FAIRCHILD AIRCRAFT SA226 series airplanes equipped with Hydromotive Model V1-15-1000 brake master cylinders (Docket No. 2001-CE-17-AD) - proposes to require replacement of the brake master cylinders with new or overhauled units of the same design. The proposed AD is the result of reports of dragging brakes during taxi operations. The actions specified by the proposed AD are intended to correct and prevent future malfunctioning brake master cylinders.
EMBRAER Model EMB-120 series airplanes (Docket No. 2001-NM-262-AD; Amendment 39-12392; AD 2001-17-01) - requires measuring the gap between the bellcrank and the body of the rotary variable inductive transducers (RVITs) of the aileron and elevator, performing corrective action if necessary, and torquing the bolt that attaches the bellcrank to the RVIT shaft. This action is necessary to prevent restricted movement of the aileron or elevator, which could result in reduced controllability of the airplane. The AD is effective Aug.
Docket No.: FAA-2000-8514 Section of 14 CFR Affected: 14 CFR 25.857(e)(4) Description of Relief Sought/Disposition: To provide AAS with relief from 14 CFR 25.857(e)(4) pertaining to the exclusion of hazardous quantities of smoke, flames, and noxious gases from the flight crew compartment to permit supplemental type certification of the Learjet Model 25 series airplanes modified for the carriage of cargo. Grant, April 11, 2001, Exemption No. 7507
AIR TRAVEL NETWORK, the reservation and on-line auction site for air charter operations, added Hop-A-Jet to its portfolio of Part 135 providers. Hop-A-Jet flies a fleet of Learjet and Challenger aircraft from its base in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. "Joining the ATN network expands our marketing presence to areas that we couldn't do on our own," said Sam Gordon, director of charter services for Hop-A-Jet.
FAA EXPECTS to complete a comprehensive study of the Part 135 air charter industry next month that industry executives hope will provide the agency better information for use in rulemaking. Congress directed the agency to conduct a study of air taxi operators that would analyze the size and type of aircraft fleet, relevant aircraft equipment, hours flown, utilization rates, safety record by various categories of use and aircraft type, and airports served.
CIRRUS DESIGN CORP. is planning to boost production rates from one aircraft per day to two early next year now that it has secured the necessary funding for such a move.The company agreed to turn over a majority interest to Crescent Capital Investments in return for the $100 million financial package.
Docket No.: FAA-2001-9579 Section of 14 CFR Affected: 14 CFR 135.251, 135.255, 135.353, and appendixes I and J to Part 121 Description of Relief Sought/Disposition: To permit Ashland County Airport and Johnston Aviation to conduct local sightseeing flights at the Ashland County Airport for the Fall Foliage flights in October 2001 for compensation or hire, without complying with certain anti-drug and alcohol misuse prevention requirements of Part 135. Grant, May 9, 2001, Exemption No. 7528
A LEARJET 25 cargo aircraft crashed early Friday morning on a flight from Lansing, N.Y. to Rochester, N.Y., FAA reported. The aircraft, N153TW, is registered to Wilmington, Del.-based Sierra American Corp. with Ameristar Jet Charter as the operator. The aircraft crashed into the woods near the end of the runway shortly after takeoff, killing one crewmember and seriously injuring the other, according to preliminary FAA data.
Raytheon Aircraft signed a letter of intent with Mesa Air Group to clear up the remaining financing issues surrounding the regional carrier's 1900D fleet. Under the letter of intent, Raytheon agreed to help lower Mesa's expenses to operate its fleet of 1900D aircraft. Mesa subsidiary Air Midwest operates 55 of the 19-passenger 1900D aircraft, 47 of which are financed by Raytheon.
Docket No.: FAA-2001-8750 (previously Docket No. 27429) Section of 14 CFR Affected: 14 CFR 147.31(c)(2)(iii) Description of Relief Sought/Disposition: To permit U.S. Air Force aviation maintenance technicians who have completed military aviation maintenance training courses to be evaluated using the same criteria that are used for the civilian sector. Grant, May 3, 2001, Exemption No. 6094C
Docket No.: FAA-2001-9458 Section of 14 CFR Affected: 14 CFR 25.785(h)(2), 25.807(d)(7), 25.813(e), and 25.853(d) Description of Relief Sought: To permit business jet interiors to be designed for "private, not-for-hire use" on Boeing Model 737-800 airplanes.
Docket No.: FAA-2001-8805 Section of 14 CFR Affected: 14 CFR 145.45(f) Description of Relief Sought/Disposition: To permit EJS to place and maintain its inspection procedures manual (IPM) in a number of fixed locations within its repair station facility rather than giving a copy of its IPM to each of its supervisory and inspection personnel. Grant, May 4, 2001, Exemption No. 7530
A strong showing in its Aerospace unit helped drive Bombardier to a 44 percent leap in revenues for the second fiscal quarter ended July 31, the company said last week. Bombardier Tuesday reported revenues of $4.9 billion in the three months ended July 31, compared with $3.4 billion in the same period a year ago.
