Cobham’s synthetic-vision glass cockpit has been FAA approved for single-pilot IFR operation in a Bell 412 helicopter, marking the first time such a system has been IFR-approved in a rotary-wing aircraft. Arrow Aviation, a Broussard, La.-based helicopter support and service company, holds the STC for the installation. The search and rescue unit of North Slope Borough, Alaska, will be the first Bell 412 customer to have the electronic flight instrument system (EFIS) installed.
Albania, Bulgaria and Croatia have ordered “Entry Node” equipment so they can participate in Eurocontrol’s Enhanced Traffic Flow Management System (ETFMS), sharing air traffic information with Central Flow Management Units (CFMUs) in Brussels and Paris. COMSOFT, a Eurocontrol long-time industry partner, will deploy and integrate the systems in Tirana, Sofia and Zagreb within the next few months.
The Vref Aircraft Value Reference has been providing aviation lenders and used aircraft brokers and dealers with detailed information on the value of general aviation aircraft since 1994. Originally published in a spiral binder, the product has been available on CD since the late 1990s and on line at Vrefonline.com since the end of 2007. The process of collecting all the necessary data for Vref puts Publisher Fletcher Aldredge in a unique position to comment on market trends.
Bombardier Aerospace released its new forecasts for the business and commercial airline aircraft markets at the Paris Air Show, June 15. In the 10-year period from 2009 to 2018, the Bombardier business aircraft market forecast predicts that business jet manufacturers will deliver a total of 11,500 aircraft with industry revenues of approximately US$256 billion.
ATR is stepping up appearances at business aviation events to build interest in corporate versions of its ATR-42 and -72 turboprops as options for the business aviation market. The French-Italian manufacturer has sold 110 of its aircraft in special non-airline configurations versions, including corporate, said Vice President of Marketing Mario Formica. “So we’re not new to the corporate market,” he said.
In the view of Bob Hobbi, founder and president of ServiceElements, the roles, responsibilities and expectations regarding flight department managers and members has changed dramatically and permanently. The new circumstances must be accommodated for the department’s continuation and success. These include:
The National Air Transportation Association released its completely rewritten Airport Sponsors Guide to Minimum Standards and Airport Rules & Regulations. The guide reviews all federal guidance on the creation, implementation and revision of airport minimum standards and covers topics including: federal grant assurances evaluating the airport environment, airport sponsors rights, and airport rules and regulations.
Proposed Rules Dassault Falcon 2000EX airplanes — Conduct a detailed visual inspection to detect any sharp and unprotected edges of the web of left-hand Stringer 13 between Frames 7 and 8, and measure the trimmed length of the web. If any sharp or unprotected edge is found, or if the trimmed length is 1.57 inches (40 mm) or greater, rework or replace the web.
Speaking to the Aero Club of Washington, Gulfstream President Joe Lombardo said, “Results [from the No Plane No Gain campaign] are favorable. Things have calmed down.” He added, however, that calming down only means the negative press has abated. The industry must still project a positive image. “General aviation has suffered significantly,” Lombardo said, with the downfall beginning in November when the chiefs of the three major U.S. automakers flew to Washington, D.C., on business jets.
An extended-range option for the Bombardier Global 5000 is now available at the manufacturer’s service centers. The Service Bulletin, which increases the nonstop range of the intercontinental business jet by 400 nm, is made possible by increasing the maximum takeoff weight of the aircraft to 92,500 pounds, which enables a fuel tank capacity increase. The first installation of the Service Bulletin on an in-service Global 5000 was completed at Bombardier’s Fort Lauderdale Service Center in Florida.
General Motors used bankruptcy protection to cancel leases on its seven corporate jets and an airport hangar at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport. According to documents in the filing, Case No. 09-50026, GM leases two Gulfstream GVs from Suntrust Corp. and five GIVs from AVN Leases. The automaker is allowing AVN to keep $13 million in deposits for the five GIVs and put it toward amounts outstanding on the leases.
