EMBRAER Model EMB-120 series airplanes (Docket No. 94-NM-236-AD; Amdt. 39-9457; AD 95-25-11) - requires a revision to the FAA-approved airplane flight manual to limit the revolutions per minute of the propeller during ground operation and installation of a new placard. This AD also requires a revision to the FAA-approved maintenance program to limit the maximum RPM of the propeller during ground operations.
KEITH GRAHAM was named an aircraft lender for First Essex Bank. Graham, who has 10 years aviation industry experience, most recently was the New England underwriter for the United States Aircraft Insurance Group.
NANCY MCFADDEN was sworn in as the Department of Transportation general counsel last week. Formerly a deputy associate attorney general at the Department of Justice, McFadden takes over a position left vacant when Stephen Kaplan left in July. DOT Secretary Federico Pena also named Peter Halpin to head DOT's Office of Congressional Affairs. Halpin previously was director of communications and external affairs for the Federal Transit Administration.
Two fatal Cessna Citation business jet accidents at the end of December claimed four pilots and marked the only fatal accidents of the year involving U.S.-registered, fixed-wing, turbine-powered aircraft in corporate operations conducted under Part 91, according to Robert E. Breiling Associates of Boca Raton, Fla.
UNIVERSAL AVIONICS SYSTEMS' UNS-1C flight management system (FMS) received type certification on Israel Aircraft Industries' Astra SPX business jet aircraft. The installation included dual UNS-1C systems with Collins Pro Line 4 EFIS and flight director/flight guidance system.
LEARJET Model 23, 24, 25, 35 and 36 airplanes (Docket No. 95-NM-209- AD; Amdt. 39-9447; AD 95-25-03) - requires repetitive inspections to detect deterioration of both flapper valves of the tip tank in each wing of the airplane, and various follow-on actions. This AD also requires replacing the flapper valves with new flapper valves, and repetitively performing certain other follow-on actions. This amendment is prompted by reports of imbalance of the fuel loads in the wings of the airplane due to failed or cracked flapper valves.
ANNUAL AEROFAST CONFERENCE&EXPOSITION will be held Oct. 1-3 at the Red Lion Bellevue in Bellevue, Wash. The conference, sponsored by the Society of Automotive Engineers, addresses manufacturing of components and equipment used in aerospace fastening systems, fastener support tooling and equipment materials and surface preparation. For information, contact Kerry Demoratz at SAE at (412) 772-7131; fax, (412) 776-0002.
Raytheon Aircraft shifted company executives Doug Mahin, Keith Nadolski and D. Scott Kalister to new senior officer positions overseeing long-term planning, sales and marketing. Mahin, named vice president- strategic planning and new business development, will oversee the company's long-term strategy, including five-year business planning, new product planning and international market development. Mahin joined Raytheon Aircraft in 1992 as vice president-marketing. Previously, he held positions as vice president-construction equipment sales for Case Corp.
AIRPORT SYSTEMS INTERNATIONAL, Overland Park, Kan., won a contract to produce, install and commission Doppler VHF Omni Range and Distance Measuring Equipment units at Yangi Airport in China, the company's first contract with Chinese aviation officials. Yangi Airport is a regional tourist destination in China and the new systems are designed to improve safety and ease traffic flow.
Nine airlines filed a Part 13 complaint at the Federal Aviation Administration last month alleging that the City and County of Denver is diverting revenues from Denver International Airport (DIA) to maintain the former Stapleton Airport in violation of federal law and Denver's grant assurances.
MCDONNELL DOUGLAS sold two Explorer helicopters to Belgium's national police force and received an option for a third. The contract calls for the two helicopters to be delivered this year with the optional third in 1998. The eight-place, twin-engine, no-tail rotor MD Explorers will be equipped with a forward-looking infrared system, a low-light television camera, a personnel hoist and emergency floats for over-water flights.
JOHN ANDERSON was assigned to head the airfield pavement group in Burns&McDonnell's Aviation&Industrial Division. Anderson will provide expertise in the consulting firm's pavement design, management and rehabilitation projects.
BRAZILIAN MANUFACTURER Embraer selected FlightSafety International as the official training company for the EMB-145 regional jet airliner. FSI's Simulation division in Tulsa, Okla., will design and build a Level D simulator and other EMB-145 training equipment for installation in an Embraer training center in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. FSI currently operates flight simulators for Embraer's 30-passenger EMB-120 airliner in five locations: Paris, France/Le Bourget; Atlanta, Ga.; Seattle, Wash.; Cincinnati, Ohio; and, Houston, Tex.
