Hawker Beechcraft 1900 aircraft are the subject of an emergency airworthiness directive (AD 2011-27-51) issued late last month. The AD, covering Model 1900, 1900C, and 1900D airplanes, calls for inspections within the next 10 hr. time-in-service of the elevator bob-weight and attaching linkage for correct installation and damage or deformation. The AD further directs corrective actions, if necessary. The emergency action stems from reports of the elevator bob-weight (stabilizer weight) traveling past the stop bolt and reducing nose-down elevator control.
LightSquared is bringing back telecommunications veteran Marc Montagner to serve as chief financial officer, responsible for the company’s daily financial operations and investor and bondholder relations.
ALBERT GIVRAY was named general counsel for Nordam, succeeding Russell Wienecke, who retired. Givray, a partner at Denver-based Davis Graham & Stubbs, has served as outside counsel to Nordam for more than 30 years. He has handled intellectual property, litigation and transactional matters for Nordam.
Flight test results on the EC175 twin-engine helicopter are allowing Eurocopter to offer customers improved performance. The helicopter maker is betting heavily on the 7-metric-ton EC175 to help combat strong competition in the medium-twin market from AgustaWestland. The revised performance figures for the EC175, being developed with Avic, give the helicopter a 135 nm radius of action with 16 passengers and 190 nm with 12 passengers, representing a 30% improvement over the initial baseline.
Jan. 11-13—Airports Council International-NA Insurance & Risk Management Conference, New Orleans, www.aci-na.org/conferences/ Jan. 15-16—American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics 15th Annual FAA Space Transportation Conference, Walter E. Washington (D.C.) Convention Center, Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, Washington, D.C., www.aiaa.org Jan. 15-18—National Business Aviation Association’s Annual Schedulers and Dispatchers Conference, San Diego Convention Center, www.nbaa.org/events/sdc/2012
The U.S. Air Force has issued a stop-work order to Sierra Nevada and partner Embraer on their recently awarded $355 million Light Air Support (LAS) contract as the team’s one-time competitor, Hawker Beechcraft, claims unfair contracting practices in federal court.
Associated Air Center (AAC) secured supplemental type certification for installation of an Aircell ATG-5000 wireless Internet on a Boeing 757-200 aircraft. AAC worked on the project with its StandardAero affiliate in Springfield, Ill. The cooperative efforts have resulted in STC approval and installation of the ATG-5000 wireless Internet on several other Boeing Business Jet aircraft. The 757-200 aircraft is owned by MLW Aviation and operated by Elan Express, transportation provider for the Dallas Mavericks pro basketball team.
The National Air Transportation Association (NATA) and Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) are taking steps to expand their nationwide reach to better fight issues at the local and state levels. The changes come as the groups have devoted more time and resources on an increasing number of state issues – particularly as states look to raise new tax revenues.
Signature Flight Support continues to cement its position as one of the most dominant fixed-base operation chains worldwide, picking up two new locations in Mobile, Ala. The company, which now has a network of 111 bases, purchased the assets of Azalea Aviation’s Mobile Air Center at Mobile Regional Airport (KMOB) and Downtown Air Center at Mobile Downtown Airport (KBFM). Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.
The chorus of opposition to the European Union’s emissions trading system (ETS) grows ever louder, and some airlines are passing the costs on to passengers. Delta Air Lines raised its international surcharge by $3 each way per passenger for flights between the U.S. and the EU, a carrier spokesman says. Although not officially tied to the ETS, the carrier instituted the surcharge the day after the ETS was extended to aviation and only on flights between the U.S. and Europe. Delta would not comment on how much the surcharge will rise. Delta is the first U.S.
BOMBARDIER Model DHC-8-300 [Docket No. FAA-2011-0916; Directorate Identifier 2011-NM-127-AD; Amendment 39-16895; AD 2011-26-05] – supersedes an existing AD that requires installation of a new aileron input quadrant support bracket on airplanes that have accumulated certain flight hours. This AD, which stems from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) from Transport Canada, would change compliance time to 33,000 total flight hours.
