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?
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.
FAA is proposing issuing an Airworthiness Directive requiring repetitive inspections and eventual replacement of cylinders made by Engine Components Inc. (ECi) and Airmotive found on 6,000 Continental 520 and 550 aircraft engines. Total cost of compliance could reach $82.6 million. The agency says the proposal, issued Aug. 12, stems from numerous reports of cylinder head-to-barrel separations, and cracked and leaking aluminum heads. ECi, objects, saying premature top overhauls could result in engine failure.
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).
PlaneSense had been an eager buyer of the stillborn Grob SPn. The reason for that interest, says PlaneSense founder, president and CEO George Antoniadis, was the Grob twin's large cabin, good economy and ability to fly into small and unimproved strips — attributes that mirrored those of the PC-12. The operator's move into twins was suspended when the Grob program came to grief, but the interest remained. And now Pilatus is developing its own, go-anywhere twin, and Antoniadis is watching closely.
The FCC gave a Blanket License Radio Station Authorization for Ka-band aeronautical earth stations to ViaSat, Inc. The 15-yr., renewable license permits operation of the ViaSat Mantarray, low-profile airborne antenna on the ViaSat Ka-band satellite fleet of ViaSat-1, WildBlue-1 and Anik-F2. As the first license of its kind, this approval is another step toward the launch of the ViaSat Exede In the Air Service, the company says.
Executive Jet Management (EJM), among the nation's largest charter and management companies, is undergoing a management shake-up with three of its top executives believed to have recently departed the NetJets subsidiary. Among those out the exits is President Robert Garrymore, who had served with EJM and NetJets since 1998. Garrymore became president of EJM in 2009. Others include Ronald Silverman, senior vice president of aircraft management, and Jim Lewis, senior vice president of aircraft maintenance, sales and acquisitions.
Rockwell Collins' largest acquisition to date — purchasing communications and systems engineering provider, ARINC, for $1.39 billion from the Carlyle Group — will give the avionics maker its own end-to-end communications link between the ground and the flight deck, a connection that is fundamental to the FAA's Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen). The companies announced the “definitive agreement” for the purchase on Aug. 11, with the deal expected to be finalized within 90 days.
August 4 — About 1155 EDT, a Beechcraft A36 (N1831W) was destroyed when it hit trees and terrain near Alma, Ga. VFR conditions prevailed and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the flight. The private pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The Bonanza departed Fernandina Beach Municipal Airport (FHB), Fernandina Beach, Fla., around 1115, with the intended destination of Gwinnett County Airport-Briscoe Field (LZU), Lawrenceville, Ga. Witnesses reported hearing a “low flying” airplane and soon after, the sound of impact.
SimCom Training has completed the first initial training course for the new Total Eclipse using its recently qualified level-D full-flight simulator equipped with new IFMS avionics. The six-day course includes ground school, 14 hr. of brief/debrief time, and 18 hr. of simulator training. “The new simulator is extremely realistic and allows you to train for every conceivable emergency,” said Mike Bryant, the first customer to complete the new program.
Parts bin engineering long has been a strong suit of Cessna Aircraft and no aircraft better exemplifies that strategy than the Citation 560XL series. Created in the mid-1990s as a response to the clean-sheet, leading edge Learjet 45, the Citation 560XL features a shortened Citation 650 fuselage, a scaled up Citation V wing and newly introduced Pratt & Whitney Canada PW545 turbofan engines. Low-wing loading and a sporty thrust-to-weight ratio gave it the best runway performance in its class, with far better hot-and-high airport performance than the original Learjet 45.
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.
Surf Air, a membership airline that began operations between three California cities in June using three Pilatus PC-12s has placed 25 pilots on its roster and is adding more. Meanwhile, FlexJet, Bombardier's Dallas-based fractional program, says sustained growth is prompting it to hire more front-seaters. Interested applicants should have at least 2,500 hours of total flight time, 500 of which should be multiengine and 500 turbine, plus an ATP and a First Class medical.
