EUROCOPTER Model MBB-BK117 A-1, A-3, A-4, B-1, B-2 and C-1 helicopters (Docket No. 97-SW-15-AD; Amdt. 39-10153; AD 97-20-16) - supersedes an existing AD that requires initial and repetitive inspections of both surfaces of the tail boom vertical fin spar, the skin, and the left-hand and right-hand frame sheets for cracks or loose rivets.
Rep. William Lipinski (D-Ill.) Friday introduced legislation that he called a "marker" to spur the Federal Aviation Administration into issuing regulations requiring traffic alert and collision avoidance systems (TCAS II) in large cargo aircraft. In a letter Friday to FAA Administrator Jane Garvey, Lipinski said his legislation is "intended to serve as a 'marker.' It is a way of letting you know that if FAA does not act to resolve this issue, I will resolve it legislatively." Lipinski expressed frustration that FAA still has not acted on the issue.
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.
The Senate Commerce Committee last week passed legislation to authorize FAA's Research, Engineering and Development account at $229.7 million for fiscal 1998, establish a $750,000 grant program to use undergraduate and technical colleges for relevant research, and include a Sense of the Congress resolution on the need for FAA to immediately assess the year 2000 date-logic problem.
EMBRAER changed the marketing designation of the 50-passenger EMB-145 to the RJ145 because the EMB-145 does not show up on computer systems as a jet and competitive regional jets do. The Canadair Regional Jet appears on the CRS screens as the CRJ and the British Aerospace Avro RJ85/100 shows up as the ARJ.
Boeing will discontinue MD-80 and MD-90 production in mid-1999, when current purchase commitments end, but it will continue to produce the MD-11 and is committed to build at least 50 MD-95s for launch customer AirTran Airlines, Boeing Commercial President Ron Woodard said last week. The MD- 80/90 decision kills an aircraft dating from December 1965, when Boeing acquisition Douglas Aircraft delivered the first DC-9. It has been produced as the MD-80 derivative since September 1980. Douglas delivered 976 DC-9s, and as of Sept.
A THREE-JUDGE PANEL of the U.S. Court of Appeals heard arguments last week in the case arising from the federal government's Dec. 31 rules limiting commercial air tour overflights at Grand Canyon National Park. Several of the parties involved in the litigation asked the court to remand the rule back to the Interior Department and FAA for more work. See article below.
A federal government attorney told the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C. Thursday that FAA will delay implementation of flight-free zones over Grand Canyon National Park beyond Jan. 31, 1998, the second time the government has pushed back the implementation date since park overflight restrictions on commercial air tour operators were adopted Dec. 31, 1996. In February, FAA issued a final rule delaying until Jan. 31, 1998 implementation of the flight-free zones.
JOAN ZALESKI was promoted to branch manager of the St. Louis office for NationAir Insurance Agency. Zaleski, a 20-year aviation industry veteran, will be responsible for new business development in an eight-state area, overseeing all operations of the St. Louis branch.
Federal Aviation Administration last week agreed, at the urging of Rep. Frank Wolf (R-Va.), to bring in Mitre Corp. and work with the Transportation Inspector General in an attempt to resolve a bitter dispute with the National Air Traffic Controllers Association that threatens to delay further the Standard Terminal Automation Replacement System (STARS) program. Wolf, chairman of the House transportation appropriations subcommittee, wants FAA to report by Dec. 15 on progress in resolving cost, delay and human factors issues raised by the DOT IG and NATCA.
WOMEN IN AVIATION, INTERNATIONAL is seeking nominations for inductions in the 1998 Pioneer Hall of Fame. The induction ceremony will be held during the 9th Annual International Women in Aviation Conference March 12-14 at the Adam's Mark Hotel in Denver, Colo.
PILATUS Models PC-12 and PC-12/45 airplanes (Docket No. 97-CE-45-AD) - proposes to require inspecting the aileron tie-rod jam nuts for looseness, tightening any loose jam nuts, and installing a locking sleeve on both ends of the aileron tie-rod in the chain drive of the aileron system. The proposed AD stems from an incident in which the aileron tie-rod jam nuts on the chain-drive of the system became loose. This caused a differential of aileron control between the pilot's control wheel and the co-pilot's control wheel.
