A CONFIRMATION HEARING for Bobby Sturgell could come next week, according to an information update distributed to FAA employees Friday. Sturgell, currently the agency's deputy administrator/acting administrator, was nominated by President Bush for a five-year term as administrator in late October (BA, Oct. 29/194). The FAA communiqué said the Senate Commerce Committee "is looking into the possibility of scheduling the hearing the week of Dec.
Hawker Beechcraft Corp., continuing to evolve its line of King Air twin turboprops, announced receipt of type certification for the new Beechcraft King Air B200GT. The standard B200 is powered by 850-shaft-horsepower Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-42 turboprops. The new GT model is powered by newly certificated PT6A-52 engines, which boost the speed of the aircraft by nearly 20 knots to 305 knots maximum cruise speed and provide faster climb to cruising altitudes.
In its first major expansion since launching per-seat, on-demand service with a fleet of Eclispe Very Light Jets this fall (BA, Oct. 8/157), DayJet today will announce 28 new destinations that will be added to its service area. The company will offer service to the 28 cities from one of the company's five original Florida "DayPorts" - Boca Raton, Gainesville, Lakeland, Pensacola or Tallahassee. The new locations are throughout Florida, Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi.
December 10 - American Association of Airport Executives, Seventh Annual Aviation Security Summit, Arlington, Va., Contact Carter Morris at (703) 824-0500 or e-mail [email protected] December 10-13 - National Agricultural Aviation Association, Annual Conference and Expo, Reno, Nev., Contact NAAA at (202) 546-5722 December 14 - Wright Memorial Dinner, Aero Club of Washington, Contact Nancy Hackett at (703) 327-7082; e-mail: [email protected]
Environmental groups, state and regional governments called on the Environmental Protection Agency last week to address greenhouse gas emissions from the country's aircraft fleet. Earthjustice filed the petition on behalf of environmental groups including Oceana, Friends of the Earth and the Center for Biological Diversity. The filing seeks to "require the EPA to evaluate the current impacts of aircraft emissions...and reduce aircraft emissions or explain why it will not act," the group said in a statement.
L.J. AVIATION, in Latrobe, Pa., became the first operator to win FAA clearance to offer the Cessna Citatiton Mustang for charter flights. L.J. Aviation operates a fleet of 28 aircraft for domestic and international charter. In addition to the Mustang, the fleet includes 10 other Citations - three Bravos, two Ultras, one Encore, one VII, two Excels and one Sovereign. L.J. Aviation soon will add a Citation CJ3 and a Citation XLS+.
Airspace issues, whether access to domestic skies or control over a combat arena, is the next big focus for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and needs to be worked out imminently, according to a panel of one-star U.S. military leaders.
Ruag Aerospace is relaunching the Dornier Do 228 regional and utility turboprop, which has been out of production since 1998, and plans to deliver the first Do 228 new generation aircraft in early 2010.
REGIONAL AIRLINE ASSOCIATION elected Republic Airways Chairman, President and CEO Bryan Bedford as chairman of the 2007-2008 Board of Directors. The association also elected Rich Leach of Trans States Holdings as vice chairman, Russ (Chip) Childs of SkyWest as treasurer and Cape Air's Dan Wolf as secretary.
THE GROWING NEED for air traffic controllers is helping spur enrollments in college programs designed to train future controllers. The University of North Dakota's (UND) Air Traffic Control Training (ATC) program currently has more than 300 students enrolled in the ATC degree program. UND is one of more than 30 colleges and universities nationwide offering ATC programs.
AE 3007A and AE 3007C turbofan engines [Docket No. FAA-2007-26966; Directorate Identifier 99-NE-01-AD; Amendment 39-15271; AD 2007-24-05] - This new AD requires operators to remove certain seals from the accessory gearbox air-turbine starter mounting pad and install an improved seal. Also, operators need to remove certain drain caps, drain adapters and orifice inserts and install an open adapter on the starter pad drain.
