It Was 50 Years Ago Dave Esler does an excellent job describing and analyzing the various jet card options in “Dealing Cards” (October 2014, page 72 ), and the reasons for their emergence as a popular option among turbine aircraft users. But the “jet card” was born much earlier than the 1999 Sentient or 2001 Marquis card — or even the mid-1980s charter broker “reminder card” as recalled by Fred Gevalt.
Garmin has received approval for its angle of attack (AOA) system for a range of general aviation aircraft. Garmin has begun shipment of the systems, which comprise a GI 260 AOA indicator, GAP 26 angle of attack probe and GSU 25 air data computer. The GI 260 AOA indicator provides audible and visual alerts as the aircraft approach stall angle of attack. The system corrects for weight, g-loading, density altitude and airspeed, providing a higher level of accuracy than lift reserve indicators. The system is priced beginning at $1,499.
Houston-based Galaxy Aviation is planning to add another facility at William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) after the Houston City Council approved a lease over the objections of existing airport tenants. For Galaxy, the FBO would be its third location since owner Black Forest Investments bought the original facility in late 2012. Black Forest has since increased its reach in the Houston market with the addition of a heliport in North Houston.
Bell made the first Model 429 Wheeled Landing Gear (WLG) sale in Europe and the aircraft will also be outfitted with the first Bell 429 MAGnificent luxury cabin interior created by Italy-based Mecaer Aviation Groug (MAG). The Bell 429 is the first helicopter certified through the MSG-3 process, resulting in reduced maintenance costs for operators.
Daher-Socata handed over its first TBM 700 single-turboprop aircraft upgraded with the Garmin G600/GTN 750 glass cockpit avionics. The retrofit project replaces mechanical equipment and first-generation cathode ray tube electronic flight displays. The Garmin G600 upgrade includes liquid-crystal primary flight display (PFD) and multi-function display (MFD) in a single 10-in. bezel.
Cessna’s Citation Latitude is getting another performance boost after flight trials demonstrated that the aircraft can fly farther and take off from shorter runways than promised. Cessna is changing its specifications to boost long-range maximum cruise to 2,700 nm, 200 nm more than previously promised. Takeoff distance is also now projected at 3,668 ft., compared with the previous 4,030 ft. The improved parameters mark the third performance bump that Cessna is giving the Latitude.
