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Magazine Issue

The Weekly of Business Aviation, December 1, 2014

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Regulatory/Legislative

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R&D, Bonus Depreciation Talks Draw White House Opposition

Dec 01, 2014
White House officials are opposing a potential agreement by congressional leaders to either extend or make permanent a number of expired tax breaks, including bonus depreciation, the research and development (R&D) credit and small-business expensing. Reported early last week, the negotiations mark a compromise between the House—which is pushing to make some of the tax breaks permanent on a piecemeal basis—and the Senate, which has drafted a straight, two-year extension on about 50 different measures.
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Watchdog Slams FAA For Failure To Overhaul Management Structure

Dec 01, 2014
The U.S. Transportation Department’s (DOT) Office of Inspector General says the FAA has not achieved “large-scale efficiencies, productivity enhancement and cost savings” made possible by reform measures approved by Congress over the past two decades.

Intelligence

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Canada Safety Board To Investigate Air Taxi Ops

Dec 01, 2014
Concerned that the air taxi sector accounted for 65% of all commercial aviation fatalities over the past 10 years, the Transportation Safety Board (TSB) of Canada is planning an in-depth “Safety Issues Investigation” on those operations. Announced last week by TSB Chairman Kathy Fox, the study is set to begin in early 2015, and will cover historical data and case studies in Canada as well as accidents and incidents in other countries.

Forecast / Industry Data

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Confidence Increases In Industry Rebound

Dec 01, 2014
Increased light-jet sales activity, improved operations in North America and a continued decline of used-aircraft inventory are increasing confidence that the long-awaited business aircraft recovery is finally arriving. Business jet deliveries have increased 7% through the third quarter, and are expected to end 3% higher for the year, analyst firm J.P.Morgan predicts. This would mark the first increase of more than a percentage point since the downturn began in 2008. In 2013, the industry stabilized with a 0.9% increase, following four consecutive years of decline.
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Business Aviation Flight Hours Improve

Dec 01, 2014
Global business aviation flight hours are inching up on the strength of an uptick in the Middle East, South America and Europe, according to hourly cost maintenance provider JSSI. JSSI’s Business Aviation Index tracks business aircraft flight hours by region, industry and aircraft. In the third quarter, global flight hours edged up 2%, and through the first three quarters business aviation activity is up 2.2%.

Airframers/Suppliers

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Cirrus Flies Second Conforming Vision Personal Jet

Dec 01, 2014
Cirrus has flown the second conforming-prototype Vision SF50 personal jet as it aims for certification and first delivery in late 2015. Aircraft C1 flew for 45 min. from Duluth, Minnesota, on Nov. 25. C1 joins the first certification flight-test aircraft, C0, which first flew in March and has logged some 220 hr. over 150 flights. A third aircraft is expected to join the test program in the near future, Cirrus says.
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Chenevert Departs In UTC Leadership Shift

Dec 01, 2014
Louis Chenevert, the architect of the biggest aerospace and defense (A&D) acquisition ever and a driving force behind Pratt & Whitney’s geared turbofan (GTF) engine, has stepped down as chairman and CEO of United Technologies Corp. (UTC). Gregory J. Hayes, UTC’s chief financial officer, is replacing him as CEO. Edward A. Kangas, a member of UTC’s board, will become non-executive chairman.
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Mil Moscow Flies Updated Mi-171A2 Helicopter

Dec 01, 2014
Russian Helicopters has begun flight testing the Mi-171A2 medium helicopter, the latest iteration of the long-lived Mil Mi-8 equipped with new engines, rotors and glass-cockpit avionics. Developed by the Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant, the Mi-171A2 is powered by two digitally controlled, 2,400-shp Klimov VK-2500PS-03 turboshafts, replacing the Mi-8/17 family’s 2,200-shp TV3-117s.

Airports

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FAA Rules LAX Cannot Restrict Overnight Departures

Dec 01, 2014
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) may not restrict Stage 3 aircraft from departing to the east, or over the city, during overnight hours, FAA ruled. The vast majority of LAX departures take off the ocean, but occasionally pilots of heavy aircraft—mostly bound for Asia—ask instead to depart to the east. Nearby residents have complained, and Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) sought FAA’s permission in 2013 to ban over-city departures between midnight and 6:30 a.m.

