Bronte Marshall, chief pilot at Oakland-based KaiserAir Inc., urges flight crews to be flexible in spotting relief flight crews on long overwater missions. That advice is based on hard experience involving a crew exchange that wound up being complicated by an unforeseen weather event.
On Thursday, March 5, a technical problem with our enewsletter program caused the March 10 issue of B&CA Digest to mail prematurely. We apologize for the confusion and inconvenience. The true newsletter will mail on Tuesday, March 10.
It is a given among pilots universally that they must not let their aircraft alight or roll upon any surface not strong enough to support it. That goes for the runway, the ramp and everywhere in between. (Just because you were able to taxi it there, it doesn’t mean you’ll be able to taxi it back out.)
When possible, avoid noise-sensitive areas. Try to utilize high ambient noise routes such as freeways or unpopulated routes such as waterways. Follow published noise abatement procedures. When flying near noise-sensitive areas, maintain an altitude as high as possible. It is also recommended to fly at or somewhat below normal cruise speed when flying over noise-sensitive areas. Airspeeds above normal cruise dramatically increase the objectionable High Speed Impulsive (HSI) sound qualities.
There was a time when cars would disintegrate before wearing out. The mild steel body panels would go from the striking die to chassis with little or no surface treatment. Paint and primer were the main defenses against rust, and if you lived in the cold and salty northern climes, body rot was almost guaranteed. Eventually consumer dissatisfaction took hold and the automakers determined that it would be in their long-term self-interest to build cars that did not dissolve into piles of red dust.
Looking for more advice on corrosion control? FAA Advisory Circular AC 43-4A — [Large AC] Corrosion Control for Aircraft is a good place to start (or restart) learning about protecting your aircraft from corrosion. Like most Advisory material, it is a bit dated, but it still provides good information. Go the the FAA website: http:// www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/advisory_circulars/ and either enter he AC number or search for corrosion.
FlightSafety International is building its fourth full-flight simulator for the G650. It will be available at FlightSafety’s Learning Center in Wilmington, Delaware, in early 2016. The new simulator will feature tightly integrated computer hardware and software across subsystems to allow for more accurate and higher fidelity simulation than found in other current and previous simulators, the FSI said.
NetJets Europe flew the first Phenom 300 into London City Airport after receiving certification to operate the light aircraft from the airport, it said. NetJets is the largest private operator at the airport, with 50% of all traffic, according to NetJets. It connected to 374 destinations around the globe from London. More than 53% of its European customer base comes from the London finance sector, it said. Last year, 41% of its new business in Europe was generated in the financial industry.
Cessna Aircraft rolled out its first production Citation Latitude midsize business jet at its Wichita production facility on Jan. 29. The unveiling comes three years after the all-new midsize $16.25 million business jet was introduced.
Business aviation flight activity turned in its best year since 2008 last year, according to ARGUS TraqPak data. Flight activity last year increased 2% overall from 2013, it said. The largest single year-over-year increase was recorded by small business jets flown by fractional companies. Activity increased 23.6% last year in that category over 2013, ARGUS said. Activity in large cabin jets flown under Part 135 had the second largest gain at 9.4%. Turboprop activity by fractional companies experienced the biggest drop, with flights last year down 29.8%.
Spending on private jet charter activities increased 15% in 2014 over 2013, according to New Flight Charters. The average amount spent per charter rose from $14,841 in 2013 to $17,068 in 2014, it said. The average includes all charter activity and aircraft types, from piston aircraft through heavy and long-range private jets. Midsize jet activity increased 18.8% year over year and heavy jet activity nearly doubled, the company said. The data is from more than 750 U.S.
TriState Careflight, which offers critical care transport services, is teaming with Baldwin Safety and Compliance, based in Hilton Head, South Carolina, to enhance and grow its safety management system. TriState offers services in Arizona, New Mexico. Colorado and Nevada. TriState, based in Bullhead City, Arizona, operates 27 fixed-wing and rotary aircraft and employs 380 people. TriState’s collaboration with Baldwin underscores its commitment to the most efficient and safest emergency medical service organization possible, the company said.
