“In Close and Gusty” (October 2010, page 44) by Ross Detwiler is an excellent article on the subject of wind-shear landing and should be mandatory reading for all pilots with regard to VREF bug setting.
Bell Helicopter will upgrade its 412EP medium turbine twin with uprated engines and a glass cockpit for retrofit and as an option on new production aircraft beginning in 2012. Pratt & Whitney Canada is to increase the output of its PT6T Twin Pac powerplant, now 1,800 shp, by 15% to increase single-engine and hot-and-high performance and provide for growth in payload and range. The upgrade also will introduce digital engine controls.
“Like a lot of people in this industry, I’ve got to believe the worst is behind us, “said Dave Labrozzi, president of GE Capital Corporate Aircraft Finance, at the end of 2010. “We are now in recovery mode. Time will tell how fast and how far the recovery will be.” Like most companies in business aviation, GE Capital Corporate Aircraft Finance faced challenges during the past couple of years.
Hawker Beechcraft Services has acquired the first test aircraft for the Hawker 400XPR program and has initiated design engineering on the $2.24 million upgrade of the Hawker 400XP/Beechjet 400A.
Cessna Aircraft Co. delivered three Citation Sovereign business jets to the Flight Inspection Center of the Civil Aviation Administration of China, responsible for inspecting navigation, radar, communication and navaid systems as well as proving flight procedures in all civil airports and airways on the Chinese mainland and in Hong Kong and Macau. The Citations will be used to calibrate navaid systems serving China’s rapidly growing network of airports. The aircraft have been certified to operate from airports of up to 15,000 ft.
American Eurocopter has delivered a VIP-configured EC145 to Lewis Energy. It is the third Eurocopter aircraft for the company. “We started with an AS350 and then moved to the EC135 for its larger cabin size and twin-engine performance,” said Rod Lewis, Lewis Energy founder, president and CEO.”The EC145 gives us an even bigger cabin.” American Eurocopter said it worked closely with the customer on the interior completion and the exterior paint of its new aircraft.
The NATA has released a revised guidebook Refueling and Quality Control Procedures for Airport Service and Support Operations. The 2011 revision includes an in-depth review of topics relating to aviation fuel handling, with photographs and a new, easy-to-read format. The new guidebook includes chapters addressing safety; aviation fuels, fuel handling, quality control and testing; equipment; operational procedures; training; and resources. The guidebook is referenced in FAA Advisory Circular (AC) 150/5230-4A, Aircraft Fuel Storage, Handling and Dispensing on Airports.
Dec. 31, 2010 — At about 1426 EST, a Eurocopter EC-135-P2 (N312PH), operated by Petroleum Helicopters Inc. as AirCare 5, and a Cessna 172H (N2876L) collided in midair approximately one-half mile northwest of the Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport (SHD), Weyers Cave, Va. The Cessna airplane departed controlled flight after the right wing separated, and the airplane was destroyed by impact forces at ground contact. The helicopter sustained minor damage and landed safely at SHD. The commercial pilot and passenger onboard the Cessna were killed.
Airbus Corporate Jet Centre (ACJC), the Airbus unit specializing in Airbus Corporate Jet VIP cabin completion, has signed an “EngineLife” agreement with Snecma to propose full engine service support for CFM International CFM56-5B engines to its VIP, corporate and government customers.
A remanufactured business jet with state-of-the-art engines and avionics for what is claimed to be 40% the price of a new aircraft of the same type is the impetus behind Nextant Aerospace’s Beechjet 400XT program.
Piper Aircraft selected Western Aircraft as the airplane manufacturer’s dealer for new aircraft sales in Alaska, northern California, Oregon and Washington. The company will sell the full Piper product line, including the new Piper Altaire single-engine jet. Western Aircraft, part of Greenwich AeroGroup, is based at Gowen Field in Boise, Idaho.
A long-endurance UAV flew for the first time powered by a hydrogen-fueled propulsion system in January. AeroVironment’s Global Observer GO-1, climbed to 5,000 ft. over Edwards AFB, Calif., and flew for 4 hr. The flight marked the first time electrical power was supplied by a liquid hydrogen-fueled internal combustion engine. The engine, in turn, drives a generator that powers the propellers, payload and batteries.
Fred George should know that the people who are “corporate aircraft critics” (“Analysis: Dassault Falcon 900LX,” January 2011, page 24) are not going to overlook the $42 million business jet on a general aviation ramp. Does he really believe that a G450 or Global 5000 is markedly different in the eyes of a corporate aircraft critic? Critics of corporate aviation are neither informed nor rational and they are often hypercritical. One need look no further than to our own president.
