FAA has been working with engine manufacturers to develop improved inspection techniques for high-energy turbine components in an attempt to find problems before they cause engine failures. Inspections using the new techniques are expected to begin in the first quarter. See article below.
BOMBARDIER REGIONAL AIRCRAFT DIVISION delivered Canadair Regional Jet Serial Number 200 in late October to Lufthansa CityLine, the airline that introduced the aircraft into service on Nov. 2, 1992. Lufthansa CityLine is the largest operator of the RJ in Europe, with 32 of the regional aircraft on order or in service.
The National Association of State Aviation Officials told the Federal Communications Commission last week it is "vehemently opposed" to an FCC proposal that would make it easier to build television broadcast towers, warning that the proposed rule "would significantly threaten the states' efforts to preserve the safety of the flying public."
Jules Rondepierre, former senior director of sales for Airbus North America, was named senior vice president for commercial sales by Brazilian manufacturer Embraer. Rondepierre will be based at the company's Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Embraer Aircraft Corp. subsidiary. Reporting to Rondepierre are Jim Beard, vice president-Europe, the Middle East and Africa, based in Paris; Mark Hale, vice president-the Americas; and, Peter Obeysekere, vice president-Asia and Australia. Beard recently joined Embraer from Saab, where he handled the American and Northwest accounts.
The Federal Aviation Administration said improved inspections of critical engine components such as turbine disks will begin on a "priority basis" in the first quarter of next year as part of an effort to significantly reduce the failure of high-energy components.
Federal Aviation Administration last week issued a final rule that allows it to collect fees for certification activities performed by FAA employees outside the U.S. The rule, proposed last summer (BA, July 21/29), calls for FAA to recover the "full costs" associated with certification-related services, including personnel compensation and benefits, travel and transportation costs as well as all direct costs. FAA said the fees will be estimated and agreed upon between FAA and the manufacturer before FAA provides services.
WORLD FUEL SERVICES CORP. board of directors approved a three-for-two stock split of the company's common stock. The company will issue one additional common share for every two common shares held by shareholders. The stock split will become effective Dec. 1 to shareholders of record Nov. 17. "This is the second three-for-two stock split of our common stock in the past two and a half years and represents a further attempt to create greater liquidity for our company's shares and make it more affordable to investors," said Chairman Ralph R. Weiser.
HOPING to capitalize on the successful fractional business jet ownership programs offered by Executive Jet and Business JetSolutions, ExcelAire Service, Inc. is offering to "fractionalize any size preowned business jet for its customers." ExcelAire, based at MacArthur Airport on Long Island, N.Y., operates five Gulfstreams, plus some smaller aircraft.
SIKORSKY Model S-61A, D, E, L, N, NM, R and V helicopters (Docket No. 96-SW-29-AD) - proposes to require a nondestructive inspection for cracks in the main rotor shaft, removal of any shaft with a crack and replacement with an airworthy shaft. This proposal also would require appropriate marking of shafts and log book entries by the operator to determine the shaft retirement life, and would establish a new retirement life for the shaft. This proposal is prompted by four reports of cracks occurring in helicopters that were used in repetitive external lift operations.
AIRCRAFT OWNERS AND PILOTS ASSOCIATION appointed Dennis Roberts vice president for government and technical affairs. Roberts, formerly director of the Colorado Department of Transportation's Division of Aeronautics, will oversee administration and management of AOPA's federal regulatory policy and regional affairs activities.
SHORT BROTHERS Model SD-3-60 series airplanes (Docket No. 97-NM-106- AD) - proposes to require repetitive inspections to detect corrosion and/or wear of the top and bottom shear decks of the left and right stub wings in the area of the forward pintle pin of the main landing gear and repair, if necessary. This proposal is prompted by issuance of mandatory continuing airworthiness information by a foreign civil airworthiness authority.
GALAXY AEROSPACE, which established its worldwide headquarters at the Fort Worth, Texas Alliance Airport in July, has a new mailing address: One Galaxy Way, Alliance Airport, Fort Worth, Texas 76177. The new telephone number is (817) 837-3700; fax, (817) 837-3723.
BOMBARDIER REGIONAL AIRCRAFT logged its first United Kingdom RJ customer when Maersk Air Ltd. of Birmingham, England agreed to buy three Canadair Regional Jet Series 200LR aircraft and took options on 12 more. Value of the three firm orders is approximately $64 million (U.S.). The aircraft on option are con-vertible between the 50-passenger Series 200 and the 70- passenger Series 700 models "in order to tailor the airline's fleet to Maersk's evolving market requirements," according to Bombardier Regional Aircraft Division.
