– Hawker Beechcraft last week completed the first flight of a T-6 avionics upgrade aircraft that is a derivative of the T-6A trainer operated by the U.S. Air Force and Navy. The upgrade is based on CMC Electronics’ Cockpit 4000 integrated avionics and includes three multifunction displays and an upfront controller in each cockpit, driven by dual avionics computers. In addition, gross weight has been increased to expand flight envelope and reduce maintenance, Hawker Beechcraft says.
BRAZILIAN DELIVERIES of the Phenom 100 began at the end of June, and the light jet is now being flown by Brazilian operators Algar Aviation, Minas Gerais, Wellborn Participações and Locar Guindastes e Transportes Intermodais. Of the more than 800 orders for the Phenom 100 and Phenom 300, more than 100 are from operators in Latin America, 70 percent of which are destined for the Brazilian market. The first Phenom 100 entered service in December 2008, and more than 20 are operating worldwide today.
CITATIONSHARES is offering customers new philanthropic options through partnerships with TerraPass, a carbon offset retailer, and the Corporate Angel Network, a public charity that arranges free flights for cancer patients seeking treatment far from their homes. CitationShares customers can donate flight hours aboard CitationShares jets to a CAN Jet Card account. Customers also can purchase carbon offsets for their carbon emissions through TerraPass.
THE ACTING DIRECTOR of Homeland Security’s Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO) last week sketched out early plans to protect against the use of general aviation aircraft for transport of nuclear or radioactive material. The DNDO is concerned that GA could be an attractive option for terrorists interested in a nuclear/radioactive attack, DNDO head Charles Galloway told a congressional panel last week.
BOBBY PATTON was appointed distribution program manager for Blackhawk Modifications, Inc. Patton joins the Waco, Texas-based worldwide turboprop engine upgrade company from Raisbeck Engineering, where he served as director of sales. While at Raisbeck, he developed the sales program for a King Air modification and helped develop the network of more than 70 dealers worldwide.
July 27-August 2 – Experimental Aircraft Association 57th AirVenture Oshkosh 09, Wittman Regional Airport, Oshkosh, Wis., (920) 426-4800 or go to www.airventure.org August 10-13 – Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International & Flight International: Unmanned Systems North America 2009, Washington, D,C., (703) 845-9671 or visit www.auvsi.org/events Sept. 10 – National Business Aviation Association: Business Aviation Regional Forum, Las Vegas, Nev., (202) 783-9000 or visit www.nbaa.org
PILATUS PC-12, PC-12/45, PC-12/47 and PC-12/47E airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2009-0437; Directorate Identifier 2009-CE-018-AD; Amendment 39-15963; AD 2009-14-13] – Replace certain torque tubes with new ones of an improved design and revise the “Limitations” section of the PC-12 Aircraft Maintenance Manual to introduce a new life limit for certain torque tubes. This directive, which supersedes AD 2003-14-0, resulted from an MCAI issued by an aviation authority of another country.
CIRRUS AIRCRAFT signed a multiyear exclusive logistics services agreement with Aerospace Products International (API). Under the agreement, API will provide field supply chain services and logistics for Cirrus spare parts under the brand Cirrus Parts by API. API will manage procurement and parts inventory, providing guaranteed parts availability of Cirrus parts to the global network of Cirrus authorized service centers. API also will handle customer returns, manage all rotable exchanges, and administer warranty claims and parts replacements on behalf of Cirrus.
HAWKER BEECHCRAFT Model G36 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2009-0633; Directorate Identifier 2009-CE-037-AD; Amendment 39-15964; AD 2009-15-01] – Inspect for any improper installation or chafing of the P60/J60 electrical connector, associated wiring and fuel line. If any improper installation or chafing is found, correct the installation and replace damaged parts, per the instructions of Hawker Beechcraft Mandatory Service Bulletin SB 28-3967 (dated June 2009).
– Dassault Falcon this month delivered the 2,000th Falcon (a 2000LX) to Koç Holding, the largest company in Turkey. The milestone comes not quite 45 years after the delivery of the first Falcon Mystere 20 in 1965. Dassault has designed 17 versions of the Falcon and delivered the aircraft to operators in 67 countries. The fleet has accrued more than 14 million flight hours.
THE GENERAL AVIATION MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION is increasing its reach into Europe with the opening of a branch office in Brussels, Belgium. Brian Davey also joined the association as director of European affairs. Davey will represent GA manufacturers before European governing bodies in Brussels, as well as before the European Aviation Safety Agency in Cologne, Germany. He also will work with industry stakeholders.
