THE PILLSBURY COMPANY, which has cooperated with the Corporate Angel Network since 1986 in providing free plane transportation for cancer patients traveling to and from medical treatment centers, was selected as the winner in a drawing designed to recognize and encourage the growth of flight department participation in the CAN program. Noted aviation artist Peter Westacott will travel from his home in the United Kingdom to the Pillsbury flight department in Minneapolis, Minn., to plan his painting of one of the company's corporate aircraft.
NATIONAL AIR TRANSPORTATION ASSOCIATION last week wrote both Senate Finance Committee Chairman William Roth (R-Del.) and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Bill Archer (R-Texas) in support of the House aviation tax plan that would reduce the passenger ticket tax from 10 percent to 7.5 percent and assess $3-per-passenger tax (BA, June 30/291). The House tax plan, included in the budget reconciliation bill, also would increase the international departure tax to $15.50 and add an arrivals tax of $15.50.
TUPOLEV-THE MAN AND HIS AIRCRAFT was co-published by the Society of Automotive Engineers and Airlife Publishing Ltd. Written by Andrei Kandalov and Paul Duffy, the book focuses on the aircraft designs of Andrei Nikolaevich Tupolev, the noted Russian aircraft pioneer. The book, Order No. R-173, is available for $29.00 from SAE, Dept. 2786, 400 Commonwealth Drive, Warrendale, Pa. 15096-0001. Call (412) 776-4970 for information.
THE ARCHER PLAN also was preferable to the seven major U.S. airlines, which last week rallied at the U.S. Capitol with placards and buttons pleading "Ax the Travel Tax" and "Fare Taxes Should Be Fair Taxes." The airlines estimate the Senate version would increase taxes on international travel by more than $4 billion. The seven major airlines also favor the House bill because it would shift the tax burden on domestic travel toward low-fare carriers. House and Senate negotiators Friday began to hash out the differences in their respective budget reconciliation bills.
GULFSTREAM business jet operators who visit Gulfstream Aerospace headquarters in Savannah, Ga. for training or maintenance will have a new place to stay beginning in the spring of 1999. Westin Hotels&Resorts broke ground last month for the Westin Savannah Harbor Resort, a 403-room, luxury golf and spa hotel that will overlook the Savannah River. The new Westin is being built adjacent to the 345,000-square-foot Georgia International Maritime&Trade Center, also scheduled to open in the spring of 1999.
FOKKER Model F28 Mark 0100 series airplanes (Docket No. 96-NM-154-AD; Amdt. 39-10051; AD 97-13-05) - requires loosening certain nuts on the horizontal stabilizer control unit (HSCU) to reduce stress on bolts; a one- time inspection of certain bolts on the HSCU to detect cracking and replacement, if necessary; application of corrosion protections to these bolts; and reassembly and reidentification of the modified HSCU.
EAGLE USA AIRFREIGHT opened new terminal facilities in Boise, Idaho, Harrisburg, Pa., Reno, Nev., and South Bend, Ind., bringing to 56 the number of company-owned terminals in the U.S., Puerto Rico, Canada and Mexico. Eagle, based in Houston, Texas, is an international air freight forwarder.
BUSINESS JETSOLUTIONS signed an agreement with FlightSafety International for a range of pilot and maintenance training services for Business JetSolutions' Alliance member flight departments. The FlightSafety programs will be tailored to meet Business JetSolutions Part 135 training requirements. Alliance members will have access to FlightSafety training programs at all locations. Business JetSolutions operates 75 aircraft under its air carrier certificate.
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.
RAISBECK ENGINEERING appointed Duncan Aviation as an installation center for Raisbeck's Learjet 31/35/36 series aft fuselage baggage locker. Duncan has provided sales and maintenance services for Learjet aircraft since 1963. Duncan also became involved with Raisbeck modifications on Learjet aircraft in 1976. The Raisbeck locker has been installed on more than 40 Learjet aircraft, including 16 Learjets in the Business JetSolution fleet. The locker, which has an eight-foot compartment, can carry up to 300 pounds of baggage.
KENT E. HUTCHINSON, former president of the Norden Systems subsidiary of Northrop-Grumman, was named senior vice president of Kaman Aerospace Corp. and Kaman Aerospace International Corp. Hutchinson, 56, joined Norden Systems, then a subsidiary of United Technologies, in 1991.
Model 340B and 2000 series airplanes (Docket No. 96-NM-76-AD; Amdt. 39-10052; AD 97-13-06) - requires an inspection of the fluorescent lamps in the cabin area to ensure correct installation, and correction, if necessary.
