AGUSTAWESTLAND won new orders from several operators. South Korea’s Samsung Techwin Co. has ordered two AW139s. The medium, twin-engine helicopters will be used to perform corporate and VIP transport. The first AW139 will be delivered this year, while the second one will be delivered in 2010. Separately, AMIL (Assistência Médica Internacional Ltda) of Brazil has taken delivery of one AW119 Ke and one AW109 Power helicopter. The aircraft are being used to perform emergency medical services and executive transport missions, respectively.
JEFF SODERBERG rejoined StandardAero’s service center sales team. Soderberg will be responsible for sales of CF34, AE3007 and PW600 services for business aviation operators in Western North America. He formerly was the regional sales manager for the Southwestern U.S. and Mexico for Pratt & Whitney Canada. Before that, he had been the regional service manager for the Western U.S and Latin America for StandardAero. Soderberg also has served with National Flight Services and Garrett Aviation Services.
HELIJET INTERNATIONAL, the Canadian-owned company that is North America’s largest scheduled helicopter airline and a provider of air ambulance and charter services in British Columbia, has flown 140,000 accident-free hours in Sikorsky S-76A helicopters since 1987. Helijet currently operates five S-76As, as well as several other helicopters and Learjets.
PLANESENSE, a fractional aircraft ownership program that sells shares in PC-12 turboprop aircraft, has expanded its operations into Texas. Founded in the mid-1990s, the Portsmouth, N.H.-based company originally focused on the Eastern U.S. PlaneSense believes that the PC-12 is particularly suited for Texas, with the capability of using some 230 airports in addition to those that can be accessed by private jet and/or commercial airlines.
Comprehensive FAA reauthorization took another small step forward last week after the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee (T&I) cleared the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2009, H.R. 915, for full House action. The reauthorization bill would authorize nearly $70 billion in spending through fiscal 2012 and contains most of the provisions included in reauthorization legislation that the committee introduced back in 2007 (BA, Feb. 16/70). But H.R. 915 does not address aviation taxes.
BBA subsidiary Dallas Airmotive added Rolls-Royce Model 250 engine services to its Dallas Love Field Regional Turbine Center (RTC). The addition helps expand BBA’s helicopter services business base, the company said, noting the Dallas RTC was selected for its central location. Located in Hangar C at Love Field, the RTC will provide overhaul, repair and exchange services on the full range of Model 250 engines, modules, accessories and components beginning in the second quarter. Dallas Airmotive also operates RTCs for the Rolls-Royce Model 250 in Phoenix, Ariz.
Bell Helicopter officials say they expect to win certification of the Bell 429 by midyear and begin customer deliveries by the end of 2009. During the recent Heli-Expo convention, the demonstrator aircraft flew 220 customers on 35 flights, accumulating 16 flight hours with 100 percent reliability, according to Bell Helicopter officials, who reported that the aircraft’s ongoing flight-test program is moving forward smoothly.
FAA has convened a new Aviation Rulemaking Committee to develop recommendations for comprehensive Safety Management System (SMS) rulemaking. The ARC initially comprises 12 people from across the aviation industry, but membership is expected to grow as working groups form to delve into the application of SMS to the various industry sectors. FAA this spring is expected to release an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking that will provide a starting point for the SMS rule. The ARC has a three-year charter.
PHOENIX HELIPARTS of Mesa, Ariz. won a series of contracts to support the Republic of Korea’s Army fleet of MD 500D helicopters. The contracts include service, repair and overhaul for more than 250 helicopters. The contracts are expected to extend for three years. Phoenix Heliparts said it was able to secure the contracts with the backing of Heli-Mart, which recently acquired the majority of Phoenix Heliparts shares, as well as its affiliate company California Aero Components.
BILL WILLIAMS was appointed vice president of materials for Gulfstream Aerospace. Formerly vice president of product support materials for Gulfstream, Williams will be responsible for all initial phase, final phase and advanced procurement as well as materials management in his new role. He succeeds Jim McQueeney, who is retiring after 20 years at Gulfstream. Before joining Gulfstream in 2005, Williams was vice president of supply chain management for GKN Aerospace in Hazelwood, Mo.
SIKORSKY’S Aerospace Services aftermarket business has signed an exclusive distribution agreement with NAASCO Northeast Corp. for a modification that extends the time between overhaul and typical life of S-76 starter-generators. The modification reportedly lowers the starter-generator’s operating temperature and operating costs while enhancing its performance. Separately, Sikorsky Aerospace Services has authorized VIH Aviation Group (VIHAG) to repair and overhaul S-92 helicopter gearboxes.
