I was just about to send a message and ask why there have been no Operators Surveys in the magazine for some time when the January issue arrived with a survey of the Challenger 300 (page 52). And a great report it was. I am a captain on a Citation CJ2 and CJ3 and would love to see an Operators Survey on these two airplanes, especially the CJ3 as we just got it. Any chance of seeing this soon?
These graphs are designed to illustrate the performance of the Super King Air B200GT under a variety of range, payload, speed and density altitude conditions. Do not use these data for flight planning purposes because they are gross approximations of actual aircraft performance we computed or extrapolated using four-passenger payload numbers from the B200GT Flight Planning and Performance Guide.
IT WAS ALL COMING to an end in December 2004. It was not what I had expected. Instead of a big bang it was more of a slow ugly fizzle. The flight had no MELs, no CDLs and nothing in the logbook. Just another day at the office. The Phoenix ground crew pushed us back and walked off as I powered up to taxi to Runway 07L. To ride favorable winds, our flight would take a southern route to Charlotte.
(Los Angeles) - Jason M. Cooper has joined this aircraft sales, acquisition, charter and management firm as a Gulfstream market analyst in the company's Washington, D.C.-area offices. Prior to joining Avjet, which is a leading buyer and seller of Gulf-stream aircraft, Cooper was a researcher who followed Gulf- stream markets for a leading aircraft brokerage firm specializing in turbine aircraft.
Adam Aircraft reported completing a series of environmental tests in December 2007 on its A700 VLJ at the McKinley Climatic Laboratory at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. The aircraft's Williams FJ-33 engines underwent testing in freezing fog, freezing rain and blowing snow to evaluate the ground performance of the inlet anti-ice systems. The aircraft also was exposed to temperatures as low as -40°F to evaluate the impact of the cold on the flight controls, avionics, ECS, engine starters and other systems.
I just finished reading your December Viewpoint and like many, who I am sure you have heard from, I couldn't agree more. Our bureaucrats, like our president, seem to think they can make up their own rules. (No, I'm not a Democrat, I'm an Independent who thinks most politicians are crazy.) Your editorial may not stop these folks, but at least it makes it all public.
Show me the money!" Those words, indelibly etched into the American experience by Rod Tidwell, the football star played by Cuba Gooding Jr. in the film "Jerry Maguire," capture perfectly the expectation of reward for effort invested in a free market. It resonates for the business aviation community, which is experiencing a boom that's unparalleled in its relatively short history. As more aircraft join the fleet, the operational pace begins to crescendo, and many FBOs, which fuel and service the fleet, are operating at max throttle.
*FlightSafety International, La Guardia Airport, N.Y., named Brenda Seaman assistant director, market research, and Christopher Frye will now serve as assistant manager at the Atlanta Learning. Center. Gil Schnabel has been promoted to manager, Detroit Metro/ Toledo Learning Center. He replaced Blaine Little who has been named manager, airline marketing.
In a recent letter to Transportation Secretary Mary Peters, Jacques Barrot, vice president of the European Commission, cautioned that congestion pricing at New York airports could affect the implementation of the U.S.-EU open-skies agreement in March. Barrot expressed concern about the effects congestion pricing could have on EU carriers and on "air services between the United States and the EU." The open-skies agreement "should deliver the benefits expected to both sides," he wrote.
Regarding "We're Here to Hurt," my mind came to the same conclusion watching the torture of Bob Hoover. This is just history proving there is a repetitive pattern to the behavior.
The Spanish government recently ordered two Bombardier 415 amphibious aircraft. Based on the list price, the contract is valued at approximately $60 million (U.S.) and includes technical support, training, one Flight Training Device (FTD) and additional equipment for the current fleet. With this firm order, the Spanish government will increase its fleet to 22 Bombardier water scooper-bombers. It currently operates one Bombardier 415, 14 CL-215Ts and five CL-215 aircraft. Deliveries of the new aircraft will begin this year. The FTD will be delivered in 2009.
Thanks for your December Viewpoint, which concerns my brother. After reading your logically written article I finally understand what was done to AMI. Unfortunately, I think your conclusions are correct. Never has our family's patriotism been in question but at the moment I'm not very proud to be an American. If this can happen to someone like my brother, think of the others who are ruined unjustly. I don't think this story is quite over. Someone must get a payoff along the line. "Follow the money" as they say.
The FAA has issued a Safety Alert for Operators (SAFO) to owners and operators regarding new training requirements for pilots of CE-208 (Cessna Caravan I) and CE-208B (Grand Caravan) turboprops for flight into known icing conditions. The SAFO notes the adoption of AD 2007-10-15, which requires the addition of a supplement to the Pilot's Operating Handbook detailing known icing equipment.
Moline, Ill.-based Elliott Aviation is partnering with Rosen Aviation of Eugene, Ore., to provide a cabin package consisting of Elliott's Sound Management System (SMS) noise-canceling solution and a Rosen inflight entertainment system for Beech King Air 200s, 300s and 350s.
ERA Helicopters is building a new flight training facility in Lake Charles, La. The building is expected to be operational by the end of the first quarter and will include two Frasca International flight training devices for the Eurocopter AS350B2 and EC135 helicopters.
We just can't thank you enough for two excellent articles that appeared in the December 2007 issue. Both John Wiley ("The Wonder of Winglets," page 82) and George Larson ("Performance-Enhancing Mods," page 54) did a splendid job of telling the story of winglets in an interesting way and with a high degree of accuracy.
The FAA has issued a proposed Airworthiness Directive that would require deactivation by Dec. 16, 2008, of certain auxiliary fuel tanks installed in Boeing 727s and DC-9s.
JetAVIVA, a flight training provider with facilities in Van Nuys, Calif., and Albuquerque, has begun offering a Jet Familiarization Training (JFT) program for pilots of new very light jets. JetAVIVA, which is using an Eclipse 500 VLJ, said the training is designed to improve jet pilot skills and allow pilots to gain experience in the Eclipse 500. The company plans to add the Citation Mustang to its fleet this year.
Liberty Aerospace XL-2 Light Sport Aircraft are to be built in a factory now under construction in Henan, China, under a new agreement between top executives of the Melbourne, Fla., aircraft manufacturer and officials of Anyang Angel Aero Science and Technology Development. The agreement calls for 600 Liberty XL-2 aircraft to be manufactured in Henan and used by the Science and Technology University for its flight training program. Liberty estimates the contract value at more than $150 million.
Sean Roberts, director of the National Test Pilot School in Mojave, Calif., shocked plenty of the 500-plus participants at Bombardier's 2007 Safety Standdown during his Advanced Aerodynamics class session. In 120 minutes, he clearly demonstrated that there are multiple ways you can inadvertently overstress, if not terminally damage, an airplane while flying in everyday situations.
The market for used aircraft remains robust heading into the New Year, despite the rising cost of fuel and a variety of ongoing economic problems that portend a possible U.S. recession in the not-too-distant future according to recent financial news reports. Previous downturns in the American economy have depressed business jet prices and flooded the market with aircraft for sale. However, continuing strong overseas demand for long-range models, fueled in part by a weak dollar, is expected to sustain the market for the near term.
