ROCKWELL COLLINS expanded its Tailwind 500/500 in-flight Direct Broadcast Satellite TV service coverage area to India and Russia. The expansion to India is available immediately, and the coverage in Russia will be available in August. The Tailwind 500 system is a multiregional tail-mount airborne television system designed for super-mid to large business aircraft. Tailwind 550 is a fuselage-mount system designed for larger VIP business aircraft such as the Boeing BBJ and Airbus ACJ.
Aviation services provider Greenwich AeroGroup is poised to double its operations and expand its reach into parts distribution with the planned acquisition of Banner Aerospace. Greenwich AeroGroup signed a definitive agreement to acquire Banner Aerospace from The Fairchild Corporation last month after emerging as the successful bidder during an auction held by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia last month upheld direct observation drug testing rules that the Department of Transportation issued in June 2008. Transportation worker unions and employers sued to remove the mandate for direct observation. The Appeals Court found that the rules were not arbitrary or capricious and did not violate Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable search and seizures, DOT said. The court, however, said it recognized the “highly intrusive nature” of direct observation procedures.
Brazilian plane-maker Embraer has entered a “detail design and certification phase” in the development of its new Legacy 450 and 500 midsize business jets in preparation to cut metal for prototypes and round out details of the systems and components. Embraer hopes to win certification for the Legacy 500 in 2012 and the Legacy 450 a year later.
HAWKER BEECHCRAFT has partnered with FlightSafety International to develop a new MxPro maintenance training program for aircraft technicians who work on the Hawker Beechcraft product lines. The program uses both academic and hands-on training. The program is designed replicate real-life service issues and events using aircraft, as well as classroom materials that include an interactive computer three-dimensional model.
VITESSE CORPORATION added another Hawker 800XP and a Citation V to its charter fleet. The additions increase the Vitesse Aviation charter fleet to five jets – three Hawker 800XPs, a Hawker 850XP and a Citation V. The aircraft operate from Dallas Love Field (DAL) and at Indianapolis Mount Comfort, Ind. (MQJ).
EMBRAER expanded its business jet service network, naming AdoAir Maintenance in Johannesburg, South Africa, and Nayak Aircraft Services in Cologne, Germany, as authorized service centers. AdoAir will provide routine checks and scheduled and unscheduled maintenance for the Legacy 600 jet and Phenom-series aircraft. Based at Lanseria International Airport in Northwest Johannesburg, AdoAir is part of the Adonai Group of Companies, which was established in 1992, with business in Nigeria and West Africa, Southern Africa, Mauritius and the United Kingdom.
NAVERUS, a Kent, Wash.-based provider of performance-based navigation services (PBN) for air navigation service providers, airports and other customers worldwide, received FAA authorization to conduct flight validations of public and private PBN instrument flight procedures in the U.S. The authorization enables Naverus to validate PBN instrument flight procedures and Special PBN Wide Area Augmentation System instrument flight procedures. “This is an important achievement for our company,” said Naverus CEO Steve Forte.
GENERAL DYNAMICS sees some opportunities for coordination between its recently acquired Jet Aviation business and Gulfstream Aerospace, though the two remain separate companies, Gulfstream President Joe Lombardo told the Aero Club of Washington, D.C. last week. The companies are considering cooperation with parts sales as well as sharing of best practices management. “There’s a lot going on internally” between the two companies, he said.
HARTZELL PROPELLER steel hub turbine propellers [Docket No. FAA-2009-0114; Directorate Identifier 2009-NE-03-AD; Amendment 39-15910; AD 2009-10-14] – Identify and remove certain propeller blade counterweight slug bolts from service and install serviceable bolts, per the instructions of Hartzell Propeller Inc. Service Bulletin No. HC-ASB-61-313, Rev. 2 (dated March 27, 2009). This AD was prompted by reports of bolt failures and separation of the counterweight slug, which led to propeller vibration and damage to the propeller spinner.
Brazilian authorities are investigating the May 23 crash of a Beechcraft 350 King Air that killed the pilot and 13 passengers, including four children. The aircraft, PR-MOZ, operated by Metered Holdings LTDA on a non-commercial flight from Congonhas-Sao Paulo International Airport, crashed and caught fire about 200 meters from Runway 15 at Terra Vista Golf Club Airport in Porto Seguro at 0030 universal time. The aircraft was substantially damaged in the crash and ensuing fire.
