To Chet Fuller, GE Aviation’s chief marketing officer, the recent decline in fuel prices is temporary because pressures from global warming and energy demands from growing economies will eventually push them up again. “That’s why we are working hard on open-rotor technologies for narrowbody applications that will be based on the eCore [GE’s next-gen gas generator for business jets, regional jets and single-aisle 130-to 150-passenger jetliners now powered by the GE/Snecma CFM56 and IAE V2500 turbofans],” Fuller said in an interview late last year.
The number of previously owned business jets on the market rose to 12.7 percent of the active fleet in December, the third consecutive month that inventories rose to their highest levels since the financial analysts at JPMorgan began tracking such data in December 1995.
Hawker Beechcraft Services opened the initial phase of its newest aircraft maintenance facility at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport (IWA) in Mesa, Ariz., Jan. 5. The Mesa facility will serve as the Southwest regional service center for HBS, replacing the Van Nuys, Calif., location that will close March 31. The phase one, newly built 26,000-square-foot hangar was acquired by HBS to accommodate maintenance work. A second 26,000-square-foot hangar plus a 22,000-square-foot shop area will include a lobby and administrative offices.
The 16th annual Aircraft Registry Forum, which will feature sessions on FAA Registry practices and the Cape Town Convention, will take place on Monday, February 9 and Tuesday, February 10 at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort in Naples, Florida. Co-chaired by Frank L. Polk of McAfee & Taft PC and Michael T. Amalfitano, Sr. of Banc of America Leasing, the forum offers presentations by noted experts in aviation law and financing. Besides exploring the key considerations of FAA and Cape Town rules, other sessions offered during the two-day conference include:
RNP 0.3: GPS — either TSO C-129 IFR GPS or TSO C-145/-146 WAAS-enabled GPS IRS — Laser IRS or solid-state AHRS FMS with approved barometric VNAV capability Digital Air Data System Appropriate EFIS displays, including moving map Appropriate, current and validated navigation database RNP ≤0.3 No single point of failure can cause the loss of RNP capability required for approach. Dual GPS Single IRS Dual FMS with approved VNAV capability
In the late 1950s and early 1960s, large oil reserves were discovered in the toe of the Arabian Peninsular boot, primarily under Oman and the emirates that, in 1971, were to unite to form the United Arab Emirates. As exploration and development of the oil and gas industry moved offshore, the need for use of helicopters soared and, in 1976, led to the creation of two helicopter companies within the U.A.E. to support the industry — Abu Dhabi Aviation and Aerogulf Services.
— At 1206 EST, an Ercoupe 415-D (N99154) was destroyed during an inflight breakup near Sebring, Fla. VMC prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local flight, which departed Avon Park Executive Airport (AVO), Avon Park, Fla., about 1115. According to a friend of the accident pilot, who was also a certificated aircraft mechanic, he and the pilot flew together in the accident airplane immediately prior to the accident flight.
Proposed Rules Cessna 208 and 208B airplanes — Modify the aileron carry-through cable attachment to the aileron upper quadrant with parts of improved design. Dassault Falcon 50 airplanes — Use a new, repetitive ultrasonic inspection procedure to detect cracking of the stiffeners of the right-hand and left-hand wing lower panels between Ribs 13 and 17. If any cracks are found, repair them.
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.
Because of the recent investigation into the compliance issues raised by the SWA Airworthiness Directive compliance issue, the FAA plans to step up efforts at improving AD language and safety reporting. The FAA has a dedicated Web site where you can learn more about ADs and related issues: www.faa.gov/aircraft/air_cert/continued_operation/ad/ Also, you can download the following documents from www.faa.gov: Airworthiness Directives Manual FAA-IR-M-8040.1B AC 39-7C, Airworthiness Directives
There is no shortage of Monday morning quarterbacks with opinions about the reasons for the demise of DayJet, the Florida-based air taxi company that ceased operations in September 2008. But DayJet’s business model — the company called it “per-seat, on-demand” — has come in for scrutiny in the aftermath, and if that business model is flawed, as some believe, there may be lessons to be gleaned for the industry.
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.
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.
NetJets Aviation Inc. has signed an agreement with the FAA that will place the fractional jet operator in the forefront of the transformation of the U.S. air transportation system under the NextGen modernization program. NetJets officials and FAA managers from a range of the agency’s functional areas were to meet in late December month to begin working out the details. NetJets plans to run test programs in various parts of the United States by equipping some of the 550 to 600 jets in its fleet with the required avionics.
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.
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.
October business jet flight operations declined a striking 19.3 percent vs. October 2007 — the 12th straight month of declines and larger than in September 2001 when U.S. airspace was shut down. “Flight operations are down 9.6 percent year to date, and the drop has been double digit each of the last five months,” JPMorgan reported.
That’s in Looosiana, y’all. There’s a roof over 10,000 square feet of lobby and offices, with conference rooms and pilots’ amenities: complimentary beverages, flight planning/weather, lounge, luxury crew vehicles and Wi-Fi Internet connectivity. Lafayette (KLFT) could lay claim to be the capital of Cajun and Creole country, and it’s rated among the highest U.S. cities in restaurants per capita, Million Air says. Pass the crawfish etouffee, please! Call Unicom 122.95.
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.
Two businesses of Hartford, Conn.-based United Technologies Corp. have announced layoffs resulting from falling demand and a weak economy. Hamilton Sundstrand, a manufacturer of aerospace systems, plans to cut 50 jobs by month’s end and offer early retirement to 370 workers. Meanwhile, Pratt & Whitney said in December that it was laying off another 350 people, or about 1 percent of its workforce.
Let’s coin a definition right here: A very small flight department is one that operates from one to three aircraft with as many as five personnel. Arbitrary? Sure it is, and you’re certainly invited to keep reading if you have a couple more aircraft and people. The point is that in a very small setting resources are limited yet the workload is no different from the burden confronting larger organizations. And in this case, pilots are expected to manage the department and also fly the company’s trips. Sometimes it’s hard to focus on one without distractions from the other.
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.
