RAYTHEON AIRCRAFT said the first two military pilots - one from the Air Force and one from the Navy - completed 30 hours of ground school and 10 hours of flight training in preparation for evaluation of the Beech/Pilatus PC-9 MkII as a joint primary training aircraft. The military pilots will participate in qualification, test and evaluation sorties with Raytheon test pilots to qualify the MkII aircraft to operational requirements. Raytheon also will conduct FAA certification tests concurrently.
CASINO AIR took delivery of its first British Aerospace Jetstream 31 from British Aerospace Asset Management Inc., Turboprops (BAeAMT). The startup carrier purchased one J31 and took options on two more. The carrier will offer five daily flights between Shreveport, La. and Dallas Love Field and two daily to Baton Rouge, offering "a convenient way to travel to Shreveport's four casinos offering downtown to downtown service," said President Brad Galbraith. Casino Air is awaiting FAA certification and hopes to begin service by yearend.
SUPERIOR AIR PARTS sold its Allison Turbine Parts Manufacturing Division to Phoenix, Ariz.-based Extex, Inc. for an undisclosed sum. Superior called the move necessary to "allow Superior to re-establish our position in our traditional market, focusing on piston-engine products for the general aviation segment." Superior will use the revenues generated from the sale to "launch more new and improved piston products...as well as selected distribution products."
DE HAVILLAND DHC-7 series airplanes (Docket No. 95-NM-264-AD; Amdt. 39-9746; AD 96-18-19) - requires repetitive non-destructive inspections for disbonding of fuselage skin panels and repair, if necessary. This amendment is prompted by a report of disbonding on fuselage skin panels, which was attributed to a manufacturing process error. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent disbonding of the skin panels of the fuselage, which could result in the degradation of the structural capability of the airplane fuselage.
The U.S. Air Force selected AlliedSignal Avionics to supply 1,685 interim Global Positioning System (GPS) sets to upgrade transport aircraft, a move ordered by Defense Secretary William Perry after the April crash in Croatia of a CT-43 (Boeing 737) that killed all aboard, including Commerce Secretary Ron Brown. The $1.9 million contract specifies that deliveries be completed by Oct. 10.
AERO INTERNATIONAL (REGIONAL) plans to decide in mid-1997 whether to develop its AI(R) 70 regional jet, aimed at a worldwide market and compatibility with scope clauses in U.S. airlines' pilot union contracts. Targeting a first flight of the 70-passenger twinjet in mid-2000 and entry into service a year later, AI(R) plans early development of a 60-seat version and sees potential for a stretch, officials said at the Farnborough Air Show.
Mercury Air Group of Los Angeles reported a 23.2 percent increase in revenues for the fiscal year ended June 30, compared with the previous year. Revenues for the period were $225.3 million compared with $183 million in fiscal 1995. Net income rose 8.7 percent to a record $4.6 million, compared with $4.3 million.
HONEYWELL, INC. named Don Schwanz, 52, president of its Space and Aviation Control business. He succeeds John Dewane, 63, who is retiring at yearend. Schwanz has held a variety of Honeywell management positions, including vice president of marketing for the Business and Commuter Aviation Systems division.
THE SENATE called for FAA to extend by 30 days the comment period on its controversial proposal to impose a raft of new flight restrictions on air tour operations over the Grand Canyon. FAA said last month it would not extend the comment deadline of Sept. 30 because it scheduled four days of public hearings that were held last week (BA, Sept. 2/101). The Senate, however, adopted an amendment by Sen.
MILLER AVIATION'S FBO.MIS management software recently tested successfully for upgrade to IBM's newest hardware, the RISC AS/400 system. The software, which began testing in April, "ported easily" without rewriting or modification, Miller officials said. The FBO.MIS software provides financial accounting functions, automated point of sale invoicing, complete inventory and maintenance management and a number of other fixed-base operation-specific functions.
ILLINOIS OFFICIALS, who are pursuing several avenues to keep the city of Chicago from closing Meigs Field at the end of the month, said last week they have retained the services of Johnson Controls, Inc. to run Meigs if the state finds it necessary to assume control of the lakefront airport in downtown Chicago.
