While the economic downturn has not yet affected Spirit AeroSystems’ business as deeply as others in the industry, the Wichita-based components and assembly supplier is hoping to avoid layoffs with a salary freeze. The move covers the board, its executives, and managerial and salaried payroll workers – 1,800 of the company’s 14,000 employees worldwide.
SIKORSKY AEROSPACE SERVICES has opened a regional spare parts center in Korea. The facility, which is being operated in conjunction with Times Aerospace Korea at the Gimpo Aerospace Industrial Complex, will receive, stock and ship an array of parts to support the VX/H-92 helicopters flown by the Republic of Korea Air Force, as well as S-61, S-76 and S-92 aircraft flown by other Asian operators.
DORNIER Model 228-100, -101, -200, -201, -202 and -212 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2009-0261; Directorate Identifier 2009-CE-017-AD] – This revised proposal would give interested parties more time to comment on a proposal rule that would require operators to conduct repetitive inspections of the guide pins of the power and condition levers and replace, before further flight, any guide pins that exceed acceptable wear-limits as defined in Dornier 228 Alert Service Bulletin ASB-228-279 (dated Dec. 19, 2008).
FAA last week warned fractional ownership managers along with air carrier safety and operations directors to become familiar with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Web site and its swine flu recommendations, and that they follow all new or revised directives. In a Safety Alert for Operators, FAA notes that the flu, called the H1N1 virus, is a novel influenza A virus not previously identified in North America. Documents on how to screen passengers for the flu, control the infection and manage crew exposure can be found at cdc.gov/swineflu/guidance.
SIKORSKY GLOBAL HELICOPTERS has delivered six S-300CBi helicopters to Bristow Academy, a Florida-based flight training school. The aircraft will join Bristow’s fleet of 48 S-300CBi helicopters, which are used for training instruction at Bristow’s three U.S. locations in California, Florida and Louisiana. Bristow Academy, an authorized sales center for Sikorsky Global Helicopters Light Helicopter Division, has been operating S-300CB helicopters since 1995.
THE NINTH AND FINAL VH-71 to be built under “Increment 1” of the U.S. Presidential helicopter replacement program departed AgustaWestland’s Yeovil, United Kingdom facility recently. The variant of the AW101 was put on a U.S. Air Force C-17 transport for its trip to the U.S. completion center of prime contractor Lockheed Martin. The VH-71 is slated to enter service in late 2010 following installation of the cabin interior, communications suite and other mission equipment.
IRISH CARRIER JETBIRD has launched its new brand, aircraft livery and Web site – www.flyjetbird.com – as it moves toward a full commercial launch in September 2009. Jetbird plans to provide a direct, on-demand private jet service using a fleet of Embraer Phenom 100 aircraft. Jetbird expects to take delivery of 10 Phenoms by the end of 2009.
Honda Aircraft Company is pushing back the delivery of its $3.9 million HondaJet by a year, citing delays in the supply chain, the company announced last week. Honda Aircraft now plans to fly the aircraft in January 2010 and receive certification and begin delivery by late 2011. First customer delivery was originally anticipated in late 2010.
May 4 – Greater Washington Aviation Open 21st Annual Charity Golf Tournament at the Lansdowne Golf Resort, [email protected] MAY 4-7 – Aging Aircraft 2009 Conference, Kansas City, Mo. Convention Center, (937) 426-2808, fax 937-426-8755, www.agingaircraft2009.com May 7 – Greater Washington Business Aviation Association Safety Standdown, NTSB Training Academy in Ashburn, Va.; contact Jim Lumley, GWBAA Safety Chairman, (443) 534-1219, [email protected], www.gwbaa.com
DASSAULT Falcon 2000EX airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2009-0380; Directorate Identifier 2008-NM-153-AD] – This proposed AD would require operators to conduct a detailed visual inspection to detect any sharp and unprotected edges of the web of left-hand Stringer 13 between Frames 7 and 8, and measure the trimmed length of the web.
EMBRAER confirmed that the first customer delivery of a Lineage 1000 business aircraft is imminent. The aircraft will be handed over to Abu Dhabi, UAE-based Aamer Abdul Jalil Al Fahim, who ordered the airplane in November 2007 and will operate it for private use. The Lineage 1000 received its EASA certificate in January, with FAA approval following two weeks later. First delivery had originally been forecast for late 2008. PATS Aircraft Completions of Delaware outfitted the 19-seat cabin.
TEXTRON unit Bell was a bright spot in the Providence, R.I.-based corporation’s first-quarter earnings. Textron President and COO Scott Donnelly called Bell “our strongest business in the quarter, where revenues grew approximately 29 percent.” Revenues increased $168 million and profit was up $16 million in the first quarter, despite a softening on the commercial helicopter front. Backlog slid slightly to $6.1 billion as a result of declining commercial sales.
