Business & Commercial Aviation

South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley recently signed a bill removing a 6% sales tax on maintenance performed on general aviation aircraft in the Palmetto state. The tax exemption takes effect on Jan. 1, 2016. There are 37 certified repair stations in the state, but many had been losing out on work as operators took their aircraft to Georgia, Florida or Arkansas to avoid the tax, supporters said. The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association backed the bill. In the doing, South Carolina became the 21st state to pass such an exemption.

Rockwell Collins has announced a series of updates to its ARINCDirect Flight Operations System, including the ability to integrate with new tools and the launch of a new vendor alliance charter management program. The FOS release features a more intuitive, mobile-friendly, touchscreen user interface for tablets and smartphones. It also provides access to flight-risk assessment and fatigue-risk-management tools through the Pulsar Infomatics Aviation Fatigue Meter suite and the SAFE tool developed by Fatigue Risk Management Science Limited.

In July, the Lincoln, Nebraska-headquartered business aviation maintenance and modification company reported joining the Robotic Skies network to service “the emerging commercial unmanned aircraft fleet.” “Duncan Aviation has always been in the forefront of new industry trends,” said Don Fiedler, the company’s Business Development for Avionics and Instruments, adding, “We see a promising and growing future for unmanned aircraft systems.” With service centers located throughout North America, South America, Australia, New Zealand and

Magnum Aviation, Sun Air Jets Now Signature Select Members

Bombardier Business Aircraft’s 19th annual Safety Standdown USA, scheduled for Oct. 6-8 in Wichita, will focus on pilot distractions and practical applications of attention control techniques. Distractions are among the most serious threats to aviation safety, according to the NTSB. Accordingly, the program is intended to help aviation professionals recognize sources of distractions and ways to disconnect from them to avoid problems.

Sixteen years after delivering its first production aircraft, Duluth, Minnesota-based Cirrus Aircraft is celebrating its 6,000th customer delivery of a new Cirrus aircraft “Our customers, partners and employees are rightfully proud of this amazing accomplishment,” said Dale Klapmeier, cofounder and CEO of Cirrus Aircraft.

VistaJet has increased its in-service business-jet fleet to 50 aircraft. All are Bombardier business jets. The milestone will be achieved in June when VistaJet takes delivery of a Global 6000 ultra-long-range aircraft, the company said. The growing fleet reflects VistaJet’s increasing global expansion, said Thomas Flohr, VistaJet founder and chairman.

Texas-based FreeFlight Systems has received FAA Supplemental Type Certificate and Approved Model List certification for its ADS-B systems,which are ready for shipping and installation. The systems are approved for installation in more than 400 light general-aviation aircraft. The RANGR Lite systems are available as an ADS-B Out only system for $1,995, and as an ADS-B In/Out system for $3,695. The price includes built-in WAAS/GPS, ADS-B and GPS antennas, an install kit, control head and/or Wi-Fi module if needed.

If you happen to operate a Meyers/Aero Commander 200 — unlikely, since fewer than 130 were built during its production run from 1959 to 1967 — there’s been an encouraging development. GlobalParts.aero, an Augusta, Kansas, parts manufacturer, has acquired the type certificate for the four-place single piston aircraft from its owner in Texas and plans to support the fleet with spare parts. “This opportunity came out of nowhere,” GlobalParts Vice President Malissa Nesmith said.

In its recent market outlook, Embraer predicts deliveries of 6,350 jets in the 70-to-130 seat category over the next 20 years.

It’s worked on the Pacific coast, so why not on the Atlantic coast as well? That’s the thinking of the team that founded Surf Air, the growing commercial operation that provides scheduled PC-12 service among various California business aviation airports to its members.

Thales is taking the helmet out of the helmet-mounted display and bringing Top Gun technology to the business jet world. Less than three years after acquiring an innovative line of helmet-mounted displays (HMD) from U.S. helmet-maker Gentex, Thales is offering the same technology for applications ranging from civil helicopters and business jets to the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor stealth fighter, including an a entirely new head-worn display called TopMax. The basic Scorpion combat HMD is already flying on U.S.

