SimCom now offers Socata TBM 700 training at its Orlando, Fla. and Scottsdale, Ariz. centers. Operators can choose between simulator-based instruction offered in Orlando, or in-aircraft programs at both Orlando and Scottsdale. Both centers now offer a course, specially designed for piston or low-time pilots upgrading to the TBM 700. SimCom also announced that it took over the lease at Lockheed Martin's former training facility in Orlando earlier this year.
Superior Air Parts, Inc., has promoted Darryl Harlos to vice president of operations. He will be responsible for manufacturing, purchasing, production and quality control for the company's line of piston-engine parts.
The Hawker 4000's twin FADEC-controlled PWC 308As are flat-rated to ISA+20°C, the highest temperature of any super midsize jet. That's a prime reason why the aircraft has excellent hot-and-high performance. The engines feature a wide-chord, damper-less fan powered a three-stage low pressure turbine section. The compressor section has four axial-flow and one centrifugal-flow stages driven by a two-stage high-pressure turbine section. They're fitted with pneumatic starters to save weight.
Aerion Corp.'s supersonic business jet (SBJ) project has cleared a first hurdle with the completion in September of Phase 1 basic design. As Vice Chairman Brian Barents explained to B&CA, "We have made substantial progress since last year. [The] technical viability has been confirmed by wind tunnel and computer analysis.
The underlying strength of the U.S. economy continues to be the key driver in continued vigorous sales of previously owned aircraft. And despite the negative economic effects of the run-up of energy prices and the hurricanes that battered the Southeastern United States, industry observers are optimistic that the good times will continue into the new year.
The Air Transport Association (ATA), the U.S. airline trade association told the Aviation Subcommittee of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, Nov.17., that the airlines are concerned over the impact of Very Light Jets (VLJs) on the safety of commercial airline operations when they are introduced in the near future.
Dakota Hotels will operate TAG Farnborough's on-site hotel, expected to be up and running in 18 to 24 months. It will have around 200 rooms, with a section purpose-designed to attract students attending FlightSafety International's new Farnborough Training Center. The remainder will be operated as four- or five-star luxury accommodations available to business travelers and the general public.
According to figures issued by the Russian Business Aviation Association (ADA), VIP charter flights and the number of owned aircraft in Russia are growing by 40 percent annually. With an eye on this growth, Russian and Western business aviation operators for several years have been trying to create a real full-service FBO in the country and particularly in Moscow, but with little success. That failure, in the midst of booming business activity, serves to highlight serious troubles in local airport infrastructure.
Evergreen Helicopters, Inc. (EHI), McMinnville, Ore, closed on two aircraft purchases in November, an Agusta/Bell AB139 and a Bell B412. This is EHI's second AB139 and third B412 to enter the fleet, bringing the company's total number of aircraft to more than 75. Evergreen Helicopters, Inc. (EHI), McMinnville, Ore, closed on two aircraft purchases in November, an Agusta/Bell AB139 and a Bell B412. This is EHI's second AB139 and third B412 to enter the fleet, bringing the company's total number of aircraft to more than 75.
Bell/Agusta reports EASA has certified a max gross weight increase of its AB135 medium twin helicopter to 14,110 pounds. The Bell and Agusta joint venture has delivered 17 AB139s and says it expects to deliver three more by the end of the 2005. Total orders for the AB139 stand at more than 135 aircraft. To date, the fielded aircraft have accumulated more than 4,000 hours in EMS, offshore and paramilitary operations.
Aerion Corp.'s supersonic business jet (SBJ) project has cleared a first hurdle with the completion in September of Phase 1 basic design. As Vice Chairman Brian Barents explained to B&CA, ``We have made substantial progress since last year. [The] technical viability has been confirmed by wind tunnel and computer analysis.
John Rosanvallon, CEO and president of Dassault Falcon Jet, says the company will produce a shorter-range variant of the Falcon 2000EX that will be capable of flying six passengers 3,250 nm at 0.80 Mach and landing with NBAA IFR reserves. The aircraft should satisfy market demand for a Falcon that offers the runway performance and range of a Falcon 50EX plus the cabin comfort of the Falcon 2000. The new Falcon 2000DX, a 2007 model, will be capable of departing a 4,800-foot runway with full fuel and six passengers, with standard day conditions.
Crane Aerospace and Electronics, Lynnwood, Wash., appointed Dewey Turner III to senior vice president of global sourcing and manufacturing for the Aerospace Group.
Capt. Jyri Strandman (American Eagle Airlines Training Department, Via E-mail)
Thanks for your continually excellent work on Cause & Circumstance. In analyzing accidents, the answers tend to lose their clarity and value for training when we get more interested in avoiding fault and blame instead of fixing what needs to be fixed.
AS THE EXECUTIVE IN CHARGE of your company's flight department, you are responsible for the safe and efficient transport of the firm's key personnel and the protection of its valuable assets, its aircraft. Obviously you take those responsibilities seriously. And in all likelihood, oversight of the flight operation is just one of a broad range of your executive administrative duties. Accordingly, you understand process management, including the role procedures play in achieving desired results and the benefits that audits provide in assuring quality and improving outcomes.
FlightSafety International has awarded Chad Twogood a scholarship to attend FlightSafety Academy's advanced airline training program. Twogood is the winner of the Top Pilot award of SAFECON 2005, an annual competition held among students from more than 70 colleges.
Scheduled airlines would like to shift $2 billion in taxes from airline passengers to business jet operators, according to NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen. Bolen believes the recent push by airlines for user fees -- which has caught the attention of FAA -- is ``the single greatest threat that this industry has faced since I've been in this industry.'' The association is pushing its members to get involved in the battle. ``Our industry is now too large to remain silent,'' Bolen said. "Our visibility and success have made us a target.''
Bombardier's new Learjet 60XR will feature a Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 avionics suite with four LCDs -- increasing display area by 75 percent over the Learjet 60 -- along with an integrated flight information system. The new stand-up cabin in the 60XR will seat nine, have a larger galley and additional storage space. The cabin electronics system will incorporate an audio-video system that can play XM satellite radio and have ports for laptops, DVDs and MP3 players. The 60XR is the eighth new Learjet model that Bombardier has introduced in the past 15 years.
Premier Jet Aviation (San Antonio) -- John Hall has been named president. Prior to joining Premier Jet, Hall was a longtime member of Cessna's Citation sales group and most served as senior vice president of the CitationShares fractional ownership program.
I was on weekend duty at the hangar, doing a meet and greet for several planeloads of executives heading out for a large and important series of international meetings. After sending off two aircraft, I went back to my office to finish up some projects while awaiting the third and final departure, which was to take place in two hours. Once it was gone, I could call it a night.
-Bell 206A, B, L, L-1, L-3 and L-4 helicopters -- Conduct an initial inspection and, at specified intervals, check and inspect the tail-rotor blade for a deformation or crack. Also, check for a bent or deformed tail-rotor weight. If any damage is found, replace each blade with an airworthy blade before further flight.
Dallas-based Business Jet Technologies (BJT) has received FAA certification of its RVSM compliance package for the Gulfstream II and IIB. The design of this package allows for simplified augmentation of the existing air-data computer while using existing altimetry components, thereby substantially reducing cost and downtime.
Gulfstream Aerospace is keeping its powder dry in the supersonic business jet arena. Pres Henne, senior vice president of programs, engineering and test, says that the company's focus right now is not on building an airplane but on "developing the technology to the point that if the rule [banning supersonic flight over land] is changed, we could build a business jet." The company hopes that new quiet technologies will help persuade regulators to change the rule.
