The U.S. Air Force awarded a $69.9 million firm fixed-price contract to Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. last week for two Gulfstream V business jets, and took options on four more of the $35 million, 6,500-nautical-mile aircraft, as part of its C-137 replacement program. The service has been operating a fleet of seven C-137s (Boeing 707s) as long-range VIP transports. Two of those aircraft were taken out of service as being uneconomical to maintain and operate and the service is replacing the rest with a mixed fleet of four C-132s (Boeing 757s) and the two Gulfstream Vs.
HOP-A-JET, INC., Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., Executive Airport, acquired five Challenger 601 business jets from Bombardier, Inc., the charter operator said, adding that Avpro, Inc., an Annapolis, Md. brokerage firm assisted in the transaction. Hop-A-Jet said the aircraft were previously owned by the People's Republic of China and were traded in on new aircraft. The acquisition boosts the Ft. Lauderdale firm's Challenger fleet to eight aircraft.
Attorneys representing the parties in litigation over FAA regulations restricting commercial air tour overflights at Grand Canyon National Park presented the U.S. Court of Appeals with a briefing schedule last week that suggests oral arguments in the case will not be held until this fall.
An aircraft instrument repair and overhaul firm, J.D. Chapdelaine Company, with facilities in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., and Austin, Texas, was acquired by Triumph Group, Inc., for an undisclosed amount of cash and notes. Chapdelaine services flight instruments such as attitude director indicators, horizontal situation indicators, altimeters, airspeed indicators, vertical speed indicators, case-contained and remote gyroscopes and piston and turbine engine instruments.
JAY FELTS was appointed avionics manager for Woodland Aviation. Felts previously served with American Eagle/Wings West Airlines since 1983, most recently as avionics engineer.
BRENDON DOCHERTY was appointed avionics sales manager for Garrett Aviation Springfield. Docherty formerly was director of sales and marketing and flight operations for Flight Visions.
The Justice Department's Antitrust Division requested additional information from General Electric, Greenwich Air Services and UNC in connection with the division's review of GE's proposed acquisition of Greenwich and UNC. Greenwich was in the process of acquiring UNC for $330 million and assuming about $600 million in debt when it agreed to be acquired itself by GE for $530 million (BA, March 17/118). GE also plans to complete the UNC acquisition.
SENATE COMMERCE CHAIRMAN John McCain (R-Ariz.) last week promised to pursue legislation that would establish a national policy for regulating air tour operations over national parks. McCain, who in February introduced a bill that calls for the Secretary of Interior to develop and the Federal Aviation Administration to implement a national parks overflights policy (BA, Feb. 10/58), said he plans to "push it and hard.
Pentagon acquisition chief Paul Kaminski gave the Marine Corps permission to begin low-rate initial production (LRIP) of the Bell/Boeing V-22 tiltrotor aircraft. In an April 25 acquisition decision memorandum, Kaminski authorized the Marines to buy 25 LRIP MV-22s and to spend long- lead funding for the second LRIP lot. The Marines plan to buy a total of 425 Ospreys. As a result of Kaminski's action, the Pentagon last week awarded the Bell/Boeing team a $49.8 million contract for long-lead items for five MV-22s to be bought in fiscal 1998.
SCHWEIZER AIRCRAFT won FAA certification for its Model 330SP turbine helicopter that has improved speed, range and endurance over the Model 330. The 330SP has more main rotor blade area, a larger main rotor hub and high stance landing gear. The modification increases the helicopter's maximum cruise speed from 92 to 104 knots true airspeed along with a 17 percent increase in range, a seven percent increase in endurance, a 10 percent increase in controllability margins.
DOW-UNITED TECHNOLOGIES COMPOSITE PRODUCTS, the joint venture between Dow Chemical Company and United Technologies, joined the General Aviation Manufacturers Association. Dow-UT, based in Wallingford, Conn., manufactures composite components for complex aircraft structures and engines. Bruce Alspach, president and chief executive officer for Dow-UT, will act as the GAMA board representative. The addition of Dow-UT brings the GAMA membership to 53 manufacturers of general aviation aircraft, engines, avionics and related equipment.
