BFGOODRICH said the TCAS 791 traffic alert and collision avoidance system and the SA-151D servo actuator for autopilots won approval from the United Kingdom's Civil Aviation Authority. The systems are manufactured by BFGoodrich's Aerospace Avionics System unit.
Air Canada, which has firm orders for 24 Canadair Regional Jets, is all but certain to exercise all 24 options it holds for the 50-seater because of the market opportunities created by Open Skies, Air Canada Chairman Hollis Harris said last week. But Harris told reporters in Washington that Air Canada is also interested in a 70-seat stretch version of the RJ that may be ready for delivery in 1998 or 1999.
JAMES JETTON was appointed regional sales manager, Central region, for SimuFlite Training International. Jetton, who joined SimuFlite seven years ago, has served as manager of corporate programs, maintenance sales manager and aircraft technical instructor.
THE HOUSE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE Wednesday approved, with technical changes, legislation (H.R.842) to remove the transportation trust funds, including aviation, from the unified federal budget. The bill, sponsored by committee Chairman Bud Shuster (R-Pa.), had 180 co-sponsors as of May 2.
Cessna Aircraft Company has signed a ground lease to build its ninth company-owned Citation Service Center at San Antonio, Texas, International Airport. Cessna will begin construction of the center this summer and hopes to occupy the facility by June 1996. The center initially will employ about 40 people, but officials expect that number to nearly double over time. Plans call for a 61,000-square-foot building, including nearly 40,000 square feet of hangar space and 10,000 square feet of support shops and storage areas.
NORTHROP GRUMMAN CORP. last week began assembly of the wing for the first Gulfstream V very-long-range business aircraft. Delivery of the wing is scheduled for this summer. Northrop Grumman, a risk-sharing partner in the G-V program, will deliver four wings to Gulfstream this year. First flight of the G-V is slated for November with certification and deliveries expected in late 1996.
DAC INTERNATIONAL signed an international distributor agreement with Audio International, Inc., Little Rock, Ark., a developer and manufacturer of entertainment systems, cabin control modules, custom switches and lights for executive aircraft.
Pratt&Whitney parent United Technologies had a buoyant first quarter as both profits and revenues grew by double-digit percentages, thanks to cost-cutting, stronger markets and - for the first time in a long time - growth in shipments. In financial results posted last week, UTC turned in 38 percent higher earnings, $135 million, on 12 percent stronger sales, $5.34 billion, and not a single UTC business saw revenue declines. Not all the credit can be given to operational improvements.
SIMUFLITE TRAINING INTERNATIONAL plans to add two more simulator bays to its headquarters facilities at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, essentially doubling its expansion efforts. SimuFlite held a ground breaking ceremony last summer for a two simulator bay addition. SimuFlite officials said that as construction of the those bays is complete, it will begin construction on two additional bays. All four bays, supporting classrooms, briefing rooms and technical support areas will increase the SimuFlite center by 13,000 square feet.
JERRY NICKELSBURG has joined FlightSafety International as director of airline marketing. Nickelsburg, who will oversee marketing for FSI's airline training programs worldwide, most recently was deputy regional vice president-Asia sales department for Douglas Aircraft Company.
Aviation industry representatives cautioned FAA not to mandate the National Transportation Safety Board recommendations on flight data recorder (FDR) upgrades without further study. FAA officials last month indicated that the agency is leaning towards adoption of the recommendations for enhanced FDRs (BA, April 24/171).
DAVID JAMES ANDERSON was appointed director of marketing for Pan Am International Flight Academy. Anderson has more than 18 years of aviation experience, holding positions with companies including Airline Crew Training in Dallas, Texas and American Airlines.
ANDY PARRISH was named marketing manager for FlightSafety International's learning center in Savannah, Ga. Parrish has served as a Gulfstream ground school instructor.
ALLIEDSIGNAL ENGINES (formerly Textron Lycoming) LTS101 series turboshaft and LTP101 series turboprop engines (Docket No. 94-ANE-38; Amdt. 39- 9206; AD 95-09-02) - supersedes priority letter AD 94-19-01 that requires initial and repetitive inspections of the engine fuel pump internal drive splines for wear and replacement of pumps worn beyond specified limits. This action clarifies the original requirements by emphasizing that the AD only applies to engines installed on single- engine aircraft.
AIRCRAFT OWNERS AND PILOTS ASSOCIATION, which in April 1994 launched a mentor program to attract new pilots, last week said its AOPA Project Pilot achieved its first year goal by enrolling 10,017 prospective students in the program. The association said 9,500 of its members participated in the program.
FLIGHTSAFETY INTERNATIONAL has received pilot training contracts from the Federal Aviation Administration covering nine business aircraft. The three-year contracts call for FAA pilot initial and recurrent training for Cessna Citation, Learjet 55, Learjet 31A, Westwind 1124, Beechjet 400, HS- 125/700 and Sabreliner 40 aircraft. Additionally, FlightSafety has contracts for Gulfstream II and IV and Canadair CL-600 training in the next year.
NATIONAL BUSINESS AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION issued an Action Notice to members in the Chicago metropolitan area, urging them to write Chicago Mayor Richard Daley in support of keeping Meigs Airfield open. Daley has suggested closing the airport when the lease expires in September 1996. "There appears to have been little or no analysis of the potential effects of the closing," NBAA told its members, noting that Meigs Airfield reported 50,409 aircraft movements at its facilities last year.
Cessna last month "officially re-entered the single-engine arena" with the initial flight of a 172 Skyhawk prototype, one of three single-engine piston aircraft models that the company plans to bring back to the production lines beginning in 1996, company officials said. On the same day, April 19, Cessna also completed the first flight of the Citation II successor, the Citation Bravo.
U.S. BANKRUPTCY COURT in Miami, Fla. this week will begin consideration of a disclosure statement that details the plan of reorganization for Piper Aircraft Corp. to emerge from bankruptcy.Under the reorganization plan, the Philadelphia-based investment partnership Dimeling, Schreiber&Park will take a 50 percent stake in Piper in a $95 million transaction that leaves 25 percent of the company to Teledyne Industries and the remaining shares to Piper's other creditors (BA, April 10/151).
THE NUMBER OF student certificates, private certificates (original issue) and instrument ratings issued continued to spiral downward last year, according to figures released last week by the General Aviation Manufacturers Association. Instrument ratings declined the most in 1994 with 15,767 issued, down 20.1 percent from the 19,724 issued in 1993. Private certificates issued fell to 32,787, a 16.1 percent drop from the 39,060 issued in 1993. The number of student certificates issued declined only 3.7 percent to an estimated 66,624 in 1994.
DOT GENERAL COUNSEL Stephen Kaplan will leave his position during June or July. He will return to Denver to devote more time to his family, a government official said.
Dassault Aviation, which introduced a longer-range EX version of the Falcon 900 at last fall's National Business Aircraft Association annual convention (BA, Oct. 10/156), last week unveiled an EX version of the Falcon 50. The Falcon 50EX, which will replace the 50, will have new engines and avionics with the same airframe and basic systems design. The aircraft will sport three AlliedSignal TFE731-40 engines with 3,700 pounds of takeoff thrust each that will improve fuel consumption by seven percent and provide a .80 Mach cruise speed at 40,000 feet.
JET AVIATION'S North American maintenance base at Teterboro, N.J. was appointed as an authorized service center for AlliedSignal TFE731 engines, which power several business jets including Falcons, Learjets, Hawkers and Astras.
