The Transportation Security Administration hopes to release details on the revised Large Aircraft Security Program this fall, says Brian Delauter, general aviation general manager. “It still has to go to the Department of Homeland Security and the Office of Management and Budget, then out for public comment,” he says. “We’ve been really careful because we don’t want to make the same mistake twice.” TSA has been reviewing more than 7,000 comments on LASP.
NetJets Inc. tapped Vice President Robert Garrymore to take the helm of its Cincinnati-based subsidiary Executive Jet Management (EJM). Garrymore succeeds Albert Pod, who led the charter and management firm since 2000. Pod recently became president of JetFlite International, a charter and management firm with offices in Long Beach, Calif., and Farmingdale, N.Y. Garrymore has 18 years of aviation experience, eight of which were with EJM. Before his role as vice president with NetJets, Garrymore was senior vice president with EJM.
AIR TRACTOR Models AT-802 and AT-802A airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2010-0827; Directorate Identifier 2010-CE-029-AD; Amendment 39-16412; AD 2010-17-18] – supersedes AD 2010-13-08, which currently requires repetitively inspecting (using the eddy current method) the two outboard fastener holes in both of the wing main spar lower caps at the center splice joint for cracks and repair or replace any cracked spar cap.
Cessna Chairman, President and CEO Jack Pelton will deliver the keynote address Sept. 2 during the second annual convention of the Citation Jet Pilots owner and pilot association this week in Colorado Springs, Colo. Other scheduled speakers include National Business Aviation Association President and CEO Ed Bolen and Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association President ad CEO Craig Fuller. The convention, scheduled Sept. 1-5, will include academic sessions, vendor displays and networking. About 160 people are expected to attend.
Rolls-Royce is alleging that Pratt & Whitney’s fan design for the PW1000G geared turbofan and Engine Alliance GP7200 infringes on a Rolls patent, and is seeking damages and injunctions in a Virginia district court.
While general aviation shipments have continued to struggle, Cirrus Aircraft has seen several positive signs of growth, including increased sales and dealer activity and improving used aircraft sales, the company reports. Cirrus deliveries grew 5% in the first half, versus a 9.8% decline for the overall industry in the recent General Aviation Manufacturers Association report (BA, Aug. 9/1).
Charter operator Averitt Air recently obtained approval from the Transportation Security Administration to operate into Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) from its base at Nashville International Airport (BNA). BNA became a gateway airport into DCA effective last week. TSA has designated 30 airports to serve as gateways for business aircraft to fly into DCA.
Honeywell last week unveiled its latest moving map upgrade, JetMap III, which provides enhanced graphics and three-dimensional perspective views of terrain, ocean topography and polar ice. JetMap III includes real-time flight data, passenger situational awareness information, and data services for news, business, weather and sports. JetMap III is designed for the Honeywell Ovation C-Series cabin management system, but can be adapted for other systems. JetMap II users can upgrade to JetMap III by replacing the removable compact flash memory card.
Tampa, Fla.-based Avianis has unveiled Clarity Operations Management Suite, a web-based, integrated management application for charter, corporate and private aviation operations. The system is a secure business-optimization application that consolidates aviation operations—including maintenance, scheduling and financial reporting—with one interface.
TAC Air has officially opened its new 12,000-sq.-ft. executive terminal at Blue Grass Airport (LEX) in Lexington, Ky. TAC Air invested $11 million in terminal and hangar improvements and built the facility from the “ground up,” the first in TAC Air’s 13-location fixed-base operation chain. A replica of a Beechcraft Staggerwing is suspended from the atrium of the facility, which includes amenities such as a high-definition movie theater, exercise facilities, wireless printing capability, showers and a pilot lounge with private sleep rooms.
India’s Cochin International Airport Ltd. in Nedumbassery is about to launch an Aircraft Maintenance Engineering School. The school, which will provide education and training in aircraft maintenance and repair, will open Sept. 1. The facility has received mandatory Director General of Civil Aviation approval. Initially, there will be two classes of 30 students who will study avionics. The school, which has one Learjet 25 and two Iskra aircraft, is situated near the Airport Museum, which is expected to open by year-end.
Part 91 operations declined in July, but increases in fractional and charter activity operators led to a 0.6% increase in business aircraft flights overall when compared with June, according to the latest Argus TRAQPak report. Fractional aircraft operations posted the strongest increase, up 10.8%. Part 135 charter showed modest growth of 2.5%, while Part 91 operations fell 3.2%, Argus reports. The decline crossed all categories of aircraft. However, the fractional turboprop and small-cabin jet sectors had double-digit increases over June at 15.2% and 12.6%, respectively.
