Dan Rice, chairman of Transystems, says mishaps are preventable results of human error that can diminish productivity, balloon operating costs and, in the most extreme, jeopardize lives.
The pilots of Air Sweden 294 lost control while at FL 330 due to several things but most particularly to confusing EFIS information following the failure of the left-side inertial reference unit.
This year's NBAA Schedulers and Dispatchers Conference, Feb. 7-10 in Fort Worth, is expected to draw more than 2,800 schedulers, dispatchers, pilots and exhibitors.
In the world of business aviation, getting there safely and efficiently is the product of many partnerships, most notably those of schedulers, dispatchers and pilots.
Three recent government reports—one commissioned by the architects for FAA change and two by the stalwarts of the status quo—will fuel battles over ATC privatization efforts.
The pilot shortage is real and growing and that means the professional pilot force is “out there,” doing the job at hand. It would be tragic if the best and brightest of those were too busy flying to mentor the next generation.
Ed Bolen believes total control of the ATC system is the force majeure behind the airlines' long-held wish to create and dominate an air traffic control corporation supported by user fees. For several decades, some of the big airlines have tried to seize control of the ATC system and the revenues that fund it, the NBAA president and CEO told BCA. "We believe that they want to use that control for their exclusive benefit."
The price for admission into today's FAA-run ATC system is a tax schedule that varies by category of activity. The airlines pay through a combination of taxes—the Passenger Facility Tax, per-takeoff fee and a 4.3 cents/gal. fuel tax. General aviation is divided between turbine and piston, with the former taxed 21.9 cents/gal. and the latter assessed 19.5 cents/gal. of avgas.
During an ATC privatization attempt 13 years ago, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association staunchly opposed the move. In the current campaign, it seems the union has changed its stance to support a privatized system.
For as little as $10 million, you can buy a Legacy 650, an aircraft that can fly eight passengers from London to New York, Beijing to Moscow, Singapore to Sydney or Sao Paulo to Miami.
By William Garvey, Jessica A. Salerno, Molly McMillin
With more than 400 letters of intent in hand for its new Model 505 Jet Ranger X, Bell Helicopter is working fast to convert those into purchase orders, after the five-seater was awarded type certification by Transport Canada in late December.
By William Garvey, Jessica A. Salerno, Molly McMillin
It looks like the gap in Embraer's business jet lineup—an entry in the ultra-long-range category—will not be filled any time soon. Speaking to an editorial roundtable of Aviation Week Network editors in Washington in December, Paulo Cesar de Souza e Silva, president and CEO of the Brazilian aircraft maker, said a recent assessment of the marketplace revealed that the Legacy 450 and 500 “can cover 98.5% of the business jet missions in the world.
By William Garvey, Jessica A. Salerno, Molly McMillin
Piper Aircraft has received a type certificate for its single-engine M600 from Transport Canada, so the company now can deliver the aircraft to the Canadian market.
By William Garvey, Jessica A. Salerno, Molly McMillin
Triumph Aerostructures has initiated litigation against Bombardier to recover $340 million in additional development costs incurred by a redesign of the Global 7000 wing. In response, Bombardier planned to sue Triumph for losses resulting from the program's two-year delay.
