THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION dealt at least a temporary blow last week to General Electric's plans to acquire Honeywell, notifying the company that it will implement a Phase II review of the proposed GE/Honeywell deal, a process that could take up to four months. As one pundit described the situation, "The [EC] ground hog came out and saw its shadow and GE has four more months of winter."
Model DHC-8-100, -200, and -300 series airplanes (Docket No. 2000-NM-347-AD) - proposes to require removing certain foam filters from the cabin ducting installation located below the dado panels on the left- and right-hand sides of the airplane. This action is necessary to prevent an increased risk of spreading a fire or failure of the cabin to pressurize adequately if certain foam filters are installed. This action is intended to address the identified unsafe condition. FAA estimates that 38 airplanes on the U.S.
(Docket No. 2000-SW-38-AD) - proposes to require visually inspecting screws installed on Marathon batteries and replacing certain unairworthy screws. This proposal is prompted by an explosion of a G.E./Saft battery due to failure of an unairworthy screw. Certain Marathon batteries have a similar design and could have the same unairworthy screws. The actions specified by the proposed AD are intended to prevent an explosion of a battery, structural damage, and subsequent loss of power to the electrical systems.
Separate bills were introduced in the Senate and House last month to raise the retirement age for commercial pilots from 60 to 65, a renewal of a campaign that failed to get off the ground last year.
AVIATION RESEARCH GROUP/U.S., (ARG/US) Inc. developed a safety audit and analysis program for Part 135 charter operators and will provide its Charter Evaluation and Qualification (CHEQ) reports online. The CHEQ reports include information gathered from NTSB and FAA accident/incident databases, FAA's enforcement information system, FAA's registration database, Aircraft Service Difficulty Reports and the National Vitals Information System Certificated Operators database.
THE BFGOODRICH COMPANY was selected to provide its new Delevan fuel nozzle for the latest Rolls-Royce AE 3007 engine variant, the increased-thrust AE 3007A1E. BFGoodrich said the nozzle has a maintenance interval of 10,000 hours and a 30,000-hour life span. The nozzle also incorporates a "Zurich Liner" designed to lower emissions. "We took a very direct approach to understanding and satisfying the Rolls-Royce requirements as well as those of their customers," said Jim Baker, vice president and general manager of the Delevan division.
CitationShares, the fractional ownership program launched last summer by Cessna Aircraft and TAG Aviation, is adding a third Citation business jet model and expects to double the size of its current fleet by the end of the year.
FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION will hold its annual aviation forecast conference March 13-14 at the Washington, D.C. Convention Center, with Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta and FAA Administrator Jane Garvey scheduled to present opening remarks.
Atlantic Coast Airlines Holdings struck a deal initially valued at $200 million with United Airlines parent UAL Corp. to purchase three regional airlines that United would inherit with its acquisition of the US Airways Group. ACA would buy Allegheny Airlines, Piedmont Airlines and PSA Airlines concurrently as UAL closes on its deal with US Airways. The ACA agreement is subject to regulatory approvals and to UAL termination rights.
BFGOODRICH COMPANY signed an agreement to acquire the business assets of Humphrey Inc., a designer and manufacturer of inertial sensors used for guidance and control of unmanned vehicles and precision-guided systems. The business lines being acquired have revenues of about $13 million annually.
Chicago-based carrier Indigo is weighing bids from manufacturers and hopes to announce an order next quarter for up to 50 business jets with options possible on another 50 to feed its long-term plans to expand service throughout the U.S., Chairman and CEO Matthew Andersson said last week. Indigo won DOT approval last summer to offer regular and frequent service as a Part 380 public charter, which allows it to announce flights for public availablity.
FAA has proposed an airworthiness directive that would require repetitive inspections of more than 1,650 General Electric CF34 engines powering both Challenger business jets and regional jets manufactured by Bombardier.
Model 222, 222B, 222U, 230, and 430 helicopters (Docket No. 2000-SW-54-AD; Amendment 39-12105; AD 2001-01-51) - requires visually inspecting the main rotor hydraulic actuator support to verify the presence of all dowel pins and sealant between the support and transmission and the proper torque of each attaching nut. This amendment is prompted by the failure of a support resulting in an accident involving a BHTC Model 222U helicopter. All retaining studs and shear pins were found sheared or pulled out at the junction between the support and the transmission case.
