NTSB investigators took a long look at the human factors elements in the May 15, 2017, loss of a Trans-Pacific Air Charter Gates Learjet 35A and its two crewmembers while attempting an ILS 6 circle to 1 approach in VMC at Teterboro Airport, New Jersey.
The Silvercrest turbofan engine, whose recurring problems caused Dassault to terminate the Falcon 5X program (see page 56) is being tweaked to better meet the needs of its only remaining application, the Cessna Hemisphere.
The recent decision by U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Bill Shuster (R-Pa.) to scrap his idea of privatizing the ATC system was met with relief throughout the business and general aviation communities.
Initial wind-tunnel testing of the Cessna SkyCourier twin turboprop has been completed and Brad Thress, senior vice president-engineering, reported making "outstanding progress" in development of the all-new design.
According to the U.S. Transportation Department Inspector General's Office, evaluations in 2013 and 2014 found that the FAA's Civil Aviation Registry lacked accurate and complete information on pilots and aircraft registered in the U.S., including aircraft owned under trusts.
Airbus Helicopters plans to build a second commercial helicopter, the EC145e, in the U.S. to support the emergency medical services (EMS) market. The company's Columbus, Mississippi, facility will build 25 of the models, following an order from Metro Aviation, an EMS operator and completion firm.
Textron Aviation is halting production of the high-performance Cessna TTx single. Last year, it delivered just 23 units, down from 31 in 2016 and 44 in 2015.
Bell has officially dropped the word "helicopter" from its name. CEO Mitch Snyder explained that the term had become "very confining" but added "this does not mean we are not going to keep building helicopters or tiltrotors."
Bell is equipping its Model 407GXi single-engine light helicopter with Garmin's G1000H NXi integrated avionics suite and powering it with an uprated version of the Rolls-Royce M250 turbine engine.
Air medical transport company Air Medical Resource Group has changed its name to Guardian Flight. Air Medical Group Holdings recently acquired Guardian Flight, which operates a fleet of about 100 fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft in the Upper Midwest, Mountain West, Southwest, Alaska and Hawaii.
XOJet has enhanced its XOJet Elite Access Program, giving guaranteed rates on light and midsize business jets, in addition to its super-mid business jet product.
The U.S. Air Force recently named Nextant Aerospace as a subcontractor to Field Aerospace on the service's T-1A Avionics Modernization Program. The T-1A is a military derivative of the Hawker Beechcraft 400A business jet.
Duncan Aviation's helicopter component repair services business rose 80% in 2017, and the growth is expected to continue through 2018, the company said.
