MARK FABIAN was named vice president, technical operations for Citicorp Global Aviation's Aircraft Management Business. Fabian will oversee technical matters related to aircraft management and lease return.
CESSNA AIRCRAFT this month rolled out the 100th CitationJet less than two years after the initial delivery of the aircraft in March 1993. The company delivered 49 CitationJets last year and expects to deliver as many this year. "The CitationJet has been an outstanding addition to the Cessna family of jets," said Gary Hay, executive vice president of marketing and product support. "It led the business jet industry in deliveries in both 1993 and 1994 and the fleet has already accumulated more than 25,000 hours with operators in 13 countries."
MOONEY has appointed Mooney MMC Pty Limited as the exclusive distributor of Mooney aircraft in Australia. Mooney MMC, located at Bankstown Airport, will provide sales, technical bulletins and training programs. In addition, the company expects to expand the network of Mooney service centers. Mooney MMC, which has owned and operated Mooney aircraft for more than 25 years, plans to take delivery of a new Ovation in June. The addition of the Australian center brings the total of Mooney distributors to 38.
Canadian manufacturer Bombardier is crediting its aerospace operations for a major boost in overall company revenues, but said profit growth in the aerospace segment did not match the jump in revenues. As previously reported, Bombardier's revenues were up 22.9 percent for the year ended Jan. 31, 1995, while profits soared 38 percent to $241.9 million. All figures are in Canadian dollars.
SIMUFLITE TRAINING INTERNATIONAL received a three-year contract follow-on from the Federal Aviation Administration to provide initial and recurrent training for Learjet 24/25 safety inspectors. SimuFlite has provided the Learjet 24/25 training since 1985 and trained some 1,200 safety inspectors since opening in 1984. The company also has provided inspector training in the Citation III, Falcon 10, Falcon 50, King Air 200 and Lockheed L-382.
MOONEY Model M20K airplanes (Docket No. 95-CE-11-AD) - proposes to require an inspection to determine whether the airplane is equipped with a Gerdes fuel selector valve, part number A-2580, and replacement of any Gerdes fuel selector valve with an Airtight fuel selector valve. This action is prompted by a malfunction of a Gerdes fuel selector valve on an affected airplane that prevented the operator from selecting the appropriate fuel tank. The actions specified by the proposed AD are intended to prevent fuel selector valve malfunction.
JETSTREAM Model 4101 airplanes (Docket No. 94-NM-169-AD; Amdt. 39-9190; AD 95-08-01) - requires modification of the spoiler system. This amendment is prompted by reports of fatigue failures of the tee fittings of the spoiler bleed nipples. The actions specified by this AD are intended to ensure that the tee fittings do not fail and subsequently lead to loss of the main system hydraulics.
MEDFORD-JACKSON COUNTY, ORE., AIRPORT is seeking FAA authorization to impose a $3 passenger facility charge from May 1, 1995 to Oct. 31, 1995. The PFC is expected to generate $52,000 to help fund road improvements. Officials have requested that air taxi and special service operations (such as air ambulance, student instruction and sightseeing flights) be exempt from the requirements to collect the PFC. For more information, contact Jerry Trujillo, Seattle Airports District Office, SEA-ADO, FAA, 1601 Lind Ave., S.W., Suite 250, Renton, Wash.
ALITALIA, Italy's national airline, ordered 15 Fokker 70 aircraft last week. The aircraft, which will be painted in Alitalia livery, will be operated by Avianova, a regional carrier based in Rome.
FlightSafety International reported a sharp jump in net income for the first quarter ended March 31, and a more modest increase in revenues. The company reported net income of $20.1 million, a 24.4 percent increase from $16.2 million in the first quarter of 1994. First-quarter revenues were up 6.2 percent, from $73.2 million to $77.8 million. Training revenues were up 10 percent to $71.3 million, while product sales declined 22.7 percent to $6.4 million.
IN A SEPARATE ACTION, Bombardier is expected to announce this week that a Pratt&Whitney engine - believed to be a new model, not a derivative - will power the new 72-passenger de Havilland Dash 8-400 high- speed turboprop. Engine selection had been expected last week in conjunction with delivery of the 400th Dash 8 to Tyrolean of Austria, but the engine announcement did not materialize. See article below.
FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION has closed the flight service station at Tanana, Alaska. The services formerly provided by the Tanana FSS now will be provided by the automated FSS at Fairbanks, Alaska.
FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION is expected to release an Invitation For Bid (IFB) by about May 15 for acquisition of 22 commercial Distance Measuring Equipment (DME) systems with an option for up to 25 more. Delivery of the first system would be required within six months of contract award, with delivery of additional units at a rate of five per month. Solicitation number is DTFA01-95-R-27434. For more information, contact: Cynthia Valdes, (202) 267-8574; fax, (202) 267-5149.
The Federal Aviation Administration has named three managers to oversee airport planning and development in its Southern Region. Robert (Rusty) Chapman was appointed manager of the Planning and Development Branch for FAA's Southern Region Airports Division, which covers the Southeastern U.S., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Chapman, a 20- year industry veteran, has worked with airport consulting firms and managed airport development programs as a civilian with the U.S. Department of the Army in Europe.
The Federal Aviation Administration has adopted a fee schedule that will apply to a wide variety of activities conducted outside the U.S. by FAA inspectors, safety officials and certification experts.
Textron said revenues and operating income in its aircraft manufacturing businesses were up in the three months ended April 1, 1995, primarily due to improved performance by the conglomerate's Bell Helicopter Textron subsidiary.
JETSTREAM Model 4101 airplanes (Docket No. 94-NM-170-AD; Amdt. 39-9191; AD 95-08-02) - requires installation of new case drain pipes and an additional fairlead support for the hydraulics case drain line in the rear spar area of the engine/nacelle. This amendment is prompted by reports of fatigue failure of the case drain line in the hydraulics system. The actions specified by the proposed AD are intended to prevent the loss of hydraulics as a result of lack of support against vibration.
KERRY KOCH was appointed controller for Intertrade, Ltd., a Cedar Rapids, Iowa-based aerospace after-market supplier. Koch previously served as corporate controller for National Propane and AMGAS Corporations.
FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION is leaning toward adoption of the National Transportation Safety Board's recommendations for upgraded flight data recorders (BA, Feb. 27/91).
The Cirrus SR20 prototype completed its first flight late last month and has since logged 41 hours. The single-engine piston aircraft, which flew to Sun 'N Fun in Lakeland, Fla., earlier this month, is the first in a family of general aviation aircraft that Cirrus Design Corp., Duluth, Minn., has on the drawing board. Cirrus, which unveiled the four-place, fixed-gear SR20 last summer at the EAA Convention in Oshkosh, Wis., hopes to receive certification and begin deliveries by the end of 1996.
An investor group that includes principals in the Vail/Beaver Creek Jet Center of Eagle, Colo., acquired La Quinta Air Services at the Thermal, Calif. Airport. Operating as La Quinta FBO, Inc., the group is promoting the Thermal Airport as an alternative to Palm Springs Regional Airport for the corporate and general aviation customers it hopes to attract.
FLIGHT SERVICE STATIONS at Birmingham, Ala., Dothan, Ala., and McComb, Miss., will close April 20, June 1 and June 29, respectively, FAA said last week. The closings of the FSS facilities are part of FAA's plan to eliminate hundreds of such offices and transfer services to larger Automated Flight Service Stations (AFSS). Since the consolidation program began in 1981, nearly 300 FSS units have been closed, the agency said, adding that the estimated cost savings per year of closing a flight service station is $250,000.
ALLISON ENGINE CO. wants to redeem $110 million in debt it acquired when management borrowed the money two years ago to buy the company from General Motors, offering to pay a 10 percent premium to investors in exchange for redeeming the debt up to eight years early. Allison opened its offer this month and will keep it open through May 11, an offer driven partly by Allison's recent acquisition by Rolls-Royce. The offer can only go through if a majority of the noteholders go along with it, but the tender offer won't affect the acquisition, an official said.
HERMETIC AIRCRAFT INTERNATIONAL CORP. received a contract valued at $1.6 million from the U.S. Coast Guard to design and modify fuel jettison valves on 96 Eurocopter HH-65A Dolphin short-range search and rescue helicopters. The contract, which also covers spares, calls for deliveries to begin this month. Hermetic teamed with IN-HR, a French company and subsidiary of Group Intertechnique, for the contract.
DOUG PECK was named regional sales manager for the central U.S. for Textron Financial's Aerospace Finance Division. Peck will be responsible for general aviation financing for customers in the central U.S., ranging from Arkansas to Montana.
