Toyota planning to enter GA market
Designs are only in the preliminary stage and could take two years to complete, but Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. has begun advertising for aeronautical engineers.
The company will hire 30 engineers to begin development of two aircraft for the general aviation market. Ads have appeared in Duluth, Minnesota (home of Cirrus Design), and other cities. A stand-alone corporation will be formed in about a year and will report directly to Tokyo.
The new company, which will build a plant somewhere in the United States starting later this year, will be headed by Dr. Yoshihira Matsura. Toyota has funded the completion of design and certification programs for two single-engine, four-place composite airplanes, according to a report from NASA.
One model (Toyota Advanced Aircraft-1) will have fixed gear and cruise at 139 knots behind a 160-horsepower engine; the second (TAA-2) will have fixed gear and a 200-hp engine, and cruise at 160 kts. The aircraft will use modified U.S.-built engines. The company has a mockup of one of the aircraft in Torrance, California, but company officials prefer not to release photos of it since it is only a concept and may not represent what finally emerges for certification.
Testing of an aggressive laminar-flow wing design has been completed at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands, NASA officials say.
The company has hired former Beech engineer Ed Hooper to direct engineering. Hooper has won several design awards. Yoshihira Matsura was the chief engineer on both the Camry and Lexus ES300, according to NASA reports. At this point Toyota has concentrated more on the avionics, which it hopes will evolve from the NASA Advanced General Aviation Transport Experiment program (AGATE). Airframe design must wait until the additional engineers are hired.
Global Express certified
Bombardier's Global Express was awarded FAA type certification on November 13, 1998. The long-range large business jet, which will compete with Gulfstream's G-V and the Boeing Business Jet, received Transport Canada approval just days prior to getting the FAA's nod. Bombardier expected European JAA approval by the end of 1998.
The first production Global Express is expected to begin corporate service in the United States sometime in the first quarter of this year. Eighty of the $37 million (1998 dollars) business jets are currently on order.
Civilian schools to train Air Force pilots
Flight schools around the nation will get a chance to train future Air Force pilots under a temporary program initiated by the Air Force Air Education and Training Command.
The Air Force screener aircraft, the T-3A Firefly, has been grounded since mid-1997 by accidents at the U.S. Air Force Academy that took the lives of six cadets and flight instructors. Since that time, the washout rate for pilot candidates has increased to 16 percent, up from 9 percent when the screening program was in effect.
The Air Force will contract for training student by student at civilian flight schools until the screener aircraft are allowed to fly again. The T-3As are awaiting approval from the FAA for modifications to the fuel system.
Part of the problem with the T-3As stemmed from engine stoppages among those operating from the Academy's high-altitude airport. Testing has failed to determine a cause for the engine stoppages. T-3A aircraft operating from Hondo, Texas, had problems related to engine cooling early in their deployment, but had few problems similar to those at the Academy.
Eventually flight schools around the nation will be used to provide 20 to 40 hours of private pilot training. Pilot candidates who are already certificated pilots will not participate in the program.
Owners' experience with prop shop requested
The FAA Chicago Aircraft Certification Office is requesting information on a potential propeller airworthiness directive that could have a significant economic impact on a large number of owners.
The problem stems from some overhauls and repairs performed by the former Southern California Propeller Service of Inglewood, California. The shop's repair station certificate was revoked last June. Since then, the FAA has received seven reports of failed propellers that were overhauled or repaired by Southern California Propeller Service.
The FAA is considering AD action against all propellers serviced by Southern California Propeller Service dating back to 1992, when its repair station certificate was first issued. Potentially, an AD could require teardown and inspection of every propeller that went through this shop. Anyone with experience related to the former Southern California Propeller Service (positive or negative) is asked to submit to the FAA written comments about the experience. This is strictly a fact-finding effort designed to help determine what level of action is appropriate. Both the FAA and AOPA would appreciate your input. Send comments to: Thomaso DiPaolo, Federal Aviation Administration, Chicago Aircraft Certification Office, 2300 East Devon Avenue, Des Plaines, Illinois 60018; fax 847/294-7834.
Test pilot Alvin "Tex" Johnston died at the age of 84 because of complications related to Alzheimer's disease. Johnston, a test pilot for Bell and Boeing, is perhaps best remembered for rolling the Boeing 367-80 (prototype 707) over the 1955 Gold Cup Unlimited Hydroplane Races held on Seattle's Lake Washington.
RV-8/-8A cleared in accident
Van's Aircraft, located in North Plains, Oregon, has completed an intensive program to verify the structural integrity of the RV-8/-8A following an in-flight wing-separation accident in May 1998.
A nationally known laboratory could find no evidence of corrosion, cracking, or fatigue in specimens of the fractured wing spar. The alloy and temper of the materials conformed to design specifications. There was also no evidence of reverse loading or aerodynamic flutter.
