How to Use the Operating Costs Guide Aircraft operating costs are presented in a format that separates the data into seven separate areas: Mission Costs, Variable Costs, Fixed Annual Costs, Periodic Costs, Personnel Costs, Training Costs and Facilities Costs. Aircraft Category
*Dassault Falcon 10 airplanes --- Replace the flexible hoses installed in the slat anti-icing systems. *EADS Socata TBM 700 airplanes -- Check the vapor-cycle cooling system pulley drive assembly for leakage, remove the compressor drive belt from the assembly and deactivate the air-conditioning system until the original pulley drive assembly can be replaced by a new, improved assembly.
At 1515 CDT, Beechcraft A36, N28HN, was substantially damage when it made a forced landing shortly after it took off from Runway 18 at the Johnson County Executive Airport (OJC), in Olathe, Kan. The private pilot sustained minor injuries. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot. In a telephone interview, the pilot stated that he had not flown the airplane for six weeks and was planning to stay in the local traffic pattern and practice takeoffs and landings. After a thorough preflight, he attempted to start the engine.
Air China tested night flight service into Lhasa, Tibet's 13,136-foot-high Gonggar Airport on June 27 with an Airbus A319 guided by a required navigation performance (RNP) procedure using GPS for position fixing. The RNP procedure was developed for Air China by Naverus of Kent, Wash., which is also developing RNP procedures for Southwest Airlines. New runway lighting at Gonggar Airport will facilitate around-the-clock operations.
General aviation groups called the FAA's proposal to reduce the number of GA slots into New York La Guardia Airport (LGA) discriminatory, saying the restriction would unjustifiably diminish access to the New York City area. The FAA in April released a supplemental Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to introduce a slot auction system for FAR Part 121 carriers and reduce hourly slots at LGA from six per hour to three for Part 91 and Part 135 on-demand and public charters.
*West Star Aviation, East Alton, Ill., announced that Ryan Malutinok has been appointed interior/paint manager at the East Alton facility. Rick Brainard was named vice president of sales for the company's facilities in Grand Junction, Co.; East Alton; Dallas; and Hiawatha, Iowa. Dan McKillips has joined the company as a regional sales manager responsible for the Southeast United States. Cheryl Galloway joined the company as a program sales manager.
The following are a number of noteworthy items from the FAA's Air Transportation Operations Inspector's Handbook, FAA Order 8400.10, "Aircraft Checklists" that operators will find pertinent as they examine checklist redesign.
Mooney Aircraft cut its work force by 20 percent in June and is reducing production rates of its line of single-engine, aircraft -- and other manufacturers are keeping a close eye on this end of the general aviation market. While not contemplating layoffs, Cessna Chairman Jack Pelton told our sister publication, the Weekly of Business Aviation, "We're seeing definite softening in the [single-engine] market" and a reduction in flying by current single-engine aircraft operators.
The revised 0.9-percent first-quarter gross domestic product (GDP) growth makes it hard to call this a recession yet, but we think the recession has been delayed, not canceled. Payrolls have dropped for five consecutive months, housing starts are at recession levels and business investment remains weak. So far, the consumer and the improvement in the trade deficit have kept GDP growth positive, but the consumer is likely to be forced to retreat in the face of higher oil prices.
*EMS Satcom, Ottawa, Canada, announced that Forrest Colliver has joined the company as vice president of business development. He will oversee the division's partner programs and marketing.
While the weak dollar has increased the opportunities for aircraft owners to sell their airplanes abroad, sellers have found that the evolving regulatory environment in Europe sometimes has made quick completion of transactions problematic. Although efforts to harmonize European and American aircraft certification and safety standards continue, differences remain, and they can make it expensive and time-consuming to transfer an aircraft from a U.S. to a European owner.
I enjoyed Ross Detwiler's article about communication clutter on the ATC airwaves (July, page 102). I mostly fly a Baron between Hanscom Field and Nantucket and I hear poor phraseology and downright needless communication on almost every leg. I, too, have been guilty of tripping over myself occasionally, but I'm always trying to pay close attention to what I say. But I have another peeve. It's when people speak unthinkingly and use sloppy language especially when invoking cliche phrases.
If the airlines were to get their way and restrict general aviation access to the NAS, there's no question it would have a major impact on the fractional ownership and charter industries, both of which rely on the first come, first served policy to, respectively, meet their guaranteed response times and ad hoc availability.
*Aug. 14-16: LABACE 2008, Congonhas Airport, São Paulo, Brazil. www.labace.aero *Sept. 10: NBAA Business Aviation Regional Forum, Hanscom Field, Bedford, Mass. www.nbaa.org *Sept. 10-11: Chevron Product Integrity Training, Pittsburgh, Pa. Contact: Chevron customer service at (866) 557-3456 or e-mail to [email protected] *Sept. 15-18: Flight Simulator Engineering and Maintenance Conference, Hilton Salt Lake Center, Salt Lake City, Utah. (410) 266-2008. www.aviation-ia.com
Paul Schenian, managing director for Bombardier Pre-Owned Aircraft, believes the market for previously owned, turbine-powered business aircraft is at a crossroads. "Buyers, who sense there is a slowdown, are trying to offer [prices that are] five to 15 percent below what the owners want," says Schenian. "A lot of owners are hearing from their friends that their airplane should sell for a price that was [market value] six to nine months ago, so they are holding out for a price that might not be achievable anymore. So far, there's been a stalemate."
West Star Aviation has received FAA approval for modification of a wing-to-fuselage fairing seal on all Hawkers. Developed at the company's Grand Junction, Colo., facility, which is a Hawker Beechcraft authorized service center, the seal replaces the OEM's seal, which was glued to the wing upper surface and was prone to deterioration and coming loose in flight, according to West Star.
Florida-based fractional ownership provider Avantair has sold 18 of its 20 orders for Embraer Phenom 100 very light jets to Executive AirShare (EAS), a fractional provider operating Beechjets and King Airs. Avantair operates 49 Piaggio Avanti turboprops, with 60 more on order for delivery by 2013, and has decided not to diversify. Kansas City-based EAS already has orders for 10 Phenom 100s, plus options for 10 more, and orders and options for eight Phenom 300 light jets. EAS has the option to buy Avantair's two remaining Phenom positions in 2010.
Just read your most helpful article on putting aircraft on a charter/management program (Point of Law, May, page 96). As usual the FAA over-reacted to a specific accident (the aircraft that ran off the runway at TEB) by creating a whole bunch of new rules and regulations that will do nothing to prevent people from doing stupid things. However, we in the industry must obey these rules. There are so many of them, and they are written so ambiguously that it's often impossible to understand them. It's a real help to have someone put them into everyday language.
I enjoyed "Think Before Speaking, Please" (page 102). I've often wanted to choke the fool out of some idiot who must include his life history when communicating with ATC.
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