Bombardier Aerospace won Transport Canada approval for its 70-passenger CRJ700 regional jet, the follow-on to its successful 50-passenger CRJ, and expects European Joint Aviation Authorities and U.S. FAA approvals shortly. Bombardier, which has 174 orders in hand for the CRJ700, expects the first aircraft to enter airline service with French regional carrier Brit Air this quarter. Brit Air has signed contracts for 12 of the aircraft.
Rep. James Hansen (R-Utah), the new chairman of the House Resources Committee, is seeking help from the new administration to roll back some of the land use policies promulgated by the Clinton administration. Hansen reportedly wrote a letter to President-elect George W. Bush in late December 2000, seeking the incoming administration's support in overturning some initiatives, including a series of restrictions on air tour operators flying near national parks.
Eight students from China have graduated from the flight-training program at the University of North Dakota's (UND) Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences. After completion of additional flight training in China, the students, all of whom are now commercial, multiengine, instrumented-rated pilots, will become flight crewmembers on Xinhua Airlines Boeing 737s.
Astral Aviation, which operates Skyway Airlines for Midwest Express, named James P. Rankin, 37, president and CEO. Rankin joined Midwest Express in 1995 as assistant chief pilot and an MD-80 captain. Before that he served as a pilot, director of flight operations and chief pilot at Skyway from 1990 to 1995. ``With his working knowledge of both Midwest Express and Skyway Airlines, Jim is a tremendous asset to Skyway,'' said David C. Reeve,
Make sure that the supply of components becomes a contractual commitment and not subject to availability as is sometimes the case. Also, if the service provider cannot supply from his own stock ensure that he will supply from an alternative source in the same timeframe at no additional charge to you. You might want to consider operating with a smaller inventory of only ``stopper'' items relying on back-up from the provider's base stock.
Embraer has broken ground on a new factory in Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil. The facility will serve as a site for final assembly of the manufacturer's corporate and military aircraft. Flight testing also is planned from the plant's planned 16,400-foot runway.
ICAO's Committee on Aviation Environmental Protection (CAEP) met in Montreal in January to address a number of issues, including adoption of new Stage 4 aircraft noise standards. The new noise standards were the most controversial issue on the agenda.
The Air Force Flight Physiology Handbook AFP 160-5 states that the effect of a hangover probably constitutes a more significant flight safety hazard than does the mild intoxication state of alcohol ingestion. The symptoms of a hangover are not entirely due to alcohol ingestion. Many are due to the activities that often accompany over-indulgence in alcohol: smoking, loss of sleep, improper diet, etc. If you're taking prescription drugs, their effects on your physiology may require a great deal more time to offset the effects of a single drink.
In a move to expedite European approval, Sino Swearingen plans to forgo seeking a higher weight exemption there for its SJ30-2 and will certify the twinjet at 12,500 pounds MTOW under the JAR 23 normal category. The manufacturer came to the decision after learning that the European Joint Aviation Authorities had never granted an exemption to JAR 23. At that weight, the aircraft has a range of 2,100 nm, a figure the company described as ``very viable,'' particularly in Europe.
West Star Aviation, at Walker Field Airport, Grand Junction, Colo., has opened a new paint hangar, which provides the capability to paint Falcon 900 or Challenger 604 size aircraft, the FBO says. The 25,000-square-foot hangar has two downdraft paint bays and one stripping bay, which feature a downdraft ventilation system and a water recovery and stripping system.
General Motors has tapped Piedmont Hawthorne to find a buyer for its fleet of three Saab 2000s. The automaker previously agreed to provide the aircraft, formerly used for corporate shuttles, to Pro Air in an unusual arrangement allowing the airline to operate feeder flights for its scheduled 737 service from Detroit City Airport while providing a revenue share and seat availability to G.M.
Eurocopter aims to expand its presence in Eastern Europe by joining forces with IAR Brasov, a Romanian manufacturer that has marketed western helicopters in Romania. Eurocopter Romania, the new joint venture, will sell and support the entire Eurocopter line, while assuming a portion of Eurocopter's manufacturing load.
