National Business Aircraft Association, noting that none of the more than 6,000 aircraft operated by its member companies is able to meet new Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum (RVSM) standards, asked FAA last week to propose a nine-month delay in RVSM operational trials.
RAYTHEON Model 1900D airplanes (Docket No. 96-CE-43-AD; Amdt. 39-9907 ; AD 97-03-01) - requires replacing the right-hand exhaust stack for both the left and right engines. This action results from reports of wing skin damage with associated fuel seepage and cabin window damage caused by the heat of the right-hand exhaust stacks on the affected airplanes. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent wing skin debonding or warping of the cabin windows because of the heat generated by the engines' right-hand exhaust stacks.
Maureen A. Pettitt, who has a broad background in aviation education and hands-on experience as owner of a flight school and air taxi business, was named FAA's chief scientific and technical adviser for human factors. In her new capacity Pettitt is the principal adviser to the FAA Administrator on the FAA's human factors research. She also heads the FAA division that provides scientific and technical support for the civil aviation human factors research program and for human factors applications in acquisition, certification, regulation and standards.
Socata Aircraft late last month completed the first flight of its 180- horsepower, twin-engine TB 360 Tangara. The Tangara, announced during last summer's Experimental Aircraft Association annual fly-in in Oshkosh, Wis. (BA, Aug. 12/68), completed a one hour and 45-minute flight, of which 40 minutes were flown on a single engine, Socata said. Socata said the addition of the twin-engine aircraft completes its product line for a pilot training curriculum.
ACCIDENTS involving business turboprops during 1996 are detailed in charts on Pages 115-116 of the hard copy of this issue. The information was compiled by Robert E. Breiling Associates, which specializes in accident data compilation and analysis for clients in corporate aviation, aircraft manufacturing and the insurance industry, among others. For more information, contact Robert E. Breiling Associates, Inc. at 6020 N. Federal Highway, Suite 4, Boca Raton, Fla. 33487, or call (407) 338-6900.
Speakers addressing FAA's annual forecast conference last week in Washington, including high-ranking DOT and FAA officials, expressed growing concerns about the ability of industry and government to manage an expected doubling of airline passengers by 2015 while transporting them efficiently and safely. David Plavin, president, Airports Council International-NA, said capacity goals cannot be met because of a lack of airport construction.
WALTER SLAZYK was named senior manager, technical operations for SimuFlite Training International. Slazyk, who has been with SimuFlite since 1980, most recently was manager of the company's Hercules Flight Training Center in Marietta, Ga.
Industry and pilot representatives met recently in Miami to work on a training aid to help pilots regain control of aircraft that have become upset due to wind shear, wake turbulence or mechanical problems. Loss of control in flight is the second biggest cause of fatal accidents following controlled flight into terrain (CFIT). The airframe manufacturers, airlines and pilot unions are developing an industry consensus on a training aid for what is being labeled airplane upset recovery.
GALAXY AEROSPACE officials are reviewing proposals from the cities of Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas, Jacksonville and Orlando, Fla., and Tulsa, Okla., as possible sites for the company's new headquarters and completion and modification center. The five cities were among 37 that submitted initial proposals, and Galaxy hopes to make a final selection this spring (BA, March 3/93).
EUROCOPTER Model MBB-BK 117 A-1, A-3, A-4, B-1, B-2 and C-1 helicopters (Docket No. 96-SW-23-AD) - proposes to establish a new retirement life for the clutch and require an entry into the accessory replacement record indicating the new life limit. This proposal is prompted by a recalculation of life limitations by the part manufacturer, Warner Electric. The clutch manufacturer used the airframe load spectrum to establish the new life limit of 3,600 hours time in service.
CESSNA AIRCRAFT projected sales of its single-engine line this year to be between $75 million and $100 million, a level less than originally planned because of "challenges inherent in a greenfield start-up which, quite frankly, we underestimated," said Senior Vice President John Moore. Orders, however, are ahead of plan and Moore said the strong interest the company has received "firmly supports our forecast of approximately $350 million to $400 million in sales by the year 2000."
Since the passage of the General Aviation Revitalization Act in August 1994, general aviation has staged what industry leaders termed a "remarkable" comeback - which they said would continue as long as the bill continues to be upheld in court. GA leaders testified in the Senate last week that the law - which provides an 18-year statute of repose to protect manufacturers of general aviation products against lawsuits - has been tested 13 times so far and "in general, the courts have interpreted the statute the way Congress intended."
