ADAM AIRCRAFT INDUSTRIES completed the first fuselage for the CarbonAero. The CarbonAero is a six-seat, single-engine aircraft with a 230-gallon fuel capacity that will be able to cruise up to 1,500 nautical miles. The fuselage, mounted on a wheeled frame, will serve as a portable display model and will debut in April at the 2002 Sun 'N Fly-In at Lakeland, Fla.
AVIATION AUTHORITIES in Ecuador were searching last week for an FH-227 that went missing on a flight from Quito to Lago Agrao. The 1966 model aircraft, operated by Ecuador's state oil company, Petroecuador, was carrying five crew members and 21 passengers on what should have been a 37-minute flight to an oil field site. The aircraft, S/N 511, is believed to have gone down in the Amazon jungle.
Avionics and communications manufacturer Rockwell Collins Inc. said net earnings for the first quarter of fiscal 2002 dropped 20 percent compared with earnings for the same period last year. In a Jan. 16 conference call with investors and analysts, Rockwell Collins' Chief Financial Officer Larry Erickson said the company recorded sales of $563 million for the fiscal 2002 first quarter, compared with $587 million for the same period last year. The company plans to continue with previously announced job cuts, he said.
HARTZELL PROPELLER received an FAA supplemental type certificate for its new Top Prop three-blade propeller conversion for the Piper PA28-236 Dakota. The 78-inch-diameter propeller replaces the original 80-inch propeller for "smoother, quieter operation," said Hartzell. The new propeller kit for the Dakota is priced at $7,995.
GROB-WERKE KG Models G102 Club Astir III, G102 Club Astir IIIb, and G102 Standard Astir III sailplanes (Docket No. 2001-CE-48-AD; Amendment 39-12591; AD 2001-26-25) - requires application of a red mark and installation of a placard on the airspeed indicator to restrict the Vne airspeed. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent elevator flutter, which could cause structural damage. Such damage could result in loss of control of the sailplane. The AD becomes effective Jan. 31, but FAA will accept comments until Feb. 11.
DORNIER Model 328 series airplanes equipped with Honeywell GP-300 guidance and display controller (Docket No. 97-NM-187-AD; Amendment 39-12580; AD 2001-26-14) - supersedes an existing AD, applicable to certain Dornier Model 328 series airplanes, that currently requires modification of certain Honeywell GP-300 guidance and display controllers. That AD was prompted by reports of smoke and fumes emitting from the Honeywell GP-300 guidance and display controller due to a defective light bulb; and a report of failure of the autopilot to disconnect manually.
HONEYWELL completed a demonstration series of global positioning system-guided autoland flight procedures at Moses Lake Airfield in central Washington using a single Honeywell/Pelorus local area augmentation system station. Honeywell said the demonstration, which used each of the four runways at the airfield, met or exceeded all expectations. "All landings were extremely steady and stable, accurate and fully consistent with preflight expectations," said Ed Wheeler, vice president of Honeywell Airport Systems.
Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. hired a senior executive from Bell Helicopter Textron to head its marketing programs and also announced assignment changes for a number of its executives.
BRITISH AUTHORITIES continue to be tight-lipped about the progress of their investigation into the crash of a U.S.-registered Challenger 604 in Birmingham, England earlier this month. The wreckage was recently removed to the Aircraft Accident Investigation Board's headquarters at Farnborough International Airport for further examination. All five persons aboard the Challenger were killed when the aircraft crashed while attempting to take off (BA, Jan. 7/15).
Raytheon Co. continued to strip away business units with a $1.13 billion agreement to sell its Aircraft Integration Systems unit to L-3 Communications. Greenville, Texas-based AIS, formerly headed by Raytheon Aircraft CEO James Schuster (BA, June 4/261), makes communications, intelligence systems and sensors as well as modernizes a host of aircraft.
BAE SYSTEMS LTD. Model Avro 146-RJ series airplanes (Docket No. 2001-NM-90-AD; Amendment 39-12588; AD 2001-26-22) - requires a one-time inspection of the S4 and S5 static pipes of the pitot static system for discrepancies, and follow-on corrective actions, if necessary. This action is necessary to prevent failure of the S4 and S5 static pipes and consequent failure of the maximum differential pressure protection for the airplane, which could lead to the fuselage of the airplane being overstressed and result in reduced structural integrity of the airplane.
A 2001 MCDONNELL DOUGLAS MD-900 helicopter in Aurora, Colo. sustained substantial damage when it "landed hard" during a training exercise Jan. 11. No injuries were reported.
National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the fatal crash of a medevac helicopter in Cleveland shortly after midnight Jan. 18. The BK-117 was taking off from the 12-story helipad of University Hospitals in Cleveland when one of the rotors apparently struck part of the building. The helicopter crashed onto an unoccupied car on the ground, killing the pilot and a flight nurse. A medical technician was injured.
