VIKING AIR LIMITED DHC-6-1, -100, -200 and -300 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2008-0368; Directorate Identifier 2008-CE-007-AD] – This proposed AD would require modification and inspection of the wing front-spar adapter fitting and replacement of any cracked fittings found during inspections. This proposal, which resulted from an MCAI originated by Transport Canada, was prompted by reports of inter-rivet cracking on the horizontal and vertical flanges of several wing front-spar adapter assemblies. The FAA estimates that this proposed AD would affect 157 aircraft on the U.S.
DESPITE A WEAKENING ECONOMY in the U.S., the business aviation market “continues to look good to us,” General Dynamics Chairman Nicholas Chabraja told financial analysts last week. About 56-57 percent of aircraft orders logged by GD’s Gulfstream Aerospace during the first quarter came from international customers, he said. Chabraja characterized the backlog for the company’s 450/550 business jets as “problematic” because the time from order placement to aircraft delivery is too long.
LONG-TERM FAA REAUTHORIZATION is slated to move forward this week after months of delays, but a compromise deal to jump-start the bill could mean higher taxes for general aviation. See article on Page 192.
GULFSTREAM AEROSPACE G150 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2008-0120; Directorate Identifier 2007-NM-327-AD; Amendment 39-15473; AD 2008-08-19] – Requires inspection for chafing and arcing damage to a feeder cable, terminal lug and ground point inside the left DC power box. Operators must repair those parts if any damage is found, install new heat-shrink tubing if the tubing is missing or damaged, and reposition the feeder cable in accordance with the instructions of Gulfstream Alert Service Bulletin 150-24A-046 (dated Oct. 31, 2007).
CONKLIN & DE DECKER will hold an Aircraft Acquisition Planning Seminar June 4-5 at the DoubleTree Philadelphia in Philadelphia, Pa. The seminar will discuss a range of issues involving the acquisition of an aircraft, including determining the correct aircraft for the mission; understanding the costs; finding the best finance and lease options; considering ownership alternatives, understanding federal and state taxes and establishing a competitive operation.
HONDA AIRCRAFT COMPANY is continuing to build its sales and support network for the new HondaJet light jet, and plans to begin sales of the aircraft in Europe next month in conjunction with the annual European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition in Geneva. The company also selected the fifth location for a U.S. sales and service center. HondaJet East, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Flightline Group, will establish a new sales and service facility at Albany International Airport (ALB) in Albany, N.Y. for operators in the Northeast U.S.
EMBRAER launched a new maintenance support program, Tool on Time (ToT), to expand the company’s customer services in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. Under TOT, an inventory of more than 130 maintenance tools and ground support equipment will be available to customers in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. ToT builds upon Embraer’s spare parts pooling program to ensure access to the most critical tools and ground support equipment necessary to complete repairs or other maintenance work.
The uncertain timeline and emerging risks of FAA’s runway safety technologies underscore the need to explore other near-term ways to improve runway safety, warned Transportation Department Inspector General Calvin Scovel.
Veteran aircraft sales executive Brant Dahlfors was named vice president, widebody sales in the U.S. for Bombardier Business Aircraft. The Canadian manufacturer said Dahlfors is now responsible for all Challenger and Global aircraft sales in the U.S., overseeing division offices in Maryland and California. Consolidation of U.S. widebody sales under Dahlfors follows the retirement earlier this year of Bill Monroe, who previously oversaw widebody sales in the Eastern U.S. Monroe continues to work in a consulting capacity for Bombardier.
HONEYWELL signed an exclusive licensing agreement with Mercury Computer Systems for Mercury’s VistaNav 3D Synthetic Vision Intellectual Property. Under the agreement, Honeywell will sell and support VistaNav cockpit information system situational awareness products. Honeywell said the technology will expand the breadth of its offerings for current and future cockpits.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) Thursday filed a “motion to proceed” to begin consideration of a long-term FAA reauthorization bill, breathing new life into legislation that had been stalled for months by a dispute between the leaders of the Senate Commerce and Finance committees. Under the motion filed last week, the Senate will begin debate at 4:30 p.m. today (April 28) and then hold a “cloture” vote at 5:30 p.m. on the bill.
TELEDYNE CONTINENTAL MOTORS IO-520, TSIO-520 and IO-550 engines with Superior Air Parts, Inc. (SAP) cylinder assemblies installed [Docket No. FAA-2007-0051; Directorate Identifier 2007-NE-37-AD] – This proposed AD would require repetitive inspections and compression tests to detect cracks in cylinders with more than 750 flight hours time in service. This proposal resulted from reports of cracks in the area of the exhaust valve and separation of cylinder heads from the barrels of SAP cylinder assemblies.
CHARTER LOGIC, Naples, Fla., recently elected Scott Phillips chairman. Phillips, who also is chief executive officer of the Part 135 operator Jet 1 Charter, has 30 years of aircraft charter, sales, management and fixed-base operation experience. Phillips will help Charter Logic strengthen its network of aircraft brokers and operators for the firm’s “Options On Demand” service that is designed to provide clients with aircraft choices based on the charter client’s specific requirements.
