“Dangerous Destinations, Part 1: Planning the Trip” (March 2012) was insightful, and I am eager to read the following articles. Content Manager TrainingPort.net Richmond, B.C.
FAA officials estimate that they will select six test sites for integrating unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) into the national airspace by December. The agency has been accepting public comments to help it shape the test sites. The comment period ran through May 8, officials said in a Web-based conference April 10. The agency will consider a few factors when choosing test ranges — including geographic and climatic diversity, the location of ground infrastructure and research needs — and it will consult with the Pentagon and NASA.
Cirrus Aircraft announced April 18 that its Cirrus Vision SF50 personal jet program, with major investment by its new owner, China's CAIGA, is now fully funded through certification and initial production. The company anticipates first customer deliveries will take place in 2015. The Cirrus Vision single-engine jet is designed to fill the gap between high performance pistons and traditional turboprop twins and light business jets. “Today is simply a tremendous milestone for Cirrus,” said Dale Klapmeier, CEO and cofounder of Cirrus Aircraft.
Aerion, the supersonic business jet developer, has kept a steady orderbook for “just under 50” of its $80 million aircraft, says Aerion Vice Chairman Brian Barents. “We've essentially maintained that $4 billion orderbook with which we entered the recession,” he says. “We're delighted with that.”
Next month, Poland and the Ukraine will co-host the 14th European Football Championship, a month-long extravaganza of matches between national teams for the coveted Euro Cup. The event is expected to attract millions of fans from all over the world, many of whom will converge on Warsaw, Poland's capital, and with 1.7 million residents, its largest city, as well as a political and financial hub.
BBJs aren't just B737s any more. Boeing's Team BBJ has a clear goal for this year, encapsulated by the slogan: “12 in 12.” Specifically, the makers of Boeing VIP jets plan to deliver a dozen executive airplanes in 2012. These include eight of Boeing's Brobdingnagian 747-8s, two BBJs and a pair of BBJ 2s. In late February, Capt. Steve Taylor, president of BBJ, delivered the first 747-8 to Wichita for installation of an “Aeroloft,” an aft-mounted sleeping berth designed by Greenpoint Technologies for up to eight people.
A new EASA rule covering flight-crew licensing would potentially ground hundreds, if not thousands, of general aviation pilots in certain European countries. The rule, which took effect on April 8, enacts EASA requirements for pilot training and the issuance of European pilot licenses, ratings and certificates. One of the more controversial measures in the rule requires European pilots who currently hold third-country licenses to convert their licenses to EASA- or EU-validated licenses.
Associated Aircraft Group (AAG), the East Coast executive helicopter service, is celebrating more than 40,000 hr. of safe flying in its fleet of Sikorsky S-76 helicopters. The company's achievement spans more than 17 years of operating the S-76. AAG operates a fleet of S-76 helicopters in both fractional ownership and full management programs.
Austria's Diamond Aircraft is flight testing a new twin diesel-powered airplane that will feature the largest cabin in its product line, designed to carry up to seven people. A prototype DA52, powered by two Austro Engine 180-hp turbo-diesel engines, AE300E, completed its first flight with Diamond Chairman Christian Dries and head of flight test Ingmar Mayerbuch at the controls, the company said April 3. The aircraft took off from Wiener Neustadt, Austria, with a gross weight of 1,780 kg. Takeoff roll was less than 300 meters (934 ft.) without flaps and with a 5 kt.
Is 3-D display coming? A breakthrough in radar display may be in the offing, with a new 3-D radar developed by Avco Corp. Civil applications include air traffic control (where 3-D display fits nicely into the FAA's urge to get 3-D aircraft information for controllers), and severe weather forecasting — tornadoes, thunderstorms and hurricanes. The device uses a rotating electro-luminescent panel. Rotation speed is chosen to avoid flicker, with the result that radar blip appears to be floating in space.
AgustaWestland and fashion design house Karl Lagerfeld announced a partnership for the design of VIP helicopter interiors and exteriors. The cooperation will initially focus on the development of a VIP interior and exterior styling for the AW139 medium-twin helicopter. The companies may expand the partnership to include other AgustaWestland commercial helicopter models.
The House General Aviation Caucus leadership is circulating a letter to build support for a repeal of the so-called “fuel fraud” measure that calls for aviation jet fuel to be taxed at the highway diesel fuel rate. Caucus members — including Reps. Sam Graves (R-Mo.), John Barrow (D-Ga.), and Leonard Boswell (D-Iowa) — were collecting signatures for the letter in mid-April to be delivered to the House Ways and Means Committee, which would have jurisdiction over the fuel fraud tax measure.
