Bombardier Aerospace announced that charter operator London Air Services of Richmond, B.C. ordered five Learjet 75s. The $65 million order makes the aircraft charter firm the Canadian launch customer for the light jet. London Air has a fleet of five Learjet 45XRs, a Challenger 604 and two Challenger 605s. It has a Global 7000 on order for delivery in 2017.
Flexjet joined other fractional operators suing the IRS over assessments of federal excise taxes. Flight Options and NetJets/Executive Jet Management already are enmeshed in lawsuits over refunds and imposition of the passenger ticket tax over certain activities. Flexjet filed its suit a couple of weeks ago, says Tony Gasaway, principal of Gasaway Tax Law. The lawsuits come as management companies face their own escalating tax assessments based on recent IRS guidance that management fees could constitute commercial air carrier activity.
As of June 1, the only way for general aviation pilots, flight instructors and mechanics to learn about and register for FAA safety seminars will be online at FAASafety.gov. The FAA will no longer send postcards. If you have not already done so, the FAA Safety Team encourages you to register online using your airman certificate number.
Embraer Executive Jets' Melbourne, Fla., campus has received its own FAA Production Certificate to assemble Phenom 100s in the U.S. Previously, Phenom jets assembled in Melbourne were certified under the FAA type certificate granted to those produced in Brazil. “This is a significant milestone for Embraer and is the culmination of a series of achievements in the last year,” said Ernest Edwards, president, Embraer Executive Jets.
Beech is claiming that its Twin Bonanza is the strongest airplane in commercial aviation — designed and tested to withstand inflight loads equal to almost seven times its own weight. It's even got an airstair door so you don't “ever have to get near the engines.”
Jet Aviation has launched a new fuel sales service for its entire chain of Fixed Based Operations in the EMEA and Asia regions. Using its global purchasing power to negotiate a better fuel price with World Fuel Services, a leading jet fuels supplier, Jet Aviation has introduced the new fuel sales service to pass significant cost savings on to FBO and MRO customers visiting Jet Aviation FBO facilities in EMEA and Asia: London Biggin Hill, Dusseldorf, Riyadh, Dubai, Jeddah, Singapore, Zurich and Geneva.
Business aviation operators, both private and commercial, have the NBAA's Security Council, among other aviation advocacy entities, to thank for the currently harmonious relationship with the TSA.
What has become of the TSA's controversial Large Aircraft Security Program (LASP) for FAR Part 91 operators? The initial proposal met with such fierce resistance from the business aviation community that it was withdrawn for further revisions. A Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for a kinder, gentler LASP II was slated for release in the September 2012 time frame. But now, word has it that because of the presidential election cycle, the NPRM will be delayed until next year — perhaps as late as spring 2013.
NetJets announced the next phase of its fleet refresh plan, placing orders for as many as 425 midsize Bombardier Challenger 300s and 605s and Cessna Citation Latitudes. The order breaks out into 75 firm orders and 125 options for the Challenger 300 series with deliveries scheduled to begin in 2014. The Bombardier contract order also includes 25 firm orders and 50 options for Challenger 605s, with deliveries to begin in 2015. NetJets Chairman and CEO Jordan Hansell valued the Bombardier portion of the newest order at $7.3 billion.
Bell Helicopter plans to open its first company-authorized flight training school in China. Bell Helicopter and Guanchen Aviation have signed a memorandum of understanding to that effect. Eric Cardinali, executive vice president, customer support and services for Bell Helicopter, said, “Partnering with Guanchen Aviation to provide a high-quality, local flight training solution is an important first step in meeting our customer needs in the region. . . .
On May 14, with little advance notice, Teterboro Airport (TEB) was shut down to all traffic and remained closed for 5 hr. How much notice was given is unclear — some say it was 1 hr., while others suggest 12. Undisputed is the fact that TEB, among the nation's busiest general aviation facilities, was shuttered on a workday, surprising many users and forcing the reroute of scores of incoming aircraft. The reason? A presidential visit to the west side of Manhattan, directly across the Hudson River from the close-in New Jersey airport.
Jet Aviation has launched a global refurbishment program to “renew and harmonize” the look and feel of its FBO and major MRO facilities worldwide, beginning with the Geneva, Zurich and Basel facilities in Switzerland and focusing on the facility lobbies and customer and crew lounges, Completion of the Geneva and Basel facilities is scheduled for year-end. The Zurich facility is scheduled for completion in spring 2013.
Reflecting sour European market conditions, Jet Aviation is restructuring its Basel, Switzerland, location into two independently managed maintenance and completion business units, each reporting directly to Dan Clare, president of General Dynamics' Jet Aviation Group. Neil Boyle has been appointed vice president of completions and Johannes Turzer is vice president of maintenance at Basel.
The FAA has issued a revised Advisory Circular, AC 120-76B, that provides guidelines on the certification, airworthiness and operational approval of electronic flight bags (EFB). While the information contained in the revised AC is consistent with previous FAA information on this subject, the NBAA has pointed out some new terms and concepts introduced in the revision. The main difference is specific guidance for FAR Part 91F (large and turbine-powered multiengine aircraft) operators that goes beyond the guidance for other Part 91 operators.
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.
Crewmembers can now complete their initial and recurrent training requirements for both first aid and emergency procedures through a new bundled offering from MedAire and FlightSafety International. The program allows crewmembers to schedule, attend and complete required emergency preparedness training at one location. The bundled training packages available include the FlightSafety Corporate Cabin Attendant training program and Crew Emergency training with the MedAire Management of Inflight Illness and Injury course. Visit www.flightsafety.com or www.medaire.com.
Satcom Direct opened a new domestic office in Savannah, Ga. located in the general aviation area of Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport in Suite 101E of the Sheltair Aviation Services building. The facility includes a business office and a satellite testing and integration lab. Customers who visit the location have access to Satcom Direct's avionics and testing lab, training facility and support services.
Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. has opened a full-service multimedia center at its Product Support headquarters to enhance and increase communication with operations. The center includes a broadcast studio, control room and equipment room allowing Gulfstream to produce live streamed webcasts, videos and recorded broadcasts. The content produced in the multimedia center will be distributed on myGulfstream.com, the company's secure customer website, and will also appear on gulfstream.com.
The TSA and its Cabinet-level parent, the Department of Homeland Security, rose from the ashes of the World Trade Center and serve as a constant reminder of the terrorist attacks that felled those buildings a decade ago.
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.
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.
