Business & Commercial Aviation

Knowing something about the International Civil Aviation Organization is important for all pilots, even those who never fly outside their home country.

Recently appointed to his ICAO position in Montreal, Creamer was director of the FAA’s Europe, Africa and Middle East regional office, located in the U.S. Embassy in Brussels.

Textron Aviation has delivered its 2,500th Cessna Caravan. Accepting the keys to the single engine utility turboprop at ceremonies in Wichita in late September was Jim Rowe, head of Bering Air of Nome, Alaska. The carrier is taking delivery of eight Grand Caravan EX aircraft this year, and retiring an equal number. The aircraft is powered a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-140 rated at 867 shp. Bering’s Caravans operate around the Arctic Circle, hauling people and supplies in temperatures as low as -60F.

The Falcon 8X’s engines are growth versions of the Falcon 7X’s 6,405-lb.-thrust PW307A powerplants, flat rated up to ISA+18.4C.

Embraer is introducing the E2VS, short for Embraer Enhanced Vision System, a two-part package that includes Rockwell Collins’ HGS-3500 compact head-up guidance systems and its new triple-band EVS-3000 enhanced vision sensor. E2VS could be a breakthrough for business aviation.

AAR, Wood Dale, Illinois, announced that Steven B. Harrison has been appointed president of AAR Airlift, which is headquartered in Palm Bay, Florida, and has operations worldwide.

The FAA will abolish 950 jobs by June 30 without a single “layoff,” adhering to a cost-saving mandate from President Johnson. Annual FAA turnover is about 8% , which means 3,200 jobs will be vacated this year, not all of them to be filled.

Readers share opinions on FAA enforcement, twin takeoff performance, safe aircraft refueling.

JFI has grabbed attention for flights into Cuba. An important market?

Corporate Eagle, a small, membership-based fractional and managed business aviation company, has taken delivery of the first of four Falcon 2000s as it expands its fractional fleet.

Piper Aircraft is delivering its first Piper M500 single-engine turboprop to a customer in Poland.

Daher has appointed Exec Aero at Orlando Executive Airport as the TBM service center serving TBM aircraft customers based in Central Florida and visitors to the area.

FlightSafety International said it is adding two Cessna Caravan Level D qualified simulators at its Wichita East Learning Center.

Wheels Up, a membership-based private aviation company, has completed a round of funding that will allow it to establish a base for operations in Europe and enhance the company's technology platform, the company said. With the funding, Wheels Up's valuation is now greater than $500 million.

The recent rebound in used-aircraft sales and generally positive flight-activity figures from major markets bodes well for business-jet aftermarket providers, according to the recently released Aviation Week Intelligence Network Business Aviation Fleet & MRO Forecast.

Bell Helicopter has added Agrarflug Helilift, located in Ahren, Germany, to its network of authorized customer service facilities. Agrarflug Helilift has more than 40 helicopters in its fleet and provides charter services, aircraft maintenance, pilot training and maintenance training. The newly authorized company will provide field maintenance services for the Bell Helicopter 204, 205, 206A/B, 206L, and 212 model aircraft. It will also offer customization and refurbishment services.

Astra, an African flight support company, has signed ground handling agreements with National Aviation Services at Felix Houphouet Boigny Airport, Abidjan, Ivory Coast.

Red Aviation, Georgetown, Texas, has acquired DFW Instrument in Addison, Texas. Founded in 2001, Red Aviation provides parts and services. DFW Instrument provides repairs of flight-critical instrument and equipment repairs to the business aircraft industry.

Spike Aerospace is developing the supersonic Spike S-512 with a maximum cruise speed of Mach 1.8 and capability of taking 18 passengers from Los Angeles to Tokyo in 6 hr. at Mach 1.6.

Universal Avionics in Tucson, Arizona, has completed its second ground-testing round for software changes to support the integration of EFI 890H Advanced Flight Displays in the AS332 Super Puma helicopter, the company said.

OneJet will select an aircraft capable of carrying seven or eight passengers update 1,000 mi. in the fourth quarter and has selected SkyWorks Capital for help in structuring and closing the transaction.

Jet Aviation St. Louis has received FAA approval for the Supplemental Type Certificate for installation of its Future Airspace Navigation System for the Bombardier Challenger 604.

Flexjet and its sister company, Flight Options, will be recognized as a single carrier within its parent company, Directional Aviation, the National Mediation Board ruled on Sept. 30.

Rockwell Collins received an FAA supplemental type certificate for Future Airspace Navigation Systems (FANS) 1/A upgrade for Pro Line 4 avionics-equipped Bombardier Challenger 604 aircraft. With FANS 1/A, Challenger 604 aircraft operators will have access to preferred wind-efficient transatlantic routes to save both time and fuel.

Business-aviation activity remains stagnant in Europe, as a few key markets show modest improvement while Italy and Turkey join already struggling Russia on the list of countries where departures are down.