NxtLink, the Iridium satellite communication systems from International Communications Group, now interfaces with Tempus, the remote medical monitoring system from RDT Ltd., a U.K.-based firm specializing in monitoring devices. By following simple instructions, cabin crewmembers who have been trained to employ monitoring systems on patients with acute symptoms such as cardiac arrest can send complete medical data via satellite to medical advisory services while airborne. Data travels via RS232 port, and the system also manages fax and voice communications.
A 99-day strike by potash mine workers in Canada could result in a severe shortage of a runway deicing fluid that uses potassium acetate that comes from the mines. The strike ended in November, but manufacturer Cryotech said it would be able to produce only two million to three million gallons of the fluid this winter, compared to nine million last winter. “It is possible that runways may not be able to be maintained to the same level as previous years during winter storms,” the FAA warned in a memo to airlines.
For well under $15 million, you can buy a first-generation Gulfstream IV that can fly eight passengers 4,150 nm at 0.80 Mach and land with 200-nm NBAA IFR reserves. This veteran flagship of the Business Week 100 fleet introduced business aircraft operators to dozens of innovative features when serial number 1000 first entered service in 1987, including high bypass ratio Rolls-Royce Tay turbofan engines with a greatly reduced noise signature, a virtually all-glass cockpit and brake-by-wire (BBW).
Controllers at Airports Authority of India (AAI) have asked their management to urgently address “major” problems affecting air traffic management that could cause a “serious threat” to air safety, the Press Trust of India reported recently. In a memorandum to AAI Chairman K. Ramalingam, the Airports Authority Officers’ Association (AAOA) asserted that many Indian navaids and surveillance systems were not calibrated properly. “At present, the majority of the navigational equipment in India are not calibrated and they are overdue for calibration.
Thrane & Thrane has received Inmarsat type approval for its Aero-SB Lite system. This approval will enable Aero-SB to take full advantage of the Inmarsat SwiftBroadband service allowing Thrane & Thrane to start the first installation and certification on U.S.-registered aircraft. The system is a total cabin solution that exceeds the ongoing requirement to provide a true office in the sky by harnessing the Internet, VPN, e-mail, fax and telephone in one compact and lightweight package, according to the manufacturer.
French and Portuguese partners have developed a satellite-based system for managing airport ground traffic. Funded by Eureka, an intergovernmental initiative designed to spur European competitiveness, the “Safedrive” project uses signals from EGNOS, the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service, satellite system to provide position information to vehicle drivers and airport authorities.
Embraer’s Phenom 100, Brazil’s first purpose-built business jet, won certification Dec. 9 from Brazil’s ANAC and U.S. FAA certification on Dec. 12. FAA published special certification conditions in the Federal Register Nov. 28 but is not holding up certification waiting for comments. Those special conditions, according to the FAA, resulted from the fact that the entry-level jet had some “novel or unusual design features” not envisioned in Part 23.
At a Dec. 5 online press conference, Cirrus Design CEO Alan Klapmeier and senior executives gave an update on the status of the Cirrus Vision single-engine personal jet program, announcing that the company will begin the process of applying for an FAA Type Certificate for the aircraft. Notably, the company will not apply for European certification until the FAA and EASA reach an accommodation acceptable to Cirrus on the imposition and amount of certification and operator user fees. The production Vision will weigh in the vicinity of 6,000 pounds.
Sandel Avionics prevailed for the third and final round in Delaware Federal Court, responding to allegations of infringing on TAWS patents by Honeywell International. The weeklong trial concluded Dec. 5, when a jury ruled in favor of Sandel. Gerry Block, president and CEO of Sandel, said his company “has paid a great price with respect to these repeated, baseless lawsuits by Honeywell, who has been trying to preclude legitimate competition over aircraft terrain warning systems.
Thank you for your two excellent articles on pilot medical certification issues (“The Doctor Is In” and “Disability and the Corporate Pilot,” November 2008). Both highlight one of the top fears of a professional pilot: loss of license due to medical factors. The first article noted that FAR Part 67 lists 15 disqualifying diagnoses, yet FAA policy and the Guide to Aviation Medical Examiners lists several hundred other disqualifying conditions for pilots.
The first delivery of a Sierra Industries’ Super II took place in November with an inaugural nonstop flight from San Antonio to Northern California. After climbing straight to FL 430 in 27 minutes at maximum takeoff weight, the flight arrived in California with 1.5 hours of fuel still remaining, despite a 50-knot headwind. General Manager Steve Guzek of San Antonio-based FlighTime Business Jets stated that the Sierra Super II will join their fleet of managed and charter aircraft.
Universal Weather & Aviation, Inc. has released a redesigned and enhanced version of its UVflightplanner.com online flight planning software. Users can now accomplish multiple tasks without having to go to another application and can get a fuel quote, schedule handling, and view UVTripPlanner airport data, weather maps and leg requirements all from within one window.
