ERJ 170 and ERJ 190 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2007-28377; Directorate Identifier 2007-NM-063-AD] - Perform an operational check of the firewall hydraulic shutoff valve in accordance with Embraer Service Bulletin 170-29-0013 or 190-29-0008 (both dated Dec. 13, 2006). If the valve does not operate properly, before further flight, replace the faulty valve with another one. This proposed AD results from an MCAI originated by the aviation authority of Brazil. The FAA estimates that the proposed directive would affect 126 aircraft on the U.S.
MEANWHILE, quality supplemental charter lift is becoming harder to find for fractional providers and established charter operators because of rising calls for on-demand flights from customers trying to avoid airline travel and higher aircraft utilization by owners who have their airplanes on a management company's certificate.
NAVY UAVs: As the Air Force continues to make a grab for oversight of all the Defense Dept.'s high-altitude unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) programs, the Navy is restructuring management of its own UAV offices at NAS Patuxent River, Md. The office responsible for all Navy/Marine Corps UAVs, headed by a single captain, is being restructured into three separate management offices, each headed by its own captain.
Named to the newly created position of rotorcraft sales manager for Shadin Avionics. Before joining Shadin in May 2006, Butero served with Chelton Flight Systems. She has more than 17 years of sales experience.
NAVEL-GAZING: Panelists at the Brookings Institution discussed "The State of the Military Today" on June 29, three days after another set at the American Enterprise Institute mulled over "Can We Afford the Military We Need?" The Washington think tanks follow a series of hearings in the House Armed Services Committee about the Defense Department's management and, increasingly, how the Cold War-organized DOD might readjust as global antiterrorism and counter-insurgency operations continue to dominate and spending tightens.
NPOESS SENSORS: The Senate Appropriations Committee is recommending an additional $30 million be allocated to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in fiscal 2008 for the restoration of the climate sensors that were cut from the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) during its Nunn-McCurdy recertification by the Pentagon last year.
Appointed customer service support manager for Shadin Avionics, where he will manage customer support technicians. Mahoney formerly was a research and development electronic technician for Shadin. He also has worked as a civilian military technician for the state of Minnesota.
GD UNIT TO TEST GROUND-BASED ANTI-MANPADS SYSTEM - General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products unit plans to conduct a fully integrated system demonstration of its ground-based Counter Man-Portable Air Defense System (CMAPS) against man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS) next month. The system demonstration, which will take place at the China Lake, Calif. test facility in August, will follow what GD said was CMAPS' successful detection and tracking of more than 30 missiles during tests held at Tonopah Test Range, Nev.
SOCOM STUMBLES: Congressional auditors say that the majority of the U.S. Special Operations Command's acquisitions go as planned, but when they don't, they tend to be the larger, costlier projects. About 40 percent of SOCOM's acquisitions have not progressed as planned or have experienced modest to significant cost growths and schedule delays, they tell senators. While a minority in number, problematic programs still account for half of SOCOM's acquisition budget.
SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT opened a new $13 million facility at Boston Logan International Airport. The facility includes a two-story 13,000-square-foot terminal building with passenger and crew lounges, administrative offices and a VIP center. The opening of the Boston facility took place as Signature broke ground on its next project, a new executive terminal at Palm Springs International Airport.
Model SA-365 N1, AS-365N2, AS 365 N3, SA-366G1, EC 155B and EC155B1 helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2007-28448; Directorate Identifier 2006-SW-24-AD] - This proposed rule would supersede an existing AD that requires a one-time inspection for end play in the pitch-control rod assembly double bearing for the tail-rotor hub control plate. The current AD requires replacing the bearing before further flight if end play is found. This new AD would require checking the tail-rotor gearbox oil level before the first flight of the day and maintaining the oil at the maximum level.
NATA, JET SOLUTIONS PROGRAM TO TRACK REGULATION COMPLIANCE - The National Air Transportation Association is working with Jet Solutions to develop a new program called IC (In-Compliance) Check that is designed to ensure an operator is in full compliance with applicable regulations before each flight is cleared. The Web-based IC Check is not a flight planning tool, maintenance tracker or accounting program, but includes elements of all three, said David Almy, vice president, membership, marketing and communications for NATA.
ROLLS-ROYCE NAMES TOUTANT PRESIDENT OF CANADIAN UNIT - Engine maker Rolls-Royce named Michel Toutant president and chief operating officer of Rolls-Royce Canada, Ltd., succeeding Pierre Racine, who is planning to retire.
CHC HELICOPTER CORP. said it won two contracts valued at more than $1 billion to provide helicopter support for offshore oil exploration and production units in the Norwegian Sea. CHC, headquartered in Vancouver, B.C., said it won two contracts from Statoil ASA of Norway, which CHC said it believes are "the largest bundle of helicopter service contracts ever awarded, with a total value of approximately $1.1 billion (Canadian) over the fixed and option periods.
NEW RECIPES: The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has turned up the heat for its BioFuels program. DARPA is backing research and development by UOP LLC, a Honeywell company, for technology to convert vegetable and algal oils into military jet fuels. The agency is backing similar efforts by GE Global Research and the University of North Dakota's Energy and the Environment Research Center to develop a surrogate fuel based on crop oils instead of petroleum.
HAWKER BEECHCRAFT CORP. delivered the 200th Beechcraft Premier Thursday to a company that has been using business aircraft for more than 50 years, Hannay Reels. The company, which is headquartered in the upstate New York community of Westerlo, about 150 miles north of New York City, manufactures metal reels for hoses and cables used in a number of industries including aviation fuel-truck hoses. Hannay Reels has owned and operated business aircraft since 1952. The company previously owned a King Air F90 and a Citation CJ1 before acquiring the new Premier 1A.
HAWKER BEECHRCRAFT named InterGlobe General Aviation Private Limited as the exclusive representative for Hawker products in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Maldives and Myanmar. InterGlobe will provide sales and service support for the Hawker 400XP the Hawker 125-series including the Hawker 750, Hawker 850XP and Hawker 900XP; and Hawker 4000 model.
Congress is moving to slice into the Coast Guard's Deepwater appropriations for fiscal 2008 while looking to use the embattled program as a catalyst to scale back giant contractors' influence over large, complicated defense and homeland security programs and forcing more transparency from federal officials.
LIMITED WORK: U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Thad Allen is promising lawmakers that all task orders issued to Deepwater prime contractor Integrated Coast Guard Systems' (ICGS) over the next 43 months will be limited to 18 months, will revolve around ongoing efforts, will be restricted in scope and will include numerous oversight and open-acquisition measures as the Coast Guard takes on lead systems integrator (LSI) duties for Deepwater and decides whether to bypass ICGS for original providers.
DALLAS AIRMOTIVE expanded the services at its Millville, N.J. facility with the addition of repair, hot section inspection and field service on Pratt & Whitney Canada PW500 turbofan engines, which power Cessna Citation Bravo, Encore, Encore+, Excel, XLS and XLS+ models. Dallas Airmotive, which is owned by BBA Aviation plc, also provides PW500 support at its facilities in Dallas, Texas and Portsmouth, England.
ROMEO OSCAR INC., the Montreal-based advertising and public relations agency, recently relocated to new quarters at Trudeau International Airport. The new address is: Romeo Oscar Inc., 9675 Cote de Liesse, Suite 102, Dorval, Quebec, Canada H9P 1A3. The telephone (514) 780-8525 and fax (514) 780-8535 numbers remain the same, as does the Web address, www.RomeoOscar.com. The agency, which specializes in work for aviation and aerospace firms, is headed by President James R.O. (Jamie) McIntyre.
