BOEING, General Electric and Executive Jet are holding a press conference in New York tomorrow at which they are expected to announce cooperation on a fractional aircraft ownership program for the Boeing Business Jet.BBJ President Borge Boeskov said a month ago that an announcement on Boeing's involvement in a fractional ownership effort was expected in the near future (BA, Sept. 22/119).
JEANNE MEADE joined the outside sales staff of DAC International, Inc. Meade, who has 10 years of avionics experience, will be responsible for DAC sales to avionics shops as well as to corporate and commuter aircraft customers. Before joining DAC, Meade served with Eventide Avionics and Technical Products Limited.
NATIONAL BUSINESS AVIATION ASSOCIATION is hosting a Part 135 Listening Session between Federal Aviation Administration representatives and operators Oct. 29 near Westchester County, N.Y. Airport. The forum will discuss concerns over Part 135 issues such as reduced vertical separation minimums, pilot record-sharing and bogus parts. The association also is holding a 1997 User Meeting Nov. 3-4 at the Holiday Inn Select at Orlando International Airport. The meeting is co-hosted by SunCoast Traffic Management Network and FAA.
HEATHER RASCH joined Sun Valley Aviation as aircraft sales associate. Rasch worked seasonally for Sun Valley for the past seven years as a customer service representative.
VISIONAIRE CORPORATION received its first contract from a customer in the United Kingdom for its Vantage, single-engine, all composite business jet. VisionAire said it has received orders for more than 100 aircraft from customers in 35 states and 10 foreign countries. The proof-of-concept prototype, which has been in test flight at Scaled Composites in Mojave, Calif., has made more than 70 flights and logged more than 135 hours. Vision-Aire also announced it intends to use SimCom Training Centers, Orlando, Fla., to provide training for the Vantage.
EUROPEAN CHARTER BUSINESS is booming, according to one charter broker who reported that September was the best month in the company's 30-year history. See article below.
Model MTV-3-B-C propellers (Docket No. 97-ANE-36-AD; Amdt. 39-10154; AD 97-21-01) - requires initial and repetitive dye penetrant or eddy current inspections for cracks in the propeller hub and rework of the propeller hub or replacement with a new model hub. This amendment is prompted by reports of cracks in the propeller flange area of the hub detected during overhaul. The actions specified in this AD are intended to prevent propeller hub cracks, which could result in propeller blade separation and possible loss of control of the aircraft.
Model TBM-700 airplanes (Docket No. 97-CE-15-AD; Amdt. 39- 10148; AD 97-20-11) - requires removing the main landing gear inboard doors and the door locking control mechanism (MOD 70-065-32). This AD is the result of an incident on one of the affected airplanes where the main landing gear inboard door locking hooks corroded, caused the doors to jam, and prevented the main landing gear from extending. FAA's analysis reveals that removing the main landing gear inboard doors will not cause any airplane safety or performance problems.
INVESTIGATION into the crash of a LongEZ homebuilt that killed veteran pilot and singer John Denver Oct. 12 continued last week near the site of the accident off the coast of Monterey, Calif. Denver had owned and flown a Model 35 Learjet (N31WS/S/N 35-027) for many years. He reportedly had purchased the experimental aircraft just days before the accident and was still getting familiar with the plane. FAA said Denver had been asked to surrender his medical certificate in March and was not considered to hold a valid medical at the time of the accident.
U.S. INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION is seeking input from industry and trade associations for its investigation of the global competitiveness of the U.S. large civil aircraft industry. The House Ways and Means Committee in August requested the investigation, The Changing Structure of the Global Large Civil Aircraft Industry and Market: Implications for Competitiveness of the U.S. Industry (Investigation No. 332-384). The report, due Nov. 18, 1998, will cover 1992 to the most recent data in 1997.
JAMES SIMISTER was promoted to vice president and general manager of McCauley Propeller Systems. Simister, who joined McCauley in September 1989 as plant superintendent, has served as manufacturing manager since February 1990. He replaced William Buckles, who retired.
JAMES ANDERSON joined Premier Turbine's sales and service staff for the Allison 250 line. Anderson, who most recently served with Agusta Aerospace Corp., will be based in Philadelphia and cover the Northeast region.
A new health and monitoring system (HUMS) installed on a Sikorsky S- 76C+ helicopter has won certification by British and Norwegian civil aviation authorities. Manufactured by GEC Marconi, the system was delivered to Norsk Helikopter AS of Sola, Norway, which operates an S-76C+ in offshore oil service. The system is an adaptation of a similar GEC HUMS previously installed on S-76A+ and S-76C aircraft. The latest version is designed for the S-76C+'s Turbomeca Arriel 2S1 engines, which have full authority digital engine controls.
