BOMBARDIER DHC-8-400, DHC-8-401, and DHC-8-402 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2008-0730; Directorate Identifier 2008-NM-055-AD] – This proposed rule would require operators to modify the spoiler cable disconnect sensing circuit by following the instructions of Bombardier Service Bulletin 84-27-33 (dated June 6, 2007) or Bombardier Service Bulletin 84-27-28, Rev. B (dated Sept. 25, 2007). This proposal, which resulted from an MCAI originated by Transport Canada, was issued to ensure that all caution lights illuminate when a spoiler cable disconnect occurs.
Panama City, Florida’s greenfield airport construction project is two months ahead of schedule, thanks to the contractor’s decision to move to a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week work schedule, an airport authority executive said.
BOMBARDIER DHC-8-400 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2008-0356; Directorate Identifier 2008-NM-042-AD] – The FAA has revised an earlier proposed rule to require application of a certain compound to barrel nuts and bolts per the instructions of Bombardier Alert Service Bulletin A84-57-19, Rev. B (dated March 6, 2008). The earlier proposal mandated inspections of those parts to determine if they were preloaded correctly and that no cracks were present.
TIM LAKATA was named director of Learjet sales for the Northeast U.S. by Bombardier Aerospace. Based in Hartford, Conn., Lakata will oversee all Learjet sales for Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Delaware, Massachusetts, Maine, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, Vermont and West Virginia. Lakata began his career at Bombardier in 2004 as a widebody business jet demonstration pilot. He has more than 18 years of flying experience in the U.S. Air Force and with Bombardier.
PRATT & WHITNEY’S Geared Turbofan engine demonstrator completed Phase II ground tests and has been cleared for flight testing. The GTF engine system permits the engine’s fan to operate at a different speed than the low-pressure compressor and turbine, resulting in greater fuel efficiency and a slower fan speed for reduced noise. The GTF was previously selected to power the new Mitsubishi Regional Jet and the proposed Bombardier CSeries airliners.
For the first half of 2008, Embraer delivered a record 97 jets, and the Brazilian airframe manufacturer’s order backlog swelled to an all-time high of $20.7 billion. The 97 airplanes shipped in the first six months of 2008 represent a 59 percent increase over the 61 airplanes delivered during the first half of 2007.
THE 15TH ANNIVERSARY OF CRJ OPERATIONS in North America was celebrated recently by Bombardier and Comair. The first revenue flight of the 50-seat Canadair Regional Jet took place on June 1, 1993 between the airline’s base in Cincinnati and Toronto. The Delta Connection carrier currently operates 100 CRJ100/200s, 15 CRJ700s and 13 CRJ900 jets. As of April 30, 2008, Bombardier had logged 1,667 firm orders for its CRJ line and delivered 1,485 of those aircraft.
Cirrus Design Corp., which had won few style points calling its new single-engine personal jet “The-Jet,” announced Thursday that henceforth the aircraft will be known as the Cirrus Vision SJ50.
Bombardier has narrowed its shortlist of potential assembly sites for the proposed CSeries family of aircraft to Kansas City, Mo., and Mirabel, Quebec. The Canadian manufacturer’s decision to pick between the two sites – one an established base, the other a foreign site with a limited connection to the airframer’s commercial operations – comes as its Quebec-based machinists make CSeries assembly a condition of their new labor contract.
DASSAULT Falcon 10 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2008-0674; Directorate Identifier 2008-NM-086-AD] – The FAA has proposed superseding an existing AD that requires operators to either revise the Airplane Flight Manual and install a placard in the flight deck to prohibit flight into known or forecasted icing conditions, or repetitively inspect for delamination of the flexible hoses in the wing slat anti-icing system and take corrective actions, if necessary.
CHC HELICOPTER CORP. said the date for completing the acquisition of the company by an affiliate of First Reserve Corp. has been extended until July 31. The planned acquisition of CHC, one of the world’s largest providers of helicopter services to the global offshore oil and gas industry, was announced in late April. Completion of the deal remains subject to a number of conditions, including receipt of transportation regulatory approvals in Canada and Europe.
AVIONS DE TRANSPORT REGIONAL ATR42-200, -300, -320 and -500 airplanes and ATR72-101, -201, -102, -202, -211, -212 and -212A airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2008-0293; Directorate Identifier 2007-NM-287-AD; Amendment 39-15582; AD 2008-13-19] – Requires repetitively verifying the electrical resistance of the three pitot probes, replacing any defective probes and eventually replacing the three low-current sensors for the pitot probes, per the instructions of Avions de Transport Regional Service Bulletins ATR42-30-0074 Rev. 1 and ATR72-30-1044 Rev. 1 (both dated Sept. 26, 2007).
JetDirect founder and Sentient Flight Group (SFG) Chairman Greg Campbell has replaced Steven Hankin as chief executive officer of SFG, part of a strategy to address cash flow problems that have resulted in delayed payments to vendors.
