Cessna's Citation X has begun certification flight tests, marking the final phase of development for the Mach .92 business jet. The tests, conducted for both the Federal Aviation Administration and Europe's Joint Airworthiness Authority, initially will concentrate on stall and handling characteristics and icing and limited cold weather operations. "Our development program has passed a number of significant milestones in recent weeks," said Milt Sills, vice president of engineering.
ROBERT POND was appointed manager, finance for GoodSmith&Co. Pond spent a number of years with McDonnell Douglas Finance Corp., where he was a senior officer responsible for the automobile leasing division.
ALLIANCE ENGINES, which signed a lease on a manufacturing facility in Maryville, Tenn., in February, renegotiated and recently purchased the 48,600-square-foot building in that community's Big Springs Industrial Park (BA, Feb. 20/81). Officials of Alliance, a joint effort between Duncan Aviation and KC Aviation, said an outright purchase, rather than a lease, will result in a better deal over the long term.
President Clinton this month appealed to both House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) and Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole (R-Kan.) for support of the administration's proposal to create a government corporation to run the nation's air traffic control system. In a letter to both Gingrich and Dole, Clinton said the proposal would "quickly modernize the nation's control towers, and would keep them up-to-date and properly staffed.
HARTZELL is offering its Top Prop high-performance, three-bladed propeller conversion for a wider range of Piper PA-28 aircraft with both the PA-28- 180 and PA-28-201 models added to Hartzell's existing PA-28R-200 STC for the conversion. Officials said the prop is designed with "blade twist distribution that maximizes low speed thrust while maintaining or increasing cruise performance."
FLIGHTSAFETY INTERNATIONAL installed a Level D Learjet 60 simulator at its new facility in Tucson, Ariz., which also houses a Learjet 31A simulator. The Model 60 simulator was built by FlightSafety's Simulation Systems Division in Tulsa, Okla.
OFFICIALS at Fort Collins-Loveland, Colo. Municipal Airport and Medford- Jackson, Ore. County Airport are seeking FAA authority to impose a $3 passenger facility charge to help fund various airport projects. The Fort Collins PFC, which would be effective from Oct. 1, 1995 to Sept. 30, 1999, is expected to generate $385,201 and would apply to all classes of carriers. For details, contact Chris Schaffer in the Denver Airports District Office at (303) 286-5525. The Medford PFC would be in place from Nov. 1, 1995 to Oct. 1, 2000 and is expected to generate $1.81 million.
JERRY ANGEL has joined Piedmont Aviation Services as manager of maintenance and overhaul sales. Angel, who previously held positions with both Leisure Air and Piedmont Airlines, will oversee marketing and customer service activities.
The National Aviation Associations Coalition, which strongly favors restructuring FAA and taking the Airport and Airway Trust Fund "off- budget," said safety, adequate funding and an improved procurement process rank among the top priorities for a restructured FAA.
The Senate Budget Committee's resolution, approved last week, assumes that Congress will privatize FAA's air traffic control operations beginning in fiscal 1997. The budget proposal, which aims to achieve a balanced unified budget by 2002, is predicated on the assumption ATC expenditures will be reduced $14.7 billion through 2000 with a privatized system. The proposal, offered by Budget Committee Chairman Pete Domenici (R-N.M.), seeks consolidation of federal transportation programs "by eliminating current division of authority among the different modes" within DOT.
UNC, Inc. reported reduced revenues and sharply lower earnings for the quarter ended March 31, results that the company said reflect a major restructuring program initiated last year. UNC reported revenues of $125.7 million, operating income of $5.2 million and net income of $49,000, compared with revenues of $138.4 million, operating income of $8.4 million and net earnings of $2.5 million during the same period a year ago.
MARC HENEGAR was appointed marketing and sales manager, aviation products for Magellan Systems. Henegar will oversee marketing and sales activities for the company's line of GPS receivers for aviation.
Diamond Aircraft Industries, having incorporated a number of changes in its Katana DA20 two-place trainer, is rapidly increasing production and pursuing an aggressive marketing program that will incorporate simulators and computer-based training aids and off-airport marketing sites.
