THE ACTIVE FLEET of U.S. general aviation aircraft declined by nearly one-seventh from 1990 to 1994, according to FAA. The agency's latest forecast, released last week, said the number of active GA aircraft fell from 198,000 to 170,600 in 1994, a decline of 13.8 percent.
AEROSPACE INDUSTRIES ASSOCIATION has published its Aerospace Facts&Figures for 1995-1996. The statistical databook, compiled by AIA's Aerospace Research Center, contains tables, graphs and text describing aerospace through 1994 and budget estimates for 1995 and 1996. For more information, contact AIA at (202) 371-8400.
Learjet test pilots logged more than 150 hours in the first Model 45 Learjet by the end of February and are continuing to expand the flight envelope for the company's newest business jet model.
FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL received a contract from the U.S. Army Special Operations Command at Fort Bragg, N.C. for military freefall training support. The contract, which includes options for four one-year renewals, is valued at $6.8 million, if all options are exercised. Flight International will use two CASA 212 aircraft to support the training operations of the 1st Special Warfare Training Group (Airborne) at Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona.
AIRCRAFT OWNERS AND PILOTS ASSOCIATION promoted Karen Detert to senior vice president-membership marketing. Detert, formerly vice president at Barry Blau and Partners, joined the association two years ago to manage membership marketing. AOPA credited her with developing new programs to boost AOPA membership and noted her contributions to development of Project Pilot, a pilot prospect recruitment and mentoring program.
Dassault Falcon Jet plans to move all its Falcon completion work to its completion center in Little Rock, Ark. Dassault Falcon Jet's board of directors authorized an expansion of its Little Rock facility to accommodate the additional completions. The Little Rock center performed 24 completions last year and Dassault Falcon Jet officials predicted that number will climb to 32 this year and 42 in 1997. The expansion, to be completed by yearend, includes a 31,000-square-foot support shop and a 9,000-square-foot paint preparation building.
House leaders last week introduced a provision to guarantee collective bargaining rights for FAA's unionized employees after the agency adopts its new personnel management system. The language, part of legislation (H.R.3019) that would fund the federal government for the rest of fiscal 1996, is the top legislative priority of FAA unions and is endorsed by the Clinton administration.
Petroleum Helicopters, Inc., which operates the nation's largest civil helicopter fleet, and FlightSafety International, Inc., signed an agreement "to establish a helicopter pilot, crew member and maintenance technician training program of unprecedented scope," according to FSI.
FOKKER Model F28 Mark 0100 and 0070 series airplanes (Docket No. 95- NM-29-AD) - revises an earlier proposal that would have required a one-time operational test of the pitot heating system and repair or replacement of failed elements. That AD also would have required modification of certain electrical wiring, and replacement of the pitot head and a certain relay.
AEROQUIP CORPORATION agreed to sell its 35 percent stake in Yokohama Aeroquip K.K., based in Tokyo, to Yokohama Rubber Company. Under terms of the agreement, the Japanese company will pay Trinova Corp., Aeroquip's parent company, approximately $34 million, resulting in a pretax gain of $27 million. The transaction is expected to be concluded by the end of June. The joint venture was founded in 1973 and manufactures a variety of fittings, couplings and hose and tube assemblies.
Regional jets, rather than turboprop-powered aircraft, will constitute a growing share of the airline market, according to Michael Boyd of Aviation Systems Research. Boyd says that of 22,000 airplanes of 30 passengers or more, 6,300 will be jets in the 50- to 90-seat category. More than half of those will be 50-seaters, he says, with the remainder 70- seaters. Turboprops will account for 3,100 units over 20 years with large turboprops of 60 seats or more being at the weakest end of that market, but he cautioned that projecting out 20 years is "dicey" at best.
Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, as expected, last week reconfirmed the city plans to convert Meigs Field into a park, a move that aviation proponents say could have both safety and economic consequences for the city.
AMERICAN CHAMPION Models 8KCAB, 8GCBC, 7GCBC, 7ECA airplanes equipped with metal spar wings (Docket No. 96-CE-08AD; Amdt. 39-9508; AD 96-03-11) - requires a one-time inspection of the wing strut fittings for cracks or scratches, replacement of any wing front strut fittings found cracked or scratched, and a report of inspection results to FAA. Fatigue cracks found on the wing front strut fittings on two Model 8KCAB airplanes prompted this action.