THE TRANSPORTATION SECURITY ADMINISTRATION is planning another industry meeting to solicit input on the Large Aircraft Security Program proposal June 15. The meeting will be the third in as many months that the agency has held with industry officials on its controversial proposal. This time, however, meeting participation will be expanded beyond a limited group of general aviation representatives to include other aviation officials and groups such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
SAAB 340A SF340A and 340B airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2009-0447; Directorate Identifier 2008-NM-172-AD] – This proposal would require operators to inspect the illuminated placard of the refuel and defuel panel for signs of heat and burn marks, per the instructions of Saab Service Bulletin 340-28-027, Rev. 01 (dated July 7, 2008). If any heat or burn marks are found, operators would need to replace the illuminated placard with a new one before further flight. If no signs of damage are found, operators would still need to replace the illuminated placard within 12 months.
COMLUX COMPLETION USA in Indianapolis, Ind., was designated a Bombardier AOG (aircraft on ground)/line maintenance facility. The designation authorizes Comlux to provide maintenance for Bombardier Learjet, Challenger and Global business jets. Comlux has 47,000 square feet of hangar space at Indianapolis International Airport and a team of 44 aircraft maintenance technicians, 12 support personnel and 24 completions specialists. Comlux Completion USA is part of the aviation services company Comlux Group, which also operates nine Bombardier aircraft in its charter fleet.
U.K.-based charter broker .Emtjets has created a new system for aircraft operators to offer quotes on future charter flights. The Emtjets system was primarily developed to offer operators worldwide a marketplace to sell their empty legs and provide individual travelers with a cost-effective option, CEO and founder Adrian Twibill said. The Global Instant Quotation System creates an online marketplace that enables aircraft operators to competitively bid each other for customer flights, resulting in significant savings and increased aircraft options, he added.
CESSNA AIRCRAFT is expanding its parts distribution capabilities through an agreement to use Bell Helicopter’s European parts distribution facility at Amsterdam Airport Schipol. The facility will distribute parts to Citation operators in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Both Cessna and Bell are subsidiaries of Textron.
ASSOCIATED AIR CENTER has secured FAA approval for modifications designed to meet a new SFAR-88 mandatory airworthiness directive on its ninth Boeing Business Jet equipped with the DeCrane-PATS auxiliary fuel system. DeCrane-PATS last month announced it had been awarded FAA clearance to use its service bulletins as an alternate means of compliance with SFAR-88, which requires alterations to be conducted to the fuel tanks by December. Associated Air Center is one of three centers authorized to perform the work.
CHARTERX, an online marketplace for charter buyers and sellers, has launched a targeted online service for European brokers and operators. CharterX Europe is customized with region-specific trip booking opportunities, empty legs and industry news. “Recently, we have seen a marked increase in traffic and customer activity originating from Europe,” said Jim Betlyon, CEO of CharterX Wyvern.
ANDREW INNES was named underwriter for XL Insurance’s aviation business in London. Innes, formerly with the insurance firm Catlin, has 14 years of experience.
WEST STAR AVIATION in Grand Junction, Colo., completed the installation of a new avionics package aboard a Learjet 60. The installation included dual Universal UNS-1EW flight management systems with WAAS, L3 GH-3100 solid state standby altitude/airspeed and vertical speed indicator, dual Collins RTU-4220 radio tuning units, Universal MFD-980, and WSI Satellite Weather system. West Star removed the old standby indicators.
There are still no viable bidders for Eclipse Aviation nearly 90 days after its creditors petitioned the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware on Feb. 24 to liquidate the Albuquerque very light jet startup’s assets in accordance with Chapter 7 of the federal bankruptcy laws.
CHRIS HANCOCK has become Hawker Beechcraft’s regional sales director for Sub Sahara Africa. Hancock moved to Johannesburg from the company’s facility in Chester, U.K., where he was a regional sales director for Beech piston sales. Hawker Beechcraft credited Hancock with helping to re-establish the company’s piston business in Europe.
BAE SYSTEMS Model 146-100A and -200A airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2009-0432; Directorate Identifier 2008-NM-168-AD] – This proposed AD would require operators to inspect for damage to the horizontal stabilizer lower skin and joint plates in accordance with BAE Systems Service Bulletin ISB.55-020 (dated Dec. 11, 2007). If no damage were found, operators would need to drill and ream four rivet holes and do a detailed visual inspection of the holes for distortion and corrosion.
