Europe's goal of developing a database that collects aviation occurrence reports from across the region and helps identify broad safety trends is moving closer to reality as both data quality and reporting consistency improve, the EASA reports. The European Commission's European Central Repository (ECR) has amassed nearly 665,000 aviation occurrence reports since 2005 and 2011 was the first year that all 31 EASA member states contributed reports.
Landmark Aviation officially began operations at Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GRR) in Grand Rapids, Mich., on July 1 through the acquisition of the assets of Northern Air and the Grand Rapids Air Center. They will be operating out of the Northern Air facility, and will offer both FBO and MRO services. There is a VIP lounge, executive conference room and a flight-planning center. Hangar and office space is also available.
Nepal's Shree Airlines has ordered five AS350 B3e and three EC130 T2 helicopters from Eurocopter. They will be used for search and rescue, aerial work, disaster relief missions and tourism. With this acquisition, Shree Airlines becomes the largest Ecureuil operator in South Asia with a total of nine aircraft.
Nineteen years after being awarded certification of its single-engine PC-12, Pilatus Aircraft planned to deliver the 1,200th unit. The delivery ceremony was set for Aug. 7 in Portsmouth, N.H., where Thomas Bosshard, president and CEO of Pilatus Business Aircraft will hand the keys to George Antoniadis, his counterpart at PlaneSense, Inc. The fractional ownership provider's fleet will then expand to 49 of the Swiss-made turboprops, the world's largest civilian fleet of PC-12s.
Corporate Fleet Services, Cornelius, N.C., announced that Mike Thomas recently joined the company as vice president Business Aircraft Sales and Acquisitions. He comes to CFS from Nextant Aerospace. He has held positions at General Electric Credit, Chase Aircraft Finance and CIT Financial. Thomas also was regional sales director for the Hawker at Beechcraft Corp.
Flying to the Paris Air Show was a Grand Commander flown by Bjorn Bostad of Flo-Aire, Inc., Newton, Kan. The airplane covered 2,850 mi. non-stop from Gander, Newfoundland, to Zurich. Power settings at 13,000-15,000 ft. were 55-60%, giving the Commander a 203 mph block-to-black speed for the 15 hr. 10 min. trip.
The National Research Council Canada (NRC) has formally launched a concentrated research effort to find and test potential replacement fuels for 100LL avgas. Such an alternative is vital to ensuring the long-term operational viability of piston-powered aircraft, says Jerzy Komorowski, general manager of the NRC's aerospace division. General aviation is a key part of Canada's transportation infrastructure, particularly in rural and northern parts of the country where it provides the main mode of air transport for people and cargo.
No one knows its true origins, but ever since aviation's early days there has been an artificial divide between maintenance technicians and pilots. Perhaps it's rooted in the mili–tary, where pilots were mostly officers and mechanics were enlisted men. Maybe it has to do with pilots putting life and limb at risk while the maintainers remain safely on the ground.
Since the human brain is approximately 75% water, when the body becomes dehydrated, headaches, lightheadedness and fatigue are common symptoms. Dehydration results in increased tracking errors, slowed decision making, and decreased short-term memory.
Nearly 1,200 PC-12s have been delivered since the Swiss aircraft's entry into service in October 1994, by far the largest number of single-engine turboprops in the business aircraft fleet. Newer versions of this versatile aircraft can depart a 2,650- ft. runway with a 1,000-lb. payload and fly more than 1,500 nm, assuming standard day conditions. It's just as at home on 3,000- ft. dirt strips, so it's a favorite with utility fleet operators such as Australia's Royal Flying Doctor Service, Canada's Air Bravo Corp. and Alpha Flying in the U.S.
Col. John Scherer, USAF (Ret.) (Alder Companies Delavan, Wis. )
“Two Tiers of Training” (June 2013) is right on target! I was a T-37 IP at Reese AFB and taught spins and spin prevents as well. My son (U.S. Naval Academy 2010) just went through Navy pilot training at NAS Pensacola, Vance AFB and NAS Corpus Christi (he's flying P3s in Bahrain now). He described similar training in the T-6 as well.
Women in Corporate Aviation, an organization dedicated to providing networking, education, mentoring and scholarship opportunities for women and men seeking a profession in corporate aviation, has voted Paula Kraft to its board of directors. Kraft, the founder of Tastefully Yours and Aviation Catering Consultants, joins a board of 11, which is currently chaired by Brenda Miles. Mary Ann Fash, senior flight manager for flight services at Boeing, was appointed to the board at the same time.
