Turbo Cessna 182 has engine out during flight testing at night
Two Cessna Aircraft test pilots landed in the dark in a wheat field on November 15 after the engine on their prototype Cessna T182T Skylane failed.
The pilots took off at 6 a.m. from Cessna's Pawnee facility in Wichita and landed in the field located southeast of Atlanta, Kansas, about 20 minutes later after the engine quit, said a Cessna spokeswoman. There was no structural damage to the aircraft, and there were no injuries. Cessna is currently investigating the cause of the engine failure. There is no word yet whether it will delay development of the new model. The spokeswoman said that the airplane will be flown again as soon as the cause is determined and a new engine is installed.
The T182T was introduced last year as part of an updated Skylane line that offers speed improvements, refined interiors, and updated avionics.
Pilot to attempt new record
Texas pilot Bruce Bohannon, who set a 6,000-meter time-to-climb piston-engine record on November 5 in his Exxon Flyin' Tiger, has announced a new record attempt for this year.
The attempt is set for April in Lakeland, Florida, during the Sun 'n Fun EAA Fly-In. Bohannon hopes to maintain horizontal flight at nearly 35,000 feet. The current record of 33,732 feet was set in 1984 in Bonn, Germany. The record will require modifications to the aircraft that Bohannon says are secret for now. The aircraft competes in the C-1.b class for piston-engine aircraft weighing between 1,102 and 2,205 pounds.
Bohannon's 370-horsepower piston single-engine aircraft now holds time-to-climb records for 3,000, 6,000, and 9,000 meters. He reached 6,000 meters (20,000 feet) in November with an unofficial time of 6 minutes, 37 seconds.
The aircraft is powered by a Mattituck Aviation IO-555, a highly modified version of the Lycoming IO-540 C4B5 engine. — Alton K. Marsh
Crippled Skyhawk lands safely after midair
A Cessna 172 safely landed at West Houston Airport, Texas, following a midair collision on November 26 with a Cessna 150. The impact left one-fourth of the 172's right wing hanging down and knocked off the right main landing gear.
The aircraft were flying at 2,000 feet in good visibility, NTSB officials told The Houston Chronicle. The pilot of the Cessna 150, 36-year-old Don Lee of Katy, Texas, crashed after a wing was severed from his aircraft by the impact. He died as a result of the crash. His airplane went down beside Interstate 10, just outside of Katy. The pilot of the Cessna 172, Diana Orendorff, spotted the Cessna 150 approaching from behind her left shoulder just before the impact and pulled her aircraft into a climbing right turn.
Following the impact, her aircraft entered a clockwise spiral dive. Aircraft owner Ed Oppermann then took control, recovered from the dive several hundred feet above the ground, and landed at West Houston on one wheel. The 172 skidded from the runway onto the grass before coming to a stop. Before landing, Oppermann had contacted the airport, declared an emergency, and pinpointed the wreckage location of the Cessna 150 so that rescuers could reach the scene.
Neither Orendorff nor Oppermann was injured in the accident, which occurred about 5:15 p.m. local time. Oppermann was able to turn the aircraft only in one direction during the 10-mile flight to West Houston Airport. — AKM
General aviation airport receives new kind of runway surface
The Savannah-Hardin County Airport (SNH) in Tennessee is the first general aviation airport in the nation to receive a new type of runway surface called ultra-thin white topping.
The four-inch-thick concrete overlay was installed on the 38-year-old, 5,000-foot asphalt runway earlier this year, giving it a whitish appearance. It's an especially welcome sight for IFR pilots when they break out of the clouds and see a big white landing surface amid green fields. Airport officials found that it was more expensive than an asphalt overlay but less expensive than a total reconstruction, according to a report by the American Concrete Pavement Association.
However, the asphalt was expected to crack, requiring a new asphalt overlay in 10 years. Airport officials expect the robust concrete surface to last 25 years, the ACPA report continued. The runway has already won awards and is being studied by the government and other airports.
Superior Air Parts to remain independent
Superior Air Parts Inc. plans to remain an independent company after a deal to sell it to Aviall Inc., a global parts distributor, fell through.
Under the agreement, Aviall would have bought Superior for $43 million in cash. But since Aviall wasn't able to secure the necessary financing commitments within the specified time, the board of directors of Superior terminated the purchase agreement, said James P. Wilson, chairman of the board for Superior. The company plans to continue its growth with products such as the certified Millennium preowned engine, the XP-360, and other programs. Superior Air Parts, headquartered in Dallas, manufactures and distributes FAA-approved parts for piston-powered general aviation aircraft.
Adam Aircraft opens factory
Adam Aircraft Industries completed a research and development center and manufacturing facility in Englewood, Colorado, in December.
From its new 50,000-square-foot facility, the company will begin manufacturing prototypes of the Adam 309, a six-seat, pressurized, in-line twin-engine carbon-composite airplane designed by Burt Rutan. The aircraft is slated for production in 2003. It will be powered by two Continental TSIO-550 engines, one in the nose and one in the tail. The company claims a cruise speed of 220 knots, with an economy cruise of 190 kt and a range of 1,500 nm. For more information, see the Web site ( www.adamaircraft.com).
