Summing It Up GAMA has advanced three major objections to the EU's Emissions Trading System for aviation that pretty much condense the worldwide industry's misgivings about the program: The administrative burden far outweighs the environmental benefit from including small operators.
Feb. 14 — About 1630 EST, a Cessna 310H (N104DR) operated by a private individual was substantially damaged during impact with terrain, following an inflight loss of control during cruise flight near Yeehaw Junction, Fla. The private pilot, pilot-rated passenger and a second passenger were killed. It was marginal VFR and no flight plan was filed for the flight that departed Sebastian Municipal Airport (X26), Sebastian, Fla., around 1600, destined for Bartow Municipal Airport (BOW), Bartow, Fla.
Whatever the fate of the continuing resolution limiting Contract Control Tower cuts, GA groups are continuing to appeal directly to the Obama administration to back away from the plan and other cuts that affect the industry.
Gulfstream and FlightSafety International worked together three years prior to the G650's entering service to develop flight crew, cabin crew and maintenance technician training programs. Each G650 pilot instructor has flight time in the actual aircraft and each maintenance instructor has turned wrenches on real aircraft.
Robert E. Breiling Associates' annual Business Turbine Aircraft Accident Review has become the industry's guide for detailed narrative accounts of business aviation accidents worldwide. The Review is 500 pages with accounts of over 415 reported fixed- and rotary-wing turbine aircraft accidents and incidents. A summary of each accident includes model, operator type, phase of operation, conditions and a factual description of all reported circumstances.
The FAA confirmed it has resumed its search for six unmanned aircraft systems test sites after the process stalled on privacy issues, which were not fully addressed in the original site selection criteria. The FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 required the FAA establish test sites for domestic drones by the end of 2012, a deadline which the agency missed as it assessed privacy concerns. The agency is also required to fully integrate unmanned aircraft systems into U.S. airspace by September 2015.
Four, 14.1-in., landscape configuration LCD screens dominate the Gulfstream G650's second-generation PlaneView instrument panel with several layouts that can be customized by the flight crew. The outboard displays normally are configured as PFDs and the inboards as MFDs. The glareshield-mounted flight guidance panel has improved functionality, including LED illumination and annunciator buttons, an “FLXXX” flight level indication in the altitude window above the transition altitude, a push in/pull out, 1,000 ft./100 ft.
I enjoyed Fred George's “Truly Earning That Fourth Stripe” (February 2013, page 45). As a captain with Continental/United starting my 30th year, I've had the privilege of mentoring upgrading captains both as a check airman and as a human factors instructor. The author's thoughts are spot on!
Business aircraft manufacturers pay close attention to runway performance because potential customers want to know if they'll be able to land at the general aviation airports closest to their regular business destinations. Of the 5,000+ public-use airports in the U.S., only about 760 have runways that are 6,000 ft. or longer. So aircraft that need that much pavement are far more limited in the number of airports available than those that need less. For example, there are 2,300+ U.S. airports with runways at least 4,000 ft.
Duncan Aviation has put together an airframe-specific team dedicated to Gulfstream work at the company's Lincoln, Nebraska, campus. Duncan Aviation's Battle Creek, Michigan, location has been running with a dedicated Gulfstream airframe team since 1993, says Rod Christensen, Airframe Services Manager at Duncan's Battle Creek location.
The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association is launching a search for a new president and CEO following the decision of Craig Fuller to step down from the office he has held since January 2009. Fuller, who succeeded longtime president Phil Boyer, is only the fourth president at AOPA since the association's inception 75 years ago. He has agreed to remain until a successor is found. In addition, he's also agreed to assist in the search for a new president, along with the leadership transition.
The U.S. light helicopter company Enstrom is receiving $10 million from its Chinese owner for new infrastructure to help the manufacturer boost production levels. The funds from Chongqing Helicopter Investment Co. (CQHIC) and follow-on investments will, according to Enstrom President and CEO Jerry Mullins, add new equipment and enable the company to produce up to 100 helicopters per year.