Van's Aircraft has concluded that a load in excess of the ultimate strength of the wing (approximately 9 Gs) had to have been applied. Van's officials say they don't know how that happened and will not speculate about possibilities.
A precautionary directive limiting flight operation to the utility category, issued by Van's following the accident, has been rescinded. The National Transportation Safety Board is continuing an investigation but has reached no conclusions. For additional information, see the Web site ( www.vansaircraft.com).
Bonaire to auction STCs
Auction Marketing, Inc., of Atlantic Beach, North Carolina, was expected to auction STCs held by Bonaire Aviation on December 9.
Bonaire, located in Blountville, Tennessee, holds 28 engine/propeller upgrade STCs for single-engine Cessnas ranging from model 180 to the 210. Last year, sales were $3.5 million. Bonaire President John Gellenwater said that he is pursuing other non-aviation interests but assured AOPA Pilot that previous Bonaire customers would be notified regarding the new owners of the STCs.
Owners of Piper Tomahawks may want to jot down the address and phone number of AOPA member Paul Sterling, who owns Sterling Aviation Technologies of Kent, Washington. Sterling has received FAA parts manufacturer approval for a redesigned nose gear scissor link intended to decrease nosewheel shimmy. Sterling is also working on several other STCs for the popular trainer and hopes to open a Tomahawk modification center. For more information, contact Sterling at 13113 Southeast 228th Place, Kent, Washington 98031; telephone 253/639-3171.Bonaire to auction STCsHartzell Propeller of Piqua, Ohio, has completed preliminary performance and acoustical testing of a new propeller design in cooperation with NASA's General Aviation Propulsion program, part of the agency's Advanced General Aviation Transport Experiment.
The new propeller features standard aluminum blades with high-lift airfoils and 25-degree tip sweep on each of its three blades. Using a Piper Saratoga testbed, Hartzell demonstrated a flyover noise reduction of four to six dBA, with no loss in performance.
Hartzell is now focusing on development of an entirely new blade that conforms to the vibrational stress characteristics of Continental's new two-stroke diesel GAP engine (see " Enginuity: Progressive Powerplants," October 1998 Pilot).
Five balloon teams ready for around-the-world record attempt
So far five teams are ready to attempt a non-stop balloon trip around the world, according to a report by the Associated Press. Given wind and weather patterns, the window of opportunity looks good between now and February.
In the United States, the Spirit of Peace was expected to depart Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Kevin Uliassi was planning to depart from the Chicago area on a solo attempt. Also in the Northern Hemisphere is the unlikely team of rivals Steve Fossett and Richard Branson, who are expected to launch from Switzerland, and the team of Bertrand Piccard and Tony Brown, who were expected to launch in early December from Marrakech, Morocco, in the Breitling Orbiter 3. Finally, Team Re/Max plans to depart Alice Springs in Australia's Northern Territory and climb up to some 130,000 feet in an attempt to minimize weather and political obstacles along the route.
Stoddard-Hamilton, based in Arlington, Washington, now offers additional Jump Start accelerated assembly options for its GlaStar kitplane that reduce assembly time by 500 or more hours. With the Jump Start Wing option, the builder receives nearly completed wings. A new version of the Jump Start Fuselage Option, based on the one first offered in 1997, reduces the amount of composite work in the GlaStar project by up to 75 percent, the company says. For information, call 360/435-8533, or see the Web site ( www.stoddard-hamilton.com).
Sex therapy drug may impair vision
The FAA has warned that Viagra, the new anti-impotence drug, should not be used by pilots less than six hours prior to conducting flight operations. In clinical studies, a small percentage of patients reported seeing a bluish haze after taking the drug, while those taking greater-than-suggested doses had trouble distinguishing blue from green.
At press time, a bottle containing Viagra tablets had been found in a single-engine kitplane that crashed in November near Annapolis, Maryland.
Precision Airmotive Corporation has received parts manufacturer approval (PMA) from the FAA for a new lightweight starter for Continental engines in its Lamar product line of starters. The new starter is claimed to weigh 40 percent less than those previously approved for installation on Continental 360-, 470-, 520-, and 550 series engines. For information, contact Precision at 425/353-8181.
Herr Engineering, located in Titusville, Florida, has purchased rights to the Volmer VJ-22 Sportsman Amphibian kitplane. It is estimated there are 200 of the aircraft now flying. It was designed by the late Volmer Jensen. The company intends to offer kits for each of the major components by midsummer. For information, telephone 407/264-2488.
New England/Mid-Atlantic fuel contamination scare
On one of the biggest travel days of the year, word of contaminated Exxon avgas spread throughout the Mid-Atlantic and New England regions. Some 27 airports in Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, eastern Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Virginia that received fuel from Exxon were notified of the potentially contaminated fuel late in the afternoon of November 24.
