Docket No.: FAA-2001-9687 Section of 14 CFR Affected: 14 CFR Sec. 135.152(a) Description of Relief Sought/Disposition: To permit PHT to operate two Bell 212 helicopters and four Sikorsky S-61N helicopters (Serial Nos. 61364, 61488, 61771, and 61821) under Part 135 without each of those helicopters being equipped with an approved digital flight data recorder. Grant, 10/22/2001, Exemption No. 7257B
A DeCrane Aircraft interior refurbishment shop will be integrated with the Bombardier Business Aviation Services service center facility in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. to provide interior repair and modification for Bombardier business aircraft. DeCrane's interior upholstery, wood repair and modification services will be offered from the facility starting February 2002.
SAFE FLIGHT INSTRUMENT CORP. won FAA supplemental type certification for installation of its powerline detection system on the company Eurocopter SA341G Gazelle. The system is designed to protect against wire strikes by sensing electromagnetic fields that radiate from power lines. Once the system senses an electromagnetic field, it sends off an auditory alert and a red warning light. Safe Flight has priced the system at $9,500.
Pratt&Whitney Canada Corp. will acquire Altair Avionics Corp. of Norwood, Mass., part of a plan by the Canadian engine manufacturer to "enhance its aftermarket service capabilities." Altair is a leading manufacturer of advanced diagnostics systems that designs, manufacturers, sells and supports aircraft and engine electronic monitoring systems and provides Internet-based data management services. Recorded engine trend data is compatible with P&WC's Engine Condition Trend Monitoring software used by P&WC customers around the world.
BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON Model 206A, 206B, 206A-1, 206B-1, 206L, and 206L-1 helicopters (Docket No. 81-ASW-27; Amendment 39-12555; AD 81-18-01 R1) - revises an existing AD for Bell Helicopter Textron Model 206A, 206B, 206A-1, 206B-1, 206L, and 206L-1 helicopters that currently establishes a retirement life for the main rotor trunnion based on hours time-in-service. This amendment retains those requirements but revises the AD to remove the trunnion, Part Number (P/N) 206-011-120-103, from the applicability.
The DOT Office of Inspector General called on FAA to put on hold its Free Flight initiatives and Operational Evolution Plan pending a thorough assessment of the budgetary and security impact of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the two efforts. The OIG said FAA's $837.7 million Free Flight Phase 1 (FFP1) program and its OEP, introduced in June, were changed by the attacks and that the agency should reassess its priorities and investment strategies in time for deliberations next spring by Congress and DOT on FAA's fiscal 2003 budget.
AGUSTA Model A119 helicopters (Docket No. 2001-SW-55-AD; Amendment 39-12552; AD 2001-22-51) - publishes an amendment adopting AD 2001-22-51, which was sent previously to all known U.S. owners and operators of Agusta Model A119 helicopters by individual letters. This AD requires removing a certain part-numbered tail rotor blade on or before accumulating 50 hours time-in-service (TIS). This AD also requires visually or dye penetrant inspecting each blade at specified time intervals and removing any cracked blade before further flight.
CAE, the Canadian firm that has built aircraft simulators for training companies for decades, is significantly expanding its own simulator training franchise with the acquisition of SimuFlite Training International from GE Capital Commercial Equipment Financing.
BRS, the whole-airplane parachute innovator, completed its "best year, by far, in its history" with sales topping $3.7 million for the year ending Sept. 30, 2001, the company said. Revenues jumped 60 percent in fiscal 2001 and net profit was a record $599,010, the company reported. The company's improvement has been led by the ramp-up of BRS customer Cirrus Design Corp., which installs the BRS parachute recovery system on both its SR20 and SR22 single-engine aircraft.
Docket No.: FAA-2001-9787 Section of 14 CFR Affected: 14 CFR 61.51(f) Description of Relief Sought/Disposition: To permit Alpine Air pilots to log second-in-command flight time for cargo flights under instrument flight rules in certain multi-engine aircraft when more than one pilot is not required by either the aircraft type certificate or the regulations under which the flight is conducted. Denial, 10/16/2001, Exemption No. 7642
RAYTHEON Model Beech 400, 400A, and 400T series airplanes, Model Mitsubishi MU-300 Airplanes, and Model Beech MU-300-10 airplanes (Docket No. 2001-NM-347-AD; Amendment 39-12528; AD 2001-24-11) - requires revising the Emergency Procedures Section of the Airplane Flight Manual to ensure the flightcrew is advised of in-flight procedures in the event of loss of airspeed indication. Such loss of airspeed indication and the resulting adverse effects on certain connecting systems could result in reduced controllability of the airplane. The AD is effective Dec.