Boeing has deferred launching a shortened, 86-passenger version of the Boeing 717, an aircraft that would place the Seattle giant in direct competition with regional jet makers Bombardier, Embraer and Fairchild Dornier. Current production 717-200s have around 100 seats, and are a derivative of the McDonnell Douglas DC-9 series. Sales of the 717 have been slow (149 to date), as are sales for the 110-seat 737-600 (86 orders to date).
In the wake of Al Gore's presidential election defeat, James Hall resigned as chairman of the NTSB. Hall reportedly hoped to be named transportation secretary in a Gore administration. Years earlier, he had been on the staff of Gore's father, Sen. Al Gore, Sr. Hall's departure leaves unclear who will lead the agency. Any nominee as NTSB chairman would have to be confirmed by the Senate, with federal law stipulating that no more than three members of the NTSB can be members of the same political party.
Hartzell Propeller, Piqua, Ohio, has named Mark Runge aviation maintenance technician of the year for the FAA's Great Lakes region. Runge has worked as a technician at Hartzell's factory service center for over eight years and his expertise includes extensive work with the FAA engineering staff for propeller certification and STCs.
Advocates of new regulations governing fractional aircraft ownership programs and air charter operators are optimistic that the FAA may complete its notice of proposed rulemaking on the subject by the end of this month. Even after the FAA finishes work on the document, however, it must be reviewed by the DOT and the Office of Management and Budget.
Well, Hersch, the fat lady done sung in Tallahassee, the army of lawyers are schlepping home with bulging wallets and, for the second time in the history of our great nation, we will have father and son presidents, the first time being the family Adams. John Adams (1735-1826) was the first vice president under G. Washington and the second president, beating out ole Tom Jefferson, who made it the second time around.
The FAA and industry are collaborating on a pilot program aimed at expediting STC approvals for avionics. The program, apparently still on the drawing board, would include creation of a Designee Managed Organization (DMO), which would move toward a ``one-stop shopping'' method for obtaining STC approvals, an FAA spokesman said. The DMO would increase use of designated engineering representatives -- a goal of both industry and the FAA -- in the product approval process.
The FAA, attempting to find ways to accommodate growing numbers of turbine-powered aircraft in high-altitude airspace, is expected to require aircraft operators to meet reduced vertical separation minimum (RVSM) requirements in the United States, probably in the 2004-2005 timeframe. The agency has scheduled a meeting in March with a cross-section of industry organizations to discuss its plans and seek input before publishing an NPRM, part of an effort to get the word out to operators who will be affected. The planned implementation of
North American Jet (NAJ), located at Palwaukee Airport (PWK) in Wheeling, Ill., is expanding its FBO operations. Kenneth Ross, NAJ's president, said after NAJ had received its FAA repair station approval the FBO needed to expand the maintenance facilities to ensure that customer needs were addressed.
Potomac Air has begun service from Washington Reagan National Airport (DCA) with up to eight Dash 8-200 turboprops. A US Airways Express unit, Potomac Air was created to establish a framework for DC Air, the DCA-based airline proposed as a way to alleviate antitrust concerns raised by United Airlines' proposed acquisition of US Airways. John Leonard is Potomac Air's president; the company now has 120 employees at its operation and maintenance base in Roanoke, Va.
Jet Aviation, West Palm Beach, Fla., has promoted Michael Gregory to senior vice president of FBO services for operations located in Bedford, Mass.; Dallas; Teterboro; and West Palm Beach, Fla.
As with automotive tires, aircraft tires come in both radial and bias ply design. The outward appearance is somewhat different, but the real difference is internal, and it translates to major performance and cost differences.
These are synopses of accidents used by Canada's Transportation Safety Board in its study of events similar to those that downed Swissair Flight 111. You'll notice that the common factors are speed of propagation and, in most cases, a delay in taking immediate action to get the aircraft on the ground.
If you're looking for information that goes above and beyond a standard flight manual, then you might consider reading the second edition of John Lowery's Professional Pilot. This book guides you through unforeseen events that can plague an aviator from takeoff to landing, and is filled with tips/techniques for pilots who operate aircraft ranging from light twins all the way up to transport category. Professional Pilot addresses scenarios that include flying after scuba diving, inflight fires, hydroplaning and icing problems. Price: $36.95
