TWIN COMMANDER AIRCRAFT’S move from Washington state to Creedmoor, N.C., is expected to be complete by mid-December. Earlier, FAA had granted Twin Commander Aircraft a production certificate to begin producing aircraft parts in its new North Carolina facility, and the company began fulfilling orders from there on Nov. 16, according to President Matt Isley.
PHILLIPS 66 AVIATION added Gulf Aviation in Harlingen, Texas, to its branded fueling network. Founded in 1970, Gulf Aviation serves the Rio Grande Valley, providing support, maintenance, management, charter, training and fixed-base operation services. Gulf Aviation will participate in the Phillips 66 WingPoints and Partners-Into-Plane contract fuel programs.
The Embraer Phenom 300 light jet received type and production certificates from Brazil’s ANAC National Civil Aviation Authority Dec. 3. The ANAC production approval clears the Brazilian manufacturer to ramp up production. FAA type certification is expected in the coming weeks with deliveries beginning shortly. The aircraft, powered by two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW535-Es, can accommodate up to 10 occupants and has a design life of 35,000 flight hours.
Key industry indicators such as used aircraft sales and flight operations are continuing to show positive signs, but the ongoing sluggishness in the market reaffirms the conclusion of many industry leaders that a “long road to recovery” is still ahead, analysts say. Used aircraft transactions, one of the most closely watched indicators, continued to pick up, while inventories declined in the past several months. Flight operations, another important indicator, also are up in recent months, analysts reported.
MICHAEL FRANCE was promoted to director of regulatory affairs for the National Air Transportation Association. France joined NATA in March and has served as manager of regulatory affairs. He has handled issues affecting NATA’s fixed-base operation and general aviation airport members. France also has been responsible for flight training issues. Before joining NATA, he was quality control and training coordinator for Volo Aviation, and also has served as the lead line technician/quality control inspector for Next Flight Aviation.
Technical and operational standards for automatic dependent surveillance – broadcast (ADS-B) equipment have been approved, paving the way for April 2010 publication of the FAA’s final rule mandating ADS-B equipage in controlled airspace by 2020. The General Aviation Manufacturers Association lauded the move Dec. 4, saying it “puts in place a fundamental building block of NextGen.”
SAVANNAH AIR CENTER, the Atlanta, Ga., completions and maintenance center acquired by Jet Aviation in 2008, will be rebranded as Midcoast Aviation beginning in January. The rebranding formally recognizes the alignment between the facility and the Midcoast operations, which Jet Aviation acquired in 2006. Jet Aviation has integrated the maintenance and completions organizations under Midcoast. Don Peterson, president of Midcoast Aviation, will have overall management responsibility for both Midcoast facilities in Savannah and St. Louis (the original Midcoast facility).
JOE BRADY was named leader, mobile services, for Standard Aero. Brady will manage StandardAero’s Mobile Services Team, as well as support the Business Aviation sector’s overall development strategy and “Voice Of the Customer” improvement. Brady previously spent 20 years with Honeywell Aerospace, most recently as director of customer and field support in the Process Solutions Division. He also served in the U.S. Air Force for 10 years.
MARQUIS JET has teamed with the Ritz-Carlton Destination Club to offer private jet travel with premium vacations. Marquis Jet and the Ritz-Carlton Destination Club complement one another, blending the private jet card with an “inspiring vacation home experience,” said Mark Sage, executive vice president of business development for Marquis Jet. Through the partnership, Ritz-Carlton and Marquis Jets will inform each other’s clients of the services available, Sage said.
FAA last week officially withdrew its controversial 1995 notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that would have revised the flight and duty time requirements for Parts 121 and 135. FAA called the NPRM outdated and said it was withdrawing the proposal “because of the many significant issues commenters raised.” The agency instead is drafting a new proposal and hopes to have a new NPRM published by early spring.
AIRCRAFT OWNERS AND PILOTS ASSOCIATION President Craig Fuller believes that educating the public about the value of general aviation is one of the most important missions facing his association. “It’s a long-term responsibility to help policymakers and opinion leaders better understand the value of GA,” said Fuller, who added that “We’re trying to tell the GA story through GA Serves America.” He was encouraged that GA Serves America already has begun to make inroads, citing the recently formed GA Caucuses in the House and Senate. See article on Page 252.
While VIP completion operations have fared better than the overall business aviation market, they are beginning to feel the impact of the economic downturn, completions executives agree. “The financial crisis has now reached the VIP market,” Walter Heerdt, senior vice president for marketing at Lufthansa Technik, said during this month’s Dubai Airshow. “The impact is not dramatic, but it is there, more so on the narrowbody aircraft such as Airbus ACJs and Boeing BBJs,” Heerdt said. “We’re seeing about 90 percent of what would have been.”
