A recently released Rolls-Royce forecast predicts a continuing healthy market for corporate and regional aircraft sales over the next two decades, even after the current backlog of 1,000 aircraft is reduced. Regional and Corporate Aircraft Market Outlook 1998-2017 says ``while production rates may peak during the next several years, the long-term outlook for the corporate market remains very positive.''
Raytheon Aircraft is contracting with Ryder Integrated Logistics of Dallas to manage its 98,000 separate parts inventory and fulfill orders for its parts-distribution subsidiary known as RAPID (Raytheon Aircraft Parts Inventory and Distribution). A new Ryder warehouse, located close to a major transportation center -- Dallas/Fort Worth Airport -- will be dedicated solely to Raytheon parts, the company said.
The World Trade Organization has slapped the wrists of both Brazil and Canada in their ongoing dispute concerning alleged illegal export subsidies for regional-jet aircraft. Two special panels issued their preliminary findings to the two governments in late February. Although the reports are confidential, some details have leaked to the press in both countries.
There is a bit of irony in Dassault's announcement that it has shelved its effort to develop a supersonic business jet. Official word of the stand-down came just days after the under-celebrated 30th anniversary of the first flight of the Concorde supersonic airliner.
The Los Angeles City Council is reconsidering a shelved proposal limiting the number of Stage 2 aircraft based at Van Nuys Airport, while imposing a ban on all larger hush-kitted Stage 2 aircraft on January 1, 2002. The proposal strengthens an earlier ``non-addition'' proposal, set aside in late 1997 amid pressure from the National Air Transport Association (NATA) and other groups. ``NATA is strongly concerned that the local government would impose such an oppressive motion,'' the group says.
The NTSB has asked the FAA to make broad changes in its requirements for flight data recorders (FDRs) and cockpit voice recorders (CVRs). The Safety Board's recommendations initially would affect those airplanes now required to carry both CVRs and FDRs. However, the technologies used in these new-generation CVRs and digital flight data recorders (DFDRs) would spread quickly to turbine business aircraft. Basically, the NTSB wants the FAA to:
Revised procedures for land and hold short operations are expected to be in place by April 15, about a month later than originally planned. Among issues still outstanding are lighting configurations, pilot training and rejected landing procedures, said Jeff Griffith, FAA program director for air traffic operations.
The inaugural Air Transport and Business Aviation (ATBA) exhibition, formerly known as the European Business Aviation Show, is expected to mark the European debut for a number of business aircraft, including the Fairchild Envoy 3 and a newly completed Galaxy business jet.
British Aerospace, which with its predecessor companies had manufactured turboprop aircraft for a half century, delivered its last new jetprops -- an ATP and two Jetstream 41s -- at the end of 1998. BAe -- whose leasing arm will continue to manage ATPs and Jetstream 31s and 41s -- made the decision to discontinue production of turboprops because ``it is clear that regional airlines are increasingly favoring jet aircraft.
NTSB statistics for 1993 through 1997 show a relatively low accident rate for U.S.-registered turbine-powered helicopters, though nearly half of all accidents were fatal, and 70 percent involved pilot error. Single- and twin-turbine helicopters suffered fatal accidents 1.40 times per 100,000 flight hours, compared with an accident rate of 1.63 for the entire U.S. general aviation fleet. Nearly half (13) of all pilot error accidents during this period occurred under reduced visibility conditions, while only three accidents occurred while under instrument flight rules.
Modern analog and digital air data computers (ADCs) provide temperature information to the flightcrew in a number of formats -- typically indicated outside air temperature (IOAT), static air temperature (SAT), total air temperature (TAT) and, occasionally, ram air temperature (RAT). Viewing temperatures in any of these formats usually is a matter of flipping a switch on the temperature display or EFIS controller. Choosing the correct temperature format to view in any given situation in your aircraft can require a bit of homework.
European nations are discussing the evolution of the Joint Aviation Authority into a new regulatory entity known as the European Aviation Safety Authority. Treaties are being drafted to accept EASA as the civil aviation authority within the Eurocontrol countries by the target year 2003.
Boeing has invested decades of research in maintenance error. It has developed a widely used maintenance error decision aid (MEDA) which is an attempt to systematize evaluation of events, problems and potential problems by using a repeatable, structured evaluation program. The company has been encouraging its customers to employ the technique. According to Boeing's Robert A. Sargent, his group has worked with 104 maintenance operations to present and to help establish the MEDA process. It is based on three observations:
The FAA will implement several changes to the airman medical application form in an effort to speed processing. The form will now include a third copy to be retained by the pilot, and previously reported information will not have to be repeated except for a ``no change'' statement. Until now, repeat entries resulted in a ``manual application review,'' resulting in delays. The new form also will include space for reporting the use of previously reported medications, and a question specifying contact lens use.
Rocky Mountain Helicopters has received the first FAA approval for use of night-vision goggles in commercial flight operations. The STCed system will be used in BO 105s flown in VFR night EMS operations
B/CA's sister publication, Aviation Week&Space Technology, reports that ATR and Fairchild Dornier are considering a strategic alliance that would give birth to a unified family of 60- to 90-seat regional jets. ATR and Fairchild had earlier proposed separate designs -- the AIRjet and 728JET, respectively -- which are competing with Bombardier's 90-seat BRJX and Embraer's recently announced 70- to 90-seat ERJ-170 and ERJ-190 regional jets.
Central Intelligence Agency statistics reveal that U.S. citizens and facilities were the targets of 35 percent of all terrorist attacks in 1998, up from 30 percent in 1997 and 25 percent in 1996
Setting up an on-condition maintenance program is a partnership between the operator, the engine manufacturer and the appropriate airworthiness authority.
The European Commission (EC) has suggested that the European Union should develop its own global navigation satellite system, called Galileo. The EC has asked member states to provide the financial and political backing necessary to free Europe from dependence on the U.S. GPS or Russian Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS). Neil Kinnock, the EC's commissioner for transport policy, contends that an indigenous satellite navigation system could generate revenue for its developers as well as ensure that Europe could control its own navigation services.