CESSNA Model 208 and 208B airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2009-0638; Directorate Identifier 2009-CE-038-AD; Amendment 39-15968; AD 2009-15-05] – Measure the roll and the yaw bridle cable tension (adjusting as necessary) and torque the clamp screws, per the instructions of Cessna Caravan Service Bulletin CAB08-9 (dated Nov. 24, 2008). This AD, which resulted from two incidents involving slack bridle cables with the swaged balls unseating from their drum recesses, is intended to detect and correct loose bridle cable clamps.
DORNIER 328-100 and -300 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2009-0616; Directorate Identifier 2009-NM-070-AD] – This proposed AD would require operators to conduct a detailed visual inspection of the cockpit door locking device and the surrounding area for proper installation of the lock, per the instructions of 328 Support Services Service Bulletin SB-328-25-485 or SB-328J-25-235 (both dated Jan. 28, 2009).
FIELD AVIATION in Toronto has delivered a modified Bombardier Dash 8 Q300 maritime surveillance aircraft to the Icelandic Coast Guard. The company partnered with Bombardier and L-3 Communications, which supplied the sensor systems. The Dash 8 Q300 MSA has multimission capability, including search and rescue, maritime sovereignty, medevac and first response activities.
– A new Transportation Department Office of Inspector General (OIG) report last week concluded that on-demand operators have more risk in their operating environment and receive less oversight. The National Air Transportation Association objected to the report, saying that it “failed to present an accurate picture of the Part 135 regulatory environment.”
WESTERN AIRCRAFT in Boise, Idaho recently completed a new interior shop that will house major interior refurbishments for large business jets and turboprops. Western Aircraft, based at Gowen Field, is an authorized service center, certified repair station and distributor of parts and avionics for a number of aircraft manufacturers and suppliers, including Dassault Falcon, Pilatus, Hawker Beechcraft, Honeywell and Collins. The facility includes six hangars totaling 120,000 square feet. Western Aircraft is an Avfuel distributor.
BOMBARDIER BD-700-1A10 and BD-700-1A11 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2009-0138; Directorate Identifier 2008-NM-216-AD; Amendment 39-15966; AD 2009-15-03] – Inspect for damage and wear and lubricate the power control unit (PCU) attachment joints in accordance with Bombardier Alert Service Bulletin A700-1A11-27-024, Rev. 02 or A700-27-066, Rev. 02 (both dated Nov. 10, 2008), as applicable. If any damage or seizure is found, replace the affected parts before further flight.
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The National Transportation Safety Board is urging FAA to require operators to prohibit most uses of electrically conductive combustible oxygen hoses and to replace existing conductive oxygen hoses with nonconductive hoses. NTSB also recommended that FAA formalize an airworthiness directive (AD) process when an aircraft manufacturer or other party identifies an airworthiness issue. The recommendations were part of a series of actions NTSB believes FAA should take to protect oxygen tubing and other systems from the potential of electrical fire.
D.C. DELEGATE Eleanor Holmes Norton (D), meanwhile, last week complained of “nuclear overregulation” of general aviation in Washington, D.C. Norton continued her quest to convince security chiefs to ease access to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). “You have destroyed the entire industry here in the nation’s capitol,” she told John Sammon, the Transportation Security Administration’s assistant administrator for transportation sector network management.
TRANSPORT CANADA has granted type certificate validation to Gulfstream for its G550, G500, G450, G350 and GV. This approval enables operators to register all in-production Gulfstreams in Canada. These aircraft join seven other Gulfstream models already validated for Canadian certification, including the G200, G150, G100, GIV, GIII, GIIB and GII. The first Gulfstream to win Canadian certification was the GII in 1978.
KANNAN KUMAR was named an international field service representative for Gulfstream Aerospace. Kumar is based in Chennai, India, and will work with Gulfstream customers in India. He has nearly 35 years of aviation experience overall and nearly 25 years of experience on Gulfstream aircraft, beginning as a certification engineer in 1985. He also has served with a number of corporate operators as chief and director of maintenance.
CRAIG SINCLAIR has joined the board of directors for Rishworth Aviation, a crew leasing and aviation human resources company. Sinclair has 20 years of aviation industry experience, holding senior positions with Airways Corporation of New Zealand and Air New Zealand.
