The Dassault Falcon Jet 7X, the first all fly-by-wire business jet, was designed with the technician in mind. "The Falcon 7X fly-by-wire system has a high level of redundancy providing both a high level of safety and availability," said Jean Gauthier, spokesman for the 7X program at Dassault Aviation in France. "It includes an advanced onboard self-test and diagnostic capability, allowing continuous monitoring of the integrity of the system and to aid technicians in troubleshooting and component replacement."
Bombardier reported profits of $249 million for the fiscal year ending in January, a significant improvement from a loss of $85 million the previous year. Revenues fell from $4.7 billion a year ago to $4 billion in the 12 months ended Jan. 31 as airliner deliveries fell. The company said increased business aircraft and turboprop deliveries compensated for declining regional jet deliveries. Business jet deliveries were up 45 percent to 186 from 128, while regional airplane deliveries dropped 26 percent to 149.
I'D WANTED TO FLY SINCE I was a kid, peddling my bicycle out to Torrance, Calif., Airport to watch the airplanes come and go. To later satisfy that yearning, I waited tables to pay for flying lessons. Once licensed, I began to pay dues, instructing, flying charters in a Seneca, hauling checks over the midnight Rockies in a King Air 200, and then taking a chance with the pioneer of low cost carriers, PeopleExpress, which was later merged into Continental.
The National Air Traffic Controllers Association has already gone on record vociferously opposing user fees as a funding mechanism for the FAA and, especially, for ATC.
Landmark Aviation announced April 3 that it has acquired Corporate Jets Inc., of Scottsdale, Ariz. -- a full-service FBO and aircraft maintenance, sales and charter operation at the Scottsdale Airport (SDL). "Scottsdale is a strategic acquisition for Landmark Aviation in a key market, expanding our maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) and FBO network throughout North America," said Roger Wolfe, Landmark CEO.
Raytheon Aircraft Services has completed the first retrofit of Rockwell Collins Integrated Flight Information System into a Hawker 800XP at its Little Rock, Ark., facility.
Bombardier Aerospace has received an order from National Air Support of Adelaide, Australia, for three Q300 Maritime Patrol Aircraft for the Surveillance Australia Coastwatch program. Bombardier valued the order at $53 million (U.S.). Surveillance Australia has operated Bombardier turboprops since 1996 and currently flies five Dash 8/Q200s. The aircraft, which have amassed some 70,000 hours of surveillance time, are used to search for fishing, immigration, quarantine violations and environmental hazards, drug smuggling and missing vessels.
Jet Aviation, Teterboro, N.J., named Richard Kunert as vice president of safety, standards and regulatory affairs in the United States. He reports to Theo Staub, president and chief operating officer of Jet Aviation North America.
-Eurocopter AS350B, C and D helicopters -- For aircraft that have a Geneva Aviation P132 console, install right- and left-side Geneva cyclic control sticks and modify the cyclic grips and the copilot cyclic stand.
The AOPA called creating temporary flight restrictions the wrong way to manage unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and urged the FAA to ensure UAVs operate at the same level of safety as manned aircraft. Security agencies have increased the use of UAVs before the FAA has had an opportunity to regulate them, Andrew Cebula, AOPA's executive vice president of government affairs, testified before the House aviation subcommittee in late March.
Ron Bertram, the leader of the Australian AOPA, was killed in a light-aircraft accident on April 5 at the Bankstown Airport, officials said. Bertram joined the Australian AOPA more than three years ago as a director. Bertram was "an active participant and champion for the general aviation community," said Greg Russell, CEO of Airservices Australia. "The association has lost a true reformer and a person dedicated to making AOPA more relevant and valuable to the aviation industry."
April 11, 2006 was the 10th anniversary of the death of Jessica Dubroff, a seven-year-old caught up in a stunt "record" attempt by self-serving adults. She was supposedly pursuing the goal of becoming the youngest pilot to make a transcontinental flight, an impossible record since she could not qualify as PIC.
