JOE HIGGINS was named service team manager for General Dynamics Aviation Services in West Palm Beach, Fla. Higgins will oversee customer service visits, including pre-planning, project management and manpower. He has 12 years of experience as an avionics and electrical technician at General Dynamics Aviation Services in Dallas, Las Vegas and West Palm Beach, Fla. He also spent 20 years in the U.S. Navy, holding positions as an aviation electrician, maintenance control chief petty officer and manager of 100 work centers that performed maintenance on F/A-18 aircraft.
The civilian rotorcraft market is expected to remain diverse, with the bulk of all new deliveries arriving from mature production lines, says a new report from Frost & Sullivan. The World Commercial Helicopter Market notes that the industry witnessed unprecedented growth in the global sales of civil rotorcraft from 2004 through 2008. “However, as 2008 ended, the economic slowdown saw rotorcraft utilization and new orders decrease significantly, and financing became increasingly difficult,” it says.
An Arizona proposal that would have regulated flight training conducted under Part 61 as a “private vocational program” was defeated last week after industry protests.
John and Martha King—two of general aviation’s most familiar faces—were rousted from a Cessna-owned 172 Skyhawk last week after Santa Barbara, Calif., police, guns drawn, ordered them to exit their aircraft with their hands up. The McKinney, Texas, police had been notified by the El Paso Intelligence Center (EPIC), a federal multi-agency operation, that an aircraft stolen from McKinney was on an IFR flight plan and destined for the Santa Barbara airport. The Santa Barbara police were notified.
SOCATA TBM 700 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2010-0862; Directorate Identifier 2010-CE-040-AD] – This proposed AD would require operators to insert Page 3.13.5 of Temporary Revision No. 3 (dated March 2009) into the “Emergency Procedures” section and the “Limitations” section of the Pilot Operating Handbook (POH) before further flight. Also, operators would need to replace the existing oxygen-generator release pin with a new open pin, per the instructions of DAHER-SOCATA TBM Aircraft Mandatory Service Bulletin SB 70-168 (dated December 2009).
Eclipse Aerospace is moving ahead with another facet of customer support with the recent FAA Level D approval of EA500 full-motion simulators based at SimCom Training Centers in Orlando, Fla. Eclipse announced its partnership with SimCom earlier this year to provide pilot training for the EA500, including plans to relocate two simulators to SimCom’s Orlando facility. In the interim, Eclipse Aerospace has continued to provided initial, recurrent and differences in-flight training.
A Formula 1 race pilot intends to beat a speed record set by Hoot Gibson and help promote a “green” fuel. Richard “Smokey” Young says he believes a new unleaded biomass fuel will give him the extra performance to easily set a new world record for a closed 100-km. course. The attempt is scheduled for Sept. 11. Gibson, a former astronaut, set a record of 238 mph. in 2004. Young, a former F-111 pilot who runs the aviation program at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, Calif., believes his Swift fuel-powered racer will reach 260 mph. flying out of Thermal Airport.
Derco Aerospace was selected to distribute Universal Synaptics’ intermittent fault detection (IFD) products, which identify intermittent faults in aircraft electrical components. A Milwaukee-based subsidiary of Sikorsky Aerospace, Derco will distribute the Universal Synaptics IFD systems worldwide. The IFDs can isolate and detect intermittent faults, enabling repair of components that otherwise would be scrapped, Derco says.
Daher-Socata has named Stephane Mayer as its new CEO. Mayer returns to Socata after three years at turboprop maker ATR. Mayer ran Socata for four years prior to its sale by EADS to Daher, and was instrumental in pushing the development of the TBM850. Mayer also will be in charge of future projects in the aerospace arm of the Daher company. Mayer, in his previous stint at Socata, was pushing for an extension of the company’s product range, but lack of interest from parent EADS meant funding was scarce.
The National Business Aviation Association is reminding members that FAA phraseology “taxi into position and hold” will change to “line up and wait” on Sept. 30. The new phraseology is in line with the International Civil Aviation Organization phraseology. “Pilots need to be familiar with the new phraseology and be ready to read back and accept instructions from air traffic control,” NBAA warns.
BELL 206A, 206B, 206L, 206L-1, 206L-3 and 206L-4 helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2010-0865; Directorate Identifier 2010-SW-061-AD] – This proposed AD would require operators to replace certain tail-rotor disc assemblies, per the instructions of Bell Helicopter Alert Service Bulletin No. 206-09-123, Rev. A or 206L-09-157, Rev. A (both dated June 10, 2009). This proposal, which resulted from an MCAI originated by an aviation authority of another country, was issued following the discovery that certain tail-rotor disc assemblies do not conform to the approved configuration.
