I have been reading B&CA since the dawn, and admire your work. I have flown out of Bedford, Massachusetts (BED) for well over 40 years and am exposed to the jungle drums and tribal lore. The May 31 Gulfstream GIV accident ( Intelligence, July 2014, page 16) was horrific and brings to mind our flight instructor mantra of breaking the accident chain.
While I always enjoy your Fast Five columns, I noted a couple of glaring errors/misstatements by International Council of Air Shows President John Cudahy (June 2014), namely: 1. “. . . no North American air show spectator has been killed in over 60 years.” How about the P-51 crash at Reno, Nev., on Sept. 6, 2011, that killed the pilot and 10 people on the ground (I was there), or the F-86 departure crash into a Sacramento, Calif., ice cream parlor on Sept. 24, 1972, that killed 22, including 12 children?
Light plane and business jet shipments increased across all categories in the second quarter of 2014, according to the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA). A total of 592 aircraft were delivered by GAMA members in the period, up 5% from the 567 shipped in the same period last year. As a result, billings inched up from $5.723 billion in second quarter 2013 to $5.739 billion in the most recent quarter.
The TBM 900 has been reviewed recently in all of the major publications. As is unfailingly the case, Fred George’s “TBM 900” pilot report (July 2014, page 36) was the most thorough, informative, accurate and unvarnished. You are the best in the business.
The General Aviation Manufacturers Association named Jonathan Archer director of engineering and airworthiness. Archer brings 24 years of aviation industry experience to his new role, formerly serving as an associate with Booz Allen Hamilton where he provided support to both the FAA and Joint Planning and Development Office. There he helped facilitate a pilot study involving safety management systems for FAR Part 21 design and manufacturing organizations as well as on NextGen air traffic management initiatives.
The FAA is taking the next step toward a rewrite of FAR Part 27 and Part 29 standards, planning to establish an international “forum” to look at possible changes to the standards for helicopters. The agency in February 2013 solicited comments on potential interest for realigning the standards, including whether the weight- and passenger-based thresholds should be re-evaluated. Part 27 is currently restricted to helicopters with a maximum weight of 7,000 lb. or nine or fewer passenger seats.
Richard Aarons’ column about Asiana Airlines Flight 214 and the NTSB’s recommendations ( Cause & Circumstance, August 2014, page 68) was well done and his takeaway spot on. There were many elements to this accident; the NTSB had a lot on its plate and shared it around. Fatigue (it was 3 a.m. body time for the crew), automation and manual flying skills are significant topics.
“Preserving Value” (August 2014, page 62) was well-written and informative. However, I don’t believe the basic premise is correct. I would not want to work for a company that thought the flight department’s most valuable asset was an airplane.
Textron’s Lycoming Engines report work underway on as many as 25 aircraft engine integration projects for general aviation, most of which are outside of the U.S.
Gulfstream Aerospace, Savannah, Georgia, named Thomas Anderson director of product support for the facility at Long Beach Airport in California. Responsible for overseeing operations at the service center. He has served with Gulfstream since 2002, most recently as director, final phase operations, for the G550 and G450 in Savannah. Anderson has also served as a senior manager, final phase operations for the G550 and G450; senior manager, final phase; manager, premium furniture woodshop; and manager final phase.
L-3, New York, New York, announced that Kevin Weiss has become vice president-human resources He was senior vice president-human resources for L-3 Aerospace Systems. B&CA
Barfield, Phoenix, Arizona, appointed Johann Panier chief executive officer. Panier formerly spent 12 years with Air France Industries, where he held a number of positions, including head of department for equipment and engine purchasing, head of external repairs and head of major projects for AFI KLM E&M business development. He has also served with Dedienne Aerospace.
One notable application of Continental’s CD-155 diesel will be in the Cessna 172. Cessna Aircraft unveiled the Skyhawk JT-A at AirVenture 2014. It will join the Turbo Skylane JT-A, which is undergoing certification testing now.
Beechcraft and Cessna Aircraft combined to post a $28 million profit in the second quarter of 2014, marking a turnaround from the $50 million loss that Cessna had reported independently in the second quarter of 2013. The Beechcraft acquisition and a more than 75% increase in jet deliveries helped
The long-standing requirement for non-professional pilots to hold at least a third class medical could be coming to an end. Two years ago the Experimental Aircraft Association together with the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association petitioned the FAA to exempt recreational pilots from the requirement, and the agency responded this past April that it would consider rulemaking to substitute a driver’s license in place of a medical certificate. That process is advancing.
