Aircraft News - North America

AirGuide Business, Sept 1, 2008

Boeing

Boeing's largest union said the most serious points of contention include Boeing's proposals to stop offering early-retirement medical coverage for future hires. The company abandoned an earlier effort to put new workers into a defined-contribution retirement plan rather than the traditional Boeing pension fund. Industry watchers say that, given the company's turbulent history with its workers, a strike is likely. The IAM has gone on strike against Boeing three times in the last 20 years. Its members went on strike for 48 days in 1989; 69 days in 1995; and 28 days in 2005. Also, in 2002, the union rejected Boeing's final offer, but by less than the necessary two-thirds needed for a strike, which meant the contract was accepted by default. Aug 27, 2008

Bombardier

Bombardier is maintaining its prediction that the CRJ1000 will make its first flight by summer's end. The flight test program is expected to take about 590 flight hours up to basic certification, plus about 150 flight hours to support entry-into-service of the 100-seat aircraft. The prototype CRJ1000 was created through the stretch of the CRJ900 test aircraft. Bombardier has 39 firm orders from four customers for the 100-seat aircraft. Aug 27, 2008

Bombardier

A series of incidents involving de-icing fluid ingress into the cockpit of Bombardier CRJ700 and CRJ900 aircraft has prompted the US FAA to propose a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the types. The agency's notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM), which will affect about 254 units, follows Transport Canada's 8 May AD, which was issued following several incidents of shorting and sparks. The FAA explains that de-icing fluid can enter between the windshields and side windows, leading to possible damage to the electrical components and wires as it comes into contact with cockpit floodlight electrical connections. Additionally, de-icing fluid in contact with cockpit floodlight electrical connections can result in possible arcing and fire. Aug 26, 2008

Eclipse Aviation

Eclipse Aviation says it "welcomes" a US Federal Aviation Administration independent investigation into the Eclipse 500's airworthiness certification, a process the company says was "one of the most rigorous" in the agency's 50-year history. The FAA has revealed that it launched a 30-day special certification review of the twin very light jet on August 11, headed by former Boeing safety executive Jerry Mack. The team, including seven FAA independent experts specializing in flight testing, avionics and certification, will investigate issues that include whether ongoing service difficulty reports dealing with aircraft trim, flaps, screen blanking and stall speeds were not adequately addressed during certification.

Aug 28, 2008

Elbit Systems

Elbit Systems is developing eye-tracking technologies in a bid to enhance the field of view of a combat pilot's helmet-mounted display systems. According to Elbit a typical helmet FOV is from 20-40[logical not] and this limits its ability to target weapons if the opposing aircraft is outside that range, although still visible to the pilot. Elbit's solution is to integrate a tracking device into future helmet-mounted systems that directs infrared light to the pilot's eye to track it. The system then detects where the eye is looking by processing the reflection of this light, expanding its targeting field of view by at least 15%, says Elbit. Aug 27, 2008