AIRCRAFT ELECTRONICS ASSOCIATION formed a search committee to seek a replacement for Monte Mitchell, who has served as executive director or president of AEA for nearly 20 years. The search committee plans to review qualified applicants and present three finalists to the board of directors. AEA Chairman Dave Vorsas stressed that the committee is seeking only candidates with extensive backgrounds in the avionics industry, adding that all correspondence should be sent to: AEA, P.O. Box 780022, Wichita, Kan. 67278.
BFGoodrich Aerospace named seven executives to new positions last week. Ron Hodges moves from group general manager of Aircraft Integrated Systems, Vergennes, Vt., to group general manager, Rosemount Aerospace in Burnsville, Minn. Cal Purdin, formerly general manager of Aircraft Evacuation Systems in Phoenix, Ariz., will replace Hodges as group general manager of the Integrated Systems plant in Vergennes.
CLYDE EHRHARDT, a 20-year veteran in the aviation insurance industry, opened the Ehrhardt Aviation Agency in Mahopac Falls, N.Y. The agency insures municipal airports, fixed-based operations and general aviation pilots. For more information, contact the Ehrhardt Aviation Agency at P.O. Box 514, Mahopac Falls, N.Y. 10542-0514; telephone: (800) 394-2062.
In the latest of a series of actions to address the unapproved parts issue, the Federal Aviation Administration this month proposed an advisory circular that provides guidance on determining the disposition of undocumented parts and appliances. AC 120-PAAT III advises operators and repair station certificate holders on how to develop a system to determine the conformity of aircraft parts when there is insufficient documentation. FAA is requesting comments on the proposed AC by Jan. 3.
AIRCRAFT OWNERS AND PILOTS ASSOCIATION selected American Eagle Group of Dallas, Texas as the new underwriter for the AOPA Aircraft Insurance Program. The association said the underwriting change "expands coverage and availability" hull and liability insurance to more of the 110,000- plane, owner-flown fleet.
PRAXAIR, INC., Danbury, Conn., is raising prices Nov. 1 for U.S. customers for liquid oxygen, nitrogen, argon and hydrogen. The industrial gas supplier said the increases will average eight percent for oxygen, six percent for nitrogen, 12 percent for argon and eight percent for hydrogen, but warned that individual adjustments will vary depending on local supply conditions, contract terms and other variations. "Record levels of demand for industrial gases continue to drive our production and distribution costs higher," said Paul J.
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF STATE AVIATION OFFICIALS elected its officers for 1995-96, including Gary Adams, director of the Arizona Division of Aeronautics, as president. Others elected to one-year terms beginning this month were: Lloyd Parr, administrator of Missouri's Aviation Section, first vice president; Robert Kunkel, director of the Wisconsin Bureau of Aeronautics, second vice president; and, William Gehman, deputy director of the Michigan Bureau of Aeronautics, treasurer.
The National Transportation Safety Board will discuss the Dec. 13, 1994 fatal crash of a Flagship Airlines/American Eagle Model 3201 Jetstream this Tuesday (Oct. 24) at a meeting at NTSB headquarters in Washington, D.C. Immediately after the accident, which NTSB describes as a "controlled collision with terrain," Transportation Secretary Federico Pena ordered FAA to accelerate the pace of efforts to bring Part 135 operating standards up to the level of Part 121 scheduled carriers (BA, Dec. 19/263).
ALLIEDSIGNAL LTS101 series turboshaft and LTP101 series turboprop engines (Docket No. 95-ANE-16) - proposes to require identifying, removing and replacing certain defective power turbine rotors. This proposal is prompted by reports of workmanship deficiencies on certain power turbine rotors that can reduce the published life limit of the disk. The actions specified by the proposed AD are intended to prevent power turbine rotor failure, which could result in loss of engine power. Comments on the proposal must be sent in triplicate before Nov.
McDonnell Douglas Corp., which has been trying for months to justify the launch of its MD-95 airliner, finally got the job accomplished Thursday, announcing an order for 50 of the 129-seat airliners from Valujet Airlines, and options for 50 additional units. The MD-95 will be powered by twin BMW/Rolls-Royce BR715 turbofans, uprated versions of the BR710 powerplants selected earlier for the Gulfstream V and Canadair Global Express very long-range business jets. Certification is scheduled for mid- 1998 with deliveries beginning one year later.
BRUCE DRINKUTH was named sales manager-wholesale fuels for Signature Flight Support's Page Avjet Fuels Corporation unit. Drinkuth, who has 15 years experience in purchasing and marketing of aviation fuel, most recently was Southeast sales manager for Bell Aviation Fuels Department.
