CANADAIR Model CL-600-2B19 (Regional Jet Series 100) series airplanes (Docket No. 94-NM-155-AD) - withdraws a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that proposed a new airworthiness directive, applicable to certain Canadair Model CL-600-2B19 series airplanes. That action would have required removal of certain shear pins on the elevator flutter dampers. The proposed actions were intended to prevent problems associated with undampened vibration of the elevators in normal cruise conditions.
Learjet Inc., which saw most of its company-owned service centers sold off during a difficult financial period in the late 1980s, completed a transaction Wednesday with AMR Combs, Inc. under which four service centers were repurchased. The two companies had announced a tentative agreement regarding the service centers last fall following years of discussion (BA, Oct. 3/137).
FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION signed a contract for initial and recurrent training of FAA pilots on the Sikorsky S-76 helicopter. The training program will use FSI's Sikorsky Level C simulator in West Palm Beach, Fla.
CESSNA AIRCRAFT said it received "more than 50 orders" for the Citation Excel since the new business jet model was introduced at the National Business Aircraft Association convention in October (BA, Oct. 10/154). Cessna was offering the Excel at a price of $6.395 million for orders placed before the end of 1994. Cessna plans to begin construction of a prototype Excel this month. The new model will be powered by two Pratt&Whitney PW545A turbofans and Cessna said first flight of the engine on a P&W testbed aircraft is scheduled for June.
ROBERT T. FRANCIS II, the newest member of the National Transportation Safety Board (BA, Jan. 9/13), was designated by President Clinton as vice chairman of the agency. Francis, a veteran FAA employee, was sworn in Jan. 3 after the White House made a recess appointment to fill the vacancy at NTSB caused by the departure of former member John Lauber.
KEYSTONE HELICOPTER CORP., West Chester, Pa., said it concluded discussions with Allison Engine Corp. last month and is now an authorized worldwide maintenance center for Allison 250 Series engines.
SABRELINER CORPORATION plans to sell the fueling operation known as The FBO located at its maintenance facility at Lambert Field in St. Louis in response to Justice Department antitrust concerns in the wake of Sabreliner's purchase of Midcoast Aviation last year.See related article this issue.
DAVID F. MITCHELL was named vice president-business development for the Government and Military Operations of Precision Standards Pemco Aeroplex unit. Mitchell has held a number of management and operational posts, along with sales and marketing responsibility, most recently as managing director-government sales for Pemco. Previously he was general manager for the company's Regional Corrosion Control Facility at Bergstrom Air Force Base in Austin, Tex. Mitchell joined Pemco after 15 years in the U.S. Air Force.
Ogden Corp. said its Aviation Services unit was awarded the largest aviation services contract in the company's history, a 16-year deal valued at up to $1.5 billion by Ogden and its partners to provide a range of services at the new Macau International Airport. Ogden said it will be the managing partner of a consortium that will provide all ramp and passenger services, cargo operations and aircraft line maintenance at the new airport, which is expected to open in late 1995. The new facility is being built approximately 38 miles west southwest of Hong Kong.
DAVID SYMONDS was named regional sales manager for Unison Industries and will be based at the company's office in London, England. He will represent Unison's complete product line including ignition systems for turbine and piston-powered aircraft engines, alternators, electrical harnesses and other engine accessories. Symonds will report to Otto Oppliger, Unison's director of European sales. Symonds was previously with Airsupply, which is part of AlliedSignal Aerospace.
BENJAMIN T. FOUGHT was appointed executive vice president-business development for the Electronic Systems Group of Diagnostic/Retrieval Systems, Inc. He will report to Paul G. Casner, Jr., president of the group. Fought, who has 30 years' experience in management, marketing and engineering, had most recently been director of signal processing and advanced technology systems at the Bell Laboratories division of AT&T Federal Systems Advanced Technologies. In that capacity he helped lead the growth of the company's avionics system integration business segment.
BRITISH AEROSPACE Model Viscount 744, 745D, and 810 series airplanes (Docket No. 94-NM-108-AD; Amendment 39-9109; AD 94-26-14) - This amendment adopts a new airworthiness directive, applicable to all British Aerospace Model Viscount 744, 745D, and 810 series airplanes, that requires inspections to detect cracks in the chassis side bracing structure and in the chassis top strut support intercostals inside the wings, and replacement of discrepant parts with new parts.