Learjet, Inc., which launched an initiative last month to identify potential work force reductions affecting 10 to 20 percent of company personnel, has decided to dismiss just over 100 employees.
MILLER AVIATION was named an authorized Twin Commander service center. Based at the Binghamton Regional Airport in Johnson City, N.Y., Miller Aviation provides a range of airframe, avionics, propeller overhaul and repair and engine services.
The National Business Aircraft Association is citing a report by Arthur Andersen, the economic and financial consulting services firm, to underscore its belief that the nation's aviation infrastructure should continue to receive some level of funding from general tax revenues, and not become completely dependent upon user fees as called for in Sen. John McCain's (R-Ariz.) version of FAA reform legislation.
KENNETH MARTIN was appointed corporate aviation consultant for Saab Aircraft. Martin will be responsible for sales of the Saab 2000 and Saab 340 aircraft to the business aviation community in North America. He previously held the same position with Dornier.
NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD Chairman Jim Hall, in introducing the other four members of the board to the House aviation subcommittee during a hearing last week, noted that this is the first time since he has served as chairman that all five seats have been filled. In fact, at least one seat has been vacant on the safety board since the end of 1993 when Susan Coughlin's term expired. The fifth spot was filled late last month with the confirmation of George Black to the position vacated by Carl Vogt in November 1994 (BA, March 4/102).
JETSTREAM Models 3101 and 3201 airplanes (Docket No. 95-CE-18-AD) - proposes to require modification of the automatic airframe de-ice boots to allow the wing and tail de-ice boots to automatically operate through one cycle. The present system repeats the wing de-ice boot inflation cycle before starting to inflate the tail de-ice boots. Reports of ice accumulating on the tail faster than the automatic tail de-ice boots inflate prompted the proposal.
FAIRCHILD SA226 and SA227 series airplanes (Docket No. 93-CE-21-AD; Amdt. 39-9516; AD 94-07-10 R1) - revises AD 94-07-10, which requires repetitive inspection (visual) of the wing skin for cracks, dye penetrant inspection of the rib straps if cracks are found on the wing skin, and repair of any cracked rib strap and modification of the wing skin. That AD references an incorrect dye penetrant inspection when the wing skin is found cracked.
JOHN P. STENBIT, executive vice president and general manager of TRW Systems Integration Group, was named chairman of FAA's Research, Engineering and Development (R,E&D) advisory committee. FAA Administrator David Hinson also named three new members to the panel: Brian Rowe, former chairman of GE Aircraft Engines; Wesley Harris, a visiting professor of aeronautics and astronautics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; and Aaron Gellman, director of the Transportation Center and a professor of management and strategy at Northwestern University.
FOKKER Model F28 Mark 0100 series airplanes (Docket No. 95-NM-59-AD) - proposes to require inspections for cracking of the Hi-lok bolt holes in the main hinge fittings of the horizontal stabilizer, and repair, if necessary. The proposal also would require modification of the main hinge fitting, modification or replacement of rib connecting angles and modification of ribs. This proposal is prompted by a report that cracking was found in the main hinge fittings of the horizontal stabilizer during fatigue testing.
ARCHIE TRAMMEL'S 1996 schedule of weather radar training seminars will include stops in the Washington, D.C. area, Atlanta, South Carolina, Ohio and White Plains, N.Y. during the next two months. Trammell has been conducting the seminars, designed to show pilots how to obtain maximum benefit from the information their aircraft's weather radar units are providing, since 1979. More than 15,000 people have attended the seminars, which are used by a number of Part 121 scheduled airlines, the U.S. Air Force and Coast Guard and FAA.
The National Transportation Safety Board wants Congress to lengthen the term of NTSB's chairman from two to four years and to close a "loophole" in civil tort law to prevent use of investigation reports in law suits. Those requests are among statutory changes the safety board is seeking as Congress drafts legislation to reauthorize the agency's funding levels for the next three years.
NATIONAL BUSINESS AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION will hold a Maintenance Management Conference April 9-10 and Maintenance Manual Workshop April 11 at the Wyndham Anatole Hotel in Dallas, Texas. The conference is designed to provide maintenance managers and technicians with resources to operate their facilities more effectively and efficiently. The workshop will assist maintenance department and flight department personnel with writing and updating maintenance operations manuals. For more information, contact Jeff Lund at (202) 783-9269 or Sandy Wirtz at (202) 783-9366.
