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Magazine Issue

Business & Commercial Aviation, December 2017

VOL. 113 NO. 12 November 22, 2017

Viewpoint

article

Viewpoint: Baby Boomers

Nov 21, 2017
There are several notable developing aviation trends, including UAVs, electric power, membership clubs and Uber flight. Now, add to that list a resurgent interest and investment in supersonic civilian aircraft.

Readers’ Feedback

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Readers' Feedback (December 2017): Letters To The Editor

Nov 21, 2017
Readers' Feedback (December 2017): Letters To The Editor

Intelligence

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Jet-A And Avgas Per-Gallon Fuel Prices: November 2017

Nov 21, 2017
The tables above show results of a price survey of U.S. fuel suppliers performed in November 2017.
article

Illegal Charters A Growing Problems

Nov 21, 2017
Illegal charter operations are a growing problem in the industry, and more must be done to address that, the National Air Transportation Association said during the Oct. 24 FAA General Aviation Safety Summit in Washington.
article

NetJets Reaches ‘Agreement in Principle’ With Teamsters

Nov 21, 2017
NetJets and Teamsters Local 284 announced on Nov. 6 they had reached an agreement-in-principle regarding a new contract covering the fractional operation's union mechanics, maintenance controllers, aircraft fuelers, cleaners and stock clerks.
article

FAA Proposes $3.685 Million Penalty Against NavWorx

Nov 21, 2017
The FAA has proposed a $3.685 million civil penalty against NavWorx of Rowlett, Texas, for allegedly producing and selling automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast units containing a GPS chip that did not meet the agency's requirements and misrepresenting the products to customers.
article

Windecker Eagle Reborn?

Nov 21, 2017
Its production halted years ago, the Windecker Eagle is soon to be reborn, this time through new owners in China.
article

Reignwood Orders 50 More Bell 505 JetRanger Xs

Nov 21, 2017
Reignwood International Investment Group of Beijing has agreed to purchase 50 additional Bell 505 JetRanger Xs.
article

Priority Aviation Enters Cannabis Business

Nov 21, 2017
Priority Aviation has spun off its subsidiary, Priority One Jets, and is entering the cannabis business with the acquisition of Telluride Health Co.
article

Munich, Moscow Airports Sign ‘Sister’ Agreement

Nov 21, 2017
Munich and Moscow Domodedovo airports have signed a sister agreement to provide an exchange of knowledge for employees and managers at both airports.
article

Boeing Completes Aurora Acquisition

Nov 21, 2017
Boeing completed the acquisition of Aurora Flight Sciences Corp. in early November. The developer and manufacturer of advanced aerospace platforms and autonomous systems, Aurora will operate under Boeing Engineering, Test & Technology as a subsidiary.
article

Astronautics On Track With Airbus Helicopter System

Nov 21, 2017
Astronautics has completed the preliminary design review for its new connectivity platform for the Astronautics Air-Ground Communications System for Airbus Helicopters.
article

Used Turbine Aircraft Sales Declined In September

Nov 21, 2017
The number of pre-owned business jets for sale has declined to 2,225, although it remains a buyer's market, said JetNet, which released September and year-to-date figures on Oct. 30.
article

DC Aviation Al Futtaim Adds Second Hangar

Nov 21, 2017
DC Aviation Al Futtaim in Dubai opened a second hangar on Nov. 12, the first day of the Dubai Airshow.
article

JetCraft Partners With Aerolineas Ejecutivas

Nov 21, 2017
JetCraft has partnered with Aerolineas Ejecutivas to expand its presence in Latin America. The aircraft sales division of Aerolineas Executives will operate as a Jetcraft authorized representative in Latin America, the Caribbean and Latin markets in Florida and Texas.
article

ONE Aviation Cuts Jobs, Transitions To Eclipse 700

Nov 21, 2017
ONE Aviation has laid off most of its production workers as it phases out production of the Eclipse 550 very light jet to transition to the Eclipse 700.
article

ARGUS Adds ADS-B Integration Into Analysis Tool

Nov 21, 2017
ARGUS International has introduced an automatic dependent surveillance broadcast (ADS-B) integration into its aircraft activity analysis and market intelligence tool TRAQPak FBO.
article

Greenpoint Picked For Supersonic S-512 Interior

Nov 21, 2017
Greenpoint Technologies is the choice of supersonic business jet developer Spike Aerospace for its S-512 cabin design, although progress has been pushed to a back burner while Spike is focused on the inaugural flight later this year of its scale aircraft.
article

North American Jet Operations Climb 3.5% In September

Nov 21, 2017
​Business jet takeoffs and landings in North America rose 3.5% in September, Vertical Research Partners reports, using FAA figures. The figure is in line with a year-to-date average increase of 3.5%, although it is lower than the 6% reported in August.
article

CenTex Increases King Air 350 Gross Weight With Halo 350

Nov 21, 2017
CenTex Aerospace is offering increased-gross-weight conversions to the King Air 350 turboprop with a new STC. Final approval is expected this month on the Halo 350.
article

