AIRCRAFT BILLINGS by U.S. manufacturers are expected to soar next year as several manufacturers begin delivering new business jet models. Gulfstream Aerospace alone expects its sales to jump by nearly $1 billion in 1997, the first full year of G-V business jet deliveries. See article below. Learjet and Cessna also are expected to report significant sales increases as deliveries of the Model 45 Learjet and the Citation Bravo and Citation X pick up.
Engine manufacturer BMW Rolls-Royce won type certification for the BR710 turbofan engine from the European Joint Aviation Authorities Wednesday, less than four years since the BR710 program was launched and just two years after the first run of the BR700 engine core. BMW Rolls-Royce officials received the type certificate for the engine from the German certification authority (LBA) at the company's development and assembly center in Dahlewitz, near Berlin. Thrust rating for the BR710 is 14,750 pounds. Approval by FAA is expected in about a month.
Gulfstream Aerospace has orders for 63 Gulfstream V business jets, a firm backlog of $2.7 billion and pending orders for another half billion dollars worth of new aircraft, according to a registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission in Washington, D.C., this month. The SEC documents outline plans for an initial public offering (IPO) of 28 million shares of Gulfstream common stock to U.S.
The U.S. Customs Service will establish a new telephone entry process for general aviation aircraft entering the U.S. from Canada beginning Nov. 4, Customs Commissioner George Weise announced during this month's Experimental Aircraft Association annual fly-in. The General Aviation Telephonic Entry (GATE) program, one of the initiatives that stem from the February 1995 "Our Shared Border" U.S./Canada accord, is intended to "reward" compliance with Customs and other agency laws, Customs said.
PHIL WRENN was appointed to the international sales staff for Dallas Airmotive. Wrenn, who has 15 years of turbine-engine experience, primarily is responsible for Dallas Airmotive's Rolls-Royce Spey and Tay overhaul and repair international sales operations.
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.
French aviation authorities and the manufacturers of the ATR-72 turboprop that crashed Oct. 31, 1994, near Roselawn, Ind., did not ignore or suppress technical data that could have prevented the accident, according to the Federal Aviation Administration's former top aircraft certification official.
NORMAN HILL was named Rolls-Royce Spey and Tay engine sales and service manager for Dallas Airmotive. Hill previously was director of maintenance for a Las Vegas-based corporation, where he was responsible for maintenance of Gulfstreams, Beechjets, Citations and other business aircraft.
The U.S. Internal Revenue Service thinks major engine overhauls are capital expenditures rather than expenses, and tax attorneys agree that even though it only represents IRS's opinion in a single case, the theory could easily be applied broadly throughout the industry with multi-million- dollar effects.
UNITED STATES AIR TOUR ASSOCIATION will host its first Air Tour Summit Oct. 2-4 at the Kona Kai Resort in San Diego, Calif. The meeting, which USATA plans to hold annually, will include seminars on regulations, legislation, insurance, marketing, media and other air tour issues. Representatives from the Federal Aviation Administration, Department of Transportation, National Transportation Safety Board and Congress are expected to participate. For more information, contact Lori Clair at (703) 683-6222.
AVIATION USERS likely will begin paying the aviation excise taxes before the end of the month as President Clinton is expected to sign into law a measure that temporarily renews the taxes. The measure, included in the small-business tax relief bill, H.R.3448, calls for the taxes to take effect seven days following Clinton's signature. H.R.3448 was sent to the White House last week and Clinton has until Aug. 20 to sign the bill. See article below.
BRUCE JENNER has merged his aviation interests with The Summit Group of Columbia, S.C. to form a new company that will specialize in the sale of corporate aircraft. The company, Bruce Jenner Aviation, will be based in South Carolina, where Summit Group principals Rick Crout and Mike Rash will sell aircraft. Jenner, who has owned several aircraft and accumulated 5,000 hours as pilot in command, and his wife Kris will maintain their offices in Los Angeles.
SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT, which earlier this year signed an agreement to buy all four of International Aviation's fixed-base operations (BA, April 15/167), hopes to close on that deal upon completion of the due diligence review next month. The acquisition would reinforce Signature's presence on the East Coast and adds a base in the Southwest. Signature, however, continues to eye new locations for its FBO chain - particularly west of the Mississippi - and is expected to announce at least one more deal by the end of the year.
