WHILE HESITANT to say so publicly, component manufacturers for Boeing and McDonnell Douglas are crying the blues about the proposed merger between the nation's two largest providers of airline transports. Suppliers have come under increasing pressures during the past decade to reduce prices to the OEMs and there's fear that the loss of Boeing's last major U.S. competitor in the airline market will only exacerbate the situation.
GALAXY officials hope to win government approval early next month for the agreement under which the Pritzker organization will assume the largest stake in the company, which will market and support the Astra SPX and Galaxy business jets built by Israel Aircraft Industries (BA, Nov. 25/244). If that approval is forthcoming on schedule, closing of the agreement could occur by mid-month.
FAA issued special conditions for the avionics/electronic systems aboard the de Havilland DHC-8-400 regional aircraft. The special conditions are intended to cover the protection of the systems from the effects of high- intensity radiated fields. For more information, contact Tim Backman in FAA's Standardization Branch at (206) 227-2797.
Embraer last week received Federal Aviation Administration certification for its EMB-145 regional jet and began deliveries to North American launch customer Continental Express last week. Continental Express, one of the largest operators of the Embraer 30-passenger twin- turboprop Brasilia, in September ordered 25 of the 50-passenger EMB-145s in a deal valued at more than $375 million and placed options for up to 175 more (BA, Sept. 9/112).
WAYFARER AVIATION named Arthur (Jack) Stockmann, a long-time veteran of the Xerox Corporation flight department, as director of operations for Wayfarer. Stockmann, who will begin his new duties Jan. 3, has been with the Xerox flight department for the past 24 years where he held a variety of posts including training captain, business planning manager, aviation training manager and manager of special projects. He also is active in a number of industry activities including serving on NBAA and Flight Safety Foundation committees.
TWIN COMMANDER AIRCRAFT CORP. awarded a contract to Elliott Aviation, Moline, Ill., and Ultra Electronics to supply sound management systems for Series 690 Twin Commander turboprops. The UltraQuiet active noise control installations are designed to lower interior noise levels. Elliott completed the first installation in a Twin Commander operated by Therma- Tron-X of Sturgeon Bay, Wis., in August. Under terms of the agreement, Elliott will supply installation-ready kits to Twin Commander, which markets them to owners through its network of authorized service centers.
DALLAS, TEXAS remains prominent on the list of places Galaxy Aerospace might pick for its new headquarters and business jet service and completion center, but it's certainly not the only locale under consideration. "We have just been inundated" with solicitations from economic development officials from around the country, said Galaxy President Brian Barents, adding that, "I can't believe the number of economic development people who attend NBAA." The company is sending out bid and specification packages to 48 different communities and is asking for responses by Jan.
TEXACO is offering a credit card to the general aviation market for its branded fixed-base operator network. The card, Galaxy Internationale, will have detailed billing and no annual fee. The card initially will be accepted at Texaco FBOs throughout the U.S. Multi Service Corp., Overland Park, Kan., is administering the program.
IF YOU'VE HAD A YEN to fly "Big Iron," United Airlines has a deal for you. The airline said its Denver simulator training center developed a package of "Pilot For A Day" programs that "provide pilots and non-pilots alike the opportunity to train and fly like a professional with the use of high- technology flight simulators." Anyone 18 years or older can buy one of the one-day training packages on any of the simulators United operates.
AEROSPACE TECHNOLOGIES OF AUSTRALIA Models N22B, N24, and N22S airplanes (Docket No. 95-CE-103-AD; Amdt. 39-9808; AD 96-23-03) - requires replacement of the fuselage stub fin plate with Part No. 1E/N-12-57 fuselage stub fin plate (MOD N759). This action results from several reports of cracks along the forward flange of the fuselage stub fin plate in the area of Rib Water Line 138.87. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent structural failure of the fuselage area caused by a cracked stub fin plate and subsequent loss of control of the airplane.
JIM HALL, chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board, will be the keynote speaker at the National Air Transportation Association Convention in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Hall's address will open the meeting at 4 p.m. on March 24. The show runs through March 27 at the Greater Ft. Lauderdale/Broward Convention Center.
Forgings manufacturer Wyman-Gordon Company reported substantial increases in net income and order backlog for the period ended Nov. 30. The North Grafton, Mass., firm said net income for the six months was $16.9 million, or 46 cents per share, on revenues of $272.9 million, compared with $11.2 million, or 31 cents per share, on $232.2 million in revenues for the same period a year earlier.
MICHAEL BUCCI joined Greenwich Air Services as senior vice president, general counsel and secretary. Bucci has several years experience in corporate law, mergers and acquisitions, taxation, business planning and government service. He held positions with accounting and law firms and served in the Rhode Island state government.