A final rule issued last week by the FAA will require U.S. operators of a host of light general aviation airplanes to inspect and replace, if necessary, externally mounted fuel-injector fuel lines on an estimated 17,740 engines, a task that will cost the industry more than $11 million. The new airworthiness directive (AD 2008-14-07), which was proposed earlier this year (BA, Jan. 21/40), applies to operators of Piper PA-24 Comanche, PA-30 and PA-39 Twin Comanche, PA-28 Arrow and PA-23 Aztec; Beech 23 Musketeer; Mooney 20; and Cessna 177 Cardinal airplanes.
July 14-20 – Farnborough International Air Show, Farnborough, England. For more information, contact Shirley-Ann Latch at 44 20-7976-3349; www.farnborough.com July 19 – National Aviation Hall of Fame, 47th Annual Enshrinement Ceremony, Dayton, Ohio. Contact Cee John at (937) 256-0944; or fax, (937) 256-8536 July 28-Aug. 3 – Experimental Aircraft Association, 56th AirVenture Oshkosh 2008, Wittman Regional Airport, Oshkosh, Wis. Contact Karen Fenner at (920) 426-4800; fax, (920) 232-7772
The U.S. Department of Justice is forcing Signature Flight Support to dispose of one of the two fixed-base operations at the Indianapolis, Ind. International Airport (IND) before Signature can proceed with the acquisition of seven FBOs from Hawker Beechcraft Corp.
July 14-20 – Farnborough International Air Show, Farnborough, England. For more information, contact Shirley-Ann Latch at 44 20-7976-3349; www.farnborough.com July 19 – National Aviation Hall of Fame, 47th Annual Enshrinement Ceremony, Dayton, Ohio. Contact Cee John at (937) 256-0944; or fax, (937) 256-8536 July 28-Aug. 3 – Experimental Aircraft Association, 56th AirVenture Oshkosh 2008, Wittman Regional Airport, Oshkosh, Wis. Contact Karen Fenner at (920) 426-4800; fax, (920) 232-7772
CESSNA AIRCRAFT received an order from TWC Aviation in Burbank, Calif. for two Model 850 Citation Columbus business jets. TWC provides charter, aircraft management, acquisition and sales, maintenance and consulting services. Cessna, which announced the large cabin, intercontinental Citation in early February (BA, Feb. 11/60), said it had received 36 orders by the end of the first quarter. The Columbus is designed to fly 4,000 nautical miles at Mach .80.
GULFSTREAM AEROSPACE tapped a 16-year company veteran to fill the void at the top of the manufacturer’s supersonic technology development program. Robert A. Cowart was named director, supersonic technology development, “responsible for the development of advanced technology supporting quiet supersonic flight over land, with a principal focus on sonic boom suppression concepts.” Cowart was most recently project engineer on Gulfstream’s supersonic technology program.
EMBRAER ERJ 190 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2008-0668; Directorate Identifier 2008-NM-088-AD] – This proposed AD would require operators to spot-face the lower wing stringers between Ribs 7 and 10, perform a dye-penetrant inspection of the reworked stringers, shot-peen the stringers if no cracks are found, rework the stringers if cracks are found, and report the results of the inspections and repairs to the ANAC, the aviation authority of Brazil.
BRYAN MOSS was named to the board of directors of RTI International Metals, Inc., the Pittsburgh, Pa.-based provider of titanium mill products and fabricated metal components. Moss retired as president emeritus of Gulfstream Aerospace at the end of March, having previously served as president of the Savannah, Ga. business jet manufacturer and executive vice president of the Aerospace Group of General Dynamics, Corp., Gulfstream’s parent company. He continues to serve as a consultant with GD.
SERVION completed a renovation of its facilities at Texas State Technical College Waco Airport (CNW) in Texas. The refurbished FBO was designed to provide pilots and passengers “a streamlined, sophisticated atmosphere to rest, relax and prepare for the next flight,” with amenities such as courtesy cars, Internet access, snooze rooms and television. Servion is an Avfuel-branded dealer and participates in Avfuel’s AVTRIP and contract fuel incentive programs.
General Electric has completed the acquisition of Walter Engines, a Czech company with an 85-year heritage. GE officials hope the deal will help them cut into rival Pratt & Whitney’s dominance in the small to midsize turboprop and turboshaft market, where Pratt’s broad product line of PT6 turboprop/turboshaft engines has held a commanding share for decades. GE said the acquisition “broadens GE’s offerings...
HERITAGE FLIGHT, a Burlington, Vt.-based charter operator, added a Bombardier Challenger 604 to its fleet. Heritage said the new addition allows the operator to transport passengers from the Northeast to destinations on the West Coast, Europe and the Caribbean. The aircraft replaces a Challenger 601, which Heritage removed from its fleet last year. Heritage also operates a Citation Excel and Encore and Beechcraft King Air C90B.
