Eclipse is starting production of its Eclipse 550 very light jet model with initial deliveries planned for 2013. On June 1, Eclipse dealers representing more than 30 countries attended the first international Eclipse dealer sales conference at the company's headquarters in Albuquerque, N.M., and signed agreements to purchase new Eclipse 550 Jets for delivery in 2014 and early 2015.
A recently created FAA/industry committee is planning to develop recommendations by year-end on how to improve the FAA's ongoing problem with a lack of consistency between its various Flight Standards District Offices (FSDOs) and Aircraft Certification Offices (ACOs). The Aviation Rulemaking Committee, co-chaired by Flight Standards Director John Allen and NATA Vice President Eric Byer, met for the first time June 1 to begin tackling the standardization problems that have plagued the agency for years.
The Global Vision Flight Deck designations for the Global 5000 and 6000 do not represent FAA, EASA or Transport Canada model designations. They are Bombardier's commercial names for Global airplanes on which Major Change Modifications, known as “modsums,” 700T001900 and 700T901901 have been fitted to BD-700-1A10 (Global XRS) airplanes or modsums 700T901900 and 700T901902 have been installed on BD-700-1A11 (Global 5000) airplanes.
Airbus, Amsterdam, announced the appointment of Fabrice Bregier as CEO. He replaces Tom Enders, who is now CEO of EADS. Gunter Butschek was appointed COO. Amway Corp., Grand Rapids, Mich., promoted Rick Fiddler to the position of vice president-aviation. He also recently was appointed to the State of Michigan Aeronautic Board by Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder.
Associated Aircraft Group (AAG) has established helicopter operations at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey, which is a 10-min. flight to Manhattan aboard one of the company 's Sikorsky S-76 helicopters. AAG operates a fleet of S-76 helicopters in both fractional and full management programs with bases in the New York and Philadelphia areas.
Nav Canada and Iridium are partnering on a project that will bring Iridium satellite-based air traffic surveillance to areas of the globe with no coverage, starting with crucial North Atlantic routes. The two companies are forming a joint venture called Aireon, which will provide surveillance data from a new constellation of satellites being launched by Iridium Communications. ADS-B receivers will be a hosted payload on Iridium's NEXT communications satellites. Desch says Iridium has invested about $3 billion in the constellation of 66 satellites. Harris Corp.
If FAR Part 135 is meeting the same security requirements as the airlines — crew and passenger screening, baggage inspections, secured facilities and aircraft, etc. — why aren't charter operators conferred the same access to presidential Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs)?
The bottom in used business jet pricing “remains elusive,” says JPMorgan analyst Joseph Nadol. Average asking price fell 0.9% last month, with heavy jets down 1.5% and light jets down 0.3%. This brought May to “a new low for the cycle,” Nadol says. But medium jet prices inched up 0.6%. And, with soft prices, inventory continues to shrink, down 10 bps in May. Used inventory of in-production models is now 10.6%, down from 11.1% in February, Nadol says.
Exact Air Flight ET822 descended below MDA into dark, wooded terrain while attempting a night non-precision RNAV (GNSS) Runway 12 approach at Chicoutimi/Saint-Honore, Quebec, on Dec. 9, 2009. Both pilots were killed and two passengers — the only other occupants of the aircraft — were seriously injured when the Beech King Air A100 (BE10) struck the ground in controlled flight on the approach centerline some 3 nm from the threshold.
Hawker Beechcraft Services has opened a new full-service MRO facility offering airframe, engine, avionics and mobile support for the company's entire product line on the New Castle airport in Wilmington, Del. The facility includes maintenance hangar and back shop space, customer reception and break areas, a customer lounge and two fully-equipped customer offices.
The FAA notes that while the number of fatal general aviation accidents over the last decade has gone down, so have flight hours due to economic factors. The general aviation fatal accident rate has remained static, despite the reduced flying activity. In FY 2011, there were 457 fatalities in 271 fatal GA accidents. In 2010, there were 457 fatalities in 270 fatal GA accidents. The accident rate for 2011 was 1.13 fatal accidents per 100,000 hours flown and was 1.10 fatal accidents per 100,000 hours flown in 2010.
