NICK CHANTORN was appointed senior scheduler, product support for Gulfstream Aerospace’s Long Beach, Calif., facility. Chantorn is responsible for the day-to-day scheduling activities for the Gulfstream product support team, in addition to coordinating scheduling assistance with the General Dynamics Aviation Services site in Las Vegas and supporting the Gulfstream western region product support sales and field service teams. He has seven years of industry experience, most recently serving as owner services representative, client services, for NetJets.
BOMBARDIER Regional Jet Series 700, 701, 702 and 900 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2009-1110; Directorate Identifier 2009-NM-116-AD; Amendment 39-16421; AD 2010-18-08] – Repetitively check the outflow valve’s (OFV) manual-mode motor and altitude-limitation functions. If the OFV does not operate properly, replace the valve with a new or serviceable valve before further flight.
CitationAir by Cessna has formed a partnership with London-based Air Partner plc to provide customers with its services in the United States and Europe. Under the partnership, CitationAir customers can use Air Partner for flights within its European service area at a fixed, all-inclusive price with guaranteed fleet availability on a trip-by-trip basis. And Air Partner JetCard customers gain guaranteed access to CitationAir’s fleet of 80 Cessna Citation jets and service within its North American service area.
FAA is proposing a sweeping overhaul to the pilot fatigue regulations that would ensure that pilots get nine hours of rest – not including commuting time – between duty periods and would restrict duty hours to between nine and thirteen hours at a stretch. Although the proposal will not apply to Part 135 operators, FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt says the agency is providing information on the proposed rule to Part 135 operators. “We’re putting them on notice that this could be coming to their neighborhood too,” he warns.
Sandel’s HeliTAWS has won TSO approval from the FAA. The helicopter terrain safety system incorporates Sandel Avionics’ proprietary TrueAlert technology, which is designed to eliminate nuisance alerts, a significant problem with existing terrain-warning products that limits their usefulness in helicopter operations. With TrueAlert, Sandel claims that pilots can safely take off, cruise, hover and land at off-airport locations without triggering nuisance alerts, while still receiving the benefits of Class-A terrain warnings during the entire flight. The Vista, Calif.
Air Service Basel has received FAA repair station approval. Based at the Eurairport Basel-Mulhouse in Switzerland, the Air Service Basel facility is authorized to provide line and base maintenance on Hawker 700 through 1000 series, Learjets, and Cessna Citation 500s, 525s, 550s and 560s. Air Service Basel also has a mobile avionics team to provide periodic avionics checks for customers throughout Europe.
BOMBARDIER Regional Jet Series 100 and 440 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2010-0482; Directorate Identifier 2009-NM-225-AD; Amendment 39-16411; AD 2010-17-17] – Revise the first-flight-of-the-day check of the stall-protection system to detect degradation of the stick-pusher function. Also, perform a new repetitive-maintenance task to limit exposure to dormant failure of the stick-pusher capstan shaft.
The first IFR approval of a synthetic vision system in a helicopter occurred in August. Arrow Aviation received a supplemental type certificate for the installation of a Cobham electronic flight instrument system in a Bell 412 operated by the search and rescue unit of North Slope Borough, Alaska.
The business jet inventory for sale in July was down 2.8 points to 14.9% from the peak of 17.7% in July 2009, but used aircraft sales have remained slow this year, according to the latest report from Jetnet.
The Transportation Security Administration is hoping to visit at least 30% of the general aviation airfields this year in an outreach mission to share best practices, says Brian Delauter, general manager of general aviation for TSA. TSA recently surveyed GA airports on their use of security measures such as fencing, cameras, biometrics and lighting, and Delauter tells BA that the report currently is being validated (BA, Aug. 30/4). Delauter calls the visits a top priority.
JAMIE SMITH was named service center coordinator for the General Dynamics Aviation Services facility in West Palm Beach, Fla. Smith is responsible for coordinating aircraft visits from pre-planning to post-service. He previously spent 14 years with aviation companies, serving with Midcoast Aviation in Savannah, Ga., Hawker Beechcraft and Gulfstream Aerospace. Smith also has been an avionics supervisor and inspector in the U.S. Army.
The National Air Transportation Association has partnered with AIC Title Service to offer a web-based aircraft re-registration service designed to help members comply with new registration regulations. The service will enable the operator to specify where the registration certificate will be delivered and to track the status of the fleet online. The service, priced at $45 per aircraft, can be accessed at www.nata.aero/aic.
The Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) has added Gama Charters of Stratford, Conn., and Hop-A-Jet Worldwide Jet Charter of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to the ACSF Industry Audit Standard (IAS) Registry. Gama and Hop-A-Jet have completed the IAS audit and join 14 other operators that have successfully qualified for the registry. The audit, valid for two years, provides a comprehensive, independent review of an operator’s compliance with safety and security regulations and implementation of a safety management system.
