NetJets and the union chapter that represents more than 2,600 NetJets pilots, signed what they said was a significant amendment and expansion to a prior agreement. 75.7 percent of eligible members voted in favor of the measure. Voter participation was a hefty 95.8 percent. The two sides had been working toward agreement since April 2007. The agreement, which was signed on Dec. 7, 2007, will become amendable in five and a half years -- however, a provision included in the new contract that allows for a three-year extension should NetJets meet certain parameters.
Adam Aircraft won Type Inspection Authorization approval for the A700 twin jet aircraft from the FAA in early December 2007, clearing the way for FAA pilots to conduct flights in the aircraft. The third fully conforming aircraft, serial number 5, should begin flying in February, with s.n. 6 expected to take to the air in May. Receipt of the TIA "confirms we are on target for achieving FAA certification of the A700 in 2008," said Duncan Koerbel, president of the Denver-based manufacturer.
The French defense ministry has selected the Eurocopter 120 light helicopter for its new lead-in rotary-wing training program, one of several training initiatives to be outsourced to private operators. The ministry said the EC120 operator also had been selected, but could not yet be divulged. The selected operator will determine the number of rotorcraft to be procured. France has already contracted with EADS to use Grob aircraft to provide lead-in training for air transport pilots.
SatWest LLC, the Albuquerque-based provider of satellite business solutions, has been granted an STC for the L-1 satcom kit for Learjet 31, 31A, 35, 35A, 36 and 36A airplanes. The system was developed in conjunction with DC Aerospace, LLC.
The FAA has issued a stern warning to Santa Monica, Calif., city officials that a proposed ordinance to ban larger business jets at Santa Monica Municipal Airport (SMO) would violate federal laws and result in enforcement proceedings against the city. In early December 2007, the City Council agreed to a "first reading" of a proposed ordinance that would ban Category C and D aircraft - those with approach speeds faster than 121 knots - from using the airport. Santa Monica estimates that about 50 percent of the business jets that operate at SMO are Category C or D aircraft.
Regional carrier Chautauqua Airlines, a subsidiary of Indianapolis-based Republic Airways, reportedly is requiring all of its pilots to complete the AOPA Air Safety Foundation's Runway Safety online course as part of the airline's runway safety initiative. "There's really nothing better out there; it's certainly better than what we could have put together in-house," said Chautauqua Airlines Manager of Flight Standards Dirk Melchior. The AOPA says in its e-mail member newsletter, "You don't have to be an airline pilot to benefit from this free training.
Let's not kid ourselves. Business aviation is extremely vulnerable to political attack from environmental activists. Inevitably it will come to their attention that those of us who fly in business jets burn a lot more fuel than most people. Simple math will tell anyone who bothers to do the calculation that a business jet can burn as much fuel in an hour as a car will burn in a year.
The number of fatal general aviation accidents was 5 percent below the FAA's goal in the 12 months ending Sept. 30, the agency said. GA aircraft were involved in 314 fatal accidents in fiscal 2007, or 17 fewer than the FAA target. The number of fatalities dropped from 676 in fiscal 2006 to 564 in fiscal 2007. The FAA includes both FAR Part 91 and non-scheduled Part 135 operations in its calculations. The agency attributed the better than expected results to GPS, glass panels, training and a "commitment to safety by everyone in general aviation."
Crane Aerospace & Electronics, Redmond, Wash., appointed H. Alan Howell as Electronics Group vice president of marketing and business development. Martin McCarthy has been named vice president of sales and marketing in Europe.
Bell Helicopter officials announced in November that they had frozen the exterior profile of the Model 429, the company's new light-twin helicopter. "This is one of the most significant events in the development of an aircraft," said Robert Fitzpatrick, Bell's senior vice president of marketing and sales. "This means our design meets the aesthetic and inflight handling specifications we set long ago.
A Learjet 35A, N31MC, registered to Jagee Ventures, Inc, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain during landing at Renner Field (GLD), Goodland, Kan. It was IFR at the time of the accident. The pilot reported that the airplane exited instrument conditions at 250 feet agl on approach to Runway 30 slightly left of the centerline. The pilot lined up and experienced an uncontrolled left and right rolling motion. He also stated that he noted that the aileron augment annunciator light had illuminated.