TRIUMPH GROUP, INC., and Sextant Avionique S.A. of Paris, France said the U.S. subsidiary of the French firm agreed to acquire Triumph's Air Lab division, located in Seattle, Wash., for an undisclosed amount of cash. Air Lab repairs and overhauls aviation instrumentation and controls. As part of the agreement, Triumph's A. Biederman aircraft instrumentation division entered into a strategic five-year marketing and service agreement with Sextant Avionique.
Despite strong opposition from industry leaders, Federal Aviation Administration late last month ordered the replacement of fan guards on some 414 CF700 engines in a move that will cost operators more than $17 million. The airworthiness directive stems from a Falcon 20 that crashed last year in France after encountering a flock of birds. The bird strike apparently dislodged enough blades in one of the engines to allow overspeed of the fan disk.
McDonnell Douglas' leadership decided in December to pursue its stock- swap merger with Boeing after concluding that, apart from diluting earnings, a deal with Texas Instruments would be too small and another deal with Hughes would be too complex, regulatory filings supporting the merger reveal.
Series 174290 constant flow airline portable oxygen masks, Part Numbers 174290-14, 174290-24, 174290-34, 174290-44 and 174290-54 (Docket No. 97-CE-31-AD; Amdt. 39-10039; AD 97-11- 10) - requires replacement of the affected oxygen masks that were manufactured between September 1992 and August 1996 with FAA-approved masks that incorporate a part number not covered by this AD. These affected masks have a connector with an orifice that could restrict more than half of the oxygen flow to the passenger.
THE SEATTLE MUSEUM OF FLIGHT was selected as the home for aviation pioneer Elrey Jeppesen's memorabilia spanning nearly 70 years. The display includes Jeppesen's famous "little black book" used to record information about early airports and flight routes, his pilot's license signed by Orville Wright in 1929 and a variety of other material including models of the aircraft he flew.
MARK DOBBIN, senior vice president of CHC Helicopter Corp., St. John's Newfoundland, was named acting chairman of the company while Craig L. Dobbin recovers from major surgery. The company said Craig Dobbin under- went successful lung transplant surgery June 23, and he is recovering very well. His recuperation is expected to take about three months. CHC and its subsidiaries operate 225 helicopters across Canada and around the world and provides repair and overhaul facilities in Vancouver, British Columbia and Prince Edward Island.
The Federal Aviation Administration will hold a technical workshop this month in Fort Worth, Texas to discuss advisory material on rotorcraft emergency float systems. FAA said the advisory material will be included in two advisory circulars scheduled to be published in the summer of 1998 - AC 27-1, Certification of Normal Category Rotorcraft, and 29-2A Certification of Transport Category Rotorcraft.
WESTERN PACIFIC AIRLINES will merge with Frontier Airlines under a definitive agreement announced last week under which Frontier shareholders will receive .75 share of Western Pacific stock for each Frontier share held. Western Pacific, based in Colorado Springs, Colo., was founded April 1, 1994 and serves 27 cities with a fleet of 18 Boeing 737-300s and more than 1,300 employees. Frontier, headquartered in Denver, began operations in July 1994 and serves 15 markets with seven Boeing 737-200s and four Boeing 737-300s.
PETROLEUM HELICOPTERS, New Orleans, La., reported earnings of $6.47 million for the year ended April 30, an increase of $4,000 over the previous year. Revenues, however, rose 13.3 percent, from $187.3 million in 1996 to $212.3 million in the most recent 12-month period.
JET PARTNERS, INC., the Dallas-based aircraft sales and aviation services company, was selected to represent Advantage Aviation Technologies in the development of new markets for its aircraft repair services. Advanced Aviation, Cleburne, Texas, was founded in 1992 and specializes in welding for super metals, plating, electric motor overhaul, bonded thermal repair for aluminum base metal fatigue cracks and repair of base metal damage to cast aluminum airline components.
Model 340B and 2000 series airplanes (Docket No. 96-NM-177-AD; Amdt. 39-10048; AD 97-13-01) - requires a one-time inspection to determine if certain switches are installed on the fire handle of the fire handle assembly and replacement of the fire handle panel with a new panel, if necessary. This amendment is prompted by a report indicating that, during manufacture, a batch of defective switches were installed on certain fire handle panels on these airplanes.
THOMAS SULLIVAN was named vice president of sales and charter operations for Ronson Aviation. Sullivan has held senior positions with Learjet, American Aerospace Industries and Raytheon Beechcraft.
