GARY CONAWAY was named vice president-service center at Strategic Jet Services. Conway has more than 30 years of industry experience and was most recently director of sales for Bizjet International's sales and support department. SJS provides consulting, sales, brokerage, acquisition and refurbishment services for new and pre-owned jet aircraft.
BOMBARDIER Model CL-600-2B19 series airplanes (Docket No. 2001-NM-383-AD; Amendment 39-12577; AD 2001-26-51) - publishes an amendment adopting AD 2001-26-51 that was sent previously to all known U.S. owners and operators of certain Bombardier Model CL-600-2B19 series airplanes by individual notices.
FAIRCHILD AIRCRAFT SA226 and SA227 series airplanes (Docket No. 2001-CE-17-AD) - proposes to revise an earlier proposed AD that would apply to certain Fairchild Aircraft Inc. SA226 and SA227 series airplanes equipped with Skidmore-Wilheim Manufacturing Co. (formerly Hydromotive) Model V1-15-1000 brake master cylinders. The earlier NPRM would have required replacing these brake master cylinders with new or overhauled units of the same design. The earlier NPRM resulted from reports of dragging brakes during taxi operations.
HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND Model 247F propellers (Docket No. 2001-NE-40-AD; Amendment 39-12569; AD 2001-26-05) - requires a one-time rework of certain Model 247F propellers by removing all four propeller blades from service, replacing those blades with serviceable propeller blades, and marking the propeller with a new part number. This amendment is prompted by nine reports of the blades partially slipping at the bond joint between the blade tulip and the composite blade airfoil interface.
Security Letters of Authorization (SLOA) 1. SLOAs may be issued and rescinded at the Administrator's discretion. 2. Operators who have been awarded SLOAs will comply with their requirements at all times. 3. A SLOA will identify: a. SLOA type b. Authorized operator c. Authorized aircraft d. Authorized crew e. Authorized passengers (for KDCA access only)
Roy H. Norris, a veteran of the general aviation aircraft business who has held senior executive posts with several original equipment manufacturers, was installed last week as chairman, president and chief executive of Advanced Aerodynamics&Structures, Inc. (AASI).
DeCrane Aircraft Holdings named company executive Jeff Nerland president of its Aircraft Cabin Management Group. Nerland, formerly president of the group's Seating Division, will report directly to DeCrane Aircraft Chief Executive R. Jack DeCrane. In addition to heading the Cabin Management Group, he serves as senior vice president and a member of the company's Management Committee. Nerland succeeds Chuck Becker who left the company to pursue personal interests. Becker joined DeCrane in 1994 as president of Tri-Star Electronics.
J. DAWSON RANSOME, 81, the founder of Philadelphia-based Ransome Airlines and an innovator in the commuter airline business, died Jan. 9 at Estelle's Hospice House in Ocala, Fla. Ransome learned to fly in 1938 and began serving with the Royal Canadian Air Force as a civilian flight instructor in 1941. In 1944 he was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Army Air Corps and spent the rest of World War II transporting aircraft across the world. He was awarded the Air Medal and Distinguished Flying Cross.
Aerospace Products International, the Memphis, Tenn.-based distributor of aerospace parts, announced the promotions of several employees. Glen Golden was named executive vice president and chief operating officer of API's Distribution division. Reporting to Golden and responsible for distribution services, is Don Cox, vice president-sales; Lisa Spillars, vice president-customer service and general manager of API Technologies; and, Jim Etter, vice president-fulfillment services.
PILATUS AIRCRAFT LTD. Models PC-12 and PC-12/45 airplanes (Docket No. 2000-CE-77-AD; Amendment 39-12563; AD 2001-25-10) - supersedes AD 99-19-32, which applies to certain Pilatus Models PC-12 and PC-12/45 airplanes. AD 99-19-32 currently requires inspection of the flap actuator internal gear system for correct end-play and backlash measurements and corrective adjustments, if necessary.
SIKORSKY AIRCRAFT CORP. Model S-76B and S-76C helicopters (Docket No. 2001-SW-51-AD; Amendment 39-12559; AD 2001-25-06) - requires modifying the electrical power distribution system to change the source of the 28 volts supplied to the No. 1 and 2 attitude and heading reference (AHRS) WARN circuits. This amendment is prompted by a ground test simulating loss of the essential bus by pulling both bus tie circuit breakers and switching off both batteries. As a result of this action, both autopilots went off-line.
Stepping up its efforts to reopen Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), the National Business Aviation Association went public last week with a new security plan that would allow business aviation back into DCA by March.
