Cessna offered early retirement to employees 55 years of age and over who are not involved in aircraft production. According to a company spokeswoman, Cessna does not have a target number for the voluntary retirements, but rather is seeking to decrease indirect costs, overall. Voluntary retirees had until April 12 to apply.
House lawmakers have drafted a bill to preserve funding slated to be cut from the contract air traffic control tower program. Reps. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Bruce Braley (D-Iowa) and Richard Hudson (R- N.C.) on April 10 introduced a bill, H.R.1432, the Air Traffic Control Tower Funding Restoration Act, designed to continue funding for the program. The bill would use unobligated funds within the current FAA budget to pay for the program.
Bell Helicopter unveiled a third-generation tiltrotor, the V-280 Valor as a candidate for the Joint Multi-Role/Future Vertical Lift Technology Demonstrator (JMR/TD), at the 2013 Army Aviation Association of America Forum and Exposition in Fort Worth, Texas. At the show, Bell officials said that the new design may also be a strong candidate for commercial applications, although the version presented has a very “Army-centric” feature set.
“Analysis: Gulfstream G650” (April 2013) was very informative and the online video was a great addition. I just wanted to bring to your attention that the cockpit photo in the article was of a G550 not a 650. Please keep up the good work on your great magazine, which I am sure all subscribers look forward to receiving each month. Northolt Airport, London
Many of us have been ingrained with the idea that whenever an approach or landing starts going awry, the right thing to do is to go around. But the fact is that sometimes that's not the safest action.
Nextant Aerospace appointed Jet Aviation Singapore as an authorized service center in Asia for its 400XTs. Jet Aviation Singapore will provide maintenance service for Nextant aircraft based in Southeast Asia. The appointment follows Nextant 's entrance into the Asian market in August. Nextant says it continues to see strong interest in the region.
Bristow will be the launch customer of the AgustaWestland AW189 medium helicopter after its March 26 contract award to take over the U.K. government's search-and-rescue (SAR) helicopter program. Bristow will receive its first AW189 later this year, according to Mike Imlach, the company's Europe business unit director. The type will be used first on North Sea oil and gas operations, replacing the aging Eurocopter AS332L Pumas — known as Bristow Tigers — before the first SAR-configured aircraft arrive in 2014 in preparation to begin SAR contract operations in April 2015.
Ing. Jan Rusin (Slovakia ), HEMS Pilot (Slovakia )
I am a regular reader of Cause & Circumstance and I would like to thank you for the excellent review of the helicopter accident in “A Disastrous Save“ (June 2012, page 52). I look forward to any new reports, particularly involving helicopter investigations. Slovakia
The NATA and NBAA are hoping to convince the IRS to put a hold on audits of aircraft management companies until the agency can develop better guidance on the application of the commercial federal excise tax (FET) on aircraft management services. The IRS has conducted numerous audits, and management companies have faced a range of tax bills – some believed to be close to seven figures — after the agency last year issued guidance indicating that aircraft management services are considered commercial services and should be taxed accordingly.
Sporting an analog computer, 1,500 mi. of wire and enough electricity to light a city block, Flight Safety Inc., new Grumman Gulfstream simulator recently went into operation training and upgrading pilots of many Gulfstream-owning corporations. The simulator took one year to build with the combined talent and knowledge of Link, Grumman and Atlantic Aviation. It costs almost as much as a flying Gulfstream and weighs nearly half as much.
Evergreen Apple Nigeria (EAN) has been selected by Avjet routing, the Sharjah, United Arab Emirates-based business aviation services company to serve as its preferred ground handler in Nigeria with principal services being provided at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos. All private and business aviation traffic from Avjet Routing passing through Lagos will be handled exclusively by EAN Ltd.
Pilatus Business Aircraft won an FAA STC to install the Garmin G600 avionics system in all pre-NG PC-12 aircraft produced between 1994 and 2008. Developed in concert with Garmin, the G600 New Perspective avionics system for the PC-12 pairs both the PFD and the MFD in a single 10-in.-wide flat-panel LCD. The installation incorporates the functionality of the PC-12's angle-of-attack information on the G600 PFD. The G600 New Perspective system includes the L3 Trilogy Electronic Standby Instrument System, making the PC-12's panel all-glass.
Beechcraft Corporation announced that it has appointed Cutter Aviation in Phoenix and Flying Colours Corp. in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, as authorized service centers (ASCs) for the company's King Air, Baron and Bonanza products.