TIM MORRIS was appointed vice president, Power Systems for Sundstrand Aerospace. Morris, who has served with Sundstrand for 21 years, most recently was program manager for auxiliary power unit product development.
Raytheon Aircraft Company, the winner of a $7 billion Air Force/Navy contract last year to provide more than 700 Pilatus PC-9 Mk II trainers under the Joint Primary Aircraft Training System (JPATS) program (BA, June 26/271) , selected FlightSafety Services Corp. and Hughes Training Inc. as the two finalists for the program's ground based training system (GBTS).
The House last week called for the elimination of FAA's dual mandate, limits on child pilots and requirements for pilot record-sharing in legislation adopted 398 to 17 to authorize Federal Aviation Administration programs. In a move urged by the Administration, the legislation, H.R.3539, was amended to eliminate promotion of air commerce from FAA's charter, leaving only the mandate to regulate safety in the industry (BA, June 24/277).
SAAB SF340A, 340B and 2000 series airplanes (Docket No. 96-NM-69-AD) - proposes to require replacement of the hubcap drive coupling of the main wheel with an improved coupling. This amendment is prompted by reports of unexpected decreases in the pressure of the main wheel brake due to incorrect engagement between the main wheel coupling and the wheel speed transducer. This condition can result in false signals being sent to the anti-skid control box.
WAIN BARBER was appointed vice president of operations for AAR Aircraft Sales&Leasing. Barber, previously vice president of operations for AAR Engine Sales&Leasing, will be responsible for aircraft acquisition and technical services in his new position.
FLIGHTSAFETY INTERNATIONAL will build a second advanced flight simulator for the Dassault Falcon 2000 business jet and a flight simulator for the new Falcon 50EX business jet. The Falcon 2000 simulator will be installed at FSI's learning center at Le Bourget Airport in Paris, France, while the 50EX simulator will go to FSI's Teterboro, N.J. facility. Both simulators will be certificated to FAA Level D standards. Delivery is scheduled in the spring of 1998. FlightSafety Simulation in Tulsa, Okla. will build both units.
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.
CESSNA AIRCRAFT named three sales representatives for its Caravan utility turboprop. Aero Trans International, Englewood, Colo.; J.A. Aero, West Chicago, Ill.; and Modern Aero, Inc., Eden Prairie, Minn., will market the Caravan in designated territories of the Upper Midwest.
HAINAN AIRLINES took delivery of a Model 60 Learjet, which the manufacturer said is "the first new business jet to be certified in China for operation by the private sector." The Model 60, along with a Model 55 Learjet, will be used for charter work within China. Hainan Airlines, founded in 1990, also operates Boeing 737-300 and Fairchild Metro 23 aircraft from Haikou, the capital of Hainan Province, to Beijing and 21 other cities in China.
MCDONNELL DOUGLAS and American Eurocopter have joined a list of air tour operators from Arizona, Nevada, Hawaii and Alaska that will testify during a public hearing today in Scottsdale, Ariz. on the Administration's effort to curtail air tour operations over the Grand Canyon (BA, July 29/49).
Operators of a wide range of aircraft equipped with a variety of Hartzell propellers will be required to replace the hubs of those propellers, FAA said last week, an action the agency estimated will cost a minimum of $29.3 million.
ISMAEL GONZALES was named manager of parts and stores for TXI Aviation. Gonzales, who has 19 years of aviation industry experience, previously has served with Underwood Instrument Service, Jet Fleet Corp., SimuFlite Training International and the aviation department of Western Company of North America.
BILL MONROE, who resigned as president of Socata Groupe Aerospatiale in July (BA, July 15/25), last week began his new duties as vice president - Western U.S. and Canada for Learjet. Monroe, who joined the North America marketing arm of Socata in 1989, was named president of the operation in May 1993. Monroe is the second executive to leave the French general aviation manufacturer and move to Learjet. Brant Dahlfors, president of TBM.N.A.
TOM CLARK was appointed regional sales manager for Cessna Finance Corporation. Clark will be based in Jacksonville, Fla. and oversee the Florida, Alabama and Mississippi territory.
