UNIVERSAL AVIONICS SYSTEMS CORP. said its UNS-1B flight management system with GPS-1000 global positioning sensor was certificate by New Zealand's Civil Aviation Authority for GPS primary means of navigation in remote/oceanic airspace. The company said dual UNS-1B FMS and GPS sensors were installed in a Cessna Citation III aircraft operated by Air Nelson Ltd. for charter flights between New Zealand and Australia.
BOMBARDIER has firm orders for "up around" 60 Global Express business jets, says John Holding, group executive vice president of engineering and product development.Holding told BA in Montreal last week there is "a lot of interest and a lot of activity" regarding the company's very long-range business jet, but Bombardier officials are even more bullish about their prospects in the regional airline market. See article below.
FOKKER Model F28 Mark 0100 series airplanes (Docket No. 96-NM-70-AD; Amdt. 39-9887; AD 97-02-03) - requires a one-time inspection to verify the correct routing and tension of the flight control lock cables and the elevator control cables, and rerouting or adjustment of the tension of these cables, if necessary. This amendment is prompted by a report indicating that an inspection for correct routing and tension of those cables may not have been accomplished during modification of the airplanes at the factory.
JETSTREAM Model 4101 airplanes (Docket No. 96-NM-2443-AD; Amdt. 39- 9889; AD 97-02-05) - supersedes an existing AD that requires replacing certain yaw damper servos in the autopilot system or rendering the servos inoperative. The actions specified by that AD are intended to prevent overheat failure of the flight control computer, which could result in smoke in the flight deck. This new amendment requires installation of circuit breakers on the avionics relay panel, which constitutes a terminating action for the previous requirements.
FOKKER Model F27 Mark 050 and 0100 series airplanes (Docket No. 96-NM- 79-AD; Amdt. 39-9890; AD 97-02-06) - requires installation of a bonding cable for the housing of the lavatory pump and filter assembly and the lavatory bowl. This amendment is prompted by a report indicating that the housing of the lavatory pump and filter assembly is not grounded properly. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent such improper grounding, which could result in an electrical fire and/or injury to passengers and crewmembers.
MARC FRUCHTER AVIATION, Reading, Pa., extended its charter arrangement with founding customer Glen-Gery Brick Corporation, the North American subsidiary of United Kingdom conglomerate Ibstock PLC, until 2002. Former Glen-Gery Chief Pilot Marc A. Fruchter founded the charter company in 1982 when he purchased the Glen-Gery aircraft and signed a service contract with his former employer. The charter company now operates two Beechjet 400A jets and three Beech King Air turboprops from its Reading headquarters and generates more than $6 million in annual revenue.
An increase in maximum takeoff weight from 6,000 pounds to 6,284 pounds for the new Agusta A109 Power helicopter is expected soon, but the aircraft will remain classed as a light helicopter. Agusta officials said this month that FAA is allowing the increase under an exemption to FAR Part 27, which specifies a maximum weight for light helicopters of 6,000 pounds. The boosted takeoff weight will add to the twin-turbine aircraft's payload options with only a slight degree of performance degradation, according to Agusta officials.
FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION issued special conditions for the Soloy Dual Pac engine configuration. The Dual Pac combines two Pratt&Whitney Canada Model PT6 turbine engines through a common gearbox to drive a single output propeller shaft. FAA said current regulations are not adequate to cover such a configuration. The special conditions, which include a safety analysis and additional testing, are intended to establish a level of safety equivalent to Part 33 of the Federal Aviation Regulations.
Preliminary plans by FAA to modify the Washington-Baltimore Class B airspace would "compress airspace available for transiting aircraft, forcing them even closer to urbanizing communities and adjacent waters," according to the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. The Class B airspace surrounds Washington National, Baltimore-Washington and Dulles airports.
WASHINGTON LOBBYISTS were prominent among a throng of some 2,000 invitees Friday afternoon at a Union Station reception honoring Rodney Slater, who was sworn in Feb. 14 as Transportation Secretary.
U.S. AIRLINES hired a record number of pilots in 1996 - 10,625, up from 8,814 in 1995 - according to airline career specialist Air Inc. The majors, which usually hire fewer pilots than smaller carriers, hired the most this time - 3,080, compared with 2,773 for the nationals, 2,305 for jet regionals and 1,825 for other regionals.
AAR CORP. consolidated four of its Illinois-based units and its headquarters into a 250,000-square-foot facility in Wood Dale, Ill. AAR transferred its engine and airframe and engine parts inventories to the building's new warehouse. The business units affected include AAR Aircraft Turbine Center, AAR Aircraft Sales&Leasing, AAR Allen Aircraft and AAR Engine Sales&Leasing. The facility is at One AAR Place, 1100 N. Wood Dale Road, Wood Dale, Ill. 60191; telephone: (630) 227-2000; fax: (630) 227-2089.
