Enhanced Vision System providers Max-Viz of Portland, Ore., and Forward Vision of Russell, Pa. expect to see a pronounced increase in market interest and orders for their respective products now that each is fielding what they say are the only second-generation EVS systems available.
SENTIENT FLIGHT GROUP named Jake Cartwright president and CEO last week, with responsibility “for all facets of the business including flight operations and maintenance, client services, finance and accounting, as well as charter, aircraft management and aircraft sales and marketing.” The naming of the former TAG Aviation executive follows the recent departure of Steven Hankin and increased involvement in the company by Chairman Greg Campbell, along with an infusion of funding to help SFG resolve cash flow problems (BA, July 14/13).
GENERAL ELECTRIC CT58 engines [Docket No. FAA-2008-0808; Directorate Identifier 2008-NE-18-AD] – This proposed AD would require operators to recalculate the service lives of certain compressor spools using a new repetitive heavy lift (RHL) multiplying factor detailed in GE Alert Service Bulletin CT58 S/B 72-A0162, Rev. 12 (dated April 17, 2008).
DENVER AIRCENTER established a toll-free travel hotline, (800) 525-8139, for people flying into the fixed-base operation for the Democratic National Convention in Aug. 24-27 in Denver. The line is staffed by personnel who can answer travel and planning questions from those traveling on general aviation airplanes that land at nearby Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport (BJC) in Broomfield, Colo.
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HAWKER BEECHCRAFT, with an aircraft order backlog worth billions of dollars, was facing the possibility of a strike this week by its employees who are members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. Union leaders recommended earlier that members reject the company’s contract offer, but talks were continuing late last week. IAM members were scheduled to vote Aug. 2 on whether to accept the package or go on strike. The union represents some 4,700 HBC employees in Wichita and another 500 in Salina, Kan.
MD HELICOPTERS MD900 helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2008-0772; Directorate Identifier 2008-SW-30-AD] – This proposed AD would require reducing the current gross weight limit to 5,400 pounds and inserting a copy of this directive into the “Limitations” section of the Rotorcraft Flight Manual. Alternatively, operators could make certain optional modifications detailed in MD Helicopters Service Bulletin SB900-099 R1 (dated Dec. 27, 2006).
SEN. KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON (R-Texas) was named the ranking Republican on the Senate Commerce Committee, stepping in for Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), who relinquished his duties after being indicted by a federal grand jury for failing to include some gifts – including a substantial remodeling of his home allegedly paid for by oil company Veco – on required financial disclosure forms. Hutchison also received a temporary waiver to continue as the ranking Republican on the Senate aviation subcommittee.
THE TIMING of Vern Raburn’s departure from Eclipse Aviation last week may have been a surprise, but the stage was set for a change earlier this year. In exchange for an equity infusion “substantially in excess of $100 million,” European Technology and Investment Research Center (ETIRC) Aviation became “the single largest shareholder” of the Albuquerque, N.M. manufacturer in January and Roel Pieper, ETIRC’s founder, became nonexecutive chairman of Eclipse (BA, Jan. 21/23).
GARMIN secured FAA certification for its new G600 avionics suite. Garmin said the approval clears the avionics to be installed in 785 different makes and models of normal and utility category aircraft with a certification weight up to 12,500 pounds. The avionics suite includes a primary flight display and multifunction display that can be customized for retrofit. The avionics system combines primary flight data including attitude and air data with navigation, weather, terrain and traffic data on dual LCD displays.
JEANETTE BREWER was appointed manager, flight crew cabin operations, for Gulfstream Aerospace. She will manage worldwide flight demonstrations of cabin equipment and furnishings as well as being responsible for passenger safety and comfort during demonstrations and corporate flights. She also will coordinate cabin operations forums at customer advisory board meetings and operator conferences. Brewer is a nine-year Gulfstream employee, most recently serving as senior international flight attendant and training officer for the flight attendant group.
MARK HERZOG joined FirstFlight as a senior strategist, part of an effort to expand the company’s fleet of managed and charter aircraft. Herzog most recently spent five years with Jet Aviation Business Jets, serving as vice president with the Aircraft Management Group. He also founded and spent seven years as general manager of a services company that provided onsite employee management for large and small firms. He further has regulatory experience, spending 12 years in regulatory and legal affairs with the U.S. Treasury Department.
THRANE & THRANE upgraded its Aero-HSD+ cabin communications system to provide for use of Wi-Fi-enabled PDA devices and cellphones. The upgrade enables use of devices including Blackberry, iPhone and other smartphones while in flight for e-mail, Web browsing and text messaging. The upgrade also allows secure corporate VPN connections and use on the ground, during takeoff or landing and in flight. Thrane & Thrane said the upgrade does not require additional certifications.
