Meggitt Aerospace Systems Division announced a major reorganization of the company's activities, along with the departure of the top two executives at its New Hampshire manufacturing facility.
V-22 Osprey program officials say they are confident that a comprehensive test program set to begin this month will remove any doubts about tiltrotor technology and safety. E.C. "Pete" Aldridge Jr., the undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics, has allowed the V-22 to return to flight testing, but he testified last month before Congress that the Pentagon is considering alternatives should the test program fail.
WELDON PROPOSES PENNSYLVANIA ROTORCRAFT RESEARCH CENTER - Hoping to boost the Mid-Atlantic region's role in aerospace-related technology development, Rep. Curt Weldon (R-Pa.) said April 3 that he is pushing to create a cutting-edge rotorcraft research center near the Boeing Company's rotorcraft plant in suburban Philadelphia.
Cessna hopes to continue to penetrate the Latin American market with plans for expanding its Cessna Pilot Centers (CPCs) into Mexico, Brazil and other key areas, the company said. It recently added CPCs in Mexico, Jamaica and Puerto Rico.
V-22 Osprey program officials say they are confident that a comprehensive test program set to begin this month will remove any doubts about tiltrotor technology and safety. E.C. "Pete" Aldridge Jr., the undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics, has allowed the V-22 to return to flight testing, but he testified last month before Congress that the Pentagon is considering alternatives should the test program fail.
Meggitt Aerospace, whose S-TEC division in Mineral Wells, Texas is well known for supplying autopilots for piston-powered singles and twins, is attempting to expand its market to include the turboprop fleet. Officials are targeting Piper Cheyennes and older King Airs as candidates for new autopilots, electronics and instruments. The manufacturer holds hundreds of supplemental type certificates (STCs) from FAA for installation of new equipment on piston-powered aircraft.
Salvage crews recovered a recently restored Boeing 307 Stratoliner from Elliott Bay in Seattle last week after the crew ditched the vintage airliner when they encountered power problems during a test and training flight a few days earlier. The airplane, one of only 10 of its type built and the last remaining, is owned by the National Air&Space Museum and is destined to be housed in the museum's new facility at Dulles International Airport. It had been restored by a 30-member team of Boeing volunteers over the past six years.
FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION proposed a series of civil penalties totaling more than $250,000 against the Boeing Commercial Airplane Group for allegedly failing to maintain its quality control system in accordance with approved data and procedures in its production certificate.
The Department of Labor Friday announced a new plan to help reduce ergonomic injuries. The plan includes industry-targeted guidelines, stricter enforcement measures, workplace outreach, advanced research and efforts to protect immigrant workers. The plan, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's latest approach to protecting against musculoskeletal disorders, comes a year after Congress threw out the agency's ergonomics rule, which called for risk assessment, training, record keeping and formation of ergonomics programs.
All four people aboard a Cessna 340 were killed March 24 when the pilot encountered problems while attempting to land at Centennial Airport (APA) in Englewood, Colo. The aircraft, N341DM, was being operated by Lear 171 Inc. of Billings, Mont. under Part 91 of the FARs. The flight had departed Gunnison, Colo. at 1540 local time under an instrument flight plan and about 50 minutes later was cleared to land on Runway 35R at APA. The local controller said that about 90 seconds after receiving landing clearance the pilot reported he had lost an engine.
DON EHLER was named manager of sales for Thunder Aviation. He was previously a marketing and sales executive for Alliance Systems and Programming, Inc. MICHAEL MCCONNELL was appointed vice president of customer and product support at Eclipse Aviation. He was most recently senior vice president of strategic planning for Mooney Aircraft. McConnell also worked for Dell Computer Corporation for 12 years with positions in marketing and management.
MEGGITT REORGANIZES AVIONICS UNIT - Meggitt Aerospace Systems Division announced a major reorganization of the company's activities, along with the departure of the top two executives at its New Hampshire manufacturing facility.
FlightSafety International won approval from Europe's Joint Aviation Authorities for its Learjet training programs in Tucson, Ariz., Atlanta, Ga., Wichita, Kan. and West Palm Beach, Fla. The JAA awarded approval of FlightSafety's pilot training programs for the Learjet 31A, 35/36, 45, 55 and 60 aircraft. FlightSafety's centers in Tucson and Atlanta both operate FAA Level "D" full flight simulators for Learjet 31A, 45 and 60 aircraft.
Aircraft manufacturer Fairchild Dornier, faced with dwindling financial reserves and soaring development costs, filed for insolvency in Germany last week, the equivalent of a bankruptcy filing in the U.S. (BA, April 1/154). Fairchild Dornier officials had been engaged in last-ditch talks with Boeing and other companies about a strategic partnership, but no agreement could be finalized before the company ran out of money.