The tainted fuel failed the copper-strip corrosion test which assures that, over long periods of time, the fuel will not corrode metal parts of the aircraft exposed to fuel. Exxon reassured FBOs and pilots that the fuel would not cause engine failure or fuel system damage and that the recall was purely precautionary. The company also said that there was no need to flush the aircraft's fuel system.
The fuel was supplied by a Texaco distributor and was sold to Exxon, AvFuel, and Texaco FBOs. Operators were instructed by Exxon to defuel the affected aircraft and replenish the tanks with fuel meeting the proper specification. Exxon was expected to reimburse all operators for expenses incurred as a result of the defueling/refueling process. Individuals who required alternate forms of transportation were to be reimbursed for "legitimate and reasonable alternative travel expenses in excess of the expenses they would have incurred on previously planned travel."
Former FAA Administrator Langhorne Bond has become director of the Single Engine Turboprop Alliance, a new group that intends to press the case for single-engine commercial instrument flights throughout Europe. Canada, Australia, and the United States have approved such operations. Founding members of the group include companies from Europe, as well as the Cessna Aircraft Company and The New Piper Aircraft Company.
On October 29, 1998, the FAA issued a priority letter airworthiness directive (98-23-01) to all registered owners and operators of aircraft using Parker Hannifin Airborne dry air pumps. The affected part numbers of the pumps, conversion kits, and coupling kits are B1-19-1 and have a date code resembling a clock face that will say "12/97" or "5-6/98." Reports of some 50 failures of the flexible drive couplings led to the issuance of the AD.
Owners of Cessna 340A and 414A airplanes were issued a priority letter AD (98-24-14 text | pdf) requiring, prior to further flight, the inspection of maintenance records to determine if a portion of the exhaust system has been installed between May and November 15, 1998. Approximately 20 "Y" portions of the exhaust system (part numbers 9910299-25 and -26) were delivered without a critical sleeve or its associated welding that prevents the escape of exhaust gases at the slip joint.
A new AD (98-23-02) has been proposed for Cessna 180 and 185s equipped with Airglas Engineering Company snow skis. The AD supersedes an existing AD (80-10-01) that inadvertently left out 180K models. In addition, the new AD requires re-marking the airspeed indicator and adding a supplement to the airplane's flight manual.
Full Lotus, maker of floats for various light aircraft, has issued a "cease flying directive" to all known owners and operators of airplanes equipped with Full Lotus floats. Recent problems involving hull cap attachment resulted in the directive. Full Lotus has a retrofit kit that will be shipped to customers free of charge. For information, telephone 604/946-6106.
VulcanAir, of Naples, Italy, will reintroduce the six-passenger, twin-engine Partenavia P68-series aircraft in the United States, and expects to make its first delivery early this year. The company is in the process of establishing a sales company in the United States to serve the North American market. Contact Remo DeFeo, 3210 Grace Street NW, Suite 311, Washington, D.C. 20007; telephone 202/625-7775.
Rockwell Collins is expanding its presence in the People's Republic of China. The company has recently funded avionics research at universities in Beijing and Xian; expanded a software verification program in Shanghai; and created a new organization in Shanghai, to oversee the Collins Service Center, the Automation Logistics Center, and the Automation Research Center.
AOPA members in the news
Charles W. Hubbard, AOPA 264577, of Shawnee Mission, Kansas, was featured in the K.C. Flyer for having owned his beloved 1962 Beech P35 Bonanza N1530S since new.
Daniel J. Benny, AOPA 1106065, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, received the Civil Air Patrol Paul E. Garber Award in Aerospace Command and Staff Education.
Al Blackburn, AOPA 356241, has completed Aces Wild: The Race for Mach I, to be published by Scholarly Resources, 104 Greenhill Avenue, Wilmington, Deleware 19850-1897. Call 800/772-8937 for information or e-mail [email protected].
James S. Kohn, AOPA 897908, has written Favorite New England Airports, A Guide to Aviation Activities and Entertainment, which includes 33 airports in New England. It is illustrated with photos and airport diagrams, and provides telephone numbers and addresses of attractions. Available for $15 plus $4 shipping. For information, contact Peter E. Randall Publisher, Box 4726, Portsmouth, New Hampshire 03802; telephone 603/431-5667.
Minard D. Thompson, Jr., AOPA 199680, has written The Lovable One-Niner, The Complete History of the Cessna L-19 Birddog, available from Turner Publications of Paducah, Kentucky (800/788-3350).
Robert H. Shaw, AOPA 820540, has published a novel, Justin's Way Back, about the life of an airline captain. Call 805/733-1414.
Jim Upton, AOPA 126199, has written Airliner Tech Series: Boeing 777, published by Specialty Press, 11481 Kost Dam Road, North Branch, Minnesota 55056; telephone 612/583-3239.