FOKKER Model F27 Mark 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600 and 700 series airplanes (Docket No. 96-NM-28-AD; Amdt. 39-9879; AD 97-01-08) - requires a one-time visual inspection for missing rivet heads or loose rivets of the applicable stringer-to-rib connections in the upper and lower wing skin, and repair, if necessary. The AD also requires replacement of certain rivets with new rivets in all applicable rib-to-stringer connections of the upper and lower wings.
GEN. HANSFORD T. JOHNSON, a retired four-star Air Force general, is rumored to be on the White House short list of those being considered for the job of FAA Administrator. Johnson, 61, an engineer and Air Force Academy graduate, received a master's degree in aeronautics from Stanford University in 1967 and a master's in business from the University of Colorado in 1970. He flew more than 400 combat missions as a forward air controller in Vietnam and completed his career after serving as commander in chief of the U.S.
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.
The National Transportation Safety Board will hold a symposium in April focusing on "the effect that corporate management philosophies and practices have on transportation safety."
SPORTY'S PILOT SHOP is distributing IFR Review-Rules of the Road, a 30-page booklet designed as a pre-flight refresher or to use as a review prior to an instrument competency check. Written by Mike Myshatyn, a flight instructor and Bonanza owner, the $7.95 booklet can be reviewed in 30 minutes. For more information, contact the distributor at (513) 735-9000.
Raytheon Aircraft established a new subsidiary to consolidate its aircraft parts inventory and distribution. The new unit, Raytheon Aircraft Parts Inventory and Distribution (RAPID), will include both Beech and Hawker spare parts. Jeffrey Snyder, former director-spares support for Raytheon Aircraft, was named president of RAPID. Raytheon is converting about 20,000 square feet of its manufacturing facility in Andover, Kan. to headquarter RAPID. The renovation is slated for completion this spring.
WOODLAND AVIATION joined the Pinnacle Air Network, the fixed-base operation cooperative buying group based in Albany, Ga. Woodland, a Raytheon Aircraft authorized sales and service center based in Woodland, Calif., is the 11th company to join Pinnacle. Other members include Aerodynamics, American Beechcraft, Cutter Aviation, Epps Aviation, Elliott Aviation, Flightcraft, Executive Beechcraft, Field Aviation, Piedmont Aviation Services and Tulsair Beechraft.
DESPITE THE RECENT UPROAR over conflicts in military airspace, the number of midair near-collisions over-all has fallen dramatically in the U.S. since the advent of the traffic alert and collision avoidance system - from 348 in 1991 to 202 in 1996, according to FAA. The number of near- collisions between military and civil aircraft dropped from 23 in 1991 to eight last year.
In the wake of a National Transportation Safety Board urgent recommendation to improve Beech 1900 exit door instructions, the Federal Aviation Administration by priority letter has ordered operators to install new exterior operating instruction placards for doors on the aircraft. The action stems from the Nov. 19, 1996, runway collision of a Great Lakes Aviation 1900C and Beech King Air at Quincy Municipal Airport, Ill., killing everyone aboard both aircraft (BA, Jan. 13/17).
WILLIAM LEEDS was appointed senior vice president-operations for Advanced Aerodynamics&Structures Inc. Leeds, a 30-year aircraft industry veteran, will oversee FAA certification and AASI manufacturing and quality assurance programs. He served as vice president-engineering from 1991-1994 and rejoined AASI after a two-year stint as director of engineering for Aerostar Aircraft Corp.
SHORTS Model SD-3-30 and SD-3-60 series airplanes equipped with Fire Fighting Enterprises Ltd. fire extinguishers (Docket No. 96-NM-175-AD) - proposes to require replacement of the covers for fire extinguisher adapter assemblies that are installed on certain bulkheads with new covers that swivel to lock the extinguishers in place; and replacement of nozzles and triggers on these fire extinguishers with better fitting nozzles and stronger triggers.
ROBERT SCHUBERT joined Sermatech International as vice president of marketing. Schubert, former director of marketing for ABB Power Generation, will be responsible for marketing Sermatech's protective coatings and repairs.
Sabreliner Corp. named company veteran Bob Hanks president of its new engine unit, Premier Turbines. Hanks, most recently vice president of engineering, quality assurance and environmental compliance, will continue to oversee operations support for Sabreliner aircraft in addition to his new duties with Premier Turbines. He has more than 34 years of aviation industry experience, including 21 years with Sabreliner Corp. and Rockwell International's Sabreliner Division. He also spent 13 years with Rockwell's Aero Commander Division.
