NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD was continuing its investigation last week of the Aug. 5 accident involving a Sikorsky S-61N helicopter that crashed attempting to take off in rugged terrain about 38 miles from Redding, Calif. The aircraft was carrying a group of forest firefighters. Of the 13 persons onboard, nine were killed in the crash and ensuing fire, and four were seriously injured. The helicopter, N612AZ, was registered to Carson Helicopters, Inc. of Grants Pass, Ore. Officials said 10 of those onboard were employed by Grayback Forestry, Inc. of Merlin, Ore.
EMBRAER ERJ 170 and ERJ 190 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2008-0831; Directorate Identifier 2008-NM-051-AD] – This proposal would require operators to replace certain ram air turbine (RAT) generators, per the instructions of Embraer Service Bulletin 170-24-0041, Rev. 01 (dated Aug. 28, 2007) or 190-24-0012, Rev. 01 (dated Aug. 21, 2007), as applicable.
AIRCRAFT ELECTRONICS ASSOCIATION moved to new headquarters offices close to Lee’s Summit Regional Airport near Kansas City, Mo. The association is planning a grand opening celebration and open house of the new building and training facilities Sept. 24, before the association’s Central Region Meeting Sept. 25-27 in Kansas City. The association is now located at 3570 NE Ralph Powell Road, Lee’s Summit, Mo. 64064; (816) 347-8400; fax, (816) 347-8405.
A NOISE PLAN FOR ORLANDO EXECUTIVE Airport (ORL) was approved recently by the FAA. The plan contains four proposals for mitigating noise on and off the field: modification of the current helicopter flight track to and from the north; development of a voluntary property-acquisition program that enables noncompatible land uses to be removed from high-noise exposure areas; acquisition of five additional noise monitors; and publication of a brochure to make pilots aware of the existing and future voluntary noise mitigation procedures in effect at the airport.
HONEYWELL has begun taking orders for its new IFR Bendix/King Apex Edge Series line of IFR-certified avionics for general aviation aircraft. The series includes the KSN 770 Integrated Navigation and Communication Multi-Function Display with full WAAS GPS navigator and interfaces with traffic and datalink weather sensors as well as optional features such as Class B TAWS and Jeppesen maps. The Apex edge series also includes the KFD 840 Primary Flight Display that provides primary flight information on an 8.4-inch diagonal high-resolution display.
STANDARDAERO broke ground last week on an 80,000-square-foot expansion of the company’s facilities in Winnipeg, Manitoba to enable it to perform a higher volume of CF34 engine repairs and overhauls for operators of business and regional jets. “When we entered the [General Electric] CF34 maintenance, repair and overhaul business seven years ago, we anticipated the need to expand the facilities at some point in the future, building it into our business plan,” said Paul Sourby, president and CEO.
HIGHER PRICES for aviation gasoline and a weakening U.S. economy are taking a toll on small aircraft sales. The General Aviation Manufacturers Association said piston aircraft deliveries were off 15.7 percent to just more than 1,000 units in the first half of the year. But big jumps in turboprop and business jet deliveries drove first-half aircraft billings to more than $12 billion. See article on Page 63 and BA’s compilation of worldwide business, personal and regional aircraft shipments on Pages 65-66.
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THE TRANSPORTATION SECURITY ADMINISTRATION, for the first time, is expanding the use of the DCA Access Standard Security Program to provide access to restricted airspace during the Republican National Convention Sept. 1-4 in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn. The program, instituted for flights to and from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, may be considered for other applications in the future. See article on Page 69.
MARGARET JENNY was selected as the next president of RTCA, Inc., the organization formerly known as the Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics. Jenny will succeed Dave Watrous, who will conclude his 19-year tenure as president of the organization at the end of this month. RTCA is a private, not-for-profit corporation that develops consensus-based recommendations regarding communications, navigation, surveillance and air traffic management (CNS/ATM) system issues.
September 10 – National Business Aviation Association, Regional Forum, Hanscom Field (BED), Bedford, Mass. For more information, contact NBAA at (202) 783-9000 September 10-11 – Technology Training Corp’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems Conference, Holiday Inn, Arlington, Va., (310) 563-1223 September 15-18 – Arinc’s Flight Simulator Engineering and Maintenance Conference, Hilton Salt Lake (Utah) Center. For more information call (410) 266-2008 or see www.arinc.com
BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON CANADA Model 430 helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2007-0177; Directorate Identifier 2007-SW-19-AD; Amendment 39-15616; AD 2008-15-04] – Requires operators to adjust the rigging of the tail-rotor pitch-change mechanism in accordance with the instructions of Bell Helicopter Textron Alert Service Bulletin 430-07-39 (dated Jan. 9, 2007). If either at the full-left pedal position or full-right pedal position a gap exists between the tail-rotor yoke and the flapping stop, replace the tail-rotor yoke with an airworthy one.