Germany, Belgium, France, Luxembourg, The Netherlands and Switzerland have joined in the Functional Airspace Block Europe Central (FABEC). The grouping is by far Europe’s largest and most complicated owing to its high air traffic density since it includes Frankfurt, Amsterdam and Paris. Europe is creating nine such blocks, which should be operational by 2012, in an effort to streamline air traffic management operations short of creating a single European sky. The FABEC agreement comes with a commitment from associated air navigation service providers to cooperate.
It was a late August afternoon and we’d gathered at the Y for the summer day camp awards ceremony. There were medals for loudest laughter, most hot dogs downed, grubbiest T-shirt. The awards were always good, silly fun. Most of the camp kids were locals, like me. That made it tough for outsiders, and there were always a few. One I remember well was a quiet, gawky kid, unsure of himself, and always just outside the circle. He was nice enough, though, and happy to talk whenever anyone bothered.
— A Cessna 170B (N8387N), sustained substantial damage following a forced landing in mountainous terrain about 12 nm northwest of Hanna, Utah. The pilot and one passenger sustained serious injuries, the second passenger died. The VFR flight departed Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC), Salt Lake City, Utah, about 0930. Its destination was reported to be Colorado Springs, Colo.
Noting that terror attacks on the World Trade Center and the attacks on the bus and subway system in London happened shortly after new administrations came into power, the AOPA is urging pilots to report any suspicious activity around airports. “This is a time for all Americans to exercise heightened vigilance,” said Craig Spence, AOPA vice president of security. “General aviation pilots already have a program in place that they can follow — AOPA’s Airport Watch” (www.aopa.org).
It’s a changing world, says BA-MEETUP’s creator and conference chairman, Bud Slabbaert, and at the Hilton in Lyon, France, on March 18-20, Europe’s business aviation community will meet the changes head on. Billed as “The first business aviation joint conference for schedulers, dispatchers, pilots, operators, FBOs, executive handling agents, business airports and international service providers in Europe and the Middle East,” the conference will offer 20 break-out sessions in four streams of parallel sessions over two days.
There’s nothing like a spike in the cost of aviation fuel to prompt resurrection of long-dormant aircraft engine technologies. The recent historic price increases for avgas and Jet-A, along with the environmentally unsustainable prospect of continuing to burn fossil fuels indefinitely, has aircraft engine manufacturers looking at a range of alternative fuel and powerplant options — from open-rotor engines and geared turbofans to synthetic and bio-based fuels.
It’s winter in the Northern Hemisphere and, thus, an appropriate time to climb into the AFM and review the manufacturer’s recommendations concerning all categories of frozen precip in all operational phases. This exercise is particularly important for turbine aircraft operators because the manufacturers have been publishing new recommendations for 6dealing with flight surface contamination. (You might want to double check the AFM revision list to be sure you’ve got the latest information. The OEM or any of the major training facilities can help you out.)
Preferred Jet Center owner Larry Thompson flew the first takeoff and landing from the Marietta, Ga., airport’s newly paved 6,305-foot runway (originally lengthened in 2006), now widened to 100 feet. The project, which experienced weather delays, was started last June, and in addition to the enlarging of the runway, new high-intensity lighting and improved drainage were added. Preferred Jet says the runway becomes one of the largest in the greater Atlanta metro area.
Control Vision Corp.’s ATC is a special version of the HP iPAQ 310. It’s convenient and capable, including among its talents the patented “cones of safety” glide calculator, high-resolution terrain, flight planning, and obstacle and terrain warnings. Options include XM Weather and Pocket Plates approach plates that provide the features and safety margin available on modern panel-mounted units.
A draft final report by Brazilian Air Force investigators released Dec. 10, on the Sept. 29, 2006 in-flight collision over the Amazon of an Embraer Legacy 600 owned by ExcelAire of Ronkonkoma, N.Y., and a GOL Boeing 737, placed the blame for the accident, which killed all 154 persons aboard the Boeing, on U.S. Legacy pilots Joseph Lepore and Jan Paladino and Brazilian air traffic controllers.
The National Aircraft Resale Association plans to hold its 2009 spring meeting from April 30 through May 2 at the Westin La Cantera Resort in San Antonio. Individuals interested in making hotel reservations can call (800) 228-3000 and ask for the NARA discount rate of $239 (single or double occupancy). For more information on the hotel, visit www.westinlacantera.com. A meeting agenda is to be released shortly.
The 2009 inductees are: Charles Luttman (1908-2001) made outstanding contributions to the formation of the Canadian Aeronautics and Space Institute. Thomas Lamb (1898-1969) founded Lamb Airways in 1935 and contributed significantly to the exploration and development of the northern regions of Manitoba and the Arctic. Barry Marsden cofounded Conair Aviation, Inc. in Abbotsford, B.C., in 1969, becoming president and CEO in 1991.
