Fred Breidenbach, president and chief operating officer (COO) of Gulfstream Aerospace and the man responsible for getting the Gulfstream V business jet into production, resigned last week, saying he is looking forward "to pursuing other business interests and to spending some more time with my family."
Mercury Air Group acquired Stevens Aviation's fixed-base operation at the Nashville, Tenn. International Airport (BNA) for $4.2 million in cash. The acquisition includes more than 100,000 square feet of hangar space, another 10,000 square feet of office space and a 5,150-square-foot terminal on 39 acres. Under a sublease with Mercury, Stevens will continue to provide avionics, aircraft maintenance, charter and aircraft sales at the FBO.
The Senate last week sought up to a six-month reprieve for Part 135 on-demand operators from pilot record-sharing requirements while the Federal Aviation Administration works out problems the operators have experienced complying with the requirements. The language was added to the Senate fiscal 1998 transportation appropriations bill, S.1048, which was adopted by the Senate 98-1 Wednesday. The amendment, sponsored by Sen.
Frank Wisekal, a 40-year aviation industry veteran, retired as vice chairman of Dassault Falcon Jet. Wisekal served with Dassault Falcon Jet for 17 years, joining the company in April 1980 as senior vice president, finance and administration. He was promoted to president and chief executive officer in January 1993 and served in that capacity until he retired from active service in December 1994 and became vice chairman.
The French Socialist government insists it wants Aerospatiale to remain state-controlled, contradicting the demands of potential French and European allies. France's Defense Minister Alain Richard said that the new government still wanted to link Aerospatiale with private manufacturer Dassault Aviation. But "the government hopes to convince Dassault Aviation that this linking of forces can take place while keeping Aerospatiale in the public sector" said Richard in an interview published by the daily newspaper Le Monde of July 25.
INSURANCE CONGLOMERATE American Eagle Group reorganized its board and management after plans to sell the aviation insurance business failed and the Texas Department of Insurance issued an order that placed American Eagle Insurance Company in conservation. American Eagle Group eliminated its general counsel position following the July 31 resignation of Frederick Anderson, senior vice president/general counsel. In addition American Eagle directors Joseph Grant, Keith Hughes, James Maser and Elvis Mason have resigned and Howard Putnam was elected to the board.
WOMEN IN AVIATION, INTERNATIONAL, which began during the March 1995 Women in Aviation Conference, has reached the 2,000-member mark. The organization, which has doubled in size over the past year, represents all segments of the aviation industry. Approximately 40 percent of WAI's members are pilots, but the organization also includes aeronautical engineers, business owners, air traffic controllers, airport managers, aviation maintenance technicians, educators and students, flight attendants and aviation association executives.
Reciprocating engines (Docket No. 97-ANE-26-AD; Amdt. 39- 10085; AD 97-15-11) - supersedes an existing AD that requires removal from service of defective piston pins, and replacement with serviceable parts. This amendment adds affected engine models that may have defective piston pins installed and references a revised service bulletin. This amendment is prompted by the determination that additional engine models may have defective piston pins installed. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent piston pin failure and engine failure.
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF STATE AVIATION OFFICIALS selected Paul Poberezny, founder and chairman of the Experimental Aircraft Association, as the recipient of NASAO'S first National Award of Excellence. The award, which was scheduled for presentation yesterday during EAA's 45th annual convention in Oshkosh, Wis., was established this year as the "highest honor NASAO can bestow upon an individual who has demonstrated leadership and initiative while providing outstanding contributions that have significantly altered and enhanced the field of aviation."
LEO LOUDENSLAGER, 53, who won multiple national and international aerobatic championships, died July 28 in a Nashville, Tenn. hospital. The popular air show performer succumbed to injuries suffered a month earlier when a vehicle crossed the center line and collided head-on with the motorcycle he was operating. Loudenslager was a senior captain at American Airlines and also served as an officer of the International Council of Air Shows.
Acting FAA Administrator Barry Valentine last week signed a new rule permitting the use of single-engine aircraft in Part 135 passenger-carrying operations under instrument flight rules. The rule, which could be published as soon as this week in the Federal Register, is expected to allow commercial single-engine IFR (SEIFR) operations for both turbine and piston aircraft. The final version, however, is said to contain a number of conditions for the use of single-engine, piston-powered aircraft such as engine reliability and trend monitoring requirements.
UNC Inc., Annapolis, Md., said earnings for the first half of the year were up sharply over the same period in 1996. Net earnings applicable to common stock were up 99 percent in the second quarter to $2.5 million, or 13 cents per share, compared with $1.3 million, or seven cents per share, a year ago. Revenues for the second quarter jumped 52 percent to $275.9 million.