Growing cancellations, more “white tails” and higher used aircraft inventory have forced Cessna Aircraft to eliminate up to 2,300 more jobs, shelve plans for what would have been the company’s top-of-the-line aircraft and close its facilities in Bend, Ore. Cessna Chairman, CEO and President Jack Pelton in March warned employees that more cutbacks would be coming, and last week the company issued layoff notices to 1,600 additional workers. In a memo to employees last week, Pelton also warned of plans to lay off up to 700 additional workers by mid-June.
BOMBARDIER AEROSPACE has scheduled its third annual Safety Standdown Europe for May 11 in Geneva, just before the beginning of the European Business Aviation Conference and Exhibition. Bombardier hosts Safety Standdown Europe in conjunction with the National Business Aviation Association and European Business Aviation Association. The Canadian plane-maker has held an annual U.S. safety standdown in Kansas since 1996 and added the European event in 2007. The seminar provides training beyond the regulatory requirements and insight on human factors.
CAE earned FAA Inspection Authorization (IA) approval for six of its e-Learning maintenance training courses. Offered to maintenance technicians remotely over the Web, the maintenance training courses include B737NG engine ground operations, advanced digital principles, human factors, maintenance diagnostic systems and reduced vertical separation minimums. With the FAA approval, maintenance technicians can gain qualified hours for IA certificate renewal via the Web. The six e-Learning courses are part of 95 CAE maintenance training courses that received IA approval.
DIAMOND AIRCRAFT DA 40 and DA 40F airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2009-0125 Directorate Identifier 2009-CE-002-AD; Amendment 39-15873; AD 2009-07-14] – Inspect the adhesive joint between the wing main spar caps and the upper wing skin for adhesive voids, per Diamond Aircraft Work Instructions WI-MSB-40-060 and WI-MSB-F4-016 (dated Oct. 20, 2008). Report the inspection results to Diamond Aircraft Industries and, if an adhesive void is found that exceeds the criteria specified in the service information, repair the void before further flight.
Wisconsin’s New Richmond Regional Airport has decided to cut hangar fees by 10 percent as it continues to do well financially despite the current financial downturn. The airport is located northeast of the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area, has about 170 based aircraft and handles 40,000 operations annually.
THE U.S. AND JAPAN signed their first bilateral air safety agreement in Tokyo last week, FAA said. The Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement is the culmination of several years of negotiations, FAA said. It allows FAA to accept some aircraft parts built in Japan and reciprocal certification of new aircraft designs. The agreement underscores the level of trust between the aviation authorities of both countries, officials said. Japan was the largest buyer of U.S. aerospace products last year, and has played an increasingly large role as a supplier of parts to U.S.
AVIDYNE has developed a new, attitude-based digital autopilot for Cirrus SR20 and 22 airplanes equipped with the company’s dual air data and attitude heading reference systems and the Entegra Release 9 integrated flight deck. The DFC100 is an integrated flight computer and control panel that is designed as a plug-and-play replacement for existing rate-based STEC 55X flight computers. Avidyne officials say the new system has all the standard vertical and lateral modes of operation of a turbine-class autopilot system.
Debt watcher Fitch Ratings has given Bombardier a BB+ rating and downgraded its outlook from stable to negative.The negative outlook reflects concerns about the impact of a sharp decline in demand for business jets on Bombardier’s aerospace business and free cash flow. “Although Bombardier has the capacity to weather a temporary downturn, a sustained downturn could hurt the company’s financial performance beyond fiscal year 2010,” said the Fitch report, noting Bombardier plans to deliver 25 percent fewer business jets in fiscal 2010 than in fiscal 2009.
Piper Aircraft Co. announced Friday that it has been acquired by Imprimis Fund, which purchased 100 percent of Piper’s stock from The American Fund, which has owned the planemaker since 2003. The terms of the sale were not disclosed.
Hawker Beechcraft Corp. (HBC) was encouraged that a recent flight of its Beechcraft Bonanza G36 using unleaded fuel and Swift Sustainable Fuel was a step forward in the quest to replace leaded aviation gasoline. HBC partnered with Teledyne Continental Motors (TCM) and Swift Enterprises on the research.
THE NEW OWNERS of Piper Aircraft are indicating plans to make a “significant” investment in the Vero Beach, Fla.-based plane-maker. See article on Page 209.
CARRIE SINCLAIR joined the Honeywell media relations team, where she will work with both trade and general media in support of the aerospace business. Sinclair formerly was communications manager on Honeywell’s Air Transport & Regional (AT&R) communications team, handling communications for the Airlines and Regional Aircraft and Component Customers business teams. Before that, she served as manager of Internet marketing for the AT&R and Business & General Aviation units. She joined Honeywell in 2001.
VAN NUYS AIRPORT’S noise compatibility program is under review by the FAA, and the agency expects to approve or disapprove the plan by Oct. 16. FAA formally began its review of the noise plan for the Los Angeles area business aviation airport on April 20 and is accepting public comments through June 18. For more information, contact Victor Globa, Environmental Protection Specialist, FAA, Los Angeles Airports District Office, P.O. Box 92007, Los Angeles, Calif. 90009-2007. Phone (310) 725-3637.
