Rockwell Collins' planned acquisition of tiny Athena Technologies, Inc. may turn out to be one of the most important in the company's history if its vision of the future of air navigation turns out to be right (BA, March 10/108).
A recently released report from the Transportation Department Inspector General provided the Air Transport Association ammunition in its quest to blame the nation's air traffic congestion woes on business jet use of the airspace and shift costs of the National Airspace System onto general aviation. Business and general aviation groups have long contested ATA's contentions, saying that non-airline users do not clog the nation's busiest airports, because business and general aviation operators prefer using smaller alternative airports.
Model Falcon 50 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2007-0369; Directorate Identifier 2007-NM-258-AD; Amendment 39-15402; AD 2008-05-08] - Requires verification that onboard life rafts are stowed correctly (with deployment straps outboard) and that the overall dimensions of the life raft hard pack do not exceed nominal values, using the instructions of Dassault Service Bulletin F50-480 (dated Dec. 5, 2006). If a life raft is found incorrectly stowed or packed, before the next flight, reinstall it correctly.
THE TOTAL number of general aviation hours flown has declined slightly in the past eight years, but FAA expects that number to turnaround. FAA is predicting that GA operations overall will grow at an annual average of 2.8 percent in the next three years, but that business jets flight hours are set to jump at an average of 12.2 percent annually over the next three years.
Model GMBH 228-100, -101, -200, -201, -202 and -212 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2008-0197; Directorate Identifier 2008-CE-005-AD] - Conduct a detailed visual inspection on the inner structure of the rudder and elevator for signs of corrosion, de-bonded primer or any other deviation of surface protection, using Dornier 228 Service Bulletin No. SB-228-270 (dated Oct. 30, 2007).
Honda Aircraft Company is expanding its North American presence with a new retail sales and service representative in Mexico and plans for direct sales and service support for potential customers in Canada. Servicios Aéreos Estrella, S.A. de C.V. (SAE), a fixed-base operator based at Toluca International Airport (TLC) in Mexico City, will represent HondaJet in Mexico. SAE plans to establish a new HondaJet sales and service facility at TLC and is beginning to take customer orders immediately.
NATIONAL AIRCRAFT RESALE ASSOCIATION President Susan Sheets called "heavy handed" FAA's proposal to cancel aircraft registrations when owners do not respond promptly to FAA registration renewal requests. Sheets's concerns were one of several expressed last week over FAA's recently released proposed changes to aircraft registration requirements (BA, March 3/96). See article below.
REP. JOHN MICA (R-Fla.) last week ratcheted up his call for the Senate to consider the nomination of Bobby Sturgell for a five-year term as FAA Administrator. Mica, the ranking Republican on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, earlier last week wrote Sens. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) and Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) urging them to lift their "hold" on the nomination (BA, Feb. 11/57).
ECLIPSE AVIATION secured FAA clearance for a new color weather radar system designed with Japan Radio Co. (JRC). JRC will produce and supply all radar components for the Eclipse 500 Very Light Jet. The system is integrated with the Eclipse 500 Avio NG integrated avionics and provides radar information on the primary flight displays. The VLJ manufacturer also began operations at its third Eclispe Service Center with the opening of a 42,800-facility at Albany International Airport. The facility includes eight maintenance bays in 30,000 square feet of hangar space.
HARBIN AIRCRAFT INDUSTRY GROUP awarded Hamilton Sundstrand a contract to supply the environmental control system (ECS) for the Harbin Y12F 19-passenger multipurpose airplane.
LANE AVIATION, a full-service, fixed-base operator located at Port Columbus International and Rickenbacker International Airports in Ohio, has teamed with Waypoint Corporation to launch a regional air taxi service with Very Light Jet aircraft. Waypoint was founded in 2005 to provide air taxi and VLJ management services in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic states. The companies hope to begin operations this summer.
Promoted to vice president, completions and modifications for Midcoast Aviation in St. Louis, Mo. Bates, a 32-year company veteran, will be responsible for overseeing six completions and modifications departments. Since joining Midcoast in August 1976, he has held positions of increasing responsibility, including director, Challenger program, senior program manager, and director, program management. Most recently, he was senior director, maintenance, sales and product management.
