Area residents have formed the Los Angeles Area Helicopter Noise Coalition, which is seeking to improve their quality of life by reducing helicopter noise in their communities, without compromising safety. Their website claims a commitment “to partnering with local neighborhoods and working with appropriate government agencies, helicopter pilots and operators, and other entities to enhance the environmental quality of our neighborhoods today and for future generations.”
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Mary Eisenhower, granddaughter of Dwight D. Eisenhower, was in Wichita on Jan. 26 for the unveiling of a new logo and the official launch of the new name of Wichita Mid-Continent Airport. T he airport is now the Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport, named after the 34th U.S. president. “We were thrilled that she (Mary Eisenhower) came” for the event, said Victor White, director of airports. The new logo and name comes as the airport is constructing a new, state-of-the-art terminal building in Wichita.
The Guimbal Cabri G2, a French-designed, piston-engine light helicopter, has been certified by the Federal Aviation Administration. The Cabri — designed by former Airbus Helicopters engineer Bruno Guimbal — was awarded the certification on Feb. 3 after a 16-month program which included a study of the aircraft’s operations documentation and flight tests, the company said. It comes eight years after the helicopter was granted certification by the European Aviation Safety Agency in December 2007.
Gogo Inc. will bring ATG-4 air-to-ground connectivity technology to business aviation, the company announced. ATG-4, which is currently on more than 650 commercial aircraft, will be available for business aviation through an equipment package called ATG 8000. First shipments are expected in April. The ATG 8000 will give passengers a significant increase in connectivity speed when compared to other Gogo business equipment packages. At the same time, Gogo is on track for record aircraft installations overall this year.
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.
Bipartisan legislation called the Pilot’s Bill of Rights II that would expand the third-class medical exemption and protections for pilots and airmen was introduced in Congress Feb. 25. The civil helicopter industry is facing a "volatile, challenging market" in 2015, an analyst says. NetJets Aviation has signed a five-year agreement with the FAA to implement NextGen projects.
The Piston Aviation Fuel Initiative, a joint industry-government partnership, could result in a technically feasible and economically viable unleaded avgas.
If pilots and flight departments don’t study accident, incident and air safety history, drilling down into the root causes of these events, they’re then destined to repeat the same errors.
Growth of membership-based private air travel company Wheels Up is on schedule, according to CEO Kenny Dichter. Plus, SRC Aviation is the first compnay to receive International Standard for Business Aircraft Handling (IS-BAH) certification.
Los Angeles International Airport was the airport searched the most in January 2015 for charter arrivals, according to an analysis of Air Charter Guide Worldwide Trip Builder data. Four airports tied with the same number of searches as charter departures.
If you fly circling approaches in the U.S. on a regular basis and train in a simulator, then you know that what you learn in the box has very little to do with what you need to do in the airplane. We all know the “Memphis Localizer Runway 27, Circle to Runway 18R” is not likely to happen in real life.
Penton Business Aviation Network staffers share their reactions to the 2015 NBAA Schedulers & Dispatchers Conference and the record number of attendees who participated.
The agreement will extend the life of the Bell 214 and supports a licensing agreement for Erickson to make, buy and distribute Bell 214 part numbers, Bell said.
Business aviation trade groups plan to work with Congress on FAA reauthorization, NextGen, certification reform and other issues during the 2015 session. The FAA has revised its sleep apnea policy. Gogo Inc. says it will bring ATG-4 air-to-ground connectivity technology to business aviation.
Business aviation flight activity in 2014 was the highest since 2008, according to Argus TraqPak data. Cessna Aircraft rolled out its first production Citation Latitude on Jan. 29. NetJets will begin a voluntary Flight Operational Quality Assurance (FOQA) program for all of its Signature Series aircraft.
The number of accidents in 2014, considering both U.S.-registered business jet and turboprop aircraft, decreased from 49 in 2013 to 38 as did fatal accidents 23 to 15, which decreased from 61 to 47. However, business jet accidents increased from 12 to 16 and fatalities 17 to 26 with a high percentage occurring in the corporate/executive pro-flown category where 19 fatalities occurred in three fatal accidents.
Many business jets have the capability to climb quickly into the mid-40 flight levels and cruise far above most weather. It can be tempting to sit back, enjoying the generally clear skies at these altitudes and taking relief that the weather below us can’t hurt us.
On Nov. 28, 2005, the flight crew of N691TA, a Raytheon Beechjet 400A en route from Indianapolis International Airport (IND) to Marco Island Airport (MRK), Florida, had just commenced a descent to FL 330 from FL 380 when they heard a loud pop from the right engine followed 10 sec. later by a loud pop from the left engine. Cockpit power indications for both engines quickly decreased and the pilots stated that the rpm indications for both engines showed 0 rpm. That last part is interesting because one would assume and hope the engines would continue windmilling.
