DASSAULT FALCON has scheduled a series of 14 regional Maintenance & Operations (M&O) seminars in eight countries this year. Introduced in 2009, the initial round of regional M&O seminars drew 700 operators and received a 98 percent approval rating, Dassault said. The one-day sessions focus on both operational and technical issues and include participation of operators, model and support specialists, authorized service centers, vendors and other partners. The 2010 seminars are scheduled for: Jan.
THIELERT TAE 125-01 engines [Docket No. FAA-2009-0753; Directorate Identifier 2009-NE-31-AD; Amendment 39-16102; AD 2009-24-10] – Conduct periodic inspections of the engine and engine oil for any evidence or pieces of broken piston cooling nozzles, per the instructions of Thielert Service Bulletin No. TM TAE 125-0017, Revision 2, dated February 22, 2008. If any evidence of a failed cooling nozzle is found, replace it before further flight.
HUGH MCELROY was elected chairman of the Frontiers of Flight Museum. McElroy is president of the BBA Aviation Engine Repair and Overhaul Group, which includes Dallas Airmotive, Premier Turbines, International Turbine Services, Barrett Turbine Engine Company and H+S Aviation. He also is chairman emeritus of the Millville Army Airfield Museum.
January 21-23, 2010 – Bahrain International Airshow, Sakhir Airbase, www.farnborough.com/site/content/bahrain/ January 25-26, 2010 – National Air Transportation Association FBO Leadership Conference, San Antonio, Texas, (800) 808-6282 or visit www.nata.aero/fbolc January 27-29, 2010 – National Business Aviation Association 21st Annual Schedulers & Dispatchers Conference, San Antonio, Texas, (202) 783-9000 or visit www.nbaa.org
COMLUX ordered a third Airbus Corporate Jetliner (ACJ), taking its total orders for Airbus corporate jets to 10, with four A318s, three ACJs, two A320 Prestiges and one A330-200 Prestige. Some of the aircraft are managed for private customers and some are used to provide VVIP charters.
ASSOCIATION OF AIR MEDICAL SERVICES (AAMS) signed an agreement with the International Society of Aeromedical Services (Australasia), or ISAS, to collaborate on international initiatives to improve air medical transport services worldwide. AAMS and ISAS will exchange organizational and scientific information to enhance standard-setting in air rescue, air medicine and air medical transport.
Rolls-Royce secured FAA type certification for the BR725, which was selected to power the Gulfstream G650. The certification, which followed European Aviation Safety Agency approval in June, comes just weeks after the G650 flight test program began Nov. 25. The 16,000-pound-thrust engine is the newest member of the BR700 family, providing the G650 with a 7,000-nautical-mile range at Mach 0.85 and a maximum operating speed of Mach 0.925.
STANDARDAERO recently secured approval to perform wing tank modifications on Dassault Falcon 50, 900 and 200 aircraft. Dassault issued a service bulletin calling for wing tank (dry bay) modification on the Falcons, and both the European Aviation Safety Agency and FAA are expected to release airworthiness directives mandating the work. The modification, which is expected to take three weeks to complete, incorporates a sealed boundary area between ribs four and five in front of the rear spar, reducing the risk of a fuel spill in the event of a main landing gear failure.
DAN HAMILTON took on the additional title of president of the Frontiers of Flight Museum based on Dallas Love Field. Hamilton also will continue serving as executive director of the museum. Museum co-founder Jan Collmer, who had been serving as president, will continue to serve the museum in emeritus status, as well as on the board. Collmer founded the museum with William Cooper and Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas) 20 years ago. Hamilton, who has served as executive director since 2002, has been responsible for the museum’s ongoing operations.
Jet Aviation is beginning charter operations as Jet Aviation Flight Services under its recently awarded Part 135 air carrier certificate. The company was able to obtain a U.S. certification once it was purchased by General Dynamics. Formerly a Swiss-based company, Jet Aviation had been limited to managing the aircraft, and the aircraft were chartered through a strategic alliance with Priester Aviation.
MARC DUVALL was appointed president of Goodrich Corporation’s Aerostructures business. He joined Goodrich in 2005 as president of the Engine Controls business and most recently was vice president of the Aerostructures business. He previously had 20 years of experience with global Fortune 500 companies.