DASSAULT won airworthiness and noise certificate approval for its Falcon 900EX business jet from the Civil Aviation Bureau of Japan. The Falcon 900 series has operated in Japan since 1989, both in corporate and government use.
ROBINSON Model R22 helicopters (Docket No. 96-SW-14-AD; Amdt. 39-9899 ; AD 97-02-14) - supersedes an existing AD that requires installation of an improved throttle governor, an adjustment of the low RPM warning unit threshold to increase the revolutions per minute at which the warning horn and caution light activate, and revisions to the rotorcraft flight manual that prohibit flight with the improved throttle governor selected off, except in certain situations.
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF STATE AVIATION OFFICIALS promoted Lori Lehnerd to vice president. Lehnerd will have increased responsibilities in managing the Washington, D.C. office staff and operations as well as in coordinating technical and legislative issues. She joined NASAO in August 1994 after serving for eight years as a project engineer with FAA's Washington Airports District office.
COOPERS&LYBRAND, which last month began detailing the results of its 90- day review of FAA funding issues, found that the agency needs to place a value on certification services the industry provides through programs such as designated engineering representatives.The consultant said, "undoubtedly, what are now 'free' and very useful goods for the FAA may need to become fully costed" and included in any user fee equation that is developed.
BOB SMITH was promoted to vice president of sales and marketing for Atlantic Aviation's Flight Services Division. Smith has served with Atlantic since 1994, most recently as regional sales manager for the division.
National Air Transportation Association last week urged the Federal Aviation Administration to allow the use of single-engine aircraft in passenger-carrying operations under instrument flight rules throughout the U.S. rather than limiting the rule's applicability on the basis of engine type and location. The association noted proposals calling for limiting commercial single-engine IFR (SEIFR) to turbine aircraft in the contiguous U.S. and said "NATA strongly believes that safety can only be enhanced by the approval of SEIFR for all aircraft for all the U.S.
MIKE KING was appointed manager of FlightSafety International's Sabreliner Training Center in St. Louis, Mo. King, most recently the center's assistant manager, joined FlightSafety seven years ago.
The National Transportation Safety Board listed "poor aeronautical decision-making coupled with stormy weather, an overweight aircraft and an overly ambitious trip itinerary" as factors that led to the April 11, 1996 crash of a Cessna 177B in Cheyenne, Wyoming. The board said the probable cause of the accident was "the improper decision by the flight instructor, who was the pilot-in-command, to take off into deteriorating weather conditions" that included air turbulence, gusty winds, an advancing thunderstorm and associated precipitation.
Dassault Falcon Jet has teamed with China Xinhua Airlines and Avion Pacific Ltd. to establish a joint charter operation in the People's Republic of China this spring. The new operation, Oriental Falcon Jet Service, will be based in Beijing and initially will operate one Falcon 50 throughout the region.
JETSTREAM Model 4101 airplanes (Docket No. 96-NM-86-AD; Amdt. 39-9914 ; AD 97-03-08) - requires repetitive inspections for cracking of the offset lightening hole on the drag brace of the left and right main landing gear and replacement of these braces with braces that have a centralized lightening hole. The replacement terminates the repetitive inspections.
LOUIS WERNER joined Garrett Aviation Services in Long Island as regional sales manager. Werner has held sales and marketing positions with Gulfstream Aerospace, Atlantic Aviation, and, most recently, International Aviation Services.
FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION is proposing special conditions for the certification of Sino Swearingen's SJ30-2 airplane. FAA said the aircraft will have "novel and unusual design features not typically associated with normal, utility, acrobatic and commuter category airplanes" certified under Part 23. These features include an operating altitude of 49,000 feet, engine location, swept wings and stabilizer, performance characteristics, and large fuel capacity.
JETSTREAM BAe Model ATP airplanes (Docket No. 95-NM-160-AD; Amdt. 39- 9903; AD 97-02-18) - requires repetitive inspections for damage of the antenna mounting reinforcing plates and surrounding fuselage skin. If any damage is detected, the AD requires replacement of the reinforcing plate with a new reinforcing plate and/or repair of the surrounding fuselage skin, which would terminate the repetitive inspection requirements. This amendment is prompted by reports of corrosion found at the antenna reinforcing plates, which was caused by the ingress of water at the plates.
