The University of Dayton Research Institute’s Patrick Haines and James Luers have been vocal advocates for exploring the effects of heavy rain on aircraft performance and have applied forensic engineering methods to several accidents. Their methodology, which was published in the Journal of Aircraft, suggests that the previously calculated effects of wind shear were in error, and that heavy rain likely contributed to the loss of performance in many mishaps.
Embraer has selected Starlink Aviation to be its first authorized service center in Canada for its Phenom executive jets. The company is headquartered at Montreal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport, in Quebec, offering Phenom owners aircraft maintenance and FBO services, as well as aircraft charter management.
Especially in today’s volatile market, Rick Engles believes it is critical that aircraft brokers clearly communicate to prospective airplane sellers what the true value of their aircraft is.
Proposed Rules Bombardier CL-601, CL-601-3A, CL-601-3R and CL-604 airplanes — Revise the “Airworthiness Limitations” section of the “Instructions for Continued Airworthiness” to incorporate new repetitive functional tests of the engine throttle control gearbox. Learjet 60 airplanes — Revise the “Tires Servicing” and “Tires Limitation” sections of the airplane flight manual to incorporate revised procedures for servicing tires and checking for proper tire inflation.
Looking for help with your foggy or scratched windows? Check out the NBAA’s Products and Services Directory to locate outfits that specialize in aircraft window repair and replacement. First, access the Web site at http://data.nbaa.org/prodsvcs/directory/search.cfm, and then from the pull-down Categories menu select Window/Windscreen Repair.
Jake Cartwright believes that an elimination of depreciation and laying on of more government taxing mechanisms could be the death knell for what he calls the “marginal” aircraft owner.
The White House in June nominated Christopher A. Hart for a second term on the NTSB. According to the NTSB roster of former members, he previously served on the Safety Board from 1990-1993. Since then he has held a senior safety oversight role at the FAA. Hart is a pilot with commercial, multiengine and instrument ratings. He is an attorney and has earned engineering degrees.
Your article on making the flight department’s case by engaging company management and staff (“Enhancing Flight Department Relevance,” July, page 49) makes sense and $.
Gulfstream Aerospace recently received Type Certificate Validation from Transport Canada for the Gulfstream G550, G500, G450, G350 and GV, the company announced July 13. These aircraft join seven other Gulfstream models already certified for Canadian registration — the G200, G150, G100, GIV, GIII, GIIB and GII. The new certifications mean operators can now register any in-production Gulfstream aircraft in Canada.
Hawker Beechcraft has appointed Aeronautics Limited as a sales representative for England, Scotland and Wales. Aeronautics Limited will market and sell both new and used current-production Hawker and Beechcraft airplanes. Based at Kemble Airport in the United Kingdom, Aeronautics Limited specializes in corporate aircraft sales, acquisition, brokerage, management and operations.
The AOPA’s Aviation eBrief says both Democrats and Republicans in the Senate are backing an FAA reauthorization bill introduced in mid-July that would accelerate NextGen implementation. The bill would require satellite-based ATC at the 35 busiest U.S. airports by 2014, with the rest of the country coming online by 2018 with $40 billion in funding through 2011 but with out-year system funding unspecified, postponing the tough decisions until 2011, AOPA states as we go to press.
The FAA has issued a Safety Alert for Operators (SAFO) on safely extinguishing fires caused by disposable lithium and rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, as found in personal electronic devices carried by both aircraft crew and passengers. The SAFO also stresses the need to cool the batteries to prevent thermal runaway and re-ignition. A link to related FAA training videos is also provided in the SAFO. The NBAA has a copy of the SAFO on its Web site www.nbaa.org.
In the United States, depreciation is a method of tax deferral allowed by the Internal Revenue Service to enable businesses to accelerate deductions when purchasing high-priced capital assets, such as production machinery, highway vehicles, ships or aircraft used in business contexts. Its overriding intention is to encourage — or at least facilitate — the purchase of capital equipment, as this is seen as a stimulus to the larger economy.
International Communications Group (ICG) developed an interface between its NxtMail Server and Cobham’s SDU-7300 Swift 65 and SDU-320 Swift Broadband Satcom systems, which will enable up to eight on-board Wi-Fi devices to simultaneously access on-board services provided by the Inmarsat high-speed data channel. ICG said the integration of its NxtMail Service with the Cobham SDUs expands the platforms for ICG products, since NxtMail now can be configured to connect to both Inmarsat and Iridium systems.
