The Federal Aviation Administration Wednesday took steps toward enforcement against the City of Santa Monica, Calif. after the Santa Monica City Council on Tuesday agreed to an ordinance banning larger, heavier business jets from Santa Monica Municipal Airport (SMO). FAA issued an “Order to Show Cause,” giving the city 10 days to provide information why FAA should not pursue enforcement under Part 16 of the Federal Aviation Regulations, the section that deals with the responsibilities of airports and airport sponsors.
DAVE WATROUS, president of RTCA, Inc., is retiring this year after serving with the organization for 19 years. Under Watrous’s direction, RTCA has played an integral role in helping shape decisions for the future of the air navigation system. RTCA is a not-for-profit corporation that builds consensus and makes recommendations on communications, navigation, surveillance and air traffic management system issues.
THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF AIRPORT EXECUTIVES is teaming with a number of general aviation organizations to host a three-day conference to discuss key aviation issues including environmental initiatives, fuel prices, and aviation funding.
THE CREW of a CL-600 business jet made a safe landing March 24 at the Grand Junction, Colo. Airport after the aircraft’s main entry door separated from the airplane. The airplane, with two pilots on board, had departed the airport about 3:30 MDT, but shortly after takeoff the door separated. The crew contacted air traffic control and returned to the airport. The 1983 model aircraft, N213TS, is registered to WFP Investments, LLC of Snowmass Village, Colo.
GULFSTREAM AEROSPACE Galaxy and Gulfstream 200 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2008-0270; Directorate Identifier 2007-NM-255-AD] – This proposal would require operators to perform a visual inspection of hydraulic-line clamping blocks for wear. Also, operators would need to inspect the associated hydraulic tubes to determine if any tube were loose or damaged. All worn clamping blocks would have to be replaced before further flight. If any hydraulic tube were loose or damaged, the entire length of he tube would need to be inspected for signs of chafing, damage and cracks.
STEPHEN B. PLUMMER was named executive vice president, government business, for Rolls-Royce North America. In his new role Plummer will be accountable for all aspects of the company’s relationships with the U.S. and Canadian governments. Plummer joined Rolls-Royce in 2003 as senior vice president, Defense Relations, where he was responsible for managing the company’s relationship with the U.S. Department of Defense. Before joining the engine manufacturer, Plummer spent 34 years in the U.S. Air Force, culminating as Lt.
CESSNA AIRCRAFT delivered a Citation Mustang to the University of North Dakota. The newly delivered aircraft is the first Cessna VLJ to be used by a flight school. In addition to being used for flight training for undergraduate and contract students, the Mustang will be used for executive travel. UND’s John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences averages more than 1,000 flight students at any given time. The flight school has more than 120 aircraft available for training, and exceeds 100,000 flight training hours each year.
HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC. ATF3-6 and ATF3-6A engines [Docket No. FAA-2007-29092; Directorate Identifier 2007-NE-30-AD; Amendment 39-15431; AD 2008-06-19] – Requires the removal from service of certain low-pressure compressor (LPC) aft shafts and replacement with serviceable shafts. This AD was prompted by the discovery during fluorescent-penetrant inspections of eight cracked LPC aft shafts. The directive was issued to prevent uncoupling and overspeed of the low-pressure turbine, which could result in uncontained engine failure and damage to the airplane.
Cirrus Design Corp. announced promotions last week for three members of its sales team. Bruce Gunter was named vice president, domestic sales for the Duluth, Minn. manufacturer. Gunter joined Cirrus in 1998 as a regional sales manager and subsequently served as regional director and Eastern divisional director.
GULFSTREAM AEROSPACE Astra SPX, 1125 Westwind Astra and Gulfstream 100 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2008-0299; Directorate Identifier 2007-NM-254-AD] – This proposal calls for revision of the “Limitations” section of the Airplane Flight Manual through incorporation of information that limits the normal use of reverse thrust to idle. Also, it would require operators to visually inspect the bolts used to attach the “scissors” to the horizontal and the vertical stabilizers and replace any damaged bolts before further flight.
THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION has been quietly discussing the possibility that a long-term FAA reauthorization bill might get pushed off until September 2009. Senior Transportation Department officials recently have talked about such a plan with key staff members on Capitol Hill as well with certain industry representatives, sources say. During a recent speech commemorating the opening of new administrative offices at the Denton, Texas Airport, Sen.
CHEVRON GLOBAL AVIATION developed a new online training course covering quality assurance and required aviation procedures for fixed-base operation employees. The course, Product Integrity 101, is designed for line service, customer service and operations personnel. The course will be available in the second quarter and cover fuel receiving, fuel basics, product testing, fire and safety, incident response, contamination, quality assurance inspection and testing, product storage, and documentation requirements.
PPG INDUSTRIES has developed a glass-faced acrylic replacement windshield for Bombardier Challenger 600, 601, 604 and 605 business jets. PPG subsidiary Sierracin/Sylmar Corp. manufactures the new lightweight, heated windshield. PPG said the windshield provides the chemical and abrasion resistance of glass with the weight savings of plastic. Sierracin/Sylmar also produces replacement side cockpit windows for the Challenger 600 Series and passenger-cabin windows for Challenger 600, 601 and 604 aircraft.
