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. Armed with a mockup of the jet, a Cirrus team headed by Klapmeier completed a five-week tour of capital investors in June, trying to generate interest in the program – no easy task in the economic environment.
THE EUROPEAN UNION is urging expansion of the EU aviation blacklist in the wake of last week’s crash of Yemenia Flight IY626. Yemenia was not on the blacklist the EU uses to bar airlines from operating in its territory, but it had been slated for review. EU Transport Commissioner Antonio Tajani says he will raise the issue of expanding the blacklist at a pending meeting with top representatives from the International Civil Aviation Organization.
Gulfstream Aerospace has received a supplemental type certificate from FAA for installation of its second-generation Enhanced Vision System infrared (IR) camera aboard its midsized G150 business jet, the Savannah, Ga. plane maker said last week.
AN AVIATION RULEMAKING COMMITTEE (ARC) focused on drafting runway takeoff and landing distance rulemaking recommendations completed its work last week and plans to formally present the recommendations to FAA this week. The ARC is expected to recommend separate requirements for Part 121 and 135. The 135 recommendations seek a two-tiered approach to Part 135, based on whether the operator meets the requirements of “Eligible On-Demand” (EOD) that are in current regulations.
FAA last week issued a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin warning owners and operators of Robinson Model R44 II helicopters of the potential for fuel vapor problems in high ambient temperatures and altitude. FAA cited a report of an unexplained power loss in a new Model R44 Raven II during a ferry flight from the factory. The power loss occurred in ambient conditions of about 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
DUNCAN AVIATION has been named an authorized service facility for Ultra Electronics Flightline Systems. With the authorization, Duncan Aviation can now offer better pricing, increased capabilities, better turn times and technical support in the service and repair of Flightline Systems’ electromechanical and mechanical line of products for both airplanes and helicopters.
The European Aviation Safety Agency has notified Eclipse Aviation of its decision to suspend EASA Type Certificate IM.A. 171 covering the Eclipse 500 aircraft, effective June 12, 2009, the agency said last week. EASA further requested Eclipse to notify any person to whom this could be of concern. Eclipse Aviation invested several million dollars and spent months of development time to achieve the EASA TC in November 2008 because it was viewed as essential to opening up the market for the aircraft in Europe, a source said.
ROLLS-ROYCE has received the type certificate for the BR725 turbofan model that will power the Gulfstream G650 business jet. The European Aviation Safety Agency granted approval on June 23. First flight of the G650 is planned for later this year. The 16,100-pounds-thrust engine features a 50-inch fan and 24 titanium blades. EASA says tests of the engine, formally designated the BR700-725A1-12, included the usual bird-strike, ice, hail and water ingestion trials and fan blade containment testing. Emissions tests were also completed.
SOCATA TBM 700 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2009-0557; Directorate Identifier 2009-CE-031-AD; Amendment 39-15944; AD 2009-13-05] – Before further flight, insert Page 3.13.5 of Temporary Revision No. 3 (dated March 2009) into the “Emergency Procedures” and “Limitations” sections of the Pilot Operating Handbook.
Europe’s High Speed Aircraft (HISAC) research program, which ends later this year, has established the technical feasibility of a small supersonic transport aircraft, according to program officials speaking in Paris. Three design teams are completing studies of a 10-passenger supersonic aircraft with up to a Mach 1.8 cruise, at least 4,000-nautical-mile range, and reduced noise and emissions. “The objectives have been reached,” says Bruno Stoufflet, head of advanced design for Dassault Aviation.
The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association and the Experimental Aircraft Association last week appealed to FAA to extend the comment deadline on a proposal to impose a nighttime ban at Bob Hope Airport (BUR) in Burbank, Calif. They submitted their request June 22, the same day the agency formally solicited comments on the proposal. Comments are due July 20, but the associations believe at least a 30-day extension would be necessary for affected pilots to evaluate the potential impact a nighttime ban would have on their operations.
FLYING COLOURS CORP., a Canadian aircraft completions and maintenance company, recently was awarded a supplemental type certificate for an auxiliary fuel tank for the Canadair Regional Jet. The fuel system is part of the company’s ExecLiner and Phoenix executive conversions of the regional jet. Flying Colours has completed three ExecLiners to date and has another four conversions in process. The first CRJ Phoenix is to be delivered later this month to Ritz Pacific in Macau, China.
