BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON, INC. Model 47B, 47B-3, 47D, 47D-1, 47G, 47G-2, 47G2A, 47G-2A-1, 47G-3, 47G-3B, 47G-3B-1, 47G-3B-2, 47G-3B-2A, 47G-4, 47G-4A, 47G-5, 47G-5A, 47H-1, 47J, 47J-2, 47J-2A, and 47K helicopter (Docket No. 2001-SW-13-AD; Amendment 39-12408; AD 2001-17-17) - supersedes AD that currently requires either recurring liquid penetrant or eddy current inspections of the main rotor blade grip threads for a crack. If a crack is detected, that AD requires, before further flight, replacing the cracked grip with an airworthy grip.
AVIATION SALES COMPANY named Gil West executive vice president and chief operating officer. West will oversee the maintenance and repair operations. He has more than 17 years of aviation industry experience, holding posts with Northwest Airlines, United Airlines, Rohr Industries, Sundstrand Corp. and Boeing Commercial Aircraft.
RAYTHEON AIRCRAFT CHARTER&MANAGEMENT added four aircraft to its charter certificate, including its first Gulfstream IV-SP. The Guflstream IV will be based near Miami. Other aircraft added were a Citation SII, based in Grand Junction, Colo.; a Diamond Jet in Montgomery, Ala.; and a Beechjet 400A, based in Nashua, N.H.
MIAMI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT officials say construction of a fourth runway at MIA is about 10 percent complete and on schedule for completion by May 15, 2003. The fourth runway is being built 800 feet north and parallel to the existing Runway 9L/27R. The new runway will be 8,600 feet long and will be used primarily for landings. The new addition is expected to increase MIA's capacity by about 25 percent.
PILOT ERROR accounts for more than 70 percent of all nonfatal accidents and 80 percent of fatal accidents, according to a General Accounting Office analysis of National Transportation Safety Board data.GAO notes that a majority of those accidents are related to errors in piloting skills, such as failure to maintain directional control or flying speed, or misjudged distance, altitude or clearance.
FAA has completed a draft environmental impact statement for Peotone Airport, a "greenfield" airport that could serve as a Chicago reliever. The "Tier 1 Draft EIS" is only for land-banking and does not include any airport infrastructure approval. FAA will hold a public hearing on the draft in Matteson, Ill., Oct. 4.
BREEZE-EASTERN received a contract to design, develop and supply a rescue hoist system for the Agusta-Bell AB139 helicopter. Deliveries are scheduled to begin this December.
Goodrich is shearing off its non-aerospace business in a move that fortifies the company as a $4.2 billion supplier of aerospace components, systems and services. In addition, the company last week completed acquisitions to bolster both its aerospace and non-aerospace segments. Goodrich received board of director approval for a tax-free spinoff of its Engineered Industrial Products unit under a deal that would give Goodrich shareholders one share in the new industrial company for every five Goodrich shares they own.
Summary: Pursuant to FAA's rulemaking provisions governing the application, processing, and disposition of petitions for exemption (14 CFR Part 11), this notice contains a summary of certain petitions seeking relief from specified requirements of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR Chapter I), dispositions of certain petitions previously received, and corrections. The purpose of this notice is to improve the public's awareness of, and participation in, this aspect of FAA's regulatory activities.
LR SERVICES joined the Air Travel Network, a reservation and on-line auction for aircraft charters. LR Services operates a Learjet 35 business jet from its base in Allentown, Pa.
Docket No.: FAA-2000-8086 Section of 14 CFR Affected: 14 CFR 119.67(a)(3)(i) Description of Relief Sought/Disposition: To permit Robert Hajdukovich to serve as director of operations of FFS without having at least three years experience, within the last six years, as pilot in command of a large airplane operated under 14 CFR Part 121 or Part 135. Grant, 6/29/2001, Exemption No. 7557
The General Accounting Office last week validated claims of general aviation leaders that product liability reform legislation has proven to be the most significant factor in the rebound of the industry in recent years. GAO, the investigative arm of Congress, released a report on the general aviation industry, crediting the 1994 passage of the General Aviation Revitalization Act (GARA) for the upswing of U.S. deliveries from the low of 928 aircraft in 1994 to more than 2,800 last year.
AIR CHARTER GUIDE updated its CharterX air charter management tool. The network includes The Industry Exchange, where operators list their aircraft and availability data, and Xquote, a private-label module that brokers, volume buyers and global distributors can add to their web sites for instant quoting.