Dr. Warren Anderson, AOPA 992117, a U.S. Navy ophthalmologist, has combined his airshow act with Flight for Sight, a public advocacy program to increase public awareness of eye disease. Anderson flies an Extra 200 in his performance.
William "Bud" Field, AOPA 618696, of Hayward, California, recently restored this 1931 Stearman 4CM-1 Senior Speedmail and made the first flight on November 11, 1998. The airplane formerly flew mail routes for American Airways.
Velocity West has begun construction of a 6,400-square-foot hangar and office facility at Lincoln Regional Airport in Lincoln, California. Velocity West is the representative in the western United States for Velocity Inc. of Sebastian, Florida, producer of the four-place canard-based kit aircraft. Shown are Mark and Nancy Machado, co-owners of Velocity West (standing), and hangar manager Philip Keys (seated left) with flight instructor Scott Baker. For information, see the Web site ( www.velocityaircraft.com) or telephone 916/645-6866.
AlliedSignal reintroduces famed Bendix Trophy
The Bendix Trophy, whose recipients include Jimmy Doolittle, Roscoe Turner, Jacqueline Cochran, and Paul Mantz, has been reintroduced as the AlliedSignal Bendix Trophy for Aviation Safety. The award "...reconnects the best of the past with the advancements of the future," said AlliedSignal official Joe Leonard.
First to receive the trophy after a 36-year absence are David B.A. Fleming, general manager of flight training for British Airways; Edward D. Mendenhall, director of flight operations for Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation; and Edmond L. Soliday, vice president of corporate safety, quality assurance, and security for United Airlines.
The Bendix Trophy was awarded from 1931 to 1962, with the exception, during World War II, of 1940 to 1945. It was last awarded for the flight of the General Dynamics B-58 Hustler bomber that flew from Los Angeles to New York at an average speed of 1,043 knots.
Rolls-Royce is sponsoring the Mustang Operations and Preservation Society as a means of protecting the historical place of the P-51 Mustang. The group estimates that only 150 of the original 14,501 P-51s are still flying. See the group's Web site for details ( www.MustangOPS.com).
Cessna Aircraft is building a 74,000-square-foot Engineering Static Test Facility at Cessna's Prospect complex in Wichita. It will house the equipment and staff needed to perform cyclic tests on all types of Cessna aircraft, including single-engine models, Caravans, and Citation business jets. Hydraulic, air, water, and computer-controlled systems are used to simulate actual flights much faster than possible under field conditions.
VisionAire Spirit concept becomes a twin
VisionAire has upgraded its proposed single-engine Spirit jet to a twin-engine model. A VisionAire official said that the engine manufacturer, Williams, wants one million hours of experience on its FJX-2 engines now in development before allowing them to be used in single-engine models, which would add two years to Spirit development.
VisionAire had hoped to build a Spirit prototype by next summer, but that schedule appears too bold at present, an official said. Attendees at AOPA Expo '98 encouraged the company to proceed with plans.
Stellar Airpark, a new fly-in residential community featuring a 4,000-foot paved runway, has sprouted in Chandler, Arizona. Lots have been designed for a private hangar in the rear, with taxiway access. Lots range in price from $155,000 to $305,000. For more information, call 602/994-4663.
Czech Aircraft Works in Borsice, Czech Republic, has modified a Zenair STOL CH 701-Ag aircraft for agricultural spraying. The aircraft uses controlled-droplet atomizers and operates from floats or wheels. The takeoff roll is less than 100 feet at gross weight. The all-metal aircraft was introduced in 1986 by Chris Heintz. For information, see the Web ( www.zenithair.com).
Denver-based corporate jets bring relief to Honduras
Several corporate jets based in the Denver area were dispatched to deliver relief supplies to survivors of hurricane Mitch in flood-ravaged Honduras.
Donations by Denver-area individuals and corporations raised the funds needed for the November 14 airlift consisting of three Learjet 35s, a Falcon 20, and a Challenger 600 that carried some 9,000 pounds of food and medical supplies to Honduras.
Sino Swearingen is expecting the first five fuselage-and-wing sets for the new SJ30-2 business jets to be delivered to the company in San Antonio starting early this year. They will be built by Gamesa Aeronautica in Spain. Three will be used for flight testing, while two will be used in static testing. Subsequent aircraft will be assembled at a newly completed plant in Martinsburg, West Virginia.
Brazil's Ministry of Aeronautics has certificated the Aviat Husky A-1A in that country. "Given the vast expanses of undeveloped country in Brazil and the fact that many landing sites are little more than rough clearings in the bush, the Husky is ideally suited for many operations in South America," Aviat President Stu Horn said. The company said that it will make a "significant" number of deliveries in Brazil during 1999. The new aircraft has completed flight tests on floats, skis, and tundra tires.
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