PRUTZMAN&ASSOCIATES, INC., said it was selected to serve as the U.S. liaison to the Deutsche Flugsicherung (DFS), the German Air Navigation Services, to manage a business exchange conference for North American firms interested in pursuing business with the DFS. Prutzman, based in Frederick, Md., said DFS will be investing more than $800 million in capital investment and research projects during the next four years. The conference, set for Jan.
PRAXAIR, INC., one of the largest commercial gas suppliers in the Americas, said it planned to commence a cash tender offer Friday (Nov. 3) for all outstanding shares of CBI Industries, Inc., at a price of $32 per share. The tender offer is scheduled to expire Dec. 4. With 45 million CBI shares outstanding, the transaction would have a total value of $2.1 billion. CBI, a holding company headquartered in Oak Brook, Ill., also is a major producer of industrial gases.
K-C AVIATION added a Citation III to its satellite location in West Palm Beach, Fla. The Citation III joins a Challenger 601 based at the West Palm Beach location. K-C Aviation said it has aircraft based at 16 airports throughout the U.S.
FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION commissioned the 100th Small Tower Voice Switch (STVS) last week at the San Carlos, Calif., air traffic control tower. The STVS incorporates switching and fiber optics to provide clear and precise radio communications between controllers and pilots, allowing for more radio frequencies, the agency said. The STVS is the 205th new air traffic control system, including radars, navigation and communications systems, to be installed this year, FAA said.
The board of directors of Mooney Aircraft, which lost President Jacques Esculier to a marketing job in Singapore with AlliedSignal (BA, Oct. 2/141), last week named the owner of an airline ground support equipment manufacturer to run Mooney. Bing T. Lantis was named president and chief executive officer of Mooney, the Kerrville, Texas-based manufacturer of light single-engine aircraft.
President Clinton, who has threatened to veto many of the funding bills currently in Congress, last week promised that when the fiscal 1996 transportation appropriations bill "hits my desk, I intend to sign it." The bill, which provides nearly $8.2 billion in funding and calls for personnel and procurement reform for FAA, received Senate approval last week and House approval late last month (BA, Oct. 30/188).
SENATE COMMERCE COMMITTEE is expectd to act this week on Sen. John McCain's proposal to reform the Federal Aviation Administration, and McCain is expected to advocate some controversial changes.Sources say the Arizona Republican will call for a six-month assessment of FAA funding needs and a three-month cost allocation study of users.Other changes - which would be especially beneficial to the airlines - would eliminate proposed fees for safety, security and inspection costs incurred by FAA.
DARRELL LOGAN has joined Duncan Aviation as government marketing representative. Logan, who recently retired from the Air Force after 28 years of service, will be responsible for developing new government-based aviation business.
Westinghouse Electric Corp. received FAA certification for its MR- 3000 predictive windshear radar. The company said it received supplemental type certification following flight demonstrations in Orlando, Fla., aboard its BAC-1-11 testbed aircraft. The aircraft was fitted with a degraded Class Category 2 radome. "We have demonstrated that this advancement in predictive windshear weather radar allows windshear to be detected in spite of a severely degraded radome," said Jim Pitts, general manger of the avionics division.
JACK FROST was named president and chief operating officer of PATS, Inc., the Columbia, Md.-based supplier of auxiliary fuel systems and auxiliary power units. Frost joined PATS in 1991 as vice president, business development. A former captain in the U.S. Marine Corps, Frost has headed marketing and sales for two aerospace manufacturing companies and also led worldwide sales for FlightSafety International. In his new position, Frost will report to Harvey Patrick, founder and chairman of PATS.
Aviation services and supplier UNC, Inc., noting improvements in its component services and engine overhaul operations as well as its cost- cutting efforts, late last month posted a 23 percent increase in operating income on a six percent increase in sales for the third quarter of 1995. The Annapolis, Md.-based company reported third quarter 1995 revenues of $137.4 million and operating income of $6.4 million, compared with third quarter 1994 sales of $129.7 million and operating income of $5.2 million.
SENATE COMMERCE COMMITTEE Friday was expected to approve the nominations of Charles Hunnicutt as assistant secretary of transportation for aviation and international affairs and Nancy McFadden as general counsel of the Department of Transportation.
AERONAUTICAL REPAIR STATION ASSOCIATION joined forces with the National Air Transportation Association last week to oppose what the groups termed "a questionable and potentially devastating proposed FAA airworthiness directive" that would require replacement of certain engine crankshafts manufactured by Teledyne Continental Motors. See article below.
