Gulfstream Aerospace has delivered more than 65 G150 airplanes since its entry into service in late 2005, establishing the new model as a strong contender in the midsize business jet class. Operators say that it delivers a nearly unbeatable blend of price and operating economics, runway and cruise performance, cabin comfort and reliability.
Era Systems Corp. has been on a winning streak with awards to team to install ADS-B-based surface surveillance systems at Estonia’s Tallinn Airport and three airports in Turkey: Ataturk International Airport in Istanbul, Antalya Airport and Esenboga International Airport in Ankara. The efforts will center on Era’s surface surveillance technology featuring its MSS surveillance system and Squid vehicle tracking units.” In addition, Era has been selected by Airports Fiji Ltd.
— At approximately 1420 CST, a Robinson R22 (N226AP), piloted by a commercial-certificated flight instructor, and a North American T-6G (N51KT), piloted by a commercial pilot, collided in midair over Weiser Air Park, Houston. It was VFR at the time of the accident. The R22 was on an instructional flight and the T-6G was on a sightseeing flight. Both flights were being conducted without flight plans. The flight instructor and student pilot aboard the R22 sustained minor injuries, and the pilot and passenger aboard the T-6G were not injured.
Two safety experts interviewed by Business & Commercial Aviation for this report provided some operational examples that can be addressed by safety management systems. Ray Rohr, director, regulatory affairs, International Business Aviation Council — “The example I like to use is fatigue. You can put down hard hours to fly, which might work for the airlines but not charter; however, with an SMS, you can have performance-based rules that provide a safety objective and a process for the operator to meet it.
Russ Lawton at the Air Charter Safety Foundation has two favorite risk management authors from whom he likes to quote. Here’s Lawton, citing some quotes from one and considering some thoughts from the other.
The EAA appointed Tom Poberezny chairman of the board. The EAA’s founder and previous chairman of the board, Paul Poberezny, 87, had earlier stepped down as chairman. The younger Poberezny will continue with his current duties as president while assuming the chairman’s role and leading a succession initiative to replace himself as president. After joining the organization, the EAA’s new president will assume responsibility for day-to-day operations and will focus on enhancing membership value and growth.
The NBAA has a great resource for hangar safety compliance that includes OSHA checklists and guidance for developing an effective safety program — www.nbaa.org/ops/safety/hangar. In addition to safety resources, the NBAA offers guidance for developing your procedures manual and implementing effective management programs.
A footnote on page 129 of the fiscal 2010 U.S. budget overview calls for “repealing some aviation excise taxes and replacing these taxes with direct user charges,” beginning in 2011. The budget did not provide specifics, but the charges would appear to raise about $7 billion, the same amount sought by the Bush administration user-fee proposal. This has drawn strong reactions from industry associations and congressional legislators.
Sky Wings, a Greek charter operator and partner of Khors Air Co. of the Ukraine, has successfully completed installation of its first Aviation Fleet Solutions (AFS) QuietEagle noise-reduction system on one of its Pratt & Whitney JT8D-200-powered Boeing MD83s. The installation was accomplished during a routine maintenance check at the MNG Technic service facility in Istanbul, Turkey. Sky Wings/Khors Air Co. has ordered three QuietEagle kits.
“Jet sales are no longer in a cool-down mode. This industry has been pickled,” declared Carl Janssens, author of the Aircraft Bluebook’s Marketline newsletter. Values for virtually all jets and turboprops are declining or, at best, stable, according to the spring 2009 edition of the publication.
Michael Garvey, son of the editor of this magazine, flies a helicopter for the U.S. Coast Guard out of a base in Alaska and knows all about operations in low visibility. NVGs are a routine part of his life, and the USCG has extensive experience with the devices.
Decades ago, the hangar was a much more dangerous place than it is today. Safety equipment was a set of hearing protectors, and it was not uncommon to see a technician wobbling precariously from a too-short ladder or perched precariously on the top of the fuseage. Technicians would routinely crawl into fuel bunkers, or hell holes with open containers of solvent and oily rags. Back then this wasn’t considered risky, just part of the job description.
True to its word, Bombardier is maintaining its commitment to the all-composite Learjet 85. Since announcing in September 2008 it was dropping composite-expert Grob from the program, Bombardier has brought the project completely in-house — transferring detail design, structural certification, prototype manufacture and initial production from the German firm to its own plants and even starting from scratch with a different composite lay-up process.
With only the Pacific Ocean portion to be completed, Inmarsat finally moved its third I-4 satellite into its assigned permanent geosynchronous station, thereby establishing exclusive broadband mobile communications coverage around the world. The final move completed a complex ballet of satellite movements as the three newest generation satellites entered service in stages without interruption to voice and data traffic as well as safety of flight services.