Flexjet is reporting a 96% growth of new fractional and jet card sales when comparing January to June 2013 to the same period in 2012. Fractional shares increased 112% and new jet card sales grew at 68% for the first six months of this year. The company is celebrating its 18th anniversary having taken delivery of over 225 Bombardier aircraft since its inception.
Gulfstream Aerospace released its new PlaneBalance application, a weight and calculation tool. The app complements the company's PlaneBook iPad application. PlaneBalance is available from the App Store on iPad or at www.itunes.com/appstore. Gulfstream's PlaneBook Software Version 2.0 must be downloaded onto the iPad prior to downloading PlaneBalance. For question or comments go to [email protected]
AVIC International, which acquired Continental Motors from Teledyne in 2011, has now added bankrupt Thielert Aircraft Engines of Germany to its collection of general aviation businesses and is integrating their product lines. Going forward, Thielert's diesel power plants will be known as Continental Centurion engines, and Continental President Rhett Ross says the company could begin shipping units soon. Continental's product line will now include the Centurion 2.0 series of 135-hp and 155-hp Jet A engines, in addition to 4.0 series 350-hp engines.
Nextant Aerospace, Cleveland, appointed James Immke to vice president of Quality and Safety. He joined the company in 2010 and has over 20 years of quality and safety experience in highly regulated industries, including aerospace and defense.
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Fla., selected Dr. Brent Bowen as dean of the College of Aviation at the Prescott, Ariz., campus. He comes to ERAU from Purdue University, where he was professor and head of the Aviation Technology department.
Steven J. Twist (Vice President and General Counsel Services Group of America Scottsdale, Ariz. )
Your article “Command Presence” (Cause & Circumstance, June 2013) is grossly one-sided, is contradicted by every single eyewitness, omits reference to critical physical evidence, and as a result, has done a disservice to your readers. We trust in the future if you write about this horrific tragedy, you will attempt to be fair and balanced out of respect to the victims. Vice President and General Counsel Services Group of America Scottsdale, Ariz.
LightSquared, Inc., may be going down, but not without a fight. The now bankrupt company had planned to use radio spectrum to create a wireless data network spanning the U.S., and was given a preliminary go-ahead by the federal government to do so. However, the GPS industry strongly objected, arguing that transmissions from the new network would interfere with existing GPS equipment used in aviation and a host of other industries and ultimately succeeded in stopping LightSquared after the latter had invested heavily in the project.
Jetcraft Corp., a major business aircraft broker with headquarters in Raleigh, N.C., has acquired the aircraft sales division of ExecuJet Aviation Group, of Zurich, Switzerland. The combined Jetcraft sales force comprises 20 senior sales executives, and another 20 sales, technical and marketing support staffers, located in offices worldwide. Chad Anderson remains president of Jetcraft and Andrew Hoy, formerly managing director of the ExecuJet group, will oversee sales in Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
Ontario, Canada-based Flying Colours has been appointed by Raisbeck Engineering as an Authorized Sales and Installation Centre for the entire King Air product line. Previous accreditations from Beechcraft and Blackhawk will allow the company to undertake King Air maintenance, refurbishments, modifications and paint work in additional to full completions all under one roof.
Jet Aviation and Sao Paulo-based C-Fly Aviation have signed a strategic alliance agreement by which C-Fly will exclusively provide Jet Aviation Flight Services referral on charter and aircraft management in Brazil. C-Fly currently manages 16 aircraft and provides a wide range of consulting services to corporate and individual clients. Jet Aviation manages over 250 aircraft worldwide.
I enjoyed “Oh, for a Good Night's Sleep” (July 2013). I think that Part 91 should start to think about adhering to the Part 121 flight/rest limitations and requirements, especially now that we monitor ourselves through an SMS. I hate the fact that more regulation is required, but unfortunately there are too many flight departments nowadays that will operate “as ordered” by their manager or principal. This would at least give them something to hang their hat on.