THE PILOT of a Bell 412 helicopter was killed Feb. 28 when the aircraft crashed near White Water, Colo., FAA said. The pilot was conducting a post-maintenance check flight when the accident occurred.
Models 172N, 172P, R172K, 172RG, F172N, F172P, FR172J, and FR172K airplanes (Docket No. 2000-CE-26-AD) - provides additional time for the public to comment on a proposal to supersede AD 80-04-08, which requires inspecting the fuel line and map light switch in the left hand forward door post for chafing or arcing and repairing any damage. AD 80-04-08 also required providing at least a 0.50-inch clearance between the map light switch and the fuel line; and installing a switch cover (insulator) over the map light switch.
Model DHC-8-102, -103, -106, -201, -202, -301, -311, -314, and -315 series airplanes (Docket No. 2000-NM-45-AD) - proposes to require revising the Bombardier maintenance program to incorporate repetitive inspections to detect fatigue cracking in certain structures; and corrective actions, if necessary. This proposal is prompted by issuance of mandatory continuing airworthiness information by a foreign civil airworthiness authority.
INDUSTRY LOBBYISTS are pleased about the budget numbers, however, which include $6.9 billion for FAA operations, $3.3 billion for the Airport Improvement Program and $2.9 billion for capital projects (Facilities and Equipment). The package represents a $725 million increase over 2001 funding.
TRANSCONTINENTAL AVIONICS CORPORATION added two charter member dealers to its recently formed national chain of independent avionics shops operating under the TCA affiliation. The dealers, Royal Avionics System of Mesa, Ariz., and Houston Gulf Coast Avionics of League City, Texas, join the initial dealership, East Kansas City Avionics in Grain Valley, Mo. TCA is in negotiations with 12 to 15 more potential participants but initially only wants to add about 10 more while it "debugs" its web site and performs other procedures.
Model BAe.125 Series 800A (C-29A and U-125 Military), 1000A, and 1000B airplanes; Hawker 800 (U-125A Military) airplanes; and Hawker 800XP and 1000 series airplanes (Docket No. 2000-NM-212-AD) - revises an earlier proposal that would have required removal of existing clamps, bedding tapes, and rubber connecting sleeves at the ends of the turbine air discharge duct and the water separator, and replacement of the clamps and rubber connecting sleeves with new, improved components.
Operational errors by controllers have essentially flattened so far in this fiscal year, even declining marginally, FAA reported last month, and the president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association said the new memorandum of understanding between the agency and the union "will go a long way toward reducing [future] operational errors." An FAA spokesman said that operational errors for fiscal 2001, which began Oct. 1, through Feb. 19 amounted to 397, compared with 399 in same period in fiscal 2000.
EXTEX was selected as the preferred supplier of Allison A250 helicopter engine replacement parts for Air Logistics in New Iberia, La. Extex produces more than 300 PMA parts and has agreed to work together with Air Logistics on development of parts that Extex does not already produce. Air Logistics has used Extex replacement parts for its A250-powered helicopter fleet since 1997. A division of Offshore Logistics, Air Logistics operates more than 170 aircraft in support of oil and gas companies that work in the Gulf of Mexico.
Moody's Investors Service predicts the regional jet and general aviation industries will continue to prosper for several years, but warns of a potential overcapacity problem for airframe manufacturers.
SIKORSKY AIRCRAFT CORP. selected the BFGoodrich Company's Integrated Mechanical Diagnostics-Health and Usage Management System (IMD-HUMS) as standard equipment on the S-92 helicopter. The IMD-HUMS system includes on-board components that gather and process data on aircraft usage and the condition of engine and drive train components. The information from the on-board system can be displayed to the crew and downloaded to ground-based computers, which generate summaries of operations, forecast maintenance requirements and support rapid troubleshooting.
MEDAIRE, INC., the aviation medical services provider, said it received more calls for in-flight medical emergencies last year than any other, with vasovagal episodes (dizziness/fainting) the most frequent complaint. MedAire said the number of gastrointestinal incidents jumped by about 40 percent last year and was the second most frequent complaint, followed by cardiac, respiratory and neurological problems.
