Key Air, an aircraft management and charter operation based in Oxford, Conn., has received FAA authorization for use of the Apple iPad to access electronic charts in place of paper charts. Key Air previously had FAA authorization to use an electronic flight bag, and underwent a series of testing and authorizations to use the iPad. Key Air pilots will use the iPads during its commercial flight operations.
Constant Aviation has received FAA supplemental type certification (STC) for the installation of Aircell's Cabin Wireless Access Point (CWAP) in an Embraer EMB135LR aircraft. CWAP provides in-cabin Wi-Fi service for Gogo Biz Inflight Internet. Constant Aviation has completed the Gogo Biz Inflight Internet STC on the Gulfstream IV, Embraer 600 and EMB135 Corporate Shuttle.
With three new civil helicopter models set to enter certification testing or service this year, Russia's rotary-wing industry is preparing for rapid growth following almost a decade of consolidation of airframe, engine and service providers. Displaying a model of its newest Mi-171A2 at the Heli-Expo in Dallas, Russian Helicopters says it expects to deliver some 301 aircraft in 2012, up from 262 last year and 214 in 2010. The trend marks significant growth from 2006, when deliveries reached 94 helicopters, and represent a 15% year-on-year expansion, according to officials.
FAA has issued an emergency AD calling for replacement of certain Bell Model 206L (and -1, -3 and -4) main rotor blades that exceed a new shortened life limit. Originally 3,600 hr. time in service, the new life limit is 1,400 hr. The AD stems from a Transport Canada report of two accidents involving failure of the main rotor blade because of fatigue cracking. Transport Canada advises that there is no reliable inspection method to detect the cracks on these blades before such failure.
Duncan Aviation has developed an iPad-compatible wireless interface for cabin management systems. The iCabin application connects an iPad to an aircraft's CMS, providing passengers with a remote for sound, video and cabin lighting on aircraft equipped with Wi-Fi capability. The fully customized iPad application doesn't interfere with other onboard systems or change functionality, says Duncan. It also may be used to control most audio and video equipment. A wireless cabin control application for Android devices is also being tested.
I am the director of operations of an air charter company in Spokane, Wash., that operates a PC-12, and happened to fly into Butte the day after the accident, so “Butte Pilatus” (Cause & Circumstance, January 2012) was really close to home. Now that the findings are finally published, I plan to feature your article, which was very well done, at our next flying safety meeting. We're planning to have an interactive discussion during the meeting.
Gulfstream also reported that the three Gulfstream G280 aircraft currently in the flight-test program have flown more than 1,835 hr. during more than 685 flights as of Jan. 25. The fatigue test article has completed more than 12,500 of 40,000 cycles. Serial Number 2001 recently completed rejected takeoff tests. Serial number 2003 finished all function and reliability activities and is now being transitioned to testing optional avionics features, including the Head-Up Display (HUD II) and Enhanced Vision System (EVS II).
Bombardier Aerospace will open a full-scale company-owned and operated service center in Singapore in 2013. The company says the new service center will be the cornerstone of Bombardier's customer services offerings in the Asia-Pacific region. The new facility will be the second service center operated by Bombardier outside of North America, bringing the total number to ten worldwide. It will be capable of performing a variety of light to heavy maintenance tasks on all Learjet, Challenger and Global aircraft.
Air tour operator Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters has incorporated the Softtech Flight & Duty TrackerT system into its operations at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, as well as Las Vegas/Boulder City. Flight & Duty TrackerT provides FAR Part 135 flight and duty tracking for small or large flight operations, including training events.
Saab Sensis Corp. will install its airport surface surveillance technology at nine or more U.S. airports under a contract awarded by the FAA that could be worth up to $119 million. Sensis, a U.S. subsidiary of Saab, will install systems that fuse surveillance data from multiple sources, including multilateration and automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B). This gives controllers a highly accurate picture of runway and taxiway movements, and the ability to detect conflicts and provide alerts.
The FAA says the continuing failure of the U.S. Congress to pass a reauthorization bill is undermining confidence in the administration's ability to execute the Next Generation air traffic modernization plan. Pressing for immediate action, FAA Acting Administrator Michael Huerta says the hiatus “creates a climate of uncertainty.” The FAA is in its fourth year of operating under temporary funding, with Congress having passed more than 20 extensions in lieu of a full reauthorization bill.
Signature Flight Support has announced Signature TailWins and the Signature Flight aviation card. TailWins is a loyalty program for pilots, crew, schedulers and dispatchers, and corporate flight and travel departments offering one of the highest rates of rewards currently available, according to the company. Products and services include watches, destination travel, apparel and technology purchases. The aviation card is underwritten by U.S. Bank and Multi Service Aviation. It offers a convenient payment method for all aviation purchases.
CAE has opened Mexico's first business jet and civil helicopter training center. Full-flight simulators for the Bombardier Learjet 40/45 and the Bell 412 were recently qualified to Level D-equivalent standards by Mexico's Direccion General de Aeronautica Civil (DGAC). The new center is located at Aeropuerta Internacional de Toluca, which is easily accessible from Mexico City. Toluca is the seventh location in CAE's business aviation training network and the ninth for civil helicopter training. CAE www.cae.com
Honda Aircraft Company announced Dec. 20 that it had been flying the third FAA design-conforming HondaJet since Nov.18, 2011. Honda Aircraft has expanded F2's performance envelope as the aircraft has begun its test mission work in earnest. The first FAA-conforming HondaJet, which flew for the first time on Dec. 20, 2010, has achieved key benchmarks that meet or exceed the aircraft's designed performance goals.
Daher-Socata delivered 38 TBM850 single-engine aircraft last year, equaling the total of the year before. Deliveries to buyers in the U.S. continued to dominate, with 84% of deliveries topping the 76% that found their way to the U.S. in 2010. Latin America was the second largest market, with Asia-Pacific and Europe following. Europe was the second largest market in 2010. Daher-Socata says it was the fourth best year for the TBM.
ImperialJet took delivery of a new Bombardier Challenger 605 business jet for the company's charter fleet. The company says it has seen strong demand for its Bombardier Challengers, particularly in Russia and Saudi Arabia. The company operates Challenger 850, 605 and 604 aircraft in addition to Learjet 60/60 XR and Gulfstream III jets. The company further has five Learjet 85s on order that are slated to enter service in 2014.
Community leaders in Wichita are assembling a task force that will develop some “fairly aggressive strategies” to boost the aviation industry as the city wrestles with Boeing's January announcement that it will pull its defense, space and security operations out of Wichita and lay off or relocate up to 2,100 workers, says Suzie Ahlstrand, interim president of the Greater Wichita Economic Development Coalition (GWEDC).
In “Cabin Electronic Systems” (December, 2011) the listing for Audio International (subsidiary of DeCrane Aerospace) should actually have been Goodrich Interiors — Cabin Electronic Systems. Goodrich acquired the Audio International asset of DeCrane over a year ago.
After a steady decline in his health, the father of a colleague passed away not long ago. In the weeks that followed, the gentleman's survivors, a son and daughter, had to deal with all the details of his departure — accounts to close, notifications to various institutions, cleaning out a lifetime's collections of paperwork, photos, clothing, mementos. A long, melancholy process. The very last item on their To Do list was the biggie: Selling the house.