LoPresti Aviation has created a new Boom Beam light kit for the Cessna Citation 650 designed to increase safety and reduce maintenance costs. LoPresti is known for its Boom Beams installed on Hawker and Cirrus aircraft, company COO R.J Siegel said. “We are a ‘Skunk Works’ that takes existing technology and makes it better,” he said.
GENERAL ELECTRIC CF34-8E engines [Docket No. FAA-2008-0821; Directorate Identifier 2008-NE-20-AD; Amendment 39-16094; AD 2009-24-06] – This new directive, which supersedes AD 2008-16-01, requires removal of 12 more full-authority digital electronic control systems (FADECs) from the affected powerplants. This new directive resulted from 20 additional reports of loss-of-thrust control events since AD 2008-16-01 was issued. FAA estimates that this new AD will affect 273 engines installed on airplanes on the U.S. Registry and cost U.S. operators a total of $36,855.
JIM WRIGHT has joined West Star Aviation as a regional sales manager for the Northeast sales territory. Wright previously served as principal account manager for the Northeast region for Rockwell Collins Government Systems. He also spent 20 years as a professional pilot of aircraft and helicopters, and has a sales background and operational experience in Gulfstream, Challenger, Hawker, Learjet and Falcon aircraft.
AVIATION LINK SAUDI ARABIA signed an exclusive contract with NetJets Middle East to manage its new Gulfstream 550, the first in the Middle East to be available for charter on a Part 135 certificate. The aircraft will be delivered during the first quarter of 2010.
AMERICAN CHAMPION AIRCRAFT CORP. Model 7ECA, 7GCAA, 7GCBC, 7KCAB, 8KCAB and 8GCBC airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2009-0745; Directorate Identifier 2009-CE-036-AD; Amendment 39-16053; AD 2009-22-02] – For airplanes manufactured prior to 1989 and equipped with folding rear seat backs, inspect the rear seat back hinge areas for cracking and excessive elongation of the rear seat hinge bolt hole. If cracking or excessive elongation are found, replace the rear seat frame.
ROB CORDS was appointed senior vice president, strategy, business development and customer support for StandardAero. Cords will develop and manage StandardAero’s global strategic planning activities, communications and corporate branding, sales and customer service. He previously served as an associate partner in the Oliver Wyman Group’s Aviation, Aerospace & Defense practice.
COMLUX, of Zurich, Switzerland, ordered a third Airbus Corporate Jetliner (ACJ) and a third Bombardier Challenger 605 business jet. The ACJ order boosts the Comlux Airbus total to 10 aircraft, including four A318s, three ACJs, two A320 Prestiges and one A330-200 Prestige. The Comlux Bombardier fleet currently comprises 11 aircraft, including two Challenger 850, two Global 5000, two Global Express and two Global Express XRS jets, in addition to the three 605s.
AS LONG-TERM FAA reauthorization legislation remains stalled on Capitol Hill, aviation groups are eyeing a potential new job-growth bill in the House as a possible vehicle to secure additional funding for NextGen. Nineteen associations sent a letter last week to House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee leaders stressing that funding for NextGen would help domestic job creation.
GE Aviation is expanding its NextGen capabilities with plans to acquire Seattle-based Naverus, a privately-held firm that specializes in the design and implementation of Required Navigation Performance (RNP) procedures for both aircraft operators, such as ConocoPhillips and some airlines, and air traffic control agencies around the world, including the U.S., China and Australia. Financial details of the agreement, announced last week, were not disclosed.
GREG KINSELLA was named vice president of business development for Wayfarer Aviation. Based in Washington, D.C., Kinsella will oversee aircraft management business development across the U.S. for Wayfarer. He has 15 years of business and commercial aviation experience, holding sales and product marketing roles with British Aerospace and Saab Aircraft.
ROLLS-ROYCE AE 3007A1/1, AE 3007A1/3, AE 3007A1, AE 3007A1E, AE 3007A1P, AE 3007A3, AE 3007C, and AE 3007C1 engines [Docket No. FAA-2009-0246; Directorate Identifier 2009-NE-04-AD; Amendment 39-16091; AD 2009-24-04] – Remove certain fan spinners, per the instructions of Rolls-Royce Corporation Service Bulletin No. AE 3007A-72-361 and AE 3007C-72-285 (both dated June 26, 2008). This AD was issued to prevent the fan spinner from releasing, which could result in injury or damage to the engine or airplane.