ISRAEL AIRCRAFT Model Galaxy airplanes (Docket No. 2001-NM-388-AD; Amendment 39-12599; AD 2002-01-08) - requires disabling the baggage compartment heating blanket system. This action is necessary to prevent a short circuit between the baggage compartment heating blankets and the electrical connectors, which could result in fire and smoke in the baggage compartment. The AD is effective Jan. 30, but FAA will accept comments for inclusion in the rules docket until Feb. 14.
PUEBLO AIRMOTIVE joined the Offshore Logistics Group. PA, a turbine engine repair and overhaul station based in Tucson, Ariz., will "continue to offer services to Honeywell T53 and Pratt&Whitney PT6 engines, along with Bell component, FCU and accessory maintenance, repair and overhaul," said PA. Offshore Logistics is a provider of helicopter transportation to the oil and gas industry.
STEVENS AVIATION, Greenville, S.C., won a supplemental type certificate for an air data display unit on the Piaggio Avanti P-180 twin turboprop. The ADDU installation, which also is FAA approved in reduced vertical separation minimum (RVSM) airspace, incorporates the altimeter and other flight data into a single gauge for added operating efficiency. The ADDU features an altitude alert lamp indicating alert conditions; selected altitude digits displaying alert or target altitude; and an altitude alterter control knob.
BRITISH AUTHORITIES continue to be tight-lipped about the progress of their investigation into the crash of a U.S.-registered Challenger 604 in Birmingham, England earlier this month. The wreckage was recently removed to the Aircraft Accident Investigation Board's headquarters at Farnborough International Airport for further examination. All five persons aboard the Challenger were killed when the aircraft crashed while attempting to take off (BA, Jan. 7/15).
JET AVIATION BASEL signed a framework contract with Snecma Services to provide maintenance, repair and overhaul of complete propulsion assemblies on all CFM56 turbofan engines. Jet Aviation said the new agreement permits it to offer complete airframe and engine support to customers operating Boeing Business Jets, Airbus A319CJ, DC-8-71 and DC-8-72 aircraft powered by CFM56 engines.
MINETA SAN JOSE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT has begun to use the Indentix Live Scan TouchPrint Fingerprint System to comply with federal law requiring fingerprinting of employees with unescorted access to secure areas. The airport is using the system, which it says reduces the processing time for the employee criminal background checks from three weeks to three days, for all new employees. It is working with airport tenants to have all employees fingerprinted by late summer.
CHARLES SCHWARTZ was appointed manager of Southwest regional sales for Sabreliner Corp. and Midcoast Aviation. The region comprises Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, New Mexico and Oklahoma. Schwartz will be based in Dallas, Texas.
Cirrus Design Corp., the developer of the SR 20 and SR 22 single-engine aircraft, broke ground last month for a new 63,000-square-foot aircraft manufacturing plant in Duluth, Minn. The new building, next to the company's existing manufacturing center, will house painting and finishing operations along with a new customer delivery center. Cirrus officials expect to occupy the new building this coming summer and plan to add as many as 150 employees to help meet demand for the two aircraft models.
AVFUEL added two fixed-base operators to its dealer network. Supermarine of Santa Monica, Calif. and Fayetteville FBO in northwest Arkansas are the latest Avfuel dealers. Based in Ann Arbor, Mich., Avfuel has 800 Avfuel-branded dealers and 2,500 other aviation customers in the U.S.
PRIVATESKY AVIATION SERVICES signed a five-year agreement with Exxon-Mobil Aviation under which PrivateSky will double its maintenance service center capacity at SW Florida International Airport. PrivateSky will break ground on a 15-acre tract later this month for a new maintenance service center adjacent to its existing facilities. Slated for completion by mid-year, the new facilities will enable PrivateSky to work simultaneously on up to 12 Gulfstream-size aircraft.
PILATUS Model PC-7 airplanes (Docket No. 2001-CE-30-AD; Amendment 39-12579; AD 2001-26-13) - requires inspection of the landing-gear emergency-extension cable for damage and replacement if necessary; verification of the correct installation of the bowden-cable conduit clamp and correction if necessary; and modification of the temperature-control lever mechanism. This AD is the result of mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued by the airworthiness authority for Switzerland.
SAAB Model SAAB SF340A and SAAB 340B series airplanes (Docket No. 2001-NM-91-AD; Amendment 39-12576; AD 2001-23-12 R1) - revises an existing AD that currently requires a one-time review of records to determine whether an airplane has been repainted since its delivery from the factory; and a one-time inspection to detect damage associated with improper preparation for the repainting, and corrective action if necessary.
