Nihad E. Daidzic, Ph.D. ATP, CFII, MEI, CFIG Professor of Aviation and Mechanical Engineering (Minnesota State University Mankato, Minn. )
Regarding “Cause & Circumstance” (December 2013), two pilots needlessly died primarily due to lack of proper training and understanding of multiengine airplane control and performance during dynamic asymmetric-thrust operations. In order to regain control, the airplane performance must be first sacrificed. Pilots just did not have enough altitude for that tradeoff, sadly only 20 seconds from touchdown.
Atlantic Aviation has reached a deal to acquire five fixed-base operations from Galaxy Aviation for $195 million. Atlantic Aviation parent Macquarie Infrastructure Company plans to fund the acquisition, which is expected to close in the first quarter of 2014, through a combination of cash, proceeds of an equity offering and a credit facility. The acquisition will provide Atlantic Aviation with a foothold in Florida, where it currently does not operate any facilities.
Cockpit automation is here to stay, and will probably increase in the future. Automated cockpit systems have contributed significantly to improvements in safety, operational efficiency, and precise flight path management, all welcome developments. Unfortunately accidents continue to point out vulnerabilities attendant to automation as well.
Zenith Aviation, a Fredericksburg, Va.-based marketer and distributor of Dornier 328 parts, has significantly increased its inventory with the purchase of Dornier 328 jet assets from Comtran and Jetran International. The assets include two Dornier 328-310 heavyweight jets, six Pratt & Whitney 306B engines, two sets of Dornier 328-310 heavyweight landing gear, a complete 12-seat executive interior, and more than 2,000 line items of rotable parts .
Keith Plumb, president and COO of regional fractional ownership provider Executive AirShare, added the title of CEO on Jan. 1. Plumb is succeeding Bob Taylor as part of a succession plan that began in early 2013. Taylor, who has been chairman and CEO, will become chairman emeritus, focused on various sales and business development projects. Taylor, who turns 67 shortly, jointly founded Executive AirShare with Plumb in 2000 in Wichita.
Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association has scheduled a series of six regional AOPA Fly-Ins and an “ AOPA Homecoming ” in Frederick, Md. The fly-ins will include a town hall meeting with association President Mark Baker, who will discuss industry issues and association initiatives. The events will also include educational and safety seminars, aircraft displays and exhibits , flying activities and clinics. The events will include a return of AOPA 's annual Frederick Fly-In on Oct. 4 that will feature a celebration of the association's 75th anniversary.
The FAA recently selected six operators to conduct civil unmanned aircraft system (UAS) research: The University of Alaska, the State of Nevada, New York's Griffiss International Airport, North Dakota Department of Commerce, Texas A&M University, and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. University of Alaska Fairbanks leads a multi-state team that includes Hawaii and Oregon with a total of 14 test ranges among them. Nevada's test resources include airfields and special-use airspace in sparsely populated areas.
Priester Aviation, Wheeling, Ill., hired William (Bill) L. McNease as vice president and director of Flight Operations. Kevin Brink was named sales director, North American Sales responsible for sales in Alaska, Alberta, British Columbia, Hawaii, Nevada eastern Oregon, Saskatchewan and Washington. Scott Clarey joined the company as sales director, North American sales for Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico and Utrak. He is based in Tempe, Ariz.
Honda Aircraft's new customer service facility in Greensboro, N.C., has received FAR Part 145 certification. Opened in October 2013, the facility is initially cleared for component-level repairs, but Honda expects to expand the approvals to cover heavy aircraft maintenance and major services repairs this year. The facility is also the base for Honda's customer service organization and will provide warranty administration; service programs sales and administration; provide 24/7 technical support and training; and develop technical publications.
Biggin Hill Airport, London, appointed Robert Walters as director. He spent seven years as business development manager for the airport and will continue to lead sales and marketing but will also manage customer service.
Jan. 6 — At 0700 EST, a Mooney M20R (N1046L) collided with trees and terrain about 1 mi. east of the Boyne City Municipal Airport (KN98), Boyne City, Mich. The private pilot and the passenger on board were both fatally injured. The airplane was heavily damaged from the impact and a post-crash fire. The airplane was registered to Chair Covers Leasing, Inc., and operated by the private pilot. The purpose of the flight is unknown at this time. It was VFR for the flight and an IFR flight plan was filed.