THE SENATE transportation appropriations bill, approved last week, includes language that would allow the sponsors of Bader Field in Atlantic City and Richards-Gebaur Airport in Kansas City to close the facilities and use or dispose of the properties free of the usual conditions and grant assurances.
The House and Senate last week approved a 10-year continuation of the aviation excise taxes as part of the Budget Reconciliation Act of 1997. The provisions adopted will retain the fuel taxes at the current rate - 15 cents per gallon for aviation gasoline and 17.5 cents per gallon for jet fuel - and transfer the receipts of the 4.3 cents-per-gallon deficit reduction tax into the aviation trust fund.
Model P-180 airplanes (Docket No. 96-CE-56-AD; Amdt. 39-10088; AD 97-15-14) - requires inspecting for cracks around the vertical pin and the torque tube bottom flange of the rudder, and the fasteners that connect the torque tube to the bottom flange. If cracks are not found, the AD requires repetitive inspection at 100-hour intervals until they are visible. If cracks are evident, this action requires modification of the rudder torque tube bottom flange assembly by replacing the cracked part with an improved part, terminating the repetitive inspections.
FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION is conducting inspections under the National Aviation Safety Inspection Program on all carriers that came under Part 121 in the past five years. This NASIP round began in March - when Part 135 scheduled carriers operating aircraft with 10 or more seats were required to transition to Part 121 standards - and the agency hopes to complete the program by the transition's first anniversary.
THE MERGER of McDonnell Douglas into Boeing became official Aug. 1. Each McDonnell Douglas shareholder will receive 1.3 shares of Boeing common stock for each share of McDonnell Douglas stock held, a transaction valued at $16.3 billion. Company officials are expected to outline plans for the merged operations and unveil a new corporate identity program Monday in Washington, D.C.
AIRCRAFT OWNERS AND PILOTS ASSOCIATION warns that aircraft flying over portions of Alaska may be seized by Alaska Board of Fish and Game officials enforcing a prohibition on use of aerial "fish spotters" to locate salmon in Bristol Bay north of the Alaskan peninsula.
K-C AVIATION'S facility in Westfield, Mass. completed its first installation of a Honeywell MCS-6000 satellite communications (SATCOM) system on a Canadair Challenger 601-3A. The system includes a Magnastar six-channel digital radiotelephone interface, which will allow SATCOM to provide worldwide voice, facsimile and personal computer data communication capabilities. "This installation is important because it significantly expands our avionics installation capabilities at our Westfield facility," said Brian Hoffman, K-C Aviation's Westfield facility manager.
FRASCA INTERNATIONAL received an order from Western Michigan University for two Frasca Model 242 Seneca flight training devices (FTD) configured with two window visual systems and enclosed instructor cabs. Western Michigan, Battle Creek, Mich., also owns a Model 142. The new FTDs will be delivered in early 1998. In addition, Pilatus ordered a Frasca Model PC-9 FTD for the Croatian Air Force. Pilatus will provide an actual aircraft cockpit section for the FTD, with avionics including a Bendix King EFIS 40 system, KLN 900 GPS, and full simulator data package.
THE SENATE Thursday confirmed the nomination of Jane Garvey as FAA Administrator. Garvey, currently acting Federal Highway administrator, could be sworn in early this week. Once that happens, Barry Valentine, who has been acting FAA administrator since early this year, will become acting deputy administrator, and Monte Belger, who has been the acting deputy, will return to his previous assignment as associate administrator for air traffic services (BA, Jan. 27/38).
BOEING conducted a successful first flight of the initial 737-800 July 31. At 129.5 feet, the -800 is the longest version of the 737 ever built. Last week's first flight came less than six months after the 737-700 began flying.
NATIONAL CIVIL AVIATION REVIEW COMMISSION completed its draft recommendations for future funding of the Federal Aviation Administration, maintaining that general aviation should contribute through the fuel tax and that air taxis also should contribute through the fuel tax rather than the passenger ticket tax (BA, June 9/256).
Jetstream Model 4101 airplanes (Docket No. 97-NM- 137-AD; Amdt. 39-10090; AD 97-16-01) - requires repetitive detailed visual inspections for cracks of the shear cleats of the roller guide structural support of the passenger door, and replacement of any cracked shear cleat with a new shear cleat. This action also provides for an optional modification that constitutes a terminating action for the repetitive inspections. This amendment is prompted by a report indicating that fatigue cracking was found in the roller guide shear cleats of the passenger door.