In March, the FAA reassured Eclipse EA500 operators, at least for the time being, that it is not grounding the aircraft in the wake of Eclipse Aviation’s Chapter 7 (liquidation) bankruptcy. All Eclipse operations including certification, production, service centers, training centers and dealers are shut down. Initially it was thought that ETIRC Aviation, Eclipse Aviation’s largest shareholder, would bring the OEM out of bankruptcy and restart operations, but it is evidently unable to come up with necessary financing — sparking creditors to demand liquidation.
Canada is currently the only country in the world that requires noncommercial operators of turbine-powered aircraft to be certificated and periodically audited for safety compliance. Further distinguishing the Private Operator Certificate program is the fact that the Canadian DOT (or “Transport Canada”) has deeded its administration entirely over to the Canadian Business Aviation Association (CBAA) as a means of saving the government money and resources.
There’s still something to be said for ink on paper in the computer age. The printed page doesn’t need electricity, and it’s immune to viruses, among other virtues. Plus, some resources that are considered essential for schedulers and dispatchers simply are not available online. Which is not to say that for everyday operations the easy access to Internet-based references is not preferable. Hundreds of schedulers and dispatchers have already voted with their mice, and the Internet is the winner.
At the Feb. 27 deadline for submitting comments on the docket for the TSA’s NPRM that applies airline security procedures to all aircraft weighing 12,500 pounds or more and airports they use, the agency had received over 4,800 comments, virtually unanimously opposed to the proposed program -- the largest outpouring of opposition to any proposal or action the agency has seen since its founding in 2003. GAMA (24 pages), the NBAA (30 pages) and AOPA (48 pages) submitted their comments on Feb. 27.
The Feb. 16 crash near Lock Haven, Pa., of the prototype Piper Aztec that claimed the life of test pilot Robert Piggott occurred after the tail parted from the aircraft during a high-speed dive during FAA certification testing. Piper reports it has fixed the problem generating the flutter that caused the failure and expects deliveries to begin in August. Bell Helicopter received the largest commercial North American order in its history when Autair Helicopter Services of Montreal signed for 12 Bell 47G-2 Troopers.
Business aircraft activity continued to decline in January, down 22.2 percent from December 2008, according to statistics from Aviation Research Group/US. ARG/US estimated flight activity dropped an average of 3.58 percent per month for the last 12 months, with total flight activity declining 19.07 percent year over year. In general, a combination of economic factors and unfavorable media coverage of the business aviation industry have negatively impacted overall flight activity, ARG/US said. Benet Wilson
The mayor and city council of Wichita have invited President Barack Obama to their town to see firsthand the important role played by general aviation in the local economy, according to the March 11 issue of Aviation eBrief. “It would be a national economic tragedy if this essential business fundamental was lost amid the sensational news coverage of ill-advised corporate-jet travel by a tiny percentage of corporate America,” says a resolution passed by the council.
Cessna said March 12 that it has gained several international certifications for various Citation models. The Citation Mustang gained certification in China and the U.K. Isle of Mann. The Citation XLS+ received EASA certification, and the Citation X has been certified in Nigeria. “The entry into service for the Citation Mustang has been nothing short of phenomenal, and interest from the market continues to grow,” said Roger Whyte, senior vice president, sales and marketing for Cessna.
During the five days of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland (Jan. 28-Feb. 1), ExecuJet says it handled a record number of jet movements carrying VIPs into and out of Zurich. The company reported an 8-percent increase over 2008’s event, with much of that in the heavy jet category. Slot restrictions proved no problem for the company as it planned ahead for runway slots and pre-arranged parking at nearby Dübendorf military airfield.
— At 0810 CST, a twin-engine Cessna 421C (N345JB) was substantially damaged during a forced landing following the loss of power in both engines. The airline transport pilot and two passengers on board sustained minor injuries during the emergency landing. The airplane departed Colonel James Jabara Airport (AAO), Wichita, at approximately 0808 with the intended destination of Millard Airport (MLE), Omaha, Neb. It was VFR.According to the pilot, they had landed the night before with 100 gallons of fuel on board.
As a strong advocate of corporate aviation and a corporate pilot of 30 years, I fully agree with Michael Boyd’s opinion in the February Viewpoint. A few days ago President Obama flew Marine One to Andrews Air Force Base to board Air Force One to fly somewhere en route to Williamsburg, Va., which was 115 miles from the White House. The logic of using a 747 for this mundane trip escapes me. The flights by the auto execs pale in comparison.