JETSTREAM Model ATP airplanes (Docket No. 96-NM-178-AD) proposes to require modification of the hydraulic system and a revision to the airplane flight manual to include revised procedures for lowering the landing gear. This proposal is prompted by a report of uncommanded application of the brakes when the direct current hydraulic pump was select ON with the main hydraulic system operative; this situation was caused by build-up of back pressure in the brake supply and hyraulic return systems.
Engine overhauler UNC, Inc., reported significant increases in first quarter sales and earnings. Sales nearly doubled, from $141.5 million in the first quarter of 1996 to $261.8 million in the period just ended. Net income jumped from $474,000 a year ago to $2.9 million.
General aviation groups joined the International Air Transport Association and the Air Transport Association of Canada last week in opposing to the Federal Aviation Administration's plans to impose fees beginning May 19 for flights that transit through U.S. airspace, but neither take off nor land in the U.S.
ERIC NORDLING was appointed vice president of market planning for Atlantic Coast Airlines. Nordling previously was manager of pricing and revenue management for Delta Air Lines.
RAYTHEON AIRCRAFT SERVICES facility at Mid-Continent Airport in Wichita, Kan., is now an authorized service center for Hawker Aircraft. The facility, which currently is modifying four Hawker 800XP aircraft for use in reconnaissance missions, is capable of providing complete service on the full series of Hawkers. The facility also supports Raytheon Aircraft demonstrator Hawkers.
National Air Transportation Association and Alaska Air Carriers Association last week called on the Federal Aviation Administration to immediately release a final rule that would allow single-engine aircraft to operate in Part 135 passenger-carrying operations under instrument flight rules. The single-engine IFR (SEIFR) rulemaking effort has been ongoing for a number of years, but the actual proposal was not issued until December (BA, Dec. 9/261). "The FAA has dragged its feet for long enough," said AACA Executive Director Kimberly Ross.
PROFESSIONAL AVIATION MAINTENANCE ASSOCIATION is celebrating its 25th anniversary. The association was founded in 1972 after the members of five regional associations combined efforts. PAMA has represented more than 200,000 aviation maintenance technicians and repairmen through regulatory and legislative activities. The current organization has more than 40 chapters worldwide and more than 4,000 members.
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.
COLUMBUS, OH, MUNICIPAL AIRPORT AUTHORITY is requesting proposals for a fixed-base operation to serve general aviation at Port Columbus International Airport. Proposals are due by 3 p.m. June 12. Parties interested in developing an FBO at +the airport should submit a response form from the RFP package by May 15. For more information, contact Larry Hedrick, executive director, 4600 International Gateway, Columbus, Ohio 43219; telephone: (614) 239-4000.
THE EMERGENCY supplemental appropriations bill adopted in the Senate Appropriations Committee Wednesday contains language directing the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to provide "increased consultative services" to ensure that companies having difficulties complying with the new stringent methylene chloride exposure standard "are either granted additional time...or receive some other form of cooperative abatement." The provision was offered by Sen.
FRED GARDNER joined Premier Turbines as manager of technical services. Gardner, who has more than 20 years of experience in the aircraft service and aerospace industry, will oversee production, engine testing, engineering, program management, facilities and daily operations of Premier Turbines' Neosho, Mo. engine overhaul center.
Klaus Nittinger, a 23-year veteran of German carrier Lufthansa, was selected by the boards of Rolls-Royce plc and BMW AG Wednesday to be chairman of BMW Rolls-Royce GmbH. Nittinger, 53, will succeed Albert Schneider, who has chaired the Anglo-German engine manufacturer since the joint venture was established in 1990.
No. 3 Global Express aircraft was damaged April 25 when the flight test crew of the new business jet made an in-advertent gear-up landing at Downsview, Ontario. The mishap occurred just four days after the aircraft, S/N 9003, made its first flight (BA, April 28/195), and came at the end of a long duty day that included four separate flights.
GARY MAXWELL was appointed to the newly created position of division environmental coordinator for Atlantic Aviation's Aircraft Services Division. Maxwell will ensure compliance with state and federal regulatory policies and work with environmental and industry experts to meet more stringent paint/depaint regulations.
