The fiscal 1996 transportation appropriations bill, once home to a controversial provision that would have allowed FAA to assess up to $10 million in new or increased aviation fees on the industry, passed the House 389-29 Wednesday without the fees but with language challenging the administration to prove the need for any new fees.
The effort to reform the Federal Aviation Administration took a step forward in the House last week as the aviation subcommittee approved by voice vote legislation to make the agency independent from the Department of Transportation. The bill, H.R.2276, co-authored by House aviation subcommittee Chairman John Duncan (R-Tenn.) and Rep. Jim Lightfoot (R- Iowa), would reform FAA's personnel, procurement, management and finance structures.
Today's referendum by residents of Quebec on whether the province should secede from Canada has raised concerns that a vote favoring separation could cause disruptions and possible dislocation of much of that nation's aerospace industry. Polls last week showed voters were split almost evenly between secession or remaining part of the Canadian confederation.
In the wake of its decision last week finding the pilot at fault for a fatal American Eagle Jetstream crash in North Carolina last December, the National Transportation Safety Board is expected to issue recommendations to FAA on a recurring problem that the accident spotlighted: the lack of employee-information sharing among airlines.
Four aviation associations joined forces last week opposing an FAA notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that would require the replacement of crankshafts in some 15,500 Teledyne Continental piston aircraft engines.
THE EXCHANGE OF PERSONNEL between Bombardier and Gulfstream Aerospace continued last week, as Ralph Aceti joined the Savannah-based manufacturer as vice president of marketing. He had been vice president-marketing services for both Challenger and Learjet, based in Wichita. Also, Julie Stone, who had been manager-marketing communications and public relations for Gulfstream, has left the company.
TELEDYNE, INC. said Wednesday its board accepted the recommendation of a special committee of outside directors to "discontinue active investigation of a possible sale of the company or other extraordinary transaction." Teledyne announced in March that it was exploring whether the sale of the company would represent a superior value for shareholders.
CHRIS ADDINGTON joined Cessna Aircraft as director of assembly, single- engine aircraft. Addington, a 20-year veteran of general aviation manufacturing, will be responsible for assembly, paint and flight operations at Cessna's Independence, Kan. facility. Addington previously served as manager-aircraft completions for Raytheon Aircraft.
FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION has proposed revising its technical standard order establishing minimum performance standards for survivor locator lights. The proposed TSO-C85a would permit the use of steady or flashing type lights, define the light characteristics, permit the use of white or yellow-green lights, require automatic activation and specify upgraded environmental tests. Comments on the proposal are due Nov.
AIR TRACTOR Models AT-301, AT-302, AT-400, AT-400A, AT-401, AT-402, AT-501 and AT-502 airplanes (Docket No. 95-CE-60-AD; Amdt. 39-9384; AD 95- 20-06) - requires inspection of the front spar attachment lugs and the rear spar for fatigue cracks and modification of the vertical fin, if cracks are found. This action also requires repetitive inspections until cracks are found, and then, incorporation of a modification as a terminating action to the inspections.
SEATTLE-TACOMA, WASH. INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT officials are proposing to impose a $3 passenger facility charge from Jan. 1, 1996 to Dec. 30, 2000. The PFC, which is expected to generate $162 million, will be used to help fund a number of airport improvement projects. The PFC would apply to all classes of carriers. For more information, contact Paul Johnson in the Seattle Airports District Office at (206) 227-2655.
NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD will reconvene public hearings Nov. 15 in Springfield, Va. into the Sept. 8, 1994 fatal crash of USAir Flight 427 at Pittsburgh. All 132 persons aboard the Boeing 737-300 were killed when the aircraft crashed in clear weather while on approach to the Greater Pittsburgh International Airport.
WILLIAM WILHELMI was promoted to senior manager of marketing and business development for SimuFlite Training International. Wilhelmi has served as instructor pilot, advanced airmanship instructor and most recently manager of advanced programs for SimuFlite. In his new position, he will be responsible for industry relations, new product development and marketing.