March 10-12 - Flight Safety Foundation 20th European Aviation Safety Seminar - EASS, Bucharest, Romania; Contact FSF at (703) 739-6700 March 13-15 - Aeronautical Repair Station Association, Annual Repair Symposium, Washington, D.C.; Contact ARSA at (703) 739-9543 March 13-15 - Women in Aviation International, 19th Annual Conference, San Diego, Calif. Contact WAI at (937) 839-4647.
ARINC DIRECT opened a new 50,000-square-foot aviation maintenance facility in Scottsdale, Ariz. The new facility expands the company's base in Scottsdale, which has grown to 45 employees. The location includes 40,000 square feet of hangar space, 5,000 square feet of office space and 5,000 square feet of shop space for sheet metal, avionics and interior work. ARINC Direct Scottsdale is an FAA-approved Part 145 and EASA-certified repair station that provides A through D checks, Phase 1 through 5 inspections, line maintenance and aircraft-on-ground services.
Several Washington, D.C.-based general aviation associations last week expressed reservations about the FAA's proposed major changes to the Aircraft Registry (BA, March 3/96). Citing a need to increase and maintain the accuracy of data in the Civil Aviation Registry, FAA said it wants to institute new procedures, including reregistration of all current active aircraft and renewal of all registration certificates every three years.
Model EMB-120, -120ER, -120FC, -120QC and -120RT airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2007-0075; Directorate Identifier 2007-NM-171-AD; Amendment 39-15390; AD 2008-04-18] - Requires revising the "Airworthiness Limitations" section of the "Instructions for Continued Airworthiness" to incorporate new maintenance tasks that are intended to prevent fuel tank explosions. This AD resulted from an MCAI originated by the aviation authority of Brazil. FAA estimates that this AD will affect 109 aircraft on the U.S. Registry and cost U.S. operators a total of $8,720, or $80 per airplane.
Encore FBO LLC has taken on the Landmark Aviation name in completing the acquisition of the Landmark Aviation Airport Services division from Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE). DAE decided to sell the Landmark chain of fixed-base operations after purchasing Landmark Aviation and Standard Aero from the Carlyle Group this summer for $1.9 billion (BA, Aug. 6/51).
Model ATR 42 and ATR 72 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2007-29332; Directorate Identifier 2007-NM-172-AD; Amendment 39-15391; AD 2008-04-19] - Requires revising the "Airworthiness Limitations" section of the "Instructions for Continued Airworthiness" to incorporate new maintenance tasks that are intended to prevent fuel tank explosions. This AD resulted from an MCAI originated by an aviation authority of another country. FAA estimates that this AD will affect 84 aircraft on the U.S. Registry and will cost U.S. operators $6,720, or $80 per airplane.
WHILE FAA's proposed mandatory equipment requirements for Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) have received criticism, the advancement of the technology is winning praise. The National Aeronautic Association Friday announced the selection of the ADS-B government/industry team as its selection for the 2007 Robert J. Collier Trophy that will be awarded June 12. Aviation Week last week also honored Paul Fontaine, FAA program manager, Safe Flight 21, along with UPS Airlines' Capt. Karen Lee and Capt.
NATIONAL AIR TRANSPORTATION ASSOCIATION appointed Kristen Moore director, legislative affairs. Moore formerly was a legislative assistant for Rep. Harold Rogers (R-Ky.), handling transportation and aviation issues. Before that, she served as a Federal Aviation Administration detailee to the House Appropriations Committee. In her new role, Moore will handle all legislative issues for NATA and serve as the primary interface with congressional staff.
BOMBARDIER inaugurated its new manufacturing operations at the Querétaro Aerospace Park north of Mexico City, Mexico. The facility late last year began manufacturing electrical harnesses and structural aircraft components, including the Challenger 850 mid-fuselage, the Q400 aircraft flight control work package (rudder, elevator and horizontal stabilizer) and the aft fuselage for the Global aircraft family. Bombardier Aerospace expects the facility will employ 1,200 by the end of 2008.