THE KANSAS congressional delegation, joined by members of Congress from other states, introduced legislation (S.322, H.R.774) last week to repeal the so-called Wright Amendment that restricts direct scheduled airline service from Love Field in Dallas to intrastate flights and service to points in states contiguous with Texas.
Gulfstream Aerospace said Friday it plans to break ground this year for a major expansion of the aircraft service center at its Savannah, Ga. headquarters. The company currently operates a two-hangar service facility in Savannah and another service center at Long Beach, Calif. The expansion, scheduled to be operational in early 1996, "will be a state-of- the-art customer service facility designed to accommodate up to 12 Gulfstream V aircraft at one time" that will include customer lounges, conference rooms and related office and storage space.
Precision Castparts Corp., Portland, Ore., said earnings were up in the third quarter and nine months ended Jan. 1, while sales are tracking very close to last year's level. Net income for the quarter was $6.4 million, up seven percent from the same period a year ago, and sales were down one percent to $102.4 million. For the first nine months of the fiscal year, sales were up one percent to $315.4 million and income from operations rose 14 percent to $21.1 million.
AAR ALLEN AIRCRAFT named three men to new positions with the organization. James C. Bacon, who had been vice president-operations for STS Services, Nashville, Tenn., was named vice president-airline programs. John O'Loughlin, a 30-year veteran of Aer Lingus, was appointed general manager of AAR Aviation Services (UK) Ltd., the London-based satellite of AAR Allen Airmotive, headquartered in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. O'Loughlin replaces Michael J. Hughes, who was named general manager of AAR Pacific Pte Ltd., the company's sales and maintenance base in Singapore.
DENVER MAYOR Wellington Webb Tuesday said the oft-delayed opening of the new Denver International Airport will occur Feb. 28. Airlines and other tenants are scheduled to move from Stapleton to the new airport Feb. 27. Officials said earlier that tests of an alternative baggage system were successful (BA, Jan. 18/26).
Several manufacturers announced or displayed new helicopter models at last week's Helicopter Association International Heli-Expo in Las Vegas, Nev., signaling a potential turnaround for the rotary-wing industry.
THURSDAY will mark the 30th day since Transportation Secretary Federico Pena convened his aviation safety conference in Washington. Pena promised then that the government would set priorities within 30 days among 70 key recommendations resulting from that meeting (BA, Jan. 16/29). FAA said it expects to make an announcement along those lines this week.
FOKKER Model F27 Series Airplanes (Excluding Mark 050 series airplanes), (Docket No. 93-NM-229-AD; Amendment 39-9103; AD 94-26-08) - adopts a new airworthiness directive, applicable to certain Fokker Model F27 series airplanes, that requires accomplishment of certain structural modifications. This amendment is prompted by reports of incidents involving fatigue cracking and corrosion in transport category airplanes that are approaching or have exceeded their economic design goal. These incidents have jeopardized the airworthiness of the affected airplanes.
JET SUPPORT SERVICES, INC., the Chicago-based company that provides an engine maintenance program called EMS, named The Avion Group, Lenexa, Kan., as its advertising agency of record. Dave Speer, managing partner of The Avion Group, said Jet Support Services "is an exciting addition to our growing client roster."
DASSAULT FALCON JET said the Falcon 2000 received FAA certification Thursday, just two months after the aircraft won European Joint Airworthiness Authority approval. The first aircraft is scheduled for delivery to a South African customer at the end of the month.
GENERAL AVIATION MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION is scheduled to announce the industry's 1994 aircraft shipment results Friday, and while total deliveries are expected to be slightly lower than in 1993, officials are optimistic about prospects for increased production and sales in the years ahead.
RAY HARVEY was promoted to national sales manager of Jet Professionals, Inc., the aviation personnel and consulting unit of KC Aviation. Harvey has been with JPI since 1992 and before that was the director of marketing and sales and a line pilot for a large flight department based in the Northeast.