Bombardier Aerospace has received type certification for the Challenger 300 and Challenger 350 business jets from the Unidad Administrativa Especial de Aviacon Civil (UAEAC) of Colombia, the country’s Civil Aviation Authority, the company said. The Challenger portfolio is gaining strong momentum in Latin America, company officials said. And Colombia is a growing market in the region.

Boeing Business Jets has launched its BBJ MAX 9 large cabin, ultra-long-range business aircraft with an order from an undisclosed European customer. It’s the fifth firm order for a Boeing Business Jet (BBJ) MAX aircraft. Boeing has previously booked four orders for the BBJ MAX 8 model. The first order was announced in 2014. “We are thrilled to announce that the BBJ MAX 9 program is officially launched with our first BBJ MAX 9 order,” Boeing Business Jets President David Longridge said.

Elliott Aviation, based in Moline, Illinois, has gained FAA supplemental type certificate for the activation and use of all Gogo Business Aviation Wi-Fi products in Embraer’s Phenom 300. The STC also allows for operation of Gogo’s UCS 5000, an all-in-one smart router and media server. The service includes the Gogo Vision cabin entertainment system. Gogo Vision is an on-demand, inflight entertainment system for business aviation to provide movies, TV episodes, news, weather, flight progress and other information. Elliott is an authorized Phenom 100 and 300 service center.

Portland, Maine-based MAC Air Group broke ground at Portland International Jetport for a new 43,000- sq.-ft., full-service operation.

Learjet’s new turbine engine development “plans” are not much more than thought radiations from Bill Lear’s fertile mind. The company has no such program for study, research or building a mock-up or model of a jet engine. Utility, flexibility and ease, of control make the Hiller SL4 one of the best all-around vehicles in the small reciprocating engine helicopter field. Vision from the front-centered seat is excellent in all directions.

Bell Helicopter’s all new Model 525 Relentless is flying.

Aircraft operating costs are presented in a format that separates the data into seven separate areas: Mission Costs, Variable Costs, Fixed Annual Costs, Periodic Costs, Personnel Costs, Training Costs and Facilities Costs. Aircraft Category

When maintenance managers gather and the talk turns to their work woes, the subject of rules and regulations inevitably comes to the fore. It seems as though technicians spend more effort complying with precautions than turning wrenches.

Aviation Research Group/U.S. is a specialized aviation services company whose mission is to provide the aviation marketplace with data and information necessary to make informed decisions and manage risk. We provide software and business management solutions, including AVMOSYS business management software, TRAQPak, CHEQ and ARMOR SMS. TRAQPak provides market intelligence data and research services as well as expert aviation consulting. Subsidiaries include ARGUS PROS, a provider of on-site safety audits and PRISM, a leader in Safety Management Systems (SMS) and certification services.

The NBAA has a great resource for hangar safety compliance that includes OSHA checklists and guidance for developing an effective safety program. In addition to safety resources, the NBAA has guidance for developing a procedures manual and implementing effective management programs. To learn more visit http://www.nbaa.org/ops/safety/hangar/

On twin-engine propeller-driven aircraft where both engines turn counter-clockwise, such as the Fairchild Metro SA227, the right engine is considered critical. (In twins with clockwise-turning props, the left engine is critical.) The down-going propeller blade has a larger angle of attack than the up-going blade and produces more thrust. For engines that turn counter-clockwise, the down-going blade is farther from the aircraft centerline for the left engine than for the right engine.

On twin-engine propeller-driven aircraft where both engines turn counter-clockwise, such as the Fairchild Metro SA227, the right engine is considered critical. (In twins with clockwise-turning props, the left engine is critical.) The down-going propeller blade has a larger angle of attack than the up-going blade and produces more thrust. For engines that turn counter-clockwise, the down-going blade is farther from the aircraft centerline for the left engine than for the right engine.

June 29 — About 1944 Hawaiian standard time, a Short Bros. SD3-60 (N221LM) sustained minor damage following a gear up landing at the Kalaeloa Airport [John Rogers Field] (JRK) Kapolei, Hawaii. The airplane was registered to and operated by Trans Executive Airlines of Hawaii Inc. The ATP-rated pilot and the Commercial-rated pilot, the only occupants of the airplane, were not injured. It was VFR but an IFR flight plan was filed for the flight check flight that originated from Honolulu International Airport, Honolulu, Hawaii at about 1850.