That night the two rock performers — one a drummer, the other a DJ — had wowed a crowd of 10,000 people at a free concert near the University of South Carolina. Now, even though it was approaching midnight, they wanted to get home to California. They, along with two support staffers, boarded the chartered Learjet Model 60 that had landed at Columbia Metropolitan Airport 40 minutes earlier. The passengers took their seats, the cabin door was closed and locked, and the two pilots began to taxi to the active runway. It was Sept. 19, 2008.
In the first six months of 2009, the U.S. business jet and turboprop fleet combined experienced 13 accidents — 38 percent fewer than the same period in 2008. Three of the accidents were fatal and resulted in 18 passenger and crew fatalities during routine business flights, according to Robert E. Breiling Associates of Boca Raton, Fla. The number of fatal accidents is down with three this year to date vs. 10 through June last year. In 2008, there were 20 fatalities in the first six months vs. 18 this year.
Following the announcement of a $166.5 million contract for its part in the development phase of Europe’s Single European Sky Air Traffic Management System (SESAR) Joint Undertaking, Thales said it is working with the FAA on its NextGen future air traffic control system to ensure they work together. SESAR is roughly equivalent to the U.S. NextGen program although NextGen and SESAR differ operationally.
Gulfstream Aerospace recently received FAA certification for the second-generation Gulfstream Enhanced Vision System (EVS II) on the wide-cabin, high-speed Gulfstream G150. The system is available for both new and in-service G150 aircraft.
With more than half of sales headed overseas, business aviation OEMs are rightfully adjusting their sights on customer support to better match service facilities to the locations of their customers. In a down market, it seems to make more business sense to ally with a proven performer than to build your own service center from the ground up, and that’s just what’s happening.
Boeing announced that with support from Iridium Satellite it has demonstrated capability enhancements to the High Integrity Global Positioning System (iGPS) program for the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory — military technology that may well spill into the civilian environment as have other GPS enhancements.
Personnel costs represent captain and first officer salaries not including benefits. The figures are based on a nationwide average of quotes taken from aircraft operators.
Transport Canada Civil Aviation certified the Bell Helicopter 429 on July1. Bell says the 429 has also completed FAA certification requirements. First deliveries were scheduled to begin in July. Since Bell first announced the 429, it has received over over 300 letters of intent.
The AOPA has expressed concern over the FAA’s push to extinguish all existing “through-the-fence” access at public-use airports involving homes and businesses on private property that have access to airport taxiways or runways. The AOPA says the problem is of particular concern in the Northwest where the FAA is conducting an inventory of airports that have existing through-the-fence operations and is pressuring airport sponsors to eventually eliminate that access.
Jet-A and AvgasPer Gallon Fuel PricesJuly 2009 Jet-A and AvgasPer Gallon Fuel PricesJuly 2009 Jet-A Region High Low Average Eastern $7.06 $3.10 $4.98 New England $5.25 $3.44
Flying Musicians Association, Inc., has been formed by two pilot/musicians, John Zapp and Aileen Hummel, with the goal of encouraging, promoting, educating and supporting music and flying. The group feels that by flying around the country and visiting music programs they can expose young people to the thrill and fascination of aviation. The first Fly-In Musicfest is scheduled for Nov. 6-8 at the Fort Worth Springs Airport (KFWS), Fort Worth, Texas. Flying Musicians P.O. Box 2201 Grapevine, TX (817) 501-3641
Aircraft operating costs are presented in a format that separates the data into seven separate areas: Mission Costs, Variable Costs, Fixed Annual Costs, Periodic Costs, Personnel Costs, Training Costs and Facilities Costs.
A “perfect storm” of challenges to business aircraft ownership — whether whole or fractional — is brewing in Washington, D.C., and beyond with potential far-reaching impact not only on aircraft ownership but the managed-aircraft charter business model.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 $.
Hawker Beechcraft Services announced that a Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) Localizer Performance with Vertical Guidance (LPV) solution will be available this summer for all Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21-equipped Hawker 800XP aircraft. The upgrade is a cooperative effort between Rockwell Collins and Hawker Beechcraft Corp. (HBC). HBC’s factory-owned aircraft service centers are now taking pre-orders and pre-scheduling aircraft for the installation.
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.
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.