ARGUS TRAQPak data indicates that May 2012 business aircraft flight activity increased from April 2012 at 3.5% overall. The only month over month decrease was the fractional segment, down 1.0%. Part 135 activity was up 5.3% and Part 91 was up 3.9%. Reviewing activity year over year (May 2012 vs. May 2011) TRAQPak observed a 1.6% increase in overall aircraft activity. Results by operational category were mixed with Part 91sector activity up 4.3%.
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and ITT Exelis have entered into a licensing agreement for Exelis to provide its real-time integrated next generation flight-tracking data for ERAU's academic research and analysis.
In 2010 NBAA presented Wendi Gavigan with its Outstanding Achievement & Leadership Award for having shared her industry expertise while making “significant contributions to the scheduling and dispatching function.” Beginning with this presentation in our Schedulers and Dispatchers quarterly, Gavigan, whose day job is vice president and manager of flight operations for Citigroup Corporate Aviation, continues to lead and share with this the first in a series of discussions with S&D professionals about their work, challenges, solutions and aspirations.
One of the many highlights at this year's MMC was the chance for participants to support the NBAA Maintenance Committee's Technical Reward and Career Scholarship (TRACS) program. These scholarships are designed to help jump start the career of technicians who are either completing their A&P training or aspire to advance a business aviation career already begun. Earning an A&P license gets you into the hangar, but further training and experience are necessary to advance beyond entry level. The TRACS program is designed to serve both categories.
A Secret Service-imposed TFR that shut down New Jersey's Teterboro Airport May 14 with little advance notice is raising fears over airspace restrictions on the horizon as the presidential election season ramps up. The TFR shut down Teterboro for nearly 5 hr. on a Monday, when the airport — the nation's busiest general aviation facility — typically experiences peak traffic. The TFR was issued just before it took effect, causing the rerouting of dozens of aircraft.
The Beech King Air 350 is the largest business turboprop yet built by the Wichita manufacturer and by far its most versatile performer. More than 685 first-generation aircraft were built between 1990 and 2009 before it was succeeded by the more luxurious King Air 350i in 2010.
I read Capt. Enderle's letter (Readers' Feeback, June 2012, page 11) and the accompanying comments with great interest. While there is a plethora of woulda's, coulda's and shoulda's therein, there are but three positive conclusions that can be drawn at this point in the investigation:
The two Rolls-Royce BR710A2-20 engines that power the Global 5000 and 6000 are 4.2:1 bypass ratio, conventional axial flow, two-shaft designs with a single 48-in. front fan powered by a two-stage low-pressure turbine and a 10-stage high-pressure compressor driven by a two-stage high-pressure turbine. They are rated at 14,750 lb. thrust for takeoff up to ISA+20C. An aft-mounted, deep-fluted forced mixer nozzle both reduces noise and improves high-altitude cruise thrust output.
A Gulfstream G280 recently set an unconfirmed city-pair speed record from Paris to White Plains, N.Y., making the flight in 7 hr., 40 min. NAA record certification is pending. The G280, took off from Paris Le Bourget Airport on May 17 and flew nonstop to Westchester County Airport at an average speed of Mach 0.80 against an average 32-kt. headwind. At maximum takeoff weight, the aircraft climbed to 43,000 ft. in 22 min.
I'm a tad behind in my reading and just now finished “Studebaker Time,” the Viewpoint in my June 2010 BCA. As always, excellent. I have but one complaint . . . Where were you when I needed you?
Despite a sluggish start that will hold down deliveries at least through this year, Bombardier Aerospace expects the business jet market to accelerate over the next 10 years with the value of unit shipments nearly doubling through 2021 and then tripling over the subsequent 10 years. Bombardier is forecasting a market for 24,000 business jets valued at $648 billion through 2031. By 2031, business jet manufacturers are expected to be shipping 1,500 units annually, Bombardier says.
Bombardier is the final manufacturer of large-cabin, long-range business jets to upgrade its flagship aircraft with large-format, flat-panel avionics, but based upon our recent demo flight, the wait was well worth the results. The Vision Flight Deck provides strong incentives for operators of older Globals with early 1990s vintage avionics to upgrade to the Global 6000's 21st century cockpit technology.
