While the final report on the loss of Aero Commander N690SM had not been released at this writing, it is certain to make mention of controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) accidents. These are incidents in which a properly functioning aircraft is flown under the control of a qualified pilot into terrain (water or obstacles) with inadequate awareness on the part of the pilot of the impending collision.
AOPA, Frederick, Md., announced that Mark Baker is the new president of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. He replaces Craig Fuller, who has led the organization for the last five years.
I was surprised by a letter titled “One Sided” in the September B&CA (page 12) by Steven Twist, a lawyer for Services Group of America . . . and more so, that you even printed it. I read the referenced article, “Command Presence” (Cause & Circumstance, June 2013, page 55), and went over the NTSB documents several times and can find nothing in Dick Aarons' reporting that is even closely one-sided. Instead, I found it to be factual, to the point, and exactly what I expected when I viewed the NTSB report.
AEROBridge, Washington, D.C., has been was warded the National Aeronautic Association's 2013 Public Benefit Flying Award for Outstand Achievement in Public Benefit Flying “for creating a nationwide network of volunteer aircraft owners, operators, FBOS and pilots will to donate their time, effort and funding for the alleviation of the suffering of those in need due to disaster or circumstance.”
Constant Aviation, Cleveland, Ohio, was selected as a 2013 NorthCoast 99 winner as on of the best workplaces in Northeast Ohio. This is two in a row for Constant Aviation.
In August, Beechcraft and Wheels Up, a new members-only air transportation club, announced an agreement for the largest order for turboprop airplanes and services in general aviation history, a deal potentially worth $788 million for the acquisition of up to 105 King Air 350i aircraft along with another $600 million in nose-to-tail support services, including engine reserves, airframe and avionics maintenance, scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, even consumables. The contract is for 35 firm aircraft orders plus options for another 70.
Dallas Airmotive, Dallas, appointed Thomas Kennedy regional engine manager representing all of the company's engine and auxiliary power unit service for customers in the New England area.
GKN Aerospace Transparency Systems has joined the General Aviation Manufacturers Association, raising the trade association's total membership to 84. The unit is a division of GKN Aerospace, one of the world's largest independent first-tier suppliers to the global aviation industry with over 100 years of aerospace experience and 12,000 employees in more than 35 facilities worldwide. GKN Aerospace Transparency Systems designs and manufactures glass, acrylic and polycarbonate transparency systems and tests and certifies cockpit and passenger windows.
The overriding benefit of a head-up display (HUD) system is facilitating the pilot's transition from instrument to visual flight near the ground for landing. What if the aircraft could be landed without “seeing” the ground? Take a look at the picture of a head-down display (HDD), synthetic vision PFD in Figure 1. That presentation would be the same at night, in VFR or in IFR. That image represents the future.
One of the more interesting aircraft projects on the near horizon is in fact a second coming of what was surely one of the most controversial civil aircraft ever certified and produced — the Eclipse very light jet. Inspired by a proof-of-concept aircraft sponsored by Williams International to highlight its EJ-22 engine, the Eclipse project launched in 1998.
Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) is seeking to potentially add one or two more fixed-base operations at Van Nuys Airport (VNY) in California. LAWA, which oversees VNY in addition to Los Angeles International (LAX) and Ontario (ONT), issued a request for qualifications (RFQ) for parties interested in operating an FBO at the airport. LAWA says it anticipates that two FBO areas will be made available — one on a lot that has been vacant for some time and the other on a site that Pentastar Aviation vacated last spring. Both involve parcels of up to 15 acres.
StandardAero secured a three-year agreement to provide Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A engine maintenance, repair and overhaul services for RainAir Aircraft Services. Under the agreement, StandardAero will be the exclusive engine service provider for RainAir, which is based at Albertville Regional Airport in Alabama. StandardAero's facility will perform line and heavy maintenance engine work up to hot section inspection at its Maryville, Tenn., facility and engine overhauls at its Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada shop.
Distractions in the cockpit can have terrible consequences. There are times when pilots can be oversaturated with tasks, alerts and confusing information. There are also times when a flight is so boring that there is a strong temptation to pull out the tablet and lose focus on job number one: flying the aircraft. To help pilots learn about such dangers, the FAA has published an advisory on recognizing and managing cockpit distractions.
I provide supplemental pilot services on Gulfstream IV and V aircraft through May Hill Inc., a Connecticut-based C-Corp. In doing so, along with all the other necessary things involved in providing these services, I must go to recurrent training once per year for each of the two types of aircraft that I operate. As both the owner and the working man (I pay for my training), I feel that the training requirements under FAR Part 91 versus Part 135, as well as the content and the methods used, can certainly use a recasting.
