Emissions trading is not the only pushback against grandiose Eurocontrol plans. In January, more than 100 participants concluded a two-day workshop in Brussels on the impact of expected future European pilot and avionics equipment requirements on business and general aviation and to encourage industry to develop affordable avionics equipment to meet those requirements.
— At 1550 Hawaiian Standard Time, a McDonnell Douglas Helicopter MD 900 (N902AF) sustained minor damage subsequent to the inflight separation of the lower right side vertical stabilizer while landing near Kona, Hawaii. The helicopter is registered to, and operated by Vulcan Aircraft, Inc. It was VFR at the time of the accident. The flight originated offshore at 1520 with a planned destination of Kona. According to a representative of the operator, the lower vertical stabilizer (inplate) separated from its support bracket as the helicopter was landing.
A former squadron-mate and I had lunch last month when he was passing through Atlanta. He brought some pictures of our first West-Pac Cruise aboard the USS Ranger in 1969. We flew the E2 Hawkeye. One of the pictures was a shot of the cockpit. It is truly amazing how far technology in aircraft avionics has come in the past 40 years. The E2-A had round-dial steam gauges, with a single INS that took 30 to 45 minutes to align, plugged into the Ship SINS system. Latitude and longitude were displayed by rows of lights, each 10 digits deep in the center of the pedestal.
EclipseJet Aviation International, a subsidiary of Roel Pieper’s Luxembourg-based ETIRC, was the sole registered bidder for the assets of insolvent Eclipse Aviation at the Jan. 13 deadline for filing intentions to bid in U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of Delaware. In the absence of qualified competitive bidders, U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Mary Walrath, who is handling the Eclipse case, as we go to press is due to hear motions to sell Eclipse’s assets to EclipseJet. ETIRC currently is Eclipse Aviation’s largest shareholder.
William Quinn, director of aircraft sales and acquisitions for Cerretani Aviation LLC—the Boulder, Colorado-based aircraft acquisition and sales organization—declared recently, “Certain segments of the market are essentially in what could arguably be characterized as a ‘free fall.’ Inventory levels are rising and values are beginning to erode.” “I think there are three factors that are currently driving the aircraft market—the financial meltdown, public scrutiny of publicly held corporations and a normal market cycle,” explained Quinn.
A science, engineering and technology workforce shortage is posing a serious challenge for the aerospace industry, according to a new survey by the Aerospace Industries Association. The study, “Launching the 21st Century American Workshop,” noted that the shortage of skilled workers is threatening the dominance of the U.S. aerospace industry.
On Jan. 12, Cirrus announced new features, upgrades and option packages for its aircraft lineup including “Known Ice Protection” on SR22 and Turbo models; an all-new “X-Edition” premium interior; paint upgrades across the model line; and CMX, a branded “assurance by the 100-hour” pre-purchased maintenance and service program. Cirrus Chairman Alan Klapmeier said the line now ranges from an SR20 S starting at $269,900 to a Turbo GTS with known ice protection for $598,500.
John H. Winant, NBAA’s longtime, gentlemanly president and a critical player in the evolution of modern business aviation, died Jan. 13 at his retirement home in Williamstown, Mass., nearby to his cherished alma mater, Williams College. He was 85 and had been ill for some time. “John was respected and trusted by aviation professionals, company executives, cabinet secretaries and elected officials. His integrity, knowledge, dedication and gentle nature made him an extraordinarily effective advocate for our community,” said NBAA President Ed Bolen.
Regional fractional aircraft operator Executive AirShare, based in Kansas City, Mo., announced Jan. 8 that the company will base a Beechcraft King Air C90B at Atlantic Aviation at Wiley Post Airport (PWA) in Bethany, Okla., to serve the Oklahoma City area. Executive AirShare has shareowners in Tulsa, Dallas, Fort Worth, Wichita and Kansas City.
The White House named Lynne Osmus FAA acting administrator effective Jan. 16. Osmus succeeds acting Administrator Robert Sturgell, who tendered his resignation, as expected, in advance of the change in administrations. Osmus is a veteran FAA executive who was senior adviser to Sturgell when he was FAA deputy administrator and served as the FAA liaison with the Obama transition team.
The European Parliament voted in December to omit aviation from a revised Emissions Trading “Mother” Directive that would have cost European airlines an estimated €555 million per year.
— 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.
The airplane has been sitting instead of flying. Grounding saves on fuel and other variable costs, but a parked airplane draws the attention of nervous bean counters. Suddenly the fixed expense of the hangar, the airplane loan (and your salary) seem much more costly.
Col. Michael R. Gallagher, USAF (ret) (Hillsboro, OR)
Great analysis of an accident that never should have happened (“Warm Airplane; Cold, Snowy Ramp,” Cause & Circumstance, January 2009, page 72). You’d think we’d get tired of proving that contaminated airfoils just don’t work as well as clean ones.
In White Plains, NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen kicked off testimony saying, “It is important that we get this right. Overly broad or unnecessary regulations that do not take into account the unique attributes of business aviation will needlessly destroy companies and the jobs they create.” He recommended the creation of a government/industry Aviation Rulemaking Committee similar to that used to create the FAR Part 91K fractional ownership regulations.
Also in trouble is the Single European Sky ATM Research (SESAR) program, jointly funded by the European Commission and Eurocontrol’s 39 member countries. Officially launched Dec. 8 with 15 aviation industry companies standing ready to join, the undertaking’s goal is to squeeze more aircraft into existing airspace. But it’s been abruptly derailed because apparently nobody consulted with Europe’s military entities and the ATC controllers. Europe’s military forces doubt the project’s merits and value. The controller community has multiple concerns.
Analysts at financial services company UBS Securities LLC estimate that the number of business aircraft available for sale—used airplanes plus new aircraft delivery positions—is equivalent to 16 percent of in-service fleet. Significantly, that inventory increase “continues to be led by ‘young aircraft’ (those less than 10 years in age).” At 16 percent of the in-service fleet, UBS experts say aircraft inventories “are approaching the 17-percent peak of late 2002, with young inventories already well above prior peak levels.”
The FAA is extending the 75-per-hour flight cap at New York La Guardia through Oct. 24, 2009, according to an amendment to the current rule filed in the Federal Register. The rule was set to expire last year, to be replaced by the controversial plan to auction slots at the airport, the “Congestion Management Rule for La Guardia Airport.” The amendments to the “Operating Limitations at New York La Guardia Airport” released Jan. 7 also include a provision to allow carriers to trade or lease operating authorities at the airport.
B/CA And as promised to all with perfect answers, Capt. Syed M. Husain of Mississauga, Ontario will be receiving a 50th anniversary Business & Commercial Aviation picture frame. Thanks for following our Golden Anniversary coverage, and for your continuing support.
Gulfstream Aerospace has put together an EFB its calls PlaneBook and Randy Gaston, vice president of flight operations, recently spoke with Business & Commercial Aviation about its development.