FLIGHTSAFETY INTERNATIONAL will conduct free proficiency training seminars for Mitsubishi MU-2 operators at four sites in the U.S. this spring and another session in Europe. The weekend sessions will cover cockpit resource management, icing conditions, autopilot/flight control systems and general operating tips.
FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL GROUP, INC., Newport News, Va., said earnings soared more than 300 percent in the six months ended Oct. 31, 1995. The company, which emerged from bankruptcy at the end of 1994, said it had net income of $307,010 on revenues of just over $7 million for the period, compared to net income of $86,802 on revenues of slightly more than $6 million in the comparable 1994 period, increases of 354 percent and 17 percent, respectively. David E.
DIDIER JOUFFROY was named director of quality of the Industrial Battery Division for Saft America, Inc. Jouffroy previously served as industrialization and chemical plant manager for Saft.
THE BOEING-SIKORSKY development team conducted a successful first flight of the RAH-66 Comanche armed reconnaissance helicopter prototype Thursday from Sikorsky's Development Flight Test Center in West Palm Beach, Fla. The Comanche is a low observable helicopter that will replace the Army's Vietnam-era AH-1 and OH-58 attack and observation helicopters. Contractors are to build two prototypes - including the first flight vehicle - and six early operational capability aircraft by 2001. Initial operational capability is anticipated by 2006.
CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS were working Friday to draft a bill that would reopen government agencies shut down because of the budget dispute, but the legislation under discussion was not expected to address any of the expired aviation taxes.A number of aviation excise taxes expired Dec. 31 while Congress and the White House remained at odds over the budget (BA, Jan. 1/1).
ROBINSON Model R22 helicopters (Docket No. 95-SW-27-AD) - proposes to supersede an existing AD that requires installation of a low-rotor RPM caution light and resetting the low-RPM warning unit to activate the warning horn and actuation light at 94-96 percent revolutions per minute.
Bob Aaronson, executive vice president and general manager of Airport Group International, temporarily assumed the duties of president and chief executive of Airport Group International (AGI) following Viggo Butler's departure from the company. AGI, formerly Lockheed Air Terminal, said Aaronson will serve as president and CEO until a permanent chief executive is named. Butler will remain available as a consultant, AGI said. He joined Lockheed Air Terminal in 1973 and became president in 1984. He also was a vice president of Lockheed Corp.
ROLLS-ROYCE CANADA signed a multi-year agreement to provide maintenance for the Rolls-Royce Tay turbofan engines that power Gulfstream IV-SP aircraft operated by Executive Jet Aviation. Rolls-Royce Canada said the contract is valued at $22 million.
CONTINUING PROBLEMS with the automated baggage system at Denver International Airport caused United Airlines to stop using it for luggage on inbound flights on Dec. 22 and since then the carrier has relied on a conventional tug and cart system to move bags.
THE STATUS of aviation fuel taxes seems to have generated the most confusion, an NATA official told BA. While most of the jet fuel taxes have expired (including the 17.5 cents manufacturers tax, .1 cent LUST and .23 cent superfund tax), a large portion of the aviation gasoline taxes are still in effect. Avgas falls under the structure of motor fuel taxes, which did not expire, and suppliers continue to collect the 14 cents manufacturers tax, NATA told its members.
BRIT AIR ordered a Level D flight simulator for the Canadair RJ from FlightSafety Simulation. The simulator, which will be equipped with a VITAL ChromaView visual system, will be owned and operated by the carrier's ICARE Flight Training Center at Morlaix, France. Brit air also ordered a ChromaView visual system to upgrade its existing FlightSafety-built ATR- 42/72 simulator. Brit air operates 13 ATR-42s and two ATR-72s and will soon have a fleet of six Canadair RJs with four more on option.
RAYTHEON AIRCRAFT has begun assembly of the Hawker jet in Wichita. Raytheon Aircraft, which is transferring Hawker assembly from the United Kingdom to Wichita, said the first assembly jig was installed in its Plant IV in Wichita. The assembly jig contains the initial structure of a Hawker 800XP. Raytheon Aircraft officials expect the transfer of Hawker assembly to be complete in 1997. Until that time, the aircraft will be concurrently assembled at both the United Kingdom and Wichita locations.