Dassault Falcon’s service center at New Castle Airport (ILG) in Wilmington, Del., has joined the Phillips 66 Aviation dealer network. The facility, which has more than 350 employees, includes a full-service fixed-base operation, 24/7 maintenance, on-site engineering and major structural repair, refurbishment, avionics and aircraft-on-ground services. The facility will participate in the Phillips 66 WingPoints Rewards program.
ALEX NOTT was appointed website manager for online private jet booking network PrivateFly.com. Nott brings more than 10 years of experience in online travel industry roles, most recently as marketing manager at Railbookers. Before that, she worked for Online Travel Company, managing a portfolio of travel websites including ferrybooker.com, onlinetravel.com and a2btravel.com.
FAA has growing concerns about the safety of aircraft and crewmembers in light of an increase in the number of laser attacks reported on aircraft in the U.S. The number of laser attacks on aircraft already has exceeded in the first eight months of this year the total number of attacks recorded in all of 2009, FAA says. It is unclear, however, whether the numbers are inflated because of improved reporting this year. As of Aug. 20, reported attacks reached 1,528, one more than were reported over 12 months last year.
EMBRAER EMB-500 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2010-0870; Directorate Identifier 2010-CE-045-AD] – This proposed AD would require operators to replace both flow control shutoff valves, per the instructions of Embraer Service Bulletin 500-21-0001 (dated Dec. 9, 2009). This proposal, which resulted from an MCAI originated by the aviation authority of Brazil, was issued following several incidents in which a flow control shutoff valve failed in the closed position.
EDMO Distributors has expanded its international reach with the addition of new offices in New Zealand and Brazil. EDMO Asia Pacific opened an office at Ardmore Airport in Auckland, New Zealand to serve the country and surrounding islands. Also, EDMO South America opened in Sao Paolo, Brazil. EDMO distributes avionics, test equipment, installation supplies, aircraft accessories and pilot supplies.
Gulfstream Aerospace’s G250 integration test facility (ITF) has accumulated 1,000 hr. of testing on the PlaneView250 software. Rockwell Collins is supplying the PlaneView250 flight deck, which will incorporate Pro Line Fusion avionics, for Gulfstream’s G250 super midsize business jet. The 1,000-hour-testing mark was achieved in four months, Gulfstream says. The G250 ITF is the first that Gulfstream has used for its mid-cabin products. Gulfstream first used the ITF with the large-cabin GV and developed similar facilities for the G450 and G550.
StarPortUSA, an Orlando, Fla.-based fixed-base operator and aviation services facility, has been named an approved European Aviation Safety Agency repair station for maintenance safety and training. StarPort offers heavy maintenance, aircraft refurbishment, and aircraft sales and acquisition services.
ALEXANDER SNYDER was appointed vice president, general counsel and secretary for Hawker Beechcraft Corp. (HBC). Snyder will oversee all legal matters for HBC and its affiliated companies. He formerly spent seven years in various roles with Koch Industries, including associate general counsel for corporate and commercial matters and chief counsel for mergers and acquisitions. He also has served with the law firms Davis Polk & Wardwell and Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson.
Bristow Academy has received FAA approval for a Part 141 night vision goggle (NVG) training program. The program will train helicopter pilots to operate at night using helmet-mounted NVG equipment. The equipment is becoming more common in operations that include emergency medical services, airborne law enforcement and search and rescue, Bristow says. The NVG program includes an initial and refresher course.
Runway construction has contributed to the slight delay in the first flight of Nextant Aerospace’s remanufactured Beechjet 400, but company executives say the flight should take place “very soon.” The company had predicted that the initial flight of the Williams International-powered light jet would take place at Cuyahoga County Airport (CGF) near Cleveland by the end of August, but that was pushed off by construction at CGF and other factors.
As Bombardier Aerospace’s overall revenues declined in its second quarter, its service revenues are on the upswing. The group generated an additional $55 million, primarily from special-mission aircraft work and increased maintenance activities. In the first half, Bombardier’s service revenues were up $94 million. Also contributing to the increase, Bombardier says, are service activities for the fractional and hourly programs, “mainly resulting from higher flight activity.” See article on Page 2.
The U.K.’s Coventry Airport is open for business and operational again after its acquisition by Sir Peter Rigby’s Patriot Aerospace was completed. Patriot Aerospace’s goal is to make the airport a regional hub for general aviation. The facility will offer aviation services, including leisure, business and freight flights, and is looking to add commercial passenger flights in the future. Under the new management team, Coventry Airport is investigating areas for expansion. “I’m truly excited to be launching a new era in the long history of Coventry Airport.
