Were it not for the bugs that go splat, and the ice and grime that accumulate, most pilots would have no reason to notice the windshields in front of their noses. And that's understandable because windshields are remarkably good at keeping the inside world in and the outside world out while remaining, for the most part, entirely invisible.
Jet Aviation Basel is completing a Boeing Business Jet for use by Boeing as a customer demonstrator and for travel by company officials. The aircraft, which will be Boeing's second BBJ demonstrator, will incorporate a design concept developed by Donald Thompson Industrial Design of New York in conjunction with a group of leading U.S. interior designers. The cabin will have Internet data ports at each seat and a satellite-based telecommunications system consisting of two phased-array antennas housed in a low-profile enclosure mounted on top of the fuselage.
NTSB veteran John C. Clark has been named as the Board's new director of the Office of Aviation Safety, replacing Bernard S. Loeb, who has retired from government service. Clark has been with the Board since 1981, serving most recently as deputy director of the Office of Research and Engineering. He also has held NTSB positions covering aviation safety, vehicle performance, aerospace engineering and survival factors.
In January, I reported on a bizarre event involving US Airways Flight 107, a Boeing 757, carrying a 300-pound female pig in first class nonstop from Philadelphia to Seattle. The FAA was nonplused, having had zero experience in making a decision as to whether US Airways was in violation or not.
Mesaba Airlines says a shortage of pilots is forcing flight cancellations that are likely to impact its most recent quarterly earnings. Bad weather also has cut into the Minneapolis-based airline's profits, as has code-share partner Northwest Airlines' refusal to pay $3.4 million in back fees. Northwest maintains that a lower billing rate should apply to some of the flights that occurred during the period in dispute. Northwest and Mesa Air Group offered to buy Mesaba in late 2000, but both deals collapsed.
Runways are urgently needed to handle relentless aviation growth, and environmental reviews that slow airport development must be accelerated, Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta, in his first major policy address since taking office, told an ``Aviation Summit'' at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Reiterating themes voiced during his confirmation hearing, Mineta in late January said he wants to pursue the idea of having state and federal environmental reviews conducted simultaneously.
Shortly after departing Wichita Mid-Continent Airport in the Citation Encore, a glance at the rate of climb on the PFD almost forced a double take. The aircraft was climbing in excess of 5,500 fpm, and we'd launched only 630 pounds below MTOW. Granted, it was unseasonably cold, but, even if it had been a standard day, the Encore's initial climb rate would have exceeded 4,800 fpm at that weight.
The AOPA Air Safety Foundation, Frederick, Md., has awarded Elizabeth Copelin of Upton, Ky., its Koch Scholarship. After graduation from Eastern Kentucky University, Copelin plans to work as a flight instructor while she pursues a career as an airline pilot.
FAA Administrator Jane Garvey signed off on a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that would establish a new Subpart K of FAR Part 91, governing fractional aircraft ownership programs, and modify operating rules for Part 135 air taxi companies. The long-awaited proposal was sent to the DOT, which has 60 days to review it. After the DOT is finished, the NPRM will be sent to the Office of Management and Budget, which also will have up to 60 days. When those agencies are through, the FAA will publish the proposal in the Federal Register and solicit comments.
Determining how much maintenance work to outsource and whether to hire a technician for in-house maintenance are critical concerns for small flight departments since the decisions can have significant impact on costs, safety and operations. ``Speaking from personal experience, in-house maintenance can and will save you money in the long run, over and above a salary package for a full-time maintenance technician,'' said Eric Petersen, director of maintenance at Idaho Forest Industries (IFI).
A student and flight instructor in Utah Valley State College's Professional Pilots degree program has won a John Deere all-terrain vehicle in Air BP's ``Gator Grab'' promotion at the NBAA convention. Aaron Kennington says he attended NBAA 2000 to check out new flight simulators.
Design similarities and differences between the Bell/Agusta 609 and the MV-22 tiltrotor have the potential to affect market acceptance of the civilian version of the tiltrotor in the wake of the latest MV-22 crash on December 11, 2000. The MV-22 accident was apparently caused by a hydraulic malfunction, according to a report in the January 1 issue of Aviation Week&Space Technology.
Designed to allow enough vision to see vital instruments and the flight path, the Emergency Vision Assurance System (EVAS) offers the fllight crew the ability to perform emergency functions in the event of smoke in the cockpit. The EVAS system uses an inflatable vision unit that is filled with filtered air from the cabin to provide an unobstructed view to the window and primary instruments. The EVAS is self-contained and occupies a space approximately the size of a flight manual.