Citing concerns that the Federal Aviation Administration's flight and duty time proposal may impede air medical service, 15 House legislators appealed to FAA Administrator David Hinson to exempt air medical services from its proposed restrictions. In an Aug.
NASA expects to award cooperative agreements in October for government/industry partnerships aimed at improving reciprocating and gas turbine engines for light aircraft under its General Aviation Propulsion (GAP) program. The U.S. agency said the GAP program was established "to develop technologies and manufacturing processes for revolutionary, low- cost, environmentally compliant propulsion systems and to flight demonstrate" them on advanced aircraft of six or fewer seats.
DPI LABS, La Verne, Calif., delivered a cabin management system for a VIP Boeing 727-100RE refurbished by Associated Air Center of Dallas, Texas. The cabin management system provides the interior and entertainment switching controls in the cabin. The controls include reading and table lights, ceiling and fluorescent indirect lighting, entertainment and flight attendant call.
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION said Joyce Fleischman will serve for an interim period as principal deputy inspector general, making her in effect acting inspector general. Fleischman, most recently deputy inspector general at the Department of Agriculture, this week will replace Mary Schiavo, who resigned July 8 (BA, July 15/27). Fleischman, who worked at the Department of Energy from 1979 to 1986 was deputy inspector general at the Department of Interior from 1986 to 1995. She joined the Department of Agriculture in November 1995.
Congress this month adopted legislation that would temporarily renew the aviation excise taxes and make a number of other changes to the tax code long sought by industry leaders. The legislation, a small-business tax relief bill, H.R.3448, received Senate approval late Aug. 2 following House passage earlier that day (BA, Aug. 5/58). H.R.3448 renews the 10 percent passenger ticket, 6.25 percent waybill, $6 international departure, 17.5-cents-per-gallon noncommercial jet fuel and 15-cents-per-gallon aviation gasoline taxes through Dec. 31.
GENERAL AVIATION MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION released its 1996 Statistical Databook. The Databook compiles shipment and billings for U.S. general aviation manufacturers as well as general aviation fleet and flight activity. In addition, the Databook provides information on the U.S. pilot population, airports and aeronautical facilities, and general aviation forecasts. For more information, contact GAMA at (202) 393-1500.
JAMES VINCENT was named senior vice president and general manager for AAR engine sales and leasing. Vincent, who joined AAR in 1979, most recently was vice president and general manager, Pratt&Whitney product line for AAR Aircraft Turbine Center.
FOKKER Model F27 Mark 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600 and 700 series airplanes (Docket No. 96-NM-28-AD) - proposes to require 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. In lieu of the one-time visual inspection or in addition to that inspection, the proposed AD also would require replacement of certain rivets with certain new rivets in all applicable rib-to-stringer connections of the upper and lower wings.
SHORTS Model SD3-60 and SD3-SHERPA series airplanes (Docket No. 96-NM- 09-AD) - proposes to require a one-time inspection for cracks and/or corrosion of the gland nut on the shock absorber of the main landing gear, and follow-on actions. This proposal also would require repair or replacement of any cracked/corroded gland nut with a new nut. This proposal is prompted by a report that, due to stress corrosion and cracking of the gland nut on the shock absorber, the main landing gear collapsed on an in-service airplane.
ROBERT MUNRO was appointed manager for Challenger and Westwind training for SimuFlite Training International. Munro previously was a training consultant for a number of aviation firms including SimuFlite and Canadair Business Aircraft Division.
RAYTHEON'S E-Systems unit will outfit four Raytheon-built Hawker 800XP light jets as airborne reconnaissance aircraft for the Republic of Korea. In addition, Korea is buying four more Hawkers from Raytheon that will be outfitted by Loral. Raytheon said its portion of the program could be worth up to $250 million over the life of the contract.
DASSAULT FALCON JET CORP. named George Yundt regional sales manager for the northern midwest territory covering Wisconsin and Northern Illinois. Yundt, who was a corporate pilot and flight department manager for seven years, most recently was a systems integration consultant with Business Systems Solutions, Inc. in Buffalo Grove, Ill.
