BLACKHAWK MODIFICATIONS, the Waco, Texas-based turboprop engine upgrade specialist, is offering 100 percent financing to qualified U.S. buyers. The financing plan — which covers the cost, shipping and installation of factory-new Pratt & Whitney PT6A engines — can give qualified customers the ability to finance their engine purchase using a 15-year fully amortized loan schedule with a balloon payment due after five years. Blackhawk notes that engine upgrades also may qualify for accelerated tax depreciation under the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
STANDARDAERO has received an FAA supplemental type certificate for an engine upgrade of the Beech King Air 200 series. The modification involves replacing the twin turboprop’s original Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-41 or -42 engines with PT6A-52 powerplants and four-bladed Hartzell propellers, which is the same engine and propeller combination used on new King Air B200GT aircraft.
NEGOTIATIONS between Bell Helicopter management and union leaders broke down again last week, as the strike at Bell’s Fort Worth, Texas plant entered its second month. Nearly 2,500 members of the United Auto Workers Local 218 went on strike June 15 (BA, June 22/292). Labor and company representatives have returned to the bargaining table three times this month, most recently on Wednesday, but no progress was reported. Bell has taken steps to prepare for a long strike, which reportedly could last for months, including the hiring of replacement workers.
The Transportation Security Administration has spent the past several weeks discussing with industry leaders a series of potential new protocols for a Large Aircraft Security Program (LASP) and expects to begin rewriting the LASP proposal next week, John Sammon, TSA assistant administrator for transportation sector network management, told a congressional panel last week (BA, June 29/301).
MOONEY AIRPLANE COMPANY received European Aviation Safety Administration approval for its M20R Ovation2 GX. The single-piston aircraft can cruise at 190 knots true airspeed (KTAS) and has a ceiling of 20,000 feet. The Oviation2 GX also has a range of 1,860 nautical miles at a cruise speed of 173 KTAS. The certification covers the Garmin G1000 avionics suite. The M20R previously was certified in Europe without the Garmin glass panel. Mooney is offering the Ovation2 GX through its dealers in Europe, including Air Touring Limited, AirNet and Troyes Aviation.
EDUARDO (EDDIE) HERNANDEZ was appointed an international field service representative for Gulfstream Aerospace. Hernandez is based in Toluca, Mexico, and will provide support for Gulfstream operators in Mexico and Central America. He has more than 21 years of maintenance experience with military aircraft and 12 with corporate aircraft. He joined Gulfstream in 1997 as an A&P mechanic in Savannah, Ga., and subsequently transferred to Dallas.
– The Senate Commerce Committee Tuesday (July 21) is scheduled to consider a two-year FAA reauthorization bill that seeks more than $34.5 billion for the agency through fiscal 2011 and calls for an acceleration of NextGen capabilities.
STARLINK AVIATION will be the first authorized service center in Canada for the Embraer Phenom 100 and 300 business jets. The Canadian company, which has been in business since 1981 and is headquartered at Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport, will offer maintenance and fixed-base services to Phenom owners, as well as aircraft management and charter services.
WHILE SEN. JAY ROCKEFELLER (D-W.Va.) is not pursuing new air traffic control user fees in the newest Senate reauthorization proposal, Rockefeller said last week that he still feels strongly that general aviation “has to pay for their fair share.” He reiterated arguments that GA accounts for two-thirds of the aircraft in the sky but only pays 8 percent of ATC costs. “They live in a very nice world, a world that doesn’t comport with the safety of the skies,” Rockefeller said.
EXECUTIVE FLIGHT is the latest addition to Raisbeck’s Learjet authorized dealer network. After installing Raisbeck’s ZR LITE performance system on one of its Learjet 35As, the East Wenatchee, Wash.-based charter operator and FBO signed on as a dealer and now is offering to install the Raisbeck system on other Learjet 30 series aircraft based in the Pacific Northwest. Nearly 100 ZR LITE performance systems have been installed since the modification was certified in 2005.
CASA CN-235 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2009-0637; Directorate Identifier 2008-NM-183-AD] – This proposed AD would require operators to conduct repetitive borescope inspections to detect cracking of the outer flaps fittings and longerons, per the instructions of CASA Service Bulletin SB-235-57-20, Rev. 2 (dated March 30, 2007). If any cracks are detected, replace the outer flap with a new or retrofitted flap prior to further flight and terminate the repetitive borescope inspections of the replaced component.
JET AVIATION’S MOSCOW FACILITY now offers 24/7 line maintenance services and aircraft on the ground (AOG) support at Vnukovo International Airport. In addition, Jet Aviation is offering AOG services at the Domodedovo and Sheremetyevo airports in Russia. The Vnukovo facility has the ability to service Bombardier, Gulfstream, Embraer and Hawker aircraft.