Today's referendum by residents of Quebec on whether the province should secede from Canada has raised concerns that a vote favoring separation could cause disruptions and possible dislocation of much of that nation's aerospace industry. Polls last week showed voters were split almost evenly between secession or remaining part of the Canadian confederation.
NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD will reconvene public hearings Nov. 15 in Springfield, Va. into the Sept. 8, 1994 fatal crash of USAir Flight 427 at Pittsburgh. All 132 persons aboard the Boeing 737-300 were killed when the aircraft crashed in clear weather while on approach to the Greater Pittsburgh International Airport.
PIAGGIO Model P-180 series airplanes (Docket No. 95-CE-50-AD) - proposes to require installation of a shield on the front section of the engine cradle. This proposal is prompted by a report of power control jamming as a result of freezing conditions during a high altitude flight. The actions specified by this proposal are intended to prevent loss of engine power or the propeller controls from jamming as a result of freezing rain entering the engine nacelle. Comments on the proposal must be sent in triplicate before Dec.
LARRY VALENTINE was named director of environment and safety for Sabreliner Corp. Valentine, who will be responsible for Sabreliner's policy development and management of environmental safety programs, previously served as a flight department manager and captain of flight operations for Pet Inc.
WILLIAM WILHELMI was promoted to senior manager of marketing and business development for SimuFlite Training International. Wilhelmi has served as instructor pilot, advanced airmanship instructor and most recently manager of advanced programs for SimuFlite. In his new position, he will be responsible for industry relations, new product development and marketing.
FLIGHTSAFETY INTERNATIONAL is developing a Level D full flight simulator for the Falcon 900EX business aircraft. The simulator and flight training device will be installed at FlightSafety's learning center at Teterboro, N.J. Airport. FlightSafety's Simulation Systems division in Tulsa, Okla. is manufacturing the simulator and FTD. FlightSafety will conduct Falcon 900EX training to Category IIIA level of operations in the simulator and the 900EX cockpit will be replicated to FAA Level 4 in the FTD.
THE FINAL RULE resulting from NPRM 95-5, the so-called "one level of safety" proposal, will be published Dec. 14, FAA officials said last week, and concern continues to grow among those groups whose members would be most affected by 95-5. Industry officials told BA last week they believe FAA will make very few changes to the original NPRM, despite numerous and comprehensive comments detailing the economic and operational impact the final rule could have.
Raytheon Aircraft received a contract valued at $30.8 million from the U.S. Army Missile Command to supply targets and spares for U.S. Air Force training exercises. Raytheon Aircraft officials termed the contract as an add-on to an earlier procurement, bringing the total value of the contract to $40.6 million. The contract calls for Raytheon Aircraft to deliver 103 targets and spares for air defense crew realistic training. Raytheon Aircraft will provide its MQM-107D system, produced in Andover, Kan. The MQM-107D has an average life of 14 missions, officials said.
Summary: Pursuant to FAA's rulemaking provisions governing the application, processing, and disposition of petitions for exemption (14 CFR Part 11), this notice contains a summary of certain petitions seeking relief from specified requirements of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR Chapter I), dispositions of certain petitions previously received, and corrections. The purpose of this notice is to improve the public's awareness of, and participation in, this aspect of FAA's regulatory activities.
FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION has proposed revising its technical standard order establishing minimum performance standards for survivor locator lights. The proposed TSO-C85a would permit the use of steady or flashing type lights, define the light characteristics, permit the use of white or yellow-green lights, require automatic activation and specify upgraded environmental tests. Comments on the proposal are due Nov.
VETERAN AIR SHOW PERFORMER Bob Hoover told the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association's convention in Atlantic City that he will fly in U.S. air show for the first time since having his airman medical certificate restored earlier this month (BA, Oct. 23/178). Hoover, 73, said he will be performing Nov. 4-5 in Daytona Beach, Fla., operating a Shrike Commander being loaned to him by attorney F. Lee Bailey, who represented Hoover during his unsuccessful attempt to overturn FAA's revocation of his medical certificate in 1993.
CANADAIR Model CL-215-1A10 and CL-215-6B11 series airplanes that are not equipped with powered ailerons (Docket No. 95-NM-157-AD; Amdt. 39-9393; AD 93-16-06 R2) - revises an existing AD that required modification of the right aileron and aileron tab on CL-215-1A10 series airplanes. That AD originally was prompted by an updated flutter analysis performed by the manufacturer revealing a potential flutter condition. That AD is intended to prevent potential flutter of the rudder-aileron interconnect tab and subsequent reduced airplane controllability.
