GENERAL ELECTRIC CF34 series turbofan engines (Docket No. 99-NE-49-AD) - proposes to supersede an existing airworthiness directive that requires revisions to the Engine Maintenance Program specified in the manufacturer's Instructions for Continued Airworthiness. This proposal would modify the airworthiness limitations section of the manufacturer's manual and an air carrier's approved continuous airworthiness maintenance program to incorporate additional inspection requirements.
BOMBARDIER AEROSPACE signed a contract with Petroleum Air Services of Cairo, Egypt for the sale of two 50-passenger Q300 regional airliners, plus options for five additional aircraft. The two aircraft on firm order, valued at $30 million (U.S.), are scheduled for delivery in May. The delivery schedule for the aircraft on option extends through July 2004. The new aircraft are designed to increase the carrier's route network in support of the oil and gas industry and to provide additional charter services to the tourism industry.
BOMBARDIER Model CL-600-2B19 series airplanes (Docket No. 2001-NM-250-AD) - proposes to require replacement of the existing smoke detectors in the cargo compartment with new, improved smoke detectors. This action is prompted by mandatory continuing airworthiness information from a foreign airworthiness authority. The actions specified by the proposed AD are intended to prevent false smoke warnings from the smoke detectors in the cargo compartment.
DeCrane Aircraft won a significant contract last week as it was selected by Bombardier to provide the complete cabin interior for Bombardier's new super-midsize Continental business jet. The selection "marks the first time Bombardier has turned to a single manufacturer to provide a total cabin interior for a new business aircraft," the companies said in a joint statement.
A collision between a Cessna CJ2 business jet and an SAS MD-87 on a fog-obscured runway at Milan's Linate Airport Oct. 8 killed 118 people in the aircraft and on the ground, making it the worst commercial aircraft accident in Italian history.
AEROSPACE FIRMS are rushing to get new security-related products to market. Several have come up with proposals to strengthen cockpit doors. B/E Aerospace said it sees a market of up to $2 billion for an anti-ballistic cockpit door and a camera system that permits pilots to monitor the cabin. And Honeywell has launched an initiative to develop a wide range of security and safety products for the aircraft and airport markets. See article below.
BAE SYSTEMS LIMITED Model BAe 146 and Avro 146-RJ series airplanes (Docket No. 2001-NM-224-AD) - proposes to require a one-time inspection to detect corrosion of the flap structure and machined ribs, corrective actions if necessary, and reprotection of the rib boss bores. This action is necessary to detect and correct corrosion in the flap structure and machined ribs, which could result in reduced structural integrity of the airplane. FAA estimates that this proposed AD would affect 60 airplanes on the U.S. Registry at a cost of $576,000, or $9,600 per airplane.
BRITISH AEROSPACE Model HP.137 Jetstream Mk.1, Jetstream Series 200, Jetstream Series 3101, and Jetstream Model 3201 airplanes (Docket No. 2001-CE-34-AD) - on aircraft equipped with certain main landing gear radius rods, proposes to require an inspection of the MLG radius rod cylinders for the required conductivity or hardness standard. This proposed AD would also require replacement of any MLG radius rod cylinder that does not meet this standard.
RAYTHEON COMPANY said FAA commissioned its precision runway monitor (PRM) Sept. 29 at the Philadelphia, Pa. International Airport. The PRM system is an electronically scanned, monopulse secondary surveillance radar that updates an aircraft's location once very second and provides information and predictive alerts to help air traffic controllers land aircraft safely on closely spaced parallel runways. In Philadelphia, the PRM system allows aircraft to land simultaneously on parallel runways separated by just 3,000 feet.
BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON CANADA Model 206L-4 helicopters (Docket No. 2000-SW-37-AD; Amendment 39-12449; AD 2001-20-03) - requires installing a high altitude tail rotor static stop yield indicator to allow operators to detect excessive bending loads sustained by the tail rotor yoke. A preflight check of the indicator is also required. This amendment is prompted by a determination that a tail rotor yoke with a high altitude rotor system is susceptible to a static and dynamic overload.
