BANNER AEROSPACE appointed Tucker Nason, president of Harco for the past 13 years, president and chief executive officer of its Burbank Aircraft Supply subsidiary. Nason, who also will remain at the helm of Harco, has 38 years of experience in the fastener industry. Before joining Harco, he was group vice president in charge of fastener distribution for Kierulff Electronics. Banner acquired Harco from Fairchild Corp. last month through the issuance of 4.4 million shares valued at $26.8 million (BA, March 25/134).
The Alliance Airport Authority in Fort Worth, Texas approved a bond sale "not to exceed" $250 million for the purchase and construction of a regional sorting facility for Federal Express. The new facility is expected to be operational in October 1997 at the airport. Assistant Fort Worth City Manager Ramon Guajardo said concerns by Federal Express that Alliance has only one runway were answered when the city committed to widening Taxiway Bravo to meet minimum standards for use as a backup runway.
PIAGGIO Model P-180 airplanes (Docket No. 96-NM-256-AD) - proposes to require replacement of outflow/safety valves with serviceable valves. This proposal is prompted by a report of cracking and subsequent failure of outflow safety valves in the pressurization system. The actions specified by the proposed AD are intended to prevent such cracking and subsequent failure of the outflow/safety valves, which could result in rapid decompression of the airplane.
MERCURY AIR GROUP increased its regular quarterly dividend to $.0125 per share from $.01 per share and announced a 10 percent dividend on its common stock. The increased cash dividend and the stock dividend are payable May 1 to shareholders of record April 16 and 17, respectively. Mercury is an aviation services and cargo company.
U.S. PAINT CORPORATION said its Quality Management System received ISO 9001 certification. U.S. Paint, St. Louis, Mo., manufactures paint and coatings for aviation, automotive, marine and industrial markets.
The House Resources Committee last week called for a joint Interior/Transportation Department study on a commercial air tour fee schedule that encourages use of quiet aircraft technology. The measure, offered by Rep. Jim Hansen (R-Utah), was approved in lieu of an amendment that would have called for the National Park Service to expand overflight fees assessed to air tour operators flying over most national park lands (BA, March 25/134).
Jeppesen Sandersen, the Denver, Colo.-based developer of aircraft training materials, has teamed with helicopter manufacturer Schweizer Aircraft to provide a training program for helicopters. Schweizer President Paul Schweizer said the company has "refocused its commitment" to the helicopter training market with its new Model 300CB trainer.
European commercial business jet operators would have to stay within 120 minutes' flight of a suitable airport during overwater operations or meet expensive additional certification requirements under a proposal tentatively adopted last week by the Operations Committee of the Joint Aviation Authorities. The committee's action, which was vigorously opposed by U.S.
The Federal Aviation Administration established a User Fee Task Group to consider areas where the agency could recover costs by charging fees. The following charts were contained in the task group's report. Projected Annual Fee Category Revenue (in millions) --------------------------------------------------------------------- Aircraft Certification: Designee Appoint- $6.0 ments&Renewals
FLIGHTCRAFT, Portland, Ore., added two Cessna Citations - a Citation II and a Citation III - to its aircraft management fleet. The additions bring the number of Citations operated by Flightcraft to seven. Flightcraft, an authorized service center for Citation aircraft, operates a total of 30 aircraft, including a number of turboprops and twin-engine piston aircraft.
FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION last week named Robert Valone to oversee implementation of its new acquisition management system, which goes into effect Monday. George Donohue, associate administrator for research and acquisition, said Valone was appointed to the new post of acting deputy associate administrator for research and acquisition. Taking Valone's place on an acting basis as director of air traffic systems development is Edward Seymour, deputy director.
NASA commenced a five-year government/industry study of winter runway friction. The Joint Winter Runway Friction Measurement Program is led by NASA and Transport Canada with support from FAA and participation of European organizations and equipment manufacturers. The study will include braking tests with instrumented aircraft and ground vehicles in the U.S. and Canada.
A Cirrus Design Corp. VK-30 prototype undergoing flight testing crashed March 22 six miles north of the Duluth, Minn. International Airport, killing former astronaut Robert Overmyer, the test pilot. Overmyer was conducting a series of stall tests on a modified VK-30 when the aircraft crashed. Officials said the accident occurred on the last test of the flight involving a full-flap, gear-down, aft-CG stall. The aircraft apparently entered a nose-down spiral at 8,500 feet and Overmyer was unable to recover.