Airbus Sells Vector Aerospace Subsidiary

Nov 21, 2017
Airbus has sold its Vector Aerospace subsidiary, best known for its rotary-wing repair and overhaul work, to StandardAero.
article

New Forecast Sees Business Jet Production Growth

Nov 21, 2017
According to Forecast International, business jet production is expected to total 12,282 aircraft valued at $354 billion from now through 2031. It believes annual unit production will increase to 799 in 2020 from 647 aircraft this year. That figure is projected to slightly decline in 2021 and 2022 due to cyclical economic factors, followed by a quick rebound in 2023. Annual output is then expected to rise steadily to 957 business jets by the year 2030, it said.
article

Astronautics Corp. Work on Avionics Cybersecurity Enters New Phase

Nov 21, 2017
Astronautics Corp. of America is undertaking the next phase of a contract with the FAA focused on developing and validating the methodologies for cybersecurity on core avionics systems.
article

Mercy Flight Medical Firm Adds Bell to Fleet

Nov 21, 2017
Mercy Flight, a nonprofit provider of air and ground medical transport services, has signed a purchase agreement for an additional three Bell 429 light twin-engine helicopters.
article

Esterline, NovAtel Team On GNSS Technology

Nov 24, 2017
Esterline CMC Electronics and NovAtel have formed a partnership to extend their collaboration in Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) positioning technology.
article

FedEx To Add Vision 1000 To Cessna 208B Fleet

Nov 21, 2017
FedEx Corp. plans to add Apparel Systems' Vision 1000, an FAA-certified cockpit recording device, to its fleet of 240 Cessna 208B Super Cargomaster aircraft.

Fast Five

article

Questions For Jet Support Services' Neil Book

Nov 21, 2017
Questions for Neil Book, president and CEO of Jet Support Services Inc. of Chicago.

Cause & Circumstance

article

The Airport Black Hole Trap

Nov 21, 2017
Most pilots have experienced a black-hole approach or departure—a nighttime phenomenon that, if gone unrecognized, can lead to disaster.
article

Accidents In Brief, October 2017

Nov 21, 2017
Selected accidents and incidents in October 2017. The following NTSB information is preliminary.

Safety

article

Immediate Action: What Pilots Need To Memorize

Nov 21, 2017
How often are you required to do something so quickly in your cockpit that you have no time to read your checklist, consult the crew or think? During my years as a U.S. Air Force pilot, I was fed a steady dose of what we called "bold-print" items in our checklists that had to be committed to memory.

Cabin Connectivity

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2017 Cabin Electronics: The Basics Still Matter

Nov 21, 2017
The entire information industrial complex is seeing enormous genuine potential in artificial intelligence, big data and machine-learning.
article

Air-To-Ground Connectivity Activity Continues Unabated

Nov 21, 2017
Action on the air-to-ground connectivity front continues unabated.

Outfitting

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Outfitting Tips: Navigating Your First Completion

Nov 21, 2017
Completion of a business jet is a complex process, and if it’s a maiden voyage for you, it can be just as daunting as sailing the oceans in the time of Elizabeth I.
article

Requiem For A Heavyweight: Associated Air Center To Close

Nov 21, 2017
Associated Air Center to close at year-end. It became a leader in the global-executive, head-of-state and special-mission aircraft modification industry.

Maintenance

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Aircraft Systems Monitoring: Delivering Greater Safety And Efficiency

Nov 21, 2017
Aircraft systems monitoring and reporting is on the cutting edge of the digital age, recording and reporting everything from oil pressure at takeoff compared with the previous 49 takeoffs, to detecting faults in a sensor itself.
article

Rockwell Collins Takes AIM

Nov 21, 2017
Rockwell Collins has taken the idea of proactive aircraft data transfer a step further—in two directions—with its new Aircraft Information Manager.

Personal Perspective

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‘Snap Out of It and Fly’

Nov 21, 2017
Are we not flying manually enough, or are we flying automatically too long? Many cockpits are missing a system or a technique for initiating go-arounds.

Ride-along Report

article

IS&S Autothrottle For The PT6A Is Significant Safety Advancement

Nov 21, 2017
Innovative Solutions & Support's autothrottle (A/T) system, now approved for first-generation Pilatus PC-12 turboprops, is virtually a takeoff-to-touchdown power management system for the Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A.

20/Twenty

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Hawker 750: Operators Say Dispatch Reliability Is Rock Solid

Nov 21, 2017
Hawker 750 operators say dispatch reliability is rock solid, the aircraft is easy to fly and quiet, smooth and comfortable for passengers.

On Duty

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News Of Business Aviation Promotions, Appointments And Honors

Nov 21, 2017
News of business aviation promotions, appointments and honors.

Products & Services Previews

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BCA Business Aviation Product And Service Previews

Nov 21, 2017
BCA shares news of the latest products and services for the business aviation industry.

BCA 50 Years Ago

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Business & Commercial Aviation News From December 1967

Nov 21, 2017
In December 1967, BCA published pieces about the Britten-Norman Islander, Lear Jet 25 and a reason behind a pilot shortage.