The Max-Viz Enhanced Vision EVS-1000 recently won FAA supplemental type certification for installation on Cessna Citation 500 through 560XL aircraft and is available through Cessna Service Centers. Max-Viz said its EVS products are flying on more than 200 aircraft.
Eurocontrol estimates Europe will see a 4.6-percent increase in traffic next summer. It said growth for the summer 2008 months - May to October - will actually be similar to the increase of 5.1 percent during the same period this year. Next year will be "yet another challenging season" for European ATM, with the additional complication of the European Football Championships in Austria and Switzerland, a Eurocontrol official said.
Landmark Aviation, Winston-Salem, N.C., appointed Eric Faulkner to the post of general manager of the White Plains (HPN), N.Y. FBO. Dave Sunda has been named manager of the MRO/Avionics Division of the company's Winston-Salem, N.C., facility.
DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff says business aviation will have to comply with several new security requirements, including one that will require international business jet flights to be screened at designated overseas airports before departing for the United States. Operators of flights leaving from or flying to the U.S. must now provide advance notification to Customs and Border Protection (CBP) via the Electronic Advance Passenger Information System (eAPIS) program.
The Hawker 800 is slated to get an automatic throttle system. Safe Flight Instrument Corp. and West Star Aviation are working together to win FAA supplemental type certification of Safe Flight's AutoPower system in the twin-engine business jet by late 2008. West Star, located in Grand Junction, Colo., plans to offer installation of the system on all types of Hawker 800s.
By the end of 2008, Saab hopes to win European Aviation Safety Agency approval of its Civil Aircraft Missile Protection System (CAMPS), which is designed to protect business aircraft from man-portable air defense systems, the shoulder-fired rockets that have been used by terrorists to shoot down a number of civil airliners in recent years.
Our legal columnist, Kent Jackson, has addressed the subject of regulations affecting flight department companies several times, the most recent being in Point of Law in the May 2007 issue (page 100)
Aviation Fleet Solutions has installed a QuietEagle Noise Reduction System on a VIP MD-87 for SG Air Leasing Limited. The system brings the aircraft into compliance with FAA Stage 4 and ICAO Chapter 4 noise standards. The installation was the second on a VIP MD-87. The QuietEagle includes a 16-lobe internal mixer, a muffler, a tabbed nozzle and improved front fan case, replacing the original hardware on the Pratt & Whitney Canada JT8D-200 engine.
At the World Air Transport Forum 2007 in Cannes, France, in October, Airports Council International Director General Robert Aaronson asked, "How and what are the best strategies for each of the aviation stakeholders to employ in meeting their environmental responsibilities?
Fitzgerald & Associates, Oakland, Calif. Andrew Fitzgerald has retired from KaiserAir, Inc., capping a 33-year career with the Oakland, Calif.-based charter/ management company as vice president, maintenance, aircraft acquisitions, sales and maintenance development. He has formed Fitzgerald & Associates, a consultancy providing project management, technical, presale and pre-buy audits, and aircraft acquisition and selling services. Contact him at [email protected].
Elliott Aviation, the Midwestern aircraft sales and support organization, has received an FAA STC for installation of the Rockwell Collins Integrated Flight Information System (IFIS) on King Air B200s and 350s equipped with Pro Line 21 avionics. European Aviation Safety Agency approval of the retrofit is pending.
If you did not know better you would think they are magic. And they give your airplane's appearance some real jazz. "They" are winglets and the magic is how they seem to make most of the induced drag disappear. There is no free lunch and no free lift. Produce lift and induced drag comes with it. Increased lift or increased angle of attack increases induced drag. Reduce induced drag and the rewards come tumbling out like hitting three cherries on a slot machine.
Schubach Corp. has added a Cessna Citation SII and a Hawker 800 to its charter certificate. The San Diego operator's fleet also includes two Bombardier Challenger 601s, two King Air 200s, a King Air C90, three Citation CJ1s, a Citation 1SP, a King Air 350, another Hawker 800, a Hawker 700 and two Hawker 600 fanjets.
