Mesa Air Group, Inc., which just selected the Canadair Regional Jet to expand its operations (BA, Aug. 26/92), said Thursday it "plans to inaugurate low-cost jet service from Fort Worth's Meacham Airport to destinations throughout Texas and the region." The carrier, which ordered 16 RJs and took options on 16 more, said it will commence Fort Worth service May 5 with 11 daily departures. Service is expected to grow to 60 departures daily from Meacham within the first year. Cities to be served from Fort Worth were not identified.
OGDEN AVIATION (Hong Kong) Ltd. signed a 10-year agreement with the Airport Authority of Hong Kong to provide aircraft ramp handling services at Hong Kong's new Chek Lap Kok Airport. The authority plans to sign similar franchise agreements in the near future with Hong Kong Airport Services Ltd. and Jardine Air Terminal Services, Ltd.
DR. AUDIE W. DAVIS, who headed FAA's Aeromedical Certification Division for more than three decades, retired this month after more than 37 years of government service with the Air Force and FAA. As manager of the Aeromedical Certification Division of FAA's Civil Aeromedical Institute since 1966, Davis oversaw an operation that processes some 500,000 medical certification applications annually.
BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON, the Romanian State Ownership Fund and the Ministry of Defense of Romania signed a memorandum of understanding setting ground rules as they begin negotiations for Bell's acquisition of a majority interest in IAR Brasov, the state-owned aircraft and helicopter manufacturer.
BELLANCA Models 17-30, 17-30A, 17-31, 17-31A, 17-31TC and 17-31ATC (Docket No. 95-CE-54-AD; Amdt. 39-9731; AD 96-18-07) - requires repetitive inspection, testing and possible replacement of the nose landing gear strut and brackets. This action is prompted by a collapse of a Bellanca airplane's nose landing gear during a landing. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent such collapse and subsequent loss of control of the airplane during landing operations.
DAVE HIGDON, the veteran Knight-Ridder reporter who has been the aviation writer at the Wichita Eagle since early 1991, is leaving the paper Sept. 20 to operate PhotoProse Productions, a freelance writing and photography company he formed in mid-1995. Higdon has been with Knight-Ridder since 1987, working on the Journal of Commerce and Runways before joining the Eagle. He previously worked for Air Transport World magazine and the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association.
UNIVERSAL AVIONICS SYSTEM CORPORATION'S UNS-1Csp flight management system (FMS) received FAA certification on Cessna Citation Ultra aircraft. The "special package" version of Universal's UNS-1C FMS is an option on Citation Ultra and Citation VII aircraft. It interfaces with Honeywell's electronic flight instrument system and flight director/flight guidance system. The unit houses a navigation computer, a 12-channel GPS receiver and all control/display functions in one Dzus-mounted unit.
FLIGHTCRAFT, INC., Portland, Oregon, added a King Air B200 and a King Air C90A to its aircraft management and charter fleet. Both aircraft are based at the company's Seattle-Boeing Field flight department. Flightcraft now operates 31 aircraft and bills itself as "the largest operator of turbine aircraft in the Northwest."
HOAC AUSTRIA Model DV-20 Katana airplanes (Docket No. 95-CE-62-AD) - proposes to require replacing the muffler, installing a heat shield around the exhaust system endpipe and adjusting the airplane's weight and balance. This proposal is prompted by reports of cracks in the welding joint that connects the exhaust system endpipe to the muffler.
RAYTHEON AIRCRAFT named two additional service centers to support Beech airplanes. The appointment of Aerodynamics Inc., Waterford, Mich., and Soriano Aviation, Inc., Manila, Philippines, brings to 103 the number of authorized Raytheon service centers. ADI will support Beech piston-powered aircraft, King Air turboprops and Beechjets, while Soriano will service piston-powered models and King Airs.
ROHR, INC. will open an overhaul and repair facility in Prestwick, Scotland to serve customers in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The new operation will open for business in December in a temporary facility. A permanent 60,000-square-foot plant is scheduled to open in April with an initial work force of 75. Rohr will maintain its repair facility in Toulouse, France to service Airbus products.
DAC INTERNATIONAL signed an agreement under which it will distribute IFR Systems' avionics products in the U.S. DAC previously distributed IFR's avionics products only in Latin America. IFR Systems provides a line of avionics, communication and test and measurement products. DAC International, a subsidiary of Banner Aerospace, distributes avionics and test equipment to general aviation, corporate, air transport and military markets.