Jet Works Aviation of Fort Worth, Texas signed an agreement with Collins Avionics to provide service and installation on more than 2,500 Collins parts, ranging from analog cockpit electronics to digital avionics. "The addition of Collins to our existing dealerships enables our firm to provide a full range of options to aircraft owners and operators for equipment and installation," said Wayne Ostrander, Jet Works vice president. Jet Works is an authorized service center for Honeywell, Garmin, BF Goodrich and Universal products.
JET WORKS AVIATION of Fort Worth, Texas signed an agreement with Collins Avionics to provide service and installation on more than 2,500 Collins parts, ranging from analog cockpit electronics to digital avionics. "The addition of Collins to our existing dealerships enables our firm to provide a full range of options to aircraft owners and operators for equipment and installation," said Wayne Ostrander, Jet Works vice president. Jet Works is an authorized service center for Honeywell, Garmin, BF Goodrich and Universal products.
P206, TP206, TU206, U206, 207, T207, 210, P210, and T210 series airplanes (Docket No. 2001-CE-42-AD; Amendment 39-12695; AD 2002-07-01) - requires visual inspection of certain horizontal stabilizer attachment reinforcement brackets for the existence of seam welds and replace any reinforcement bracket found without seam welds. This AD authorizes the pilot to check the logbooks to determine whether one of the affected horizontal stabilizer attachment reinforcement brackets is installed.
The Independent Pilots Association last week praised the National Transportation Safety Board after Chairman Marion Blakey warned that fatigue remains a primary cause of serious accidents in all modes of transportation. IPA, representing UPS pilots, is among several pilot groups that have urged FAA to adopt stronger flight and duty time requirements. FAA has been working on those requirements for years with one failed attempt at a rulemaking in 1995.
Alon A-2 and A2-A, ERCO 415-C, 415-CD, 415-D, E, and G, Forney F-1 and F-1A, and Mooney M10 airplanes - proposes to require repetitive inspections of the wing center section for evidence of corrosion by installing inspection openings or by the use of a scope and light source, e.g., fiberscope borescope or an endoscope, that meets specified criteria. This proposed AD would also require repair or replacement of any parts where corrosion or corrosion damage was found, installation of cover plates where inspection openings were made, and sending inspection results to FAA.
Aircraft manufacturer Fairchild Dornier, faced with dwindling financial reserves and soaring development costs, filed for insolvency in Germany last week, the equivalent of a bankruptcy filing in the U.S. (BA, April 1/154). Fairchild Dornier officials had been engaged in last-ditch talks with Boeing and other companies about a strategic partnership, but no agreement could be finalized before the company ran out of money.
Release of a rule to regulate fractional ownership under a new Subpart K of Part 91 likely won't come until the fall, Cusimano said. FAA published its proposal last July, incorporating nearly all industry recommendations for regulating the fast-growing segment of the industry. Industry representatives were hoping for a quick adoption of the rule. But the focus on the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and changes in Office of Management and Budget requirements that now require a 90-day review, have pushed back the schedule, he said.
Winning approval for business jets to resume operations at Washington Reagan National Airport (DCA) has been a top priority of the National Business Aviation Association for months, but the actions of a Boeing 737 airliner crew last week didn't do anything to make security officials more receptive to such a move. Aircraft departing DCA to the north are required to make a left turn just after takeoff to avoid the restricted space, R56A, that includes the White House and Capitol.
RAYTHEON WORKERS JOIN MANAGEMENT IN CUTTING COSTS, SAVING JOBS - A group of workers under threat of losing their jobs at Raytheon Aircraft banded with management to find ways to cut costs and improve productivity, and their efforts have proved so successful that the initiative is being expanded into other areas of the company. Raytheon Aircraft Chairman and CEO James Schuster warned employees several months ago that the company was considering outsourcing its wire harness work to Mexico to cut costs. Such a move put 320 jobs at risk.
Winning approval for business jets to resume operations at Washington Reagan National Airport (DCA) has been a top priority of the National Business Aviation Association for months, but the actions of a Boeing 737 airliner crew last week didn't do anything to make security officials more receptive to such a move. Aircraft departing DCA to the north are required to make a left turn just after takeoff to avoid the restricted space, R56A, that includes the White House and Capitol.
The Independent Pilots Association last week praised the National Transportation Safety Board after Chairman Marion Blakey warned that fatigue remains a primary cause of serious accidents in all modes of transportation. IPA, representing UPS pilots, is among several pilot groups that have urged FAA to adopt stronger flight and duty time requirements. FAA has been working on those requirements for years with one failed attempt at a rulemaking in 1995.