Pratt&Whitney Canada's Service Centre Network recently completed work on its 50,000th engine. P&WC's Bridge-port, W.Va., facility refurbished a PW305B for use on a Raytheon Hawker 1000.
Honeywell is now offering its new AZ-960 Advanced Air Data Computer (AADC) to provide Gulfstream II operators with the ability to fly in RVSM designated airspace. The AZ-960 is fully compatible with Honeywell's SP-50G and SPZ-800 autopilot systems and incorporates the latest in silicon sensor technology. Honeywell said the new AADC is smaller, lighter and more reliable and has a lower power requirement than existing AZ-244/844 ADCs.
In keeping with federal legislation, the FAA has issued a new regulation requiring all U.S.-registered turbine aircraft to be equipped with Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) equipment by January 1, 2004. The FAA first required ELTs aboard aircraft in 1971, but turbine aircraft and scheduled airliners of all types were exempt. At the time, the FAA said it considered such aircraft easy to locate in the event of a crash, since most operate on instrument flight plans.
George Thorogood can sing the blues. His ballad ``I Drink Alone'' underscores a serious problem in our society. If you prefer to be by yourself with your dear old granddad (the liquid type) or with your old buddy weiser (in a can), chances are you have a drinking problem. If you're an alcoholic, know that alcoholism is one of the oldest medical problems in society and that you're not alone. The disease doesn't invalidate your past success as an airman. If you recognize the symptoms and want to stop (self-diagnosed) there are no shortages of paths to take.
Safe Flight Instrument achieved two milestones re-cently: shipment of its 600,000th Stall Warning System and delivery of the 50th Bombardier Challenger 604 AutoPower automatic throttle system. The Stall Warning System was invented in 1946 by Safe Flight Founder Leonard M. Greene.
Aer Arann Express has won a bid to operate five of the six domestic airline routes the Irish government subsidizes to maintain air service to small communities. These Public Service Obligation (PSO) routes link Dublin with Kerry, Galway, Sligo, Knock and Donegal. Aer Arann Express plans to acquire three 50-seat ATR-42 turboprops to serve the Galway and Kerry routes; 36-seat Short Brothers 360 aircraft will fly the Dublin-Knock sector.
Air tour operators believe the nomination of Colorado Republican Gale Norton to be secretary of the interior ``is a very positive development,'' said Steve Bassett, president of the U.S. Air Tour Association.
Cessna Aircraft, which won type certification of its new Citation CJ2 entry-level business jet in June 2000, closed out the year with shipments of the first six units to customers. The CJ2, a variant of the original CitationJet, was among four new aircraft that Cessna announced during the 1998 NBAA convention. ``The CJ2 exceeded our expectations and delivered better performance than first projected,'' said Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing Roger Whyte. Backlog for the CJ2 extends into first quarter 2004.
United Technologies unit Hamilton Standard closed in January on its acquisition of Claverham Group, Ltd., a United Kingdom-based supplier to the European aerospace defense industry. Hamilton Standard said the acquisition will enhance its ability to offer ``an entire line of actuation products for flight control systems.'' Claverham builds secondary mechanical actuation systems, which are used to move flaps and other control surfaces. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
Schweizer Aircraft delivered two Model 333 turbine helicopters to the Houston Police Department Helicopter Patrol Division. Schweizer noted that the 333s are the first new aircraft in the department's fleet in more than seven years, with an average of 13,350 flight hours per helicopter on the existing fleet. The department, which will retire some of its 23-year-old, high-time aircraft, will continue operating three Model 300C helicopters for flight training and back-up patrol.
Adam Aircraft says it is moving forward with certification plans for the proposed Adam M-309 twin turboprop. The Englewood, Colo.-based manufacturer hopes to begin production of the six-place, pressurized, centerline-thrust composite aircraft in 2003. Pricing will be announced early this year, and will be comparable to aircraft of similar size and performance, according to the manufacturer.
Honeywell shareholders have voted in favor of the company's proposed merger with General Electric. The company said approximately 74 percent of Honeywell's outstanding shares were voted in favor of the merger. The companies say they still expect to conclude the merger in the first quarter of this year, subject to federal regulatory approvals. Michael Bonsignore, Honeywell's chairman and chief executive, is slated to step down from official duties following the deal's closure, although he will remain a consultant to GE at an annual salary of $3 million for two years.