“Dangerous Destinations, Part 1” was excellent! I am going to give it to our Chief of Security and also recommend it to my boss here in the flight department. I am looking forward to Part 2. Safety Officer Ball Corp. Broomfield, Colo.
The year 2011 was another tough one for the business aircraft industry, witnessing a 3.5% overall decline in general aviation aircraft shipments, according to GAMA statistics. Turboprop deliveries declined 2.4% from 2011, light jet deliveries fell 6.3% and the midsize aircraft sector was flat at best. Large-cabin aircraft fared much better with increased demand from China, Russia and other emerging markets.
An increase in Part 135 commuter/air taxi business jet accidents is driving a significant jump in business jet accidents through the first three months of the year. But an improving turboprop record has kept down the overall number of U.S.-registered business turbine accidents, according to the latest information released by safety expert Robert E. Breiling Associates. U.S.-registered business jets and turboprops combined for 16 accidents in the first quarter, down slightly from 19 in the first quarter of 2011.
Piper Aircraft continues to expand its international network with the appointment of Duran Aviation as a distributor for new airplane sales in Central America. Based at Airport Marcos A. Gelabert in Panama City, Duran Aviation is part of Company Consultenos, S.A., which is a family-owned company that is involved in several areas, including automotive, golfing and real estate. Duran Aviation will market and sell Piper aircraft throughout Central America in Panama, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Belize.
Piper Aircraft has landed a contract valued at $90,000 to provide complex multi-axis machined parts for Triton Submarines, which like Piper, is based in Vero Beach, Fla. Piper Aircraft's Services business unit, which was formed in part to preserve engineering expertise originally developed for the now-shelved Altaire single jet, is providing the work for Triton.
In many respects, Cessna and Textron are ideal partners in developing China's general aviation structure. The company's roots extend to the birth of general aviation in the U.S. Cessna knows how to design and build aircraft ranging from light sport and single-engine piston, the single-engine turboprop Caravan utility aircraft, twin turboprops and the light and medium Citation business jets. And it knows how to certify its products internationally. It knows how to set up pilot training and aircraft service center networks.
I just read “SyberJet Introduces SJ30-Plus” (April 2012) and appreciated your candid, honest words and your sensitivity to our confidential issues. Business & Commercial Aviation magazine has a well-earned reputation for offering real-world perspective while maintaining its editorial integrity. Working with you gives me fresh confidence in aviation journalism. A big thanks as well for being tenacious and resolute in finding solutions to early objections and concerns.
Mike Venables, P.Eng. (TriLink Technologies Group Inc. )
To underscore your point in “Different Juice, Same Mission” (Viewpoint, March 2012) many years ago (pre-Twitter and Facebook), I took a communications course. The main point was that communication was 80% non-verbal, 15% vocal and only 5% the words. In other words, an email only delivers 5% of your message while telephone (or Skype) only delivers 20% (maybe a bit more for a Skype video call). Nearly 80% of your message is getting lost if you're not there in person.
For half the cost of a GIV, you can own a 1983 to 1987, Stage III noise compliant GIII that provides access to virtually the same noise-sensitive airports used by newer aircraft. Retrofitted with hush-kits, these aircraft can fly eight passengers about 3,600 nm at Mach 0.75. Their cabin cross sections are the same diameter as all other legacy Gulfstream models, but the net interior length is 3.0 ft. shorter than the GIV and overall interior length is 4.8 ft. shorter.
The financial and operational benefits of NextGen modernization will be slower to emerge than previously expected, according to a March progress report from the FAA. There is no doubt that NextGen will eventually deliver impressive savings and greater efficiency. However, due to a combination of factors the FAA has shifted out by two years its forecast for achieving these benefits. The latest guidance is part of the agency's NextGen implementation plan, which is issued annually.
The first flight of the Hawker 400XPR is imminent as we go to press. An upgrade of the discontinued Beechjet/Hawker 400, the new model features Williams International FJ44-4A-32 engines, winglets and an optional four-display Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 cockpit. The avionics suite was recently certified, and the engines and winglets are expected to get their approvals by the end of September. The Williams engine is flat rated at 3,200 lb. thrust, or 8% more than the PWC JT15D it replaces. The new fanjet also features dual-channel FADEC systems.
Avionics makers, recognizing the phenomenal popularity of inexpensive, go-anywhere, tablet-based applications, have been feverishly developing ways to bring iPads and Adroid-based "post-PC" mobile OS tablet computers into business aircraft cockpits.