The Obama administration is again accusing business jet operators of enjoying “subsidies” and availing themselves of “loopholes that give advantages to the wealthy and to corporations that average Americans and average businesses don't have.” The so-called loophole is depreciation. For every other business, depreciation is normal course of business. But for business jet operators, apparently it is a loophole.
Engineered Propulsion Systems (EPS), Inc., of New Richmond, Wisc., has validated its 4.4-liter, “Flat-Vee” Vision 350 aero-diesel engine design after testing at Hartzell Propeller headquarters in Piqua, Ohio. The testing proved that Hartzell's family of propeller blades are all adaptable to the EPS engine at power levels exceeding 350 hp without the need for further engine vibration dampers, the company said.
The King Schools Online High-Altitude Weather course contains seven major subject lessons including such topics as mountain waves, jet stream turbulence avoidance, thunderstorm avoidance, coping with icing conditions, among others. The course helps pilots meet the initial and transition pilot training requirements for weather, FAR 135.345(a)(3) and recurrent training, Part 135.351, also Part 91K (91.1065). Pilot may individually order and enroll or flight departments may order multiple courses.
In response to growing demand in Asia, Jet Aviation Singapore is building a maintenance hangar adjacent to its current FBO and maintenance operation in Seletar Aerospace Park. The hangars will be integrated and incorporate two stories of office space in addition to new battery, tire, upholstery and workworking shops, including two paint spray booths. The new hangar will have an arched roof tall enough to accommodate Boeing BBJ and Airbus ACJ aircraft.
NBAA advises that as of Feb. 7, ICAO rules require aircraft flying to Europe be equipped with Controller-Pilot Datalink Communications (CPDLC) and Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Contract (ADS-C) systems in order to access two preferred routes in the North Atlantic Organized Track System (NAT OTS). The association observes that only a fraction of business aircraft are equipped for the new requirement.
Sierra Industries delivered its 50th Citation Stallion upgrade with the Williams FJ-44-2A turbofan retrofit. The Uvalde, Texas firm also has delivered more than 20 Eagle 400 upgrades with FJ44-3A engines on Citation II and SII models. The No. 50 Stallion upgrade went to Howard Tobin, a director of the Citation Jet Pilots Association.
February's Viewpoint (“Who's Up Front?” page 9) was very good, as usual. I am 62. I have been an A&P since 1975 and pretty much worked since then for a certain business jet OEM with headquarters in Teterboro. I was always puzzled by the 65 and out rule for the guys up front. Maybe it's me, but I'm not disappointed to retire early. To steal a phrase from an old baseball player, “Them fancy jets been good to me, man.” Our industry will be in need of wrenches as well as pilots. It's anyone's guess how it will work out.
The purpose of a business aircraft, by definition, is to move company personnel solely to further the interests of the company. On occasion, however, a dependent of one of the passengers will likely be invited to accompany that passenger. Whenever this happens, the company employee is deemed to have incurred personal use of the seat aboard the aircraft that is occupied by their family member.
Pres Henne, who led the design of the Collier Trophy-winning Gulfstream GV and G550 and oversaw development of the new G650, is set to retire from the business-jet manufacturer on March 31. Henne joined Gulfstream in 1994 from McDonnell Douglas (MDC), where he began his career in 1969. At MDC, Henne was responsible for the aerodynamic design of the C-17 wing, and was later vice president and general manager of the MD-90 program. At Gulfstream, he has overseen the introduction of six products and advances such as enhanced and synthetic vision displays.
For the first time, Embraer expects to deliver more executive jets than airline aircraft. Overall Embraer looks to deliver 195-215 aircraft this year, roughly matching the 205 deliveries for 2012 reported in January. But the company expects commercial aircraft deliveries to decline from the 106 delivered in 2012 to 90-95 aircraft, down 10-15%. However, the company says large executive jet deliveries could jump as much as 36% over the 22 recorded in 2012, falling in the range of 25-30 deliveries in 2013.
Used business aircraft transactions reached a record 2,240 in 2012, according to industry analyst Jetnet. The previous record was 2,181, set in 2007. Used market transactions had plunged after the 2007 record, reaching a low point of 1,539 in 2009. But at the same time, business jet prices continued to slide — falling another 0.3% in all of 2012.