SCOTT FOWLER has joined The Hiller Group as northwest territory sales manager. In addition to his sales duties, Fowler will help with brand and marketing initiatives for the general aviation fuel supplier. Fowler previously was chief marketing officer for Air Routing International, and before that, marketing manager for Air BP.
RANDY BROWN was promoted to vice president and general manager of Gulfstream Aerospace’s Mexicali site, where the company makes wiring harnesses, sheet metal components, subassemblies and machined parts. Brown had served as senior manager of production operations in Savannah, Ga., since December 2006, responsible for the major assembly business unit and the structural build of the G450 and G550 business jet production lines. Before joining Gulfstream, he held positions with Plug Power and General Electric Power Systems.
The first Embraer CAE Training Services (ECTS) Phenom 300 full flight simulator has achieved qualification from the Brazilian Agência Nacional de Aviação Civil, U.S. FAA and European Aviation Safety Agency. The simulator is based at CAE’s SimuFlite Training Center in Dallas. The simulator is the third ECTS trainer for Phenom customers. Two Phenom 100 simulators were certified in 2009, one in Dallas and the other at CAE’s Burgess Hill facility in the U.K. ECTS is a joint venture between Embraer and CAE.
The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has granted Swiss company Ruag Aviation a type certificate for the Do 228NG, the company says. The milestone should clear the way for the first customer delivery to an undisclosed Japanese client next month. Japanese aviation safety authorities are not directly accepting the EASA approval, but are already in the process of validating the European agency’s work.
A recently formed aviation caucus in New York state has grown to include 56 members, about a quarter of the state legislature, says Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo (D-126th District). The New York Legislative Aviation Caucus was established this spring with the help of the New York Aviation Management Association.
Gulfstream Aerospace has received type certificate validation from the Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand for the Gulfstream G550 and G500, clearing operators to register those business jets in that country. The New Zealand authority in 2003 had granted similar approvals for the GIV, GIV-SP, G400 and G300.
AIRCRAFT INDUSTRIES L 23 Super Blanik gliders [Docket No. FAA-2010-0457; Directorate Identifier 2010-CE-019-AD; Amendment 39-1637; AD 2010-15-05] – Conduct repetitive inspections of the elevator inner hinges, per the instructions of Aircraft Industries Mandatory Bulletin L23/052a (dated March 2, 2010). If any hinge is cracked or damaged, replace it before further flight. This AD, which supersedes an existing directive (AD 2010-08-01), is designed to prevent loss of elevator control. FAA estimates that this AD will affect 103 aircraft on the U.S. Registry and cost U.S.
Gulfstream Aerospace donated $50,000 to the Corporate Angel Network (CAN) in support of the charity’s mission to arrange free flights for treatment of cancer patients using empty seats in business aircraft. Gulfstream Aerospace and its parent company, General Dynamics, have donated space on corporate flights for more than 25 years. In addition, Gulfstream President Joe Lombardo serves on CAN’s board of directors.
AGUSTA A119 and AW119 MKII helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2010-0806; Directorate Identifier 2010-SW-071-AD; Amendment 39-16397; AD 2010-15-51] – Remove the cover of each pilot and co-pilot control box assembly and inspect each rotary variable differential transformer (RVDT) control gear locking pin for proper position, per the instructions of Agusta Alert Bulletin No. 119-39 (dated July 2, 2010). If a locking pin is recessed, extended or missing, replace the control box before further flight.
Cessna Aircraft last week issued layoff notices to 75 workers on the Citation Mustang line, the company says. The affected employees were given 60-day notices, and the layoffs take effect in late October. Cessna employs 730 workers at its facility in Independence, Kan., where the Mustang is produced.
FAA has conducted another round of tests on an alternative fuel to leaded avgas, a new fuel which the developers said last week is not only cleaner, but delivers more energy. The fuel, produced by Swift Enterprises Ltd., is made of pure hydrocarbons and can be derived from biomass, natural gas or even oil, according to Swift co-founder Mary-Louise Rusek, and is thus both renewable and sustainable. She says the FAA testing in a Lycoming IO-540 and other piston engines had demonstrated the fuel has an octane equivalent of 102.
ROTAX 912 A engines [Docket No. FAA-2010-0329 Directorate Identifier 2010-CE-016-AD; Amendment 39-16400; AD 2010-17-08] – Replace certain fuel pumps with an FAA-approved fuel pump, per the instructions of Rotax Aircraft Engines Mandatory Service Bulletin SB-912-053 (dated April 13, 2007). This AD, which resulted from an MCAI issued by the European Aviation Safety Agency, is designed to prevent high fuel pressure that could cause engine malfunction or massive fuel leakage and subsequent loss of control or a fire.