DORNIER Model 328-100 series airplanes (Docket No. 95-NM-232-AD; Amdt. 39-9811; AD 96-23-06) - requires replacement of certain hydraulic fuses of the landing gear with improved fuses. This amendment is prompted by results of extended testing, which revealed that the hydraulic fuses of the landing gear failed to operate due to movement of the end of the spring within the fuses over the end of the flange of the spool.
JOSEPH JANSEN was appointed manager of marketing and product development for McCauley Propeller Systems. Jansen joined McCauley last year as the marketing representative for turbine applications. He also has managed a fixed-base operation and three corporate flight departments and was a director of operations for a Part 135 operator.
JETSTREAM Model ATP airplanes (Docket No. 95-NM-160-AD) - revises an earlier proposal that would have required repetitive inspections to detect damage of the antenna mounting reinforcing plates and surrounding fuselage skin. If any damage was detected, the proposed AD also would have required replacement of the reinforcing plate with a new reinforcing plate and/or repair of the surrounding fuselage skin, which would have terminated the repetitive inspection requirements.
JOEL BACON, a former aide to Sen. Nancy Kassebaum (R-Kan.), joined the National Business Aircraft Association as manager-legislative affairs. Bacon served as press secretary to the Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources, serving as spokesman and chief media contact for the committee and Kassebaum.
SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT signed an agreement with Zimex Aviation Holding Ltd., of Zollikon, Switzerland to form a new Swiss corporation to operate a Signature base at Zurich International Airport. Construction of the new business aviation center is already under way and expected to be completed in March. The new Signature-Zimex facility will include an 8,000-square- foot terminal, a hangar and 56,000 square feet of ramp. The facility will offer a weather briefing room, crew lounge, sleeping and shower facilities and conference room.
AAR ALLEN GROUP appointed Ami Zelcer president of AAR Technical Center, the airframe parts repair and overhaul facility in Garden City, N.Y. Zelcer replaces H.W. Terry Davidson, who was named AAR Allen Group vice president, special projects. Zelcer joins AAR from TAT Industries in Israel, where he served as vice president marketing and business development. He has more than 20 years of aerospace engineering and marketing experience.
RAYTHEON E-SYSTEMS said it will receive about $100 million under a $480 million contract from NASA to the Universities Space Research Association to participate in developing and operating a Stratospheric Observation For Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) system in a Boeing 747SP. The division, based in Waco, Texas will do design engineering, airframe structural modifications, telescope integration/installation and flight test to deliver an FAA-certified airborne observatory.
The Malaysian government wants the country's aerospace industry to become a significant exporter after 2000, according to a new government plan. The Second Industrial Master Plan released recently envisages the light aircraft segment leading development of the industry. Malaysia currently manufactures the two-seat Aero Tiga trainer, based on the Swiss Datwyler MD3-160. About 40 have been ordered so far. The government also bought an Australian company that manufactures the Eagle X-TS, a two-seat canard light aircraft.
The Administration's preliminary plans to recommend $500 million in aviation user fees in fiscal 1998 and a completely user fee-funded Federal Aviation Administration in fiscal 1999 "are premature and would be a serious mistake," House transportation appropriations subcommittee Chairman Frank Wolf warned President Clinton last week (BA, Dec. 16/273). In a Dec. 17 letter to Clinton, Wolf said the issue of user fees requires "detailed analysis and thorough policy discussion."
President Clinton Friday announced his intention to nominate Federal Highway Administrator Rodney Slater as the next transportation secretary and to move current Transportation Secretary Federico Pena to head the Energy Department. Pena last month resigned from the top transportation post, effective Jan. 20, stating, "After 16 years of public service, it's time for me to find new challenges in the private sector," (BA, Nov. 18/227). Slater was among many rumored to replace Pena, but emerged earlier this month as the likely candidate (BA, Dec. 16/278).
JETSTREAM Model 4101 airplanes (Docket No. 96-NM-86-AD) - proposes to require repetitive inspections for cracking of the offset lightening hole of the drag brace of the left and right main landing gear and replacement of these braces with braces having a centralized lightening hole. This replacement terminates the repetitive inspections. This proposal is prompted by a report indicating that fatigue cracking was detected on the upper line of a drag brace.
NATIONAL AIR TRANSPORTATION ASSOCIATION will hold a flight school manager training seminar Feb. 7 at Sawyer Aviation in Phoenix, Ariz. The seminar, sponsored by Associated Aviation Underwriters, will address a number of topics including attracting and retaining new students, valuing products, customer service, motivation of the work force, and understanding managing. The session costs $99 for NATA members and $150 for non-members. For more information, contact NATA at (800) 808-NATA.
