AT LEAST ONE OEM CEO believes "we're going to see some slowdown in activity" among potential new aircraft buyers because of concerns about the possibility of the economy slowing. While the executive told BA he hasn't seen any dramatic impact yet in new aircraft sales, he said it's no secret that when corporate profits are under pressure, people don't buy airplanes at the same rate. He observed that much of the economic growth in recent years has been driven by productivity gains, which he said may become more difficult to sustain.
EMBRAER Model EMB-145 series airplanes (Docket No. 2000-NM-256-AD) - proposes to require inspection of the bolts on the hinge fittings that attach the spring tab and the servo tab to the rear spar of the elevators for evidence of loosening; inspection of the region of the hinge fittings on the spring tab for interference of the bonding jumpers attached to the hinge fittings with the leading edge of the spring tab; and corrective action, if necessary.
AERO SERVICES EXECUTIVE (ASE) became the first French company to select an Airbus Corporate Jetliner (ACJ) for use in a charter fleet. Manufacturer Airbus said ASE is scheduled to take delivery of its corporate configured A319 airliner this summer. "We pride ourselves on helping our customers to make better use of their time and the ACJ...will enable us to transport larger groups in unprecedented comfort over longer distances," said ASE Managing Director Phillippe d'Aprile.
KENNY ST. CLAIR was appointed sales representative for Professional Aviation Associates. St. Clair, who will be based in the Atlanta office, will work in the Beechcraft Division. He formerly spent three years with AAR and, before that, was with AVSCO for 15 years.
TRANSCONTINENTAL AVIONICS was founded by two industry veterans - J. Phil McCoy and Dennis Stoll - as an umbrella company to provide avionics services through a network of independent avionics shops operating under the TCA flag. TCA said that under its concept, "even the smallest independent dealer can now compete at every level...The avionics shop wins by association with a national brand name, volume purchasing, and a nationwide network." The customer, in turn, will receive lower avionics prices, the company added.
BELL Model 204B, 205A, 205A-1, 205B, and 212 helicopters (Docket No. 2000-SW-28-AD; Amendment 39-12042; AD 2000-15-52) - supersedes AD 2000-15-52, which was sent previously to all known U.S. owners and operators Model 204B, 205A, 205A-1, 205B, and 212 helicopters by individual letters. This AD reduces the retirement index number (RIN) life limit for the main rotor mast; increases the RIN factor for masts and main rotor trunnions; applies standard RIN factors for all external load lifts; and requires a one-time inspection of the snap ring groove area of the mast.
FAA AND INDUSTRY are collaborating on a pilot program aimed at expediting supplemental type certificate approvals for avionics.The program, apparently still on the drawing board, would include creation of a Designee Managed Organization (DMO), which would move toward a "one-stop shopping" method for obtaining STC approvals, an FAA spokesman said. The DMO would increase use of designated engineering representatives - a goal of both industry and FAA - in the product approval process.
LYNN COCKRUM was appointed vice president and chief financial officer for FlightSafety Boeing Training International. Cockrum will be responsible for all accounting, treasury and financial planning for FlightSafety Boeing. He formerly spent eight years with Gordon Trucking and Valley Freightliner as chief financial officer and also worked with Deloitte&Touche, LLP for 11 years.
BOMBARDIER AEROSPACE won Transport Canada approval for its 70-passenger CRJ700 regional jet, the follow-on to its successful 50-passenger CRJ, and expects European Joint Aviation Authorities and U.S. Federal Aviation Administration approvals shortly. Bombardier, which has 174 orders in hand for the CRJ700, expects the first aircraft to enter airline service with French regional carrier Brit Air this quarter. Brit Air has signed contracts for 12 of the aircraft.
Aviation General Inc. named Carl R. Gull executive vice president and chief operating officer of Commander Aircraft Company, its wholly owned subsidiary. Gull, who joined Commander in 1998, had been vice president-aircraft product support and flight training. Gull was a commander and naval aviator during his military career and graduated from the Naval Fighter Weapons School (TOPGUN). He has a degree in aeronautical engineering technology from Oklahoma State University and is an airframe and powerplant mechanic.
A group of Swiss investors agreed to purchase Pilatus Aircraft, the manufacturer based in Stans, Switzerland that produces a line of high-performance single-engine aircraft. The company had been for sale for some time, but officials of Unaxis - who want to focus on other business interests - were intent on finding a buyer who would continue existing Pilatus programs and keep the company headquartered in Stans (BA, Oct. 23/188).
