THE AIR GROUP added a Canadair Global Express business jet to its East Coast charter fleet. The 6,500-nautical-mile aircraft will be based in Windsor Locks, Conn.
Pratt & Whitney named Sherman Baldwin vice president of strategy, and said he will report to President Louis R. Chenevert. Baldwin, a former Navy pilot who later served as a special assistant to the Secretary of the Navy and as a planner for the strategic plans and policy division of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, had most recently been affiliated with the Redleaf Group, which provides capital and strategic services to technology companies.
While advocates continue lobbying to win support for the $5.5 billion general aviation relief bill, they face more challenges than just opposition from the Administration (BA, May 6/209). There appears to be confusion among some legislators, who believe that all of aviation has received help through the $15 billion Air Transportation and Stabilization Act adopted shortly after the Sept. 11 attacks. That bill was limited only to the airlines.
The Bush Administration will soon have to seek a new deputy administrator for FAA as well as a new administrator, as long-serving Acting Deputy Administrator Monte Belger has announced he will retire July 31. He has not given a reason for his decision, but Belger will be leaving four days before Administrator Jane Garvey's scheduled departure date. The Bush administration has not named a successor for either position. Belger has worked for FAA for more than 30 years. He joined the agency in 1972 as a security inspector in Tampa.
BOEING AIR TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT signed a $750,000 contract with NASA to participate in the agency's Virtual Airspace Modeling and Simulation (VAMS) project, which is designed to increase the capacity of the U.S. airspace system. The contract covers work on the first phase of a four-phase project over a five-year period, but it does not guarantee participation in future phases of the project. Boeing ATM said it teamed with Metron Aviation, Inc., which "offers capabilities in traffic flow management, simulations and cost/benefit tools."
Model 205A, 205A-1, 205B, 212, 412, 412EP, and 412CF helicopters (Docket No. 2001-SW-37-AD; Amendment 39-12737; AD 2002-09-04] - requires inspecting each affected tail rotor blade forward tip weight retention block and the aft tip closure for adhesive bond voids, and removing any tail rotor blade with an excessive void from service. This AD also requires modifying certain tail rotor blades by installing shear pins and tip closure rivets. This amendment is prompted by five occurrences of missing tip blocks or tip closures resulting in minor to substantial damage.
CAE won $35 million (Canadian) in training contracts from Horizon Air, Aerolineas Argentinas and the U.S. Navy Reserve. CAE will provide pilot training for Horizon Air's CRJ700 pilots for the next 14 years. The training will take place at Alaska Airlines' training center in Seattle, Wash. Naval Reserve C-40 pilots will begin training this month at CAE's Dallas, Texas facility on a Boeing 737NG simulator. CAE also will provide Airbus 340 simulator training for the Argentine carrier.
Model TBM 700 airplanes (Docket No. 2002-CE-01-AD; Amendment 39-12744; AD 2002-09-11) - supersedes AD 2001-05-03, which requires application of Loctite on attaching bolt/screw threads of inboard, central, and outboard carriages; increasing tightening torques of associated hardware; and replacing central carriage attaching bolts. The French airworthiness authority has determined that certain service information referenced in AD 2001-05-03 be removed and additional inspection of the flap carriage attaching bolts, screws, and barrel nut be included.
The Department of Transportation hopes to release a rule by the end of the month that would allow general aviation to resume operations at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), provided that operators follow a strict series of security requirements, including providing the passenger manifest 48 hours before the flight, Read Van de Water, DOT assistant secretary for aviation and international affairs, said last week.
Despite general aviation opposition, FAA has published a draft rule proposing a one-step transition to domestic reduced vertical separation minimums (DRVSM) in December 2004. The notice of proposed rulemaking has a 90-day comment period.
Models SA226 and SA227 series airplanes (Docket No. 2001-CE-47-AD; Amendment 39-12709; AD 2002-08-02) - issued a correction as follows: In rule document 02-9574 beginning on page 19327 in the issue of Friday, April 19, 2002, make the following corrections: Sec. 39.13 [Corrected] 1. On page 19329, Sec. 39.13, in the table, under the column, "Compliance", in the third paragraph, in the fifth and sixth lines, "(the effective date of AD 2001-20-154)" should read "(the effective date of AD 2001-20-14)". 2. On page 19329, Sec.