Docket No.: FAA-2001-9943 Section of 14 CFR Affected: 14 CFR Sec. 25.813(e) Description of Relief Sought/Disposition: To permit Schwartz to install interior doors between passenger compartments on Boeing Model 767-200 S/N 28270. Grant, 10/19/2001, Exemption No. 7650
Docket No.: FAA-2001-10384 Section of 14 CFR Affected: 14 CFR 91.315, 119.21(g), and 119.21(a) Description of Relief Sought/Disposition: To permit WWS to operate its North American B-25 aircraft, which is certificated in the limited category, for the purpose of carrying passengers for compensation or hire. Grant, 11/01/2001, Exemption No. 6786B.
KAMAN CORP. signed an agreement to purchase Plastic Fabricating Company, Inc. (PlasticFab), a Wichita, Kan. manufacturer of composite parts and assemblies for aerospace applications. HIG Capital LLC, a private equity investment firm in Miami, Fla., owns PlasticFab, which had 2001 sales in excess of $14 million. The Wichita firm, founded in 1948, supplies custom-engineered composites, advanced plastic components and complex assemblies to Boeing, Bell Helicopter Textron, Sikorsky Aircraft, Lockheed Martin and Fuji Heavy Industries, Ltd.
Docket No.: FAA-2001-9944 Section of 14 CFR Affected: 14 CFR Sec. 25.813(e) Description of Relief Sought/Disposition: To permit Schwartz to install interior doors between passenger compartments on Boeing Model 757-200 S/N 28463. Grant, 10/19/2001, Exemption No. 7651
GENERAL AVIATION "is a critical component of the nation's transportation system," the Department of Transportation concluded in a report to Congress last month on improving general aviation security."We must continue to develop, assess and deploy measures that can effectively increase the security of general aviation without unduly restricting general aviation operations," DOT said.
GEORGE FERITO was promoted to assistant manager at FlightSafety's DFW Learning Center, located at the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. He was previously director of training at the center. Ferito, who recently worked with Bombardier's FlexJet program, is a business aircraft pilot with rating in three types of corporate jets and a commercial helicopter license. He has experience with fractional aircraft providers. Ferito also is a member of the National Business Aviation Association Safety Committee and the Flight Safety Foundation's Corporate Advisory Board.
CHRISTOPHER BIDWELL was named director of passenger and cargo security at the Air Transport Association in Washington, D.C. He was most recently manager, corporate security at American Airlines, where he was responsible for oversight and compliance for the airline's federal security standards and regulations.
RTS SERVICES of Fort Worth, Texas was named an accredited parts distributor according to FAA's AC 00-56 Voluntary Industry Distributor Accreditation Program standards. The Aerospace Industry Registration of Distributors Task Force awarded the status to RTS. The task force monitors and ensures that aircraft and engine parts have appropriate documentation and stated quality.
A bill to enshrine the Chicago O'Hare expansion as federal law uses the threat of withdrawing Airport Improvement Program grants from O'Hare Airport if downtown Meigs Field is closed. Keeping Meigs open is a crucial part of the recent O'Hare expansion pact.
JOSEPH E. (JEB) BURNSIDE was named vice president, government and industry affairs at the National Air Transportation Association. He will spearhead NATA's policy initiatives on Capitol Hill, FAA and other federal agencies. Burnside was most recently executive editor of AVWeb, an Internet aviation publication and has also worked for the National Business Aviation Association.
Airport industry groups already are looking ahead to fiscal 2004, when current funding rules passed under AIR-21 expire, according to a top industry lobbyist. Todd Hauptli, senior vice president for legislative affairs for the American Association of Airport Executives and Airports Council International-North America, said that everyone should expect "another hard battle between appropriators and authorizers" over funding levels and spending guarantees.
CHRISTOPHER KASPER was named program manager for Honeywell engines at BizJet International. Kasper has more than 30 years' experience in turbine engines and will help BizJet enhance its TFE 731 program.
BE A PILOT awarded its $10,000 prize for best local marketing of flight training to the Pittsburgh Flight Training Center at this year's NBAA convention in New Orleans. Marketing techniques used by PFTC included "Give the Gift of Flight" billboards and low-cost cable TV and radio ads.
EMBRY-RIDDLE AERONAUTICAL UNIVERSITY signed an agreement with Air Routing International Corp. to jointly create courses for the new Scheduler's Professional Development Program (SPDP) offered by the National Business Aviation Association. Air Routing will develop courses that will be offered to students online through Embry-Riddle's Division of Continuing Education. Courses will cover topics such as aircraft capacity use, international scheduling and methods with the first course to start in 2002.