Nine of 10 people aboard a Peninsula Aircraft Caravan 208 were killed Wednesday when the aircraft nosedived and crashed shortly after takeoff from Dillingham, Alaska on a flight to King Salmon. One passenger, a 49-year-old woman, survived the crash and was hospitalized in critical condition. The accident happened at about 0915 local time. Weather is not believed to be a factor as it was clear and windless at the time. The temperature was in the low 30s.
The Senate Thursday unanimously passed sweeping security legislation that temporarily prohibits a person or company from selling, leasing or chartering an aircraft to an alien without first ensuring that a background check is completed. The background check is part of a series of requirements in the Senate bill that will touch every segment of the aviation industry. Those measures range from federalizing airport security screeners to requiring the Administration to submit a report on airspace restrictions implemented since the Sept. 11 terrorist attack.
UNIVAIR AIRCRAFT Models (ERCO) 415-C, (ERCO) 415-CD, (ERCO) 415-D, (ERCO) 415-E, (ERCO) 415-G, (Forney) F-1, and (Forney) F-1A airplanes (Docket No. 2000-CE-79-AD) - proposes to supersede Airworthiness Directive 86-22-09, which currently requires inspection of the fuel line nipple for damage and replacement of any suspect part. AD 86-22-09 resulted from reports of failures of the fuel line nipple caused by improper installation or incorrect alignment.
A Sikorsky H-92 helicopter was temporarily grounded by an engine problem in Ottawa Tuesday during the aircraft's first visit to Canada. Planned flight demonstrations of the H-92, being offered by Sikorsky as a replacement for Canada's aging Sea King helicopters, were halted when a test flight revealed a problem with one of the aircraft's two General Electric CT7-8 turboshaft engines.
The fractional aircraft industry has spawned a new category of service as a group of New York investors formed a company to buy and then sublease shares of Executive Jet NetJets aircraft. The company, Marquis Jet Partners, Inc., is selling customers its "Private Jet Card," which gives them 25-hour blocks in NetJets aircraft.
EXECUTIVE JET CENTER opened a Million Air FBO at the Mobile, Ala. (MOB) Regional Airport. Million Air Mobile is a designated Phillips 66 Aviation Performance Center.
ASTRO-AIRE ENTERPRISES, Oakland, Calif., was appointed a Honeywell-Grime authorized repair center. Astro-Aire, which holds an FAA Repair Station license and is celebrating its 40th year in business, will bench check, repair and overhaul/modify all makes and models of Grimes manufactured aircraft lighting and power supply devices.
ROLLS-ROYCE plc Dart 525, 525F, 528, 528D, 529, 529D, 530, 532, 535, 542, and 552 series turboprop engines (Docket No. 2001-NE-29-AD; Amendment 39-12446; AD 2001-19-06) - requires the removal of certain part number (P/N) high-pressure turbine (HPT) discs and replacement with serviceable discs. This amendment is prompted by three reports of uncontained HPT disc failures and the manufacturer's investigation into disc failure.
PRIVATAIR opened a western sales and operations division in Monterey, Calif. The new base will handle business west of the Mississippi River. Woody McClendon was appointed vice president and manager in charge of the division.
THE BOEING-SIKORSKY RAH-66 Comanche team will consolidate its senior leadership into the Joint Program Office and relocate the office from Huntsville, Ala. to the Stratford, Conn. area early next year, the companies said last week. The consolidation and moves are expected to affect only a small portion of the approximately 1,000 Boeing and Sikorsky employees assigned to the helicopter program.
GE Aircraft Engines, saying that aircraft manufacturers anticipate new aircraft deliveries to decline sharply over the next two years, expects to lay off up to 4,000 employees, or 13 percent of its total workforce by early next year. GEAE said that before Sept. 11 it had expected a production slowdown for large commercial jet engines to begin by mid-2002 but that recent events "accelerate, and exacerbate, the timetable of the aviation industry slowdown."
AIRSHOW added three new members to its sales and marketing team: John Hill, account director; Lonnie Muir, sales director; and Jaime McGrath, sales engineer. The company also launched a new corporate branding campaign with a newly designed logo as well as a new slogan, "Dedicated to making the cabin work."
JET AVIATION at London Biggin Hill is remodeling its main hangar to accommodate aircraft maintenance and additional services. Construction will be completed by the end of this year with the facility scheduled to be fully operational by early 2002.