Operations

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Bristow Prepares Contingency Plan For Delayed AW189s

Dec 01, 2014
LONDON – Helicopter operator Bristow Group confirmed it purchased two AgustaWestland AW139s as part of a contingency plan against delays in certification of the search-and-rescue capable AW189. The two aircraft were built by AgustaWestland in Italy as concerns grow about the availability of the new, intermediate heavy AW189 to service Bristow’s so-called Long SAR contract with the U.K. Department of Transport.

Air Traffic Management

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FAA Creates Three-Phase Plan To Improve ATC-Outage Response

Dec 01, 2014
FAA, pledging to reduce air traffic control outage-contingency response times from “days to hours,” created a three-phase plan that includes making better use of current options and leveraging NextGen capabilities for more rapid reactions.

Research/Development

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Romania’s ARCA Enters Commercial UAV Race

Dec 01, 2014
FAA, pledging to reduce air traffic control outage-contingency response times from “days to hours,” created a three-phase plan that includes making better use of current options and leveraging NextGen capabilities for more rapid reactions.

Business Aviation Briefs

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Drug/Alcohol Testing Rates To Stay At Minimums in 2015

Dec 01, 2014
FAA is maintaining minimum random drug and alcohol testing percentages in 2015, after the industry in 2013 once again remained well below the positive-rate thresholds, as it has for decades. Federal law requires randomly testing a minimum of 25% of employees in safety-sensitive roles for drugs and 10% of them for alcohol. To qualify to test at these minimum percentages, the prior year’s testing should yield a test-positive rate for drugs below 1% and below 0.50% for alcohol.
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Paradise To Build LSA In U.S.

Dec 01, 2014
Paradise USA, a Brazil-based light-sport aircraft manufacturer, is leasing a 5,000-sq.-ft. hangar at Florida’s Sebring Regional Airport (SRA) in order to manufacture and distribute its new P1-NG aircraft. The P1-NG is the follow-on to Paradise’s P1, with an added cargo door as well as modifications to improve speed and create more space. The aircraft incorporates a NASA-designed wing for enhanced stability.
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Satcom To Provide SmartSky’s New 4G Wireless Service

Dec 01, 2014
Paradise USA, a Brazil-based light-sport aircraft manufacturer, is leasing a 5,000-sq.-ft. hangar at Florida’s Sebring Regional Airport (SRA) in order to manufacture and distribute its new P1-NG aircraft. The P1-NG is the follow-on to Paradise’s P1, with an added cargo door as well as modifications to improve speed and create more space. The aircraft incorporates a NASA-designed wing for enhanced stability.
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Stevens Teams With LoPresti On Landing Lights

Dec 01, 2014
Stevens Aviation is joining with LoPresti Aviation to offer high-intensity discharge (HID) landing lights to Stevens customers who operate King Airs, Beechjets, Learjets, Citations, Gulfstreams and other aircraft. The HID “BoomBeam” provides 500% more light and has a five-year, 5,000-hr. warranty. The lighting systems are engineered specifically for each aircraft type and carry a Supplemental Type Certificate and Part Manufacturing Approval.
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Astronics Unveils New EVS

Dec 01, 2014
Stevens Aviation is joining with LoPresti Aviation to offer high-intensity discharge (HID) landing lights to Stevens customers who operate King Airs, Beechjets, Learjets, Citations, Gulfstreams and other aircraft. The HID “BoomBeam” provides 500% more light and has a five-year, 5,000-hr. warranty. The lighting systems are engineered specifically for each aircraft type and carry a Supplemental Type Certificate and Part Manufacturing Approval.
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Winner Aviation Becomes Newest Avfuel Dealer

Dec 01, 2014
Fixed-base operator Winner Aviation is expanding its offerings by joining the Avfuel Corp. dealer network. As a result, Avfuel-branded programs—including Avtrip rewards and jet fuel-savings program Avfuel Contract Fuel—will be made available at Winner’s Ohio base at Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport. Winner this is incorporating Avfuel’s training and systems. To celebrate the partnership, Winner Aviation will offer triple Avtrip points on qualifying services through year-end.
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Argus Adds To List Of Certified Charter Brokers

