BOMBARDIER AEROSPACE executives agreed that they have seen price erosion. While declining to provide specifics, company executives last week admitted that the drop has been “sizable.” The company, however, is starting to move its new aircraft and expects to have sold all the “white tails” – aircraft produced but not yet placed with a customer – by the end of the year. Used aircraft inventories, however, are expected to maintain at about 34-35 aircraft. Nearly two-third of those aircraft have been taken in trade from FlexJet.
FOKKER F.27 Mark 050 and F.28 Mark 0100 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2009-0496; Directorate Identifier 2008-NM-139-AD; Amendment 39-16001; AD 2009-18-05] – Replace the current nut and spring washer of certain electrical contactors with a new self-locking nut, per the instructions of Fokker Service Bulletin SBF100-24-041 or SBF50-24-031 (both dated Jan. 29, 2008), as applicable.
BOMBARDIER SERVICES CORP. and Magellan Aircraft Services have signed a deal under which Magellan will disassemble CRJ100/200 regional jets, refurbish useable components and market them to operators. The initial agreement covers 10 CRJ100 aircraft managed by Bombardier Commercial Aircraft’s Asset Management Group (AMG). “We estimate that each of these aircraft has about 1,500 parts, including 300 line replaceable units (LRUs), that can be refurbished and offered as a lower-cost solution for an operator’s spares requirements,” said Rod Sheridan, vice president of AMG.
DEBBIE JONES was named assistant manager of FlightSafety International’s Hawker Beechcraft Learning Center in Wichita, Kan. Jones also will continue to serve as director of customer support. She has served with FlightSafety’s Hawker Beechcraft center since 1999, beginning as manager of customer support. She formerly was a manager and system analyst for Boeing, serving in the Lean Manufacturing program.
SIMCOM TRAINING CENTERS has upgraded its two MU-2 simulators with the installation of a new high-resolution visual system. The visual imagery is equivalent to that used on Level D simulators, Simcom said. The simulators also are programmed to provide detailed features of selected airports to depict an accurate representation of operating areas. These include airports in both Denver and Aspen, Colo. for training in the mountain environment. The simulators are based at SimCom’s facilities in Orlando, Fla.
While leaders within the helicopter community found few surprises in the National Transportation Safety Board recommendations regarding civil medevac operations, some were taken aback by one directed to federal Medicare and Medicaid services, and questioned the time frame of others.
FLIGHTSAFETY INTERNATIONAL has added its Surviving Inadvertent IMC training program to the product offerings at the company’s facilities in Fort Worth, Texas; Tucson, Ariz.; Lafayette, La.; and West Palm Beach, Fla. The training program is nonaircraft specific and includes both ground and simulator sessions. The course can be customized for a wide variety of operations including emergency medical services, airborne law enforcement, offshore operations, electronic newsgathering, tour operators, and fire and rescue.
RICHARD MCMILLON was named general manager of the General Dynamics Aviation Services facility at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas. McMillon has served as the Las Vegas Service Center operations manager since June 2008. He joined Gulfstream in 1997 as a crew chief at the Savannah Service Center and became maintenance supervisor at the Gulfstream Contractor Logistics Support operation at Chievres Air Base in Belgium in 2000.
EMBRAER EMB-120, -120ER, -120FC, -120QC and -120RT airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2009-0715; Directorate Identifier 2008-NM-211-AD] – This proposed AD would require operators to conduct repetitive external detailed inspections for corrosion of the auxiliary power unit (APU), auxiliary and center mounting rods, and rod ends. If any corrosion were found, operators would need to remediate the corrosion before further flight by following the instructions of Embraer Service Bulletin 120-49-0023, Rev. 01 (dated June 30, 2008).
GENERAL ELECTRIC CF34-8E engines [Docket No. FAA-2008-0821; Directorate Identifier 2008-NE-20-AD] – This proposal, which would supersede an existing airworthiness directive (AD 2008-16-01), would require operators to remove additional full-authority digital electronic controls (FADECs) from the powerplants. This newly proposed directive was prompted by 20 additional reports received of loss-of-thrust-control events since the original AD was issued. FAA estimates that this proposal would affect 273 engines installed on airplanes on the U.S. Registry and would cost U.S.
NAVERUS, the Seattle, Wash.-based developer of Performance-based Navigation (PBN) procedures, delivered a comprehensive National Aerospace Assessment to Swedish air navigation service provider LFV to serve as a road map for a Swedish PBN network. Implementation of PBN will create a foundation for the European SESAR program. In addition, the International Civil Aviation Organization has adopted a resolution calling for member states to develop a PBN road map by the end of 2009.
A NEW REPORT from aviation consultancy Conkin & de Decker has outlined three mistakes aircraft operators make when looking at operating costs: ignoring costs when acquiring the aircraft, underestimating the magnitude of the costs of their aircraft and not realizing the cyclical nature of aircraft operating costs. When looking at a $4.5 million versus a $6 million dollar jet, the less expensive one may need upgrades that push up costs, the report said. “Maintaining and repairing such machines comes with a price.