PHI celebrated its 60th anniversary during a ceremony at the recently concluded Heli-Expo show. “PHI has operated and maintained virtually every type of commercial helicopter since the company began in 1949,” said PHI CEO Al A. Gonsoulin. Sikorsky executives participated in the celebration of its long-time customer. A pioneer in deepwater helicopter operations, Louisiana-based PHI has flown Sikorsky helicopters since the 1950s in offshore oil and gas, onshore mining, international, air medical and technical services missions.
PIAGGIO AMERICA, the U.S. subsidiary of Italian plane-maker Piaggio Aero Industries, tapped John Bingham to serve as executive vice president, marketing and sales. Bingham joins Piaggio from Cirrus Design, where he was executive vice president of sales and marketing as well as managing director of Cirrus International. Under his stewardship, Cirrus sales grew from 270 aircraft per year to more than 700. After Cirrus International was created in 2007, the company’s international business grew from 5 percent to 40 percent in 2008.
FLEXJET’S efforts to retain existing customers have been driven by providing new and different options, says CEO Fred Reid. “We saw a significant decline in fractional new business in 2008,” he said. “But in 2008, one of our worst years ever, we had a real spike in our Flexjet One program. It’s our hybrid management-whole aircraft solution that offers owners significant cost savings because we are able to re-lease and reutilize their aircraft for Jet Card solutions.” The Flex 25 Card business grew 36 percent last year, said Reid.
STEVE KELLEY joined StandardAero as corporate communications manager. Kelley will manage internal communications for StandardAero’s 4,000-plus employees throughout the U.S. and Canada as well as serve as the company’s external media relations contact. Kelley has managed marketing and communications for a number of major corporations, including Raytheon Missile Systems and Health Net of Arizona. He also was the primary marketing strategist for The Greater Tucson Economic Council and ARGO Tracker Corporation, a developer of portable, GPS-based tracking devices.
The Air Charter Safety Foundation’s new Industry Audit Standard recently earned a strong endorsement from Executive Jet Management (EJM), which has agreed to use the standard as it audits some 80 operators that provide supplemental lift for the Cincinnati-based charter and management company. The foundation recently completed the beta-test phase and rolled out the Industry Audit Standard (IAS) for all operators (BA, Feb. 9/64).
CESSNA AIRCRAFT’S Citation Sovereign has received type certification from the Russian aviation authority MAK (Interstate Aviation Committee, Aviation Register). The Sovereign joins the Citation X, CJ3, CJ2+ and CJ1+ in securing Russian approval. Cessna has delivered more than 250 Sovereigns since late 2004. Cessna also was granted European Aviation Safety Agency full type certification for the 400 Corvalis TT single-engine piston aircraft. The 400 Corvalis formerly was called the Cessna 400 after Cessna acquired the assets of Columbia Aircraft Manufacturing Co.
BOMBARDIER Regional Jet Series 700, 701, 702 and 900 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2008-1115; Directorate Identifier 2008-NM-134-AD; Amendment 39-15801; AD 2009-02-11] – Separate the high-power wiring from the fuel system wiring at the center fuel tank front spar area and install additional clamping and support for the high-power wiring, per the instructions of Bombardier Service Bulletin 670BA-24-012, Rev. B (dated July 25, 2007).
AVTRAK AND BBA AVIATION are the newest members of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association, bringing GAMA’s membership to 66 organizations. Headquartered in Littleton, Colo., Avtrak provides maintenance and regulatory compliance management services and aircraft maintenance tracking programs. BBA Aviation is a provider of aftermarket services, including jet engine overhaul; aircraft parts; and design, manufacture and overhaul of landing gear, aircraft hydraulics and other aircraft equipment.
BOMBARDIER CL-600, -601, -601-3A, -601-3R and -604 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2009-0044; Directorate Identifier 2008-NM-132-AD] – This proposed AD would require operators to alter the “Normal Procedures” section of the Airplane Flight Manual by revising the first flight of the day check of the stall protection system in order to detect a degradation of the stick pusher function.
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USED BUSINESS JET sales in North America dropped by about 30 percent in 2008, according to preliminary numbers from AvData, Inc. Used turboprop sales in North America also declined last year by more than 20 percent compared with 2007 levels. But used business jet sales fared better outside North America last year, falling less than 5 percent. Light, medium and heavy used turboprop sales all increased outside North America last year. See charts on Pages 117 and 118.
BOMBARDIER BD-700-1A10 and BD-700-1A11 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2009-0138; Directorate Identifier 2008-NM-216-AD] – This proposed AD would require operators to repetitively inspect for damage and wear and lubricate the power control unit (PCU) attachment joints in accordance with Bombardier Service Bulletin A700-1A11-27-024, Rev. 01 (dated Oct. 3, 2008) or A700-27-066, Rev. 01 (dated Oct. 3, 2008), as applicable. Disassembling the PCU joints, inspecting for damage and taking corrective actions in accordance with Service Bulletin 700-1A11-27-025 (dated Oct.