TRACOR, INC. agreed to acquire Cordant, Inc. of Reston, Va. for $65 million. If the cash deal is approved by Cordant's shareholders and government regulatory agencies, it would be another in a series of acquisitions by Tracor. Cordant would become part of Tracor Information Systems Company, a new unit being formed to strengthen the Austin, Texas company's capabilities in the information arena.
Kirk Brown, Secretary of the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), told Chicago officials Thursday they are obligated to keep Meigs Field operating as an airport and warned that if the city fails to ensure the airport's continued operation, "the Department will exercise its statutory right to acquire title to Meigs Field."
LINDA CHESTNUT was named customer service manager for AMR Combs' Indianapolis facility. Chestnut, who will oversee all customer service at the facility, has served as a customer service representative with AMR Combs for 11 years.
DAVE FRANSON, the veteran aviation industry public relations executive, has left Cessna Aircraft to form an independent marketing and public relations consulting firm, headquartered in Wichita. Franson, who began his career with a five-year stint at Cessna from 1974 to 1979, later spent 12 years with AiResearch Manufacturing Company in Phoenix, Ariz., and successor companies after the Allied/Signal merger.
MCCAULEY PROPELLER SYSTEMS received supplemental type certification for its BlackMac three-bladed propeller on Piper PA-32-300 Cherokee Six 300, PA- 32R-300 Cherokee Lance and PA-32RT-300 Lance II aircraft. The Cherokee Six 300 is powered by a Lycoming O-540 engine with 300 horsepower. The Cherokee Lance, a derivative with retractable gear, is certified with the Lycoming IO-540-K1A517 engine with 300 hp. The Lance II, also with retractable gear and a T-tail, is equipped with a 300-hp Lycoming IO-540- K1G5D.
HOUSE AVIATION SUBCOMMITTEE plans to hold a hearing this month on a proposal from seven major airlines to replace the passenger ticket tax with user fees, but no further action is expected this year.
Dallas Airmotive signed a memorandum of understanding to acquire the Engine Services Division of Anglo American Airmotive Ltd., located at Bournemouth International Airport in Bournemouth, England. The purchase includes all tools and equipment, including a test cell for Pratt&Whitney PT6A engines.
Fairchild Dornier will make a decision by the end of September whether to produce a fan-powered, 30-passenger version of the Do 328. Technical and marketing studies are near completion, according to Dornier Luftfahrt President Jim Robinson. "The whole benefit is that we get there first" (with a 30- passenger jet). Robinson pegged the sticker price at slightly more than the 328, or about $10 million.
PERRY BRADLEY, a senior editor with Business&Commercial Aviation magazine, was honored last week by the Royal Aeronautical Society for excellence in writing and reporting on aircraft systems and components. Bradley, who joined B/CA two years ago, specializes in tutorial and analytical articles relating to aviation powerplants and aircraft systems.
CORPAC of Calgary, Alberta purchased two additional British Aerospace Jetstream 31s from British Aerospace Asset Management for delivery by yearend. Corpac currently operates two 19-seat Jetstream 31s. The additional aircraft will be used to build the company's business shuttle operations for Telus, a Canadian telephone company with facilities in Calgary and Edmonton.
ALLIEDSIGNAL AEROSPACE will lead a six-company team selected to develop data communications routing technology for the Aeronautical Telecommunications Network for use in the air traffic control system of the future, the company said. Aeronautical Telecommunication Network Systems Inc., a group of 11 airlines funded through FAA, chose the six-company team for the Router Reference Implementation (RRI) computer software program that will determine the routing for messages on the system.
LARRY COLLIER, 53, a long-time Duncan Aviation employee, died Sept. 3 from heart failure at his home in Springfield, Ill. Collier began his aviation career with Duncan in 1967 as an avionics technician and served there for 27 years, most recently as manager of installations. He left Duncan in 1994 to join Garrett Aviation Services in Springfield, where he was the DAF coordinator for modifications. Collier is survived by his wife, Kathy and three sons.
ALLISON ENGINE COMPANY scored big last week with major orders by Continental Express for up to 200 Embraer EMB-145s and Executive Jet Aviation for 25 Cessna Citation Xs. Allison supplies the AE 3007 turbofan for both the Brazilian regional jet and the high-speed business jet aircraft. The Indianapolis engine-maker called the Continental Express sale the "largest single commercial order" to date for the AE 3007. Allison said the engine also is "being evaluated by other regional and business aircraft manufacturers." See articles below and on Page 112.