Squawk Sheet
Lycoming has completed training of personnel at qualified service centers in several states and Europe to replace defective engine bearings in 300 Piper Malibu Mirage aircraft. The connecting rod bearings are replaced without removing the engine from the aircraft. Engine bearings in the Lycoming TIO-540-AE2A were the subject of two special advisories last year. The replacement bearings have greater weight-bearing capacity. The New Piper Aircraft Company established a 24-hour telephone hotline for its Malibu Mirage owners at 877/879-0275, extension 2990. Piper officials said that they have serviced a quarter of the 300 affected aircraft, and have paid out nearly $40,000 in alternative transportation funds to inconvenienced customers.
Links to the full text of these proposals and rulemakings can be found on AOPA Online ( www.aopa.org/pilot/links/2001/links0101.shtml).
Premier jet hits more snags
Raytheon Aircraft's Premier I business jet program has once again been delayed because of holdups in the certification process. In a November 15 Securities and Exchange Commission filing, Raytheon Company, the aircraft company's parent, disclosed that the jet would not receive FAA certification by the end of the year—it marks a setback of more than two years from the original schedule.
The company, meanwhile, has recorded an increase in aircraft sales, $2.4 billion in the first nine months of this year compared to $2.1 billion over the same period in 1999, according to the filing. Earlier this year it was revealed that Raytheon plans to sell its aircraft unit in Wichita, but no one has stepped up to the plate yet to pay the reported $4 billion asking price. Company officials and several potential buyers have refused to comment to Pilot about the sale. To read more about Raytheon, search under keyword "Raytheon" on the SEC's Web site ( www.sec.gov/cgi-bin/srch-edgar).
When John Goodwin heard John King's voice, he knew right away that he had won a new Cessna 172 Skyhawk. Goodwin was one of about 250,000 pilots who had entered the tenth annual King Schools' Take-Off Sweepstakes. The drawing took place July on 15. Goodwin, a 25-hour student pilot from Norwalk, Ohio, entered the contest after he ordered a product from King Schools.
Tiger plant opens
Officials recently celebrated the opening of a factory designed to turn loose a streak of Tigers.
After several years of construction, Tiger Aircraft Company LLC opened the 50,000-square-foot plant in Martinsburg, West Virginia, that will employ nearly 200 workers. By building the plant at the Eastern West Virginia Regional/Shepherd Airport, company officials said that they will be able to tap into 60 percent of the country's population.
Tiger plans to build 70 of the revived classic single-engine, four-place airplanes—first produced by Grumman and later by American General—during its first year of production. Sen. John D. Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) was among those at the ribbon cutting on November 13. The factory is located in a technology center that bears the senator's name. For more about Tiger, see the Web site ( www.tigeraircraft.com).
The Olin Corporation has been honored for the art of not making noise. The company, a Cessna Citation X operator, was one of 18 companies presented with the Spirit of Noise Abatement award by the Westchester County (New York) Noise Abatement Office. The company had a flawless record for abiding by the airport's voluntary program to avoid operations between the hours of midnight and 6 a.m. The awards are based on data collected from a radar system and from resident complaints.
Eagle Aircraft taps U.S. flight schools
Sales of the Western Australian-made Eagle 150 two-seat airplane have taken off in the United States with an order for 24 aircraft. The sale was made to the company's Kansas-based dealer, HGL Aero.
The airplane is manufactured at the company's plant, located south of Perth, Australia. Eagle Aircraft CEO Nor Manshor Ghafar said that the order represented the first of an ongoing stream of dividends resulting from the company's efforts to have the 150 model certified by the FAA early last year. "Our research shows that the number of student pilots in the United States is expected to grow from about 90,000 to 140,000 over the next 10 years, which gives us a sound basis for ongoing replacement and new aircraft sales, particularly in the training market," he said. For more on the Eagle, visit the Web site ( www.eagleair.com.au).
One company is offering people a new way to fly even though it doesn't own any airplanes. Called eBizJets, the company has access to a network of 1,400 Part 135 jets that it contracts with to fly passengers. The company says it provides the flexibility of a fractional jet operation but without the cost of ownership. Seats are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week on light to heavy jets. For more information, see the Web site ( www.ebizjets.com).
U.S. Aerobatic Team readies for meet
Normally, world aerobatic competition occurs only once every two years, but this isn't a normal year.
To synchronize the World Aerobatic Championship with the World Air Games, the WAC will take place two years in a row. It took place last August in Muret, France, and will take place again at the World Air Games in southern Spain from June 14 through July 1, 2001. More than 5,000 air athletes and officials from 80 countries will compete in the Olympics-style event.
