THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION estimates it will cost operators of some Honeywell TFE731 engines more than $13 million to remove nearly 600 high-pressure turbine discs from the engines on a number of different business jet models, but Honeywell says that dollar figure is way too high because it is based on the full retail price of parts and labor.
A former Delta Airlines pilot, was named chief operating officer for Midwest Airlines. Kolshak spent 20 years with Delta serving as a line pilot, general manager of flight operations, director of investor relations and most recently as executive vice president of operations. In his new role, Kolshak will have responsibility for directing all aspects of Midwest's operations functions, including flight operations, flight standards and training, inflight services, customer service, system operations control, safety and regulatory compliance and maintenance and engineering.
BR700-715A1-30, BR700-715B1-30 and BR700-715C1-30 engines [Docket No. FAA-2007-0169; Directorate Identifier 2007-NE-45-AD] - For aircraft operated to the Hawaiian Flight Mission profile, this proposed AD, which resulted from an MCAI issued by the European Aviation Safety Agency, would require reducing the maximum approved life for the low-pressure (LP) compressor fan disc assembly from 33,000 flight cycles to 25,000 flight cycles. The proposal also would require removing from service any assemblies that exceed the new maximum life limit.
The Bush Administration's fiscal 2009 transportation budget drew criticism last week as "just more of the same" from the Bush Administration. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters Monday unveiled the DOT fiscal 2009 budget request that calls for $14.6 billion for the Federal Aviation Administration. The budget, which would be $320 million below the fiscal 2008 appropriation, assumes the continuation of the current aviation excise taxes. But DOT budget documents assume a shift to user fees and higher fuel taxes beginning in 2010.
Joined Schubach Aviation as manager of the Hangar ONE Avionics division. Piland will manage day-to-day operations of the newly created department. He has more than 15 years of aviation experience, formerly as avionics manager for Carlsbad-based Jet Source Inc. He also spent four years as an avionics technician for Cinema Air Avionics in Carlsbad, and four years as a helicopter mechanic for the U.S. Navy.
REGIONAL AIR CARGO CARRIERS ASSOCIATION (RACCA) will hold its Spring Conference May 20-22 at the Marriott Westfields Hotel in Chantilly, Va., which is located near Dulles International Airport. For more information, check the RACCA Web site at http://www.raccaonline.org
RTI International Metals, Inc., Niles, Ohio and the United Steelworkers reached agreement on an extension of the current contract, and the company promised to make a major investment in new equipment at the Niles plant.
SEN. JAY ROCKEFELLER (D-W.Va.) last week expressed concern that FAA is "facing a crisis" with a reauthorization deadline looming at the end of February. During Thursday's hearing on the nomination of Bobby Sturgell to be FAA Administrator, Rockefeller said FAA would have to furlough some 4,000 employees next month if Congress fails to enact a reauthorization bill or extension by Feb. 29 (BA, Feb. 4/45).
The Helipower show in New Dehli, India reflected a booming market for the helicopter industry. Fifteen Bell 429s already have been booked for the commercial market. Helicopter procurement remains strong, despite lingering problems for the Indian helicopter industry such as poor infrastructure, complicated regulations for rooftop landings, delays and congestion at airports.
Any possibility that Bobby Sturgell will win confirmation for a five-year term as the nation's next FAA Administrator grew dimmer last week as he endured a critical grilling by members of the Senate Commerce Committee. Both New Jersey senators placed a "hold" on the nomination and at least one of them, Frank Lautenberg (D), declared his outright opposition to Sturgell being confirmed.
BUSINESS JET FLIGHTS and fuel sales increased at L.G. Hanscom Field (BED) in Bedford, Mass. last year, according to the Massachusetts Port Authority, which operates the popular Boston area business aviation airport. Since 2000 total operations at the airport have declined, but jet traffic has continued to trend upward, Massport said. In 2007, BED recorded 34,526 jet operations, up 3.4 percent over 2006, while fuel sales jumped 13.3 percent to 10.4 million gallons.