NICK LACEY, who served as FAA's director of Flight Standards until he was reassigned this spring, has decided to leave the agency to take a position with aviation consulting firm Morton Beyer&Agnew. Lacey will start Sept. 4 as executive vice president of Washington, D.C.-based MBA.
EMBRAER Model EMB-135ER and -135LR series airplanes, and Model EMB-145, -145ER, -145MR, and -145LR series airplanes (Docket No. 2001-NM-249-AD; Amendment 39-12395; AD 2001-17-04) - requires a one-time visual inspection to determine if the two bonding jumpers that connect the horizontal stabilizer to the vertical stabilizer are properly installed, and replacement of the jumper with a new jumper, if necessary.
PRATT&WHITNEY CANADA's new PW206B2 engines entered service with the delivery of a Eurocopter EC135 helicopter to the Swedish National Police. The PW206B2 is a growth engine designed for the EC135 that combines the angled reduction gearbox of the existing PW2066B engine with the PW207 engine series power section. The Swedish National Police is slated to receive six more EC135s in the next two years.
AMPORTS Aviation Group continued to expand its fixed-base operation network with the acquisition of the Heritage Flight facility at Burlington International Airport (BTV) in Vermont. The acquisition included the Heritage terminal, two hangars covering 40,000 square feet, 20 T-hangars and ramp. AMPORTS will rename the facility under its branding FBO AVCenter-BTV.
QUANTUM won a contract from AeroVironment and NASA to design and build large advanced hydrogen and oxygen tanks for the Helios fuel cell aircraft. The aircraft, a remotely piloted wing prototype, is under development for NASA's Environmental Research Aircraft and Sensor Technology project. The Quantum system will allow the Helios to fly continuously for up to six months at altitudes up to 60,000 feet.
Docket No.: FAA-2001-9096 (previously Docket No. 24446) Section of 14 CFR Affected: 14 CFR 121.485(b) Description of Relief Sought/Disposition: To permit ATA-member airlines and other similarly situated Part 121 air carriers to conduct flights of less than 12 hours' duration with an airplane having a flight crew of three or more pilots and an additional flight crewmember without requiring the rest period following that flight to be twice the hours flown since the last rest period at each flight crewmember's home base.
THE AIRCRAFT OWNERS AND PILOTS ASSOCIATION'S Air Safety Foundation printed the last issue of its "Safety Highlight" which features the Beechcraft Bonanza and Debonair model aircraft. Four "Safety Highlight" studies on the safety record of certain general aviation aircraft types were funded by a grant from the United States Aircraft Insurance Group. The reports detail accidents and provide operating suggestions for increased safety. Three previous issues focused on accident histories of the Cessna 172, the Cessna 182 and the Piper PA-28 series.
AMERICAN EAGLE last week took delivery of its 100th regional jet from Brazilian manufacturer Embraer. American Eagle, which took delivery of its first Embraer regional jet in February 1998, last week accepted a new ERJ-140, a 44-seat regional jet. The company is the launch customer for the ERJ-140 and plans to take delivery of 15 of the aircraft. The regional airline operates a fleet of more than 270 jet and turboprop aircraft.
JOHN LAWRENCE was appointed vice president corporate research at Goodyear. Lawrence has more than 30 years of experience with Goodyear and was most recently director of materials science.
Docket No.: 29361 Section of 14 CFR Affected: 14 CFR 135.152(a) Description of Relief Sought/Disposition: To permit CHI to operate eight Boeing Chinook Model BV-234 and 15 Boeing/Kawasaki Vertol 107 Model BV/KV-107-II helicopters under Part 135 without an approved digital flight data recorder installed in each aircraft. Grant, April 17, 2001, Exemption No. 7509
FOKKER Model F.28 series airplanes (Docket No. 2001-NM-208-AD) - proposes to require replacing the main landing gear (MLG) torque link dampers with modified and reidentified dampers. This action is necessary to prevent degradation of the dampers, which could result in MLG high amplitude oscillation in a lateral torsional mode, and consequent MLG damage or separation of the MLG from the airplane. FAA estimates that this proposed AD would affect 147 airplanes on the U.S. Registry at a cost of $333,690, or $2,270 per airplane. Send comments by Sept.
Docket No.: FAA-2000-8423 Section of 14 CFR Affected: 14 CFR 135.251, 135.255, 135.353, and appendixes I and J of Part 121 Description of Relief Sought/Disposition: To permit AFN to conduct no more than four local sightseeing flights at an airport in the vicinity of Kenai, Alaska, as part of a raffle to raise funds for local charities, at a date and time to be determined by AFN and recipient(s) of the flight, for compensation or hire, without complying with certain anti-drug and alcohol misuse prevention requirements of Part 135.