TRIMBLE NAVIGATION received a contract to install the Trimble 8100 global positioning system receiver aboard FAA's flight inspection aircraft. The contract, valued at $500,000, calls for installation of the units in FAA's 22 Beech 300s. The units, which will be installed by yearend, will provide standard GPS reference data, officials said. The nine-channel GPS receiver is capable of primary remote and oceanic flight navigation and is upgradable to 12 channels.
NATIONAL AIR TRANSPORTATION ASSOCIATION is sponsoring its Line Service Supervisor Training Seminar June 26 at the New England Air Museum in Hartford, Conn. The one-day session covers aircraft fueling safety, quality control and fire prevention. Price to attend is $99 per person. For more information, contact Cindy Aloise at (800) 808-6282.
UNDERWOOD-INSTRUMENT SERVICES opened a satellite facility at Hedrick Beechcraft's facility at Hobby Airport in Houston, Texas. The Houston facility will support clients in South Texas. Lawrence Goodman, a 30-year aviation industry veteran, will manage the Houston office. Underwood, based in Dallas, provides instrument maintenance and overhaul services.
DIAMOND AIRCRAFT INDUSTRIES is moving on several fronts to position itself as a major player in the aircraft training market. The company has delivered nearly 25 of its Katana DA20 two-place trainers, has received orders for nearly 200 aircraft and expects to be producing 33 aircraft per month by December at its factory in London, Ontario. See article below
CESSNA AIRCRAFT COMPANY, reacting to the Federal Aviation Administration's plans to increase surveillance of spare parts, will attach a "birth certificate" to each part the company ships. Cessna's Parts Distribution organization will provide a FAA Form 8130 for each part.
UNITED TECHNOLOGIES signed a cooperative agreement with Aviation Industries of China (AVIC) that calls for joint development of laser technology to support a cooperative manufacturing program between Pratt&Whitney and Chengdu Engine Company in Chengdu, Sichuan Province. "This agreement marks the beginning of a major effort by [United Technologies'] Research Center to launch a variety of cooperative R&D programs with universities and research institutes in China," said John Cassidy, vice president.
FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION is seeking comments on a proposed technical standard order for ground proximity warning systems. The TSO prescribes minimum performance standards for GPWS units. For more information on the TSO, contact Bobbie J. Smith at (202) 267-9546. Comments on the proposal must be sent before Aug. 4 to FAA, Technical Programs and Continued Airworthiness Branch, AIR-120, Aircraft Engineering Division, Aircraft Certification Service - File No. TSO C92C, Room 804, 800 Independence Ave., S.W., Washington, D.C. 20591.
STEPHEN DAY was promoted to vice president of TEC Aviation in Knoxville, Tenn. Day has several years' aviation industry experience, holding sales positions with Learjet, Executive Air Fleet and Omni Jet Trading.
MARC GUTZLER was named site general manager of UNC Artex. Gutzler, who will manage UNC's Addison, Texas-based engine and component repair and remanufacturing facility, previously was manager of business development for Standard Manufacturing Company.
FOKKER Model F28 Mk 0100 series airplanes (Docket No. 94-NM-116-AD) - proposes to require the installation of modified Passenger Service Unit (PSU) panel lenses. This proposal also would require a one-time post- installation inspection to detect corrosion or deterioration of PSU connectors, correction of discrepancies, and application of sealant. This proposal is prompted by reports that "No Smoking" and "Fasten Seat Belt" signs installed in certain overhead PSU's are not readable from passengers' and flight attendants' seats.
KC AVIATION announced several personnel changes. Pat Murphy, former supervisor of KC Aviation's Canadair Challenger program, was promoted to regional sales manager with responsibility for the Southwest region. Mark Keen, avionics maintenance lead technician for the company, was named avionics sales account executive.
DE HAVILLAND Model DHC-8-100 and -300 series airplanes (Docket No. 94-NM- 127-AD; Amdt. 39-9207; AD 95-09-04) - requires an inspection to verify the integrity of the shield grounds for the cable harness of the electronic engine control (EEC) and correction of any discrepancy. This amendment also requires measurement of the electrical resistance of certain shield grounds and repair, if necessary.
