Russian Helicopters and France's Turbomeca (Safran group), have signed contracts to supply at least 308 Turbomeca Ardiden 3G turboshaft engines to be installed on the updated Ka-62 helicopter, a new single-rotor design in the medium class designed to international standards. It is built with an enclosed tail rotor and airframe and propeller blades with over 50% polymeric composite materials. It is designed to transport 12 to 14 passengers in the cabin or a 2.5 metric ton load on the external sling, and is equipped with standard anti-icing and firefighting systems.
The concept of Required Navigation Performance (RNP) isn't new, GE Aviation PBN Services technical fellow Steve Fulton points out. “The Boeing 737 was certified in December 1994 with that capability,” he noted. “It's encouraging to see things moving the way they are [with the FAA's RNP-dependent NextGen program]. It's taken us a long time to get there, though.”
The Civil Aviation Authority of the Cayman Islands (CAACI) entered into a joint partnership with CHC Helicopter, providing the company an Cayman Islands Air Operator Certificate (AOC), which allows the company to conduct offshore operations in several other foreign jurisdictions worldwide. The first two CHC AS332L2 Super Puma aircraft have been transferred to the Cayman Islands Register, and VP-CHC and VP-CHB will be commencing offshore operations in South America.
Avjet Corp. — which is headquartered in Burbank, Calif., and has a number of offices worldwide (in Moscow, Dubai, throughout Asia and in Washington, D.C.) — provides aircraft charter and management solutions, aircraft sales and completion management services. A specialist in large-cabin VVIP aircraft, Avjet is a leader in the most active market sector: ultra-long-range Boeing, Bombardier and Gulfstream aircraft.
Eurocontrol has issued an updated action plan for expanded runway incursion incident reporting. The 104-page document spells out “the need to improve the quality of data provided in runway incursion incident reports and the need to disseminate the lessons that can be learned from the actual incidents.” Runway incursions in Europe occur at the average rate of two per day, Eurocontrol notes. The guidelines apply to airport operators, air navigation service providers, aircraft operators and regulators. Technology recommendations include using of GPS or airport moving maps.
While the investigation continues into the cause of the April 2 crash of a test Gulfstream 650, Gulfstream Aerospace is continuing to move the program forward, Jay Johnson, chairman and CEO of Gulfstream parent General Dynamics, told analysts. During a first-quarter earnings call, Johnson stressed that the company was not presupposing the outcome of the NTSB investigation, nor the FAA's certification process.
Based on the original Legacy's Primus 1000 avionics package, Primus Elite features five, 8- by-7-in. LCD screens that replace the CRTs. The layout has left- and right-side PFDs and MFDs, along with a central EICAS. Upgrading to flat-panel screens makes possible the display of charts and data link weather, plus they generate considerably less heat and have longer service lives.
Pitch-black darkness, gusting winds and a deep mountain canyon with vertical granite walls climbing up to 12,000 ft. do not make for a helicopter friendly environment. To make matters worse, the winter's worst blizzard was inbound just miles away. Earlier on that January afternoon a backcountry skier had been trapped and injured by an avalanche in very steep terrain. Rescuers had spent hours getting to the downed skier and then maneuvering in steep, snow-covered terrain to get him to a Forest Service parking lot 3 mi. distant and 4,000 ft. down.
U.S. Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Thomas Donohue continues to voice his opposition to the FAA's effort to limit the Block Aircraft Registration Request (BARR) program, which enables operators to ask the FAA to withhold their registration information from flight tracking agreements. “It poses a security threat to users of business aviation,” Donohue told the Chamber of Commerce's 10th annual Aviation Summit.
The NBAA's 2011 Business Aircraft Transactions Conference is scheduled to take place Thursday, June 9 and Friday, June 10 at the Hilton New York in midtown Manhattan. The two-day event — which will be co-chaired by Eileen M. Gleimer, a partner at Crowell & Moring LLP, and David Labrozzi, president of GE Capital Corporate Aircraft Finance — is to feature a variety of expert presenters on financing, insurance and other topics related to aircraft ownership, as well as an opportunity to network with these industry principals.
When Don Campion launched an aircraft service shop with partner John Price back in 1979, he named it after a tree that was common in Nigeria, where he grew up. Banyan Air Service started out servicing small charter operators like the one Campion had been flying for, but in the 30-plus years it has been growing and spreading its wings at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport in Florida, it has become a landmark full-service FBO.