TURBOMECA Arrius 2F engines [Docket No. FAA-2009-0330; Directorate Identifier 2008-NE-43-AD; Amendment 39-15961; AD 2009-14-11] – Following the instructions of Turbomeca Mandatory Service Bulletin No. 319 75 4810 (dated May 14, 2008), visually inspect the first section of the P3 air pipe and the right-hand rear half-wall, checking the play between the two. Replace the first section of the P3 air pipe if any damage is found. Replace the right-hand rear half-wall if any damage is found.
AIRCELL won a contract to supply its Aircell High Speed Internet service on Clay Lacy Aviation’s fleet of charter and managed aircraft. Installation of the systems will begin this month and continue through mid-2010. The contract is the first fleet selection for the system by a Part 135 charter operator, Aircell said. The service will enable charter passengers to use personal laptops, PDAs and Smartphones to surf the Web, send and receive e-mail with attachments, transfer large files, stream video, use a corporate VPN and access other Internet-based services in flight.
NATIONAL BUSINESS AVIATION ASSOCIATION said its 62nd Annual Meeting & Convention, scheduled for Oct. 20-22 in Orlando, Fla., is on pace for a strong showing, despite the weak economy. The numbers are down, NBAA said, but still encouraging. “We are currently tracking at about 80 percent of where we were at this point last year, which is outstanding, since last year’s show set all-time records for the number of exhibitors and booth sales,” NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen said.
– Business aircraft flight activity in the U.S. is starting to level off, but is still down significantly from last year, according to the latest data from Aviation Research Group/U.S. Business aircraft activity in June was down “a very slight” 1.45 percent from activity in May, ARG/US said. But activity is still 16.8 percent below June 2008 levels.
EMBRAER ERJ 170 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2009-0610; Directorate Identifier 2009-NM-021-AD] – This proposed AD would require operators to modify the electrical wiring in the overhead panel of the cockpit, change the air data smart probe 3B power supply bus and modify the ARINC 429 data bus, as applicable.
EMBRAER handed over a Legacy 600 business jet to Titan Aviation of Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Titan will manage and operate the aircraft for an undisclosed customer. The Legacy is the second in the Titan Aviation fleet. Titan also is expecting to add a Lineage 1000 in 2012.
BOMBARDIER has obtained a letter of credit facility worth $600 million. The facility will be used to support the company’s aerospace operations and general corporate needs, and replaces a facility due to expire in December. The new credit facility, which was arranged by National Bank Financial, RBC Capital Markets and UBS Securities, expires in December 2011.
PILATUS PC-6 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2009-0622; Directorate Identifier 2009-CE-034-AD] – Conduct visual and eddy-current inspections of the upper wing strut fittings and examine the spherical bearings, per the instructions of Pilatus PC-6 Service Bulletin No. 57-005, Rev. 2 (dated May 19, 2008). If cracks are found in the upper wing strut fitting, or if the spherical bearing is not in conformity, take corrective actions. This AD, which would supersede an existing directive (AD 2007-19-14), resulted from an MCAI originated by the European Aviation Safety Agency.
EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION is expected to announce a new president shortly. The association earlier this year launched a search for a successor to Tom Poberezny, who was named chairman of the association. Poberezny took the reins from his father, Paul Poberezny, 87, who founded the association. A search committee had narrowed the search last month to two candidates, both well-known aviation veterans. EAA officials have indicated they would like to announce the new president either just before or during the association’s annual AirVenutre in Oshkosh, Wis.
EADS PZL-104 WILGA 80 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2009-0446; Directorate Identifier 2009-CE-024-AD; Amendment 39-15960; AD 2009-14-10] – This AD requires operators to inspect the fuselage front posts, repairing any corrosion found and replacing pads made of foam rubber with pads made of Neoprene to prevent water ingestion into the front fuselage, per the instructions of EADS PZL Warszawa-Okecie Mandatory Bulletin No. 10409036 (dated March 18, 2009).
CORRECTION: Cirrus Design Chairman and co-founder Alan Klapmeier is seeking $120 million in new equity to “reaccelerate” his Vision SJ50 single-engine light jet program. Due to an editing error, Klapmeier was misspelled in a headline in the July 6 edition of BA.
Sikorsky’s X2 Technology demonstrator recently completed two test flights with a fully engaged the propeller for the first time. The helicopter reached speeds of 52 knots in one test and 42 knots with the propeller providing forward thrust in the second flight. The demonstrator is designed to fly at 250 knots, about twice the speed of current helicopters.
