The National Weather Service has a good “go to” website for access to weather cameras. For my locality it brings up SLC as the regional center (www.wrh.noaa.gov/slc). When I click on the “Weather Cameras” link on the left side of the screen I get an abundance of choices of weather cameras and viewing directions; some are “looped” or animated. (It is useful to watch the trend over the last 30 min.) Also, pilots might find the Weather Underground website useful since it lists an extraordinary number of weather collection stations (www.wunderground.com).
Air Tractor recently delivered its 3,000th aircraft, a PT6A-34AG powered model 502B ag plane, to Agropecuaria Maggi Ltda., of Brazil. The operator has three other AT-502Bs for spraying crops of soybeans, cotton and corn. Last year the Olney, Tex., manufacturer produced a record 180 aircraft, all PT6-powered, which are used in ag work, fire fighting, narcotic crop eradication, fuel-hauling, fighting locust plagues, military strike/reconnaissance, and cleaning up oil spills in coastal waters. Air Tractors operate in 30 countries. For more information: www.airtractor.com
Looking for more information on the complexities of weight and balance? The FAA has compiled a comprehensive guide on the subject, appropriate for pilots and technicians alike. The handbook provides explanations and examples of normal and adverse loading, record keeping and why balance is so important to safe flight. To download, visit www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aircraft/media/FAA-h…
Eurcopter and Ramco Systems are partnering to offer state-of-the-art helicopter maintenance software that will ease the life of operators and maintenance centers. The agreement allows both companies to offer additional mobility and functionality for the collection and treatment of MRO-related data by providing effective and cost-efficient fleet management services that are affordable and user friendly for all operators.
Macquarie has launched Macquarie Rotorcraft Leasing, a helicopter operating leasing business that will focus on the growing worldwide demand for commercial helicopters servicing offshore oil and gas, medical transport search and rescue, and the executive transport markets. Jeffrey Pino, 35, is the CEO. He most recently served as president of Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. James Clarke is COO, Steve Estill is the chief marketing officer and Greg A'slinger was named chief technical officer.
Since guide dogs, alert dogs and other animals often accompany disabled people in their travels, be sure to consider not only where the animal will be stationed once aboard the aircraft, but where the animal will be able to relieve itself before, during and after long flights. Also, define who is responsible for providing escort assistance to an airport service animal relief area and how passengers accompanied by a service animal can obtain assistance for this purpose. And bring a scooper, just in case.
Cessna Aircraft, Wichita, named Lannie O'Bannion as its regional vice president of Sales for the Midwestern U.S. and Canada. He will report to Kriya Shortt, senior vice president of Sales, and will be responsible for representing the broad range of Citation products to customers.
The FAA has certified the Gulfstream G280's Enhanced Vision System (EVS) II and Head-Up Display (HUD) II. The systems enable pilots to see terrain, runways, taxiways and possible obstructions in low-visibility conditions and provide operational credit, enabling the super-midsize aircraft to land in weather conditions prohibitive for non-equipped aircraft.
Cessna Aircraft Co. selected Aviation Occupant Safety's (AOS) inflatable side-facing passenger protection system as standard for the side-facing seating configuration on the new midsize Citation Latitude business jet. AOS is a joint venture between two global safety restraint industry leaders: Aircraft Belts, Inc. (ABI) and Key Safety Systems (KSS).
Pilatus has teamed with Beijing Tian Xing Jian Yu Science Co. to produce components and assemble PC-12 and PC-6 Porter single-engine turboprops in Chongqing, China, with China the intended market. The facility opened in August. Pilatus, which has initially committed to supplying 50 aircraft, notes that only civilian aircraft will be assembled at the facility, and the company has no plans to build components or assemble its PC-7 MkII, PC-9M and PC-21 military trainers there.
Avantair's future is looking grim. Some creditors of the Piaggio P-180 fractional operator, grounded since June, have filed an involuntary petition for its liquidation. The company had until mid-August to respond. Avantair faces repossession of its 56 aircraft from lessors, Midsouth Services and Clear Aircraft, and lawsuits from fractional owners claiming the company “did not adequately service participants” who suffered because of the operator's failure to identify an elevator problem, maintain a sufficient number of aircraft or pilots.
West Coast Aviation Services, Santa Ana, Calif., has selected Anton Pint, formerly an FAA accountable manager, as the new Part 135 director of maintenance for West Coast Charters. Alfredo Garcia, formerly sales manager is the new general manager for West Coast Aircraft Maintenance.
The Experimental Aircraft Association's drive for a new leader has reached a fork in the road, and took it. When Jack Pelton was appointed chairman following the sudden departure of President Rod Hightower last fall, he said his primary responsibility was finding a new chief executive. However, during the AirVenture gathering in Oshkosh, Wis., last month, he said the association has suspended its search and even suggested Hightower may not be replaced.
Not long from now, it is likely you will receive an instruction like this from the control tower of a U.S. civil airport: "You are number two to land, Runway Two-Seven Right, behind the UAV on short final. Say contact.”
Key Air, Oxford, Conn., appointed 40-year aviation veteran Jim Bennett as its vice president of Flight Operations and Bill Ekstrom as its new manager of Business Operations.
Flight Display Systems, Alpharetta, Ga., appointed Aria Bahawdory technical sales consultant. He aviation background includes a four-year tour with the U.S. Navy conducting search and rescue operation; Imagine Air Jet Services and most recently he owned Mid Air Aerial Photography. Joyce Reeves has been promoted to inside sales coordinator and will serve as the main interface for all customers calling the Alpharetta sales office.
While the FAA refused to provide an executive-level employee for BCA to interview on unmanned aircraft integration, its Public Affairs office invited us to submit questions. Here are the FAA's responses to some of those queries: BCA: Does the FAA have any idea how many UASes, both civil and military, are being operated right now in the NAS? How many COAs has the FAA awarded to operators?
Hangar Ten Aviation Services is expanding its complex at the Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport in Kansas City (MKC) with a new 11,000-sq.-ft. multi-use hangar. The new facility, which will join Hangar Ten's existing 55,000-sq.-ft. hangar, will house aircraft the size of a Citation X, along with adjoining offices. Hangar Ten expaned because it has seen an increase in transient traffic fuel volume over the past three years.
The long economic downturn notwithstanding, PlaneSense, the Pilatus PC-12 fractional aircraft operation, is still putting up some strong numbers. Since beginning operations with a single aircraft in September 1995, the company — which now operates a fleet of 30 Pilatus singles — has completed 200,000 sorties into 1,140 different strips ranging in length from 1900 ft. to 10,000 ft. In 2012, its on-time departure record (excluding weather, passenger or ATC delays) was 99.5% and its busiest day ever was July 7, 2013, when it logged 156 sorties, a record that stood until Aug.
During the past decade, Cessna and Honeywell have struggled to grow Sovereign's Primus Epic avionics suite into a mature system. Block point upgrades have been slow in coming and much needed improvements have been released in dribs and drabs. The Phase II package, available as SB680-34-03, improves autopilot performance during approach, removes a CAS warning message when the APU is operated in flight and makes changes to the flight data recorder interface to certain flight control position sensors needed for JAR/EASA certification.
