Fleet Aerospace of Toronto, Ontario completed the purchase of the aerospace operations of Hawker Siddeley Canada, a purchase valued at $27 million (Canadian). The acquisition includes: Orenda Engines, the powerplant manufacturing operation located in Toronto; Middleton Aerospace of Massachusetts; and, A-R Technologies of Vancouver, B.C. Fleet said the units being added to Fleet's existing operations will "create a combined business with revenue of approximately $200 million [Canadian] annually."
TERENCE WALLEY was appointed vice president marketing and sales for Monitor Aerospace Corporation. Walley previously was director sales and marketing for Westland Engineering Limited.
Executive Jet Aviation expects to hire more than 80 pilots before the end of the year because "the phenomenal growth of EJA's NetJets program continually calls for new pilots to handle the growing NetJets fleet," said Richard G. Smith III, EJA's executive vice president of operations. EJA also plans to hire additional employees for its dispatch and customer service activities.
FAIRCHILD SA26, SA226 and SA227 series airplanes (Docket No. 94-CE-22- AD) - revises an earlier proposal that would have superseded an AD requiring repetitive inspection of the acrylic cabin and cockpit side windows for cracks and replacement of the window, if necessary. The proposal would have required modification of certain cockpit side windows, more fully defined the crack limitations and given more clear repetitive inspection intervals. FAA said it changed the proposal and extended the comment period after receiving a number of comments.
CIRRUS DESIGN CORP. received its 100th position order for the new Cirrus SR20 aircraft, officials said. The company hopes to receive certification of the single-engine SR20 aircraft and begin delivery in mid-1997. The aircraft, which is equipped with a Ballistic Recovery System parachute, has logged 500 flight hours on two prototypes. Officials said the developmental flight testing has verified design cruise speed of 160 knots.
CESSNA AIRCRAFT said Mistral Air, the Italian authorized independent service center for 500 series Citation business jets, was acquired last month by Vitrociset Group, Italy's largest electronics and avionics company. As a result of the sale, Mistral's former maintenance business at Ciampino International Airport in Rome has been integrated into a new company, L.E.A.T. S.R.L. Werner Romanello, Mistral's former general manager, will continue with the new firm as director of maintenance.
DE HAVILLAND Model DHC-8-301, -311, and -315 series airplanes (Docket No. 95-NM-268-AD) - proposes to supersede an existing AD that requires modification of the airspeed limitations placard and revision of the airplane flight manual to specify operating at lower airspeeds when the airplane is operating at full flaps. That action also provides for the optional termination of the requirements of the AD for certain airplanes. That action was prompted by a report that incorrect rivets were installed on the outboard flap assemblies of these airplanes.
FLIGHTSAFETY INTERNATIONAL is adding instructional facilities and services to its Vero Beach, Fla., Academy. A new building will house a language lab and computer station-equipped examination room. The new building also will include a three-bay space for flight training devices, a bookstore, pilot shop and library of instructional books and videos.
The Federal Aviation Administration has called for operators of more than 24,000 Hartzell propellers to replace the prop's hub over the next 10 years in a proposal that would cost an estimated $29.4 million for compliance. The proposal, which would require hub replacement with a concurrent blade and blade clamp inspection, would expand similar airworthiness directives in place for Hartzell propellers installed on certain MU-2 aircraft and Beech A100 and A100A aircraft.
SAAB Model SF340A and 340B series airplanes (Docket No. 96-NM-74-AD; Amdt. 39-9582; AD 96-01-04 R1) - revises an existing AD that requires a revision to the airplane flight manual to require verification that the auto-ignition system is operational, to define icing in conditions at higher ambient temperatures and to provide the flight crew with limitations and procedures to help avoid engine power interruptions.
CHARTER FLEET INTERNATIONAL received approval for Part 135 operations. The new airline operates two Hawkers, one in Part 135 executive charter operations and another under a management contract. The aircraft are based in Teterboro, N.J. and Portland, Me.
Citing fears of a looming cash crunch and possible ramifications of "quick-fix" solutions, congressional and aviation leaders last week launched an intensified effort to get aviation excise taxes reinstated. Although reinstatement of aviation excise taxes has been politically unpalatable in Congress during this election year, House transportation appropriations subcommittee Chairman Frank Wolf (R-Va.) sent a "dear colleague" letter to fellow members of the House, urging support for reenactment for at least two years while Congress continues to debate FAA funding.