Western Pacific's bankruptcy filing caused Mercury Air Group to report a net loss of more than $2 million for the three months ended Sept. 30, spoiling what the Los Angeles-based fuel supplier said would have been a record quarter.
Aviation industry leaders last week appealed to Los Angeles City Council members to defer a proposal to curtail Stage II aircraft activity at Van Nuys, Calif. Airport. The proposal, currently before the City Council's Commerce, Energy and Natural Resources Committee, would impose a non-addition rule on Stage II aircraft at the airport except under certain conditions, including a limited period for major repair or refurbishment. In addition, the proposal would extend the noise curfew on nighttime departures from 11 p.m. to 10 p.m.
DAVE FRANSON, the veteran aviation public affairs executive, joins Learjet in Wichita this week as director of public relations and communications for the Bombardier manufacturing unit where he will be responsible for both external and internal communications. Franson, who has been operating his own public relations and marketing consulting firm in Wichita for the past year, previously held senior posts with Cessna Aircraft, NBAA and AlliedSignal Aerospace (BA, Sept. 9, 1996/118).
TOM CHAPMAN, a 17-year veteran of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, plans to leave the association at the end of the year to become legislative counsel for Southwest Airlines. Chapman will open a Washington, D.C. office for Southwest and report to Ron Ricks, vice president-government affairs, who will continue to be based at Southwest's headquarters in Dallas, Texas. Joining Chapman in Washington will be Todd Rogers, Southwest's manager-government affairs, who will relocate from company headquarters in Dallas.
SEVERAL general aviation groups sent comments to the Federal Communications Commission last week protesting a proposed rule that would make it much more difficult to block construction of tall television broadcast towers that pose a threat to aircraft.
JET SUPPORT SERVICES, INC., Chicago, Ill., launched maintenance protection plans for Gulfstream IV-SP and Falcon 2000 business aircraft owners and operators. The Gulfstream ServiceCare and Falcon First plans cover costs associated with scheduled and unscheduled maintenance. The coverage includes every part, component, assembly and system, including engines, airframe, avionics and APU. It also provides for engine hot sections, overhauls, loaner engines, service bulletins and airworthiness directives.
JETCORP, St. Louis, Mo., won a contract from Tracor Systems Division to install avionics packages on ANG C-38A aircraft, the military derivative of the Astra SPX. The agreement covers two aircraft with options for an additional two. The avionics package includes a global positioning system, TACAN, Dual HF-9000, security system and medical evacuation system.
SIMUFLITE TRAINING INTERNATIONAL is offering advanced emergency skills training centered around crew and passenger human factors. The training is conducted by a team led by Beau Altman, a psychologist and president of HBAcorp/FACTS Training International, under an agreement with SimuFlite. Training takes place aboard two motion-based aircrew emergency simulators for cabin class and mid-size aircraft. Simulation capa-bilities include pitch and roll turbulence, cockpit and cabin fire and smoke, decompression, emergency landing and ditching scenarios.
RAYTHEON BAe 125-800A series airplanes and Hawker 800 series airplanes (Docket No. 95-NM-142-AD; Amdt. 39-10156; AD 97-21-03) - requires a detailed visual inspection of the fuel feed hose assemblies of the auxiliary power unit to detect overheating, degradation, proper routing and adequate clearance; and correction of any discrepancies found. This amendment also requires modification of the fuel feed hose of the APU. This amendment is prompted by reports of heat damage to the fuel feed hose assembly of the APU due to contact between the hose assembly and hot surfaces.
Kaman Aerospace Corp. last month rolled out the first of 10 SH-2G(E) Super Seasprite helicopters for Egypt in a program that company officials hope will double in size. Egypt is under contract through a foreign military sale through the U.S. Navy that is valued at more than $150 million by Kaman. Michael Bowes, Kaman Aerospace's vice president of engineering, said that Egypt will "probably need some more aircraft." He said "we're talking to them about a possible buy" of additional SH-2G(E)s. That purchase may total up to 10 more helicopters.
DAVID KLINCHUCH was appointed director of sales and marketing for Flight Visions. Klinchuch has 26 years of marketing experience, including 20 years marketing air traffic control development systems and air management systems with Eaton AIL.