GULFSTREAM won a contract valued at $49.8 million to provide a modified Gulfstream V to the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) for a range of environmental research missions. Gulfstream named the research aircraft HIAPER, for High-Performance, Instrumented, Airborne Platform for Environmental Research, and said the aircraft is slated to enter service in 2005. "The Gulfstream V HIAPER enables us to investigate essential questions concerning the earth's changing climate that have previously been beyond our grasp," said Timothy Killeen, director of NCAR.
Unison Industries, Inc., a privately held company that makes a wide range of electrical and ignition components for aircraft, has accepted a buyout offer from GE Engine Services, a division of GE Aircraft Engines. Unison, headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla., manufactures and sells turbine ignitions, wiring harnesses, alternators, piston ignitions, sensors and switches to the aerospace and power generation industries. GE has been one of its largest customers.
ROLLS-ROYCE AE 3007 series turbofan engines (Docket No. 99-NE-46-AD; Amendment 39-12558; AD 2001-25-05) - supersedes an existing AD applicable to Rolls-Royce AE 3007 series turbofan engines. That AD currently requires removal of certain compressor cone shafts from service before exceeding new cyclic life limits and replacement with serviceable parts. This amendment requires increasing the cyclic life limit for certain serial numbers of new compressor cone shafts, Part Number 23070729, that are used on AE3007A1/3 and AE3007A1P engines.
Elbit Systems Ltd. of Haifa, Israel, will supply avionics systems, equipment and logistics support for the ALX Super Tucano aircraft that Embraer will manufacture for the Brazilian Air Force, the company announced Jan. 7. The contracts for the equipment total more than $80 million, according to the company.
THE WHITE HOUSE cleared the Sport Pilot and Light-Sport Aircraft proposal, which industry groups say is expected to "greatly expand general aviation opportunities" by simplifying certain pilot and aircraft certificates. Sport pilot certificates would allow pilots at least 17 years old to fly during daytime visual flight rules conditions and carry one passenger. Sport pilots, however, could not fly for compensation or fly in restricted or controlled airspace unless they undergo additional training.
FAA's second annual analysis of runway incursion severity, expected this quarter, will show that the most dangerous types of incursions made up a lower percentage of overall events in 2001 compared with 2000, agency officials reported.
THE SEARCH for a chief operating officer to head FAA's air traffic operations finally may be nearing an end.Sources say the list of candidates has been distilled to two, both of whom are believed to have been interviewed by Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta and his deputy, Michael Jackson. Apparently the primary remaining question is whether either candidate will accept the post if it is offered.
PETER AU was named product engineer at Aircraft Belts. He will be responsible for all engineering-related tasks, including designing and prototyping new products. Au has more than 10 years of mechanical design and engineering experience and has held positions with American Video Equipment and Anaheim Industries.
The Federal Aviation Administration's flight activity data is flawed, limited and needs to be improved before certain safety trends can be identified, the National Transportation Safety Board found in a report to Congress.
MD HELICOPTERS, INC. Model 369D, 369E, 369F, and 369FF helicopters (Docket No. 2001-SW-40-AD) - proposes to require an inspection to identify the part number (P/N) of the bolts that attach the tail rotor gearbox to the tailboom and replacing any bolt of inadequate grip length with an airworthy bolt. This AD also would require determining the number of bolt threads protruding from each nutplate and adding an additional washer if more than four threads protrude.
The V-22 Osprey, which has remained grounded since a December 2000 accident that killed four Marines, will return to the air a new flight test program beginning in April 2002, Pentagon acquisition chief E.C. "Pete" Aldridge said in a pre-holiday interview. At a Pentagon briefing, Aldridge announced he will allow the V-22 to resume flying in 2002, although he repeated his longstanding concerns about the suitability of tiltrotor technology.
THE TRANSPORATION DEPARTMENT Office of the Inspector General is reviewing the implications of reduced aviation funding stemming from traffic declines since Sept. 11. The Airport and Airways Trust Fund is generated from taxes whose collections have declined. FAA is mostly funded through aviation taxes. The DOT IG study will examine how much more money may be needed from the general federal fund to make up for expected shortfalls, both for FAA's budgets and for the new requirements in the Aviation and Transportation Security Act.
NATIONAL BUSINESS AVIATION ASSOCIATION officials were pleased with the reception their proposal for establishment of Security Letters of Authorization (SLOA) received from federal officials. The association sent the proposal in December to FAA security officials, who in turn forwarded it to the Secret Service. Informal feedback suggests both agencies view the SLOA proposal as a good starting point for discussions on reopening Reagan National Airport (DCA) to business aircraft, although some detailed questions remain to be answered. See article and SLOA details below.
