The FAA is proceeding toward mandatory installation of enhanced ground proximity warning systems in most turbine-powered aircraft as a result of the December, 1995, crash of an American Airlines Boeing 757 near Cali, Colombia, and recommendations from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board that followed the accident.
Installations of production AlliedSignal Aerospace enhanced ground proximity warning systems have begun at some U.S. airlines, bolstering an industry-led campaign to eliminate controlled-flight-into-terrain accidents, commercial aviation's biggest killer during the past decade.
Geoff Corpe has become executive director for Europe of MSAS Cargo International, Bracknell, England. He was executive director for the U.K., Far East, South Pacific and Air Link. Edward Hope, who had been executive director for Continental Europe and Africa, is now esxecutive director for Africa, the Middle East and India.
Debonair. The name connotes a sense of style, urbanity, quality--and that's exactly what Franco Mancassola, Debonair Airways' chairman and chief executive, is trying to convey with his new airline.
Ari Bousbib has become vice president-strategic planning of the United Technologies Corp., Hartford, Conn. He was a partner at Booz, Allen and Hamilton. Bousbib succeeds Jonathan W. Ayers, who will assume a senior operating post.
Swiss regional carrier Crossair has entered into a joint venture with French investors with an eye to creating a new airline based in France that could take advantage of the liberalization of air traffic within the European Union.
Eric J. Speck has been named president of the Sabre Travel Information Network of Fort Worth. He was vice president of Sabre Europe. Speck succeeds Jeff Katz, who has resigned to become chief operating officer of Swissair.
Sustained growth of the global maintenance, repair and overhaul business will depend chiefly on the ability of original equipment manufacturers, airlines and suppliers to form alliances and perform work more efficiently, according to officials addressing the MRO '97 conference held here last week. The two-day event centered on the rapidly expanding maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) market, outsourcing strategies, and the more aggressive role of original equipment manufacturers (OEM) in pursuing aftermarket business opportunities.
Robert P. Blouin has been named vice president-operations of the Washington-based National Business Aircraft Assn. He was vice president-technical operations of Short Brothers (USA) Inc.
NASA`S LANGLEY Research Center is conducting wind tunnel tests on several scale models of the X-33 reusable single-stage-to-orbit demonstrator. The tests, which are taking place in a half-dozen tunnels at Langley facilities in Hampton, Va., are aimed at gathering data on how the X-33's design performs aerodynamically over a range of speeds, from takeoff to hypersonic flight approaching Mach 15. The X-33's liquid oxygen tank barrel and dome were recently aligned for welding by Lockheed Martin personnel at NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans (shown).
FLS Aerospace has completed work on its first Boeing 727 cargo conversion at its maintenance facility at London Stansted airport. The 727-200 is now in service with TNT Express Worldwide, which signed a four-year support contract with FLS. The conversion involved fuselage strengthening and installing a cargo handling system, freight door and FedEx Aviation Services Stage 3 hushkits. FLS is eyeing additional cargo conversion work as an entree to long-term support contracts with new or existing customers.
The search for a U.S. Air Force A-10 believed to have crashed in the Colorado mountains continued last week, with no new clues that might explain its unusual disappearance.
Separation of a wing flap segment on a Delta 767 last month was caused by the overstress and fatigue of six bolts, but further tests are planned to determine if any of the bolts are suspect unapproved parts, according to the National Transportation Safety Board.
David H. Langstaff, president of Calspan SRL of Washington, has added the title of chief executive officer. Dennis J. Gauci has been appointed director of corporate communications. He was a public affairs officer with the U.S. Air Force.
Jane F. Garvey, the acting administrator of the Federal Highway Administration, is likely to be nominated FAA administrator. If confirmed by the Senate, she would succeed David R. Hinson, who resigned last November. Watch for President Clinton to send her name to the Hill, along with George L. Donohue's for the No. 2 slot. He has served as the FAA's associate administrator for research and acquisitions since August, 1994. That would pair Garvey's financial management and public works skills with Donohue's insider knowledge of FAA reforms and ATC modernization.
About half the F-16s available to the U.S. Air Force for deployment in a crisis, along with many Navy fighters, don't have the radar warning equipment to detect and evade the most modern, surface-to-air missiles, industry officials say. Moreover, this potent line of modern SAMs (the SA-10, -11 and -12) is now being sold, particularly in the Middle East, and manufactured under contract in China from where it will further proliferate, U.S. intelligence officials said.
Quick action by the flight crew and effective crew resource management were important factors in the safe landing of a burning Federal Express DC-10 last September, according to reports issued by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board. Although the NTSB has not released its probable cause of the accident, evidence indicates that a slow-burning fire may have started in the upper cargo hold section of the aircraft during the flight. Safety board officials expect to conclude the investigation and issue a probable cause of the accident later this year.
The failure of the space shuttle to carry out a $500-million Spacelab mission with experiments from 23 countries will spark changes in shuttle countdowns and accelerate development of advanced new electrical fuel cells to prevent a repeat of the events which forced Columbia into a precautionary landing.
Everyone knows that passenger services are growing rapidly in China, but foreign air cargo shippers who are eager to break into the Chinese market have long regarded freight as a ``sleeper.'' The latest figures, from a government statistics bureau report, confirm their optimism--air freight grew 15.3% last year to 94,000 metric tons compared to a 6.4% growth in passenger services.
With only a month to go before the Quadrennial Defense Review is due to be reported to Congress, the study's analytical underpinnings continue to frustrate tactical aviation advocates, although less so than the original ``bottom-up review'' of four years ago.
With its growing customer base, tight rein on spending and focused market strategy, American Mobile Satellite Corp. (AMSC) is now ``positioned for success'' following last year's attempt to execute a seriously flawed business plan.
The Flight Master 2000 Video Display System can present a business or general aviation aircraft's position on a moving map display in the cabin using data from the flight management system or a GPS receiver. In addition to the three levels of the color moving map, the system can present flight data such as course and speed, corporate information, safety briefings and points of interest along a route. The rack-mounted video interface unit measures 5 in. high, 6 in. wide and 9 in. long. B&D Instruments and Avionics Inc., 209 W. Main, Valley Center, Kan. 67147.
Diligence and skepticism are key tools aircraft owners and operators wield to ensure that the value and airworthiness of their equipment is protected during overhaul, according to officials who monitor third-party maintenance facilities. Southwest Airlines, United Parcel Service and Federal Express frequently are cited by industry officials as models for ensuring thorough, timely completion of heavy maintenance on aircraft and overhaul of their components.