After languishing in storage in Toulouse for the last several years, the world’s first and only VVIP Airbus A380 has been retired. Airbus removed the aircraft from its order book in late 2014, ending speculation over if and when the giant aircraft would ever become the “Flying Palace” it was once intended to be. Airbus says it does not know what will happen to the aircraft, which was the third prototype.
Keystone Holdings has signed an agreement with Universal Weather and Aviation to acquire Air Service Hawaii, an FBO with six locations in Hawaii. Under the deal, Air Service Hawaii will retain its branding and identity. The acquisition also includes a long-term preferred FBO/handler agreement with Universal to provide Universal’s customer base with quality service when they visit Hawaii.
Bombardier has unveiled plans to raise new financing as Pierre Beaudoin steps down to be replaced as president and CEO by outsider Alaine Bellemare, the former head of United Technologies Corp.’s (UTC) Propulsion & Aerospace business. The moves are intended to reassure investors who are increasingly concerned that Bombardier will run out of cash as it funds development of the delayed CSeries narrowbody aircraft, and upcoming Global 7000/8000 large business jets while sales of its regional airliners remain under pressure.
Industry Week has chosen Cessna Aircraft’s Mexico factory as its 2014 Best Plants winner. Industry Week notes that the factory completed more than 250 continuous improvement practices, or “kaizens,” and has solved crucial problems in complex processes. Cessna has also simplified the machining process to improve cycle time and lowered required inventory levels with improved safety for the operator, it said. Cessna employs 800 people at its Mexico facility.
Piper Aircraft, based in Vero Beach, Florida, has introduced the single-engine Meridian M500 with upgraded avionics and other improvements. The aircraft features the Garmin G1000 avionics with a dual 10-in. PFD, a 12-in. MFD and a GFC700 autopilot with an enhanced flight control system. The $2.26 million aircraft includes Electronic Stability Protection that helps prevent stalls, spins, steep spirals and loss-of-control conditions and discourages aircraft operation outside the flight envelope.
Quest Aircraft Co., based in Sandpoint, Idaho, delivered 30 Kodiak turboprop aircraft last year and launched several product enhancements and upgrades. Deliveries last year were up from 28 Kodiaks delivered in 2013 and 15 shipped in 2012, according to data from the General Aviation Manufacturers Association. “ We continue to increase our production and deliveries of the Kodiak as the market rebounds and demand for a versatile product like the Kodiak grows,” Sam Hill, Quest Aircraft CEO, said. The company signed an agreement on Feb.
Delta Private Jets turned in a record 2014 in revenue and fleet growth, and is growing in all its business units, the aircraft charter, aircraft management and jet card company said. The company, a subsidiary of Delta Air Lines, recently added six aircraft to its managed aircraft fleet, including two Citation CJ2s, a Citation CJ3, a Learjet 75, a Citation X and a Hawker 4000. The additions bring the company’s managed fleet to 64 aircraft. Jet card sales were up 17% last year.
World Fuel Services, based in Miami, has added four FBOs to its network.YU Lounge at Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport in Basseterre, St. Kitts & Nevis in the Caribbean; Jet Center Curacao at Hato International Airport in Willemstad, Curacao; and Ecuacentair at Mariscal Sucre International Airport in Quito, Equador have signed with the company’s network. With the additions, the Air Elite Network has 37 locations worldwide.
Landmark Aviation has acquired the assets of Island City Flying Service, a fixed base operator at Key West International Airport. The expansion into the Key West market complements Landmark’s south Florida locations, the company said. Landmark began operations in the former Island City Flying Service facility on Feb. 1. The FBO’s services include a lounge, flight planning areas, hangars and an executive conference room. Customs and immigration services are also available, it said.
Jet Aviation Zurich, a fixed base operator, handled the majority of the aircraft and delegates passing through Zurich International Airport on their way to the recent World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The provider handled 582 aircraft movements and 1,485 passengers. Jet Aviation Zurich brought in additional staff to handle the record number of delegates expected to attend the World Economic Forum, it said. It also added a number of luxury vehicles to its fleet to handle ground transportation requirements for the surge of passengers.
