The Federal Aviation Administration published a new advisory circular designed to give guidance to manufacturers who ship parts before receipt of FAA certification. The proposed AC21-32A outlines compliance steps for FAA production approval and approved production inspection system holders concerning the control of products and parts shipped prior to the issuance of a type certificate or a supplemental type certificate.
HARRIS CORPORATION was awarded a contract valued at more than $10 million to develop a communications system that will allow air traffic controllers to safely increase the number of flights over the Gulf of Mexico. Harris' Transcomm Division, Melbourne, Fla., will develop the Buoy Communications System, which will use a network of satellites and water buoy-based radio links to provide controllers with direct voice communications to pilots.
U.S. HELICOPTER MANUFACTURERS shipped 68 civil helicopters in third quarter 1995, compared with 66 in the same period of 1994, the Aerospace Industries Association reported late last month. While civilian deliveries increased, sales fell $4 million to $38 million in the third quarter. Manufacturers shipped 71 commercial helicopters - including civil and exports to foreign governments - in the third quarter of 1995, matching the number of deliveries in the same period of 1994.
UNIVERSAL AVIONICS' flight management and navigation management systems received FAA approval for use with global positioning systems as a primary means of navigation for oceanic/remote operations, including MNPS. The systems are certified for GPS operation in en route, terminal and approach phases of flight. The 12-channel GPS receiver performs receiver autonomous integrity monitoring (RAIM) and fault detection and exclusion (FDE).
MCCAULEY PROPELLERS received supplemental type certificate approval for installation of three-bladed BlackMac propellers on Piper PA-32-300, PA- 32R-300 and PA-32RT-300 aircraft. The propellers, designed to replace the original two-bladed propeller on those aircraft, will improve performance and reduce flyover and cabin noise, McCauley officials said.
National Transportation Safety Board, citing difficulties it encountered investigating the fatal crash of a Simmons Airlines ATR-72, has recommended that FAA's Air Traffic Control System Command Center retain some information for at least 15 days. The American Eagle aircraft crashed on a flight from Indianapolis to Chicago on Oct. 31, 1994, killing all 68 aboard. The board has not yet determined the cause of the crash but said its investigation was hampered because documents were not retained by the Air Command Center.
FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION approved noise exposure maps submitted by the Metropolitan Knoxville, Tenn. Airport Authority for McGhee-Tyson Airport.
JOHN PUM joined FlightSafety International as regional marketing manager for the Southwestern region. Pum, who established a new FSI office at Ontario International Airport, previously was vice president-marketing for MedAir, Inc.
An inter-agency review of the security implications of very precise Global Positioning System signals, and testing of techniques to prevent hostile use of more accurate signals, should be completed "within a fairly short period of time," a senior Defense Department official told the House aviation subcommittee last week.
Saeaga Airlines of Malaysia has purchased three Bombardier-built aircraft in an order valued at $49 million (U.S.). The airline, based in Kota Kinabalu, ordered one 50-passenger Regional Jet, one 37-passenger Dash 8 Series 200 and one 50-passenger Dash 8 Series 300 turboprop for delivery before the end of the year. The agreement also includes options on two additional DHC-8-300s for later delivery. Saeaga Airlines is a newly formed joint venture regional airline formed by the Sabah and Sarawak governments and Ekran Berhad, a holding company.
SHELLY BUCKLEY was promoted to sales representative-original equipment manufacturers, for BFGoodrich Aerospace Avionics Systems. Buckley previously was a contract administrator for business and general aviation OEM accounts.
The Federal Aviation Administration has revised the criteria, application procedures and schedule for airport participation in the Military Airport Program (MAP). The revisions, in part mandated by FAA reauthorization legislation approved in August 1994 (BA, Aug. 15, 1994/70), stipulate that MAP participants must show that their projects would relieve congestion at a neighboring airport with at least 20,000 annual hours of delays in commercial takeoffs and landings.
MCDONNELL DOUGLAS HELICOPTERS expects to begin certification testing next month on its first production MD 600N helicopter. The flight tests are scheduled to be completed in the third quarter of 1996. The first of the eight-place aircraft will go to AirStar, a Grand Canyon operator that specializes in tourist flights. The helicopter has an Allison turbine engine and a six-blade main rotor.
