The National Transportation Safety Board has issued three recommendations – two to the FAA and one to Transport Canada – designed to prevent a repeat of the February 2005 Challenger 600 overrun accident at New Jersey’s Teterboro Airport.
DAVID CHESMORE was named product engineer for Flight Display Systems, an Alpharetta, Ga. manufacturer of in-flight entertainment systems. Chesmore will oversee engineering standards and new product development. He has 23 years of experience in avionics and electrical maintenance, aerospace and manufacturing engineering. He formerly was an electrical engineer with Bombardier Aerospace/Learjet in Wichita, Kan., where he was responsible for electrical manufacturing processes for the Learjet 40/45/60/60XR and Challenger 300.
AGUSTA S.P.A. AB 139 and AW 139 helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2008-0256; Directorate Identifier 2007-SW-01-AD; Amendment 39-15597; AD 2008-14-02] – This AD requires repetitive inspections for cracks in Fuselage Frame 5700 middle section, per the instructions of Agusta Bollettino Tecnico No. 139-018, Rev. B (dated Oct. 18, 2006). If cracks are found, repair them before further flight. This AD, which resulted from an MCAI issued by the European Aviation Safety Agency, is intended to prevent structural failure of the fuselage frame structure.
Diamond Aircraft launched a program Thursday designed to help its DA42 aircraft customers manage the transition from the original equipment Thielert Aircraft Engine Centurion engine to an Austro Engine AE 300 powerplant. Existing owners of TAE Centurion engines have complained of lack of support and warranty coverage from Thielert since that company entered insolvency this spring (BA, April 28/191). Diamond is working with Austro Engine and hopes to win European Aviation Safety Agency type certification for the 170-horsepower turbo-diesel engine this fall.
JET AVIATION in Dusseldorf, Germany was appointed an authorized service center for Piaggio P.180 Avanti/Avanti II turboprop aircraft. The center has performed maintenance work on P.180s for more than 10 years, but the most recent designation covers maintenance services up to and including D-Check inspections. Jet Aviation personnel also will attend recurring annual training courses at the Piaggio factory in Genoa, Italy.
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Cessna Aircraft, which is boosting business jet production to meet demand, continues to be a star player in Textron’s array of companies, according to second-quarter financial results.
DORNIER 328-100 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2008-0297; Directorate Identifier 2007-NM-330-AD; Amendment 39-15586; AD 2008-13-23] – Requires installation of a drain hole in the lower skin of the left and right-hand elevator horns, per the instructions of Avcraft Dornier Service Bulletin SB-328-55-450, Rev. 1 (dated Nov. 19, 2003).
RUTH MORGAN was appointed to the newly created position of director of dispatch/charter services for FirstFlight. Morgan will oversee the company’s charter scheduling and dispatch departments in Elmira, N.Y. She has more than 20 years of industry experience beginning with Executive Air Fleet, which was subsequently acquired by Jet Aviation. During her tenure she served as customer service representative, charter sales manager and vice president of charter sales.
JAY RANDALL joined Dallas Airmotive as a regional sales manager for the Northeast U.S., specializing in working with customers who operate aircraft powered by Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A, JT15D and PW500 engines. Randall has more than 15 years of engine and aircraft maintenance experience. He most recently was maintenance manager for aircraft sales and acquisitions for fractional provider Flight Options. He also has worked for FBO service centers and flight departments. He is a licensed A&P mechanic and a graduate of the Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics.
LANDMARK AVIATION acquired the Jimsair Aviation Services fixed-base operation at the San Diego, Calif. International Airport/Lindbergh Field (SAN), bringing to 42 the number of FBOs that Landmark operates in the U.S., Canada and Western Europe. Landmark is owned by GTCR Golden Rauner and Platform Partners, LLC.
The Federal Aviation Administration last week extended the duration of first- and third-class medical certificates for individuals under the age of 40. FAA proposed the extension in April 2007 (BA, April 16, 2007/177), and generally drew a positive reaction from the pilot community.
The new owners of the former Adam Aircraft publicly announced their plans to build the A700 last week during a press conference in Moscow after receiving State Department clearance this month for the acquisition. Russia-based Industrial Investors acquired the assets of the former Adam Aircraft with a $10 million winning bid in April, but needed State Department foreign ownership approval before discussing its plans (BA, April 21/183).
