BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON CANADA Model 222, 222B, 222U, 230 and 430 helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2008-0071; Directorate Identifier 2006-SW-27-AD] – This proposed AD would retain the requirement of an earlier directive to check tail-rotor blades for cracks and replace any cracked blade with an airworthy blade before further flight. However, the new proposal would remove certain tail-rotor blades from the applicability of the AD.
CESSNA delivered the first of 10 172 Skyhawk single-piston aircraft to the University of Dubuque’s Aviation Department. The new Garmin G1000-equipped 172s will replace the university’s existing fleet of Skyhawks. The school uses the aircraft to provide private and instrument flight instruction through the FAA /Industry Training Standards course. Cessna will continue delivery of 172s through June 2009.
SIKORSKY’S new representative for commercial sales of the S-76 and S-92 in Italy and Monaco is New Jet International. The company – which sells both new and preowned aircraft from offices in Monte Carlo, Monaco, and Milan, Italy – also is a sales representative for Bombardier Learjet, Challenger and Global aircraft.
HAWKER BEECHCRAFT Model 390 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2008-0353; Directorate Identifier 2007-CE-101-AD; Amendment 39-15620; AD 2008-16-02] – Per the instructions of Hawker Beechcraft Mandatory Service Bulletin No. SB 27-3787 (dated May 2007), repetitively do a post-flight check for residual heat in the angle-of-attack (AOA) probes or conduct an operational test of the heat of the AOA probes after every flight and replace or modify the stall warning AOA transmitters by uploading new software.
COMPOSITE AIRCRAFT REPAIR of Moriarty, N.M. was appointed by Grob Aerospace Inc. as the new authorized service center for the 300-plus Grob Aerospace light aircraft and gliders in the U.S. This is the first U.S. service center for the G 115 single-engine trainer, G 102 and G 103 series gliders and the G 109 motor glider.
CESSNA AIRCRAFT Model 150 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2008-0790; Directorate Identifier 2008-CE-042-AD] – For aircraft equipped with the Ballistic Recovery Systems, Inc. BRS-150 parachute system, this proposal would require the replacement of the pick-up collar support and nylon screws for the parachute system in accordance with Ballistic Recovery Systems Mandatory Service Bulletin SB 2008-04-01 R1 (dated April 24, 2008).
GA Industry Veteran Jack Braly has taken on a new role to lead another aircraft manufacturer. Braly is the new president and chief executive of AAI Acquistion, Inc., which bought the former Adam Aircraft Industries through the U.S. bankruptcy process in April. Braly formerly served as president of Sino Swearingen Aircraft, Rockwell’s North American Aircraft Modification Division and Beech Aircraft.
All eight persons aboard a Hawker 800 were killed about 1000 CDT Thursday morning when the crew apparently experienced control problems while attempting to land at the Owatonna, Minn. Airport. The airplane ran off the end of the 5,500-foot runway and crashed, resulting in massive destruction that left the tail and part of the empennage largely intact, but reducing the rest of the twin-engine aircraft to small pieces.
A Beech King Air A200 operated by the Federal Aviation Administration landed gear up July 21 at Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) in Utah after the landing gear would not lock in the down position. The two airline transport pilots were not injured in the Part 91 public-use flight, but the aircraft, N11, sustained substantial damage on the lower fuselage. After takeoff from SLC, the pilot-in-command noted that the red “gear transit” light illuminated, and the landing gear had not retracted
MONDAY’S PRESS EVENT at EAA had been expected to focus on the sales outlook for the company’s single-engine EA-400 personal jet, but instead Raburn, the company’s founder and CEO, announced that he was stepping down. He then introduced Pieper, who is taking over as interim CEO of Eclipse. Raburn said Eclipse had received orders for about 110 EA-400s from existing EA-500 customers before last week. A spokeswoman told BA Friday that “several more” EA-400 orders were received during the EAA show. See article below.
B/E AEROSPACE completed the previously announced acquisition of Honeywell’s Consumables Solutions (HCS) distribution business. The Wellington, Fla.-based maker of aircraft cabin interior products and aftermarket distributor of aerospace fasteners purchased HCS for $901.4 million in cash, plus 6 million shares of the company’s common stock.
A missed Transportation Security Administration deadline is forcing the Federal Aviation Administration to put a hold on all newly filed applications for foreign repair station certificates. A provision in the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 bars approval of new foreign repair station applications after Aug. 3 unless TSA issues final repair station security rules. But TSA has yet to release even a proposal.
