NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD dispatched an accident investigation "go team" to Colorado Thursday even before the wreckage of a Scenic Airlines Cessna Caravan was found about 20 miles west of Montrose, Colo. The charter flight was being flown by one pilot and carrying eight Interior Department employees, and all perished. The aircraft was on a flight from western Colorado to Page, Ariz. when the accident occurred.
2000 series airplanes (Docket No. 97-NM-126-AD) - proposes to require an inspection of the two-way check valve on the engine fire extinguishing system for discrepancies, and corrective action, if necessary. This proposal is prompted by issuance of mandatory continued airworthiness information by a foreign civil airworthiness authority. The actions specified by the proposed AD are intended to prevent discrepancies of the check valve, which could result in improper functioning of the engine fire extinguishing system.
Model F-28A, F-28C, 280 and 280C helicopters (Docket No. 96- SW-31-AD; Amdt. 39-10142; AD 97-20-04) - requires an inspection of the voltage control system and an owner/operator cockpit check of the amperage of the electrical system. If certain Prestolite-manufactured components are installed, additional tests and actions are required before further flight and at each pre-flight run-up and annual inspection thereafter. This action also provides a terminating action by replacing the existing voltage control system with a transistorized system.
The National Air Transportation Association and the United States Air Tour Association sent letters to House and Senate leaders last week voicing their strenuous opposition to a proposal to ban helicopter sightseeing tours within the District of Columbia.
Model 214ST helicopters (Docket No. 94-SW-28-AD; Amdt. 39-10129; AD 97-19-09) - requires creation of a component history card or equivalent recording using a Retirement Index Number (RIN) system; establishes a system for tracking increases to the accumulated RIN; and establishes a maximum accumulated RIN for the pillow block bearing bolts.
CUSTOMER SATISFACTION apparently is no longer a lofty enough target for AlliedSignal executives. Robert D. Johnson, just named president of a newly consolidated avionics and electronics unit, said in a prepared statement announcing the organizational changes that, "Our ability to delight our customers will greatly improve with this shift from internally focused product enterprises to externally focused business enterprises." See article below.
ROHR, INC. said a lawsuit was filed against the company, its board of directors and The BFGoodrich Co., arising from the recently announced merger agreement between the two companies (BA, Sept. 29/135). Rohr said the class action suit was filed in California Superior Court in San Diego and alleges that Rohr and its board breached their fiduciary duties by entering into the merger agreement. Rohr said it believes the lawsuit is "without merit" and plans to defend the action "vigorously."
ASSOCIATED AVIATION UNDERWRITERS is offering a new insurance product, ManagAir, for fractional ownership and managed aircraft operators. "The success of new alternatives for aircraft ownership and operation has created the need for a new program to satisfy both risk management and business requirements, and to reward safety," said Daniel Izard, president and chief executive of AAU.
Detroit Metropolitan will be the first U.S. airport to receive the full scale development (FSD) version of Northrop Grumman's Airport Movement Area Safety System (AMASS). The company's Norden Systems has delivered subsystems to the airport authority for the first FSD version of the automated conflict alerting system. The system is designed to monitor airport surface traffic continuously and alert controllers automatically to potential conflicts.
Innotech Aviation, Montreal, will acquire Pacific Avionics and Instruments Ltd., Vancouver, British Columbia, and operate it as a division of its western base, also in Vancouver, the company said. Pacific provides avionics installation, integration and support services to corporate, regional and military operators, and Innotech believes the acquisition will broaden its own avionics design and installation capabilities and complement its alliance with Airpro Interior Products of Abbotsford, B.C.
UPS's Independent Pilots Association rejected the company's "last, best, final" contract offer Wednesday by a vote of 1,861 to 39. UPS said it was disappointed with the vote but would be ready to resume talks next year with a federal mediator or submit remaining issues to binding arbitration. IPA said it is not interested in starting negotiations again in 1998.
TIM ARCHER was appointed vice president-sales and marketing for Electrosystems. Archer, who will be based in Fort Deposit, Ala., will be responsible for sales, marketing and advertising. He formerly was senior director of marketing at Teledyne Continental Motors.