DUBAI AIRPORTS has officially opened its Executive Flights Centre, a VIP terminal and executive travel facility at Dubai International Airport. Located close to Dubai International’s Terminal 2, the new terminal includes a 5,500-square-meter, two-story main building, a 3,700-square-meter hangar, a 3,700-square-meter ramp area for aircraft parking and a special VIP car park for long-term parking. The ramp area can handle up to 22 corporate jets such as the Learjet or Hawker; or between eight to 12 medium to large jets such as the Challenger or Falcon.
EUROPEAN OFFICIALS continue to hold their position on retaliation should the U.S. Congress require FAA to conduct twice annual inspections of all foreign repair stations, an industry official noted. Jens Hennig, vice president of operations for GAMA, noted that the repair station issue was a significant issue discussed during the Europe/U.S. International Aviation Safety Conference held earlier this month in Athens, Greece. European officials have refused to ratify a U.S.
GE AVIATION has extended an exclusive CF34-3 parts distributor agreement with Boeing subsidiary Aviall Services. Under the agreement, Aviall is responsible for forecasting, ordering and delivering all original equipment manufacturer replacement parts unique to the CF34-3, which powers Bombardier’s 50-seat regional jet and Challenger 601 and 604 business jets.
PATRICK SNIFFEN was named vice president of marketing for Signature Flight Support. Sniffen, who is based at Signature’s corporate offices in Orlando, Fla., will report to David Best, chief commercial officer. He formerly served as vice president of marketing for Jet Aviation Holdings USA.
Dr. Sam B. Williams, founder and chairman of turbine engine maker Williams International, passed away Monday, June 22 at the age of 88. Williams was best known for his patented invention of a series of small fanjet engines that enabled the creation of the cruise missile, as well as a new class of small, efficient and affordable light jets and very light jets.
RIZON, a charter and management company with bases in the Middle East and the United Kingdom, was awarded an Air Operating Permit (AOP) from the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority. Rizon is the first private company based in Doha to receive AOP authority. The company is building a new facility for its charter, maintenance and fixed-base operations at Doha Airport. The facility is slated to be operational in early 2010.
BAE SYSTEMS Jetstream Mk.1 and Series 200, 3101 and 3201 airplanes [Docket No FAA-2009-0570; Directorate Identifier 2009-CE-033-AD; Amendment 39-15949; AD 2009-13-10] – This emergency AD, which resulted from an MCAI issued by the European Aviation Safety Agency, requires operators to replace affected main landing gear radius rods before further flight.
ROLLS-ROYCE AE 3007A/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] – This proposed AD would require operators to replace the fan spinner. This proposal, which resulted from a report of a fan spinner releasing from an AE 3007A engine during flight, is intended to prevent the fan spinner from releasing, which could result in injury and damage to the engine and airplane.
IAN LUDLOW will become managing director of Jet Aviation’s Moscow Vnukovo maintenance operation, effective Aug. 1. Ludlow will manage the new joint venture that Jet Aviation formed with Vnukovo Invest. He will work closely with Vnukovo and report to Christof Spath, Jet Aviation’s senior vice president MRO and FBO services for EMEA and Asia. Formerly vice president of aircraft operations for Aeromobile Ltd., Ludlow has 30 years of aviation industry experience, beginning as an engineer with British European Airways.
ATR 42 AND 72 AIRCRAFT now can be equipped with a Class 2 Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) manufactured by Esterline CMC Electronics. The European Aviation Safety Agency certified the PilotView last week for use on the twin-turboprop regional airliners. Avions de Transport Regional is providing the EFB as a standard option on new aircraft; the unit also can be retrofitted on in-service aircraft. The dual installation PilotView EFBs will enable paperless cockpit operations, including aircraft data, procedures manuals and interactive electronic charts.
ASTM International’s aviation fuels subcommittee last week approved specifications for a synthetic jet-fuel blend for use in commercial aviation. The subcommittee’s approval of fuels from the Fischer-Tropsch process clears the way for full ASTM approval and certification of the synthetic jet-fuel specification. Final clearance is expected in the fall, said Rentech, Inc., which produces the RenJet synthetic jet fuel from the Fischer-Tropsch process.