HAMMONDS FUEL ADDITIVES, INC. is offering a free Fuel Facts laminated card that provides "at-a-glance" measurements, ratios and weights for various fuels, along with a guide to various types of fuel additives. To request a Fuel Facts card, call Hammonds at (800) 548-9166 or fax mailing information to (281) 847-5129.
Model ATR-42 series airplanes (Docket No. 97-NM-161-AD) - proposes to require removal of certain landing gear attachment pins, and replacement of the pins with serviceable pins. This proposal is prompted by issuance of mandatory continuing airworthiness information by a foreign civil airworthiness authority. The actions specified by the proposed AD are intended to prevent wear of the attachment pins, which could result in collapse of the main landing gear.
THE SENATE COMMERCE COMMITTEE last week approved the recommendation to reconfirm three National Transportation Safety Board members - George Black, John Hammerschmidt and Chairman Jim Hall. Hammerschmidt told the panel that the board's recommendation asking FAA to examine the effectiveness of enhanced ground proximity warning systems was one of the two most important safety recommendations made during his tenure; the other was a call for sharper action against drunk driving.
NATIONAL AIR TRANSPORTATION ASSOCIATION will hold its Air Charter Leadership Conference Dec. 3-5 at the Marriott Sawgrass Resort, Ponte Vedra, Fla. The conference, which will focus on strategic future issues, will discuss marketing operations, aircraft maintenance, the economy, personnel, technological and airline competition, and government regulation. Registration costs $495. For information, contact Cindy Aloise at (800) 808-6282.
A proposed bill restricting the use of foreign repair stations is unnecessary because remaining issues will be addressed in a rulemaking, Guy Gardner, Federal Aviation Administration associate administrator for regulation and certification, told the House Transportation aviation subcommittee last week. The bill, H.R.145, would limit work on U.S.
GEORGE DONOHUE'S NOMINATION as deputy FAA administrator, already firmly mired in limbo, received another setback last week when Sen. Bill Frist (R- Tenn.) put a hold on the nomination.Frist, a member of the Commerce Committee and its aviation subcommittee, is angry that Transportation Secretary Rodney Slater has not replied to his request for slots at two high-density airports by two carriers that want to serve them from Tennessee points.
VERTICAL AVIATION TECHNOLOGIES, Sanford, Fla., delivered a Sikorsky S-55T helicopter modified with a Garrett TSE-331 powerplant derated to 650 shaft horsepower to Lockheed Martin. The helicopter, which was flown from Sanford to Fairbanks, Alaska, was modified to provide hot day/high altitude performance with a 3,400-pound payload and 340-nautical mile range.
The House aviation leadership last week introduced legislation that would provide relief for on-demand air charter operators from provisions of the Pilot Records Improvement Act of 1996. House aviation subcommittee Chairman John Duncan (R-Tenn.) authored H.R.2626, which allows on-demand carriers to hire a pilot for up to 90 days on an interim basis while collecting the background information required under the Pilot Records Improvement Act.
EMBRAER was busy making news at last week's European Regions Airline Association 1997 General Assembly in Baveno, Italy. The Brazilian manufacturer announced Flandre Air as the launch customer for the 37- passenger EMB-135, a derivative of the 50-passenger EMB-145 regional jet. Flandre Air, an affiliate of Air Liberte, placed firm orders for eight aircraft plus 12 options. Wexford Management LLC of Greenwich, Conn., ordered 20 the the 45-passenger EMB-145s, with options for an additional 20.
NEW PIPER AIRCRAFT reached an agreement to sell 15 Archer III aircraft to Airline Training Center Arizona (ATCA) for its ab initio training program. Deliveries of the Archer IIIs are slated to begin in January. The order follows the sale of three Piper Seneca Vs in June to ATCA, a Lufthansa German Airlines company based in Phoenix, Ariz.
AFRICAN OPERATOR Midroc Aviation reached agreement with Bombardier Regional Aircraft Division for the acquisition of two de Havilland Dash 8Q Series 200 aircraft and took an option on a third plane. Value of the firm aircraft is approximately $26 million (U.S.), with deliveries scheduled for December and January. The aircraft will be convertible to all-passenger, cargo/passenger, medevac and VIP configurations. Midroc also has purchased containerized/palletized systems for their aircraft in the cargo holds.
The House and Senate Thursday cleared the fiscal 1998 transportation appropriations bill, which provides $9.08 billion for the Federal Aviation Administration, requires the agency to certify it is processing requests for pilot records within 30 days, but drops earlier provisions to allow closure of Richards-Gebaur Airport in Kansas City, Mo. and Bader Field in Atlantic City, N.J.