Canadian aircraft simulator training firm CAE signed a contract to become the managing partner of the Indian government's flight training academy: Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Akademi (IGRUA). CAE also formalized a joint venture agreement with the Airport Authority of India (AAI) to develop the Rajiv Gandhi National Flying Training Institute (RGNFTI). The parties previously announced the signing of memorandums of understanding regarding those deals during last summer's Paris Air Show.
Appointed chief pilot for Schubach Aviation. He will oversee pilot hiring, training, standardization and evaluation. Mertz has more than 11 years of aviation experience, most recently as aviation department manager of The Allen Group in Carlsbad, Calif. He also was a first officer with Business Jet Services in Dallas, Texas.
ROCKEFELLER, a strong proponent of implementing an air traffic control user fee and increasing the portion of ATC system costs paid by business and corporate operators, said he plans to address the issue during a hearing the Senate aviation subcommittee will hold Feb. 12. The Senate Democrat warned Sturgell he planned to "come after you really hard on general aviation and what you are going to do about it." Sen. Gordon Smith (R-Ore.), however, maintained his opposition to the $25 ATC fee contained in the Senate reauthorization bill.
Falcon 50 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2008-0118; Directorate Identifier 2007-NM-289-AD] - Requires inspecting the electrical feeder bundle, repairing any damaged wires found and changing the routing of the wires under the circuit breaker panel by implementing Dassault Modification M3093, the instructions for which are contained in Dassault Service Bulletin F50-483 (dated July 2007).
CANADIAN MANUFACTURER Heroux-Devtek, Inc. won a five-year, $110 million contract to supply structural detail components for the entire line of business and regional aircraft built by Bombardier Aerospace. Under the agreement Heroux-Devtek will fabricate and assemble more than 200 different structural components including spars, ribs, frames and engine mounts. Heroux-Devtek has been supplying components for Bombardier-built aircraft for a number of years.
Cessna Aircraft officials, who have built an impressive record of bringing new aircraft to market on schedule, hope to do the same with the new Citation Columbus even while changing the development process by having vendors perform more of the manufacturing tasks while Cessna focuses on its role as a systems integrator.
Model P180 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2007-0294 Directorate Identifier 2007-CE-087-AD; Amendment 39-15365; AD 2008-03-14] - This AD mandates modification of the fuselage frame of the emergency door using the newly designed door pan assembly and doubler, as specified by Piaggio Aero Industries S.p.A. Service Bulletin 80-0057, Rev. 1 (dated May 31, 2007). This AD, which resulted from an MCAI issued by an aviation authority of another country, is designed to prevent fatigue cracking of the emergency exit doorframe due to pressurization loads.
INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS & SUPPORT, INC. (IS&S) of Exton, Pa. reported a net loss of $4.1 million on sales of $4.7 million for the first quarter of its fiscal year, which ended Dec. 31, 2007. That compares with a net loss of $1.1 million on sales of $3.4 million a year earlier. The loss in the most recent quarter "is principally the result of $3.5 million of legal expenses incurred in connection with the successful trade secret case against Kollsman Inc.
THE FSF SEMINAR is sure to include discussion of the March 7, 2007 landing overrun accident involving a Garuda Indonesia Airways 737-400 that was attempting to land at the Yogyakarta-Adisutjipto Airport in Indonesia. Marwoto Komar, the pilot of that aircraft, was arrested a week ago on manslaughter charges, a move that came under immediate attack from the International Federation of Air Line Pilots' Associations (IFALPA). The Indonesian report on the accident said Komar ignored multiple alerts from instruments and the first officer about landing speed.
FLIGHT SAFETY FOUNDATION will focus on criminal prosecutions stemming from aircraft accidents at its European Aviation Safety Seminar (EASS) March 10-12 in Bucharest, Romania. FSF General Counsel Kenneth Quinn will moderate the EASS panel. Quinn, the former chief counsel for the FAA, is a partner in the Washington, D.C. law firm of Pillsbury Winthrop. The panel also will include experts from the United Kingdom, France, and Eurocontrol.
A federal appeals court last week vacated its stay of an FAA decision to allow Florida's Panama City-Bay County International Airport to relocate to a parcel of land donated by the St. Joe Company.