MCCAULEY PROPELLER SYSTEMS received FAA approval for 14 new supplemental type certificated Blackmac propeller kits for turbine and reciprocating engines. The kits are available for three Beech 99 series aircraft and for the Cheyenne III as well as for certain Raytheon Beech Debonair/Bonanza models powered by Continental O-470 and IO-470 engines, the Cessna R182, Mooney M20K and Piper PA-23-286.
Flow International Corp., Kent, Wash., signed contracts valued at more than $2.5 million to provide production systems for Aero-structures Corp., Nashville, Tenn., a major producer of wings for a variety of business aircraft. Flow's Robotics Division will provide two systems for the Nashville plant. One combines several functions, including the inspection of precision aluminum structures. The second system will drill and trim high- strength, lightweight composite structures.
Federal Aviation Administration will sponsor a forum Nov. 20 to discuss aviation-related environment issues. The FAA Office of Environment and Energy is developing a research agenda, "Environmental Research Beyond 2000," to identify and address environmental issues related to the industry including, but not limited to, noise and emissions. The office will present its preliminary research agenda at the meeting - scheduled for 9:30 a.m. to noon in Room 3246B at the Department of Transportation - where it also hopes to obtain information from the public.
THE INTERNATIONAL CIVIL AVIATION ORGANIZATION is holding the first World Conference of Directors General of Civil Aviation Authorities on Global Strategy for Safety Oversight Nov. 10-12 at ICAO headquarters in Montreal, Quebec. In addition to the safety oversight program, the conference will focus on the organizational and financial implications of the safety program, including the concept of safety oversight audits. For more information, contact ICAO's information office at (514) 954-8220.
Federal Aviation Administration, which in 1994 established an emergency Special Federal Aviation Regulation to impose more stringent standards on air tour operators in Hawaii (BA, Sept. 26, 1994/127), last week extended SFAR 71 for three more years pending the completion of a rulemaking effort to further regulate all air tour operators.
LADISH CO., Cudahy, Wis., was awarded ISO 9002 certification. Founded in 1905, Ladish manufactures high technology and engineered forgings for jet engine, aerospace, industrial gas turbine and other industrial markets.
TELEDYNE CONTINENTAL E-165, E-185, E-225, O-470 and IO-470 series reciprocating engines (Docket No. 97-ANE-39-AD; Amdt. 39-10155; AD 97-21- 02) - supersedes Priority Letter AD 97-15-01, which requires removal of affected cylinders from service and reassembly with serviceable parts. This action adds the latest revision to applicable Critical Service Bulletin (CSB), corrects references to parts of that CSB and lists a new contact telephone number to obtain the CSB from the manufacturer.
Nav Canada, the entity running the Canadian air traffic control system, reported revenues of C$242 million (U.S. $172.4 million) in the fourth quarter ended Aug. 31, 1997, including C$175 million in transition payments from the government and C$67 million in user charges. The transition payments are derived from the air transportation tax. Higher volumes of overflights and North Atlantic flights generated an increase of C$10 million over the previous quarter, Nav Canada officials said. Operating expenses for the quarter were C$167 million.
ASSOCIATED AIR CENTER opened an additional maintenance hangar at its Dallas Love Field facility. The 72,000-square-foot hangar will provide space for shipping and receiving, parts storage, non-destructive testing and inspection activities. In addition, the hangar bays can accommodate two transport category-size aircraft.
BARRY VALENTINE, who has served as acting administrator or deputy administrator at FAA since David Hinson stepped down last November, plans to leave the agency around the end of the year whether or not George Donohue has been confirmed as deputy administrator (BA, Oct. 27/177). Valentine, who joined FAA in March 1994 as assistant administrator for policy, planning and international aviation, took over as deputy administrator after Hinson left and served as acting administrator from Feb. 1 until Jane Garvey took office (BA, Jan.
AMERICAN HELICOPTER SOCIETY elected George Singley, acting director for Defense Research and Engineering, as chairman. Also elected were S. Michael Hudson, president and chief executive of Rolls-Royce Allison Engine Company, as president, and Dean Borgman, senior vice president and general manager of Boeing Mesa, as secretary-treasurer.
BRETT GRAVES joined Western Aircraft as parts sales representative. Graves, who previously spent nine years with Western as a parts sales supervisor, rejoins the company from Helicopter Maintenance Corp., where he was parts manager.