Two days after AlliedSignal announced a company-wide restructuring, the corporation said it is combining its avionics and electronics businesses into a single operating unit with headquarters in Olathe, Kan. The new business unit, called AlliedSignal Electronics and Avionics Systems (EAS), will generate about $1.3 billion in revenues annually, the company said.
Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, soon to merge, are teaming up to pursue FAA's new Air Traffic Control Beacon Interrogator (ATCBI-6) contract, for which the agency is expected to issue a request for proposals early this month. The agency plans to issue a contract in mid-1998. FAA has identified a need for 127 monopulse secondary surveillance radars (MSSRs) with selective interrogation capabilities to replace 25-year-old beacon interrogator equipment.
FAA IS DELAYING until March 1 the imposition of overflight fees for flights between points in Canada that transit U.S. airspace. The fees were to be charged starting Oct. 1. FAA said the change is necessary to avoid disruptions of air traffic patterns along the U.S.-Canadian border and to "preserve current operational control relationships with Canadian air traffic authorities."
DAVID MONTGOMERY was named director of manufacturing operations for Smiths Industries Aerospace's Clearwater, Fla. manufacturing plant. Montgomery will oversee assembly, test, production control, engineering and facilities management. Before joining Smiths Industries in 1996, Montgomery served as operations manager at Honeywell/Group Technologies.
MARC FRUCHTER AVIATION signed an agreement to add a Westwind to its Part 135 charter fleet. The Reading, Pa.-based on-demand operator expects the aircraft to receive authorization for operation under its certificate and to be available for charter in December. Marc Fruchter said the arrangement was "slightly unusual" for the charter firm because it owns most the aircraft it operates, but will manage this particular aircraft. Marc Fruchter also operates two Beechjet 400As, two Beech King Air 200s and a Beech King Air C90 turboprop.
AlliedSignal Aerospace expects to win FAA certification in the first quarter of 1998 for a new version of its Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System (EGPWS) designed for customers who operate older aircraft with analog avionics systems. The EGPWS can display nearby terrain and provide much earlier terrain warnings than traditional ground proximity warning systems (GPWS). The expanded system currently is certified for use on several business aircraft with digital avionics.
BOEING COMMERCIAL AIRPLANE GROUP will not send any new 737-700 aircraft to final assembly for the next 25 days and is halting production of the 747 for 20 manufacturing days as the company struggles to cope with parts shortages resulting from major production rate increases. "Boeing has been going through all the growth pains associated with ramping up from a production schedule of 18 airplanes per month just 18 months ago to 40 planes per month today," said President Ron Woodard.
Arinc and Mitre have formed SkySource, a company that will provide a "single, integrated source of aeronautical information that will facilitate collaboration" between airspace users and FAA, the companies said Wednesday at the Air Traffic Control Association annual meeting in Washington, D.C. They said the new company, welcomed by several industry leaders, will be instrumental in developing the Free Flight regime. Mitre is setting up a separate affiliate to participate in SkySource.
2000 series airplanes (Docket No. 96-NM-167-AD; Amdt. 39-10099; AD 97-16-07) - requires replacement of the existing fire, tailpipe and bleed-air overheat detector control units with new, improved units. This amendment is prompted by reports indicating that false engine and auxiliary power unit fire warnings were issued from the fire detector control units due to moisture or induced voltages of the detector control unit. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent such false fire warnings, which could result in unnecessary diversion of the airplane.
MILLER AVIATION is offering U.S. Customs service on site at its Binghamton, N.Y. Regional Airport terminal. The Binghamton Regional Airport is providing the service, available to all inbound or outbound flights. The U.S. Customs office is open from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and is on-call during non-office hours seven days a week.
BBA GROUP PLC formed Aviation Services Group, which consists of Signature Flight Support, Dallas Airmotive and International Turbine Services, Inc. Richard (Dick) Dodson, Signature president, was named president and chief executive of the new business unit.