DASSAULT FALCON JET named Ron Velivis director of technical support for Dassault Falcon Jet. Velivis is responsible for technical representatives in the Western Hemisphere, the customer support control room and distribution of maintenance documentation to Falcon operators. Velivis joined Dassault Falcon Jet in 1981 as an account representative in the spares department and in 1990, became manager, service network administration.
Gerald Czarnecki, who joined UNC Inc. in September 1994 as president and chief operating officer, has resigned, effective immediately, the company announced Friday. UNC credited Czarnecki with playing an important role in the company's restructuring over the past year, but said he decided to leave the company "to pursue personal business interests." UNC Chairman and CEO Dan Colussy will assume Czarnecki's duties, officials said.
THREE PEOPLE, including a former astronaut, were named to executive positions at FAA by Administrator David Hinson. Guy Gardner, a retired Air Force officer who was a NASA astronaut from 1980 to 1991 was named director of FAA's Technical Center in Atlantic City, N.J., which has a work force of 1,600. Anne Harlan, a human relations specialist who joined FAA after the 1982 air traffic controllers strike, was named deputy director of the Tech Center.
VETERAN AIR SHOW PERFORMER Bob Hoover told the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association's convention in Atlantic City that he will fly in U.S. air show for the first time since having his airman medical certificate restored earlier this month (BA, Oct. 23/178). Hoover, 73, said he will be performing Nov. 4-5 in Daytona Beach, Fla., operating a Shrike Commander being loaned to him by attorney F. Lee Bailey, who represented Hoover during his unsuccessful attempt to overturn FAA's revocation of his medical certificate in 1993.
GREEN TREE FINANCIAL CORPORATION, the St. Paul, Minn. financial services company, took delivery of the first Hawker 800 XP. Green Tree Chairman and CEO Lawrence Coss said the purchase of the Raytheon business jet "marks a major step forward in our corporate flying activities." The Hawker joins a Beech King Air 350 Green Tree acquired last year.
FAA ADMINISTRATOR David Hinson was scheduled to be in Alaska over the past weekend where he was to participate in a "safety summit" with operators and address a dinner of the Alaska Airmens Association. Asked last week if he would be able to bring any good news to Alaska regarding 95-5, Hinson responded, "I'm very aware of the potential hardship that this rule could [have] on industry." He added that his emphasis is on human factors and operational issues, rather than equipment requirements. An FAA spokeswoman told BA later that Sen.
GULFSTREAM AEROSPACE and Executive Jet Aviation, which signed an agreement early this year that includes firm orders for seven Gulfstream IV-SPs and options for another 13 -IV-SPs and two Gulfstream Vs, are completing the details of a new program involving joint marketing efforts. The new enterprise, Gulfstream Transportation Services (GTS), is expected to be similar to the Business Jet Solutions joint effort between Canadian aircraft manufacturer Bombardier and the AMR Combs division of AMR Corp. (BA, May 8/193). Gulfstream's Raynor Reavis is expected to head GTS.
AIRCRAFT OWNERS AND PILOTS ASSOCIATION is developing a funding reform proposal for the Federal Aviation Administration under which the current tax system would remain in place, but tax levels would be raised or lowered (within limits) annually according to the agency's funding levels. The proposal comes after Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) warned the industry to either come up with an alternative to his proposed user fee system or "we will try to move forward without their support" (BA, Sept. 18/117).
RAYTHEON AIRCRAFT sold a Beech 1900D to Scandinavian regional carrier Air Express of Norrkoping, Sweden. Air Express, which ordered one 1900D and placed an option for a second, will take delivery of the first aircraft by yearend. Air Express currently operates a fleet of Beech King Air 200s and 300s and Embraer Bandeirantes.
AERONAUTICAL REPAIR STATION ASSOCIATION joined forces with the National Air Transportation Association last week to oppose what the groups termed "a questionable and potentially devastating proposed FAA airworthiness directive" that would require replacement of certain engine crankshafts manufactured by Teledyne Continental Motors. See article below.
