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Hawker Summer 2002
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No Static Plate Irregularities
— Roy Olsen
When performing service bulletins 34-3110, -3166, -3381 and- 3216 to bring your Hawker 800/800xp/1000 series up to RSVM requirements, be prepared to have the nose of the aircraft repainted. These service bulletins state that the surface in the vicinity of the static plates must be free of all irregularities.
Any skin joints that do not fall within the measurements must be faired in with aerodynamic filler, including the avionics door seams. The static plates can have no damage to them and they must not be painted even on the chamfer. The mounting screws should be flush with the plate. If they are below the surface, they may be the wrong screws or it could be that the right screws have been tightened too tight, pulling the head of the screw down into the static plate. If the screws are below the surface, they must be filled in with aerodynamic filler. If the screws are flush, the coin slots do not have to be filled. Also, the static plates cannot be a certain height above the skin. If the static plates are too high, they must be removed and the Proseal must be removed from the skin and static plate and reinstalled using a thinner coat of Proseal. It then needs to be measured again.
Cabin Communications
— Clark Gordon
On Sept. 1, AT&T Wireless (Claricom) will no longer offer air-to-ground telephony (flight fone) service to general aviation aircraft. The telephony system hardware was sold by Bendix/King as the Flight Fone 800, FF800. Though there are no direct "plug and play" replacements for this system, there are several alternatives, such as Teledyne MagnaStar, AirCell AGT.02, Aero M/Aero I, Iridium or AirSat 1.
Questions to consider are: Is one independent channel enough or will you require two? Is domestic coverage (North America) enough or will you require international coverage? Will you want the new system to interface with an existing system, SatCom, Universal Un-Link, AFIS, etc.?
Improving AFIS Coverage
— Jim Wheaton
If your flights often take you into VHF AFIS reception-less territory, you might consider a satellite AFIS add-on transmitter/receiver. Satellite AFIS can be connected to an existing AFIS DMU with its own satellite antenna or utilize an existing satellite telephone system. Using these systems, satellite AFIS uses cost-effective packet data and the Aero C satellite system to deliver constant AFIS communication. In oceanic regions and on the ground at airports far from VHF AFIS stations, satellite AFIS is a reliable means of sending/receiving text messages, flight plans and weather anywhere around the globe.
Pulse Light Modifications
— Joe Austin
Precise Flight has developed a control box which can be hooked into the tail logo lights and will then cycle in sequence with landing and recognition lights. It is a six channel unit, model number 2401. This box can also take input from the TCAS controller; this allows the unit to operate the pulse light system when a TCAS advisory is displayed, with the intent of making your aircraft more visible during the advisory.
The new control box is the same size as the original, so structural modification to the airframe is not required. Wiring changes are made using wiring prints available through Precise Flight and approved under a 337 document.
One of the benefits of the pulse light system has always been the "soft start" that it gives to the bulb when commanded to illuminate. This "soft start" function helps extend the life of the bulb.
Pulse light switches may need to be added or changed to a different style on the instrument panel if you do not already have the system installed.
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