Success or failure of the annual Helicopter Association Inter–national Heli-Expo is generally considered to be the bellwether for the industry. If so, things are going well. HAI President Matt Zuccaro noted that despite the recession in the worldwide market dating back to 2008, sales announced at each show over the past five years have set records, with the 2012 show recording a bit over $2 billion and the show this past March announcing over $3 billion in sales.
Bombardier is confident in the strong, long-term potential of the business aircraft industry and forecasts a total of 24,000 business jet deliveries from 2013 to 2032 in the segments in which Bombardier competes, which represents approximately $650 billion in industry revenues. Bombardier's Business Aircraft Market Forecast anticipates 9,800 aircraft deliveries, worth $269 billion, during the 2013 to 2022 period, and 14,200 aircraft, worth $381 billion, from 2023 to 2032.
These charts list civil helicopters currently in production and certified. They are listed in ascending order of maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) to provide side-by-side comparison to aircraft of similar size. Manufacturer and Model This block includes the manufacturer's name and the aircraft's model name and technical designation.
BaseOps International is celebrating its 25th anniversary by opening a new Singapore office. The company employs a global network of offices and partners offering a one-stop solution for flight planning requirements and is backed by World Fuel Services.
Piaggio Aero has announced a reduced maintenance program for its P180 Avanti/II aircraft. The C and D check, due respectively at 1,500 and 3,000 flight hours, have been extended to 1,800 and 3,600 flight hours, respectively. These newly approved intervals allow the operator to match the airframe inspection schedule with that of the P&WC PT6-66A engines on the aircraft.
Dallas Airmotive's F1RST Support global field service team has completed its first removal of a Rolls-Royce BR710 engine. The work was completed the Bombardier Service Center in Dallas. The company recently signed a service agreement with Rolls-Royce to provide Mobile Repair Support services for the BR710 family of engines. The MRS agreement with Rolls-Royce CorporateCare provides Dallas Airmotive approval to support Bombardier and Gulfstream aircraft that are on the program, as well as operators who are not.
May 31 — About 1310 EDT, a Diamond Aircraft Industries Inc., DA20-C1 (N176MA) was heavily damaged when it crashed shortly after takeoff from Linden Airport (LDJ), Linden, N.J. The flight instructor was fatally injured and a passenger was seriously injured. It was VFR for the introductory instruction flight. The airplane was owned and operated by Best-in-Flight, a flight school based at LDJ. The airplane was “topped-off” with fuel the night before and was flown without incident for 2.6 hr. prior to the accident.
Gore Design Completions delivered an ACJ340-500 for a head-of-state client in mid-April. The interior includes a stateroom suite, six lavatories (two with a shower), a conference room with seating for nine, two VIP seating areas, staff seating and a medical room at the aft of the aircraft. This ACJ340 is the second delivery of 2013 for the San Antonio, Texas, facility, following a delivery of a BBJ3 in January.
FlightSafety International is expanding its Teterboro Falcon Jet Learning Center by 50%. Once construction is completed, the facility will accommodate up to eight full- flight simulators, plus emergency training accommodation that will include a pool and other specialized equipment. It will also feature advanced technology classrooms, aircraft cabin training facilities, and enhanced office areas. Construction is expected to be completed early in 2014.
CAE plans to add a Bombardier Challenger 605 full-flight simulator in Europe at the beginning of 2016. The Canadian company already offers training on the Challenger 300 and 604 in Amsterdam and on the Learjet 40/45, Global 5000 and Global Express in the U.K. Training is provided on the Challenger 604 and 605 at Emirates-CAE Flight Training in Dubai. In addition, Bombardier will begin training in June on a CAE-supplied Global 5000/6000 simulator with Bombardier's Vision flight deck at the aircraft manufacturer's own training center in Dallas.
Air Services, a division of Constant Aviation specializing in off-wing aircraft support headquartered at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, has completed the requirements of the Cessna Citation NDI Certification Program and were named an Authorized Independent NDI facility. The company's NDT testing can be performed in their lab, on-wing or in the field. They have the ability to complete testing using Eddy current, ultrasonic, magnetic particle and liquid penetrant methods.
Ireland's Shannon Airport's pre-clearance — the process: Upon arrival at Shannon, all passengers and flight crew deplane (except one pilot) and all baggage is taken off the aircraft. They are driven to the CBP area in less than a minute and fast-tracked through the dedicated VIP CPB pre-clearance facility. They are not mixed with any other passengers at this very private facility and up to 20 passengers can be cleared from one aircraft. Once everyone else is cleared, the remaining crewmember will go into the building to be pre-cleared.