KEN CURRY was appointed vice president of Vance&Engles Aircraft Brokers' new West Coast operations. Curry, who has 24 years' experience in business aviation, was previously vice president and general manager of Petersen Aviation.
Boeing Business Jets announced the promotion of two executives to new positions within the company. Gil Key, who was vice president of operations, was named vice president of sales, with responsibility for BBJ sales in the Americas, worldwide marketing and customer relations. Key also will coordinate the overall sales campaign with Executive Jet, Inc. for the Boeing NetJets BBJ fractional ownership program. Key replaces Lee Monson, who was named in June to succeed Borge Boeskov as president of BBJ when Boeskov retires early next year (BA, June 25/295).
JET AVIATION added 17 aircraft to its U.S. and European management fleets in recent weeks. The latest additions to the Teterboro, N.J.-based U.S. fleet include two Global Express aircraft, a Gulfstream IV and V, a Challenger 601-3A and three Falcons: a Model 20, 900B and 900EX. New to the European fleet, based in Zurich, Switzerland, are two Global Express business jets, two Challenger 604s, a Citation 550, a Fairchild Dornier 328JET, a Falcon 50, a Gulfstream 200 and a Gulfstream IV.
Docket No.: FAA-2000-8344 Section of 14 CFR Affected: 14 CFR 121.383(c) Description of Relief Sought/Disposition: To permit Mack to act as a pilot in operations conducted under Part 121 after reaching his 60th birthday. Denial, 6/29/2001, Exemption No. 7556
FAA issued a request for information (RFI) seeking "candid comments" from industry on its draft Local Area Augmentation System Category 1 specifications. FAA said it expects to issue another RFI for the LAAS Cat 1 acquisition by Sept. 28. The second RFI will include a draft statement of work and draft contract data requirements for industry review and comment.
BOMBARDIER'S CONTINENTAL business jet completed 11 hours and 36 minutes of flight time over five flights. Bombardier's new super midsize aircraft operated at altitudes up to 35,000 feet and speeds of 250 knots. Four aircraft are now set to enter a flight test program this year. The No. 1 aircraft first flew last month (BA, Aug. 20/81).
KEVIN C. GETTMEIER was named director-operations support at Midcoast Aviation. Gettmeier has 24 years of experience at Midcoast, developing landing gear and accessory programs. He will be responsible for working with marketing and sales to develop additional aircraft component programs.
BOMBARDIER AEROSPACE received an order for five Q400 turboprops and an option for a sixth from Japan Air Commuter under a contract valued at $162 million (Canadian). Deliveries are scheduled to begin by the end of next year. Japan Air Commuter plans to use the aircraft to replace its YS-11 turboprops. Japan Air Commuter will be the fifth airline in Japan to operate a Bombardier Q series turboprop.
AERODYNAMICS, the corporate aviation sales and service center based at Oakland County International Airport in Michigan, struck an agreement with PACE Airlines of Winston-Salem, N.C. to jointly provide shuttle service for Dow Chemical Company in Midland, Mich. PACE will operate a Boeing 737 for corporate shuttle operations for Dow beginning Tuesday (Sept. 4).
JOHNSON says Honeywell doesn't plan to follow Williams International and Pratt&Whitney into the mini-turbine market for small business jets like the Eclipse. "That's not a place we've decided to go," he said. Johnson believes the majority of new aircraft platforms would appear to need engines in the 3,000-6,000-pound-thrust range. "That's where our technology fits well." Johnson is bullish about the division's prospects and expects to expand its aerospace holdings through a series of acquisitions. See article below.
AVCARD, the aviation credit card, is now accepted on the Air BP point-of-sales system in the U.S. AVCARD has been accepted at most of Air BP's 600 locations but transactions may now be processed electronically with the new system. Upgrades at Canadian FBOs are planned for the near future.
SOCATA-GROUPE AEROSPATIALE Models TB 9, TB 10, TB 20, TB 21, and TB 200 Airplanes (Docket No. 2001-CE-09-AD) - proposes to require, for aircraft that do not have factory Modification 165, any edition, incorporated on the front seats, modification of the front seats. The proposed AD is the result of mandatory continuing airworthiness information issued by the airworthiness authority for France. The actions specified by the proposed AD are intended to eliminate the potential for the front seats to inadvertently unlock from their fixed positions.
