HAWKER BEECHCRAFT has begun offering AmSafe seatbelt airbags for pilot and co-pilot seats on its Baron and Bonanza aircraft. HBC’s parts and distribution organization, RAPID, is taking orders for the airbags, which can be installed at any AmSafe-approved service center.
USED JET INVENTORY decreased 30 basis points – or .3 percent – to 13.3 percent in October, the third straight monthly decline, according to a new report from JP Morgan. “Inventories are now down 120 basis points off their all-time high of 14.5 percent in July,” the report said. “All categories exhibited lower inventory for the third consecutive month, with light jets decreasing 40 basis points and heavy and medium jets decreasing 20 basis points each.
BAE SYSTEMS sold an Avro Business Jet to U.K.-based Gill Group. The aircraft is a BAe 146-200 that will be converted into a 46-seat executive shuttle and operated by Gill Group’s newly-formed in-house flight department.
HAWKER BEECHCRAFT CORP. is marking the 50th anniversary of the Beechcraft Baron by offering a limited-edition model that incorporates new interior design features and amenities, a choice of four distinctive external paint schemes and high-performance Hartzell Scimitar propellers.
BOMBARDIER CL-600, CL-601 and CL-601-3A airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2009-0689; Directorate Identifier 2009-NM-092-AD; Amendment 39-16081; AD 2009-23-09] – Determine if aromatic polyimide wire is installed in the air-driven generator (ADG) power feeder harness, per the instructions of Bombardier Service Bulletin 600-0737 or 601-0591 (both dated July 23, 2007), as applicable. If the wires are made of aromatic polyimide, replace the ADG power feeder harness with one incorporating a nonaromatic polyimide wire.
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt last week established a new federal advisory committee that will study every facet of the aviation industry. LaHood further promised that within one year, the Federal Advisory Committee on the Future of Aviation will submit a blueprint to ensure the future vitality of the industry.
CESSNA Model 150 and 152 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2007-27747; Directorate Identifier 2007-CE-030-AD; Amendment 39-16074; AD 2009-10-09 R1] – This new AD retains the actions required in AD 2009-10-09: installation of a placard prohibiting spins and other acrobatic maneuvers or replacing the rudder stop, the rudder stop bumper and the attachment hardware with a new rudder stop modification kit, and replacing the safety wire with jamnuts.
GRAHAM LAKE has been selected to become director general of CANSO, the international air navigation services organization. Lake, who will take over his new duties in December, succeeds Alexander ter Kuile, who is leaving after serving as secretary general of the organization for nine years. A former air traffic controller at the U.K. National Air Traffic Service, Lake has more than 30 years of international aviation experience, holding management roles at Serco, SITA and Arinc.
The chairman of TAG Aviation says the FAA certificate actions against its U.S. subsidiary and AMI Jet Charter, a U.S. charter provider in which it held a 49 percent interest, ultimately cost the Swiss firm about $100 million, along with the loss of those business entities.
For Sale or Lease BUCHANAN AIRFIELD CONCORD, CA New Construction – Completed 2008 38,430 SF +/- Divisible to 19,430 SF +/- Ideal for Falcons and expansion for corporate flight dept. or FBO Contact: Bill Durgin, 925.854.1035 [email protected] Click here to view the pdf
NATIONAL AIR TRANSPORTATION ASSOCIATION has unveiled the first video in an ongoing series featuring President Jim Coyne discussing “hot topics” facing the industry. The first briefing, “Fiscal Crisis,” focuses on the current economic climate facing the general aviation industry and contains a brief cameo appearance by U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).
NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD Friday expressed dismay that another Zodiac CH-601XL broke up in flight and crashed. On Nov. 6, a Zodiac CH-601XL was destroyed and the pilot killed after the aircraft crashed near Agnos, Ark. Both wings separated from the fuselage while in flight. Seven months ago, NTSB had urged FAA to ground the aircraft until certain flight control problems were addressed.
FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt acknowledged industry concerns about lack of standardization over regulatory interpretations and last week told business aviation leaders that the issue should be addressed. Babbitt’s remarks came during the two-day National Air Transportation Association Aviation Business Roundtable in Washington, D.C., which covered a range of critical issues affecting the aviation community, including the economy, taxes, safety, security, and the impact that recent elections will have on the 2010 midterm elections (BA, Nov. 9/213).
ADMINISTRATOR BABBITT has been pleased with the results of the procedures put in place in the Hudson River flight corridor in the wake of the Aug. 8 midair collision between a Piper PA32 single-engine aircraft and a Eurocopter AS350 sightseeing helicopter (BA, Sept. 7/104).
SkyBuyHigh has launched an “e-boutique” service for use onboard private and charter aircraft and at fixed-base operations. Under the service, charter operators and brokers earn commissions from items purchased through SkyBuyHigh’s services, while FBOs earn revenue by offering the system in their lounge or by loaning it out to charter and private flights that frequent their location.
AND MORE GOOD NEWS came from ARGUS TRAQPak data, which found that October business aircraft activity increased 5.14 percent over September 2009. The turboprop aircraft sector led the improvement at 9.1 percent. Part 91 operations showed the strongest overall results at 5.9 percent above October 2008. ARGUS estimates the percent change of flight activity, rolling month over month, for the last 12 months is up an average of .67 percent per month.
GREENJETS has attracted more than 2,000 clients for its shared-ride private jet service since beginning flights in April 2009, the company said. Greenjets cited strong demand for its decision to raise seat prices by 10 percent effective Nov. 15. The impact of the higher seat prices for Greenjets on-demand travelers is a few hundred dollars per seat. The impact for Greenjet card members will be between $1,250 a year for a Blue level member to more than $10,000 for a Black level member.
When Gulfstream announced the 7,000-nautical-mile range, Mach .85 cruise G650 in March 2008, it got the attention of product planners at Bombardier Business Aircraft in Montreal, according to company insiders. The G650 gives Gulfstream an aircraft with a larger cabin diameter than Bombardier’s top-line Global Express XRS, along with higher cruise speeds, shorter runway requirements, better fuel efficiency, higher typical operating altitudes and a lower cabin altitude.
BOMBARDIER Regional Jet Series 100 and 440 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2009-0310; Directorate Identifier 2009-NM-012-AD; Amendment 39-16073; AD 2009-23-02] – Revise the “Airworthiness Requirements” section of Maintenance Requirements Manual to include new information regarding care of the inboard flap system. This AD, which resulted from an MCAI originated by Transport Canada, was prompted by the discovery of excessive wear involving endplay between the inboard flap actuator and ball screw.
BELITE AIRCRAFT of Wichita, Kan., is selling several kit configurations of its new single-seat Part 103 compliant airplane at prices starting below $8,100. Kits may be constructed as a homebuilt experimental aircraft. Subassemblies and components, many of which can be used on other types of homebuilt and ultralight aircraft, also are available so that builders can construct their aircraft in stages. Kits and parts can be purchased at the online store, accessible through the Belite Web site at www.beliteaircraft.com.
REP. JAMES OBERSTAR (D-Minn.), chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, last week appointed Rep. John Boccieri (D-Ohio) vice chairman of the aviation subcommittee.
NetJets Europe has pledged to make its operations “carbon neutral” by 2012 in three phases, Steven Tebbe, vice president of environmental affairs told BA. The corporate aviation business is essential, but traveling on corporate jets is not the most environmentally friendly way to travel, said Tebbe. “But it provides an important service to people who need flexible and fast travel,” he noted. “We feel we are responsible to address this, and because of our size, we can influence the sector.”
OMNIFLIGHT HELICOPTERS, a national provider of air medical services, selected Appareo Systems, LLC to provide its Aircraft Logging and Event Recording for Training and Safety Flight Data Monitoring (ALERTS FDM) system for installation on 35 Omniflight aircraft. The ALERTS system captures all aspects of flight using a lightweight inertial measurement device designed for light aircraft. ALERTS combines flight data recording, monitoring and three-dimensional flight recreation to ensure that the flights were within acceptable limits.