Raisbeck Engineering's Swept Blade Turbofan Propellers are now being delivered after their FAA certification covering the entire King Air C90 and E90 family. When added to the Raisbeck EPIC Performance Package for the C90/E90 aircraft, the Swept Blade Propellers deliver performance increases across the board, according to Raisbeck. The EPIC Package is priced at $99,864 plus installation and includes Raisbeck Dual Aft Body Strakes and FAA-Approved Airplane Flight Manual Supplement.
In April 1997, the American Airlines Flight Academy produced a seminar on the hazards of automation dependency, particularly the perils of attempting to reprogram flight management computers in time-sensitive, high workload environments.
Milestone Aviation Group, Richard Santulli's Dublin-based helicopter leasing company, recently announced it had closed on an unsecured $200 million revolving credit line. That increases its unsecured borrowing capacity to $450 million and revolving borrowing capacity to $800 million.
The FAA will keep its minimum random drug and alcohol testing percentage rates the same for calendar year 2014, testing at least 25% of covered employees for drugs and 10% for alcohol, the agency has determined. The decision, set to be formalized in a Federal Register notice, is made each year based on full-year testing results from the last full calendar year. If positive test rates exceed 1.0% for drugs or 0.50% for alcohol in a year, FAA must boost the percentages of employees tested.
Tips and insights from a veteran By AC-U-KWIK's Consulting Editor, Alain George, [email protected] Private/corporate operators with aircraft registered in an ICAO-contracted state do not require prior permission to overfly/land in the U.K. However, there are Customs re–quirements that apply according to your point of departure or destination:
Gulfstream Aerospace 's service center at London Luton Airport in the U.K. recently received European Aviation Safety Agency approval to perform maintenance on the Gulfstream G280.The facility earned similar EASA approval for Gulfstream 's G650 last year. The G280 entered service in November 2012, followed by the G650 in December 2012.
Highly advanced cockpit automation, particularly full-function FMS, can reduce pilot workload and increase the flight crew's time available to manage all cockpit resources. Just program the FMS, twist the knobs and push the buttons on the flight guidance panel and you're ready to go. After takeoff, clean up the aircraft, engage the autopilot, sit back, manage the automation and enjoy the trip. Just watch the airplane follow the magenta line on the PFD until you're on final landing approach.
I just finished “A Classic Accident Chain” (Cause & Circumstance, December 2013) and have a completely different perspective. I think its should be retitled, “Don't leave well enough alone!!”
John Adler Adler, Murphy and McQuillen (Chicago, Ill. )
“Serving Up Liability” (Point of Law, January 2014) was a good article. I'm also aware of airline liability under the old saloon keeper liability (dram shop liability in Illinois). Airlines were sued for accidents involving over served passengers after they got off the plane. I'm aware of a suit some years ago wherein an intoxicated passenger wandered out into the “Bloody Bayshore” in San Francisco and was killed; his estate sued the airline. Keep up the good work!
A decade after Congress mandated that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) adopt new repair station security rules, the agency is finally issuing them and effectively lifting a five year ban on certification of new foreign repair stations. In that time, the number of repair stations awaiting FAA certification had grown to more than 90. The final rule applies to some 4,700 Part 145 FAA-certified repair stations. But in a major concession to both industry wishes and general practicality, not all of its elements apply to every facility.
Greenpoint Technologies has been tapped by an undisclosed customer for a second time to outfit a Boeing 787 Dreamliner with a VIP interior. The Kirkland, Wash., outfit says it spent five years learning about the airplane and visiting the nearby Boeing plant in preparing to work on the new model. Now 25 years old, Greenpoint works on Boeing aircraft exclusively. The company provides all-encompassing completion service including in-house engineering and design to manufacturing and installation of VIP interiors.
Wheels Up, the membership-based private aviation company founded last summer, remains “slightly ahead of plans” with 150 members signing on in its first few months of operation and finishing the year with nine aircraft in service, says founder and CEO Kenny Dichter. The company launched with a firm order for 35 Beechcraft King Air 350s and options for up to 70 more, the largest commercial order ever for the twin turboprop aircraft.“We're just getting started,” says Dichter, who believes the company is on pace to top 250 members shortly.
Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), Frederick, Md., named James W. Coon as senior vice president of Government Affairs and Advocacy. He will be based in the Washington office where he will manage the association's advocacy team on issues including medical certification, FAA funding and avgas alternatives.
Next month the FAA is expected to issue a draft request for proposals for private companies to operate the agency's 252 contract control towers for the next five years. The current contract expires in September. The towers use a civilian workforce to handle operations at visual flight rules airports in the U.S., Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam and Saipan.