The Texas Department of Transportation said it plans to fund all 13 FAA contract air traffic control towers in the state if they are closed by the FAA as part of budget cuts from sequestration.
Piper Aircraft announced two major trainer fleet orders at Sun 'N Fun in Lakeland, Fla. Piper on April 10 announced a three-year agreement with Airline Transport Professionals (ATP), one of the largest flight schools in the U.S., for 15 Archer TX single piston trainers, equipped with Garmin G500 glass cockpit avionics suites, for delivery this year. The order includes options for up to 85 more.
Bombardier Aerospace is extending the basic warranty on its Challenger 605 aircraft from three years or 3,000 hr. to five years or 5,000 hr. The new warranty is standard on all aircraft delivered beginning this month. The basic warranty covers systems and components coverage. The primary structure warranty remains at 10 years or 10,000 hr., the engine warranty is still five years or 2,500 hr. and the avionics warranty remains unchanged at five years with no hour limitations.
During the first quarter of this year, Embraer delivered 29 aircraft, 17 commercial airline jets and 12 business jets, On March 31, 2013, Embraer's firm order backlog totaled $13.3 billion, an increase of $800 million over Dec. 31, 2012. The company delivered four Legacy 650s, five Phenom 100s and three Phenom 300s, one of which was the first U.S.-built 300 delivered to a U.S. customer. Embraer kept the first Phenom 300 off the Melbourne, Fla. production line as a demonstrator.
Crane Aerospace & Electronics has received an STC for Crane's SmartStem Wireless Tire Pressure System for Learjet 40 and 45 aircraft. To fit an aircraft with SmartStem technology, the existing tire inflation valve stem is replaced with a SmartStem tire pressure sensor, which, in addition to serving as the inflation valve, contains special electronics.
Universal Avionics completed the required testing to successfully approve its Radio Control Unit (RCU) for helicopter installation. The RCU is a mature product, and has been installed in 28 fixed-wing aircraft platforms. The unit is approved for helicopter-specific vibration profiles that include the Sikorsky S-76A, S-76C, S-61L, S-61N, UH-60L; Bell 212, 412, 412EP, 412CF; Eurocopter EC145, Dauphin NI, N3 and AS332 helicopters.
After reading “Analysis: Gulfstream G650” (April 2013, page 24), I'm amazed General Dynamics and Gulfstream did not go with millimeter design and manufacture for the aircraft. More than 38 years have gone by since the U.S. auto industry changed to millimeter design and manufacture. It worked for them and led to some significant savings in inventory. Why Gulfstream would stick with an archaic, hard-to-work-with measurement system that 96% of the planet does not use seems shortsighted.
Continental Motors is extending the TBO of its Gold Standard factory-produced engines manufactured after February this year by as much as 400 hr. the company announced April 9. In 2012, Continental Motors introduced its Gold Standard factory rebuilt and new engines. The company says most engines, s.n. 1006000 and higher incorporate improvements in technology and manufacturing processes that have allowed a 200-hr. increase over the existing TBO. Aircraft owners that fly 40 hr. per month will receive a TBO extension up to 400 hr.
Bell Helicopter obtained its 17th international approval of a 500-lb. weight increase for the Bell 429. The Indonesian Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is the latest aviation authority to approve the increase, which boosts the helicopter's maximum gross weight to 7,500 lb. The approval validates the original Transport Canada OK. The hike provides operators increased payload, giving them the option of either carrying more fuel for increased range or carrying more passengers and equipment for specific mission requirements.
Integrated avionics suites are proliferating like rabbits. The groundbreakers — Honeywell's Primus, Rockwell Collins' Pro Line and Universal Avionics UNS series helped to spawn Garmin's string of popular “G-000” series.
Conklin & de Decker released their 2013 State Tax Guide for General Aviation. The Guide contains the latest taxes and fees imposed on general in all fifty states and it addresses the sales and use taxes applicable to aircraft sales, ownership, leases, parts and labor. The Guide also provides subscribers continuous updates throughout the years by simply downloading the latest changes, as they occur, from the Conklin & de Decker webite.
Breitling's new Bentley Light Body Midnight Carbon watch is issued in a 1,000 piece worldwide limited edition. Beneath its all-black exterior is a light and sturdy titanium chassis featuring a highly resistant carbon-based coating. The dashboard-style dial displays two exclusive Breitling technical features highlighted by red-trimmed indications. The “30-second chronograph” system with its central hand sweeping around the dial in half a minute instead of the customary 60 seconds, provides highly accurate 1/8th of a second readings.
