Duncan Aviation added new weekend hours for its Lincoln, Neb., accessory shop. The shop is now open weekdays from 7 a.m. to 1:30 a.m. and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
The following is a list of the various failures and malfunctions suffered by FAA systems during the year 2000 rollover. None compromised safety, the FAA says. -- The Low Level Windshear Alert Systems (LLWAS) at Tampa, Denver, Atlanta, Orlando, Chicago O'Hare and St. Louis experienced error messages, and were fixed within two hours. -- LLWASes at Toledo, Ohio; Lansing, Mich.; Charleston, W.Va.; and Moline, Ill., developed other date recognition problems; the FAA is still determining what corrective action to take.
On August 6, 1997, just about 0100 local time, a Ryan International Boeing 727 approached the Pacific island of Guam from the southeast. The first officer peered out of the cockpit window toward their destination 150 miles away. Guam's International Airport was reporting rain showers in the area with visibility of seven miles. Wind was out of the east at six knots. Scattered clouds lay over the airport at 1,600 feet, with a broken layer at 2,500 feet, and an overcast layer at 5,000.
Midcoast Aviation (St. Louis) -- Mark Lange joins the company's St. Louis Downtown-Parks Airport facility as avionics manager. Karin Tennstedt joins Midcoast-Little Rock as manager of interior design.
The Professional Aviation Maintenance Association (PAMA), Aeronautical Repair Station Association (ARSA) and National Air Transportation Association (NATA) are among the groups fighting proposed changes to FAR Part 145 governing repair stations. The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) calls for greater oversight including higher training standards, stiffer pre-employment background checks and greater management oversight. Opponents say the rules are too tough and too costly for smaller repair stations.
Inspecting aircraft engine interiors and other hard to reach components requires specialized equipment -- which is usually very costly. Gradient Lens has introduced its new Hawkeye Flexible Borescope to provide increased access at a reduced cost. Price: $775 Gradient Lens Corp. 207 Tremont St. Rochester, N.Y. 14608 Phone: (716) 235-2620 Fax: (716) 235-6645 www.gradientlens.com
Aviation and marine fuel dealer World Fuel Services is selling International Petroleum, the company's oil recycling business, to EarthCare Co. for $33 million in cash and stock. World Fuel serves small to midsize air carriers at over 1,000 locations worldwide and provides flight planning, ground handling and other services to business aviation through its Baseops subsidiary.
Operators of certain business aircraft and airliners have until February 27 to comply with the initial inspections required by an FAA Airworthiness Directive (AD) pertaining to Mode C transponders. The AD results from false TCAS alerts, which the FAA suspects are the result of interface problems between TCAS systems and transponders manufactured by Rockwell Collins, Bendix, Wilcox and IFF. Affected aircraft include Dassault Falcon 50, 900, 200, Fan Jet Falcon Series G, Bombardier Canadair CL-600 series and Gulfstream II, III and IV.
Regional start-up The Fair, Inc. plans to become Japan's first Bombardier Canadair Regional Jet (CRJ) operator later this year. The carrier intends to add four CRJs to its fleet: two from a European operator this year, with orders for two new aircraft, scheduled for delivery in 2002. All Nippon Airways (ANA) will provide operational and technical support to new entrant carrier The Fair, which plans to serve ``business-oriented routes'' with the new aircraft.
Planning to take delivery of a Boeing Business Jet, Airbus 319CJ or any other airliner-size business aircraft? If you're a U.S. operator, most likely you'll be prohibited from carrying any passengers or cargo until you first obtain an FAR Part 125 operating certificate or a Part 125 deviation authorization from the local Flight Standards District Office.
Cessna Aircraft delivered 1,210 aircraft in 1999, including 224 Citations, 87 Caravans and 889 single-engine pistons, representing an 11-percent increase over 1998 figures. Sales activity increased 22 percent in 1999, with 1,394 firm orders, and Cessna's current backlog totals 1,102 aircraft. CitationJets accounted for 59 deliveries in 1999, more than any other Citation model. ``Cessna enjoyed another remarkable year, thanks to the confidence of our customers and the hard work and dedication of our co-workers,'' says Gary Hay, Cessna's CEO.
Bell Helicopter has added customer service and information functions to its Web site, including access to Alert Service Bulletins, Technical Bulletins, Operations Safety Notices and Information Letters. The site also offers customer support contact information and links to airworthiness directive information. Plans call for a new link known as VISTA that will enable operators to order parts, check order status and account information, and make warranty inquiries.
The FAA's Fractional Ownership Aviation Rulemaking Committee (FOARC) has drafted a final proposal and expects to deliver the recommendations by the middle of this month.
Eurocopter selected ERDA to manufacture seats for its EC-155B twin-turbine helicopter. ERDA also supplies seating for aircraft manufacturers Bombardier, Cirrus, Dassault, Fairchild, Galaxy, Piaggio, Pilatus and Raytheon.
DeCrane Aircraft Holdings acquired Denton, Texas, aircraft interior manufacturer The Infinity Partners. Infinity supplies and installs components for Bombardier Challenger 604 and Global Express aircraft undergoing completion at the OEM's Tucson completion center.
Edited by Paul RichfieldBy Paul Richfield Aboard American 1099/1435
Photograph: FAA Administrator Jane Garvey aboard an American Airlines MD-80 on New Year's Eve. Fireworks at the Golden Gate Bridge welcomed FAA Administrator Jane Garvey to San Francisco just after midnight on January 1, concluding her high-profile ``Y2K flight'' across America on board an American Airlines aircraft.
Many factors determine a manufacturer's approach to corrosion control. Some can be imposed by certification authorities. Others may be developed through field service experience. Here is how two of the companies handle corrosion:
Helijet -- the world's largest scheduled helicopter airline service -- has renewed its maintenance contract with Standard Aero. Valued at more than $1 million, the deal covers 10 of Helijet's engines and is expected to run through the fall. Vancouver, British Columbia-based Helijet reported profits of C$855,445 in 1999, while revenues increased 24 percent to C$17.2 million for the year.