FOKKER F.28 Mark 0070 and 0100 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2008-0676; Directorate Identifier 2007-NM-280-AD] – This proposed rule would require operators to modify the main landing gear by replacing the upper torque link pin with a new fuse pin in accordance with Fokker Service Bulletin SBF100-32-148, Rev. 1 (dated Feb. 26, 2007).
AMETEK’S Power & Data Systems Group was selected to supply primary power distribution and integrated generator control functions for the new HondaJet business aircraft. Ametek also is supplying circuit breaker panels and interior cabin load control. The HondaJet will be equipped with Ametek’s 325A DC starter generators to distribute DC electrical power. The HondaJet is Honda’s first commercial aircraft and is scheduled for delivery beginning in late 2010.
EADS SOCATA selected the Garmin Synthetic Vision Technology (SVT) as an option for the TBM 850. The single-turboprop aircraft is equipped with Garmin’s G1000 all-glass integrated flight deck. The SVT upgrade provides a three-dimensional depiction of terrain, obstacles and traffic on the G1000 primary flight display, replicating a clear-day view of outside surrounding. SVT combines aircraft position information with topographic databases to project real-time images.
A Raytheon Cobra unmanned aircraft system (UAS) was destroyed July 28 when it crashed into an athletic field light tower at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo. during a demonstration flight for academy officials.
GENERAL ELECTRIC CF34-1A, -3A, -3A1, -3A2, -3B and -3B1 engines [Docket No. FAA-2007-0419; Directorate Identifier 2007-NE-52-AD] – Under this proposal, operators would need to remove the high-pressure (HP) rotor four-step air balance piston stationary seals, replacing them with eight-step seals. This proposed AD resulted from the investigation of an accident in which both engines experienced high-altitude flameouts, rotation of the HP rotors was not maintained during the descent and the engines could not be restarted.
CESSNA AIRCRAFT Model 175 and 175A airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2007-29240; Directorate Identifier 2007-CE-076-AD; Amendment 39-15618; AD 2008-15-06] – Check the airplane logbook to determine if the original engine mounting brackets have been replaced. If the original brackets are still installed, repetitively inspect them for cracks and replace any cracked bracket, per the instructions of Cessna Single Engine Service Bulletin SEB07-2, Rev. 2 (dated June 18, 2007). This AD was prompted by a report that an engine became detached from a firewall during a landing.
JAMES STEWART was elected to the board of directors for Aerion Corp. Stewart has served as a senior financial advisor for the company since 2006. He formerly held a number of senior financial positions for Bombardier, including chief financial officer of Bombardier Aerospace. He will be taking a senior financial post with maintenance, repair and overhaul specialist SR Technics, but will remain active as a resource to Aerion.
MATTHEW DOYLE rejoined Avantair, Inc., the Clearwater, Fla. fractional aircraft provider, as senior executive vice president of sales and marketing. Doyle was with Avantair in 2002 as vice president of sales and marketing. Since then he was an area sales manager for Cessna Aircraft. Avantair operates a fleet of nearly 50 Piaggio Avanti P.180 aircraft, and has another 60 Avanti IIs on order through 2013.
AN ECLIPSE 500 lost part of a wing-to-fuselage fairing during a July 17 flight near Rockford, Ill. and the National Transportation Safety Board is investigating to determine the cause of the problem. In a preliminary report NTSB said the aircraft, N875NA, “sustained minor damage during an in-flight separation of the aft, lower, left hand side wing to body fairing, during cruise flight” at about 1655 CDT. The flight, with two pilots aboard, had departed from Pinedale, Wyo. and was en route to Chicago Executive Airport in Wheeling, Ill.
EMBRAER finalized a contract with Nigerian charter operator DanaJets for a Legacy 600 executive Jet. The aircraft is slated for delivery in late 2009 in a 13-seat configuration. The order follows an earlier deal from DanaJets for two Phenom 100s and one Phenom 300. Delivery of those aircraft is expected to begin in 2011.
NATIONAL AIR TRANSPORTATION ASSOCIATION scheduled two seminars to discuss taxes and environmental compliance. The Tax Seminar for Air Charter Operations will be held Aug. 12 at the Hyatt Regency Indianapolis in Indiana to explain the various taxes that apply to Part 135 flight operations. The seminar will cover federal excise taxes and exemptions, state taxes, international user fees, common tax errors, IRS forms, the fuel tax credit, aircraft management agreements and charter brokering.