ROLLS-ROYCE DEUTSCHLAND Dart 528, 529, 532, 535, 542 and 552 engines [Docket No. FAA-2006-24825; Directorate Identifier 2006-NE-17-AD; Amendment 39-15623; AD 2008-16-05] – This AD, which expands the applicability of an earlier directive, requires a dimensional inspection of the intermediate-pressure turbine (IPT) disk or an ultrasonic inspection of the seal arm contact between the high-pressure turbine (HPT) and the IPT disk seal arm. Operators would need to rework or replace the IPT disk if it is worn beyond acceptable limits.
EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION said its 2008 AirVenture drew an estimated 540,000 attendees, which EAA described as “a slight decrease from 2007 and nearly equal to 2006’s attendance.” The show drew more than 10,000 arriving aircraft to Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh and other airports in east-central Wisconsin. There were 797 commercial exhibitors, a total that EAA said was up slightly over 2007.
Federal Aviation Administration issued a new airworthiness directive (AD 2008-16-15) last week superseding an earlier AD and requiring operators of Eclipse EA-500 aircraft to comply with an Eclipse service bulletin regarding use of a standardized procedure for testing and modifying (as applicable) the throttle lever of the aircraft.
GENERAL ELECTRIC CO. CF34-8E engines [Docket No. FAA-2008-0821; Directorate Identifier 2008-NE-20-AD; Amendment 39-15619; AD 2008-16-01] – Requires reprogramming the full-authority digital engine control (FADEC) software from version 8Ev5.40 to an FAA-approved software version. This AD, which was prompted by six loss-of-thrust control events involving the same software fault scenario, is intended to prevent loss of thrust control and controllability. This AD, which affects engines installed on Embraer 170 airplanes, becomes effective Aug. 15.
DANA LOCKHART joined GMT Global Republic Aviation to lead the company’s capital markets activities. Lockhart will be responsible for raising financing to acquire aircraft. He also will develop and manage relationships with GMT lenders. Lockhart has 40 years of aviation and aerospace experience, previously serving with Airbus Americas as chief financial officer and vice president of sales finance. Lockhart also worked for Fairchild Credit Corporation and Lockheed Corporation.
ACCORDING TO FAA, U.S. general aviation operators recently completed a three-year period that was the safest ever. But the agency believes further improvement is necessary. FAA set a goal of reducing the number of fatal accidents by 10 percent through 2018. The agency also wants to reduce GA and Part 135 accidents in Alaska from the 2000-2002 average of 130 accidents per year to fewer than 100 annually. These goals were included in FAA’s recently released draft Flight Plan for the years 2009-2013.
NATIONAL BUSINESS AVIATION ASSOCIATION has scheduled a Business Aviation Regional Forum Sept. 10 in Bedford, Mass. The day-long event is expected to include 30 aircraft on display and 60 exhibitors. The event is designed to introduce business aviation to local business leaders as well as provide informational sessions for the business aviation community.
The number and severity of accidents involving business turboprops in the U.S. was up significantly during the first six months of 2008, according to data compiled by Robert E. Breiling Associates, Inc. of Boca Raton, Fla.
THE WHITE HOUSE said Tuesday that President Bush intends to nominate Mark Rosenker, currently chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board, as vice chairman of the agency. Rosenker began serving as a member of NTSB in December 2005. His two-year stint as chairman was scheduled to expire Aug. 9. Rosenker was renominated as chairman in October but the Senate did not act on the nomination. It is expected that Rosenker will continue to head the agency at least until after the November elections.
Cessna Aircraft, which had planned to be delivering Model 172 Skyhawks powered by Thielert Aircraft Engine diesel powerplants this year, is still seeking a viable alternative following the German engine maker’s insolvency filing earlier this year.
FLIGHT DISPLAY SYSTEMS secured FAA parts manufacturing approval for its Flight View Camera and Satellite Radio Amplifier. Mounted on the cockpit glare shield, the Flight View Camera provides passengers with a pilot’s view of taxi, takeoff and landing. The Satellite Radio Amplifier provides access to XM or Sirius satellite service. Flight Display priced the Flight View Camera at $1,250 and Satellite Radio Amplifier at $1,875.
