest Airline operator Mesaba Airlines converted options to firm orders for 19 new Saab 340B Plus and three pre-owned 340A regional turboprops. Mesaba in March 1996 originally ordered 30 340B Plus aircraft and 20 used 340As with options for 10 more 340B Plus and 12 used 340A aircraft. This latest order changes the options mix to mostly new aircraft with only three of the 340As.
Air traffic controllers in India, who began a go-slow protest Nov. 1, threatened to add periodic work stoppages if their demands for higher wages are not met. The slowdown has caused flight delays of up to three hours, and the controllers' proposed "direct action" would stop work totally for four one-hour periods per day. "We plan to switch off the radar systems during those times," a spokesman for the Indian Air Traffic Controllers Guild said, observing that busy airports like Mumbai and Delhi handle as many as 50 aircraft movements per hour at peak times.
RAYTHEON Model DH.125-400A; BH.125-400A and -600A; HS.125-600A and -700A; BAe 125-800A and Hawker 800 and 800XP series airplanes, including military variants (Docket No. 96-NM-274-AD; Amdt. 39-10158; AD 97-21-05) - requires a one-time inspection to determine if certain high-pressure oxygen hose assemblies are installed, and, if installed, replacement with new, improved hose assemblies.
RAYTHEON AIRCRAFT SERVICES in Chester, England won a long-term maintenance contract from Cassovia Air of the Slovak Republic. The contract covers maintenance for Cassovia Air's Hawker 800XP over the next four years. The aircraft, based in Kosice, originally was expected to accumulate nearly 300 flight hours annually, but has surpassed that in its first five months of service, Raytheon officials noted. Cassovia Air operates the Hawker for its parent company VSZ, a major steel company. Cassovia Air also operates a Beech King Air.
NORTHSTAR AVIONICS said its M3 GPS Approach 12-channel receiver was included on the recommended equipment list for American Champion aircraft. Northstar, based in Acton, Mass., is a subsidiary of Canadian Marconi Company Electronics, which designs, manufactures and sells electronics and avionics.
GENERAL ELECTRIC CT58 series turboshaft engines (Docket No. 97-ANE-18- AD; Amdt. 39-10161; AD 97-21-08) - requires removal from service of certain Stage 1 and 2 forward cooling plates and Stage 2 aft cooling plates, and replacement with serviceable parts. This amendment is prompted by reports of certain cooling plates forged with contaminated alloy that could reduce the lives of the parts. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent cooling plate fracture, which could result in a contained engine failure and an inflight engine shutdown.
NATIONAL AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS ASSOCIATION expanded its bargaining unit by approximately 10 percent when FAA engineers voted to join the union. NATCA said more than 55 percent of the 1,150 engineers eligible voted and 498 of the 639 votes counted were cast in favor of representation by NATCA.
Banner Aerospace this month reported net income of $2.4 million for the second quarter of fiscal 1998, a 41 percent increase over the $1.7 million in net income in the same period in fiscal 1997. Sales for the second quarter ended Sept. 30, 1997 grew to $123 million, up from the $84 million in the same period a year earlier. For the six months ended Sept. 30, 1997, Banner said net income rose to $5.6 million, or 24 cents per share, compared with $3 million, or 13 cents per share, in the same period a year earlier.
LOCKHEED Model 382 series airplanes (Docket No. 97-NM-08-AD; Amdt. 39- 10155; AD 97-21-13) - requires revising the airplane flight manual to prohibit the positioning of the power levers below the flight idle stop. This amendment is prompted by incidents and accidents involving airplanes equipped with turboprop engines in which the propeller beta was used improperly during flight.
ORGANIZERS of GA Team 2000, the industry-wide learn-to-fly promotional program, are encouraged by the continuing rise in the number of student pilots beginning training. Student starts were up 7.9 percent through September, compared with the same period in 1996. The nine-month increase contrasts with declines of 7.4 percent and 6.7 percent, respectively, in 1996 and 1995.
FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION issued Advisory Circular 27-1A, Certification of Normal Category Rotorcraft, containing a number of revisions since the circular was originally published in 1985. The new material is part of an effort to provide national standardization for rotorcraft certification and has been harmonized with the Joint Aviation Authority, FAA said. Copies can be ordered for $57 from the Superintendent of Documents, Mail Stop: SSOP, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402.