April 8-14 – Sun ‘n Fun Fly-In, Inc., Lakeland, Fla., (863) 644-2431 April 23-26 – Aircraft Electronics Association, 51st Annual Convention & Trade Show, Washington, D.C. Contact Debbie McFarland at (816) 373-6565. April 24 – National Business Aviation Association Regional Forum, Henderson Executive Airport (HND), Las Vegas, Nev. For more information, contact NBAA at (202) 783-9000 April 29-May 1 – Flight Safety Foundation, 53rd Corporate Aviation Safety Seminar, Palm Harbor, Fla., (703) 739-6700
DOWNING AVIATION ASSOCIATES, the Gilbert, Ariz.-based general aviation consultant, is opening a second location at Chandler Municipal Airport. Downing leased office space with Chandler Air Service, a move which Downing said will enable customers to “fly directly to our front door.” Formed in 2001, Downing Aviation Associates provides technical, marketing, business and contract management resources for startup and established business, general aviation and regional aviation firms. The new office is located at 1725 E. Ryan Rd. Suite 9, Chandler, Ariz.
IRA P. BERMAN, senior vice president administration and general counsel for Gulfstream Aerospace, Savannah, Ga., was named a vice president of General Dynamics, the parent company of Gulfstream.
THE BOEING COMPANY agreed to acquire Vought Aircraft Industries’ interest in Global Aeronautica, LLC, a South Carolina fuselage subassembly facility for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. After the transaction is complete, Global Aeronautica will become a 50-50 joint venture between Boeing and Alenia North America, a subsidiary of Italy’s Alenia Aeronautica, a Finmeccanica company. Vought will continue to produce the aft fuselage for the 787 at its facility adjacent to Global Aeronautica in North Carolina.
ELLIOTT AVIATION earned European Aviation Safety Agency approval for installation of the Rockwell Collins Integrated Flight Information System (IFIS) aboard European-registered King Air B200 and 350 twin-turboprop aircraft equipped with Pro Line 21 avionics. The Rockwell Collins IFIS provides electronic chart, graphical weather, and enhanced map display capabilities.
KEY AIR, LLC is adding a new location outside of the Minneapolis-St. Paul metroplex. Key Air will operate a full service fixed-base operation at the Anoka County-Blaine Airport (ANE) that will include 80,000-square-foot hangars and an executive terminal and business center. Key Air noted that ANE is a strategic location because the airport is 15 minutes from downtown Minneapolis and offers 4,800- and 5,000-foot runways and precision approach systems. Key Air expects to begin providing line service this spring and complete the terminal and hangar facility in the fall.
GULFSTREAM’s G200 business jet set seven city-pair speed records over a 10-day period on trips between North America, Europe and Asia. The aircraft departed Gander International Airport in Gander, New Foundland, Canada, on Feb. 16 and flew 2,193 nautical miles to London Luton Airport in 4 hours and 45 minutes. The aircraft averaged a speed of .79 Mach. Two days later, the aircraft flew 1,362 nm from London to Moscow’s Vnukovo International Airport in 3 hours and 13 minutes with an average speed of .80 Mach.
Several field reports of certain Avidyne Entegra EXP5000 primary flight displays (PFDs) displaying incorrect altitude and airspeed information prompted the FAA last week to issue an airworthiness directive that limits the use of those units.
Officials of the Florida Aviation Trades Association (FATA) expressed cautious optimism last week that state legislators would take action to resolve a situation that has left unsuspecting pilots with huge tax bills after visiting the state.
ERIC PANGBURN was promoted to chief pilot for Omniflight Helicopters, an air medical provider based in Addison, Texas. Pangburn has 14 years of industry experience and 29 years of U.S. military experience in the Coast Guard, Coast Guard Reserve/Army Reserve (pilot) and the Army National Guard. He will be responsible for the training of new pilots as well as the recurring instruction and education for all current Omniflight pilots. He also will oversee compliance with FAA requirements and conduct Air Medical Resource Management safety seminars.
VIRGIN CHARTER, Richard Branson’s recently released “online marketplace” designed to link customers and charter flights (BA, Feb. 11/59), added Linear Air, a Concord, Mass.-based air taxi, to its network. Linnear Air is the first air charter company in the Virgin Charter network to operate the Eclipse E500 Very Light Jet. Virgin Charter this month opened its service to the public after holding a limited test period with a select group of clients and operators.
The Smithsonian Institute is looking for evidence of possible bird residue as part of the investigation into the crash of a Citation 500 earlier this month in Oklahoma City, Okla. The aircraft, N113SH, crashed shortly after takeoff from Wiley Post Airport (PWA) at about 1515 CST March 4. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot and three passengers were killed in the accident. Southwest Orthopedic and Sport Medicine Clinic was operating the aircraft on a 549-nautical-mile flight to Mankato Regional Airport in Mankato, Minn.