EMBRAER, the Brazilian aircraft manufacturer, lost $26 million in the first quarter of 1996, a dramatic improvement from the loss of $114 million in the first quarter of 1995. Operating revenues rose 41 percent to $76.3 million in the most recent period. Company President Mauricio Botelho said the company is "beginning to see the positive impact of the steps taken by Embraer to control costs and improve productivity beginning last year following the privatization" of the manufacturer.
IN ADDITION to embracing the proposed changes in the regulatory process, Broderick listed some "things that I personally believe to be important considerations for our future: Let me start with diversity. I am proud of what we have done to include all segments of our society, but we can't relax on our recruiting efforts to build a model workforce for the rest of the aviation industry. This industry," Broderick told reporters while reading from a lengthy written statement, "is, historically, a white male dominated one.
COLLINS COMMERCIAL AVIONICS improved its FMS-4100 flight management system to increase the capabilities for regional aircraft operators. The FMS- 4100E unit includes performance and thrust management features. The system's computations provide automatic time and fuel predictions based on expected flight conditions and parameters. It also provides maximum thrust settings for takeoff, climb and continuous operation based on outside air temperature, pressure altitude and airspeed.
BOMBARDIER'S Canadair Division plans to roll out the first Global Express business jet at the company's Downsview, Ontario factory on Aug. 28. The company said the first aircraft, S/N 9001, is now structurally complete. Canadair plans to begin deliveries of "green" aircraft in 1997 and anticipates receipt of type certification in 1998.
LENOX INSTRUMENT CO. developed a new high-resolution, small-diameter flexible borescope that company officials say reaches, magnifies and illuminates otherwise inaccessible locations of aircraft. The fiberoptic scope provides a resolution of .001 inch. The probe is available in lengths of 40 inches, 60 inches, 80 inches and 120 inches. For more information, contact Lenox Instrument Group, 265 Andrews Road, Scottsville Industrial Park, Trevose, Pa. 19053; (800) 356-1104.
UND AEROSPACE named Richard J. Nelson to the newly created position of managing director of aviation with responsibility for overall aviation operations and strategic planning. He will begin his new duties June 1 and will report to John Odegard, chairman of UND Aerospace and the UND Aerospace Foundation. Nelson has more than 20 years experience in airline operations and flight training. He was president and chief executive of Skyway Airlines of Milwaukee, Wis. and before accepting that post in 1994 he held senior management positions with Alaska carrier MarkAir.
FLIGHT TRAILS hardpoint assemblies installed on McDonnell Douglas Model 369D, 369E, 369F, 369FF and 500N helicopters (Docket No. 95-SW-19-AD; Amdt. 39-9569; AD 96-08-03) - requires removing any hardpoint assembly not identified by part number and serial number. This amendment is prompted by two incidents in which the hardpoint assembly used to support a search light or night vision system reportedly failed.
DAVID BURSTEIN was named executive vice president of Parsons Infrastructure&Technology Group Inc. Burstein will manage the group's consulting work and oversee operations for Parson's environmental and urban and military planning units.
Ronald F. McKenna, a 27-year veteran of Sundstrand Corp., was promoted to corporate executive vice president and chief operating officer-aerospace. McKenna, who most recently was vice president of business development for Sundstrand Aerospace, joined the company in 1969. He replaces Robert J. Smuland, who left the company to pursue other interests.
BUSINESS EXPRESS pilots will be the first to participate in an FAA-approved crew resource management (CRM) program offered by FlightSafety International for regional operators. More than 400 BizEx aircrew members will take the new CRM course at FSI's New York LaGuardia training center while taking recurrency training in the Saab 340 airliner.
UNC Airwork is selling its licensed heavy maintenance work on AlliedSignal TFE731 business jet engines to Sabreliner in a deal that should close by the end of this month, Sabreliner says. Sabreliner has been doing major periodic inspections, or MPIs, on TFE731 series engines for some 16 years, but its agreement with UNC will add core zone inspections, or CZIs, to its list of capabilities - making the company one of only three U.S. overhaulers providing manufacturer- authorized CZIs.
WELSCH AVIATION, acting as the sales agent for four McDonnell Douglas DC-9- 21 aircraft being sold by Valujet, is assessing interest in the aircraft among corporate operators. All four aircraft are equipped with hush kits and TCAS II. Welsch, established in 1950, operates offices in Houston, Texas, New York, Washington, D.C. and Savannah, Ga.
Offshore Logistics, Inc. reported a 20 percent decline in net income for the nine-month period ended March 31. Net income for the period was $11.2 million on revenues of $116.5 million, compared with income of $14.1 million on revenues of $104.4 million for the same period a year ago. For the most recent quarter, the company's net income was up slightly - from $3.9 million to $4.1 million - while revenues rose 3.5 percent to $37.8 million.