3rd Quarter Cal 95 Year AMERICAN GENERAL AIRCRAFT CORP. - Single-Engine AG-5/B Tiger 0 0 Total 0 0 ATR (Avions de Transport Regional) - Multi-Engine ATR-42 2 7 ATR-72 3 18
ELLIOTT AVIATION was selected by Twin Commander Aircraft Corp., Arlington, Wash., to supply the active noise control systems for Commander 690 series turboprops. Elliott will provide UltraQuiet noise control systems with supplemental type certificate approval to Twin Commander, which will market the system to retail buyers through its network of 33 worldwide dealer locations.
NEW PIPER Models PA-28-140, PA-28-150, PA-28-160 and PA-28-180 (Docket No. 95-CE-51-AD) - proposes to require replacement of the landing light support. This proposal is prompted by two accidents and two incidents resulting from the landing light retainer support seal breaking apart and entering the carburetor. The actions specified by the proposed AD are intended to prevent the landing light retainer support seal from being ingested by the updraft carburetor, which could result in rough engine operation or engine stoppage.
MCCAULEY PROPELLERS is offering a $1,000 rebate on all BlackMac supplemental type certificate turbine propeller kits ordered on or before Nov. 30 and delivered before March 30, 1996. Gene Svoboda, manager of marketing and product support, said the program "gives customers the opportunity to make purchases at 1995 prices while delaying delivery until the first quarter of 1996." McCauley has turbine kits available for the following aircraft models: Beech King Air 90/100/200; Cessna 425/441; de Havilland DHC-6; and, Piper Cheyenne II.
David Thissell, founder of the Northeast Aircraft Maintenance Corp. in Plymouth, Mass., and Evelyn Carlson, instructor with Sunrise Aviation in Santa Ana, Calif., were selected for the 1995 General Aviation Maintenance Technician and Flight Instructor of the Year awards.
The General Aviation Manufacturers Association last week revised downward its report of third quarter shipments and billings after two manufacturers, Cessna and Gulfstream, modified their numbers (BA, Oct. 16/164). Dassault Falcon Jet also revised its third quarter report, bumping up international figures.
Grimes Aerospace made an abrupt change in top management last week, announcing that "Michael DuBose has assumed the position of president effective immediately," replacing Paul E. L. Gralnick "who has resigned for personal reasons."
FOKKER Model F28 Mark 1000, 2000, 3000 and 4000 series airplanes and Model F28 Mark 0100 series airplanes (Docket No. 95-NM-87-AD) - proposes to require repetitive pre-load adjustment of the main landing gear downlock- actuator. This proposal is prompted by reports that upon landing, the main landing gear had collapsed, as a result of the lock toggle-links being pulled out of the over-center position by the downlock-actuator due to the relative movement of the upper and lower side-stay members.
PIEDMONT AVIATION SERVICE, INC., Winston-Salem, N.C., acquired Altair Turbine Services, a firm headquartered in Melfa, Va., that specializes in overhauling auxiliary power units. Altair, located at Accomack County Airport, services APUs used on ground power vehicles as well as airborne units used on Lockheed C-130s and KC-135 tankers. Piedmont President Jim Taylor said Altair performed a significant amount of its APU work under contract to Piedmont, which made the acquisition a natural opportunity.
GAIL JOHNSON was promoted to vice president, assistant secretary and administrative assistant for Sabreliner. Johnson, who has been with Sabreliner since 1978, is now a member of the company's executive committee.
FlightSafety International, one of the most consistently profitable companies in the aviation industry, said its net income rose by nearly one- fifth during the first nine months of the year. The company reported net income of $60.4 million on revenues of $234.6 million for the first three quarters, an increase of 18.5 percent from the $50.9 million in net income reported during the same period in 1994 on revenues of $217.7 million. Training revenues accounted for $219.3 million of the total, while product sales contributed the remaining $15.3 million.
SHIPMENTS AND BILLINGS of new general aviation aircraft increased in the third quarter, but not by as a large a margin as originally indicated (BA, Oct. 16/163).Several business jet manufacturers revised their earlier delivery reports last week to correct errors. See article below. An updated version of BA's worldwide shipment compilation is also shown below.
HONEYWELL DEFENSE AVIONICS SYSTEMS was selected by Chrysler Technologies Airborne Systems, Inc., to provide global positioning system enhanced navigation equipment for the U.S. Air Force C-141.