MOONEY AIRPLANE COMPANY promoted Chad Nelson to vice president of operations, responsible for activities at the plane-maker’s Kerrville, Texas facilities. Nelson joined Mooney in July 2004 and most recently was director of manufacturing. He also has served as receiving inspector, second-shift manager and lean implementation manager.
SENTIENT FLIGHT GROUP officials told employees Friday that the majority of a new round of investor financing was put in place last week. Sentient Chairman Greg Campbell took over as CEO earlier this month after the company encountered cash flow problems that resulted in late payments to some vendors (BA, July 14/13). Campbell said then that new financing was expected to be in place shortly. Announcement of a structural reorganization designed to further improve customer service also is anticipated in the near future.
The House of Representatives last week unanimously passed a bill requiring changes in Federal Aviation Administration oversight, signaling that Capitol Hill will not let up until legislators are satisfied that their concerns about FAA’s safety efforts have been fully addressed. The Senate, meanwhile, sent its own warnings about FAA oversight in strongly worded language in the fiscal 2009 transportation appropriations bill that was cleared by the Senate Appropriations Committee earlier this month.
TURBOMECA S.A. Arrius 2F turboshaft engines [Docket No. FAA-2007-28053; Directorate Identifier 2007-NE-18-AD; Amendment 39-15590; AD 2008-13-27] – Following the instructions of Turbomeca Mandatory Service Bulletin No. 319 72 4012, Update No. 1 (dated Sept. 19, 2006), replace engine module 02 with a module that incorporates Turbomeca Modification Tf 12A, which includes a new gas generator front bearing without lubrication slots on the separator cage.
EXECUTIVE AIRSHARE, a regional fractional aircraft ownership operation based in Kansas City, Mo., secured FAA Part 145 repair station certification for its facility at Wichita Mid-Continent Airport. Executive AirShare employs five technicians at the Wichita facility who are authorized to perform maintenance and repair on the company’s Hawker Beechcraft aircraft. The company also will begin maintenance training on Embraer Phenom 100 aircraft.
AGUSTA S.P.A. A109E and A119 helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2008-0327; Directorate Identifier 2007-SW-21-AD; Amendment 39-15600; AD 2008-14-05] – Requires operators to inspect for interference between the hydraulic lines and the tail-rotor control rod assembly, per the instructions of Agusta Bulletin Technical 109EP-73 (dated Dec. 4, 2006) or 119-22 (dated July 11, 2007), which apply to Model A109 and A119 helicopters, respectively. If interference is found, replace the hydraulic lines with ones of new design.
Hamilton Standard acquired the remaining 49 percent interest in French auxiliary power unit (APU) maintenance provider REVIMA APU from EADS Sogerma. EADS and Hamilton Standard had formed a joint venture in 2004. REVIMA APU is now a wholly-owned Hamilton Standard overhaul and repair facility, which will service aircraft APU systems and accessories for customers worldwide. Located in Caudebec-en-Caux, near Rouen, France, REVIMA APU employs 230 people and has been provide turbine engine repair for 35 years.
ABOUT 100 STAKEHOLDERS in the Emergency Medical Service helicopter community were meeting Friday in Dallas to “brainstorm” about short- and long-term ways to improve safety of EMS flight operations. The meeting, organized by the Association of Air Medical Services (AAMS), was triggered by the fatal midair collision June 29 of two EMS helicopters en route to a Flagstaff, Ariz. hospital helipad (BA, July 7/3).
DORNIER 328-100 and -300 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2008-0362; Directorate Identifier 2007-NM-308-AD; Amendment 39-15611; AD 2008-14-16] – This AD requires operators to install warning placards on the aircraft doors, and replace the hinge supports and support struts of the passenger doors with new, improved hinge supports and support struts. This directive was prompted by an incident in which the passenger door of a Dornier 328 opened immediately after takeoff.
Federal investigators are trying to track the chain of events that led a Learjet and an American Eagle Embraer ERJ-145 to get too close to one another last week at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport.
BLAKE-MILLER COMMUNICATIONS, a Dallas-based public relations firm, joined the recently formed Leading Edge Communications.aero (LEC) aviation public relations alliance. The LEC alliance was established this year by three international aviation public relations consultancies: Emerald Media, led by Alison Chambers in Europe and Kelly Murphy in the U.S.; Australasian company Asia Pacific Public Relations, led by Tony Harrington; and Singapore-based Euro Asia Communications, led by Anthony Phillips.