Jet Aviation recently received CAMO certification authorizing the company to manage the maintenance of aircraft registered in Bermuda. For aircraft registered in Bermuda, a CAMO is a mandatory requirement that was implemented in 2010. “With this service expansion, we now have the ability to offer our services to over 700 Bermuda-registered aircraft,” said Don Haloburdo, vice president and general manager of Jet Aviation Flight Services.
Cessna Aircraft completed the first international delivery of its TTx, handing over the fixed-gear single-engine aircraft to a customer in Thailand. Cessna received certification of the TTx in July, marking a return of the former Corvalis program that had suspended production in late 2010. The new TTx is the first aircraft to sport the Garmin G2000 avionics system with a glass cockpit and dual 14.1-in. high-definition displays and touch screen controls.
Cirrus Aircraft has partnered with Lake Superior College to develop and implement an Aircraft Assembly Pre-employment Program, which is part of a Minnesota Job Skills Program Grant for workforce development aimed at recruiting, training and preparing low income individuals for assembly jobs at Cirrus. The grant will fund the program's curriculum development and enrollment for up to 60 participants. Contact SOAR Career Solutions at (218) 722-3126 or [email protected].
Duncan Aviation, Lincoln, Neb., appointed Joe Lacorte regional manger for the southeast region. Before joining Duncan, he served as a field representative for both GE Aircraft Engine Group and Pratt & Whitney Canada.
Garmin is developing aN STC to install the G5000 avionics suite in the Beechjet 400A/Hawker 400XP. The avionics manufacturer hopes to have the STC complete by 2015 and offer the upgrade through its dealer network. The retrofit system will feature three high-resolution 12-in. flight displays along with two touch-screen display/controllers. Pilots will be able to view maps, charts, checklists, TAWS, TCAS, flight plans, weather, and video input. It will be designed for the latest NextGen technologies, including PBN/RNP 0.3 with LPV/APV approach capability and ADS-B.
Directional Aviation Capital plans to operate Flexjet and Flight Options as two distinct entities. While the two fractional operations are competitors, Kenn Ricci, principal of Directional and Flight Options chairman, says the companies will serve different clientele with Flexjet promoted as the “premium brand,” maintaining a fleet of Bombardier aircraft. The company now operates some 88 aircraft, but more are on the way, anchored by an order for 25 Learjet 75s, 30 Learjet 85s, 20 Challenger 350s and 10 Challenger 605s valued at $1.8 billion.
Mike Ward (Award Aviation Consulting Deer Harbor, Wash. )
In reference to the Cave Creek helicopter crash review titled “Command Presence,” (Cause & Circumstance, June 2013, page 56), I totally support your points on command authority. In 24,000 hr. of flying, there have been many times where I have had to work to retain that authority even when it was unpleasant or politically incorrect to do so. The best contribution your article made was to provide an argument for the professional pilot the next time a similar situation occurs.
The aviation community lost two more exemplary members over the summer. Paul Poberezny, the founder of the Experimental Aircraft Association and the creator of the world's largest general aviation air show — AirVenture — passed away at the age of 91 from cancer in Oshkosh, Wis., on Aug. 22. And John Marino, who spent nearly four decades as a FlightSafety International executive at the organization's academy in Vero Beach, Fla., in China, and in Washington, D.C., died on Aug. 16 following a long battle with cancer. He was 65.
Vistajet, the swiss-based block charter outfit is teaming with jet aviation flight services and newly formed Wheels Up to expand into the U.S. Under the agreement, Vistajet will initially base 12 new Bombardier Global jets in the U.S. For both international and domestic trips. The aircraft, valued at $600 million, will be managed and operated by Jet Aviation on its FAR Part 135 certificate. Wheels Up, meanwhile, will market and sell the service, called the Vistajet Flight Solutions Program.
Aug. 29 — About 1941 EDT, a Piper PA-28-161 (N9089N) was destroyed when it hit an antenna and terrain adjacent to Runway 2 and a post-accident fire ensued at Danville Regional Airport (DAN), Danville, Va., following a go-around maneuver. The student pilot, the sole occupant, was killed in the crash. It was VFR at the time of accident. The student pilot was flying the airport pattern on a supervised solo flight. Eyewitnesses observed the airplane attempt two landings preceding the accident landing attempt.