Model SR22 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2007-0250; Directorate Identifier 2007-CE-091-AD; Amendment 39-15279; AD 2007-24-13] - Requires installation of a drain hole in the left and right outboard wingtips, following the instructions contained in Cirrus Design Service Bulletin SB 2X-57-08 (dated November 2, 2007). This AD results from reports of pilots' inability to move the ailerons without using excessive force when flying in freezing conditions.
General aviation groups warned last week that proposed U.S. Customs and Border Protection manifest requirements could significantly hamper international flights and urged the agency to provide greater flexibility for private operators. The CBP in September proposed requiring Part 91 aircraft operators to electronically submit more detailed manifest information at least one hour before departing on a flight either to or from the U.S. The requirements also would require CBP authorization before the flight departs (BA, Sept. 17/115).
Model CL-600-2B19 (Regional Jet Series 100 & 440) airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2007-0215; Directorate Identifier 2007-NM-216-AD] -This proposed AD would require an inspection to determine if certain AC service and utility bus contactors have a terminal base plate made from non-G9 melamine material. If necessary, operators would have to take corrective actions described in Bombardier Service Bulletin 601R-24-123, Revision B (dated February 16, 2007).
December 10 - American Association of Airport Executives, Seventh Annual Aviation Security Summit, Arlington, Va., Contact Carter Morris at (703) 824-0500 or e-mail [email protected] December 10-13 - National Agricultural Aviation Association, Annual Conference and Expo, Reno, Nev., Contact NAAA at (202) 546-5722 December 14 - Wright Memorial Dinner, Aero Club of Washington, Contact Nancy Hackett at (703) 327-7082; e-mail: [email protected]
User fee proponents will lose a key ally when Sen. Trent Lott (R-Miss.) retires at the end of the year, but general aviation industry leaders also believe that aviation as a whole will lose an advocate. Lott Monday announced his plans to step down after serving in Congress for 35 years. Lott, 66, was elected to his current six-year term in 2006, but said he felt it was time to spend more time with his family and "maybe do something else."
Model 206A and 206B helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2007-0176; Directorate Identifier 2007-SW-14-AD; Amendment 39-15263; AD 2007-23-17] - This AD, which resulted from an MCAI originated by Transport Canada, requires removal of certain main-rotor latch bolts. An analysis of these bolts indicated that they could fail prematurely due to fatigue, which could cause a pilot to lose control of the helicopter. The FAA estimates this proposed directive would affect 1,463 aircraft on the U.S. Registry and cost U.S. operators a total of $2,770,992, or $1,894 per helicopter.
Ballistic Recovery Systems, Inc. (BRSI), which is known for making parachutes, broadened the scope of its business last month with the acquisition of Head Lites Corp., a manufacturer of high-visibility personal safety products.
Flight Options finalized an order valued at nearly $1 billion for 100 Embraer Phenom 300s and options for up to 50 more (BA, Oct. 29/191). The order was placed as the private equity investment firm H.I.G. Capital closed on the purchase of the Cleveland, Ohio-based fractional aircraft ownership provider from Raytheon Company. Raytheon announced the sale of Flight Options to H.I.G. in late October.
AOPA AIR SAFETY FOUNDATION is offering a series of free Web-based general aviation safety seminars recorded at AOPA Expo in October 2007. The ASF SafetyCast series provides 17 hours of Webcasts that cover a range of topics from presenters including aviation author and humorist Rod Machado, ASF Executive Director Bruce Landsberg, AOPA Medical Certification Services Director Gary Crump and AOPA General Counsel John Yodice. The Webcasts are available at www.asf.org.
Cobham plc is planning to expand its general aviation cockpit product offerings with the purchase of general aviation autopilot specialist S-TEC Corporation from Meggitt plc for $38 million. The sale, announced early last week, is expected to close by yearend. S-TEC designs and builds autopilots for aircraft ranging from small single-pistons to light commuter aircraft. The company employs 180 people at its facility in Mineral Wells, Texas.