The economic downturn has helped boost online pilot-contract service Flycontract.com’s business as more employers lay off pilots even though they still need the staffing, says President Terry Cooper.
Taipei Songshan Airport expects to begin developing a business aviation base around the end of this year when it takes control of a former military hangar. The downtown airport will follow up with a customs, immigration and quarantine facility for users of private aircraft next year while seeking a fixed-base operator to build a business aviation center, says airport Deputy Director Chen Jauyuh.
New Mexico has become the latest state to officially recognize the importance of aviation. Gov. Bill Richardson (D) declared September “Aviation and Aerospace Appreciation Month.” The proclamation discusses the importance of New Mexico’s 51 publicly-owned airports and more than 4,000 general aviation pilots to supporting tourism, police, firefighting, agriculture and business. The Alliance for Aviation Across America praised the move, saying the proclamation highlights “the immense value that general aviation provides to not only New Mexico, but the entire country.”
Hawker Beechcraft this month debuted its Hawker 4000 and Beechcraft King Air 350i in Mexico. The debut was part of a demonstration tour after the recent Latin American Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Starbase Aviation has been granted additional operational authority from FAA to conduct Part 135 operations on an expanded international basis. In March, Starbase Aviation earned International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations Stage 1 registration, which recognizes a company’s implementation of best practices and a safety management system.
DIAMOND AIRCRAFT DA 40 and DA 40F airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2010-0845; Directorate Identifier 2010-CE-044-AD] – This proposed AD would change the emergency open-door procedure by incorporation of a temporary revision into the FAA-approved Airplane Flight Manual. This proposal also would require replacement of the passenger-door retaining bracket with an improved-design bracket on certain airplanes. This proposed AD was issued following multiple reports of the rear passenger door departing the airplane in flight.
HAWKER BEECHCRAFT Model 390 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2010-0523; Directorate Identifier 2010-CE-018-AD; Amendment 39-16407; AD 2010-17-15] – Replace certain starter-generators that have deficient armature-insulating materials, per the instructions of Hawker Beechcraft Mandatory Service Bulletin SB 24-3963 (dated May 2009) and AMETEK Advanced Industries, Inc. Mandatory Service Bulletin 2009-0414 (dated April 2009). FAA issued this AD to prevent the loss of one or both starter generators, which could result in the loss of all non-battery electrical power.
The International Association of Machinists (IAM) is planning another rally this week in downtown Wichita to protest the outsourcing of aerospace manufacturing jobs to Mexico and China. The rally follows one held last week and comes as the union is in the midst of contract negotiations with Cessna and Hawker Beechcraft management teams. The IAM has indicated plans to fight certain initial contract proposals from Cessna, including a 4.2% wage reduction and an end of future pension plans and accrual. The current contract with Cessna ends Sept. 19.
PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA PW530A, PW545A and PW545B engines [Docket No. FAA-2010-0860; Directorate Identifier 2010-NE-28-AD; Amendment 39-16422; AD 2010-18-09] – For engines that have an intercompressor bleed valve (BOV) servo valve with fewer than 50 hours time in service since new or overhaul, remove the valve from service. For engines that have a BOV servo valve with 50 or more hours but fewer than 250 hours time in service since new or overhaul, test the engine as specified in Pratt & Whitney Canada Alert Service Bulletin PW500-72-A30421 (dated June 29, 2010).
While the U.S. market is expected to strengthen, Bombardier still finds an overwhelming majority of its orders coming from outside the U.S. Last year, says Bombardier Aerospace President and COO Guy Hachey, 30% of the company’s business-jet orders came from the U.S., 70% outside the U.S. In the most recent quarter, ending July 31, only 10% of the new orders came from the U.S. and the remaining 90% coming from other markets, including Asia and the Middle East, he estimates.
SheltAir Aviation Services expanded its service agreement with The Hiller Group-Chevron network to cover seven additional fixed-base operation locations. With the agreement, The Hiller Group now will supply fuel to 10 SheltAir-branded facilities. The new FBO locations include Daytona Beach (DAB), Fort Lauderdale (FLL), Panama City (ECP), St. Petersburg-Clearwater (PIE) and Jacksonville (JAX) in Florida; LaGuardia (LGA) in New York, and Savannah, Ga. (SAV).
Aviation advocates continue to make inroads with state legislators as a growing number of states adopt proclamations recognizing the contributions of aviation. The latest, New Jersey, is designating Sept. 29 Aviation Awareness Day. Also joining the list is New Mexico, which deemed September as Aviation and Aerospace Appreciation Month (see item on Page 7). This pushes the number to at least 14 states that have officially recognized aviation over the past year.