New Zealand-based aircraft tracking company spidertracks has launched spiderwatch, a flight following component that actively watches over every flight. The company is positioning the system as an alternative to ELTs. Spiderwatch is automatically turned on when the aircraft accelerates through 40 knots. This tells the system to “actively monitor the flight. If the spider tracking device loses power, the system loses contact with the spider, triggering text and e-mail alerts to be automatically sent to recipients designated by the user.
The two areas of expenses shown here are based on national average annual costs reported by flight departments compiled and analyzed by ARG/US. The figures shown in each cost area are broken down by the six aircraft categories and will be the same for all aircraft of a particular category.
Used business jet inventories continue to show signs of stabilization, according to the latest reports from two analysts. Inventories tracked by UBS dropped 2 percent in June after sequential increases in each of the prior 18 months; meanwhile, J.P. Morgan found inventory relatively flat. But both analysts continue to point to troubling indicators. “Despite the decline this time, available inventories are still 48 percent higher from the prior year and represent 17 percent of the installed base,” UBS said. J.P.
Honeywell’s Avionics Protection Plan offers the following: full coverage exchange and/or repair service for Honeywell-installed equipment that fails to perform under normal use and service. Customers can receive an exchange through the Exchange/ Rental Program or repair of any product by Honeywell or an authorized dealer. No-charge loaners are available while a unit is under repair at one of Honeywell’s Worldwide Support Centers. Normal air freight shipping costs both ways within North America or internationally, within the country of origin, are covered.
The “Single-Pilot Question” sidebar to “The Why and When Behind Loss of Control” says “Five of the 59 fatal Loss of Control (LOC) business jet accidents between 1991 and 2007 involved single-pilot operations” (May, page 61). It then goes on to quote a Citation study that says the single-pilot accident rate is 2.7 times greater than that of two-pilot Citations. And fatal rates are 3.7 times greater.
Manchester, N.H.’s OneSky Jets has bought the assets of Quincy, Mass.-based Jets.com. The sale includes Jets.com’s technology platform, LegFind charter industry portal software and domain, and rights to the Jets.com customer list. Jets.com’s Titanium membership program will be incorporated into OneSky Jets’ Latitude Membership program. OneSky will combine Jets.com technology with its own Cloud 9 platform.
CharterMatrix LLC has introduced AirplaneManager.com, a Web application that provides aircraft charter companies and corporate flight departments with a low-cost flight scheduling option, according to the vendor. The scheduling software provides air charter quoting, aircraft and pilot tracking, and invoicing. AirplaneManger.com offers a real-time quoting application that can be placed onto an air charter company’s Web site, allowing customers to quickly estimate their trip price.
There’s not another current production business aircraft that can beat the Learjet 60 in a time-to-climb contest. With a weight-to-thrust ratio of 2.55:1, you can soar from sea level to FL 410 in less than 18 minutes. It’s also fuel efficient. After level off, its Pratt & Whitney Canada PW305A engines enable the Learjet 60 to cruise at 440 KTAS with an average fuel burn of 1,300 pph.
You awake in the hotel room, turn on The Weather Channel and see red- and orange-colored warning areas promising thunderstorms on your return flight. A last check of the WSI weather screen when leaving the FBO shows the line of CBs growing in size and intensity, directly on your route home. Throughout the flight you keep adjusting the weather radar to pick your way around the cells.
Rolls-Royce has received European certification for the BR700-725A1-12 turbofan that will power the Gulfstream G650 business jet. The European Aviation Safety Agency granted approval on June 23. First flight of the G650 is planned for later this year. The 16,100-pound-thrust engine features a 50-inch fan and 24 titanium blades.
Sherwin-Williams Aerospace has expanded its global presence to meet increasing demand in Asia and the Pacific Rim by adding new authorized distributors in China and Australia. The new distributors include Shen Zhen Lubair Aerospace Co., Ltd., with two locations in Shen Zhen, China, and Pacific Dynamics in Artarmon, New South Wales, Australia. They will offer Sherwin-Williams’ entire range of aerospace products including Jet Glo, Acry Glo, Jet Glo Express and Jet Flex. The company’s new product, Fill Bond aerospace putty, also will be offered. Price: Varies