Investigators found a hydraulic malfunction on the Bell-Boeing MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft that crashed Oct. 11, killing four Marines. While the U.S. Marine Corps hasn't determined the severity of the problem or whether it contributed to the accident, it's the first evidence that points to what might have happened that evening. At the same time, the Marines have largely ruled out a number of other factors guessed as possible culprits - lack of fuel, fuel contamination, in-flight fire, electrical malfunction and spatial disorientation, the service said.
Officials of Brazilian manufacturer Embraer held a cornerstone-laying ceremony Dec. 21 for a major new manufacturing facility in the Gaviao Peixoto industrial complex. Embraer plans to use the new plant to perform final assembly of its corporate and defense aircraft. The facility also will serve as a major flight test center. One of the first construction initiatives will be to begin work on a 16,400-foot-long runway, that will vary in width between 147 feet and 311 feet, specifications the company said are designed to ensure flight test safety.
JACE STONE was named senior director of sales and new business development for BIZJET International. Stone, who has 16 years of aircraft maintenance industry experience, previously spent five years with Gulfstream Aerospace in California as senior regional sales manager.
AIR TOUR OPERATORS believe the nomination of Gale Norton to be Secretary of the Interior "is a very positive development from our perspective," said Steve Bassett, president of the U.S. Air Tour Association. Norton, a Colorado native and a two-term state attorney general, has Washington experience - as an associate solicitor at the Interior Department and as an assistant to the deputy secretary of agriculture.
BOMBARDIER AEROSPACE named Mike Lederer and Robert Brant sales directors for the Business Aircraft division's Eastern Region. Lederer will assume sales responsibilities for Challenger and Global Express business jets in the Southeast U.S. He is a 25-year veteran of the aviation industry and a former corporate pilot who has been with Bombardier for 13 years, primarily handling Learjet sales. Brant will be based in White Plains, N.Y. and will be responsible for Continental and Learjet sales in the Northeast U.S.
AIR BP assumed operational control of commercial refueling at Luis Munoz Marin International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The move is the result of an agreement between Air BP and Sunoco, the former airport refueling operator, under which Air BP will supply jet fuel and manage refueling operations at the airport.
Petitioner: Department of the Air Force Section of 14 CFR Affected: 14 CFR 91.169(b) Description of Relief Sought/Disposition: To permit the Department of Air Force to list alternate airports in instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plans for military aircraft in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Department of the Air Force. Grant, Nov. 28, 2000, Exemption No. 7389
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.
Petitioner: RGT Air Freight Section of 14 CFR Affected: 14 CFR 135.143(c)(2) Description of Relief Sought/Disposition: To permit RGT to operate certain aircraft under Part 135 without a TSO-C112 (Mode S) transponder installed in the aircraft. Grant, Nov. 28, 2000, Exemption No. 7386
RAYTHEON, which had been shopping its Raytheon Aircraft unit headquartered in Wichita, Kan., has now taken RAC off the market, sources say. Raytheon had been seeking as much as $4 billion for RAC, but apparently found no takers at that price (BA, Oct. 16/175). The attempt to sell the Wichita manufacturer wasn't helped by Raytheon Aircraft's inability to achieve certification for its Premier I business jet, now more than two years behind schedule (BA, Nov. 27/243).
RAYTHEON Model MU-300, MU-300-10, 400, 400A, and 400T series airplanes (Docket No. 2000-NM-60-AD; Amendment 39-12038; AD 2000-25-04) - requires a one-time inspection to detect hydraulic fluid leakage from the B-nut area, which attaches a hydraulic tube to the anti-skid valve assembly, and corrective actions, if necessary; and installation of an additional support for the hydraulic tube. This amendment is intended to prevent an asymmetric braking condition and a longer stopping distance due to sudden loss of normal braking to the left wheel.
DONNA REESE was named manager of Gulfstream customer service/sales for BIZJET International. Reese has eight years of aircraft maintenance experience, most recently as a special projects coordinator for Gulfstream Aerospace.
REGENT AVIATION owner William Bieber has reached a preliminary agreement to sell controlling interest in the St. Paul, Minn. fixed-base operation to Glen Nelson, vice chairman of Medtronic, Inc., who has been a customer at Regent. Regent, which will remain under the direction of President John LaFontsee, provides aircraft hangaring, fuel, maintenance and charter/management services at St. Paul Downtown Airport (STP).
Petitioner: Federal Express Corp. Section of 14 CFR Affected: 14 CFR 45.15(a)(4) Description of Relief Sought: To Federal Express to install replacement or modification parts designated for installation on Douglas DC-10 airplanes on McDonnell Douglas MD-10 airplanes.