BAE Systems Model 4101 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2011-0911; Directorate Identifier 2010-NM-248-AD; Amendment 39-16883; AD 2011-25-07] – requires immediate and periodic ultrasonic inspections of the door pin guides and corrective actions, if necessary. This AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) from the European Aviation Safety Agency that cites a report of a door failure. Subsequent investigation has shown that the passenger/crew entry door pin-guide plates can fail before the expected fatigue life.
BOMBARDIER Model DHC-8-201 and -202 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2011-1256; Directorate Identifier 2011-NM-036-AD; Amendment 39-16874; AD 2011-24-10] – requires, for affected models modified by DECA Aviation Engineering, removal of cargo conversion and abrasion systems. The AD stems from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) from Transport Canada that found that the modification provides inadequate fire protection and decompression venting means. This can lead to an uncontrolled cargo fire and structural damage.
APICAL emergency float kits [Docket No. FAA-2010-1190; Directorate Identifier 2010-SW-038-AD; Amendment 39-16877; AD 2011-25-01] – requires, for certain model helicopters with Apical emergency float kits installed under supplemental type certificates, adding placards on each side of the fuselage to identify the location and operation of the life raft external inflation handle. This AD also requires replacing each life raft operation placard to state that external life rafts are installed.
STEPHEN YOUNG was promoted to vice president, sales, aircraft leasing companies for Bombardier Commercial Aircraft. He formerly was senior director, sales, aircraft leasing companies. Young joined Bombardier more than 23 years ago.
Initial used aircraft market data is showing improvement in December, according to Bank of America Merrill Lynch analyst Ronald Epstein. Citing initial Amstat data, Epstein notes the used aircraft inventory appears down in December, a welcome change after inventory had ticked up in the last two months. Pricing is softening further, but Epstein says this decline has helped thaw the secondary market. Prices have dipped 0.6% for light jets, 0.7% for medium jets and 1.3% for heavy jets.
EUROCOPTER FRANCE Model EC 120B helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2011-0448; Directorate Identifier 2007-SW-51-AD; Amendment 39-16841; AD 2011-21-18] – requires modifying the pilot cyclic control friction device by replacing a certain thrust washer with two thrust washers. This AD is prompted by an incident in which the pilot encountered a sudden restriction of the cyclic control movement during flight. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent jamming of a pilot cyclic control stick and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.
Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) is seizing on a statement by House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) to press for a quick resolution to the stalemate over the FAA reauthorization bill. On Dec. 19, Boehner had called on the Senate to appoint a House-Senate conference committee to come to an agreement on a long-term extension of a payroll tax cut and unemployment benefits rather than passing a two-month extension.
The Corporate Angel Network (CAN), the nonprofit organization that provides transportation for cancer patients aboard business jets, last week marked the 30th anniversary of its first flight. CAN co-founder Leonard Greene piloted the first flight on Dec. 22, 1981, transporting a 16-year-old boy from his treatment in New York to his home in Detroit for the holidays. Greene also founded Safe Flight Instrument Corp. Since its first flight, CAN has flown nearly 40,000 cancer patients using empty seats of regularly scheduled corporate flights.
DANNY ROBAYO was promoted to assistant manager of FlightSafety International’s facility in Teterboro, N.J. He has served at the center since 1991 in positions including pilot and maintenance training instructor and program manager for various Dassault Falcon aircraft. Most recently, he has been director of training for the center.
BRP-POWERTRAIN KG Rotax reciprocating engines [Docket No. FAA-2011-1299; Directorate Identifier 2011-NE-40-AD; Amendment 39-16878; AD 2011-25-02] – requires inspection of the crankshaft for cracks and removal of the crankshaft, if necessary. This AD stems from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued by the European Aviation Safety Agency. The MCAI notes that during a production process review, a deviation in the manufacturing process of certain part number (P/N) 888164 crankshafts has been detected, which may have resulted in a latent defect.
LEARJET Model 45 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2011-0651; Directorate Identifier 2011-NM-041-AD; Amendment 39-16879; AD 2011-25-03] – This AD requires revising the maintenance program to incorporate life limits for the main landing gear (MLG) actuator end cap. This AD was prompted by a report of the potential for fatigue cracking of the end cap of the MLG prior to the published life limitation.
FAA has begun accepting and implementing direct requests from aircraft owners seeking to block their registration information from near-real-time flight-tracking programs, the agency says.