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE officials, noting the department contributes "significant funding and infrastructure support" to the national airspace system, told congressional leaders DOD is "firmly against any proposal that would charge DOD for its use of the air traffic control system." In a letter to House aviation subcommittee Chairman John Duncan (R-Tenn.), Assistant Secretary of Defense Emmett Paige stressed that "were a fee-for- service air traffic control system adopted, DOD should pay nothing." Paige warned that any attempt to unravel the partnership between DOD and
Summary: Pursuant to FAA's rulemaking provisions governing the application, processing, and disposition of petitions for exemption (14 CFR Part 11), this notice contains a summary of certain petitions seeking relief from specified requirements of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR Chapter I), dispositions of certain petitions previously received, and corrections. The purpose of this notice is to improve the public's awareness of, and participation in, this aspect of FAA's regulatory activities.
NAJEEB HALABY was named chairman of the AOPA Air Safety Foundation Board of Visitors. Halaby recently received the National Air and Space Museum's lifetime achievement award. He served as FAA administrator under President Kennedy and was chief executive of Pan Am from 1969 to 1972.
SimuFlite Training International promoted four executives to senior management positions. Eugene Haggerty and Jeffrey Roberts were elevated to vice president positions. Haggerty, former managing director of training services, was named vice president of training services. Roberts, previously managing director of sales and marketing, becomes vice president of sales and marketing. Allison Blankenship and Thomas Ferranti assume managing director titles.
Federal Aviation Administration and NASA officials are testing a new air traffic control tool, called the Descent Advisor, at Denver International Airport in an attempt to reduce delays and controller workload. The device being tested is a component of the Center-TRACON Automation System (CTAS). The software assists controllers by providing them with time and location data for the efficient sequencing and separation of traffic in en route airspace as flights near their destination airports.
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN, which closed the Grand Canyon and other national parks this month, was a boon to the air tour industry. The U.S. Air Tour Association - the newly renamed National Air Access Council - said tourists denied surface access to parks benefited from overflights. Operators in Nevada, Arizona and Hawaii reported "brisk" business. USATA is developing several new services for its members, including a planned first-ever air tour summit annual meeting and convention.
Kestrel Aircraft Company, an Oklahoma firm founded by a former Cessna Aircraft sales executive, conducted the first flights of its KL-1A utility aircraft last week from Max Westheimer Airport in Norman, Okla. The -IA, a four-place, high-wing utility airplane powered by a four-cylinder, 160- horsepower Lycoming O-320-D2G engine, is the first of several similar models planned by Kestrel founder Donald Stroud, president and chief executive.
AIRPORTS AS PROFIT CENTERS? The Connecticut Department of Transportation issued a press release to proclaim that "Bradley International Airport, a financially self-supporting enterprise operated by the state...realized a profit of $6.9 million in fiscal year 1995." Gov. John G. Rowland observed that the financial results show that "the state is fulfilling its obligation to operate and maintain Bradley as a profitable enterprise. The airport is run like a private business at no cost to state taxpayers."
UNIVERSAL AVIONICS SYSTEMS CORP. said its UNS-1C flight management system received supplemental type certification on an HS125-700A aircraft. Duncan Aviation in Lincoln, Neb. completed the installation, which included dual UNS-1C systems interfaced with Collins flight director/flight guidance system and displays. The FMS was certified for en route, terminal and GPS approach modes. The FMS houses a navigation computer, 12-channel GPS receiver and control/display functions in one unit.
SABRELINER CORP. will rename its recently acquired DynAir Tech Inc. subsidiary AirTech Jan. 1 and appointed Stephen Townes president of the unit. Townes formerly was president and chief operating officer of Intertrade, Ltd., an aviation aftermarket equipment supplier. He also held vice president positions with Stevens Aviation and Dee Howard. DynAir Tech, acquired by Sabreliner last summer (BA, July 10/12), provides a range of maintenance and modification services at its facilities in Phoenix, Ariz., Amarillo, Texas and Miami, Fla.
Mooney Aircraft promoted four executives to senior level positions, including Jeffrey Dunbar as chief operating officer. Dunbar joined Mooney in 1988 and became factory sales manager for the Northeast, based in Hartford, Conn., later that year. He moved to Mooney headquarters in Kerrville, Texas when he was promoted to vice president of sales in 1992.
TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY Federico Pena is staging another Aviation Safety Initiative next week in New Orleans, similar to January's Aviation Safety Conference in Washington, D.C. (BA, Jan. 16/29). The Dec. 6-7 event, which will review progress on safety recommendations resulting from the January meeting, will feature speeches by Pena and FAA Administrator David Hinson, along with workshop sessions on a variety of safety topics.