FLIGHT OPTIONS plans to convert the nearly 100 aircraft it received in the Raytheon Travel Air merger from the RTA livery and "Tango Alpha" N-numbers to its own paint scheme and "Charlie Whiskey" N-numbers. The changes will take place over the next three years as the aircraft go through the regular three-year cabin refurbishment cycle.
Following additional analysis of Gulfstream V wing tests done for the Joint Aviation Authorities, Gulfstream Aerospace is going to make a minor wing modification to the first 16 GVs that were built. Following up on an earlier conversation (BA, May 6/218), Gulfstream President Bill Boisture told BA Friday that analysis of the just completed wing tests revealed "a non-compliance issue" with FAA certification requirements. Under FAA certification procedures, Boisture said some parameters are satisfied by actual tests, while others are accomplished by data analysis.
BELL HELICOPTER Model 205A, 205A-1, 205B, 212, 412, 412EP, and 412CF helicopters (Docket No. 2001-SW-37-AD; Amendment 39-12737; AD 2002-09-04] - requires inspecting each affected tail rotor blade forward tip weight retention block and the aft tip closure for adhesive bond voids, and removing any tail rotor blade with an excessive void from service. This AD also requires modifying certain tail rotor blades by installing shear pins and tip closure rivets.
SANTULLI SAYS EUROPEAN NETJETS PROGRAM WILL CONTINUE - Despite difficulties and slower than expected growth in its NetJets operations in Europe, NetJets Chairman and CEO Richard Santulli maintains that it was "absolutely not" a mistake to expand the fractional aircraft program to Europe.
THE PILOT of a Mooney M-20, N2762W, managed to make a safe landing April 30 after an airborne encounter with a buzzard near Daytona Beach, Fla. FAA said the bird shattered the aircraft's windshield and a passenger sustained facial lacerations, but the pilot was able to land without further incident at Ormond Beach, Fla.
Model CFE738-1-1B turbofan engines (Docket No. 2001-NE-04-AD; Amendment 39-12743; AD 2002-09-10) - requires replacing the high-pressure turbine (HPT) Stage 1 aft cooling plate and HPT Stage 2 disk at or before they reach new reduced life cycle limits. This amendment is prompted by analysis of the existing life cycle limits by the engine manufacturer. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent failure of the HPT Stage 1 aft cooling plate and HPT Stage 2 disk, which could result in an uncontained engine failure and damage to the airplane.
The Federal Aviation Administration received more than 2,000 comments in response to its light-sport aircraft proposal - a majority of which expressed support - but maintenance experts remained concerned about the possibility of relaxed safety standards in the proposed rule.
BELGER TO RETIRE FROM FAA - The Bush Administration will soon have to seek a new deputy administrator for FAA as well as a new administrator, as long-serving Acting Deputy Administrator Monte Belger has announced he will retire July 31. He has not given a reason for his decision, but Belger will be leaving four days before Administrator Jane Garvey's scheduled departure date. The Bush administration has not named a successor for either position. Belger has worked for FAA for more than 30 years. He joined the agency in 1972 as a security inspector in Tampa.
BRIAN BRANDEWIE was named president, avionics systems at Goodrich. He has worked for Goodrich for 21 years and was most recently vice president and general manager of the company's regional, business and military aircraft wheel and brake business.
GAPS are often defined as troublesome spaces or breaks in continuity, but Gulfstream Aerospace says its new GAPS program is designed to improve support to its customers who operate aircraft under warranty. See article below.
HONEYWELL EXECUTIVES have been talking about making some acquisitions since Larry Bossidy returned from retirement and took over as chairman last year, but the company may finally be close to doing something besides talking. Steve Loranger, president and CEO of Honeywell's Engines, Systems and Services unit, told BA Wednesday "we are working on several" possible deals, adding that officials hope to be able to make some announcements within the next quarter or two.
TAG AVIATION opened a charter sales office in the Chicago area. Barry T. Gray, Vernon Hill, Ill., was named to head the new office. He has more than 15 years experience in the corporate aviation industry, having served as national sales and marketing director of DB Aviation and regional vice president of Vance&Engles Aircraft Brokers, Inc.
Sinex Aviation Technologies partnered with Jouve Data Management, Inc. to provide production management software to maintenance shops. The pact combines the Sinex FleetCycle maintenance production software with the JDM AirGTI digital maintenance manual and job card software applications. "The Sinex FleetCycle products are literally conduits to the line and hangar floor for the JDM AirGTI products," said John Miller, president and CEO of Sinex.