Hawker Beechcraft Services (HBS) has completed the expansion and renovation of its maintenance and service center in Indianapolis and last week announced the facility’s “grand opening.” The facility, which has been operating since 1971, specializes in Hawker and Beechcraft aircraft.
DEVELOPAIR, a management consultancy specializing in providing in business aviation handling and concierge services, has been launched by Catherine Gaisenband, founder and CEO of Assistair Business Aviation Handling. Clients targeted by Cote D’Azur-based Developair include private jet companies looking for specific services not generally available through fixed-based operations, brokers who require local knowledge of destinations, along with local residents who may need extra arrangements made above and beyond the regular handling services.
DOUG BRANTNER joined the general aviation consultancy Groom Aviation LLC. Brantner has nearly 20 years of general aviation operational and financial management experience, most recently as vice president responsible for Hawker Beechcraft Services. He is a certified public accountant, pilot, and former adjunct professor of managerial finance.
SOLAIRUS AVIATION earned a Platinum rating by Aviation Research Group/US (ARG/US). Solairus Aviation is one of just 71 charter companies to hold the Platinum rating, the highest level in the ARG/US audit program.
MARTHA FINN BROOKS was appointed to the board of directors for Bombardier Inc. Brooks most recently was president and chief operating officer of Novelis Inc., an $11 billion global aluminum rolling company owned by Mumbai-based Hindalco Industries Ltd. She also has served as corporate senior vice president and president and chief executive of Alcan Rolled Products, Americas and Asia. Before joining Alcan, Brooks spent 15 years with engine manufacturer Cummins.
EMBRAER EMB-135, EMB-145, -145ER, -145MR, -145LR, -145XR, -145MP and -145EP airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2009-0716; Directorate Identifier 2008-NM-212-AD] – This proposed AD would require operators to conduct repetitive external detailed inspections for corrosion of the auxiliary power unit (APU), auxiliary and center mounting rods, and rod ends. If any corrosion were found, operators would need to remediate the corrosion before further flight by following the instructions of Embraer Service Bulletin 145-49-0034, Rev. 01 and 145LEG-49-0008, Rev. 02 (both dated Sept.
Cessna received special certification conditions from FAA for the Cessna Citation Model 525C (CJ4) airplane. Cessna is proposing to use a lithium-ion battering on the CJ4 for main battery applications, as well as in a number of other possible auxiliary batter applications, FAA said.
WEST STAR AVIATION in East Alton, Ill. recently completed the installation of AirCell High Speed Internet systems on the Cessna Citation 650 and the Dassault Falcon 50 aircraft. AirCell’s High Speed Internet enables crew and passenger connectivity to Wi-Fi devices such as laptops, smart phones, and PDAs. The system requires the AirCell AGT-4000 and two belly-mounted antennas.
CHRISTOPHER HART, who was sworn in as a National Transportation Safety Board member Aug. 12, was designated vice chairman. Hart is serving his second stint on the safety board; he previously was a member in the 1990s. Hart’s newest term runs through Dec. 31, 2012, and his designation as vice chairman is in effect for two years.
The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association was pleased that a new FAA flight-training rule maintained existing instrument currency standards, rather than adopting a number of additional requirements. The final rule, released this month, revises training, qualification, and certification requirements for pilots, flight instructors, ground instructors and pilot schools. FAA said the rule is intended to clarify and update the requirements to reflect recent technological advances.
The National Transportation Safety Board has scheduled a Sept. 1 meeting in Washington to consider 19 new safety recommendations aimed at minimizing the risks of helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) operations. According to the safety board, the recommendations will address a wide range of safety improvements – including the development of a low-altitude airspace infrastructure, operators’ adoption of Safety Management Systems and data monitoring programs and pilot use of new technologies such as night vision goggles.
AIR TRACTOR Models AT-802 and AT-802A airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2009-0489; Directorate Identifier 2009-CE-025-AD; Amendment 39-16000; AD 2009-18-04] – This AD requires installing a rudder-aileron interconnect cable system shield kit and securing any items stowed in the baggage compartment, using tie downs and/or a cargo net until the cable shield kit is installed. FAA is issuing this AD to prevent jamming of the rudder-aileron interconnect cables by unsecured items in the baggage compartment, which could result in failure of the rudder-aileron interconnect cable system.
Owners of the Cessna Centurion can have their aircraft fleet upgraded under Sierra Industries Ltd.’s new Sierra Super Centurion (SSC) program. The upgrade includes adding updated avionics, Sierra’s R/STOL, gear door conversions and a custom single-piece panel. SSC can be used for Cessna 210, T210 or P210K, L, M, N or R models, and paint and interior refurbishment and inspection and repair services are available.
