The FAA, NTSB and Cirrus Design Corp. engineers believe a jammed aileron may have led to the March 23 crash of a prototype SR20 in which the company's chief test pilot was killed. Static testing on other Cirrus SR20 prototypes shows that the leading edge of the right aileron can jam against the wing when the aileron is deflected downward and the wing is flexed upward to its maximum design limit.
The United States is on the verge of the longest economic expansion in its history, with few signs that growth is going to abate in the near term. ``You're looking at the lowest inflation since the 1960s, the unemployment rate at its lowest level since 1970,'' says David Wyss, chief economist with Standard&Poor's DRI. ``We've been adding three million jobs a year, real incomes are rising rapidly, profits have been on a tear -- they slowed down last year, but up until then we had five consecutive years of double-digit increases in corporate earnings,'' he says.
Robinson Helicopters and vendor Apical have received FAA approval for helium-charged pop-out floats for the R44 helicopter. Inflating in two seconds, the floats are designed to provide buoyancy in emergency situations, and are activated with a mechanical lever mounted under the collective. The floats are a $22,000 option on new R44s; utility floats are priced at $16,000, Robinson says.
STS has introduced Advanex 30 Industrial Lubricant for protection against harsh and corrosive environments. Advanex 30 can be used indoors or outdoors to protect bearings, switches, motors, generators, fasteners and other parts from elements such as chemical residue and salt spray. Advanex 30 is safe for use on most metals and plastics, has a high flash point (140F or above), uses a non-flammable propellant and contains no CFCs. Price: $6.94 (eight ounce aerosol) to $1,163.69 (55 gallon drum) STS P.O. Box 949
Reduce the chance of running out of light at the moment you need it most with Lamp Technology's new LED-I-Lite. The lighting element of this flashlight has a rated life of 100,000 hours, providing 11 years of uninterrupted use. The light, which is powered by three AA or nickel cadmium batteries, is waterproof to depths of up to 500 feet and weighs four ounces. Price: $29.95 Lamp Technology, Inc. 1645 Sycamore Ave., Bohemia, N.Y. 11716-1729 Phone: (800) 533-7648; Fax: (516) 567-1806 www.lamptech.com
Former Rockwell President Clayton M. Jones was named to the Policy Board of the Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics (RTCA), and Neal J. Keating was named vice president and general manager of Rockwell Collins Passenger Systems.
Lockheed Martin plans to assemble a private consortium to develop the space-based element of the FAA's future air navigation system. Its Regional Positioning System (RPS) would supplement the FAA's delayed Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS), providing a navigation signal to enable Category I precision approaches. Configured with existing satellites, RPS also could provide an error correction signal, Lockheed Martin says. The company has applied to the U.S.
Florida-based regional Gulfstream International Airlines (GIA) is planning a major network expansion into American Eagle's Caribbean backyard. Timed to coincide with the beginning of the peak winter season, the new strategy capitalizes on AMR Corp.'s decision to scale down its San Juan hub, resulting in a reduction of mainline American and American Eagle regional service to the area.
Airbus Industrie has named the GE Capital Aviation Training (GECAT) center at London's Gatwick Airport a designated Airbus flight training operator. GECAT was the first facility to operate an A320 simulator outside of France, and also offers ground and simulator training in the Hawker 700; Boeing B737, B747, B757 and B767; and McDonnell Douglas DC-10 and MD83. GECAT recently was given Type Rating Training Status by Europe's Joint Aviation Authorities -- GECAT plans to buy additional simulators.
Radio provider ARINC has formed an international team to help modernize the FAA's oceanic navigation services. Included are training provider Airservices Australia, automation contractor AIRSYS ATM Australia, Harris Corp. for voice switching and site integration, and Sensis Corp. for interface products. The National Aviation Research Institute will provide additional guidance, principally by having air traffic controllers help develop the user hardware. The FAA plans to modernize its oceanic navigation facilities at Oakland; Anchorage, Alaska; and Ronkonkoma, N.Y.
James D. Raisbeck, president and CEO of Raisbeck Commercial Air Group of Seattle, is the recipient of the 1999 Commercial Aviation Technical Achievement Award from the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
-- The nearly 400 KTAS cruise speed, twin-turboprop Piaggio P-180 is going back into production. A group of investors led by Piero Ferrari, vice chairman of the automobile company, is forming Genoa-based Piaggio Aero Industries from the remaining bits and pieces of Rinaldo Piaggio Aircraft, the original manufacturer that fell into bankruptcy principally because of failed U.S. marketing and support strategy. Notably, North America represents 80 percent of the potential market for such aircraft. This time around, Piaggio Aero is seeking a U.S.
This site was launched in June to provide a place for regional airlines, particularly maintenance personnel, to conduct business with vendors. The site includes parts data, repair tracking, maintenance documentation and crew briefings (including weather, equipment tracking and NOTAMs), an e-commerce area (allowing a ``parts super search'' by part number) and a technical library. Included is a list of related Web sites by category. Participating airlines will pay a subscription fee, and vendors and suppliers also will be charged to post information and listings.
The agency announced the following appointments: Ava L. Mims, deputy director of the Flight Standards Service and Ronald T. Wojnar, deputy director of the aircraft certification service.
The FAA has awarded a $9 million grant to Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) for development of a computer design tool to predict the reliability of jet engine parts. The research was prompted by FAA and NTSB recommendations made in the wake of a series of uncontained engine failures that killed airline passengers.
Organizers of the Aviation Services and Suppliers SuperShow held this spring in Phoenix reported a record attendance of over 4,000 aviation professionals browsing 406 exhibits
Daniel Burnham, president, chief operating officer and chief executive, will take on the additional title of chairman of the board following the announced July 31 retirement of Dennis J. Picard.
Northern Executive Aviation (NEA) has opened a new, $3 million FBO complex at Manchester, England's third-largest international airport. The 6,000-square-foot passenger terminal offers a VIP lounge, conference room, crew room and customs facilities. A 22,000-square-foot hangar houses NEA's maintenance operation, which has JAR approval to work on most major aircraft and avionics brands. NEA also operates its own charter and air ambulance service, and claims the ``only Learjet in Europe'' to use the ``Vectorvision'' air-to-air photography system.