HAWKER BEECHCRAFT CORP. strengthened its management team with the appointment of three new vice presidents. Lance Crawford is vice president and chief information officer, responsible for information technology systems. He has more than 20 years of information technology experience, most recently with Computer Sciences Corp. and before that with The Sabre Group. Andy Plyler was named vice president, Hawker Beechcraft Services.
WHILE THE GA MARKET has made great strides to bring clear voice and data communication technology to the cabin of business aircraft, Congress is taking steps to keep air-ground communications out of airliner cabins. The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee last week approved the “HANG UP” act – Halting Airplane Noise to Give Us Peace – which would ban in-flight use of cell phones. In-flight cell phone use is currently banned in the U.S., but the European Union has stated plans to allow cell phone use on all commercial airliners.
JETBIRD converted three options for Embraer Phenom 100s, bringing the Dublin-based air taxi operator’s firm order backlog for the Brazilian-built light jet to 53. The Irish company placed an initial order for 50 Phenom 100s in May 2006, with options for another 50. JetBird is slated to accept its first Phenom 100 in 2009.
TAC AIR opened a new hangar at its facility at Centennial Airport near Denver, Colo. TAC Air said the hangar is the company’s largest at Centennial, and includes 30,000 square feet of hangar space and 3,500 square feet of office space that will be offered for lease. CMC Group of Denver, Colo. was the contractor on the project, which began in early spring. TAC Air operates 12 fixed-base operations throughout the U.S.
Signature Flight Support last week continued to grow its network of fixed-base operations with the acquisition of MES Handling at Munich International Airport in Germany. The acquisition comes on the heels of the completion of a deal to buy Hawker Beechcraft’s fuel and line operations at seven U.S. airports (BA, July 28/45).
BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON CANADA Model 222, 222B, 222U, 230 and 430 helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2008-0071; Directorate Identifier 2006-SW-27-AD] – This proposed AD would retain the requirement of an earlier directive to check tail-rotor blades for cracks and replace any cracked blade with an airworthy blade before further flight. However, the new proposal would remove certain tail-rotor blades from the applicability of the AD.
CESSNA delivered the first of 10 172 Skyhawk single-piston aircraft to the University of Dubuque’s Aviation Department. The new Garmin G1000-equipped 172s will replace the university’s existing fleet of Skyhawks. The school uses the aircraft to provide private and instrument flight instruction through the FAA /Industry Training Standards course. Cessna will continue delivery of 172s through June 2009.
SIKORSKY’S new representative for commercial sales of the S-76 and S-92 in Italy and Monaco is New Jet International. The company – which sells both new and preowned aircraft from offices in Monte Carlo, Monaco, and Milan, Italy – also is a sales representative for Bombardier Learjet, Challenger and Global aircraft.
HAWKER BEECHCRAFT Model 390 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2008-0353; Directorate Identifier 2007-CE-101-AD; Amendment 39-15620; AD 2008-16-02] – Per the instructions of Hawker Beechcraft Mandatory Service Bulletin No. SB 27-3787 (dated May 2007), repetitively do a post-flight check for residual heat in the angle-of-attack (AOA) probes or conduct an operational test of the heat of the AOA probes after every flight and replace or modify the stall warning AOA transmitters by uploading new software.
COMPOSITE AIRCRAFT REPAIR of Moriarty, N.M. was appointed by Grob Aerospace Inc. as the new authorized service center for the 300-plus Grob Aerospace light aircraft and gliders in the U.S. This is the first U.S. service center for the G 115 single-engine trainer, G 102 and G 103 series gliders and the G 109 motor glider.
CESSNA AIRCRAFT Model 150 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2008-0790; Directorate Identifier 2008-CE-042-AD] – For aircraft equipped with the Ballistic Recovery Systems, Inc. BRS-150 parachute system, this proposal would require the replacement of the pick-up collar support and nylon screws for the parachute system in accordance with Ballistic Recovery Systems Mandatory Service Bulletin SB 2008-04-01 R1 (dated April 24, 2008).
GA Industry Veteran Jack Braly has taken on a new role to lead another aircraft manufacturer. Braly is the new president and chief executive of AAI Acquistion, Inc., which bought the former Adam Aircraft Industries through the U.S. bankruptcy process in April. Braly formerly served as president of Sino Swearingen Aircraft, Rockwell’s North American Aircraft Modification Division and Beech Aircraft.
