Bombardier Regional Aircraft Division, as expected, selected Collins Pro Line 4 avionics from Rockwell Avionics and Communications, for the new 70-passenger Canadair Regional Jet Series 700. The Collins Pro Line 4 is used on the original 50-seat version of the Canadair RJ and it would have been a big surprise if Bombardier had switched avionics suppliers for the new plane since it wants to offer operators as much commonality as possible between the 50- and 70-seat models.
Cessna Aircraft selected King Schools, Inc. to develop a new computer- based training program that will be offered at the more than 400 U.S. Cessna Pilot Centers (BA, March 31/143). Cessna Chairman Russ Meyer cited King's 23 years of experience "combined with our mutual passion for aviation" in selecting the San Diego, Calif.-based company as its partner to create the new program. "The King organization shares our commitment to taking this major step forward in the quality and effectiveness of flight training while making the process even more enjoyable," Meyer said.
BARBARA TAYLOR was promoted to assistant director of operations for customer support for FlightSafety International. Taylor, who will be based at the FSI Instructional Systems Division facility in Fort Worth, Texas will coordinate the management of customer support services within FlightSafety's Operations and Standards Division. Taylor previously was assistant director of customer support.
RAYTHEON AIRCRAFT delivered a Hawker 800XP to VSZ a.s. in Kosice, Slovak Republic. VSZ a.s., one of the largest steel producers in Eastern Europe, will use the Hawker to transport top management to its facilities in Europe and the former Soviet Union. Cassovia Air, based in Kosice, will operate the Hawker under Slovak registration for VSZ. Cassovia Air also operates a King Air C90A for VSZ. Both aircraft have full Slovak certification. Lok- Duncan Aviation of Prague, Czech Republic, assisted with the Hawker sale.
Federal Aviation Administration has certified the production and quality processes and procedures used at Cessna Aircraft's single-engine production facility in Independence, Kan. The FAA certification permits Cessna to produce, flight test and license the Skyhawk 172R under its own procedures.
DORNIER Model 328-100 series airplanes (Docket No. 96-NM-110-AD) - proposes to require inspections for chafing of various control cables and replacement of any chafed cable with a serviceable cable. This proposal is prompted by chafing of various control cables found during inspections conducted at the manufacturer's facility and at overhaul facilities. The actions specified by the proposed AD are intended to prevent such chafing, which could cause the pilot's controls for the autopilot, elevator/rudder, and engine to be ineffective.
LOCKHEED Model 382 series airplanes (Docket No. 97-NM-08-AD) - proposes to require revising the airplane flight manual to prohibit positioning the power levers below the flight idle stop, and to provide a statement of the consequences of positioning the power levers below the flight idle stop. The proposed AD is prompted by incidents and accidents involving airplanes equipped with turboprop engines in which the propeller beta was used improperly during flight.
Hunter Aircraft Corp. of Alexandria, Va., which describes itself as "a publicly traded aerospace services and specialty aircraft development/manufacturing company," named Stephen D. Townes president, chief operating officer and director. Townes had been president, and later vice chairman, of SabreTech before joining Hunter. Barry M.
NATIONAL COALITION FOR AVIATION EDUCATION selected Shelly Snyder, director of communications for the General Aviation Manufacturers Association, and Janette Prince, manager of member relations for the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, as the joint recipients of the 1997 Dr. Mervin K. Strickler, Jr. Award for Aviation Education Leadership. The award, presented during the National Congress on Aviation and Space Education this month in Houston, Texas, recognizes individuals who have made lifetime personal commitments to aviation education.
AVIATION RESOURCE GROUP, formerly FBO Resource Group, named Greg Ross chief operating officer. Ross most recently was chief operating officer of Aerospace Realties, a Canadian multi-based FBO chain. He has held senior positions in finance, real estate and aviation-related businesses. Aviation Resource Group, headquartered in Denver, Colo., has provided aviation consulting services to FBO and airport clients for 22 years.
HARTZELL PROPELLER completed a $4 million expansion, including a new headquarters building, at its facilities in Piqua, Ohio. The expansion allows Hartzell to consolidate its engineering, marketing, sales and product support groups with its main manufacturing and assembly plant. The company closed its original facility built before the company's founding in 1917. Hartzell will continue to maintain its composites manufacturing plant, engineering test center and factory service center.
NEW STRINGENT rules about the allowable exposure rates to methylene chloride - a primary component in aircraft paint stripper - went into effect last week, but industry officials are hoping to find relief on Capitol Hill. The House subcommittee on workforce protections will hold a hearing Wednesday on the effects the new Occupational Safety and Health Administration standard will have on industry and Rep. Roger Wicker (R- Miss.) is negotiating with the House leadership to take action on his bill to block the OSHA rule (BA, March 24/134). Meanwhile, Sen.