Dec 01, 2014
Argus added Transplant Transportation Services, Inc. to its initial list of certified brokers. Argus’ certified charter broker program rolled out earlier this year, The broker completed the evaluation process to win certification. Argus awarded its first rating in October to Apollo Jets, followed by Stratos Jets in November. Transplant Transportation Services is the first medical program to achieve the rating. Based in Petaluma, California, the broker specializes in transportation for organ transplant teams.
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ExcelAire Expands Gulfstream Fleet

Dec 01, 2014
ExcelAire added another Gulfstream to its growing charter fleet, this one being a GIV-SP that can seat 18 passengers. Based at Long Island MacArthur Airport (ISP) in New York, ExcelAire operates a range of light, medium, supermid and heavy jets. It is the anchor charter and management company for Hawthorne Global Aviation Services, which is a growing chain of fixed-base operations.

Airworthiness Directives

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AGUSTAWESTLAND

Dec 01, 2014
AGUSTAWESTLAND Model AB139 and AW139 [Docket No. FAA-2014-0971; Directorate Identifier 2014-SW-055-AD; Amendment 39-18035; AD 2014-24-02] – supersedes AD 2014-07-51 for Model AB139 and AW139 helicopters with certain main rotor (M/R) rotating scissors installed. AD 2014-07-51 required repetitively inspecting the M/R rotating scissors for play of the lower half scissor spherical bearing and removing the bearing if there was play beyond allowable limits. AD 2014-07-51 also required removing all affected bearings.

Appointments

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BRIAN GOODSITE

Dec 01, 2014
BRIAN GOODSITE was promoted to manager of FlightSafety International’s Cessna aircraft maintenance training center in Wichita, Kansas. Goodsite joined FlightSafety in 2005 as an instructor and later became supervisor of maintenance training. He most recently was regional director of regulatory affairs for maintenance training, managing the regulatory approval process for the company’ training programs and overseeing quality and compliance.
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NORAH LENARDIC

Dec 01, 2014
NORAH LENARDIC was named vice president of management sales and client services for Executive Jet Management. Based in Chicago, Lenardic will oversee the Midwest territory. She brings 25 years of Part 91 and 135 experience to her new role, including helping launch and manage corporate shuttles, working with patient transfer and organ procurement programs, facilitating aircraft acquisition, obtaining commuter authority and managing operations.
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DAVE RICHTER

Dec 01, 2014
DAVE RICHTER was appointed vice president of management sales and client services for Executive Jet Management, Richter is joining EJM from a large aircraft brokerage firm, where he managed aircraft sales and acquisitions in the Northeast. He previously worked for the CitationAir division of Cessna Aircraft and has served with Smith Barney and Magnum Portfolio Management.
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MICHAEL STOLARZ

Dec 01, 2014
DAVE RICHTER was appointed vice president of management sales and client services for Executive Jet Management, Richter is joining EJM from a large aircraft brokerage firm, where he managed aircraft sales and acquisitions in the Northeast. He previously worked for the CitationAir division of Cessna Aircraft and has served with Smith Barney and Magnum Portfolio Management.
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PATTI SULLIVAN

Dec 01, 2014
PATTI SULLIVAN was named vice president of management sales and client services for Executive Jet Management. Sullivan will be based in Boston and focus on the Northeast states. She has more than 20 years of corporate aviation finance experience, beginning with Key Bank’s aircraft finance group. She also has served as an aviation finance specialist at Textron Financial Corporation, DaimlerChrysler Capital and Aviation Resource Group International.

Calendar of Events

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Upcoming Events

Dec 01, 2014
Upcoming Events Dec. 4-5—2014 ACI-NA International Aviation Issues Seminar, Washington, D.C., http://aci-na.org/event/3222 Dec. 8-10—MEBA, Dubai World Central, Dubai, UAE, www.meba.aero Dec. 9—Positioning The U.S. Airline Industry For Success, Washington Hilton, Washington, D.C., http://thefutureofaviation.alpa.org