While a number of general aviation plane-makers are predicting further production cuts in 2010, National Business Aviation Association President and CEO Ed Bolen noted that production is only one factor in the overall general aviation economy, and other factors, such as flight operations, are showing encouraging signs.
ERA, the Fairfax, Va. air traffic management technology specialist, deployed its MSS ADS-B and multilateration surveillance system at Dublin Airport in Ireland. The system includes sensors to provide extended coverage of runways, taxiways and aprons, improved automation of aircraft identification and enhanced surveillance in all weather conditions. The system will support the airport’s advanced-movement guidance and control system, as well as provides for the flexibility of future airport growth.
CITATIONAIR BY CESSNA has formed a partnership with The British Academy of Film and Television Arts/Los Angeles (BAFTA) under which CitationAir will become a Presenting Level Sponsor and Official Private Jet partner of BAFTA/LA beginning in January. “This is a great opportunity for us to expand our growing customer base in the entertainment industry and in the greater Los Angeles area,” said Woody Harford, senior vice president and chief revenue officer of CitationAir.
FAA closed out 2009 with the Dec. 17 deployment of Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) and other services at its Houston Center to cover Gulf of Mexico operations. The declaration of the Initial Operating Capability (IOC) at the Houston center clears another key milestone as the agency moves forward with its efforts to implement the next-generation (NextGen) air traffic management system nationwide.
MARK GALE was appointed chief executive of the City of Philadelphia’s Division of Aviation. Gale will direct the development, planning and administration of all the activities of the city’s Division of Aviation, including Philadelphia International Airport, Northeast Philadelphia Airport and the management of about 800 airport personnel. Gale first worked with the Division of Aviation as an intern in 1985 and later returned in 1989, holding positions of increasing responsibility.
VULCANAIR (Partenavia) P 68, P68B, P 68C, P 68C-TC and P 68 Observer airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2009-0869; Directorate Identifier 2009-CE-043-AD; Amendment 39-16090; AD 2009-24-03] – Conduct repetitive visual inspections of the front and rear wing spars for cracks. If cracks are found, modify the wing spars. Modification of the spars, which can be done before cracks develop, terminates the need for repetitive inspections. This new directive, which supersedes AD 85-08-04, identifies additional airplanes that require wing spar inspection and/or modification.
BELL HELICOPTER transferred ownership of the Model 47 helicopter type certificate to Scott’s Helicopter. Scott’s, a Bell-approved Customer Service Facility in Le Sueur, Minn., will assume responsibility for all aspects of commercial spares support, technical support and continued airworthiness of the Bell 47 (H-1, 2H1 and 2H3). “This model really started the commercial helicopter business, and Bell has a lot of heritage in the 47,” said Danny Maldonado, senior vice president and chief services officer at Bell.
NATIONAL BUSINESS AVIATION ASSOCIATION approved six new courses for the association’s Professional Development Program. The PDP provides a curriculum for business aviation managers and prepares individuals to become NBAA Certified Aviation Managers (although the PDP’s not required for aviation management certification).
FAA has developed a new means for operators to comply with an International Civil Aviation Organization requirement to carry a “standardized certified true copy” of their Air Operator Certificate (AOC) onboard their aircraft. ICAO in late 2006 required operators to carry a certified copy onboard when operating internationally. This typically involved keeping a notarized copy onboard.
NAPLES JET CENTER recently completed its first dual Garmin G600 panel retrofit in a Twin Commander aircraft. The G600 retrofit was part of a larger panel redesign and aircraft refurbishment project. The replacement involved removing the old and unnecessary wiring and installing all new wiring harnesses for a custom-designed instrument array that includes recessed panels for the G600. Using technology of the Garmin G1000 avionics system, the G600 replaces mechanical instruments with large-format LCD displays.
PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA Customer Service Centre Europe GmbH has signed a four-year Fleet Management Program agreement with Abu Dhabi-based Falcon Aviation Services LLC to provide maintenance support for the PT6T-3DF Twin-Pac engines installed on FAS’s Bell 412 EP helicopters. The deal covers 10 Twin-Pac engines and one spare engine on a Term Cost Plan.
KURT BARNHART was named president-elect of the University Aviation Association (UAA). Barnhart, who is professor and head of Kansas State University’s Department of Aviation, will serve a one-year term. UAA comprises more than 525 members that represent educators, students, high schools, collegiate institutions and other organizations and industry officials.