Bombardier, which boosted its completion capabilities and market share with the acquisition of Innotech Aviation late last year (BA, Dec.16/274), will build a new $50 million (Canadian) aircraft completion center and paint facility to specialize in the design and installation of customer interiors for the Bombardier Global Express long-range business jet. The 415,400-square-foot facility will be based at Dorval International Airport outside Montreal, Quebec, adjacent to the Bombardier Aerospace administrative center and the Canadair aircraft final assembly plant.
JETSTREAM HP137 Mk1, Series 200 and Model 3101 airplanes (Docket No. 95-CE-53-AD) - proposes to supersede AD 82-20-04 R1, which requires repetitive inspection of the main landing gear hinge fitting, support angles and attachment bolts on British Aerospace HP137 Mk1 and Jetstream Series 200 airplanes, and repair or replacement of any part that is cracked beyond certain limits.
ALAN SCHWARTZ, another former Raytheon Aircraft executive, joined Sino Swearingen Aircraft Company as vice president of procurement. Schwartz served as strategic business unit manager - propulsion, airframe and Joint Primary Aircraft Training System subcontract management for Raytheon. He also held various positions in financial program management and procurement/materiel management with Pratt&Whitney. "Alan Schwartz brings a wealth of procurement knowledge and experience to his new position with our company," said Sino Swearingen President Jack Braly.
Helijet Airways intends to start scheduled helicopter service May 22 between downtown Seattle, Wash., and Victoria, British Columbia. The W.M. Helijet Airways Inc. subsidiary said it will begin the service, the first international helicopter service in North America, with three daily 34- minute flights using 12-seat Sikorsky S-76 twin-engine helicopters between Seattle's Boeing Field and Victoria's Harbour Heliport. Unrestricted fares will be $92 one way or $170 roundtrip.
SIMUFLITE TRAINING INTERNATIONAL and FlightSafety International both issued press releases last week claiming to be the "first" recipient of FAA Part 142 Training Center certification by FAA. The new Part 142, effective Aug. 1, 1996, established national standards for training centers that use aircraft simulators and flight training devices for pilot training, testing and checking.
SAE INTERNATIONAL will hold its 1997 Airframe/Engine Maintenance&Repair Conference&Exposition Aug. 5-7 at the Landmark Hotel in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. For more information, call SAE at (412) 772- 7131.
GULFSTREAM AEROSPACE was stretching the legs on its new Gulfstream V business jet last week, with the manufacturer claiming records for nonstop flights from Los Angeles to London, and London to Hong Kong.The same aircraft is scheduled to make a triumphal arrival at Atlantic Aviation's facility in Teterboro, N.J. today (April 14) - where it will be welcomed by a group of company executives including Chairman Ted Forstmann - after a nonstop flight from Tokyo.
YOU'D BEST MOVE QUICKLY if you want to rent exhibit space at this fall's 50th annual National Business Aircraft Association convention in Dallas, Texas. By last week NBAA had already sold 3,106 booth spaces for the Sept. 23-25 event - one shy of the total sold for last November's convention in Orlando, Fla. - and had only 136 spaces remaining for sale. Prospective exhibitors should contract Kathleen Hull, vice president of convention and seminars, at (202) 783-9000.
JUDITH NORTHUP was promoted to vice president-materiel operations for Northrop Grumman Corporation's Commercial Aircraft Division. Northup will oversee control of all externally supplied products and materials. She joined the company in 1979 as a cost accountant in pricing and most recently was director of manufacturing control systems for the division and director of manufacturing controls and industrial engineering for the division's Vought Center operations.
Coltec Industries, Charlotte, N.C., signed an agreement in principle to acquire AMI Industries Inc., Colorado Springs, Colo. AMI, which makes flight attendant and cockpit seats for commercial aircraft, expects to have 1997 revenues of about $30 million, said Coltec. The transaction is scheduled to close during the second quarter of 1997.
UNC's Aviation Services business won a contract to maintain older model jet engines for U.S. Air Force trainers. The Jet Engine Intermediate Maintenance (JEIM) contract, valued at $29 million, covers a five-month startup period beginning May 1, and four option years. UNC will perform all intermediate depot maintenance on General Electric J69 and J85 jet engines used on the T-37 and T-38 trainers flown at six USAF Education and Training Command bases.
TOM MEKIS joined American Beechcraft Company of Leesburg, Va. Mekis will oversee American Beechcraft's aircraft sales staff as well as develop new sales and marketing strategies for new and used aircraft. He formerly was manager of sales administration for Raytheon Aircraft Company.
A TEXAS House Committee this week is expected to consider a proposal that would impose a jet fuel tax and lift the commercial aviation exemptions from the state sales taxes on aircraft, parts and labor. The proposal, House Bill 4, which is before the House Committee on Revenue and Public Education Funding, however, calls for a four-cents-per-gallon jet fuel tax instead of the 10-cents-per-gallon levy legislators originally envisioned (BA, March 31/142). If adopted, the tax would take effect Jan. 1, 1998. The measure, which is supported by Gov.