In addition to the WAC and World Aerobatic Glider Championship, the World Air Games will host competition in sports ranging from paragliding to ballooning. The U.S. Unlimited Team, the top level of competition, won bronze medals (men's and women's teams) at the WAC in France, and will return as an experienced team to compete in Spain. The team is practicing intensively under the supervision of team trainer Sergei Boriak. — AKM
Flying to Nassau, Bahamas? The trip to the capital city will soon be safer, and there will be fewer delays thanks to a new radar system. The Minister of Aviation of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas has awarded a contract to Northrop Grumman Corporation for the air traffic management system at Nassau International Airport. The company has installed 134 of the ASR-9 radars for the FAA and the U.S. Department of Defense, as well as 18 systems for international customers. Officials expect to have the initial phase of the system operational by August.
IFR DA40 receives European certification
Diamond Aircraft has received Joint Aviation Authorities certification for its IFR-equipped DA40 four-place, single-engine aircraft. Diamond officials expect FAA certification to be granted under international agreements by March 31.
The company claims a cruise speed of 147 knots at 75-percent power. Economy cruise is 120 kt. Production of the $185,000 (IFR-equipped) aircraft has begun, and 100 deliveries are expected this year. In addition, Diamond received "Design Organization" status in Europe, meaning faster certification of future Diamond models. Diamond is one of only two companies in Europe with that status. To learn more about the JAA, visit the Web site ( www.jaa.nl). To learn more about Diamond Aircraft, see the company's Web site ( www.diamondair.com).
Signature buys Ranger Aerospace
The world's largest FBO will acquire a major airline services company in a $152 million deal. Signature Flight Support Corporation has offered to buy Ranger Aerospace Corporation's stock, including the repayment of its debt.
Ranger is the parent company of Aircraft Service International Group Inc., headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, which serves the airlines. Signature is a wholly owned subsidiary of BBA Group of London, and concentrates on business and commercial aviation. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2001. "This combination brings together two of the largest and most respected names in the aviation services industry," said Steve Townes, president and CEO of ASIG and the founder of Ranger.
AOPA members in the news
Dorchen Forman, AOPA 546447, of Siwash Enterprises, has released a video, 88 in 88, which documents the longest civilian in-trail formation flight ever staged. The formation consisted of 163 Cessna 120s and 140s, which took off from Monticello, Iowa, and flew to Oshkosh. The video includes pilot interviews and a rundown of many of the 120s and 140s still flying in the United States. Forman has also published The Cessna 120/140 Storybook, which compiles more than 50 stories by pilots who have enjoyed these airplanes. The video sells for $10 and the book is $30. Proceeds go to the International Cessna 120/140 Association. For more information, contact Siwash Enterprises, 690 North Fairview Avenue, Goleta, California 93117, and include $4 for shipping; California residents add $2.33 sales tax.
Flying a 30-year-old Polen Special, Richard Keyt, AOPA 1130111, won the sixth annual Copperstate Dash Air Race in October. Keyt beat 27 other aircraft in the race, covering 304 nm in one hour, 13 minutes, and 18 seconds, giving him the course record speed of 249 knots. The race is sponsored by Aircraft Spruce and Specialty.
Michael Petridis, AOPA 1241156, Rob McKee, AOPA 1413286, and Bill Kingsley, AOPA 712098, of Dallas, Texas, have started VIP Jets LLC, offering fractional ownership, long-term leasing, and aircraft management on light, midsize, and large cabin aircraft. The trio has more than 40 years of combined aviation experience. Currently, VIP Jets is based at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport but plans to expand to McKinney Municipal Airport. Over the next five years, the company plans to build its fleet to more than 30 aircraft.
Najeeb E. Halaby, AOPA 780649, of Washington, D.C., was presented the Engen Trophy by the Aero Club of Washington in October. The Engen Trophy, named after the late Adm. Donald Engen, is given to an individual, team, or organization for lifetime achievement in aviation or a single event or series of events that reaffirms the Wright Brothers' standard of excellence in aviation. Halaby served as principal aviation adviser to President John F. Kennedy and was administrator of the FAA from 1961 to 1965. He was CEO of PanAmerican World Airways from 1969 to 1972.
Kenneth E. Gazzola, AOPA 629055, executive vice president and publisher of Aviation Week, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, has been named a board member to the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum.
Thomas Schellinger, AOPA 613374, has been named vice president of airline programs at the University of North Dakota (UND) Aerospace Foundation. Schellinger is a retired pilot for Northwest Airlines and has acted as an adjunct instructor at UND and St. Cloud College in Minnesota.
Roger Nutter, AOPA 531136, has been named to the newly created post of training systems manager for King Schools' Cessna Pilot Centers. There are nearly 300 Cessna Pilot Centers located across the country.
Jonathan Bent, AOPA 611091, has been named president of DeVore Aviation Corporation of America in Albuquerque. DeVore Aviation designs, manufactures, and supplies a line of exterior and interior aircraft lighting systems, composite and metal structures, and visual guidance systems for airports and heliports. Bent brings 30 years of aviation experience to the company.
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