The following publications provide insight into writing effective procedures as well as templates to help you get started: -Degani, Asaf and Wiener, Earl L. "On the Design of Flight Deck Procedures." NASA Contractor Report 177642, June 1994. Moffett Field, Calif.: NASA Ames Research Center. (Also available in the Flight Safety Digest, Vol. 13, No. 8, August 1994.) -Degani, Asaf and Wiener, Earl L. "The Human Factors of Flight Deck Checklists." NASA Contractor Report 177549, 1990. Moffett Field, Calif.: NASA Ames Research Center.
Raytheon Aircraft Co. is realigning its top management structure in the wake of the departure of Ed Dolanski for a senior position within the parent corporation. As a result, RAC Chairman and CEO Jim Schuster appointed Randy Groom, who had been president and general manager of Beechcraft, as president of Global Customer Service and Support. Brad Hatt, who had been president and general manager of Hawker, becomes president of Global Commercial Sales for Beechcraft and Hawker.
Far East Russia Aviation Services, an aircraft ground handling network, has extended its presence to over 100 airports that stretch from Brussels to, well, Far Eastern Russia. According to Chris Cartwright, the U.S.-born joint managing director of FERAS, in Russia alone the company has established over 12 new locations and employs its own ground staff. "This sets us apart from the other Russian companies that mainly specialize in confirming credit and fuel -- but don't have personnel on the ground," he said. It was the first company into Vnukovo in 1993.
The DC-3 legend continues. A preliminary NTSB report says that on March 3 an FAA principal operations inspector found a DC-3 "with extensive left wing leading edge damage" at the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport. When he queried the operator, Transnorthern Aviation Inc., a spokeswoman said the airplane, N777YA, was damaged during a landing on the evening of March 1 at the Beluga Airport, about 30 minutes by air from Anchorage.
The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) has officially released the equivalent of FAR Part 135 operating standards and CCAR 135 is now in the rule book. This is expected to further encourage growth in both business and regional aviation. Asia Business Aviation Association President Jason Liao says that Hainan Airlines' business jet subsidiary, Deerjet, will be operating its five Hawker 800XPs under Part 135 and its managed Beechcraft Premier Is under CCAR Part 91.
S-TEC has received FAA STC approval to install its MAGIC EFIS and the MAGIC 2100 digital flight control system (DFCS) in the King Air E90. This approval gives operators an opportunity to replace their aging flight control systems while upgrading their panel to a modern glass cockpit. "For safety purposes it's imperative to have the latest technology available. Now King Air E90 operators do," said S-TEC Director of Sales Greg Plantz.
Gulfstream Aerospace is claiming a speed record for a G550 flight between Seoul, South Korea, and Salt Lake City -- 10 hours and 19 minutes. Carrying four crewmembers and seven passengers, the G550 departed Incheon International Airport at 10:30 p.m. local time March 25 and flew 5,642 nm, landing at Salt Lake City International at 4:27 p.m. the same day. Average airspeed was 0.85 Mach with what Gulfstream described as "an average headwind of 64 knots." The aircraft landed with 4,000 pounds of fuel remaining.
Blackberry and Palm Treo users can expect expanding service to their handhelds, but it won't be without effort. For one thing, the phone people who advertise Internet access for your phone, Treo or Blackberry may not make it clear that the page you get will be different from what you see over your desktop or laptop.
FlightWorks recently added a Hawker 700 to its growing fleet. This aircraft is based at McCollum Field in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Hawker 700 will be placed on FlightWorks' FAR Part 135 certificate and managed under the company's FlightWise management program. For information, call Cheryl Dornenburg at (770) 422-7375 or (800) 255-1971.
Pilatus Aircraft Ltd., Stans, Switzerland. Thomas Bosshard, has been named chief operating officer of Pilatus in Stans. Thomas Hunziker has been appointed president and CEO of the company's U.S. division in Broomfield, Colo., and Mike Rector has been named vice president of production for the company. He will be based in Stans.