Commercial airlines provide scheduled service to fewer than 500 cities in the United States, according to GAMA. That would seem to suffice for most companies’ routine business travel needs. However, only slightly more than two dozen hub cities have frequent nonstop commercial flights. Flying between the remainder of them requires one or more stopovers at hub airports, frequently resulting in lengthy travel times.
The economic malaise continued to take its toll on Cessna in June, with the announcement that 1,300 more workers would lose their jobs in addition to the 6,900 previously announced by the company. Cessna Chairman, President and CEO Jack Pelton had warned employees a few weeks ago that more layoffs would be likely, and Jim Walters, Cessna senior vice president of human resources, sent a note to employees June 12 saying, “We have further revised our business plan to meet the weaker demand of this business cycle.
Over the past several months, business aviation has been beset by negative media reports and congressional criticism, which was even furthered by the president himself, all of it prompted by thoughtless behavior and furthered by misinformation and generally tough financial times. Some companies closed the hangar doors and quit flying, leaving hundreds of flight department employees out in the cold. Since that time, progress has been made by aviation’s alphabet groups and others to turn back the tide of negative public opinion.
The Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Aviation Rulemaking Committee has completed its recommendations on operating small UAVs (sUAVs) in civil airspace. The sUAVs generally weigh 55 pounds or less and operate within line of sight of the “pilot” in day VFR conditions. New rules could even govern rubber band-powered balsa models. The FAA convened the rulemaking committee and will now consider its recommendations when writing a new special federal aviation regulation (SFAR).
Way back in the early 1980s as a maintenance manager or senior technician, you had to plan your life around being “on call.” That meant that you had to be sitting next to a telephone just in case your crew ran into trouble while on a trip. The invention of the pager was received as a miraculous gift for those of us who had a life outside the hangar. You could actually go see your kids play ball or tap dance, go fishing or maybe see a movie. Sweet freedom! Right up to moment the darn thing went off.
I am amazed that thus far there has been little mentioned about the lack of angle of attack (AOA) or “alpha” awareness on either pilot’s part related to the Colgan Air crash in Buffalo. As a former FAA DPE (DA-20 and CE-500 series) and military combat instructor pilot (F-15 and F/A-18), I disagree with the FAA’s policy of minimizing the importance of the AOA gauge as a “secondary” instrument. Military pilots, especially U.S. Navy types, lived (and died) by AOA awareness.
The New York state legislature is mulling a measure that would make the current five-year general aviation tax exemption permanent, even as the state struggles to fill a $17.9 billion budget deficit in fiscal 2010. Since the sales tax exemption for the maintenance, repair, overhaul or rebuilding of aircraft was enacted, New York has attracted significant investment in aviation services, said a spokeswoman for Assemblyman Robin Schimminger (D) who sponsored the 2004 legislation.
Precision Aviation Group, Atlanta, announced that Phillip Fienen has joined PAG as the new regional sales manager. Sherwin-Williams Aerospace Coatings, Andover, Kan., appointed James W. Havers-Strong sales manager.
Dassault Falcon hosted the 23rd annual awards ceremony June 3, for the Teterboro Airport Community Benefit Fund that has provided more than $124,000 in scholarship awards to nearly 150 individual students since 1986. This year, nine scholarships of $1,500 each were awarded to students representing 14 towns in the surrounding area. Dassault Falcon has hosted the Teterboro Airport Community Benefit Fund awards ceremony for three consecutive years and has been a major contributor since 2001.
Corporate Angel Network received a $50,000 gift from Hawker Beechcraft in continuing support of the charity’s efforts arranging free flights to and from treatment centers for cancer patients using empty seats in business aircraft. “Corporate aircraft owners help Corporate Angel Network brighten the lives of those touched by cancer,” said W.W. (Bill) Boisture Jr., Hawker Beechcraft’s chairman and CEO.
“How can we hide the jet?” This question has been posed too frequently for way too long now. Some flying “off the balance sheet” has always occurred at the fringes of our industry, but now it is becoming mainstream. It shouldn’t be. You can block N-numbers on tracking software and create a leasing labyrinth to hide aircraft ownership, but you can’t prevent someone from snapping a picture of the boss stepping out of the jet.