FAA is taking a series of actions in response to an Inspector General report revealing the intentional misclassification of operational errors by ATC supervisors at the Dallas/Fort Worth approach control facility. According to the IG, management at the DFW TRACON routinely classified controller operational errors as pilot errors or non-events. Between November 2005 and July 2007, 62 incidents were cited as pilot deviation or non-events when in fact they should have been classified as 52 operational errors and 10 operational deviations.
April 29-May 1 – Flight Safety Foundation, 53rd Corporate Aviation Safety Seminar, Palm Harbor, Fla., (703) 739-6700 May 5 – 20th Annual Greater Washington Aviation Open, Lansdowne, Va.; [email protected] May 5-8 – Regional Airline Association Annual Convention, Indianapolis, Ind. Contact Scott Gordon at (202) 367-1170 May 20-22 – National Business Aviation Association, European Business Aviation Convention and Exposition (EBACE 2008), Geneva, Switzerland. Contact Kathleen Blouin at NBAA at (202) 783-9000
VIKING AIR LIMITED DHC-6-1, -100, -200 and -300 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2008-0367; Directorate Identifier 2007-CE-089-AD] – This proposal would require operators to perform the corrosion tasks found in Bombardier’s DHC-6 corrosion prevention and control program. This proposed AD, which resulted from an MCAI originated by Transport Canada, is designed to ensure the structural integrity of these aging aircraft. The FAA estimates that this proposed AD would affect 162 airplanes on the U.S. Registry and cost U.S. operators a total of $518,400, or $3,200 per aircraft.
The Department of Transportation Friday unveiled another round of measures to improve the Federal Aviation Administration’s beleaguered inspection program. FAA has come under fire from Capitol Hill after two “whistle blowers” revealed deep-seated problems with the FAA Certificate Management Office responsible for Southwest Airlines (BA, April 7/154).
PEDRO FERRAZ was named director of internal communications for Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer. In his new post, Ferraz will be based at the company’s manufacturing facility in Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil. Most recently Ferraz served as director of corporate communication for North America for Embraer. As director of internal communications, Ferraz replaces Rosana Silva Aguiar, who transferred to Embraer’s human resources department.
FUEL INJECTION SERVOS used on many Lycoming, Teledyne Continental and Superior Air Parts reciprocating engines are the subject of an emergency airworthiness directive issued last week by FAA. The AD, which is effective April 29, requires operators of engines with Precision Airmotive LLC RSA-5 and RSA-10 series fuel-injection servos to inspect servo plugs for looseness and check for damage to the servos, servo regulator cover threads and associated gaskets.
Gerard Schkolnik, the director of supersonic technology programs for Gulfstream Aerospace, was killed April 12 when the experimental category Lancair Legacy he was flying crashed moments after taking off from the Sun ‘N Fun air show in Lakeland, Fla.
BOMBARDIER DHC-8-400 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2008-0360; Directorate Identifier 2007-NM-368-AD] – This proposed AD would require operators to visually inspect the elevator overload bungees to ensure that they are installed in the correct orientation. If installed incorrectly, operators would need to reinstall the bungees and place labels on them to ensure they are installed properly in the future.
THE INTERNATIONAL business aviation community has collaborated on a new “Tool Kit” to help business aircraft operators implement safety management systems (SMS). The SMS Tool Kit uses the International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations (IS-BAO) “code of practice” as a foundation. The kit is designed for both commercial and non-commercial operators. European regulators are implementing performance based rules that include SMS requirements. The tool kit provides a step-by-step program for implementing the new safety provision.
CIRRUS DESIGN CORPORATION SR20 and SR22 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2007-28245; Directorate Identifier 2007-CE-047-AD] – This proposed AD, which replaces an earlier proposed rule, would require replacement of the cabin door rod ends with new parts, including a redesigned non-binding hinge pin that replaces the existing pin at the upper door hinge. The new parts would need to be installed per the instructions of Cirrus Service Bulletin SB 2X-52-07 R4 (dated Jan. 24, 2008). The proposed rule resulted from two occurrences of inflight cabin door separation.
A mechanic trying to determine the cause of a problem aboard a Beech King Air 200 was killed this month when he was struck on the head by the aircraft’s entry door as he was attempting to board the plane while its engines were running.
BUSINESS IS BOOMING at Cessna Aircraft, and not just the company’s line of business jets. The Wichita manufacturer said it took orders for a record 272 of its turboprop-powered Caravan 208s during 2007, including 59 that were signed at last fall’s National Business Aviation Association convention. Cessna delivered 79 Caravans in 2007, but it is boosting production to 125 aircraft this year to help meet demand. Cessna has delivered more than 1,700 Caravans since the airplane was introduced.