28 NOV — Today we did the second shuttle going from Baghdad to Mosul to Kirkuk then Balad and finally back to Baghdad. The Army closed one of the Entry Control Points (ECP) and we had to hop through myriad hoops to get to the airport. We were checked, re-checked and re-re-checked just to get to the airport.
Lufthansa and NetJets Europe may be close to announcing a major cooperation agreement, according to industry sources. As part of the agreement, NetJets will take over corporate jet flying as part of the Lufthansa Private Jet scheme next year replacing Lufthansa’s own fleet of corporate aircraft. Neither Lufthansa nor NetJets have confirmed the plan as we go to press. Lufthansa used NetJets when it originally launched its private jet offering several years ago.
Star Navigation Group of Toronto has developed a satellite-based cockpit data recorder (CDR) with built-in GPS tracking software. The CDR enables essential flight variables, such as altitude, speed and heading, along with avionics and diagnostic information, to be transmitted automatically in real time at regular intervals during a flight, providing access to the data in the event of an inflight event.
Charter booker Avinode reported that, on average, charter demand in 2010 grew to approximately 50% above 2009 levels, but heavy holiday travel has pushed the year-over-year demand increase to 70%. In addition, U.K.-based charter broker PrivateFly.com said that it has seen sales in December skyrocket up to 80% as scores of airline flights in Europe were cancelled due to the major snowstorm that hit the continent. The company said light jets are leading the current demand, but Avinode’s Dec.
Australian flag carrier Qantas will enter the air charter business after announcing plans to buy Network Aviation. The value of the deal was not disclosed. Network Aviation was established in 1998, and is based in Perth, Australia, says Qantas spokesman Simon Rushton. Network Aviation operates a fleet of two 100-seat Fokker 100s and six 30-seat Embraer Brasilia turboprops. Network Aviation will keep its current management, employees and operating structure and become a wholly owned subsidiary of the Qantas Group after the deal is finalized.
Gulfstream, Bombardier, Cessna, Dassault, Embraer, Boeing, Hawker Beechcraft, VistaJet, Jet Aviation, TAG Asia, HK Jet, Asia Jet and JSSI are among those that have signed up to exhibit at Asian Business Aviation 2011, scheduled for March 9-10 in Hong Kong. A record 20-plus business jets are to be on display in the static park.
In 2010, the U.S. business jet and turboprop fleet combined experienced 45 accidents including seven fatal mishaps resulting in deaths of 19 passengers and crew members during routine business operational flights, according to Robert E. Breiling Associates, Inc. of Boca Raton, Fla. Overall, this is one more accident than the previous year, but in 2009 seven crashes claimed 32 lives. Breiling reports that incidents or occurrences involving minor or no damage in both jets and turboprops have increased in recent years.
Bell Helicopter announced in January that it has integrated six of its support and service subsidiaries, officially merging them into Bell Helicopter Textron. Bell says the change allows the company to build Bell Helicopter’s brand recognition, reduces confusion over existing brands and aids in growing its international presence. The operations affected by this activity are: Edwards & Associates Inc. and Aeronautical Accessories Inc. (Piney Flats, Tenn.), Rotor Blades Inc. (Broussard, La.), Acadian Composites (Lafayette, La.), Bell Aerospace Services Inc.
President Obama signed the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization and Job Creation Act of 2010 (H.R.4853) into law Dec. 17, just a day after the legislation cleared the House. The bill permits 100% depreciation of capital investments — including engines, avionics and other upgrades — during 2011, and 50% depreciation for such purchases in 2012. It permits 100% depreciation of aircraft through 2012 and 50% in 2013.
Enflite, the interior and galley products division of LifePort Inc., has achieved AS9100B certification and in the process received a perfect score from third party registrar Intertek. The audit also evaluated Enflite’s compliance with ISO 9001: 2008 quality standards. LifePort is a unit of Sikorsky Aerospace Services (SAS) — the aftermarket division of Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp.
CAE and CHC Helicopter announced Dec. 20 that they have signed an agreement for CAE to acquire CHC Helicopter’s flight training operations including four simulators: a Eurocopter AS332L/L1 Super Puma and a Sikorsky S-61 located in Stavanger, Norway; an AS332L2 Super Puma in Aberdeen, Scotland, and a Sikorsky S-76 in Vancouver, British Columbia. Additionally, CAE will provide training for CHC’s 2,000+ helicopter pilots and maintenance engineers. The agreement will also include general training, pilot provisioning, and search and rescue training.
