KANSAS stands to gain some 4,000 jobs this year as the general aviation industry recovers from the long downturn that began in the early 1980s, the General Aviation Manufacturers Association said last week.Cessna, ramping up to re-enter the piston engine market, is expected to hire as many as 2,000employees and Raytheon Aircraft hopes to add 1,000. In addition, several other GA manufacturers - including Learjet, B&D Instruments and Avionics, AlliedSignal General Aviation Avionics - combined are likely to add 1,000 new jobs. See related article on Page 43.
HI-SHEAR INDUSTRIES, INC., North Hills, N.Y., rescheduled its annual meeting of stockholders from Jan. 30 to Feb. 23. The company has proposed selling Hi-Shear's operating businesses to GFI Industries S.A.
FLIGHTSAFETY INTERNATIONAL'S Academy in Vero Beach, Fla., is training a second class of cadets from the China Civil Aviation Flying College. The 34-member class is undergoing an ab initio flight training program that includes an aviation language course. The cadet training will cover indoctrination through commercial pilot qualification and an airline bridge course. FlightSafety will incorporate elements of its Academy-Master airline transition program and include simulator and in-flight training in a King Air turboprop.
NATIONAL BIPLANE ASSOCIATION will hold the 10th Annual National Biplane Convention and Exposition May 31-June 1 at Frank Phillips Field in Bartlesville, Okla. For more information, contact Chairman Charles Harris at (918) 622-8400 or Expo Director Virgil Gaede at (918) 336-3976.
NEW PIPER PA-28 and PA-32 series airplanes (Docket No. 94-CE-28-AD; Amdt. 39-9472; AD 95-26-13) - supersedes AD 76-25-06, which requires replacement of the oil cooler hoses on Model PA-28-140 airplanes, and inspection for a minimum clearance between the oil cooler hose assemblies and the front exhaust stacks, and adjustment if propeller clearance is not obtained.
JOHN ROONEY was named senior associate at PRC Aviation. Rooney, who held management positions at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Aviation Department, will provide airport planning services with an emphasis on marketing, conces-sions, economics, finance and statistics.
BUTLER NATIONAL CORP. said its Avcon Industries subsidiary successfully test flew its Learjet Model 35 with aerodynamic stabilization devices that will be marketed under the name Avcon Fins. The first flight was conducted Jan. 24. Mounted on the rear of the aircraft, the fins provide additional lift and stability at lower airspeeds and improve control during approach and landing and other low-speed maneuvers.
BARFIELD, of Miami and Atlanta, has tripled its oxygen shop capabilities with the addition of a new hydrostatic tester and new employees. Barfield said it expanded its service capabilities to meet federal requirements that all oxygen bottles undergo a hydrostatic test every three years. For more information, contact Lewes Wingate at Barfield at (305) 876-2433.
ROBINSON Model R44 helicopters (Docket No. 95-SW-30-AD; Amdt. 39-9463; AD 95-26-05) - supersedes an existing AD that requires revisions to the Limitations section, the Normal Procedures section and the Emergency Procedures section of the R44 Rotorcraft Flight Manual. These revisions limit operations in high winds and turbulence, provide information about main rotor stall and mast bumping and provide recommendations for avoiding these situations. Additionally, emergency procedures are provided for certain conditions.
BE Aerospace, Inc., completed the purchase last week of Burns Aerospace Corp. for $42.5 million in cash. Burns, a major manufacturer of commercial aircraft seating, is headquartered in Winston-Salem, N.C. and was formerly a wholly owned subsidiary of Eagle Industries, Inc. BE Aerospace said the transaction was funded with the proceeds of $100 million in unsecured 9.87 percent senior subordinated notes due 2006. The balance of the proceeds from that offering were used to repay a portion of the company's existing bank credit line.
A CORPORATE PILOT, a former astronaut and the former chairman of LTV Corp. will attempt to establish a speed record for an around-the-world flight in a Model 35A Learjet next month. Mark E. Calkins, 40, vice president of aviation for Daniels Communications, Charles (Pete) Conrad, 65, who made four space flights while an astronaut from 1962-1973, and retired LTV Chairman Paul Thayer, 76, will use Daniels Communications Learjet, equipped with two additional 200-gallon fuel tanks.
In a series of proposed directives issued Thursday, the Federal Aviation Administration called for a prohibition of flight in freezing rain or freezing drizzle conditions for more than two dozen turboprop-powered aircraft. The proposals, which primarily target commuter turboprops, stem from the accident investigation of the Simmons Airlines ATR-72 that crashed in October 1994 near Roselawn, Ind. after operating in a holding pattern in freezing drizzle.
NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD Member John Goglia, noting that the Federal Aviation Administration held a press conference to discuss safety board recommendations on air traffic control system outages before NTSB members voted to adopt them, said, "It appears that FAA has clearly transcended the electronic age and moved into clairvoyance...I think they would be well served if they could apply some of that clearly unusual talent toward addressing the problems of ATC outages. Maybe they could predict them so they could be prepared when they occur."
THE 1996 SUN 'N' FUN Sport Aviation Convention is scheduled for April 14-20 at Lakeland, Fla. Linder Regional Airport. Aircraft judging will begin opening day and end at noon April 18. The awards ceremony will be held at the FAA building on the evening of April 18. The event will feature all aspects of flight from homebuilts to helicopters, and include the Wittman Memorial Sun 100 Race, Seaplane Day, forums and workshops and exhibits. For more information, contact Sun 'n' Fun at (813) 644-2431.
Duncan Aviation, noting plans to make research of Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum (RVSM) standards a "top priority in 1996," has assembled a team to track the new standards to update customers. The Federal Aviation Administration plans to implement new RVSM standards Jan. 1, 1997, permitting 1,000-foot vertical separation at altitudes between FL290 and FL410 for flights operating over the North Atlantic (BA, Jan. 1/1). Duncan said industry experts predict that at least half of the business jet fleet will require modification to meet the new standards.
GENERAL ELECTRIC CF34 series turbofan engines (Docket No. 95-ANE-41) - proposes to reduce the allowable operating cyclic life limit for affected high-pressure compressor (HPC) stage 1 rotor disks. This proposal is prompted by an updated stress and life analysis. The actions specified by the proposed AD are intended to prevent HPC stage 1 rotor disk rupture, engine failure and damage to the aircraft. Comments on the proposal must be sent in triplicate before Feb.
Romania's DAC Air has agreed to acquire four de Havilland Dash 8-300s and four Canadair Regional Jet 200s, Bombardier said last week. The carrier also placed four conditional orders and four options for each type, which would make the order worth U.S. $425 million if all 24 aircraft are delivered. Bucharest-based DAC Air plans to begin service in May to domestic and other European destinations. The Bombardier aircraft will replace 24 An-24s that have served the area for more than 30 years.
NATIONAL AIR TRANSPORTATION ASSOCIATION is urging FAA to reject a petition recently filed by the National Business Aircraft Association that seeks a regulatory change to permit government agencies to recoup the operating costs of their aircraft when providing services for other governmental agencies BA, Jan. 15/24).
Brian Barents, the veteran aircraft marketer who oversaw the six-year transformation of Learjet from a has-been in the business jet market to an aggressive contender for market-share leadership, will leave the company at the end of February. Learjet parent Bombardier, which provided the financial resources to support Barents' product development and marketing acumen, Wednesday named Jim Robinson president of the Wichita-based business jet manufacturer.
National Air Transportation Association Thursday issued an action call asking members to contact their congressional representatives in an effort to fight the Federal Aviation Administration's flight and duty time proposal. "Based on meetings with FAA officials and their lack of concern for the effects on the Part 135 on-demand industry, congressional pressure on the FAA and DOT is absolutely essential for the industry to obtain important modifications," NATA told members.
ROBINSON Model R22 helicopters (Docket No. 95-SW-29-AD; Amdt. 39-9462; AD 95-26-04) - supersedes an existing AD that requires revisions to the Limitations section, the Normal Procedures sec-tion and the Emergency Procedures section of the R22 Rotor-craft Flight Manual. These revisions limit operations in high winds and turbulence, provide information about main rotor stall and mast bumping and provide recommendations for avoiding these situations. Additionally, emergency procedures are provided for certain conditions.
FRASCA INTERNATIONAL called 1995 "an excellent year in sales" of flight training equipment to customers in the Asia-Pacific region. Frasca delivered a Model 242T Level 3 twin-turboprop flight training device (FTD) for the Thai Airways training center in Bangkok and a Model 342 helicopter FTD for the TKK Haneda training center in Tokyo. In addition, Frasca took an order for delivery this year of a BO-105 FTD for the Indonesian Army.
THE PARSONS CORPORATION reorganized four new business units: Parsons Process Group Inc.; Parsons Infrastructure&Technology Group Inc.; Parsons Power Group Inc., and Parsons Transportation Group Inc. In addition, Parsons created an International Operations and Global Business Development organization. Parsons Process consolidates the corporation's petroleum and chemical capabilities and Parsons Infrastructure&Technology integrates the environmental, infrastructure, government and industrial capabilities.
FAA ADMINISTRATOR David Hinson, continuing to push the Clinton Administration proposal to implement new user fees to fund FAA, last week indicated that he now intends to call the user fees "proprietary receipts." The new name, however, hasn't swayed industry opposition. GAMA Chairman Horst Bergmann, a native of Germany, last week said the association supports the current tax structure. "Personally, I have had considerable experience with the European fee system. It is a mess and restricts general aviation," Bergmann said. "The U.S.