The General Aviation Avgas Coalition is urging the Environmental Protection Agency to hold off on a draft plan that could lead to further restrictions on 100-octane low lead aviation gasoline because it doesn't account for recent changes to the standards. The EPA released the Draft Integrated Review Plan for the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for Lead in April, outlining plans for the review of the air quality criteria and national ambient air quality standards for lead.
Embraer announced May 5 that Ernest Edwards has been promoted to head the company's executive jet business, replacing Luis Carlos Affonso, who now assumes responsibility for new business companywide. Affonso led the development of Embraer Executive Jets from a single product offering, the ERJ 145-derived Legacy 600, through the development of two clean-sheet-of-paper business jets, the Phenom 100 and 300 announced in 2005, with two more on the way, the longer-range Legacy 650 and the large-cabin Lineage 1000 executive jet derived from the Embraer 190 airliner.
At press time, Nextant Aerospace was expecting imminent certification of its 400XT, a remanufactured version of the Beechjet 400 that features Williams International FJ44-3AP engines and Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 avionics. The Ohio-based company plans to deliver the first 400XT in July and a total of 11 aircraft during this year. In addition, the firm plans to take a 400XT on a nationwide tour this summer.
The NBAA Maintenance Manage–ment Conference (MMC) is business aviation's dedicated learning event for those responsible for managing the maintenance function of flight departments. This three-day conference provides valuable information for individuals interested in enhancing their knowledge of aircraft maintenance and management, along with ideas and suggestions for those interested in professional development or meeting career goals.
Looking for ways to help new A&P's? Volunteer to talk about the NBAA TRACS Scholarship at your local schools and airports. You can also mentor applicants by helping them complete their scholarship application forms. Applications for the 2012 Maintenance TRACS awards will be available by October 2011. For more information on this program visit the NBAA TRACS website at: www.nbaa.org/public/education/scholarships/mxtracs/
The FAA is soliciting comments on an air tour management plan (ATMP) under development for Big Cypress National Preserve in Florida. The Florida ATMP is one of a number of plans the agency has initiated to develop regulations governing air tours over national parkland. The FAA was directed to develop ATMPs under the National Parks Air Tour Management Act of 2000.
The Professional Aviation Maintenance Association (PAMA) board of directors has selected Dale Forton as president of the association, which represents aviation maintenance personnel. Forton has 32 years of aviation maintenance experience and has been involved in PAMA for more than 26 years. He has served as an airframe and powerplant technician and director of maintenance. He also has been an active PAMA board member, launching a chapter, serving as Great Lakes regional director and vice chairman of the board.
India wants to introduce 100 seaplanes into service in the next 10 years to support tourism and essential services to its coastal and island territories. The federal government will allow 100% foreign direct investment in the seaplane sector and urges overseas operators to take advantage of the offer.
Field Aviation has completed the first major modernization of a Bombardier Dash 8 flight deck at its facility at Toronto's L. B. Pearson International Airport. Transport Canada issued a supplemental type certificate for the Universal Avionics EFI-890R cockpit upgrade in April, and the improved aircraft has been delivered back to its owner, the Icelandic Coast Guard. The process of obtaining the equivalent FAA and European Aviation Safety Agency certification for the modification is under way.
According to China's “People's Daily Online,” China will further open its airspace in the next few years, aiming to completely open all of its low-altitude airspace by 2015, said Li Jiaxiang, director of the Civil Aviation Administration of China.
Maintenance standard orders proposed by the FAA would gradually replace maintenance guidance material now provided by CAMs and CARs. MSOs are intended to prescribe maintenance minimums and generally would not go into detail, but would provide for alternate methods acceptable to the FAA. The Bureau of Flight Standards invites industry to comment and has proposed a typical new MSO A-1 relating to tire retread.
Solairus Aviation has added an Austin, Texas-based Bombardier Challenger 604 to its charter fleet, and an Oakland, Calif.-based Challenger is undergoing the company's conformity procedures before being cleared for charter operations. The company has already added a Gulfstream GV, a Gulfstream GIV and a Hawker 800SP to its charter fleet so far this year.
Embraer posted first-quarter 2011 earnings higher than the same quarter last year, reporting a net income of $105.1 million, up from $24.1 million in the first quarter of 2010. The rise largely is attributable to tax credits from the appreciation of Brazil's real. The appreciation of the real is a “real challenge,” the company says, and Embraer's response has been to increase productivity at its manufacturing facilities. Embraer delivered two large business jets and six light jets in the first quarter, which the company said was in line with expectations.