UNC ACCESSORY SERVICES named three new regional sales managers: Scott Mahler, responsible for the Northeast; Edward McKiernan, for the Southwest, and Gregory Crill, for the West. Mahler, who previously served with ITOCHU Airlease Inc., has 14 years of experience in mechanical, technical regulations, quality assurance, marketing and management. McKiernan, previously with Nordham Group unit Lori, Inc., has seven years of sales and management experience.
FIRST EQUITY CORPORATION'S Aaron Hollander predicts that the onset of customer deliveries of very-long-range business jets such as the Gulfstream V and Bombardier Global Express could boost industry billings by $1 billion annually in the last few years of this century. Hollander told last week's FAA General Aviation Forecast Conference in Tampa, Fla., he believes the two manufacturers of "super intercontinental" business jets currently have orders for between 120 and 130 aircraft.
Moody's Investors Service downgraded UNC Incorporated's senior notes and subordinated debentures last week, citing concern about the company's ability to generate profits and positive cash flow. Moody's downgraded UNC's $100 million issue of 9.125 percent senior notes due 2003 to B2 from B1 and its $64.8 million issue of 7.5 percent convertible subordinated debentures due 2006 to Caa from B2.
FAIRCHILD SA226 and SA227 series airplanes (Docket No. 95-CE-13-AD; Amdt. 39-9550; AD 95-17-09 R1) - revises AD 95-17-09, which requires relocation of the left-hand and right-hand essential bus current limiters (225 amp) to the battery bus (main bus tie). FAA has determined that the applicability of the AD should be changed to reflect a different serial number range and model designation of certain SA227 series airplanes. This action retains the requirements of AD 95-17-09, but revises the applicability of the AD.
WHITTAKER CORP., Simi Valley, Calif., named Richard E. Tierney president of its electronics business unit. Tierney has been president of Smiths Industries' North American Defense Division in Grand Rapids, Mich., since 1987.
JOSE OLVERA was appointed regional sales manager, South America, for SimuFlite Training International. Olvera, who is based in SimuFlite's Fort Lauderdale, Fla. sales office, formerly was director of Latin American sales for Learjet, Inc.
In its first public statement since FAA sent it a "cure" letter, the team handling the $475 million Wide Area Augmentation System contract said last week it "remains confident of its ability to deliver a WAAS system that meets all of the FAA's requirements" (BA, March 25/135). The team, composed of Wilcox Electric, Hughes Aircraft and TRW, was told by FAA that it had until April 2 to correct "performance deficiencies." The cure letter listed 10 areas that are "endangering performance of the WAAS contract."
RAYTHEON AIRCRAFT SERVICES said 12 of its fixed-base operations have received certification under Joint Aviation Regulations Part 145. The certification allows the locations to repair aircraft licensed in countries that have adopted Joint Aviation Authority regulations.
FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION recently hired 26 former Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization controllers. Fourteen are going to the Chicago center, seven to the Indianapolis center and five to the Chicago Tracon. The 26 re-hires are in addition to the 16 who recently received notices to go to the New York Tracon. The New York Tracon is having difficulty attracting workers. Six of the 16 FAA wanted to hire turned down the agency, and FAA is working on an alternate list.
AAR Aircraft Group named former GE Aircraft Engines executive Don Ward president and general manager of AAR Oklahoma, the aircraft maintenance and aircraft services subsidiary based at Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City. Ward served in a variety of management positions during his 32-year career with GE Aircraft Engines, most recently as general manager of the Strother Field, Kan. plant.
Defense aftermarket specialist Tracor is moving to buy substantially all the assets of Westmark Systems, Tracor's former parent, in a stock-swap deal designed to simplify Tracor's capital structure and make it more attractive to investors, the company said. A lot of Tracor is concentrated in Westmark's hands today - all of Tracor's Class A common stock, as well as Tracor's Series B and C warrants. But the existing arrangement means that there are two classes of common stock and three classes of warrants in Tracor's capital structure.
